Comments on: Vert in X Games is undead

By: Tom Miller

Tom Miller — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 02:17:40 +0000

Vert is definitely dead. Proof? The photo for this thread is classic back lip butt sweat and you don’t see anything like that in Sheckler’s acne ad, right? Hell no. Bad for your image. Vert skaters get ass acne. Even ESPN knows that.

By: orezona

orezona — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:21:38 +0000

I got that article from auggiedawg courtesy of sleestak.net.

Everybody poaches everybody.

By: Kilwag

Kilwag — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:21:11 +0000

I think superpark is just X Games speak for NW style skatepark, or flow-bowl as some like to call it, where everything is different sized and connected. Of course I didn’t actually read the original ESPN superpark proposal so I could be very wrong.

Their take on the talent makes it seem like a wrestling league or something, with a fixed stable of performers not happy with a format change, say cage match vs. tag team. It would be like the Olympics saying “Well, we’re not going to have water polo anymore, we’re going to have 400m Butterfly stroke instead” and then the water polo players say “Well, we’d rather not do that, so just bring back the old event, Mmmmkay?”

My point is, there will be no shortage of skaters to enter the Superpark format. The vert riders should adapt or die, as that contest circuit is already on artificial life support as is. This is not my personal judgement on vert ramp skating, just my evaluation of the circumstances.

Mega ramp as a contest format seems like you are just asking for trouble in the form of more Jake Brown accidents or worse. If they want to do it as a spectacle then fine, but those guys can’t be making enough money for that.

By: Concretin Nik

Concretin Nik — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:13:30 +0000

from the UNION-TRIBUNE (by way of Orezona) … After ESPN announced its decision last week, skateboarders threatened to boycott the Big Air discipline. Big Air features riders swooping down a 60-foot ramp at speeds approaching 40 mph, clearing a 55-foot gap, then skating up another 27-foot ramp.

Asked if he thought the skaters’ threatened boycott impacted ESPN’s decision, longtime pro vert skateboarder Andy Macdonald of Pacific Beach said, “I think it was the factor that got ‘em to take a look at it.” …

Sounds like, “Cancel vert? We’ll cancel the mega ramp.” Nice. Way to stick together guys! I love skateboarding.

By: conahan

conahan — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:07:02 +0000

I don’t think anyone was opposed to the superpark I think they didn’t want their job to be just riding that super ski-jump bullshit until the last vert skater is dead.

By: nweyesk8

nweyesk8 — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:13:20 +0000

shouldn’t it be X-tremepark instead of superpark?