On Jan. 26, the 16th annual ESPN Winter X Games takes place in Aspen, Co., for the 11th straight year.

Of course, the network has been promoting the event as much as it has featured a certain NFL quarterback that plays in the same state.

It has been one of my favorite events I look forward to each winter. However, this year I am not as excited as in previously years for several reasons.

For those not familiar with the Olympic style festival, here is a quick primer: The best athletes from around the world in freestyle skiing, snowboarding and freestyle snowmobile will gather for four days at Buttermilk Mountain in the made for television event.

For some of these athletes the WXG gives them the most television coverage that they will see all season. For other athletes like snowboarding king Shaun White, this is a yearly preparation for the Winter Olympics, in which the next one is in two years in Russia.  

Since the first WXG took place back in California in 1997, the network has made several changes since then in the types of events and sports that are a part of the games.

For example, back then you could watch the best athletes compete in the Super Modified Shovel Racing, along with the best snowboarders who battled in the half pipe, which was half the size then it is in today’s contests, or enjoy seeing people climb ice-covered walls.

As you know, I’m a big racing fan, regardless of what type of it is. It could be motor, on foot, or on something like skis or snowboards.

I have to admit, I did enjoy the shovel racing back all of those years ago. The following year, ESPN replaced it with snowmobile racing, or otherwise known as Snocross.

I was instantly hooked between the close racing on the course. One wrong move and the racers were in serious trouble with nothing holding them on the snowmobile.

During the first race back in 1998, ESPN put a camera on the handlebars of one of the riders’ snowmobiles, and unfortunately, that same athlete had another snowmobile land on top of him.

It was one of scariest crashes I had ever seen in any form of motorsports.

You were also able to see the top stars in the sport, Tucker Hibbert and Blair Morgan, fight it out in the biggest race of the season. The sport treated this race at WXG like NASCAR treats the Daytona 500 each year.

But in a stupid decision by ESPN, the race was cut from this year’s WXG schedule.

Instead, we got people doing more backflips on snowmobiles. The “Total Sports Network” loves backflips on anything: bikes, snowboards, skis and motorcycles.

Also, I’m starting to feel like a typical 30-something, thinking that I’m too old to be watching this stuff except during the Winter Olympics.

I do not relate to these kids who are competing today.

Most of them are in high school. Also, they like to use the word “stoked” after each run – a term that wasn’t cool when I was in school.

Perhaps, one day I’ll hear an MTSU or high school athlete or coach use that same word after a victory - hopefully, not.

That would be rad.

In the meantime, I still might watch, however, it will not be as much as in previous years.