Shaun White Just Got The First Ever Perfect Score In SuperPipe—On His Victory Run

The classical ideal of perfection in athletics was defined by physical prowess displayed artistically. Modern tastes have added "swagger," "attitude," or perhaps just pride to that equation.

Shaun White, in achieving the first-ever snowboard SuperPipe perfect score in Winter X Games history, demonstrated the aesthetic and athletic ideals necessary to produce such a feat. The third part comes when you realize he could have skipped the run altogether and still win gold—his fifth consecutive in the event. Yes, Shaun White did what no snowboarder has ever done at the time he least needed to do it: with victory already assured. That's swag. [ESPN]