by The Editors on February 25, 2010
Spy Optic‘s parent company Orange 21 has announced a partnership with singer, songwriter, author and pilot Jimmy Buffett in which the company will create a line of sunglasses for Buffet’s Margaritaville “lifestyle” brand.
Orange21 is honored to be producing this line of eyewear for Jimmy and for Margaritaville. Jimmy’s life work continues to touch so many people and has basically defined the notion of FUN for all the right reasons. That’s the kind of friends we like to hang with!” says Stone Douglass, CEO of Orange21. “Adding Margaritaville Eyewear to our lineup is a continuation of our multi-branded strategy at Orange21 and we look forward to continued success as an expanding and authentic leader in the lifestyle eyewear market.”
A good pair of shades are important after an all-night tequila bender and no one knows that better than the parrothead army. Plus, middle-aged Orange County swingers probably need an eyewear brand they can identify with.
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by The Editors on February 24, 2010
After using an “n-word” in a Stab Magazine website story about how black surfers are better than white surfers (specifically Jamaica’s Icah Wilmot) got people talking (via Cyrusisboard.com) and lost the magazine a “coveted advertising relationship,” Stab’s Jed Smith says he has now experienced the “first significant self-examination” of his writing career.
After speaking with Icah’s father Bill Willmot, it appears Jed has turned things around and apologized.
I am ignorant of the sensitivities that surround race today. I am white, privileged and grew up in an era in which white-black relations were not the defining racial issue (hence my use of the word Negro, a term that after recently reading the Malcolm X autobiography, I legitimately thought was politically correct). I have no right to proffer stereotypes, whether they were intended to be satirical or not, and I am sorry. Sorry.
Apologies are hard and Jed did a great job with this one. We just hope he can get past this, lesson learned, and then remember that his ignorance is also one of his greatest gifts. The world has enough “thoughtful” old surf writers already. Seriously.
[Link: Stab Magazine]
by The Editors on February 24, 2010
Snowboarder Wayne Alexander Brown, 42, of Almosa, Colorado was found yesterday (February 23, 2010) after going missing for three days in the wilderness near Wolf Creek Ski Area, according to a story in the Alamosa News.
Brown was found by a helicopter search team Tuesday, the first day air operations were possible, when the team flew over a forest service cabin and saw tracks leading away from the dwelling. “They saw the tracks and then saw Mr. Brown hiking out just moments later,” said Downing. . . The first night, Downing said, Brown sought shelter in a tree well in the back country and dug a small snow cave. . . In the continuing snow of Sunday, Brown trekked down the mountain on his board and came upon a US Forest Service cabin and was able to access the structure for what became a two-day stay while the storm raged outside, eventually dumping 41 new inches of snow in the region over the weekend.
Officials say Brown did everything right. You know, aside from getting lost in the first place.
[Link: Almosa News]
by The Editors on February 24, 2010
Skatedaily.net is reporting that Bob Biniak, the legendary Dogtown Z-Boy suffered a “massive heart attack” on Sunday, February 21, 2010 and has been hospitalized.
He is currently in ICU in critical condition at Baptist Beaches Hospital in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. His family and friends worldwide are asking your prayers, wishes, and positive energy towards his recovery.
Our thoughts are with him and we hope for his safe and speedy recovery.
[Link: Skatedaily.net]
by The Editors on February 24, 2010
Want to hear the realities of the ASP World Championship Tour? Bobby Martinez kicks down all the no bullshit answers in an interview by Jon Coen on ESPN/Action.
What is the WCT and/or Rebel tour really all about?
All it comes down to is money. No one cares what tour they’re on, just as long as they can make the most money as possible before they retire. That’s it, in black and white. We have these meetings on the ASP tour with all the surfers. When this Rebel Tour came up, the only thing that mattered was the money. Everyone wanted to go to this Rebel Tour because they were saying that last-place earnings were the same as first in an ASP event. So if anyone wants the best surfers in the world to compete on one tour, all they have to do is put a lot more money for prize winnings and [the surfers] will all jump on board. That’s the truth. I’ll go with them too if I get an invite.
Read the rest if you haven’t already. It’s short, but it’s sweet.
