“…Along the way, amazing things have simply continued to happen–like a Francophile Forrest Gump, seemingly stumbling obliviously from one victory to the next…”
Did you leave on good terms?
We talked a lot about it. For them it was hard. I understand their point of view. It’s the skate brands that make all this happen. They have the real sense for it. They are the ones that go find riders and build them up. Without Rick Howard, Mike Carroll, or Guy, I would still be out in the French countryside. They push people like me up and then the big companies can come in and help themselves. I see their side of it. That’s why it was so hard to make that decision.
Trying to figure out which plot point in “Forrest Gump” would correspond with Lucas Puig’s fraught parting with Lakai to don triple-striped track suits. (Spoiler alert) Maybe when him and Lieutenant Dan ride out the hurricane and Lt. Dan loudly curses God? Or the point where Forrest decides to stop running cross-country with his new pack of followers? Sleeping with his elementary school heartthrob and then she abruptly bounces?
Like Gump’s rise to become a shrimping magnate, Lucas Puig’s shift to Adidas was in the works long before Es went into suspended animation, but this month’s splashy teamrider interviews in the new TWS, Adidas-backed web part and the magazine’s concurrent gushing over a lavish Nike shoe-release party in Spain comes off sorta tone deaf, coming a shortly after the towel was thrown in by the dudes who touched off the current generation’s Game of Skate obsession.
I guess if the years go on and footwear heavies like Lakai, Sole Tech, etc are forced into a farm-league role by virtue of their slimmer wallets, interview responses like Chris Cole’s recent DC talk or the one above (or maybe the “why’d you move” question itself) will vanish and look kinda quaint in the rear-view mirror, but currently Puig’s comment makes me feel for the Crail camp. They bring up the hot young’ns, occasionally turn them into stars good for a pro model or two before they wave goodbye and head for money-greener pastures. And if you don’t cheer them on the way out you risk looking a hater in the “do u” era.
From a P&L perspective it seems like a kick in the pants too–like you can have Cory Kennedy sell your wood and urethane, but when it comes to moving high-margin kicks and clothes, a dude like that may ascend outta your price bracket. So does your enterprise turn into a staging ground for the more well-heeled shoemakers, or does a Lakai satisfy themselves with a role as tastemakers and scouts scooping talent on the upswing? Do these companies need to figure out tie-ups to ensure some type of compensation/protection for bringing dudes up? Long-running contracts? Does skateboarding need break-up fees?
There’s a rumor going around that Sean Malto is being wooed away to DC to the tune of $5 million over a period of five years, a princely sum that raises the interesting question as to where DC ranks along the shoe co spending spectrum, what with their recent team overhaul-splurge. You could also ponder the potential for the multinational Nikes and Adidases to raise up new faces–in their now-decade of SBness has Nike gotten behind many lesser-known ams? I’m thinking Shane O’Neill, Grant Taylor? Lewis Marnell? With Adidas one would be Lem Villemin, who it’s nice to see get on with Cliche at last.
As far as that part goes it’s usual killer Lucas Puig stuff–he has got a real good handle right now on manual tricks, especially the one at three-up-three-down and the crazy squeaker. The BA/SF run was a nice point-scorer and the backside nosegrind revert up that brick ledge is heavy duty.
Tags: Adidas, DC Talk, Forrest Gump, head butts, JJ Rousseau, Katamari Damacy, Lakai, Lieutenant Dan, Lucas Puig, Nike, purse strings, Rick Howard, shrimping, Ton Def, TWS, Zidane
September 11, 2011 at 3:18 pm |
Pappalardo, Olsen, Kosten and more recently Puig, all moved on for cash. Harsh for Lakai good for the riders. What you gonnna do?
September 11, 2011 at 3:52 pm |
Lakai will be just fine.
September 11, 2011 at 9:20 pm |
hopefully they will be alright. The younger gen has had their brains mashed with parental acceptance, mainstream acceptance, and now corporate acceptance. Remember when skateboarding was accepted only by skateboarders? I am starting to forget.
