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Thrasher Magazine's Foam Football Review

2/24/2022

I wanted to provide you a review of the first ever Thrasher Magazine football. That’s right, a Thrasher football and in case you aren’t following me on social media, I purchased two of these footballs about a month ago. One for me to throw with my son, and the other for the No Mongo studio.

Now, before you bail out on reading this as it relates "to sports”, just take a moment to hear me out for a second. You just might be looking for a gift for a friend or a neighbor down the road and remember this post and thank me for bailing you out.

See how this works!!

The Thrasher football is only 9” and looks way bigger in the photo above. So I will start it off with that.

When I got it, I was like, “Oh, that’s much smaller than I anticipated”. And keep in mind it states on the site that it is 9”, so it’s not like they were being deceptive, but it still caught me off guard a little.

That’s all on me.

However, it turns out the NERF football that we have been using is basically the same size. So, same size, but two totally different footballs.

This is where I have to come to my only complaint about the Thrasher Magazine football.

The weight.

The NERF ball we have been using weighs in at 6.6 oz. This ball is perfect to throw and catch. The size is great for my soon-to-be 10 year old son. Keep in mind we’ve had this ball for a while now so it’s had some wear and tear, some exposure to moisture, etc.

Either way, I can throw a perfect spiral with the NERF ball more often than not, fast or slow. More of an arc or not. I have it down. Almost to wear I don’t even have to think about the throw. It just happens.

With the Thrasher football, I found myself throwing ducks after ducks. Which for those of you who don’t follow football, it’s basically a wobbly pass. And with the Thrasher ball I’m talking really wobbly. Fast or slow, high arc or not. I did find that if I threw a pass at more of an angle and sidearmed it could fly more straight.

Even underhand comes off somewhat easier, but when I attempt to throw a dart to my son it wobbles like crazy. Attempt after attempt. I did manage to get a decent spiral maybe 10% of the time. However, even that number is probably generous.

And keep in mind I can usually throw a football pretty well. Not trying to humble brag here. Just stating facts in regards to this football.

I’ve used it for many days now and I still can’t get the timing down. My son has had a few decent passes with it.

I did find that if I held on to the ball just long enough and let the ball roll much longer off my fingertips I would get decent results.

However, nothing like I can get when I just pick up the NERF ball and fire off a pass.

I did weigh the Thrasher ball and it clocks in at 4.6 ounces so that, for me, makes a huge difference. Only because I feel for that size it should either be more dense and weigh more or be a few inches smaller.

I will continue to use this ball and see if my results change. I’ll maybe even dunk it in some water and let it dry out for a bit and see what happens then too.

With all that being said, I am happy with the Thrasher ball. I’m not sure how many of these they sold, but I will continue to buy one should they keep it going. My only suggestion is to make them heavier or smaller.

In fact, if anyone at Thrasher happens to catch wind of this, I’d be more than happy to give you feedback on any prototype balls you might try down the road. You are so close with this one.

The key is to make a good enough ball that people want to throw and feel confident throwing. I’ve been throwing footballs my whole life and I don’t feel confident throwing this one.

The 9” Thrasher Magazine Foam ball is a decent addition to your ball rack, or skate memorabilia shelf. If you are going to buy one I would just keep these things I mentioned in mind.

Or maybe it’s just me? Do you have one? How are you spirals coming along? Did you have to adjust your throwing motion?

Let me know in the comments below.

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The Suciu Effect

1/1/2022

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Photo by Glen Carrie on Unsplash

I hate to say it, but Mark Suciu has officially ruined every January 1st from now until eternity.

You heard that right.

I mean, generally, the first day of a new year is pretty mellow in regards to skate content, but maybe because we are coming off the end of one of the most obvious SOTY runs in the history of the award, things are going to be a little different moving forward.

I know I've said it before on the podcast, but Mark was clearly gunning for that trophy and...spoiler alert...he got it. No SOTY run has never been more blatant and obvious. It was a well-planned attack on the hearts over at Thrasher Magazine. Mark killed it in 2021.

And his victory was well deserved too.

