Is snowboarding dead? According the the NY Times, yes

[James]

Cutting off their nose to spite their face. Espn has been on a role of seemingly bad decisions.

Shaun White Says ESPN Kept Him Out of X Games Over Criticism
By MATT HIGGINS
FEBRUARY 18, 2016
NY Times

Shaun White said remarks he made to Forbes magazine in the fall led ESPNto forgo inviting him to the Winter X Games in Aspen, Colo., last month. The comments followed weeks of speculation about why White, the most famous and accomplished athlete in snowboarding, was absent from one of the biggest showcases for his sport.

ESPN officials confirmed that White, one of the most decorated competitors in X Games history, had not been invited but declined to elaborate on the decision.

Reached this week, White, 29, said he believed that his snub was the result of statements he made to Forbes in October during an Under 30 Summit in Philadelphia. In an interview at that event, White lamented what he saw as ESPN’s lack of ambition for the X Games and discussed plans for his own franchise of extreme sports events, called Air & Style.

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/02/1...-to-exclude-him-from-winter-x-games.html?_r=0

 

[KingGrump]

I haven't noticed any degradation in the quality of the bumps at Taos since they open the mountain to boarder in 2008. But then I've been told that I am rather insensitive to most thing - skiing and/or otherwise.

 

[fatbob]

I admit that I wouldn't be sad if boarding faded. I don't have anything against boarders as people (honest!), but I've just seen so many close calls because it's physically difficult for them to be aware of what's going on heelside. It requires a limber neck and constant vigilance - more so than for skiers, who already struggle to be aware of everything around them.

I realize I've never been on a board, let alone been a proficient boarder, so I may be missing important information that would change my point of view. But I've seen one very nasty collisions because a person on a board ran right into someone approaching from their heelside, a number of lesser collisions, and tons of near misses. On cat tracks, boarders are at a severe disadvantage in being aware. It's led me to believe that boards make a lot of sense in wide open terrain like open bowls, but not so much at resorts.

I know you don't mean it that way but what you've said starts to sound like a formative "get off my snow" position. Proficient boarders aren't really an issue because they know to shoulder check because skiers as a whole are pretty dumb and don't appreciate blindspots and different turn patterns. If you are skiing and a boarder approaches you from above on his/her toe edge be prepared or get yourself out of that blindspot. If you are trying to pass a boarder don't be surprised if they turn into you if you get in the blindspot. And live with the fact that they'll be making different progress down the mountain. It's also IMV worth all skiers trying boarding so they appreciate how vulnerable the blindspot makes a boarder feel in traffic.

Of course like the skier population there are a whole army of boarders who are as dumb as rocks once they get on snow, don't let the swagger fool you that they know what they are doing. You can generally peg how a skier is going to be by dress, equipment and poise, apply the same to boarders and you likely overestimate average ability.

 

[James]

After skiing in Chamonix and Verbier I'd say European piste skiers are often in near collisions. Seems to be a constant state with them. Didn't see actual hits, but very close passes and last second avoidance. Didn't see that issue with the boarders at Verbier.

 

[Monique]

If you are skiing and a boarder approaches you from above on his/her toe edge be prepared or get yourself out of that blindspot.

This is problematic.

 

[Philpug]

Cutting off their nose to spite their face. Espn has been on a role of seemingly bad decisions.

Shaun White Says ESPN Kept Him Out of X Games Over Criticism
By MATT HIGGINS
FEBRUARY 18, 2016
NY Times

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/02/1...-to-exclude-him-from-winter-x-games.html?_r=0

ESPN has lost my following. First poker now televising gaming competitions? I was a big fan of Colin Cowherd on the radio, I followed him over to iHeart.

 

[James]

Espn seems to be doing what Mtv did years ago. Go for cheap programming and hope for a hit. Football requires(??) so many talking heads saying nothing it's expensive even after the enormous $'s paid for rights.

 

[crgildart]

IDK.. I've been a moderator on a skateboard site since 2008 that has old dogtown fans, punkers, and newer, younger street skaters. They all mostly agree that Tony Hawk's mainstream popularity drove a lot of the core skaters away from skating. I suspect that White has doing the same for snowboarding. These kids want to be doing what adults and mainstream sponsors frown upon. If they want something that pleases the establishment they'll be playing football (both kinds) and basketball. When it comes to snow sports, the privileged will always be racers and the outcasts will always shy away from what is widely accepted as normal. They'll be hucking cliffs and shredding rails until that is seen as mainstream. Now that it pretty much is, thanks to Shawn White they are gravitating to other things.. You should see the rants about White competing in skate competitions.. No love at all LOL!