September 12, 2011 at 7:47 am |
at BA/SF, we don’t make the things you skate, we make the things you skate better.
nicely played, intentional or not.
September 12, 2011 at 11:01 am |
The problem is that more than ever pro skateboarding is a dead end job. It was 20 year ago too, but now there are people with college degrees that can’t find a job as a cashier, and also super ams with T-800 endoskeletons that raise the bar every year, the D. Way/ Eric Koston 25 year career may be soon remembered as a one time anomaly. So grabbing the cash while you can seems like a wise personal choice for the future. Ya know, not everyone can “Scott Pazelt” it.
September 12, 2011 at 1:23 pm |
Paper, iron, won’t buy Eden
working for paper and for iron
work for the right to keep my tie on
working for paper and for iron
work for the unicorn and lion
I pray the kids aren’t starving
no chicken for the Sunday carving
I’ll stay for one more farthing
I take home my notes and coins every week
I’m told I’m worth much more
but the Church says turn the other cheek
the other cheek
paper, iron, won’t buy Eden.
I know the family needs me
can’t moan, the factory feeds me
won’t bite the hand that bleeds me
I take home my notes and coins every week
I’ll inherit the earth I’m told
but the Church says to remain this meek
remain this meek
I’m still a proud man.
Won’t show anybody else my wage
a blend in the crowd man
is this anybody’s golden age
is this anybody’s golden age
is this anybody’s golden age
or am I dreaming of a golden cage
La la lo it’s paper
la la lo it’s iron
la la lo just paper
la la lo just iron
September 12, 2011 at 2:43 pm |
On the farm league angle, think of Powell (or SkateOne?) of the past couple of years, bringing dudes up who get snatched after a video part. So it goes.
That said, what happens to Street League in 2013 when the CBA expires?
September 14, 2011 at 10:53 pm |
Guess he just wanted to dress more French? (+ the $ of course) ..a bit of shame that Rickk and Mike wouldn’t trump headbutter soccer player.
September 15, 2011 at 10:23 am |
Two-headed dog
Two headed dog
I’ve been working in the Kremlin
With a two-headed dog
Peace brought back fought back
Relaxed be nyet brought back
Did you dry her out
Wind her out like jerky?
To me she’s healed to attack
Two-headed dog
Two headed dog
I’ve been working in the Kremlin
With a two-headed dog
Children nailed to the cross
Pain does not look our hell
Certainly is not a spell
Sweet waste from a well
Two-headed dog
Two headed dog
I’ve been working in the Kremlin
With a two-headed dog
Winds quiet in the night
Her body just blows messiah
Sickening sweet sight left or right
Is all right does not please my appetite
Two-headed dog
Two headed dog
I’ve been working in the Kremlin
With a two-headed dog
Two-headed dog
Two headed dog
I’ve been working in the Kremlin
With a two-headed dog
September 16, 2011 at 2:17 pm |
Got you working with some ass, yeah
You bad, yeah
Make a nigga spend his cash, yeah
His last, yeah
Hoes clown when you pass, yeah
They mad, yeah
You gon’ ride in the Jag, yeah
With dad, yeah
You could smoke or buy a bag, yeah
A grass, yeah
Got money I confess, yeah
And trash, yeah
I’m a Big Tymer nigga, yeah
Pulling trigger, yeah
A player hater to flip with, yeah
Gon’ head and fill it, yeah
I be slanging wood, yeah
Out the hood, yeah
Let it be understood, yeah
It’s all good, yeah
Got a nigga screaming large, yeah
On the hard, yeah
A smooth ghetto broad, yeah
I want the broad, yeah
A nigga do a trick, yeah
On the dick, yeah
You claiming you want a bitch, yeah
That ain’t shit, yeah
The nigga with the money, yeah
Don’t act funny, yeah
Got birds and I’m running, yeah
‘Bout a hundred, yeah
Chorus)
Girl, you looks good, won’t you back that ass up
You’se a fine motherfucker, won’t you back that ass up