Only because the past five (or is it six?) weeks of constant drop after drop after drop weren't just fillers. Not even the case. We saw, or in this case, were reminded how great of a skater Mark is. He is 2021's Skater of the Year for a reason and nothing is going to change that.

However, much like I've said before, it's kind of sad that a skater of his caliber had to wait until the end of the year to drop all his footage. I'd like to think that he is a 1/1/(insert any year here) type of skater too. He could easily drop any part today and odds are it would still be remembered in December. I know I would remember it.

He's that good.

But because he is that good not everyone is going to feel confident in releasing footage at all in the first few weeks of a new year. Hell, maybe even in the first six months of the year now. Mark Suciu changed the SOTY game/race/sprint forever. The game is changed for good.

I mean, who's going to be brave enough to drop footage on the first day of the year now?

Easy answer. No one.

And it was pretty obvious today.

Not a single skater is going to step up and even attempt to do that. Not anymore that is. Mark ruined that whole deal for everyone. Any pro or brand with a brain can see what transpired last year and say, "I don't think it's a good idea to drop this footage now. It's too soon. Wait until November/December."

Unfortunately, what happens now is that there will continue to be drier and drier months moving forward. Month after month. Year after year. Less and less footage will come out in the first few weeks or months of the year and we will have to just sit back and wait for it.

It sucks. It really does. There's nothing else we can do.

I have been clicking refresh on my browsers all day. Been typing in key words all day. Checking on my YouTube subscriptions all day. All in the hopes of seeing some fresh new skateboarding content for the year.

*insert the Price is Right losing jingle*

So far I have seen nothing. Not one video. That's pretty scary.

Thanks, Mark!

Like I said, he deserved SOTY this past year and I think we're all just going to have to accept our new normal of having a really dry month of January in regards to skate content. It's going to get rough out there kids. We might have to rely on Insta or TikTok to make it through Dry January.

Am I just overreacting at 11:48 PM PST? Maybe, but I gave it a full and complete day and was left with an empty basket. I don't know. You tell me. But in the meantime, I am going to go to sleep and attempt to manifest some new content to drop on 1/2/2022. Maybe I will wake up tomorrow to some amazing new tricks into water.

Guess we will find out soon.

What about you? Are you at all concerned that hardly any videos dropped today? Or should we just let everyone enjoy the rest of the weekend and get back to the grind on Monday.

Oh, and Happy New Year!!

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My First Skateboard

5/21/2021

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So I recently went out and did the damn thing. That's right, I finally bought a version of my first-ever skateboard.

Nostalgia finally got the best of me.

Now, keep in mind this isn't the exact board, but very close. Well, sort of. My original one was green and I can't for the life of me remember the wheels I had on it. I think they were green too. I do remember them being really soft and stuck out a little bit on the sides when I stood on the board.

Needless to say, I am stoked. I have been on the lookout for this board for a while now. However, I think I could have probably purchased this sooner, but for some reason I kept thinking mine never had a tail; common for roller derby boards?

What about you? Do you have your first board? If not, are you going to get one?

Next up I need to pick up a Jeff Grosso Toybox board as it was my first official "real" skateboard.

In the meantime, what kind of wheels do you think I should throw on this one?

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Shout Out To All The Fence Hoppers

3/27/2021

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So, today I did something that I haven't done in a long, long time.

I hopped a fence.

Not some tiny little 4' high fence either. I'm talking a legit fence! (see pic above)

I wish I could say I did it gracefully though, but I just wanted to give a quick shout out to all the skaters out there still hopping fences for the cause. Only because I think I have officially retired, again, from hopping fences.

Before today, if you asked me the last time I had hopped a fence I would have no clue. It's been so long that the muscles that I used to do such a task were (and still are) screaming at me. Hopping a fence is no joke and should only be done by seasoned professionals. And the funny thing is, my fence hopping today had nothing to do with skateboarding. Not one bit. There was no benefit for me other than getting my hoodie and HP blanket that was left behind after my son's soccer practice this morning. That's it!

