Author: Christopher Glotfelty (Page 45 of 67)

      X Games Athlete Profile: Adam Jones

      July 31, 2009 /

      Adam Jones

      At only 24 years of age, Adam Jones is already one of the top riders in professional motocross. Interestingly enough, the Warrendale, PA, native didn’t get on a bike until he was 10 years old. Since then, however, it’s been all uphill. Jones spent seven years in the racing scene before an injury forced him to take a year off. He used that time to re-evaluate his perspective on racing. Realizing that he was taking the sport too seriously, he came back with the attitude of trying to have more fun. It was then that Jones decided to take his chances on the IFMA Freestyle Motocross Circuit.

      Jones first garnered some attention at an IMFA X Games qualifier where he performed well enough to take the last position. This was to be the start of Jones’ success. Jones took a gold medal at the 2007 X Games and it remains the crowning achievement in his career. Adam’s dominance in 2007 was recognized as he was named the 2007 International Rider of the Year as well as the prestigious 2007 Transworld Motocross Rider of the Year. Since then, Jones has consistently finished in the top three positions at most of the competitions he enters.

      Jones has been criticized in the past for sometimes giving a lackluster performance. Some days he might leave everyone in awe while others he simply leaves the fans wanting more. Nevertheless, when he’s on his game he is obviously one of the most creative riders out there. Jones’ repertoire includes great let-go stunts, big bar tricks, and excellent extension.

      Adam’s sponsors are Fox Racing, DC Shoes, Smith Optics, Monster Energy Drink, OGIO, Maxxis, Pro Taper, Pro Circuit, Factory Connection. He rides a Yamaha YZ 250.

      News and Commentary

      Official website

      Jones wins the Vans Invitational

      GrindTV.com page

      Jones in Vienna

      Videos

      X Games 13 Gold Medal Run

      X Games 12 Best Trick Finals

      Axe advertisement

      X-Games

      X Games 15 Preview

      July 31, 2009 /

      X Games

      XG15 is under way in Los Angeles.

      ESPN previews four different events…

      Skateboarding: “A confluence of factors makes this year’s Street competition one of the most fascinating to date. To begin with, there’s Ryan Sheckler. Arguably the most recognizable skater on earth, Sheckler comes to Los Angeles hot off a Dew Tour win, and the prototype for competition dominance. But a sagging economy has lured hardcore street skaters who normally focus on producing film segments to take a shot on the sport’s biggest stage. Can guys like Mike Mo Capaldi, Darrell Stanton and Nick Dompierre establish a new competition benchmark? And can any of them stop 15-year-old Chaz Ortiz from making the whole field look old?”

      Moto X: “In an event known for big names, perhaps none is bigger than James Stewart. The 23-year-old motocross superstar is on pace to shatter the all-time record for Supercross wins, but first he’s making his first pit stop at X Games. James is known internationally not just for his dominance, but also his breaking down of racial barriers as the sport’s first African-American champion. The X Games gives Stewart the opportunity to test his newfound acceptance of his own fame with a whole new fan base.”

      BMX: “Now that Dave Mirra has joined the Action Sports Retirement Tour (otherwise known as the Rally America Championship), it would seem he’s ready finally to cede the X Games BMX stage to other riders, except he’s still competing in both Park and Big Air and remains a gold-medal threat in both. He’s already the most decorated BMX rider in X Games history; will he pad his lead at XG15?”

      Rally: “Travis Pastrana has won two of the three X Games Rally events, and his healthy lead in the 2009 Rally America Championship indicates he’s driving as well as ever. The flip side of Pastrana’s consistency is Ken Block, who’s considered the fastest driver in North America, but with a reputation for recklessness that has cost him wins in the past. In six Rally America championships this year, Block has won twice, finished second once and failed to finish three times. Whether or not he can finally break through for X Games gold after winning two bronzes and a silver in the past three might be the most fascinating question at XG15.”

      ESPN also has coverage of the ever-elusive front flip, marketing guru Ken Block, 15-year-old skateboarder Chaz Ortiz, supercross star James Stewart and BMXer Van Homan.

      You can watch a well-made trailer right here as well.

      The Los Angeles Times has also run a series of stories detailing the this year’s events.

      On risk, injury, and death…

      On James Stewart’s debut…

      On women’s skateboarding…

      On Jake Brown’s aerial displays…

      Lastly, I think James Stewart sums up the excitement of the events perfectly in this quote:

      “The average person always thinks soccer, football and basketball players are the toughest athletes. But man, I think the guys that come to the X Games are probably some of the most gnarly and talented athletes in the world.”

      You can catch the games all week on ESPN and ESPN2.

