While that silly sport where six snowboarders bomb down the same race course all together is still in the Olympics, it will not be in the 2013 X Games, according to a story on ESPN.com/Action.
“There wasn’t one single factor that led to this decision,” said Tim Reed, senior director of content strategy for ESPN X Games. “It just comes down to filling the schedule with how much we believe we need to make the event enjoyable to the fans and deliver on what we need from a product standpoint.”
Reminds us of the way we felt when ESPN cut super modified shovel racing from their live, faux-sporting, action entertainment television event schedule. Yeah, we didn’t feel anything at all. Hey, maybe someday, there won’t even be an X Games.
Today, (August 23, 2012) Boston Market made a $10,000 to the Ryan Sheckler Foundation at their “restaurant” in North Arlington, New Jersey. Ryan was there to accept the check and to sign autographs.
“Ryan’s dedication to his charity and his passion for Boston Market made him the ideal host for today’s event,” said George Michel, CEO of Boston Market. “Not only is he a legend in the skateboarding world, but he has found the time to give back to those in need as well. Boston Market is proud to support Ryan’s organization and offer quality food with great service to our guests.”
Well, at least it wasn’t McDonalds. Can someone please pass the loaded mashed potatoes? Passionate? The potatoes, you’re passin’ it. Follow the jump for the official word. [click to continue…]
Terry “Tubesteak” Tracy, the legendary Malibu surfer who reportedly kicked off Hollywood’s love affair with surfing by loaning Kathy Kohner “a surfboard in exchange for a peanut butter sandwich” has died, according to a story in the OC Register. He was 77 years old.
As he told the Register in 2002, he took to sleeping on the beach at Malibu in the mid 1950s and built a wooden shack that included palm fronds and thatched bamboo mat. He lived in it for two years, holding court there as many of the best surfers of the day would surf at Malibu. A girl appeared one day at the shack – which eventually was bulldozed – and she wanted to surf, Tracy said. The girl reminded Tracy of a short girl he’d once met at a party, named Gidget. He said he told this newcomer to the shack that he’d loan her a surfboard in return for a peanut butter sandwich she was carrying. He took to calling her Gidget.
The girl’s father wrote the book Gidget and we all know the rest of the story. Tracy later became a fixture at San Onofre beach. According to the story he “died peacefully at his home Wednesday.” Our thoughts are with his family and friends.
In the quarter ended July 28, 2012 Pacific Sunwear saw an increase in net sales of $10 million over the same period in 2011, however, their loss from continuing operations was $17.5 million. But they have an excuse:
The loss from continuing operations for the Company’s second quarter of fiscal 2012 included a non-cash loss of $8.2 million, or $0.12 per share, related to a derivative liability that resulted from the issuance of the Convertible Series B Preferred Stock (the “Series B Preferred”) in connection with the term loan financing the Company completed in December 2011.
In other words, if it wasn’t for that thing they had to do to try to save themselves from bankruptcy they wouldn’t have lost as much money. CEO Gary H. Schoenfeld sees this as a good sign.
“Our 5% comparable store sales, 260 basis point increase in merchandise margins, and positive operating cash flow for the second quarter further demonstrate our belief that customers are beginning to rediscover PacSun, including our improved merchandising and brand mix, and our distinct Golden State of Mind brand identity,” said Schoenfeld. “Newer brands helped drive a 7% comp in our Men’s business, which represents our biggest increase in Men’s since 2004. Women’s continued to improve as well with a 2% comp and higher margins, and we also achieved a 15% increase in online sales.”
Nice to see a silver lining beginning to appear around the dark cloud that has been hanging over Pac Sun for years. If they stay at it they might even begin breaking even in five or 10 quarters. Follow the jump for the official info. [click to continue…]
It’s amazing that with season after season of delivering ground breakngly progressive video parts that Burton’s Jeremy Jones isn’t ready to coast for a season or two . According to the second teaser from Burton’s upcoming film 13, nothing could be further from the truth:
I just want people to get stoked on snowboarding and take away a different idea set. . . . I guess that’s the driving force. It’s just like, what can somebody see me do that’s going to get them stoked.”
As the 2012 US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, California made plainly clear to everyone, Nike’s only real interest is action sports is selling shoes and clothing. Providing more evidence is their latest commercial featuring buttery smooth skater Gino Iannucci rolling around NYC in a pair of shoes that John McEnroe used to play tennis in, the Nike Challenge Court. But with this shoe, Nike has added an “SB” so you’ll know it’s for, you know, skateboarding. . . classic.
On August 11, 2012 the Paul Mitchell Supergirl Pro wrapped up at the Oceanside, California Pier with 21-year-old Sage Erickson in the top spot. We missed the entire event, and we’re guessing we’re not alone. So here it is all compacted down into three minutes.
A little over a month ago, when we first got the news that Dane Reynolds would be inducted in to the Surfers’ Hall of Fame, our first question was, “For what?” Not in a disrespectful way, but more in a “what, are John John Florence and Kolohe Andino next?” kind of way.
Now, as is often the case with the chronically cool Reynolds, we discover that he pretty much agrees.
“I don’t really know what it means (to get inducted) but I’m honored for sure, especially so young,” Reynolds said. “I don’t feel that deserving of it but I’m stoked. It’s definitely an honor.”
See, no matter how you come at him, the guy is totally hate-proof.
With the addition of Slopestyle to the Sochi Olympics in 2014, medal magnate Shaun White believes he’ll have the chance to nab even more Olympic glory, according to an interview with Buzzfeed.
“I’ve actually got more medals in that event than the other one. I just don’t do it, because it’s not at the Olympics.”
Because if it’s not in the Olympics, there’s no reason to do it, right? Snowboarding is a business, after all. Listen to the entire interview here (we have no idea who those people are):
Since the first skateboard, kids have all tried something similar. We used an old inner tube as a strap to help us jump, Skyhooks used plastic, and Paul Hackett used velcro “Suspenders” to air out of a pool for his September 1977 cover of Skateboarder Magazine. Now, Kevin Rains, a father who doesn’t skateboard, has come up with his own kind of ollie cheaters called Krainkn, according to a story on Business News Daily.
After researching existing products and even registered patents, Rains, who was working in the mortgage business at the time, discovered there was nothing out there like what he had in mind. Rains envisioned a set of handles that would attach to the skateboard or snowboard with flexible tubing and allow the user to hold onto something while learning to maintain their balance.
Why is it that bad skateboarding ideas just keep reappearing year after year after year? Sometimes it’s just so sad. Especially when it’s on Kickstarterand no one is funding.
While that silly sport where six snowboarders bomb down the same race course all together is still in the Olympics, it will not be in the 2013 X Games, according to a story on ESPN.com/Action.