With that being said, I will now forever remember this day. I will remember getting home and asking my kids if they remembered to pick up my hoodie and the blanket my daughter used to hang out on. They both looked at me and said, "No". I knew right then and there just what had to be done. And I'm the type that if something like this comes up I go and handle it right away. No way in hell am I going to let this wait. I needed to go get our stuff now, before someone takes it!

I remember telling my wife that I'd be back. She replied with, "Do you want us to come?"

I said, "Nope. I've got this. Just need to hop the fence real quick."

I had no idea what I was in for. I thought it would be so easy. You know, like riding a bike, or in our case, a skateboard. I'd just hop on over, grab the two items, and then HOP back over. Easy.

Upon arrival, I did a quick stroll past the main gate. It was locked. We had been the last soccer group to leave so that was no shock to me. I was hoping for some sort of miracle or something. It was all good in my mind though. So I walked back towards where the two items were as they hadn't moved at all --- sitting in the nice sun on the bottom of the bleachers.

So, I did what most 40+ year olds do, I positioned myself directly behind my target, made sure to look left and then right. I obviously didn't want anyone to see me, just in case I did some AFV worthy footage, so I had to wait for a cyclist to pass.

Once he zipped by I placed my hands on top of the fence and jumped up as if to position my belly on top of the fence. However, once I tried to put my foot in one of those damn chain link fence holes, my shoes slipped out and down and I did as well, just barely escaping getting impaled.

My arms instantly buckled as well. I felt defeated. I had attempted to use some muscles that have been sleeping for quite some time and the fact that I chose a wobbly section of the fence wasn't helping either. I tried again, using even more energy to make it up and over, but had no luck. Slipped again!

It was at this point when I seriously considered getting back in the car and calling it quits. I was perfectly fine pulling up to my house empty-handed. I didn't care. But then the skater in me kicked in. No way in hell am I going to let this fence defeat me. I needed to get over that fence and right at that very moment when my "fight or flight" adrenaline kicked in.

I looked left, then right, placed my hands on the top of the fence and gave it one last shot. I got up. I was half-way there! I then finished the deed and didn't even get my adidas sweat pants caught. I was on the other side!

My first thought was, "Oh, shit. No way in hell will I be able to get back. What the hell do I do now?". I almost had a mini panic attack. I was going to be that guy getting busted for hopping a fence for a hoodie. At least it could have been for something like skateboarding. You know?

But, much like in the movies, there is always someone or something that the protagonist stumbles upon to help them face the dragon in Act 3. For me, that was a small metal container by the main gate. It was my out! All I needed to do was get on top of that, which still took some effort as my arms were like wet noodles at this point. I also had extra protection to get over the chain link fence too -- my blanket.

I placed the blanket at the top of the fence and proceeded to climb and roll over the fence one last ( and I do mean last) time. I was free. It kind of reminded me of that scene in Shawshank. It was such an amazing moment. Felt as if I finally landed a trick that I had been battling for hours.

However, I still had one more thing to do. Drive home with noodle arms.

So, like I said earlier, shout out to tall the fence hoppers out there still doing it for the cause. I don't think I need to do that again, ever. When was the last time you hopped a fence? Should there be an age restriction? Do you think I will be able to still hop fences at 60? I know skaters like Brandon Turner will be able to.

Next time I will just swing by Home Depot and purchase bolt cutters.

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Stop Hurting Your Local Skate Shop

3/1/2021

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Pic via Circle-A's Instagram

Well, it appears that my local was hit by a smash and grab today.

Nothing pisses me off more than seeing this. And I'm sure I am not alone.

My first question is always, "Why?"

Why would you do that to any independent or small business? Why would you put their future in jeopardy for some boards, shoes, sweatshirts, etc.? Why would you risk serving jail time for some wheels and trucks?

Skate shops are hit especially hard from smash and grabs because their profit margins are already slim-to-none. I've had so many great experiences and met so many cool peeps at my local shops over the years. They also provide access to gear and merchandise that some members of the community might not have access to (internet, etc.).

So, once again, I ask, "Why?"

Do the individuals (punks) doing these kind of things just not give a shit about anyone but themselves? I'm pretty sure I can answer that.

