McConkey

[BmillsSkier]

(didn't post in MBM since I don't care, so save it)

Just saw the documentary on Showtime last night. Really well done I thought, and even though you knew how it was going to end, it was every bit as powerful/sad. Missed the release of this movie, but glad I was able to catch it.

[Schemeboat]

I learned a lot about him by watching that film. rip.

[senior researcher]

Way sad.

[Chugach001]

Yea, just watched it this weekend - very well done.

A friend of mine who was an exceptional climber died several years ago and I remember his wife saying something about how Steve's light always burned brighter than everyone else's so it's only natural how it wouldn't last as long. How ever she said it, it was beautiful, poetic and apt. I thought of that through the McConkey movie.

[stompinlines]

Great great flick.
JT's double eject was insane.
Coombs, CR, Shane. Fellas like Kreitler sure have lost a lot of friends.

[SB]

My fav Shane segment / tribute is in MSP In Deep flick.

Still want to see this one.

[kootenayskier]

I've watched it several times now that it's on Netflix. I can't stomach ski porn for anything longer than a few minutes, but find these sort of docs: Steep, Swift Silent Deep, Ordinary Skier, Dreamline etc. compelling. Can only hope for more in this vein.

[stfu&gbtw]

Painful to watch... So many failed attempts to deny of the obvious truth that Shane was more committed to his own goals than to anything else. The look on S. McConkey's face when she says "Shane loved base jumping, but he loved me more" pretty well sums it up. I don't disagree with base jumping under any circumstances. If Shane loved to do it, and his wife loved him and was willing to accept it, that's great for them. And I'm not going to say that base jumping is inappropriate if you have kids... Parents make all kinds of decisions that affect their relationship with their children negatively... Dying doing something like this is just one of them. But if everyone were really so comfortable with these choices, it seems like there would be less invested in trying to deny their implications.

[kootenayskier]

Painful to watch... So many failed attempts to deny of the obvious truth that Shane was more committed to his own goals than to anything else. The look on S. McConkey's face when she says "Shane loved base jumping, but he loved me more" pretty well sums it up. I don't disagree with base jumping under any circumstances. If Shane loved to do it, and his wife loved him and was willing to accept it, that's great for them. And I'm not going to say that base jumping is inappropriate if you have kids... Parents make all kinds of decisions that affect their relationship with their children negatively... Dying doing something like this is just one of them. But if everyone were really so comfortable with these choices, it seems like there would be less invested in trying to deny their implications.

The whole thing played out like a classic tragedy, as the seed of his flawed genius inevitably led to his downfall. I loved the emotionally revealing scenes like the one you describe, with her desperate denial of reality so painfully exposed for us all. Great storytelling.

[SKIORFORGETIT]

bought the dvd as soon as it came out and that part when the guys from MSP & JT talk about the accident, damn, kills me every time

also, when Sherry talks about Shane wanting to take his daughter to class and skiing- as a somewhat new father, that really hits home

rip McConkey

[Scrubadub]

Daddy issues for sure

[SB]

Finally watched. A lot of things i did not know like all the injuries.

Seems like a ton of denial enabled Shane to meet his fate. He lived his life to the end. Sad he did not get longer to be the good dad to that beautiful little girl.

Well made movie. Rip Shane.

[GeezerSteve]

Saw it when it came out, watched half of it again last night. Well made movie. His wife shared his denial. Notwithstanding his skills, expertise and preparation, he was damn fortunate he didn't die sooner. He was a charismatic all-around good guy and elite athlete with a remarkable set of skills and courage to pull off stunt after stunt, but IMO he's not the hero some deem him to be.

[Alaskan Rover]

McConkey is on a long list of wildmen that I surely would have loved to meet...men that died before their time, but died doing what they love...stepping off the cornice of life with a grin, a whoop and a holler.

[jma233]

Loved the documentary. When I meet guys like Shane in real life who appear to have no fear I can't help but think of them like modern days Vikings or some such shit. I mean that like a high compliment. Did what he wanted and didn't let fear get in the way. Humans would probably not exist today without men like Shane who weren't afraid to defend against the sabretooths and what not. Not to mention the courage it takes lead an army from the front, to be the first to sail West, etc., etc.

