BMX seems like a sport added to the Summer Games with American audiences and athletes in mind. Yet, no American has won gold in BMX Olympic cyclings short history.The United States was shut out entirely in 2012 after taking a silver and two bronze medals in BMXs debut in 2008.A strong, deep field of U.S. riders would like to make the jump at the Rio de Janiero Games.Its a U.S.-born sport. We should be doing (well) ... we need to bring home medals, said Corben Sharrah, who is headed to Rio after winning the U.S. Olympic trials. Understand the pressure, but dont let it get to you.As an athlete, do your own thing, have fun and ride the bike, he added.BMX, which stands for bicycle motocross, was born around the early 1970s in Southern California. In the Olympics, cyclists compete on a course of primarily finely-groomed dirt that winds down a roughly quarter-mile track, strewn with jumps and sharp turns. Eight riders gather at the starting gate set up at the top of a steep ramp.Olympian Alise Post, the top-ranked American in the womens world rankings, likened a BMX race to a cross between horse racing and a roller coaster ride . Its the kind of thrill-a-minute activity that should appeal to millennials.Everybody thats out there doing this has a very competitive, aggressive side, said the 25-year-old Post. Riding since she was 6, Post loves the adrenaline.Other riders in other countries started getting the rush too. Olympic organizers added BMX to the Beijing Games as a way to attract younger viewers and participants.At the elite level, BMX is the most competitive its ever been, said 23-year-old Connor Fields. BMX is so good, its insane.Fields, a strong medal contender, is going to his second Olympics after finishing seventh four years ago in London.Ever since it was announced it was put into the Olympics, the level of the sport has risen exponentially. All of a sudden, programs get created, money gets thrown at it, said Fields, referring to international growth.In the United States, cycling in general has not been a top funding priority, regardless of the discipline . Money distributed by the U.S. Olympic Committee typically goes to gymnastics, swimming, and track and field -- the sports that TV viewers typically watch in prime time.Getting shut out in London in 2012 didnt help the BMX program. Some crashes for U.S. riders led to bad luck, said USA Cycling president Derek Bouchard-Hall. Four years earlier, the United States took the bronze in the womens race, and the silver and bronze in the mens race after finishing within 1 second of gold-medal winner Maris Strombergs from Latvia.I dont think, with just two Olympics to go by, you can say this is a trend, said Bouchard-Hall when asked if the rest of the world had passed the United States in BMX.At the same time, many other countries are pouring resources into BMX because they view it as medal opportunities, Bouchard-Hall added.On the mens side, Strombergs is going for his third straight gold at Rio. Mariana Pajon, who won the womens gold in 2012, is such a star in her home country of Colombia that a track was named in her honor.And while the sport was invented by us and we were the best for a while, the competition has come up, Bouchard-Hall said. And its a sport where with a little tiny difference you go from first to fifth really quickly, and thats the game.So much can happen during a frantic race that nearly anyone who has qualified for one of the eight spots in a final has a chance to medal.Fields and Post might be favorites, but the three other BMX bikers on Team USA, including Sharrah, are contenders as well.Nic Long finished third at the world championships in May. On the womens side, Brooke Crain advanced to the finals in London, finishing eighth.Its the best possible team that the United States could field. All except Sharrah competed in London, where Sharrah was an alternate.We make do, work our butts off, said Jamie Staff, USA Cyclings BMX director, who is trying to cultivate a positive attitude.When Staff hears talk about the pressure on the United States to produce in BMX, he turns that into motivation.Some people look at it like that. I dont. I flip it over, Staff said. 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Open champion Justin Rose birdied the first hole with a blind shot he hit to a foot of the pin, and he stayed in front Tuesday until he completed a 4-under 67 for a two-shot lead over Jason Dufner in PGA Grand Slam of Golf. When tasked to describe the feeling she gets each year from taking part in honoring the United States military, Stephanie McMahon admits she has trouble.Its not that the WWEs chief brand ambassador is at a loss for words to try. In fact, she often repeats herself in echoing such heartfelt sentiments as honor and pride, gratitude and privilege. But McMahon will tell you herself that words dont do it justice -- not after the experiences she has been privy to.When it comes to visiting wounded warriors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, or laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia with the Paralyzed Veterans of America, there simply are no words.I cant describe to you that feeling of humility to be able to pay tribute to those who have lost their lives defending our freedom, McMahon told ESPN.com. Basically, its a privilege, and thats how WWE looks at it. Its the least that we can do to say thank you to the servicemen and women and their families who sacrifice so much.The WWEs commitment to the military began long before its first Tribute to the Troops card in 2003 at Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq, an idea that spawned from a conversation between former superstar John Bradshaw Layfield and WWE chairman Vince McMahon. The annual event now serves as an epicenter of sorts for the companys charitable mission as a whole.The 14th annual Tribute to the Troops card takes place Tuesday night at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. (airing Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on USA Network), with WWE providing tickets for military members and their families in attendance. The pro wrestling card caps a busy day that includes WWE superstars visiting all five branches of the military at seven different bases, along with hosting a Be a STAR Rally (Show Tolerance and Respect) for more than 1,000 students at nearby Fort Meade.Current NXT superstar Kenneth Crawford has seen these events from both sides. After serving four years with the 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion in the U.S. Marines and attending WWE shows as a serviceman, he is now an active member of the companys partnership with Hire Heroes USA and a regular visitor to veterans hospitals.In my personal opinion, [WWE] represents and appreciates military more than any other company out there, Crawford said. They take the time to reach out to a base or VA hospital and that speaks volumes to us because there are so many service members, and when you watch superstars coming in who you grew up appreciating, they thank