Nevertheless, one benefit to living in 2021 is that by now most businesses are able to afford great security cameras and a rather decent price. I can't wait to see and share the footage and/or pics when they are available.

Circle-A Skateboards has been around since 1997 and I'll be damned if some punks are going take our little shop away. If you know any information or anything that could lead to finding out the culprits behind this latest crime please reach out to me or Bob at Circle-A. (408) 995-0677.

Also, if you have a local skate shop that has been hit recently drop their info below so we can help spread the word (either on this blog or my podcast).

I thank you in advance.

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Nyjah's Olympic Dreams Are Slipping Away

2/20/2021

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If you've been following my work for the past year (since 3/13 to be exact) you know that the ongoing pandemic and its relation to skateboarding has been a hot spot for me. In fact, you can probably recall the two weeks that I completely lost my mind on the podcast around that time.

I said what I said and I don't regret it one bit. Yet, here we are almost an entire year since the world shut down and, yes, it does appear that we are inching closer and closer to whatever sense of normalcy our entire planet will be blessed with soon.

With that being said, I wanted to talk about Nyjah Huston's latest misdemeanor charge of hosting a Covid-19 superspreader party.

Yep, you heard that right and I know this comes as a shock to not a single human on the planet.

My first thought was, "Just one party!?".

Even if you don't follow Nyjah odds are you have seen retweets or some footage of his antics on your social media timeline over the years. He continues to be the most polarizing rider on the planet by way of constantly doing things his way or the highway (@ 104 MPH+ - allegedly). He's since left Element for some unknown reason and still appears to have aspirations of performing on the biggest stage of them all, the Olympics. Well, at least I think.

I know I've joked about his short movie that he created last year stating the fact that he will be an entire year older when/if the games begin, but at this point it is something to take very seriously. More often that not, I wonder if he truly wants it. On the regular, he goes from looking as if he is the absolute front-runner to win gold to acting as if he doesn't even realize what is truly at stake.

Sure, he is only 26 and technically a "kid", but the fact that he still views himself as invincible just might come back to kick him in the butt. In fact, I feel it may have already started. Or be too late.

I think the average age when an adult finally figures out his/her life or "get's it" (I was looking for the word "maturity") is around 25.

We are officially at that sweet spot now. That proverbial "fork in the road". Sure, not all people are created equal, but I feel the next few years are literally going to make or break Nyjah's career. I 100% believe that. We are at that point, right here, right now. We've seen plenty of maskless parties, reckless behavior on and off the road (car and motorcycle), and signs that a shift in either direction is inevitable.

He also seems to be struggling to stay healthy these past few months and just might be losing his magic touch by the minute. I can hear some of you now, "Dude, Rick. You've got it all wrong, man. He's fine. Just shut up and go push mongo or something."

I don't know. There's just something about this latest misdemeanor charge that is resonating with me. Something is different this time around. And not in a good way.

Considering his struggle to stay healthy, while continuing to maintain his current lifestyle, the last thing he needs is time away from "training" in order to appear in court. But nevertheless, something tells me that with his money and notoriety his team of managers/lawyers has his back.

Could he actually get sentenced to jail some time? Maybe.

Will he actually serve time? I think you know the answer.

However, there is still something very serious to consider here.

And it's not just the fact that this recent charge is going to be living in his head rent free for the next few months/year. Sure, he seems to have a unique talent to stay laser focused on the task at had, under very high pressure situations, but the fact that he is now lumped in to the now 20,000 Covid-related deaths in L.A. might be some cause for alarm.

I'm just going to come right out and say it, unless Nyjah decides to shift his priorities, his focus, his crew, and regimen his hopes and dreams of Olympic glory are going to end in a nightmare. Plain and simple.

I feel that it can go two possible ways from here.:

Going with the most extreme scenario first. He will continue to plug along as typical Nyjah, throwing maskless parties, living the high adrenaline life, loving the publicity, with not an ounce of worry in the world. I'm talking going all in on the SEND mode which could mean some sort of disqualification or complete removal from the U.S. Olympic team.

Extreme? Yes. Probable? Very.

