Shaun White

In one of the most exciting events of the year, the 2013 Winter X Games combine the high-flying excitement of the Summer X Games with the unique and interesting challenges snow can provide to the competitors.

The biggest names in winter sports—everyone from Shaun White to Kelly Clark—will be participating in the 2013 edition of the games, and the tough competition is sure to make this year’s event the best in history.

The snow on the ground and the cold in the air can only mean one thing: It’s time for the start of the Winter X Games from Aspen, Colorado.

Where: Buttermilk Mountain, Aspen, Colo.

When: Friday, Jan. 24 through Sunday, Jan. 27

Watch: ESPN and ABC

Live Stream: WatchESPN

Full 2013 Winter X Games Schedule

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbnB-H0yZ6E

Full schedule at the Official X Games site.

Thursday, Jan. 24

Men's Skiing SuperPipe, 12:30 p.m. ET

Men's Snowboard Slopestyle, 3 p.m. ET

Men's Snowboard SuperPipe, 10 p.m. ET

Snowmobile Freestyle Final, 10:30 p.m. ET

Friday, Jan. 25

Men's Skiing Slopestyle, 3 p.m. ET

Snowboard Street Final, 3:30 p.m. ET

Women's Skiing Superpipe Final, 8:30 p.m. ET

Snowboard Big Air Final, 10:30 p.m. ET

Men's Skiing SuperPipe Final, 10:45 p.m. ET

Saturday, Jan. 26

Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Final, 2 p.m. ET

Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Final, 3:30 p.m. ET

Snowmobile Speed and Style Final, 4:45 p.m. ET

Skiing Big Air Final, 9 p.m. ET

Women's Snowboard SuperPipe Final, 9:15 p.m. ET

Sunday, Jan. 27

Men's Skiing Slopestyle Final, 2 p.m. ET

Snowmobile SnoCross Adaptive Final, 3:15 p.m. ET

Women's Skiing Slopestyle Final, 3:30 p.m. ET

Snowmobile SnoCross Final, 4 p.m. ET

Snowmobile Best Track Final, 9 p.m. ET

Men's Snowboard SuperPipe Final, 9:45 p.m. ET

Biggest Names to Watch

Shaun White: Snowboarding SlopeStyle and SuperPipe

There is no bigger name at the Winter X Games than snowboarding legend Shaun White. Despite cutting his signature long red hair, the Flying Tomato will be back once again this year looking to win the gold medal in both SlopeStyle and SuperPipe.

White will have tough competition in the SuperPipe event, but he is the five-time champion and will once again take home the gold. The X Games veteran will have a harder time winning gold in SlopeStyle, though.

The rise of young star Mark McMorris has created legitimate competition for White. The veteran will be looking to avenge the fact that Morris walked away with the gold medal in SlopeStyle last time.

Tucker Hibbert: Snowmobile SnoCross

While Snowmobile SnoCross hasn’t picked up much steam with the mainstream media, the pure domination by American star Tucker Hibbert in the event should have even casual X Games fans tuning in to see what this sport is all about.

Hibbert is attempting to become the first-ever Winter X Games participant to win six straight gold medals in any single event, and his quest for legend status will be one of the biggest storylines to watch during this year's event.

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Shaun White is ready to extend the dominance he's shown on the Superpipe to Slopestyle. 

White used to rule Slopestyle. He has eight X Games Slopestyle medals in his career and five of those are gold.

However, he moved away from the event. His last medal in the event came in 2009, which was followed by him taking two years from the competition.  

He competed in Slopestyle at the 2011 X Games, but the rust was evident, and White did not even qualify for the finals. 

It was not just rust that left White staring up at the competition either. The competition had wildly improved. A fresh young crop of young riders were beginning to take over the competition. 

Mark McMorris, 19, is the most prevalent of the dynamic youngsters. As an X Games rookie in 2011, McMorris took home the silver. He followed that up with an even better performance last year as he took home the gold in the event to go along with the gold in the Snowboard Big Air competition. 

It appears as if White has accepted the challenge of knocking McMorris from his perch atop the Slopestyle world. This is also just in time for White to compete for the gold in this event in the 2014 Winter Olympics. 

White has gone to work, perfecting his form in Slopestyle, and we can all be assured he will not look rusty this time around. 

To get a taste of what we can expect, White pulled a triple cork. Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uuZYmyanf4

No one has ever attempted a triple cork in slopestyle competition, and White certainly appears poised to not just attempt it but land it.

