Kelly Slater on Sports Center

btw.. do you think its weird that kelly got less recognition than shawn white?

 

not really. White is a marketing machine plus he gets the X-Games to showcase him every year as well as the Olympics. Slater doesn't get that kind of mainstream exposure.

 

I just think it's stupid how they cover horse racing and poker, but they can't cover surfing. Sportscenter is on for 12 hours out of the day, I'm sure they could squeeze in some surfing stuff in there.

 

Dude, it's better that way. WTF?...believe me, you do NOT want Sportscenter covering surfing!

 

Wow, I have never heard anyone diss big bear. Have you ever been? Big Bear is better than any mountain I have ever seen back home. If you want to go up past the Canadian border into Vermont and Maine, than maybe...

But dude, if you say the snowboard park at Big Bear is like Va Beach, then you must be a world travelling snowboarding expert... Ask Shaun White about Big Bear.... That is his home mountain bro. Im not mr. snowboard, but big bear is legit for sure. 10K+, Tons of snow... Riding in a Tee-Shirt...

My buddy is sitting next to me right now. He was a pro snowboarder. Sponsored by SunDiego for like 5 years. He owns sh** when we go to big bear. He read this post and he is laughing his as$ off right now...

He is the one feeding me with all this stuff about how the mountain doesnt move. And this guy is an actual pro. He says surfing is the hardest thing he has ever done.... This guy does insane aerial tricks that are death defying... He has surfed his whole life, and isnt even close to a pro level in surfing.

Now, you want to see something that is Hard? Something on a mountain that is harder than surfing.... Check this out...

http://www.bitoffun.com/fun-stuff-speedflying.html

But short of that, I think you are 250% off... If you have a problem with Bear and Summits snowboard parks, your nuts. I cant think of a better PARK in the USA.... Yeah, there isnt tons of backcountry snowboarding, but thats not why we go up there. We go up there for the snowboard park...

And yeah, backcountry snow leaves sketchy holes and different obsticles, but to say that the snow or runs move is wrong... Its just doesnt. YOu see whats ahead of you, and its all stationary....

 

big wave surfing is probably the most hardcore, non-boring thing anyone could ever do. if you think its boring and turnless watch this video
http://www.surfline.com/video/contests/billabong-xxl-2011-update_50589

 

I hate to say it but i agree, watching big wave surfing just doesnt do it for me...

 

um. did i mention a snowboard park? i'm talking about ripping up the steeps and big bear ain't got 'em. (and yes, i've been. i used to live in wrightwood so i'm familiar with the mountains in so. california). a lot of snowboarders never leave the park (sounds like you might be one of 'em) and i'm not interested in a pissing contest about which sport is harder. i'm just saying there are people out there taking ridiculously hard lines down mountains (with deep snow that moves) but it doesn't sound like you're interested in those types of folks...

 

Because that would be sick. Are you saying that because too many people will start surfing?

 

Im not trying to argue either. We just simply dissargree. Nothing wrong with that. And I have Fuel TV, which is NOTHING but freaking backcountry snowboarding and those guys taking those "insane" lines... But again, THOSE guys to me are like the big wave surfers... There is a lot more "balls" and nerves involved in stuff like that...

Point being, If kelly slater would take up big wave surfing, he would change the sport. He would win every contest... He is just plain more talented than everyone else, so he could be doing insane moves and pushing the limits the way people never have... These days, big wave surfing is about a huge drop, and survival... which reminds of of what you are speaking of with regards to big lines in snowboarding... Yes, you must be a SICK snowboarder to pull that stuff off, but more than that, you need balls...

Surfing isnt about balls all the time. Its about skill, precision, atheleticism and talent... Same goes for snowboarding... But what impresses me in snowboarding is what goes on in those half pipes and stuff like that. That crazy deep snow giant drops is cool, but half the tossed footage in those snowboard videos are guys just freefalling and having a garage sale when they land and explode into 10 ft. deep snow... Looks cool, but half the stuff they dont land, and snow is pretty forgiving for the most part...

Just my opinions. I am a weekend snowboarder. I have never taken it seriously. I usually change the channel when watching Fuel, cause snowboarders in videos are usually tools. They make jokes that arent funny. They talk like surfers with the "DUDE"... and all that. And if I hear one more DUDE say "HELI" when referring to a helicopter, I will scream...

Its just not that impressive to me, thats all im saying... and the characters within the snowboard world are just plani dorky. Im sorry. They are goobers (mostly).

 

If surfers in contests want to be big time sportsmen they should be drug tested too.

 

Its not that kind of party. I doubt most pro surfers use performance enhancers. I mean maybe, but lean fitness is ket to surfing, not really muscle mass or power... Maybe they would use the same kinda stuff that the cylcist guys are using...

But the drug being used throughout the pro surf circuit are mostly recreational drugs (I assume anyway)... I mean, I believe that a few of the elite guys may not smoke pot or anything, but for the most part, the surf community if pretty open to things like that...

I mean, surfers smoking pot, or meth or whatever really does NOTHING to enhance their abilities or give them any advantage. If anything it makes them less competetive, so if you were to test the ASP, I bet you most would fail from pot all the way up the chain...

I never knew that surfers were into meth/coke and all that until I saw a documentary about the big wave surfer up at mavericks who died on a huge day and he literally had blow coursing through veins when they tested him... I mean, dropping in on a 50 footer has to get the heart racing pretty much as fast as it gets, so who on earth would want to add to that... crazY!

 

most pros are not into recreational drugs at all. if your in the top 20, something as little as loss of concentration or fatigue can really screw you over. big wave surfers might do coke but they arent the guys going head to head on webcasts. they are just addicted to adrenaline, and cocaine is an easy way for them to access it. pretty stupid in my opinion, i dont think anyone should use mind altering substances regardless of their profession. it can really affect you in the long term, especially when you're risking your life while flying down a 50 foot monster.