MAYOR BECOMES EXTREME HAHN WELCOMES X GAMES TO L.A.

Byline: Ross Siler Staff Writer

For one day, James Hahn was referred to as the awesome and honorable Mayor of Los Angeles. And to his side was another man with a title of his own: Mike Metzger, the 27-year-old Godfather of Motocross.

It was a pairing only made possible by Thursday's news conference at Staples Center to welcome ESPN's X Games extreme sports competition to Los Angeles this summer.

But it also made for some once-in-a-lifetime exchanges between the politician and the Games' headline participant. Think Richard Nixon and Elvis, with a 250-cc motorbike added.

A little before 9:30 a.m., Hahn, dressed in a black suit, blue dress shirt, striped tie and gold cufflinks, finally got to meet Metzger. The Menifee resident was there along with fellow professional motocross rider Clifford ``The Flyin' Hawaiian'' Adoptane, who hails from Riverside.

``We're glad to have you here,'' the mayor told Metzger, who sported a brown Ecko sweatshirt, shin guards and Metal Mulisha cap turned backward for the occasion. ``There's a lot of fans of yours out here.''

Later, Metzger and the mayor chatted about Hahn's recent visit to a motocross track. Metzger said Hahn was astounded by the amount of medical personnel on hand, including two life-flight helicopters. In response, Metzger showed Hahn his tattoo-covered right arm, the one in which a metal plate and seven screws were inserted last year.

``It's just part of the sport,'' Metzger said.

After Hahn's remarks, as ESPN and Staples Center officials posed for pictures besides Metzger's bike, the rider made a promise to his new friend Hahn with the television cameras rolling.

``When we come back,'' Metzger declared, ``I'm bringing Mayor Hahn a helmet.''

X Games announcer Selena Masekela added jokingly, ``I'm sure there are days when he needs it.''

In between, the mayor formally welcomed the X Games to town. Los Angeles won the rights over Miami in December to host the ninth-annual event for the next two years. This year's Games will begin Aug. 14 and run for five days at Staples Center and the Coliseum.

Hahn said he especially was pleased Los Angeles will get to host X Games X in 2004. He even threw the word ``radical'' into his three-minute speech.

``I think that when you look at Los Angeles and Southern California,'' Hahn said, ``you have a huge base of young people that are very interested in action sports. This is what they are doing.''

The mayor also called for locals to sign up to volunteer for the Games, something they can do at www.xgamesvolunteers.com. Approximately 1,200 volunteers are needed to help staff the event, which also will include a downhill BMX competition in Tehachapi.

But then Hahn stood by and clapped as Metzger and Adoptane took turns flying 20 feet through the air on their bikes, pulling off tricks known as the Superman, the Cliffhanger and the Sidewinder, with paramedics waiting nearby.

``Great job,'' the mayor said once the two had finished, high-fiving Metzger and Adoptane for good measure.

``I can't believe I was able to ride like that in downtown L.A.,'' Metzger said.

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Photo:

Mike Metzger performs a motorcycle stunt in front of Staples Center on Thursday during a news conference promoting the X Games' Los Angeles debut in August.

Lee Celano/Associated Press