It's not like the legend is going to wilt in the face of the pressure. 

White is used to the bright lights and big expectations. He has mastered those circumstances to pull out his best performances. 

McMorris has proven he can also handle the pressure. However, this time, he is the one entering the competition with huge expectations and the one everyone is gunning for. 

Whether he can successfully handle the pressure or not will be of no consequence to White. He will put up a performance that no one else can touch. 

Shaun White cut his hair, landed a triple cork 1440 and decided to abstain from skateboarding until after the Sochi Winter Olympics. Now what?

As quoted by Alyssa Roenigk of ESPN, White will spend this year preparing for the Winter Games and away from a skateboard:

That's the one thing that upsets me the most is that I had knee surgery [in August 2012] so I couldn't really skate that much this past summer and then coming up, I don't intend to skateboard the year before the Olympics. It's just one of those things where a twisted ankle can put you out of the Games. I don't like taking that chance. So I usually lay low on it. See what else fills my time. I have other plans.

White’s decision to stay away from skateboarding means 2013 should be a pretty good year for snowboarding.

According to Roenigk, White may have landed a triple cork in slopestyle practice last week—a trick few riders have successfully landed on the slopes. White has not confirmed that he was the rider in the video that has been circulating around, but if he is in fact working on the triple cork, fans can expect to see him pull it off on camera at some point this year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uuZYmyanf4

White has been the most recognizable face in snowboarding for several years, and he continues to innovate and perform at the highest level. Last year at the X Games White posted the first ever perfect score in superpipe, and he returns to the event in Aspen, Colorado, this year with only snowboarding on his mind.

White is one of the most talented riders on the planet, but that’s not the only thing that keeps him moving forward. As quoted by Roenigk, White’s desire to continue pushing the limits keeps him motivated:

Each year brings something new. When you reach the cap on what's possible, there's a new event to win and tricks to learn. That keeps me motivated.

That motivation to innovate and push the limits is what keeps snowboarding moving forward. There is always another feat that has not been accomplished, and riders like White are continually searching for the “cap on what’s possible.”

White is an extremely talented athlete who has succeeded in multiple extreme sports, but his rededication to snowboarding in 2013 is very good for the sport.

The X Games begin on January 24, and White will no doubt be ready to push the limits of what he has already accomplished. With the sport’s most recognizable face once again strapping on a board for its biggest events, snowboarding is in for a treat in 2013.

The Flying Tomato, Shaun White, will be far less tomato-y for the time being, and that is a very good thing. 

The famed snowboarder just cut his red hair for a great cause. 

Yahoo! Sports' Grind TV Blog reports that White is far more streamlined currently, thanks to a haircut that will hopefully deliver a child some bout of happiness. 

The report points to Shaun White's Facebook page, where he delivered a status that merely states, "It's only hair Locks of Love."

The link is to a charity organization that, "accepts donations of human hair and money, with the stated intention of making wigs for needy children who have lost their hair due to a medical condition in Canada and the USA."

The noble cause just received quite the spotlight from the famed athlete, who also provided a video of the shearing captured on his GoPro. 

Normally, some guy getting a haircut doesn't mandate a report, but a gold-medal winner taking on a great cause and giving up his prized hair certainly qualifies. 

White stated it perfectly:

I've been thinking about this one for a while, but it's for a good cause, so I'm going to do it. Somebody needs it more than I do.

You can tell from the video that White is pretty attached to his flowing locks because he continues to freak out even after the hair has been lopped off. 

Still, it will grow back, so this short cut is far from permanent. Hopefully, the smile on some anonymous child is far more lasting. 

Hit me up on Twitter for more swaggy swag. 

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Shaun White had a great time with Halloween this year. Some might say he had too much fun. 

The Flying Tomato stayed grounded enough to don a mermaid costume that, try as we might, can never unsee. 

The fact that it's burned into our subconscious like a horrible song you sing all day has us frustrated, and so we pass the annoyance on to you. 

Here is what White tweeted to the masses (h/t Larry Brown Sports).

It's a dinglehopper. Humans use these little babies... to straighten their hair out. Snapped on my @gopro twitter.com/Shaun_White/st…

— Shaun White (@Shaun_White) November 1, 2012

First off, that's hilarious. Just because we are utterly disturbed by the image doesn't make it any less funny. 

