The X Games are going on right now, which means one thing and one thing only: professionally extreme dudes getting hurt while trying to do gnarly tricks.  And while nothing can ever top the televised perfection of Jake Brown's massive freefall last year, we can at least appreciate Jim DeChamp, who attempted to land the first-ever front flip on a dirt bike.  Key word being attempt.  DeChamp executed the jump and rotation perfectly, but — jazzed up on adrenaline — bailed out because he thought he had over-rotated.

DeChamp lay still for a few minutes before walking off under his own power. What television viewers and those in attendance didn't see was DeChamp collapsing afterward in the athlete area.

"He said, 'Look, I've got to get up, I'm going to walk out of here,' " said [Travis] Pastrana, who was by his side. "Then, he's like, 'cameras off?' I said, 'Yep,' and he just fell down and said, 'Take me to the hospital.'"

Well, at least he walked off under his own power, so you know it's not anything more serious than a broken vertebra.  Which it is.  So it's still kind of historic: DeChamp is the first person to ever break his back attempting a stunt on his dirt bike.  This week.  Outside of West Virginia.

[Bonus video at The Sporting Blog]