Game Over - Is Kelly finally done?

I totally see and get your point. But not sure if i agree in this context. Being over 40 and not healing the same is true, especially for average Joes. But this is a professional athlete. Someone who's whole life was dedicated to keeping his body in peak physical shape to be the best hey can be. Look at pro athletes from football or baseball or whatever. They recover from injuries in half the time most of us would. Top notch doctors and therapy and all that jazz.

Not saying your wrong. You very well could be right. I'm just saying i wouldn't be surprised if he bounces back. Not in 6 weeks. I was watching the contest yesterday and he said the new time frame of him being out is 3-6 months. I wouldn't be surprised if he's back at it in a year give or take.

As far as his career being over, that's a diffrent story. I don't think he will tolerate going out like this. So I'm thinking he'd give it one more shot next year.

 

Haven't been paying much attention to the tour this year. Took a quick peak and it looks like Kelly was #18 prior to this happening. Y'all that have been watching, does he still look like a world champ? Or is father time finally catching up to him?

 

He's had a great career, of course, but he's headed for the talking heads booth at this point, imho. Even prior to this nasty injury.

 

Depends on if he's got an "in" with Biogenesis or Balco

 

He's got access to stuff that 99.9% of the public hasn't even seen at their doctors. This is how these professional athletes heal so quick. That, and all they do if have to get better PT, train, heal up, best medical stuff on the market. Not sit at a desk job etc. and doing PT 2 days a week if they are lucky, lol.

 

Before this injury, Kelly was looking to me to be about where #18 would have you believe. Middle of the pack. Stylish and consistent, but not as powerful and agile as he once was, or as the guys in the top 5-10. Look at Felipe Toledo's 9.27 in the final. Firing J-Bay is a wave that Kelly has always come alive on, but he's not surfing at quite that level these days - especially the speed and huge float near the end.

http://www.worldsurfleague.com/posts/263318/filipe-toledos-massive-float-and-score-in-the-jbay-final

 

I watched him eat it on a non critical drop at Cloudbreak and said to myself, he finally looks like a mere mortal. Father Time is undefeated.

Except for Keith Richards. We all have to ask ourselves when we make our day by day decisions, what kind of world will we leave Keith?

 

His foot will heel

I still believe he is a top 10 competitor in world class waves...the points and the total tour lineup may not allow him to compete for the title unless he wins two of his favored contest leading to the triple crown, where at that point, he would have a good shot.

Still, he has won 11 and there is no one even sniffing that anytime soon. So, I imagine not winning the next one, not being a big deal (other than his competitive spirit getting humbled). All that said, I bet he will make at least one more run for it. I hope he does...

 

@~22s is sick. Thx Scotty

 

Honestly I thought he should have retired last year. The young guys have passed him by. The WSL will suck without him though.

 

The WSL does't know or even care if he is gone, or even be minimally affected. Nobody is irreplaceable on this planet.

 

Tough shoes to fill in terms of drawing viewers to the webcast and sponsors likely too. It is undeniable what a big draw he is.

 

At least Kelly's illustrious championship run didn't end by a female pro tennis player connecting a golf swing with his back, like what happened to Tiger in his driveway, that fateful morning. Golf ratings have suffered big time, as has overall memberships and revenues.

Hopefully people will stop surfing now.

 

lol slater isn't replaceable.

hes just the fan favorite everybody love the slades.

id say if it wasn't for slaters performance in the 90s,brands like quicksilver,channel islands,oneill,rip curl,yada yada would still be underground shops that nobodies heard of.there wouldn't be surf schools,surfers would still be rocking mohawks and drinking 40s of steel reserve and smoking dirt weed,beating up the little groms...

don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing lol,but slater made surfing the sport it is today.i think if it wasn't for slades surfing would strictly be reserved for Hawaii and Australia,with the non existent spots like the eastcoast,Africa,europe,indo,etc..

 

Tom Curren set the table for Kelly and modern surfing.

 

Well he certainly has drawn all you queers in!!
hahahahahaha!!!

 

Back off Barry

 

Yes, I'm certain his heats don't bring any extra viewership, ad value, and overall cash flow toward the WSL. No one will care, or even notice he's gone.
If you were ever able to pry yourself out of the closet, and make it to a world tour event, you would have seen with your own crossed eyes that Slater fills the beach with spectators, during his heats. When Kelly's heat is over, the beach clears out considerably. How do you think that plays out online? Different? He brings more customers than any other surfer. Customers = $$$
Maybe your just pissed Slater makes fat money without saying F the world to do it.

 

B.Cuda doesn't need a defenseman but I have to agree. The WSL is sad that he may be gone but it won't stop the steamroller that surf industries have become. In years to follow, he will be replaced by some other "aquahero" and he will be just another page in the book that made surfing what it is for the future. It's called "progression". Sure, he will be missed, but there are many surfers of decades passed that have faded out that shaped this sport into what it is presently. It's a shame, but don't let it ruin your life, kids.