Now to the least extreme scenario. Nyjah, due to his reckless behavior, will somehow end up injured or unable to compete. He will either stall the misdemeanor charges or find a way to get out of them from the help of his team of lawyers. He will then go on to make his own brand and hope that his previous work on a board will carry on his legacy. This whole opportunity that he dreamed of will be a total waste.

I really do feel that this recent charge is going to have way more detrimental effects on Nyjah than he thinks. Yes, he's clearly shown us that he is capable of doing amazing things under insane amounts of pressure, but as I said, this one feels different. It is different. It should serve as a huge wakeup call for him (and his team).

Otherwise, it will end up being that the very thing (Covid-19) that stalled his debut in the Olympics will end up contributing to the demise of his skateboarding career for good. Talk about a double whammy...and irony.

We'll just have to what and see what happens next. It's your move, Nyjah.

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Nyjah Huston to Pizza Skateboards!?

1/27/2021

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Photo by Ivan Torres on Unsplash

It has been a full week since we got the news that Dominick Walker, Chris Colbourn, and Nyjah Huston parted ways with Element Skateboards and there has been plenty of speculation as to where these riders might end up, especially Nyjah. And, although I'm pretty sure all three will bounce back sooner than later, most of the focus has indeed been on Jah as he continues to be one of the most polarizing skaters on the planet.

I was able to break this news via the No Mongo Podcast with Nathaniel Odom AKA Losko (EP 100) last week and we both agreed that he would most likely go on to create his own thing, his own brand, and one that he can control. Only because the guy clearly is a rebel and blazes his own path, literally.

However, the more I thought about it the more I'm reminded that skateboarding really doesn't need anymore board companies either. We are all good. At capacity. See my post from 2019 here. It's gotten to the point that I can't keep up with all the new and latest brands. So yes, this is more of a selfish take, but one that I'm sure others can agree with. Too many board companies!

But then again, outside of starting his own brand, we couldn't really come up with a team that he would be a perfect match for. Like zero options. He just isn't a good match for most of the core brands, or at least ones that could afford to have him on board. So, over the past few days I started brainstorming some teams that might serve as potential for his next board sponsor along with some thoughts.

Here's a list of some possible options with my gut reactions.:

Santa Cruz - nope
Primitive - maybe, but would be interesting
April - it could work. He's got the same work ethic as Shane
Thank You - nope
Creature - nope
FA - maybe, leaning towards nope
Deathwish - nope, but he seems to be on one as of late
Baker - nope. although his name in Baker font could work
Toy Machine - nope
Powell - nope
Habitat - nope
Polar - nope
Zero - nope

And these are just some of the ones I jotted down off the top of my head. However, there is one other option that might be a fit for him as well. Now hear me out...Pizza Skateboards. Pizza is one of those brands that pretty much everyone hates and would be a perfect fit for him. Could it work? Of course it could. Would it get a lot of attention? Yep, but I keep going back to the idea that if he does start up his own brand he will be able to benefit from the exposure (free advertising) of the Olympics. This serves as a huge boost to any fresh or upcoming brand. Definitely something to think about.

Although Nyjah going to Pizza is highly unlikely I figured I'd at least provide some examples as to why his departure from Element is kind of a big deal, on many fronts.

Where do you see him landing? Will he do his own thing? Could he team up with Leticia Bufoni on something? Or do you even care?

Curious to hear your thoughts below.

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More TV and Less iPhone

1/22/2021

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Photo by Michał Lis on Unsplash

I've never been one to make New Year's Resolutions and this year is no different.

However, today I am going to go on record and say that there is definitely one thing that I'd like to change about me in 2021 and beyond.

With that being said, I'm here to let your eyes and brain know that moving forward I am going to do my very best to watch more skate videos on my TV and less on my iPhone. Wow. Just saying that unloads a ton of guilt I have been carrying this past year. I've always watched the latest contests, etc. on my TV, mainly due to the convenience of it already being on cable/Hulu, but I've never really paid too much attention to my skateboarding viewing habits.