 

[James]

Well they've all mainstreamed themselves out except the very few.

 

[Xela]

Maybe now that pot is so easy to get, nobody needs to pose as a snowboarder anymore.

 

[crgildart]

Maybe now that pot is so easy to get, nobody needs to pose as a snowboarder anymore.

Naw, they just moved on to heroine..

 

[fatbob]

This is problematic.

Well you can be morally right under the skier's code and on a gurney or be prepared and stay safe.

 

[SBrown]

IDK.. I've been a moderator on a skateboard site since 2008 that has old dogtown fans, punkers, and newer, younger street skaters. They all mostly agree that Tony Hawk's mainstream popularity drove a lot of the core skaters away from skating. I suspect that White has doing the same for snowboarding. These kids want to be doing what adults and mainstream sponsors frown upon. If they want something that pleases the establishment they'll be playing football (both kinds) and basketball. When it comes to snow sports, the privileged will always be racers and the outcasts will always shy away from what is widely accepted as normal. They'll be hucking cliffs and shredding rails until that is seen as mainstream. Now that it pretty much is, thanks to Shawn White they are gravitating to other things.. You should see the rants about White competing in skate competitions.. No love at all LOL!

I was having a discussion about this the other day ... seems quite a few are punking out in the backcountry, dirtbag shredders who don't bother with a lot of avalanche education. They have the gear, and a little knowledge, but mostly eschew protocol and are happy to roll the dice. I had sort of wondered if this were the case, with some of the "decision making" I've seen in the past few years; this conversation confirmed it. There has definitely been a change in behavior.

Whether these are exactly the folks you're talking about, not sure, but I think so. BC riding has certainly become more mainstream, so something had to give.

 

[Monique]

Well you can be morally right under the skier's code and on a gurney or be prepared and stay safe.

Totally agreed. But if you're saying, as I think you are, that boarders are more dangerous behind me than skiers are, because boarders have a blind side - I think you're making my point for me. Which point is simply that they're more dangerous because they can't see traffic as well.

 

[Xela]

The boarder's blind spot is the boarder's responsibility to deal with.

 

[fatbob]

The boarder's blind spot is the boarder's responsibility to deal with.

Agree when they are the behind "skier" but not when they are ahead. Good boarders don't have a problem with this because they'll be checking when making a move..however like skiers there are plenty that cruise around unaware trusting that it's everyone else's responsibility to look out for them.

 

[James]

We won't get into Don Denver's encounter at Snowmass where the guy yelled from way up the hill to get the F*** out of the way. Because he was straightlining. And wacked.

Most issues i have now on the hill seem to be with 30's and 40's dudes, on skis, who need to show how great they are weaving at speed around 8 year olds.

 

[Monique]

Anyway, as I said, I have nothing against people who strap one board to their feet instead of two. And I have seen stupid human tricks from people with all sorts of devices on their feet. But I do expect more trouble from boarders, and I wish they'd stop giving me evidence to support feeling that way.

Although - I have to say I felt most in danger a couple of weeks ago at Beaver Creek. Conditions were slick and crunchy enough that we were hanging out mostly on blues, and the skiers were TERRIFYING. Everybody flying down the hill at Mach Schnell, with no control whatsoever. I was happy when it got just a wee bit softer and we were able to escape into the trees.

 

[KevinF]

Anyway, as I said, I have nothing against people who strap one board to their feet instead of two. And I have seen stupid human tricks from people with all sorts of devices on their feet. But I do expect more trouble from boarders, and I wish they'd stop giving me evidence to support feeling that way.

Confirmation bias at work... Not that I'm singling you out; probably everybody is guilty of confirmation bias in some aspect of their lives.

Although - I have to say I felt most in danger a couple of weeks ago at Beaver Creek. Conditions were slick and crunchy enough that we were hanging out mostly on blues, and the skiers were TERRIFYING. Everybody flying down the hill at Mach Schnell, with no control whatsoever. I was happy when it got just a wee bit softer and we were able to escape into the trees.

I'll see your slick and crunchy and raise it several levels. I've been scared s---less on many runs this year because our usual escapes of bumps and trees haven't been available. I've had so many close calls this year (from both skiers and boarders) that I've thought a collision was inevitable.

 

[Monique]

Confirmation bias at work... Not that I'm singling you out; probably everybody is guilty of confirmation bias in some aspect of their lives.

Yeah, I've given that consideration. Incidents I've personally witnessed are definitely heavy on boarder fault, but it could be that I haven't witnessed enough incidences for that to be statistically significant.