Action Sports. It is a buzzword and I hate it. The general public understands what an ‘Action Sport’ is, but it makes no sense to me.
So extreeeeeeme man!
What does the phrase imply anyways? Lets break it down. Action. Many sports, with the exception of baseball, could be categorized as having significant action. Soccer, Football and Volleyball are 3 mainstream sports that contain an amount of action comparable to a Halfpipe run. Other events, like a best trick contest, contain as much action as baseball and golf. During a best trick contest boredom is only curtailed by the rider dropping in, similar to a golfer walking up to the tee. The only difference – the golfer does not go airborne.
Next up is the second portion of the word… Sports. Well, we are not talking about chess here, so I think we can accept ‘Sports’ as being legitimately descriptive. Not many people are going to argue that a rodeo 9 over an 80 foot jump requires athleticism. Also, a man completing a Halfpipe run on a BMX bike is certainly an athlete.
As much as I hate ‘Action Sports’, I hate having to describe my favorite activities as an ‘Action Sport’. Conversations usually proceed as follows:
n00b: So do you play any sports?
S.M.(Steeze Muffin): Yea! I ski!
n00b: Do you ski, like, competitively?
S.M.: Yea, I am like a freeski/newschool skier. (Describing that I enjoy filming more than competitions would take too much effort. Kinda like this sentence.)
n00b: *Weird Look…*
S.M.: Like, skiing that is in the X-Games, you know like Action Sports!?
n00b: Ooooh cool. *Followed by a fake expression of interest…*
S.M.: Sooooo, how about them (insert local sports team name)’s? They are doing…
The phrase ‘Action Sports’ is a step in the right direction. We use to have to deal with ‘Extreme Sports.’ I am not sure about you, but I do not consider myself Evil Kenivel. I take risks in my sport, but they are calculated risks. And I am NOT a one hit wonder. Therefore, extreme does not fit.
I think the word should be G Sports. The biggest difference between mainstream sports and G Sports is that G Sports rely on gravity. Okay that may be cornier than ‘Action Sports’ but no one needs to know the orgin of G Sports. Simply state to fellow citizens that the G stands for GANGSTA.
Take one look at snowboarding and skiing… especially skiing, and GANGSTA fits the perfectly. Skateboarding, Inline and BMX is often done in cities and cities are GANGSTA so those three sports qualify. Inline use to be GANGSTA but then it died out(srry guys, life is tough in the hood). Motocross is arguably a red neck sport. However, with the Original Gangsta Jersey from some bloke in England, motocross can also be considered GANGSTA. So there it is. Call them GANGSTA Sports… or G Sports to leave it up for interpretation. Add your G in the comments, if you are feeling brave.