      X-Games

      Veritix becomes exclusive retailer for The Q

      July 21, 2009 /

      the q

      Beginning October 1st, all tickets purchased for sporting events or concerts at The Q must be made through Veritix on the primary market. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert is the majority owner of the company, who recently settled a lawsuit earlier this year with Ticketmaster.

      The change means all tickets to events there can be purchased using Flash Seats, a Veritix technology that provides paperless entry to the arena and a Web site for reselling tickets.

      A fee will be charged for reselling tickets, but the amount has not be determined, said Cavs spokesman Tad Carper. Previously, someone buying a Cavs ticket from a season ticket holder on Flash Seats paid a 20 percent fee.

      Event-goers will still have the option of a paper ticket that can be presented at the gate, Carper said. Tickets sold by Ticketmaster to events held at The Q after Oct. 1 will still be honored and will not have to be exchanged.

      Ticketmaster had claimed in court that the use of Flash Seats as on online venue for season ticket holders to unload seats violated the club’s contract with Ticketmaster. U.S. District Judge Kate O’Malley agreed, although she left pending a countersuit by Flash Seats and the Cavs that claimed Ticketmaster was violating antitrust law.

      While it’s not clear how much the Veritix surcharges will be, I assume the fan will get a better deal than through Ticketmaster. This deal also shouldn’t affect resellers on the secondary market since it appears that they’ll be able to buy and sell tickets much in the same way they always had, except it will be through a different medium. For years, Ticketmaster has used its dominance to charge high and unexplainable fees to the common fan.

      Right now, the company is in the midst of an anti-trust case after they tried to merge with Live Nation. I think it’s great that owners can control their tickets as long as they distribute and price them fairly to all.

      NBA

      Felipe Lopez traded to Brewers

      July 19, 2009 /

      lopez

      The Arizona Diamonbacks have traded second baseman Felipe Lopez to the Milwaukee Brewers for two minor leaguers. The Brewers have been without their second baseman Rickie Weeks since his season-ending wrist surgery. In his place, they’ve looked to veteran Craig Counsell and rookie Casey McGehee. Lopez is a confident leadoff hitter who now finds himself in a much stronger lineup.

      “It’s exciting,” Lopez said from St. Louis. “It’s tough leaving the guys here. At the same time, I’m excited for the opportunity.”

      The 29-year-old Lopez is hitting .301 with six homers, 25 RBIs and six stolen bases in 85 games in his first season with the Diamondbacks. He can become a free agent after the season.

      “Felipe is an accomplished veteran player who gives us versatility at three infield positions,” Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said. “He has been a very productive player at the top of the order with respect to both batting average and on-base percentage.”

      The Diamondbacks, who fell to 39-53 after Sunday’s 2-1 road loss to St. Louis, got outfielder Cole Gillespie and right-hander Roque Mercedes from the Brewers in the deal. Arizona began Sunday 18 games behind Los Angeles in the NL West.

      “With our place in the standings, we have to consider trades like this,” Diamondbacks general manager Josh Byrnes said. “Felipe will be a free agent at the end of the year, and we acquired a couple of guys with long-term value.”

      The Brewers will be Lopez’s sixth team in his nine-year career. Apart from the Brewers and Diamonbacks, Lopez has also played for the Blue Jays, Reds, Nationals, and Cardinals. Funny thing is, he’ll probably be on another club next year since Lopez will be a free agent and Weeks will be back.

      MLB

      Stewart Cink wins British Open

      July 19, 2009 /

      cink

      Along with Lance Armstrong’s recent performance at the Tour de France, 59 year-old Tom Watson’s run toward his sixth British Open championship has been both fun and inspiring. This is the same guy who hasn’t won a major since 1983. Unfortunately, Watson’s legs started to give out in the four-hole playoff and Cink soon prevailed.

      Those four holes will rank in the annals of sporting cruelty along with leaving Willie Mays in center field when he could no longer shag a fly ball, letting Joe Namath heave interceptions for the Rams or, worst of all, standing by while the great Ali was pummeled by unworthy hacks like Trevor Berbick.

      Throughout this most unforgettable of weeks, he’d remembered the man he used to be, resurrecting the champion who’d won the famous Duel in the Sun on these beautiful acres 32 years ago against the mighty Jack Nicklaus.

      When his eight iron hit the 72nd green, immortality was to have become a formality. Two putts to win.

      And that’s when Tom Watson lost his nerve. That’s when he betrayed his age and the long years it’s been since he’d been a golfer capable of winning majors.

      “The playoff was just one bad shot after another,” Watson said, “I didn’t give (Cink) much competition.”

      It was obvious, given the polite but lukewarm reception for Cink, that everyone had really come to see Watson achieve this most impossible of dreams.

      The writer of the piece, Robert Lusetich, does a nice job describing the showdown. While it’s a shame Watson didn’t win, a story like this is great for sports.

      Golf

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