Salon.com has an article on why ESPN’s efforts birng the X Games to a worldwide audience aren’t as successful as they’d like. Are the unsuccessful? I’m not sure. Are you paying attention? That’s the main part of the article. Essentially, what ESPN seems to miss, is that that the statement “I am a skateboarder” is a far different one than “I am a basketball player”. The author Matt Reevy get’s it. There’s are a couple good quotes in there (like this post title) that sum it up pretty well. I guess my mission here at S&A is finished.

Denver the Last Dinosaur is possibly one of the best bad cartoon relics out there. Basically, a dinosaur egg hatches, and hangs out with kids skateboarding, riding BMX and sort of communicating in a more subdued Scooby Doo style. The animation is horrible, I swear it approaches 5 frames a second. The voiceover is what makes this cartoon enjoyable/eardrum piercing. The character actors are awful. It’s like listening to somebody do a really bad impersonation Jeff Spicoli, for 20 minutes… The series started in 1988 and ran for two years, so that was right at the tail end of the California craze. There’s an episode called Venice Beach Blast where part of the gang gets hassled for skating on the bike path. The authority figure (Is he a cop or a security guard? He looks like a Forest Ranger.) explains that the community got the signatures together to get skating banned and the bike path built. Now you think this would would turn into a civics lesson that ends with a skateboard park being built, but it doesn’t. The skaters in the crew turn against their biking brothers and go renegade. There’s a lot of whining (almost life real life),…

Jurassic Skate Park is an illustration by Dan Woodger. There’s more to it than immediately hits the eye. Check out a larger version and details on Dan’s site. – Thanks to MC for the tip. [ Source: It’s Nice That ]

You many not see many kids with skateboards, zooming down your street. And if you do, it’s illegal. 100% Pure Fun publisher Larry Ransom uploaded some old VHS capture of a news story about the banning of skateboards in Lockport, New York, circa 1988. The best quote (and delivery) is in the opening 5 seconds, but it’s got plenty of other audio gold, strange inflections and hip lingo.

Apparently, the longboard stroller, although not actually in production yet, is also not meant to be a joke. In some shots you can see what might be a braking device or two, possibly a sponge. Test dummies are a nice touch. This is a joke. Is this a joke? Quinny is a real company. UPDATE: Added another video. – Thanks to Matthijs for the tip.

Today is free comic book day at participating comic shops. Runner Runner from Tugboat Press is one of titles you could pick up.

Portland’s DOS bowl has openings, and is in fact in need of some new blood, even as the weather turns dryer here. Your membership gives you entrance from 6am until 3am every day. That’s 21 hours of skating a day, rain or shine. That’s Larry Martin enjoying said access. Larry gives free sweeper lessons weekly. The photo is presented here with the kind permission of The Skateboard Archives, without knowing it. Hey Michael, is it OK if I post this?

I think these books are supposed to teach traffic safety, but in fact they inspire kids to pretend to run into the obstacles. In this case, a skateboarding elephant. Then there’s the gratuitous electronic noise designed to stimulate young minds and make parents want to jam a screwdriver into the speaker. (Thanks for that helpful advice Shawn F. ) Now that these pictures are taken I can finally make a run to Good Will after 5 years of sitting on this thing. Yes, this post title is my attempt to help David Bowie free associate some new lyrics.

Marty McFly’s hoverboard props and replicas have been sold a dozen times over. I’ve seen Biff’s Pit Bull once before, but in an unfinished stage. This is the first time I’ve seen a finished model for sale. The LA Times reported that was going for 13k back in February, but it must not have sold. Right now it’s listed with a Buy it Now of a cool 10 grand. Nucking Futs!

Two instances of world class athletes using skateboards for cross training purposes. First up is 10k Olympic gold medalist Mo Farah allegedly building balance on a skateboard, though admittedly just an experiment, and more likely just a photo op for the The Oregonian. On the right, Daniel Woods “prepares” for the 2010 Bouldering World Cup at a skatepark. With the event just two days after the video footage was shot, he was probably just trying to relax, get his mind off the competition, and of course, not get hurt! Video footage of Daniel after the jump – Just a tiny bit of skating and a lot of bouldering, but it’s some amazing bouldering footage. – Thanks to Jim Lilly and Chris Yeager for the tips.