Kickstart an ollie book

Craig Snyder is working on a book called “A Secret History Of The Ollie And The Pioneers Of Skateboarding.” Believe it or not, he’s got not two, but three whole volumes planned. I’m tempted to kick in if only to see how he can fill three books on the subject. He’s been working on it for six years, so there’s got to be at least one volume’s worth. From the description it seems to be focusing on the east coast, specifically Florida, at least the first volume. He’s publishing it himself, and to that end he’s got a project set up on Kickstarter. Here’s how it works. People pledge money to the project. It can be as small as $3, or large enough ($25) to get you a copy of the book if it is published. There’s a funding goal that has to be met, and if it isn’t nobody gets charged a penny. If it is, the book gets published and you get your copy if you pledged enough. You can find more info at theolliebook.com, or the blog.

Discussion

27 thoughts on “Kickstart an ollie book

  1. mezmer on June 10, 2010 - Reply

    this should be a good series of books!

    Alan Gelfand changed skateboarding forever. check him out:

    http://www.ollieair.com

    1. Christiandeath@yahoo.com on September 13, 2014 - Reply

      Jeff Tatum first backside Ollie, let’s face it people any one approaching a lip w/ speed will kick turn no handed in the air, thus ollying so do u really want to give anyone credit for inventing it? Mullen really invented the modern Ollie.

      1. Pontius Pilate on September 13, 2014 - Reply

        I can “kick turn no handed in the air”, a la Tatum, but I don’t use a purposefully exaggerated scoop when hitting the coping, like an ollie, (and thus wind up hanging up if I go more than six inches out)… so, I’d say you’re full of it.

  2. egbert on June 10, 2010 - Reply

    He seems like he may be a bit of a fucktard looking for his payout http://www.daledietrich.com/gaming/ollie-skateboarder-sues-game-companies-over-use/

    Were they calling it the Alan “Ollie” Gelfand everytime one of the characters ollied?

    1. Cave Man on June 10, 2010 - Reply

      A lot of people assume that, but I think that’s a countersuit and they came after him first legally, though that may be cuz he copyrighted his nickname or something, no doubt with the idea of making money (though he has an auto repair shop). At any rate, I think his countersuit was more about not letting those big corporations bulldoze him… and the only ones making out on either side are the lawyers.

      1. egbert on June 10, 2010 - Reply

        Interesting, didn’t know that. Thanks for enlightening me.

      2. I thought it started when Disney or someone else wanted to make a skateboarding character or toy called “Ollie.”

        But that’s more hearsay adding kindling to the fire.

  3. Craig Snyder on June 11, 2010 - Reply

    The lawsuit was largely misunderstood. It was not about making every skater pay a royalty on each Ollie they did

    1. Settle down. You’re profiting off someone’s name.

      1. "Fail." is not a word on June 12, 2010 - Reply

        With his blessing, Don Quixote. Whereas, if a little local day-care paints, among other characters, some Disney ones on the outside of the building, Disney tends to be the sort of company that will see it not as a free ad but an unacceptable rip-off, and make them remove it. So turn about is fair play… not some windmill of hypocrisy. Speaking of free ads, though, why don’t you go watch Skirdoosh; I’m thinking your harping about that might be amusing.

        1. Don’t hold your breath.

        2. ...it's a uniform bleat on June 13, 2010 - Reply

          Not to worry Fitz, I would never hold my breath waiting for you to be amusing… or unpredictable.

        3. Hey, you can go right ahead and suck my whole dick. Skate culture is tired, and your sad trolling is no better. At least I have the brain to think crtically, the sack to put an opinion forth, and the spine to use my own name.

        4. egbert on June 14, 2010 - Reply

          You’re using half your name if you want to be factual.

        5. And my good buddy from ther north is using none of his. See below.

    2. bailgun on June 13, 2010 - Reply

      tl;dr.

    3. On the contrary. Here in awesome-skate NW, it’s all about the nickname, Eggs.

      1. egbert on June 14, 2010 - Reply

        But your real name is Larry Pepperwood. I don’t get it.

  4. Jerkins on June 11, 2010 - Reply

    Cab has never stopped skating, or progressing for that
    matter, so please don’t compare him with Mr.Gelfand.
    Kind of like apples and oranges IMO.

  5. Nooner on June 11, 2010 - Reply

    on Vert Jeff Tatum may have been the first with backside ollies in the Kona Bowl

  6. I just want my nickel for every time a kid at a skatepark asks me how high can I ollie.

  7. Cave Man on June 11, 2010 - Reply

    Well, that Craig person would certainly know better than I. But I do know Alan blew his knees up at 16, and has had serious trouble with them every time he has tried to fully get back into it. About the worst thing that can be accurately said about him is he had some really goofy childhood friends (though I have no idea if Craig fit that bill), which made Olliewood A)possible B)less than cool. But he definitely deserves credit for trying. And I don’t know whether he insists – [in the way the Dogtown documentary proclaims with certitude that they invented frontside airs, even though Jim McCall had done one in front of thousands in Florida months before the documentary even claims they came about] – that he was unquestionably the first anywhere to ever DO Ollie type airs, but, it is unquestionable that the Ollie IS named after him. And would you rather have all those legal hassles and some prospect of compensation, or be able to skate? He’s always seemed, mood-wise, like he’d much prefer the latter.

  8. Shouldn’t the flatground version of the ollie be called a Mutt, Mullen, or Rodney?

    1. And b/s smiths should be Nolder grinds

      1. Cave Man on June 12, 2010 - Reply

        Yep, and doing “Nolders” even has a nice ring to it. “Mullening” up on to that rail, though, (even though Rodney totally deserves credit for his massive influence on modern non-transition skating) sounds a little unwieldy, as does “Mutting”. And “Rodneying” sounds like something a rollerblader might do.

        1. You’re right, none of those work – at all

  9. Bret Burrill Taylor on June 12, 2010 - Reply

    Don’t hate the player, hate the game.

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