• A D V E R T I S E M E N T

  • Details

    Name:Mike Metzger
    Nickname:The Godfather
    Lives In:Huntington Beach, California
    United States
    Hometown:Huntington Beach, California
    United States
    Age:36
    Birthday:November 19, 1975
    Gender:Male

  • Photos

    Mike Metzger has been tagged in 3 photos on GrindTV.

    Tagged Photos (3)
    I’m pretty sure this is the first ever backflip in competition. That’s Mike Metzger at the 2002 or 2003 Gravity Games (the first ever) up in Cleveland. I remember how exhausted I was shooting this, as I’d just driven 8 hours from Unadilla to get there in time, and it lasted all freakin’ day. But hey, I caught this moment and Mike has a print of it hanging in his garage, so it’s all good. Nikon D1, 70-200mm. (Jeff Kardas Photo)
    More Metzger. It’s funny how I ran into him several times throughout my little career, and he always delivers great moments to be captured (see next image too). This one has a really long backstory, but suffice to say we were in Costa Rica for a Yamaha WR press intro while he was there doing the first-ever “Epic Ride” for Speed or wherever it ran. I was sitting backwards on a 4-wheeler for this shot, moving along at around 25mph. Canon 1D Mark 2, 17-40mm. (Jeff Kardas Photo)
    Metz did this seemingly insane backflip over the fountains at Caesar’s Palace in 2006, and a friend of a friend of a friend (thanks Buckley and LeBig!) hooked me up to shoot it for ESPN. I had the ultimate access, the perfect setup, made a ton of cash and… almost missed the shot. The place was packed with other photogs and a boatload of fans, the sun was nearly horribly wrong but worked out perfectly at the very last moment, and Metzger didn’t take any sort of practice run at all. I barely heard a KX250 start up in the distance while I was talking to another photog and thought ‘hmm, must be doing a practice run’, so I figured I’d do a test and BOOM, he busts it out! I have this print hanging in my workshop and Mike’s parents have it in their living room. That’s it. Canon 1D Mark 2, 17-40mm. (Jeff Kardas Photo)