Methinks my student...

can qualify for Regionals this year:


Toe wake back/ toe wake front, almost...

Toe O, got it.  

Official video proof of...

me shattering my earliest-ski-set-of-the-year record*


Yeah, the camerawork is a bit, shall we say, dizzying, and the skiing is barely watchable.  But Damnit, I got on the water in Mid March!  That has to count for something.

I was not the only skier to begin his season that day.

Blink and you'll miss it, but Brian skied...

and had some fun with my camera too


*Hardly an impressive feat, given that the Leprechaun left 75 degrees and sunshine in place of a pot of gold.  I did not brave the elements (save a sunburn) to start early.  That being said, I beat by early start date by 10 days, so to quote Droopy "you know what, I'm happy."

I should petition the city..

of Coralville to put one on these contraptions in their local pool.



I don't know which would be more satisfying: Practicing tricks during the dead of winter, or spraying old ladies while they fruitlessly try to keep their hair dry during water "aerobics"

Damn, I am so ready for ski season to start.

My sources have discovered...

that the infamous Pux might not be mentally prepared to unleash hell (a.k.a. more goddamn winter).



Apparently, Pux has developed quite a fondness for pay-per-view groundhog erotica.  A last minute reorientation to the non-rodent porn world might not be enough time for Pux to climb his sorry ass out of that outdoor toilet he calls a hole.

My "sources"

Nola can do more than just steal ice chests.

While watching the winter...

X games, I could help but notice two things about single trick snowmobiling.  First, those guys are a little bit crazy to do that.  Second, they all are wearing motocross neck braces.  It got me wondering if  jumpers should be wearing them too.

  

 Potential problems I see are 

1) They are designed for impacts on solid surfaces, not water.  That could be a problem.

2) A restriction in the jumper's ability to turn his/her head    

3) Immobilization of the neck in an impact might make lower sections of the spine more vulnerable to serious injury

4) Lack of movement in the neck could mean that more force is transferred to the head, i.e., a negligible reduction in neck injuries could lead to a significant increase in concussions.  (although I would  take a concussion over a neck fracture anyday)

5) If there is a real benefit, would it be at all levels, or only for advanced jumpers?

I am no authority on this subject, so I have no answers.  I do think , however, that I have come up with some legitimate questions.  If other sports with similar impact speeds are using these neck braces, it seems to me jumpers should be, at least, looking into it. Anything short of not skiing in the first place that makes this

safer sounds like a great idea to me.  

Reasons for my recent...

online absence

Yeah, yeah, yeah, that last one is an exaggeration, but it has still been too cold to ski.

Time to start this thing again.