Penn alum at the Winter X-Games

I'll admit I'm not a follower of extreme sports. But I can recognize an awesome story when I read it, and this one just happens to be about a Penn alum.

E.J. Poplawski, a 1998 engineering grad (summa cum laude, I might add), competed in this year's Winter X games in the Snowmobile adaptive snocross event.

Since leaving Penn 13 years ago, Poplawski competed as a big mountain telemark skier, lost his right leg in a skiing accident, and had a little run in with the Salt Lake City Police, which ended in a six hour standoff with SWAT personnel.

So after getting a second chance, Poplawski was back at the X-games (he finished fifth last year and had to beg his way back) with one goal: Fourth place. He finished 30 seconds off the medal-stand, but as per the ESPN profile of him, that's exactly what he was shooting for.

I took a quick search through the DP Archives to see if he made any news while at Penn, but unfortunately the only article mentioning him was a 1994 story about how Poplawski and his freshman friend helped arrest a Quad intruder.

So if you've got a free minute, check out ESPN's profile, because it's a great story.