The Cw Library
THE CW LIBRARY
Wide Open: A Life in Supercross
Even in retirement, Jeremy McGrath is a busy guy. Toy stores hawk action figures, remote-control two-wheelers and video games bearing the seven-time AMA Supercross champ’s name and likeness. He’s practically a regular on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” has been featured on “60 Minutes II” and “E Entertainment,” and appeared in last year’s action flick, Charlie’s Angels:
Full Throttle. He still races, and recently, with wife Kim, popped up on an episode of “Friends.” Now, he’s penned a book.
In Wide Open, McGrath and co-author Chris Palmer recount the former Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha and KTM factory rider’s upbringing, transition from BMX to motocross, on/off-track battles, beleaguered friendships, even romantic ups and downs. Do you want to know why he left Honda, how the signature “nac-nac” came about and what went wrong at Suzuki? It’s all here.
McGrath is the winningest rider in Supercross history and many credit him with putting the sport on the map. With that kind of success comes broad appeal. In Wide Open, McGrath offers encouragement to younger fans with riding tips and other insights, but parents may find some of the language used elsewhere in the book offensive. Also, there’s some sloppy editing. For instance, McGrath describes his mother’s Yamaha IT 175 as “a mellow four-stroke she could handle pretty well.” ITs were never Thumpers.
At press time, Wide Open had only just dropped off the New York Times' extended best-seller list. Not bad for a first effort.
Matthew Miles
Wide Open: A Life in Supercross, Jeremy McGrath with Chris Palmer, 297 pages, $24; William Morrow, 10 East 53rd SL, New York, NY 10022; 212/207-7000; www.harpercollins.com
Michael Michael Motorcycle
Having endured my fair share of Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends and Barney Sing Along videos over the past few years, I’m pleased to report the Canet kids are now revved up by and riveted to dad’s kind of programming. From our very first viewing of Michael Michael Motorcycle, it was apparent my 2-year-old son and 4-year-old daughter have found dirt-riding religion.
Michael Michael Motorcycle, 30 minutes, $15; Michael Michael Productions, P0. Box 2765 Venice, CA 90294; 310/450-8032; www.michaelmichael-motorcycle.com
On Any Sunday for children, this 30-minute DVD (VHS format is also available) is dedicated to off-road riding and racing, and features both bikes and quads. As the story goes, brothers Billy and Johnny awake one morning to discover Michael Michael Motorcycle has converted the family garage into a bike workshop. The boys are full of questions, and Michael’s answers are friendly and informative. Enduro, freestyle, motocross, mud-bogging quads and mini-bike racing footage accompany the narrative. Michael also explains the basics of a dirtbike and stresses the importance of wearing protective gear. The Elvis-esque theme song even had this dad humming along to its catchy beat.
While adults may find the story line elementary, it’s not lost on the little ones. And it beats the heck out of that purple dinosaur. Don Canet
The Great Outdoors I & II
Ah, outdoor motocross. Steam rising up from the freshly x V. overturned earth, a row of perfectly hung sponsor banners, green hills rolling off into the distance... Paul Buckley’s photos on the covers of The Great Outdoors I and II truly take you there.
As do the DVDs or videos inside.
To create the original Great Outdoors, director Troy Adamitis shot over 300 hours of 16mm film over the course of the 2002 AMA motocross tour, then edited it into a fast-paced, MTVstyle “rockumentary” covering Ricky Carmichael’s perfect season.
And it does rock! Adamitis has an eye for unique camera angles-witness the shot over the front fenders of the 40 bikes lined up at the starting gate at Unadilla, the pan shot through the wildflowers at Glen Helen, the tracking shot of riders going through the relentless whoops at Millville. The various interviews with the racers, mechanics, officials and fans are great, too. If there’s a shortcoming, it’s that the film relies solely on talking heads to tell the story, without benefit of voiceovers.
But you know what they say about being careful what you ask for?
While the follow-up Great Outdoors II is narrated, said narration is cryptically credited to “Swamp Thing,” whose southern drawl and collection of clichés and bad puns ruins what would otherwise be a superb documentary of the 2003 season.
My advice: Buy both DVDs, but watch the second one with the sound turned off.
Brian Catterson
The Great Outdoors, 40 minutes, $25, and The Great Outdoors II, 92 minutes, $25; MX NoFear USA, P.O. Box 130040, Carlsbad, CA 92013; 866/787-3691; www.nofearmx.com