you. But in retrospect its like you are thanking them for entertaining you for so many years.The Big Show, a willing regular on Tribute to the Troops shows since the beginning, believes he brings a little piece of America to the military members he visits. Its the least he can do, he said, to show them the respect he holds for their sacrifices. Raised in South Carolina, the Big Show describes his childhood home as very patriotic. His father, a mechanic, served in the Air Force, as did the Big Shows grandfather, a veteran of World War II. His mother was a police officer. Even today, the Big Shows 19-year-old daughter, a college student, serves in the Air Force ROTC.It just puts everything in perspective, he said, of visiting with servicemen and women. I brighten their day. I interact with them. Just their courage and their commitment -- their excellence -- its so inspiring. These guys are really out there putting freedom forward and putting life and limb on the line for me to enjoy the things that I enjoy.The Big Show acknowledged a kinship of sorts thats often naturally present between WWE superstar and military service member. Although their vocation is far different, the common bond of dedication is felt immediately.?My job is a little bit different. My commitment to duty is my schedule and the demands I keep up with, he added. But its the same with these young men and women. Their commitment to excellence in their line of duty is inspiring.I think I have it tough -- man, Im a cupcake compared to what they have.Crawford, who served from 2008 to 2012 and was stationed at Camp Pendleton outside San Diego, echoed those similarities, citing the dedication and discipline needed in both vocations to be successful.Coming from both sides, the dedication in the military spectrum is going out and serving your country and not knowing whats next, Crawford said. Traveling, putting in the training, being away from family -- its the same aspect that we have as WWE superstars. Sustaining the injuries and knowing how to fight through it to obtain the goal that you want to obtain.In April, CCrawford spent time over WrestleMania weekend in Dallas helping veterans prepare for the often difficult adjustment back to civilian life through the Transition Assistance Program (TAP).dddddddddddd Its an initiative that hits home for Crawford, who found himself in a similar position after leaving the Marines.Crawford, who signed with WWE in April 2015, hopes to one day appear as a performer on a Tribute to the Troops card as a way to inspire his fellow veterans.Just for the troops to see someone who came from the same background, doing something to let them know I can serve my country and attain my dream, he said. Myself, I served my country and wanted to become a professional wrestler. By me doing that, I think I could give them hope, like maybe they could do the same thing one day.To describe WWEs support of the armed forces as a company passion might not do it justice. Theres an all hands on deck mentality to Tribute to the Troops that very much starts at the top, evidenced not only by Vince McMahon visiting military bases in the Middle East on Christmas day over the years but his willingness to absorb finishing moves from Stone Cold Steve Austin and John Cena (while dressed as Santa Claus) to the delight of the active-duty members in attendance.It is my greatest honor to support our servicemen and women, and we do it in the best way we know how, and that is to entertain them and make them smile, Vince McMahon said. But what servicemen and women may not realize is that we are the ones who are profoundly changed after meeting them. Their courage and bravery is truly inspirational.Vince McMahon learned the pro wrestling business from his father, Vincent J. McMahon, who served with the Coast Guard in World War II. But the younger McMahon spent the majority of his youth raised by his mother in humble circumstances in North Carolina, where Stephanie McMahon believes the roots of her familys patriotism were born.My father grew up in an 8-foot-wide trailer and didnt have any indoor plumbing, she said. Through hard work and perseverance and the opportunities provided by our great nation, he and my mom were able to build this billion-dollar global brand. That is living the American dream; that is the epitome of living the American dream. They couldnt do that without our nations military defending our right to do so and making us the greatest nation in the world.As imposing a shadow as WWEs top executives and larger-than-life talent cast while performing on the bright stage of sports entertainment, theres a transformation of approachability that happens at events such as Tribute to the Troops, which often features superstars taking part in training competitions and drills.No matter where the events are, the Big Show loves to tag along -- when he can. Despite collegiate options in basketball, the Big Show strongly considered joining the Marine Corps after high school until being talked out of it as a 7-foot, 313-pound senior.I was just too big, he said. I was too big for the equipment to ride in, the equipment to wear. So the recruiter actually advised me it probably wouldnt have been a good life for me, which Im kind of sad about because I think I would have had a good time. But hes probably right.The Big Shows size also got in the way years later while visiting the Persian Gulf with WWE on a Handshake Tour: He wasnt allowed on an aircraft carrier for safety reasons.The Department of Defense wouldnt let me go because I was too big for the ship, he said, following it up with a deep chuckle. I got left out of the reindeer games.Both Stephanie McMahon, who serves as a member of USO Metros board of directors, and the Big Show agreed that there was nothing more emotional or inspiring as part of their annual trip than visiting the wounded warriors, some of whom have lost limbs in battle.You talk to them and all they want to do is get back to defending our freedom, Stephanie McMahon said. They want to get back to the front lines, they want to get back to their job. It has always just absolutely blown me away. There is no feeling sorry for yourself. It is all about getting back to doing their job and defending the country that they love.The Tribute to the Troops card is emanating from the nations capital for the first time. For the Big Show, it adds an extra layer of significance.If you are in Washington, D.C., and youre not patriotic, you are in the wrong place, he said. I look forward to a fantastic show and really busting my big butt to put on the best performance I can to say thank you. Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseys China NFL Jerseys Wholesale Discount Basketball Jerseys Cheap NHL Jerseys Authentic Cheap Baseball Jerseys Free Shipping Cheapest College Jerseys Sale Cheap Football Jerseys China Nike NFL Jerseys Canada Wholesale NHL Jerseys From China MLB Jerseys Outlet Canada Wholesale NBA Jerseys Canada Store Cheap Soccer Jerseys China Cheap Authentic Jerseys Canada ' ' '