Good Thing He Didn't Try Sky Diving

Nobody expects world-class athletes to compete forever, but Tom Mason has probably just set a record for career brevity. Before it was all over, however, the controversial 34-year-old street luger made quite an impression in his sport's unofficial world championships at last June's X Games. It seems that Mason, who took up street luge just eight months before the event, developed an uncontrollable penchant for careening into his opponents. His apparent victories in both the semifinals and the bronze-medal race were tossed out when judges ruled that he had indeed caused the fateful pile-ups. Perhaps it was disappointment, or perhaps the enmity of his rivals, but by the time the medals were handed out, Mason had announced that his street luge days were officially over.