The man gets Halloween like he gets half-pipes, and destroys the holiday just the same. If you don't believe me, here are two other times White has beat the competition in costume form, via BuzzFeed. 

I can't decide which is better, Pretty Woman or Wendy from Wendy's. 

The key to this special day is to leave your worries and inhibitions at the door as you don a ridiculous outfit to party the night away. 

You can either go the cool route, which will have you bumping into other ubiquitous costumes that are similar, as bros who went as Bane this year know. 

Or you could be hilarious, albeit unsettling. 

Shaun White, we can safely put Halloween 2012 well behind us now. 

Follow me on Twitter for more WTF news. 

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Olympic snowboarder Shaun White has been both arrested and hospitalized in Nashville, Tenn., following an alleged drunken confrontation with employees at the hotel where he was staying.

UPDATE: Tuesday, Sept. 18, at 3:20 p.m. ET by Ben Chodos

Shaun White has publicly apologized for the actions that led to his arrest.

The Associated Press (via Fox Sports) reported the following:

The 26-year-old snowboard star said Tuesday on his Facebook page he wants to apologize for ''any inconvenience it caused my family, friends, business partners, the hotel and their guests. He adds that he was ''celebrating a happy occasion with a ton of family and friends and got carried away. I'm truly sorry for my poor behavior.''

This is the first step for White in an attempt to move past the embarrassing incident.

---End of update---

TMZ reported the following about the incident:

White was in a Nashville hotel when he allegedly trashed his room in a stupor.  When he was confronted by hotel staff, Shaun allegedly pulled several fire alarms and then ran fast ... so fast he fell and split his head open.

Law enforcement tells us Shaun was arrested for public intoxication and vandalism, but was taken to a hospital for treatment first.  Once he's treated he'll be taken to jail.

The 26-year-old is one of the premier snowboarders in the world, winning the gold medal in the half pipe event at the last two Winter Olympics. He is also a favorite to win another gold during the 2014 games in Sochi, Russia.

He has also been a fixture at both the Summer and Winter X Games. At the 2012 Winter X Games, White became the first person ever to score a perfect 100 on a half pipe event.

At the 2012 Summer X Games, White then decided not to rekindle his rivalry with Pierre-Luc Gagnon on the Skateboard Vert, as noted by ESPN's Keith Hamm.

White has also spent time this summer recovering from a knee surgery he underwent in late July.

As one of the most recognizable names in all of extreme sports, White is an international star. While athletes who compete in such dangerous events are known for having outlandish personalities, this will be a blow to his image.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DBF7I-Uv3Y

Welcome to BR5, your daily source for sports and pop culture news.

With the Olympic Games providing non-stop action every day of the week, sports are certainly on everyone’s mind. That being the case, we at BR5 figured it was a good time to reflect on the hottest dating rumors in sports right now!

At No. 5 is the rumor surrounding Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli and snowboarding king Shaun White. The two have been spotted a couple of times now out together, most recently at a swimming competition at the London Olympics, and before that at a Maxim party. All that remains now is for their Facebook statuses to change to “in a relationship” to make this official. 

Rumor via New York Daily News.

 

At No. 4, much to our surprise and probably yours as well, is Yankees living-legend Derek Jeter and Ralph Lauren model Hannah Davis. Given Jeter’s extensive track record, odds are good that bookies will start offering odds on how long this relationship will last. Place your bets!

Rumor via New York Post.

 

At No. 3 is swimming sensation Ryan Lochte and K. Michelle. It’s OK, we weren’t sure who she was either, initially. But we think we’ve pieced this one together. Lochte, who appeared on the podium with a grill on his teeth, seems to have a soft spot for the apparent hip hop artist. She was featured on the VH1 show, Love and Hip Hop Atlanta. Regardless of her credibility as a hip hop artist, Lochte’s mom seems to be downplaying the rumor, which can only spell trouble at the next family get-together…

Rumor via mediatakeout.com.

 

At No. 2 is the former Mrs. Woods and Swedish NHLer Douglas Murray. Elin Nordegren was seen coming out of a nightclub with the San Jose Sharks Defenseman. Murray has denied the rumors, but true or not, a rumor like this is too big to ignore!

Rumor via Daily Mail.

