Day 316: US Sweeps Gold Medals in...

[SPOILER ALERT:] If you haven't been keeping up with the Olympics for the past few days and you still have some stuff taking up valuable DVR space, you may not want to read this. Otherwise... read on.

This year, the Olympics debuted Slopestyle to the lineup of events. If you haven't been keeping up on this form of competition and you're still fuzzy on exactly what it is, I'll try to summarize it. Slopestyle is a winter sporting event where competitors perform the most difficult tricks on a specially built trail that include obstacles like steel rails and giant jumps ranging from 20 to 80 feet. This event can be done on a snowboard or special twin-tipped skis. And basically, these athletes are borderline crazy.

The snowboarding portion of Slopestyle concluded just yesterday. I have to say it was pretty rad. (See, I can talk the talk... even though I can't walk the walk... or jump the jump.) It's sort of like the half-pipe without the pipe. There are a lot of the same mind-blowing tricks that are performed so far off the ground, you wonder how someone could be so fearless. The quick spinning and flipping that ends with a successful and smooth landing is dizzying for the spectator.

USA swept the gold medals in both the men and women's events, dominating the field. Twenty-year-old Sage Kotsenburg handily beat Stale Sandbech of Norway (silver) and Mark McMorris of Canada (bronze). He literally put it all on the line with a sick 1620 Japan Air—a trick he had never tried before that final run. Kotsenburg also made history by becomong the first US athlete to win an Olympic medal on Russian soil, a great start for the Americans.

Jamie Anderson took home the gold on the women's side beating Enni Rukajarvi from Finland (silver) and Jenny Jones of Great Britain (bronze). The women's competition was not without its problems. After several competitors complained that some of the jumps were too steep, organizers made some modifications to the course. Even those updates didn't keep Czech snowboarder Sarka Pancochova from crashing so violently, she cracked her helmet. After smashing her head on the ground, she appeared to be out cold as she ragdolled down the slope. It was scary as she lay motionless on the snow, but was able make it off the course unassisted.

Next up on the schedule for the snowboarders is the Halfpipe. That should make for some gasps! Looking forward to see what types of crazy tricks Shaun White has up his sleeve this year.

Day 261: The Crash Reel: The Ride of a Lifetime

Do you remember what happened four years ago? Do you remember hearing that a snowboarder from Vermont had suffered a horrific halfpipe crash in Park City, Utah and was fighting for his life? Do you remember that this snowboarder was destined for greatness—less than two months away from the Winter Olympics in Vancouver where he promised to be the biggest competition for Shaun White.

Four years ago Kevin Pearce's life changed forever. In the specially built halfpipe in Park City, Pearce missed the landing on a trick and landed on his head. His friends watched as he was carted away on a stretcher and to the hospital where it was determined that the 22-year-old had suffered a traumatic brain injury. The Olympics forgotten—Kevin's family and friends watched as he fought for his life.

Now as the the Winter Olympics in Sochi approach, Kevin has dramatically switched focus. No longer is he the reckless trickster in the halfpipe. He still snowboards casually but has to be ultra careful since just one fall, one tiny bump to his head, could be serious. Kevin now spends his days with his outreach campaign called Love Your Brain. With this campaign, he aims to educate the public about traumatic brain injuries and those who are living with one.

While the campaign is still in its early stages, the goal is to inspire and educate about the human brain. Traumatic brain injuries have been in the forefront a lot lately due to the recent findings with NFL players who have suffered multiple concussions over their careers. And in general, TBIs have been on the rise with the advancements in equipment allowing athletes to do everything faster and bigger and harder.

This past Friday, The Crash Reel, a powerful documentary chronicling Kevin's accident and life before and after the incident, made its official theatrical release. The footage follows Pearce's life using more than 200 different sources to weave a tremendously personal story. It documents his struggles with his injury and learning to live with it. This film looks amazing and heart wrenching and inspiring. I can't wait to see it. There's even some Oscar buzz surrounding it.