For those of you old enough to remember the famous opening to ABC's Wide World Of Sports featuring the skier wiping out over the words "and the agony of defeat," I think we've finally found a wipeout that tops it. Before watching it's helpful to know that the skateboarder, Jake Brown, is not dead, and in fact was due to be released from the hospital today with minor injuries.
According to the LA Times, Jake Brown suffered bruising of the the liver and lungs, stress fractures in his vertebrae and a small fracture on the top of one hand.
Nearly as unbelievable as Brown's miraculous recovery is the unexplainable incompetence of the medical "professionals" on hand. Not only did they not immobilize Brown with a cervical collar and back board, they allowed him to walk off under his own power...
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Comments (23)
This is a very lucky fellow... (Below threshold)1. Posted by WildWillie | August 4, 2007 7:54 AM | Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
This is a very lucky fellow. They should stop the x-games from becoming mainstream. The medical crew should have their licenses reviewed. I think they were more interested in getting him off the floor so the entertainment could continue then for the skaters well being. ww
1. Posted by WildWillie | August 4, 2007 7:54 AM |
Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 07:54
2. Posted by Bruce | August 4, 2007 8:47 AM | Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
I was waiting for the backboard to be run out as soon as he landed.
Waiting.
Waiting.
Hello?????
Dr. McFly?????
2. Posted by Bruce | August 4, 2007 8:47 AM |
Score: 2 (4 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 08:47
3. Posted by Stephen Macklin
| August 4, 2007 9:24 AM | Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
Allowed?
They probably begged him.
3. Posted by Stephen Macklin
| August 4, 2007 9:24 AM |
Score: 1 (3 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 09:24
4. Posted by baslimthecripple | August 4, 2007 10:36 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
I am waiting for the announcement of when numb nuts here returns to competition. Obvious candidate for a Darwin Award.
4. Posted by baslimthecripple | August 4, 2007 10:36 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 10:36
5. Posted by Falze | August 4, 2007 10:54 AM | Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
What? A massive skate ramp? You want me to do what? Cooooool...man that sounds gnarly. I'd be like totally skating 50 feet in the air, right? Yeah! I'll totally do it...especially since I can fly and everything...
5. Posted by Falze | August 4, 2007 10:54 AM |
Score: 1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 10:54
6. Posted by MunDane | August 4, 2007 10:57 AM | Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
John Kerry was against gravity before he was for it.
Plus If Al Gore was president, he would repealed America's subsidy of gravity against the wishes of the major Hospital Conglomerates, because he is an independent thinker worried about the little skateboarder.
So when he fell it was all Bush's fault
6. Posted by MunDane | August 4, 2007 10:57 AM |
Score: 2 (2 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 10:57
7. Posted by Tom Blogical | August 4, 2007 12:25 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I was working out when I saw this on NBC yesterday morning. I was incredulous to see him walking, both for the fact that he fell so far and for the fact that he should have never been allowed to.
7. Posted by Tom Blogical | August 4, 2007 12:25 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 12:25
8. Posted by The Listkeeper | August 4, 2007 2:56 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
"should have never been allowed to."
Damn, what a bunch of cowards and pussies we have here...
Pathetic.
8. Posted by The Listkeeper | August 4, 2007 2:56 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 14:56
9. Posted by lowmal | August 4, 2007 7:46 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I actually thought it was pretty funny..
Dope..
9. Posted by lowmal | August 4, 2007 7:46 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 19:46
10. Posted by Jayemay | August 4, 2007 8:02 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I'm glad we have so many medical doctors posting on this blog that have examined this guy and therefore know better than the actual medical professionals that were on the scene.
10. Posted by Jayemay | August 4, 2007 8:02 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 20:02
11. Posted by Elroy Jetson | August 4, 2007 10:05 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Jake Brown- if you have a wife and kids, may I suggest getting an accounting degree instead of trying for a comeback? If you don't, well, think about your ma & pa.
11. Posted by Elroy Jetson | August 4, 2007 10:05 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 22:05
12. Posted by cindermutha
| August 4, 2007 10:17 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Ouch! I'm sure he insisted on getting up and walking off. No brain, no pain.
12. Posted by cindermutha
| August 4, 2007 10:17 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 22:17
13. Posted by LAB | August 4, 2007 10:53 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
He may have been channeling Evel Knievel for a moment so he could look cool getting up after such a hard fall. He's lucky he didn't break his neck.
13. Posted by LAB | August 4, 2007 10:53 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 22:53
14. Posted by Paul | August 4, 2007 10:59 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
All I can say is I want shoes just like that... they took the fall for him.
