There has been a lot of talk recently (especially about the x-games) about the competitors reactions to the judging and results.
A lot of these discussions have made it clear to me that most people on this site ski for themselves(freeskiing) because they love to ski, have done it all their life etc. This is a great way to be, but it is not the only way to be.
As a competitive athlete, I can see a definite line in the sand between somebody like bobby or simon and any other "freeskier".
The reason that Bobby Brown and Simon Dumont get all the media attention is because they are all American privileged good boy smilers who can say what the camera wants to hear at all times and can draw other dumb americans toward the sport. Now all hate aside, they in turn are under an incredibly higher amount of pressure to perform than any other athletes. This being the case, these child phenoms get groomed to become strictly competition skiers, because their sponsors and parents tell them how important it is to be a certain way.
I have mad respect for both of those guys as competitive athletes, but the term "freeskier" is not synonymous with them. Please don't bring up Simon's movie segments. His number one goal in skiing is to be the best. go the biggest, do the best tricks, win the most. Even the songs he has in his segments are all like gatorade commercial songs.
When people say that Simon is a poor sport or a bitch for complaining, I don't get it. He may not be the coolest guy on this site, but its important to know how hard he works, and for what he works. He puts in those hours, gets hated on, so that every dumb parent will think its ok to put their child in a freeskiing program!
For all of those skiers who don't get pissed when they get a bad result, maybe you are in the wrong area of the sport. Go ski some powder and listen to neil young. Please