[LeeC]

I thought about responding yesterday, but held off.
I watched 2/3rds of it, and could not watch anymore. To me it was just a sad, selfish, short story, of a decent man, that could not stop himself, from himself.
In my opinion Shane had a hole that could not be filled. To me it goes all the way back to his parents splitting, and him looking for acceptance.
He would have been dead a lot sooner, if he was not as gifted as he was. A truly great skier.
I think I am somewhat qualified to look at this unbiased. I decided to go the other route
I have raced all sorts of machines all my life, Boats, sprints, motorcycles, anything that moved. I crashed, and kept going. I never broke a single bone, or went to the hospital.
I was the thrill seeker that Shane was, until I had to come to grips with the fact that my entire family, including my Mother, Father, brothers, sisters, wife, and daughter depended on me for their welfare. I decided to put my life on hold for 20yrs.
At age 51 with all my family dead, or taken care of, I figured it was my time to get back at it. Bought a KX450, and had a great time, until I didn't.
I endoed going 90mph, and landed 100ft from impact, broke 13 bones, and had every doctor tell me I should have died.
I got to look the grim reaper in the face, and told him to fuck off, but when I turned around, I got to see the anguish that was on the face of my family, it was not much better than the reaper.
I knew I had been a selfish, stupid, motherfucker that should have been happy just cruising. I put my family through something, that I could have controlled. I was mad at myself.

Shane never got to look back at the anguish, but I know that if he could have seen that, he would have changed his course.
It might not be popular, but he should have dialed it back a tad with so much riding on it.
He did not love her more than basing, or he would have chosen the other side.. It is a choice. It was not fun, popular, or cool, but for me it was necessary.
I still do cool stuff, just not at 90mph anymore.
IMHO a good man that is gone before his time.

This is not meant in any mean spirited way, I liked Shane. I did not know him, but feel that I know what drove him. It is just an opinion from someone that has been close to that position.
Couple of proof pics. If its not cool to post these, than let me know, or mods can take them out
I got off easy.

[stompinlines]

Holy screw overkill, batman.
Looks like your doc over shot the landing on those medial wall screws as well.

[adam]

I think it's cheap to try and give reasons for why someone who you don't know does what they do. These are my thoughts after watching the documentary: regardless of what drove McConkey, what he was doing when he died has to be one of the most dangerous situations you can put yourself in for the sake of a sport. The bindings they were using alone seemed so undependable and unsafe that it seems ridiculous JT and Shane would trust them at all, not just for skiing with any kind of exposure, but for wingsuit ski-basing. It's a really sad story, but I find it difficult to forgive that aspect of it.

[stfu&gbtw]

I think it's cheap to try and give reasons for why someone who you don't know does what they do. These are my thoughts after watching the documentary: regardless of what drove McConkey, what he was doing when he died has to be one of the most dangerous situations you can put yourself in for the sake of a sport. The bindings they were using alone seemed so undependable and unsafe that it seems ridiculous JT and Shane would trust them at all, not just for skiing with any kind of exposure, but for wingsuit ski-basing. It's a really sad story, but I find it difficult to forgive that aspect of it.

The binding thing does seem weird... Easily the sketchiest part of the rig. For all the technology that was developed for base jumping, wingsuits, etc, it seems weird that the very best athletes in the world would be scrounging up 30 year old bindings at yard sales. Seems like the very first time that someone snapped out of their ski like JT did in the movie, someone would have put the kibosh on the old tyrolias and developed a binding for ski-base. Even stranger - after all this - I still don't think anyone has.

[Alaskan Rover]

Well, maybe part of developing a binding for ski base-jumping IS scrounging up old Tyrolias at yard sales. Keeping what works, tossing what doesn't and redesigning the stuff in between to make them better for whatever application. Isn't that ALWAYS the way good new things get invented?

[stfu&gbtw]

Well, maybe part of developing a binding for ski base-jumping IS scrounging up old Tyrolias at yard sales. Keeping what works, tossing what doesn't and redesigning the stuff in between to make them better for whatever application. Isn't that ALWAYS the way good new things get invented?

Looks like they went through that whole process... They knew why the old design worked... They knew why the old bindings were crap... And then it stopped there. When JT steps out of his ski, he doesn't seem very surprised... And who would be? That's what happens to old plastic. And then some other issue with the crap bindings kills S.M. 24 hours later. The whole thing seems especially odd for a group of people (and one individual, especially) who are so well known for developing new equipment.

[MMP]

the hilarity of the BN runs had us crying. loved this movie.

[::: :::]

sounds like my wife should not be in the room when i watch this one

[GeezerSteve]

He chose Tyrolia bindings cuz they are released by pulling up on the lever. We used to pull up the levers as we approached the lodge and then jump out of the skis at 5mph. Neat trick.

It's folly to attempt an explanation of where a person falls on the risk averse>risk tolerant>risk seeking continuum.

[grinch]

A buddy used the tyrolia trick in skier cross in the early days. He was/is as wide as he is tall and very stable and accurate with his poles .It was harder to beat him if you were on tyrolia