 

And finally at No. 1 is the rumor that supermodel Kate Upton and Detroit Tigers flamethrower Justin Verlander are an item. After shooting the MLB 2K12 commercial together, the two have been spotted together out and about around the Detroit metro area. Upton even tweeted that she was at a Tigers game recently. If this ever becomes official, Twitter might explode!

Rumor via Detroit Free Press.

 

So there you have it. You’re finally caught up on all the sports gossip. Did we miss a couple? Let us know below! 

 

Remember to subscribe to B/R's YouTube Channel, follow BR5 on Twitter and like BR5 on Facebook!

Shaun White will not defend his gold medal in the skateboard vert at the 2012 X Games, and fans will be the biggest losers of his decision.

Keith Hamm of ESPN.com reported White’s decision. In the article, White’s publicist Samantha Hill stated, “Shaun has decided to sit out this year's X Games in Los Angeles. This has been a lively year so far; he's now getting back on his skateboard and is excited for summer."

White dominates on half-pipes of any form. He has won five consecutive gold medals at the Winter X Games on the superpipe, and has won gold twice at the skateboarding vert. 

White had an extremely successful snowboarding season and scored the first perfect score in Winter X Games’ history to win the superpipe competition.

In recent years, he has battled Canadian skater Pierre-Luc Gagnon in epic battles on the vert. Gagnon had taken gold in three consecutive years from 2008-2010 before White edged him out in 2011.

Gagnon is a professional and he will carry on without a hitch. He said, in Hamm’s same article, "I'm just focused on what I need to do to be on top of my own skateboarding. And right now, I feel great skating every day. I've got my tricks down. I'm just doing what I've been doing for the past 15 years."

Gagnon will pay no attention to White’s absence, but the fans will be wishing the redhead had decided to attend the event. 

White is one of the biggest stars in extreme sports and the competition between him and Gagnon fueled both skaters. 

Without Gagnon’s dominance in previous years, White would never have been pushed towards this epic run that won him the gold medal. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mc8HehH1gSA

White’s personality and talent have made him a big star and his fame has kept him busy. He certainly has plenty on his plate, but his decision to sit out the X Games will make the competition significantly less interesting. 

His fans, and fans of skateboarding at the X Games, will be the ones to suffer the most from his decision.

Gagnon will likely cruise to gold at the vert, and spectators will be left wondering how exciting the competition could have been if White had been there. 

The Summer X Games just got a little less appealing. After winning a gold in 2011, Shaun White will sit out of the exciting Los Angeles competition this year.

The news comes from Samantha Hill, White's publicist (via ESPN):

"Shaun has decided to sit out this year's X Games in Los Angeles," said Hill at WTK Public Relations. "This has been a lively year so far; he's now getting back on his skateboard and is excited for summer."

Lively indeed. After becoming the first snowboarder ever to score a perfect score in the SuperPipe this January at the Winter X Games, White has been busy in New York (or with Maxim's hottest woman alive, Bar Refaeli) and hasn't been able to prepare on the vert as much as he would have liked.

As a result, he's out of the Games. Let's take a closer look at what this means. 

What it Means

Most importantly, it means a ratings drop for the Games. Shaun White is without a doubt the most popular snowboarder/skateboarder on the planet, and a lot of the people who tune in to watch do so just to see White.

He's been winning gold medals at the X Games since 2003, and it will be weird to see him not involved this year. 

The Summer X Games have never been as popular as the Winter Games, and this is just going to hurt its popularity even more. 

However, it does open up the competition for other skaters to make an impact.

What's Next

Without White, who won gold last year on the vert, Pierre-Luc Gagnon is suddenly the clear favorite. 

Nonetheless, according to ESPN, Gagnon won't be approaching the event any differently:

"I'm just focused on what I need to do to be on top of my own skateboarding. And right now, I feel great," he said. "I'm skating every day. I've got my tricks down. I'm just doing what I've been doing for the past 15 years."

There are plenty of other skaters to watch out for in White's best competition.

Bucky Lasek (yes, the 39-year-old is still a force in the skating world) finished third last year.

Andy Macdonald grabbed the bronze in 2009 and 2010 and has eight golds under his belt.

Mitchie Brusco, 15, Pedro Barros, 17, and Alex Perelson, 21, are all young upcoming stars.

Even Elliot Sloan and Adam Taylor, who finished in the top five last year, will have a major chance of grabbing a medal.

While Gagnon is the clear favorite, White's absence opens things up big time. 

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