[Link: ESPN/Action]
by The Editors on February 24, 2010
Jessie Huffman sits down with Vermont’s Jessie Loomis to get the story on Powder Jets, Loomis’ “forward-thinking” back to basics wood snowboards. After taking a couple runs on an old Burton Elite a few years ago, Loomis apparently had a rather luddite epiphany.
That’s when I realized that space-age technology wasn’t increasing my enjoyment of the sport. I thought I’d just bring it right back to the fundamentals, get rid of all the technological geekiness, just take a step sideways and make it fun again. Play in the back yard with the kids; make it quiet, remove the fashion, remove the stress. It’s just snowboarding, right?
Indeed. Follow the link for the rest of the interview.
[Link: ESPN/Action]
by The Editors on February 24, 2010
The New York Times checks in with Scotty Lago after he was forced to duck out of the 2010 Olympic Games a little early thanks to a huge overreaction to some late-night party photos. They found him all rested up and well armed.
In Seabrook, Lago’s spirits have been buoyed. In the yard of the spacious house where he grew up, on a ridge overlooking his family’s 80-acre spread, he called “pull,” aimed his shotgun and blasted another clay pigeon. Later, Lago shot pool with friends in the nearby three-bedroom house with an indoor swimming pool he bought last fall. . . “It’s really cool and I’m definitely thankful for all of it,” Lago said of his newfound fame, “but I would be just as happy to be here shooting guns with my friends.”
What a perfect way to relax.
[Link: The New York Times]
by The Editors on February 24, 2010
The Association of Surfing Professionals is jumping into the iPhone pool with their own branded app called ASPtogo. The app features a lot of what we talked about yesterday with the Quiksilver Live. It has live scores, heat results, photos, videos and connects to live video feeds. ASP CEO Brodie Carr thinks is great.
“The ASP iPhone application is the latest development we’re activating to bring the world’s best surfers to our global audience wherever they may be,” Brodie Carr, ASP International CEO, said. “With access to literally dozens of high-calibre events for a single download is a pretty good deal and I can proudly say that I’m the first customer.”
One thing Brodie and the ASP forget to mention in their announcement is that that app costs $4.99. And that is expensive for something that is free elsewhere. Looks like we’ll be sticking with Quiksilver Live for a while.
[Link: iTunes]
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by The Editors on February 23, 2010
Iconix Brand Group, Inc., the parent company of Op, Zoo York, and Ed Hardy among others, has announced that revenue rose 21 percent to $65.8 million in Q4, thanks to a “rise in licensing revenue and the success of its direct to retail channels” according to a story on Reuters.
“We have strengthened our balance sheet and today have approximately $230 million of cash available to be opportunistic in the pursuit of acquisitions,” Chief Executive Neil Cole said in a statement. . . During the quarter, the company earned $19.7 million, or 27 cents a share, compared with $15.3 million, or 25 cents a share a year ago.
Looks like big box just keeps on working. . .
[Link: Reuters]
by The Editors on February 23, 2010
Does the up coming February 26 kick off of the 2010 ASP World Tour have you jonesing for a little Quiksilver Pro Snapper Rocks action? Well, there’s an app for that. Quiksilver has a new Quiksilver Live iPhone app out just in time for the 2010 Quiksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks.
Coming on the heels of last fall’s Van Triple Crown iPhone app, the Quiksilver Live app (available now for free in iTunes store) allows users to watch the event’s live video feed via 3G and WI-Fi, view live scoring, and even send messages to the announcers. The app comes loaded with many of the heat’s on demand from 2009 (we forgot how stormy it was) as well as full video coverage of the Road to the Pro and Brooko’s Updates, and, the Windguru surf forcast for Snapper Rocks.
If the app features an alert that says when the event is on, that alone is worth the free download. Click the link to start following along or follow the jump for larger screen shots.
[Link: iTunes Store via Global Surf News]
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Spy Optic‘s parent company Orange 21 has announced a partnership with singer, songwriter, author and pilot Jimmy Buffett in which the company will create a line of sunglasses for Buffet’s Margaritaville “lifestyle” brand.