For as long as I can remember, I'd simply just pull out my phone or flip open my laptop and zone out -- never really taking the time to consider the fact that the filmmaker maybe had other hopes for our viewing preference. Maybe he/she/they wanted it to be consumed on something that is plugged in. I feel that films are meant to be displayed on the biggest screens possible. You know, so one can enjoy the sights and sounds in its full glory. And skate videos are no exception.

Sure, firing up my phone to check out the latest Quartersnacks Top 10 is way easier than fighting for TV time in our living room, but how awesome would it be to watch it on something larger than a 4 or 5 inch screen? Very awesome, actually. Well, at least that is how I feel.

It has been estimated that up to 94% of people watching TV also have a smartphone in their hands as well. I know I pretty much always have mine within reach. It's nice to know that I always have an escape from commercials and informercials if need be. However, the problem is, outside of sports or an occasional movie, I don't really watch that much TV. I let my wife or kids have the remote and I just mess on my laptop or phone.

So, in order for me to accomplish my goal of watching more skate videos on my TV I need to become a better at managing my time during the day/week. And, due to the graphic nature of most skate videos this means I will most likely be watching said videos after my kids go to bed -- which at times is as late as 9-10PM. That's fine. I don't plan on ditching my afternoon green tea anytime soon.

Also, my plan is that this will only be a temporary situation until I get the No Mongo Studio set up in the garage for the podcast. Once I have that set up I plan on having at least on TV and/or a projector with a 100" (or more) to check out my skate videos on. Maybe I'll call it the "No Mongo Cave". Eh, probably not.

Until then I'm just going to have to get used to putting down my damn phone and asking my wife and kids for more TV time. Plain and simple. This is something that I'm not just doing for myself, but for the filmmaker as well. I hope you will join me. Or, if you are already doing this please welcome me to the club with open arms.

How do you consume your skateboarding content? Do you notice you use one particular device more than another? Am I the only one that is planning on a larger screen than my phone/laptop?

Curious to hear your thoughts below. Also, let me know if you have any good projector recommendations.

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I Want to get a Freestyle Board

11/19/2020

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Pic via Pinterest, Unknown

Let me just get straight to the point of this blog post. I want to get a freestyle board.

There I said it, damn it. Wow. That felt great to say.

As I inch closer and closer to my 46th birthday, I've come to the realization that I will most likely NOT have a mid-life crisis. I think I'm in the clear. Maybe. Well, that is unless I do live to 100 and might possibly face one in the next 6 years. Odds are I am in the clear though. Whew.

With that being said, over the past few years I've had the sudden desire to own a freestyle board.

I've only ever ridden one maybe once or twice over the past few decades. It just was never a thing back in the day and my core crew never got into it either. In fact, I don't recall ever meeting a freestyle rider in the wild. Like never. Not one.

I only ever saw footage of Primo, Harris, Per, Mullen, etc. from the old Powell videos. And, more often than not, I would simply fast-forward past any freestyle (and vert -- that's changed over the years) footage on skate videos. No disrespect to the riders, I just wasn't into it, but I kind of am now.

Back in it's peak I was just too busy riding popsicle style boards and shredding all over town.

However, with nostalgia being such a hot thing these days it was only a matter of time until we started seeing all of the boards we loved and broke over the years make a return via reissues - including freestyle boards. And I want one.

I think I want to go with the Rodney Mullen, but am curious to see what's out there these days. I know there are some available and freestyle riders do exist.

How does one go about buying a freestyle board? I'm pretty sure the local shops aren't stacking inventory of them. Maybe only online?

Freestyling looks fun. And hard. And silly at the same time.

Rodney Mullen made it look so easy back in the day. He is/was so good that he was able to transition into regular size boards with no problem at all. Check out Rubbish Heap to see what I mean. The guy is a freak of nature and helped invent many of today's staple tricks.

What about you? You into freestyle? Have any tips or board recommendations? Am I having a mid-life crisis after all?

Please don't answer that last question. Not yet at least.

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No Masker in the Hanger!

