My mistake X Games. Please let me apologize.In a tweet earlier this week, my not-so-subtle hint was that X Games 16 was without stars. That was certainly wrong.
It's just a sign of age, I guess, and having grown up on Evel Knievel (who remains my best in-person sports-related meeting even after covering the Super Bowl, All-Star Game and more) you'd think I'd have a bit more respect for action sports -- which has long outdone anything Knievel, the sports founding father, achieved.
This week's edition of the X Games -- that's X Games 16 -- originates from Los Angeles, and ESPN's made-for-TV (and Internet and mobile) action sports conclave again provides a complementary mix of action and TV coverage.
The event provides comparatively cheap programming for ESPN and serves as a testing ground, of sorts, for production technology. That includes everything from small cameras attached to competitors to 3D technology.
Also, X Games 16 has well-known competitors, even for an almost ancient action sports like me. Specifically, Travis Pastrana was the focus of Moto X Freestlye action Thursday night with his gold-medal effort, and coverage this weekend includes BMX Freestlye with Jamie Bestwick, Skateboard Vert with Shaun White and Skateboard Street with Ryan Sheckler.
They're just part of the talent pool that helps make the X Games surprisingly good TV. The access, athleticism, danger/drama and technological highlights combine to make the four-day action sports festival entertaining.
The X Games and action sports still might not be mainstream, but they're much less marginalized than they was a decade ago (or even less) -- and deservedly so.