14. Posted by Paul | August 4, 2007 10:59 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 4, 2007 22:59
15. Posted by Synova | August 5, 2007 12:55 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I'm sure he insisted on walking, undoubtedly on an adrenaline high. I'm sure he laid down as soon as he was off and was taken right to the hospital.
It was incredible, really. You *did* all notice that he controlled the fall, reorienting himself to land on his feet and fall backwards? That blew me away more than anything. At least some of the velocity was able to bleed out on the slide the rest of the way down the ramp. I wouldn't be surprised if in addition to reorienting that way to absorb the impact with his feet and legs that the fact he didn't roll or tumble was on purpose too.
15. Posted by Synova | August 5, 2007 12:55 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 5, 2007 00:55
16. Posted by Oyster | August 5, 2007 9:14 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Lighten up on the kid. Man, some of you are far too critical of him. Synova is right. My son is a skater - and a darn good one. These guys know how to fall to minimize or avoid injury (injury is inevitable, just as in any sport). They're not just some crazy kids who don't understand or don't appreciate the dangers.
Football players are routinely allowed to walk off the field after what could be perceived as a serious injury and it turns out their injury was serious enough to keep them out for several games or even a whole season. And no one is complaining about the medic allowing them to walk away under their own power. Because football players are seen as "real athletes" and the paramedics as "professionals".
I think there is a certain stigma applied to skateboarding that keeps people from recognizing it as a "real sport", its participants as "real athletes" and their support staff such as paramedics and trainers as "real professionals". Serious guys who know what their doing.
16. Posted by Oyster | August 5, 2007 9:14 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 5, 2007 09:14
17. Posted by LAB | August 5, 2007 11:15 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Oyster, you and Synova are right about how skilled he is. I always assumed that skateboarding had been recognized as a sport for quite some time. The video made it clear to me just how good Brown is at what he does, but the story also says he suffered liver and lung contusions with stress fractures to his hand. There is always, like with any sport, other risk elements that make what he does quite dangerous. That is why I maintain he is very, very lucky. He's walking with a cane right now, out of the hospital, and doing much better.
17. Posted by LAB | August 5, 2007 11:15 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 5, 2007 11:15
18. Posted by spurwing plover | August 5, 2007 3:00 PM | Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
The way that guy went off that ski jump you would have though he would have killed himself but he survived THE THRILL OF VICTORY AND THS AGONY OF DEFEAT and THE AGONY OF DA FEET IS WHAT HAPPENS WENT YOU GO ON A LONG HIKE
18. Posted by spurwing plover | August 5, 2007 3:00 PM |
Score: -1 (1 votes cast)
Posted on August 5, 2007 15:00
19. Posted by epador | August 6, 2007 2:24 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Here's a medical professional with >30 years experience including civilian and military trauma.
He should have been immobilized and carried off on a back board.
A fall from that height is always serious. You must assume cervical fractures until otherwise ruled out by radiographs. There's no physical exam possible to totally rule out a C-spine injury. The adrenaline/endorphine rush from the accident could easily (and has many times in the past) allowed a seriously injured person to complete their quadriplegia that could have been prevented with proper immobilization.
19. Posted by epador | August 6, 2007 2:24 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 6, 2007 02:24
20. Posted by epador | August 6, 2007 2:26 AM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
BTW, I don't consider lung and liver contusions, or lumbar compression fractures "minor" injuries.
20. Posted by epador | August 6, 2007 2:26 AM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 6, 2007 02:26
21. Posted by Jeff Blogworthy | August 6, 2007 12:23 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Crap. What happened to the video? I missed it.
21. Posted by Jeff Blogworthy | August 6, 2007 12:23 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 6, 2007 12:23
22. Posted by model_1066 | August 6, 2007 11:22 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
I'm with Paul...I saw the video and my first thought was something along the lines of 'would he be alive, much less walking and breathing, without modern safety equipment after falling something like 40 feet?'. But then in the elevator today I saw a news blurb on the monitor about a teenager falling 6 stories from a balcony at a hotel in Florida. The hapless goof only sustained cuts and bruises.
22. Posted by model_1066 | August 6, 2007 11:22 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on August 6, 2007 23:22
23. Posted by RAWRPIX.com | December 21, 2010 6:54 PM | Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
This was a very good post. I want to hear more. Possibly your guests will like my website with rockabilly and skater pictures.
23. Posted by RAWRPIX.com | December 21, 2010 6:54 PM |
Score: 0 (0 votes cast)
Posted on December 21, 2010 18:54