11/18/2020

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If you've been following my posts or podcast for a while now you know I am a big fan of vert. I could never skate vert (although I tried -- never dropped in), but I have a huge amount of respect for skaters who have the ability to fly through the air like it's nothing. With no fear. That feeling is something that I will never be able to experience outside of maybe video games or lucid dreams.

With that being said, I was very excited to see some new footage / contest from Banger in the Hanger. However, this event went down in Texas, where as I type this blog post, where they're currently are at 1 MILLION coronavirus cases and 20,278 deaths.

So before I even clicked PLAY I was already somewhat hesitant. Sure, this ramp is "outdoors-ish" as it has a huge hanger that is CAT 3 certified, but how were the skaters going to function. Would it be limited to 10 riders (or less) at a time? Would there be copious amounts of hand sanitizer and masks toss around. Would there be footage of at least one person showing some responsible acts of any kind?

**DRUM ROLL**

The short answer is NOPE. No way in hell. Not at all. Nice try. Better luck next time.

The first video I watched was from Bucky Lasek's YouTube page "Buck Yeah" and right away I knew I was in for an interesting ride. Literally. He picked up his long-time friend, both not wearing masks, and proceeded on to the event.

I mean, giving Bucky all the benefit of doubt, I am going to assume that he was recently tested, as well as his friend, who had just flown into town. **Some sarcasm**

However, I guess I do have to give Bucky some credit as he did toss over some masks to his buddy about a minute into the video. It was awkward, but that would be the last time one would ever be seen throughout the entire 11 minute video.

Bucky parked and both made the trek to the huge vert ramp/hanger.

Bucky then went on to introduce many of his friends and some of the riders. There were kids of all ages, boys, girls, etc. I do have to say, at least everyone was wearing protective gear because nothing looks worse than vert footage without any pads or a helmet. I just looks weird to me. So golf claps to all the riders who showed up and represented proper! Don't skate vert without gear. It looks lame, okay.

But back to the video know and how my overall excitement went straight to disappointment. Now keep in mind I live in CA where our coronavirus cases are on a huge increase and spike now. As I type this we are now in stage PURPLE. What that really means I don't know because my family has been operating the exact same since MARCH. Sure, we've gone out and about, but nothing like I just witnessed go down in TX. What a strange site to see.

Much like when I lost my mind on episode 56 "Keep Calm and Stay Home" of the No Mongo Podcast I am getting close to another blow up soon. Maybe this post will help ease my brain a bit and calm me down.

What is it about skateboarders and coronavirus?

So many of us (not me) don't even believe it's real. Or have the thought that "It won't impact me", etc.

Why is that?

I truly want to know.

Does it just not apply to skateboarders? Are skateboarders immortal?

If you think about it not a lot of skateboarders have admitted to testing positive to the virus, but I'm sure there are a lot. Is there a big name rider that caught it?

I do know that many well-known skateboarding legends have gone on to post stupid shit like conspiracies or lame memes and get unfollowed by me though. So many did that.

Anyway. Being that we are going to easily be carrying this virus/pandemic over into the new year this concerns me greatly. Much like I bitched about way back in March, if everyone would have just joined together and hunkered down for three weeks or so this would have most likely not lasted until now. We are coming to the end of November and there is no end in sight. All because we just had to keep "sending it".

Seeing very well known pros like Bucky, Hawk, Hosoi, Staab, Tony Mag, and many more at this event not even attempting to pretend we are in the middle of a global crisis was disappointing. These pros have an opportunity to influence real change in the way skateboarders view the pandemic.

"Hey kids, be sure to wear a mask and wash your hands!" -- (not one pro)

Which one is going to eventually step up and lead by example?

If I think about it, I have seen some skaters wear masks over the past 8 months, but it's not a lot. Off the top of my head Shaun White and Chaz Ortiz come to mind. Other than that I'm drawing blanks. Sure, wearing a mask while skating sucks and many would say that it makes the footage or pics look lame, but if we don't get a handle on this virus we are going to see way more masks on film in the future.

Again, which one is going to eventually step up and lead by example? Is there someone that has that I may have missed?

I have a feeling that I will be waiting a long time. I'll be sure to not hold my breath underneath this mask.

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