Call me big daddy when you back that ass up
Hoe, who is you playing with, back that ass up
Girl, you looks good, won’t you back that ass up
You’se a fine motherfucker, won’t you back that ass up
Call me big daddy when you back that ass up
Girl, who is you playing with back that ass up
Girl, you looks good, won’t you back that ass up
You’se a fine motherfucker, won’t you back that ass up
(Juvenile)
You got to steal, big ass, yeah
Make me laugh, yeah
Make a nigga wanna grab that
Wanna grab that
I’m sweating on the draws, yeah
On hard, yeah
Wanna walk it like a dog, yeah
Break you off, yeah
How you gon’ get yours, yeah
That’s for sure, yeah
You fucking with my nerves, yeah
To the curb, yeah
I know you bitches know, yeah
And it show, yeah
But a nigga got some more, yeah
I’m ’bout to flow, yeah
Fresh off some shit, yeah
In his bitch, yeah
We be making hit, yeah
After hit, yeah
Them titties sitting nice, yeah
I wanna bite, yeah
I could fuck you right, yeah
All night, yeah
Wanna bring it to my house, yeah
On the couch, yeah
Knock the pussy out, yeah
Get them out, yeah
I wanna see these hoes, yeah
Bend it low, yeah
Let me run it in the hole, yeah
Let me know, yeah
(Chorus)
Girl, you looks good, won’t you back that ass up
You’se a fine motherfucker, won’t you back that ass up
Call me big daddy when you back that ass up
Hoe, who is you playing with back that ass up
Girl, you looks good, won’t you back that ass up
You’se a fine motherfucker, won’t you back that ass up
Call me big daddy when you back that ass up
Hoe, who is you playing with back that ass up
(Manny Fresh)
I know you can’t stand it
Big Bandit done landed
See the draws handed
We can go get it y’all gang split it y’all
Put the bitch on the wall and I hit it y’all
I’m looking kind of lonely
I’m feeling horny
Put the dick in the middle like Monee
Big, thick plumber chick
And a Hummer chick
Beat the dick like a motherfucking drummer chick
Cinch that putty-cat look at that
I love a fucking hoody-rat
That’s a fact
You’se a motherfucking get it girl
Quit it girl
I’m the nigga, the nigga, nigga
The hit it girl
(Chorus)
Girl, you looks good, won’t you back that ass up
You’se a fine motherfucker, won’t you back that ass up
Call me big daddy when you back that ass up
Hoe, who is you playing with back that ass upGirl, you looks good, won’t you
back that ass up
You’se a fine motherfucker, won’t you back that ass up
Call me big daddy when you back that ass up
Hoe, who is you playing with back that ass up
(Lil Wayne)
Na, na, na, na, na
After you back it up, then stop
Then wha-wha-what
Dro-drop it like it’s hot
Now after you back it up, then stop
Now,wha-wha-wha-what
Drop it like it’s hot
Now drop It like it’s hot
Drop it like it’s hot
C-M-P make you drop it like it’s hot
Drop it like it’s hot
Dro-drop it like it’s hot
Drop it like it’s hot
Dro-drop it like it’s hot
Ha
September 22, 2011 at 1:26 pm |
I thought this was a skateboard blog, not the ramblings of a try-hard failed MFA creative writing major?
April 17, 2013 at 1:53 am |
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it. Look advanced to far added agreeable from you!
However, how could we communicate?
April 17, 2013 at 12:32 pm |
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lot about this, like you wrote the book in it or something.
I think that you can do with a few pics to drive the message
home a bit, but other than that, this is wonderful blog.
An excellent read. I’ll certainly be back.
May 17, 2013 at 5:40 am |
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May 29, 2013 at 12:33 am |
Howdy just wanted to give you a quick heads up and let you know a few
of the pictures aren’t loading properly. I’m not sure why but I think its a linking issue.
I’ve tried it in two different web browsers and both show the same results.