NPR: Kevin Robinson, BMX God

Kevin Robinson, BMX God

Later today in Central Park, Kevin Robinson will attempt a BMX record by jumping 50 feet at 50 miles an hour or something. I seriously do not fully understand it yet, despite his answering all questions

In the video above, Robinson pulls off a trick he invented, the double flair. As you can see from the poster's note, it's not clear whether actually did the trick he meant to do. My question, though, has to do with Robinson's reaction. Check out the hullaboo when he lands it. If you're about to risk life, limb and cervical column, shouldn't you have a fairly good idea you can do the stunt? Just asking.

Bonus: Live coverage of Robinson's jump tonight.

Laura Conaway

1:04 PM ET | 06-12-2008 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Sorry again for the off-topic post.

Mike Pesca did a good job with the AD&D interview today showing more understanding (as well as perhaps personal experience?) of role playing than most interviewers I have heard. Some of the questions, however, pushed the piece in a direction that could leave people with a distorted notion of gamers such as "Are D&D players resistant to change?" Admittedly the interviewee could have answered differently, but it takes much intestinal fortitude to go up against the force of nature that is Mike.

Most gamers I know embrace change. I have played D&D (back before it was advanced), AD&D, Beast Men and Gods, Heros, Champions, GURPs and quite a few others. Even when we stuck with the same rule system for a few years we were constantly tweaking it. We would also go from fantasy roleplaying to superheros to war gaming and back again. The experience is less about the rule systems and more about the camaraderie. Indeed the sessions are more about the role playing itself than the rules. On a good night we could go for hours without a die being cast or a book being cracked. It was like a great night at the improv except everyone is on stage. It is interactive, full of human contact, creativity and nonsensical flights of fancy. The only thing stopping my wife and I from doing it now is finding a group of like-minded folks with the extra time required to keep a game going for a while. Those baby things seem to be an especial time sink.

Now I have a lovely gray/white beard that would be perfect for a mage, and I fill my leisure time with books and movies and if I am especially lucky an occasional game of Munchkin. I'd chuck it all, however, for a few good evenings of gaming a year.

Sent by Dave Wiley | 2:46 PM ET | 06-12-2008

Dave Wiley -
Seriously, if you live near Omaha, I have people who are gradually moving here who were in my college gaming club and you could join us. By this winter we should have (including me) 7 regular gamers. Not to mention the other groups in the area - though from online sites they mostly LARP and I don't do that.

Sent by Sarah Lee | 4:09 PM ET | 06-13-2008

A question to Laura about how Google works. Do a search for "Kevin Robinson" + bodybuilding, and the first result is this interview. But in the except that appears with the link on Google, there is a bit of a transcript. Where does that come from? Why can't we read it?

Sent by Marc Naimark | 6:37 AM ET | 06-14-2008

@Mark NPR does make transcripts of radio segments. You can buy them here (npr.org/transcripts/). Clearly some part of them pops up in search results. I'm not yet sure why.

Sent by Laura Conaway, NPR | 9:25 AM ET | 06-14-2008

@Sarah Lee "Seriously, if you live near Omaha, I have people who are gradually moving here who were in my college gaming club and you could join us."

Thanks for the invite, but sadly my little patch of Colorado is many, many miles from Omaha. I get there every so often for a juggling festival, but I suppose that won't quite cut it.

Sent by Dave Wiley | 7:27 PM ET | 06-14-2008

Dear Laura Conway.
I'm not sure if I should be insulted by your comments or just confused? The contest where I pulled the double flair (2-1/2 rotations) was the X-Games best trick contest. which is when us the athletes, compete against each other trying to pull off the "Best Trick" I had been working on that for 3 years and did it for the first time there. So yes i meant what I did.
Before you start trash talking my sport and insulting what I've done for 26 years. why don't you educate yourself on the sport of BMX and not be so narrow minded. Or you could tell me what you do for a living and I can insult your job without educating myself about it.

Sincerely
Kevin Robinson

Sent by kevin robinson | 8:24 AM ET | 06-21-2008

Send a Comment

Comments are reviewed and edited by NPR prior to display. All comments will be read, but not all will be posted.

NPR reserves the right to read on the air and/or publish on its Web site or in any medium now known or unknown the e-mails and letters that we receive. We may edit them for clarity or brevity and identify authors by name and location. For additional information, please consult our Terms of Use.

E-mail this Page

Recipient's e-mail address:	» Up to twelve addresses, separated by commas.
Your e-mail address:
Your name:
Personal message (optional, 600 characters max):
Your NPR member station:
Are you a member of your local NPR station?	Yes No
Would you like to receive information from your local NPR member station? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No
Please send me updates from NPR.	Yes No

(Information collected by NPR will be used solely for internal NPR or NPR member station purposes and only if you selected 'yes' above. See NPR's privacy policy for more information.)

Host

Alison Stewart

Welcome to 'The Bryant Park Project'

The Bryant Park Project started as a blog in the summer of 2007 and ended as a radio show and online community in July 2008. Read our frequently asked questions and discussion rules.