Kelly Slater enters the debate
Late last week both Kelly Slater and the Vice President of the Kelly Slater Wave Company issued statements rebuking an article I wrote on Swellnet. The statements appeared on US websites, Surfline and The Inertia. Slater called my article "very one-sided and at times outright ridiculous" and alluded to a conspiracy theory between Swellnet and Greg Webber. "The Swellnet article", said Slater, "reeks of a last-ditch, desperate attempt to try and throw a wrench in the workings". He also thought I had a personal vendetta against him.
If you haven't read the statements yet here they are in their entirety.
Countering each charge against me would make for tedious reading, but it's worth noting that subsequent to my article Slater and his team did get many of their claims approved by the patents office. They still don't have their patent although it appears more likely that it will be granted. If it does get granted then the real wave pool story will begin.
As for the assertion of a personal vendetta against him, well, that's just ludicrous, I've been the first to celebrate his sporting achievements but this was a story about something else. For further reading check this article I wrote in 2009 - it begins, "I wish Slater would piss off." Or this one 'Slater the Dictator' also from 2009.
Comments
A bit of a joke really. The yanks are so good at putting spin on everything. Really stems back to their messed up legal system. I really dont know why he took it so personally though?? None of GW comments or opinions were out of line or atacking anyone, if anything they were very humble and respectful! How they get that your in cahoots because GW posted on an open forum is beyond me!
Isn't one of the patents thats outstanding the method of creating the wave i.e. the hull design? Which is what you originally raised as the heart of the issue in your article.
Pretty messed up response in my opinion.
err he was pissed cos I imagine his company (KSWC) is attempting to attract investment and support, so when an article (albeit sort of correct at the time) comes out with claims the Patent office has rejected the invention that's gonna do a lot of damage yeah?
but like Stunet said, they didn't respond to his request for comment so this is what they got.
does make swellnet reek of shit though, the surfermag forum is in full support of Kelly and kinda rags on Stu.
whatever, thats what can happen when you speak up about Slater. ask Julian Wilson.
wave pools should be every where who cares who makes them.they should be paid for by the big companies that have sold out our favourite pastime over the past 40 odd years.that includes the surf mags(coles catalogues).i know surfing is the best but over promotion by $hungrys is ruining it for all of us.look at Bali ,surf schools(sorry Cheyne)producing hundreds of new surfers every day,mostly russians,euros who dont even have surf in their countries.no wonder there is a bad vibe happening.good on you greg,kelly for the ideas ,dont argue just make the bloody things.kelly,mellow out debate is good ,your a legend but not everyone has to kiss your butt.its not all about $ its the vibe of the thing!
typical fkn arrogant seppos!
@ poncho... "messed-up legal system"? At least they're no body's whipping boy. Remove the Union Jack from our flag and then we'll talk. Until then we're just a 3-legged, red-headed puppy-dog.
@ bum acid... "respond to Stu's request"? Stu thinks a bit too highly of himself and Swellnet's standing.
@ Stu.... Mate, stick to surf forecasting....
Thanks for the career advice Surfchaser! You mustn't have paid close enough attention to the original article as Kelly's people did respond to my emails. Both the CEO and Sales Director replied and also passed my emails onto the VP. The emails included my questions - they knew the line of questioning. So why didn't he respond knowing the patent would be read just a week later? I'll leave that to your imagination.
Further, Kelly and the VP felt threatened enough by 'Swellnet's standing' to reply in public. The VP had so little clue about the story that he falsely accused me of statements that were written in USPTO documents addressed to himself. Kelly, for his part, attempted to undermine me with an accusation of a 'personal vendetta' - tactics known as playing the man and not the ball.
If I knew the patent would be moved through I would've waited, but that's the risk you take. Their last application was comprehensively rejected and there were two years between the first and second applications. How long should someone wait to write a story? Of course, Kelly and his party would prefer that no story was written at all - except for puff pieces like the CBS special. Yet I figured there was story to tell despite the lack of comment from Kelly (sometimes silence has meaning). And despite it all there are salient points that still stand despite subsequent info.
But yeah, thanks for the career advice...
Dont be too down on yourself for incurring the wrath of King Kelly Stu! As far as Swellnet goes, you cant buy that kind of publicity. Im sure your hit numbers to the site went through the roof the moment the words came out of Kelly's mouth!
Yeah you tell him surfchaser, you powerful anonymous reader you!
@ Benski...not much difference to be a power anonymous reading sycophant.
Surprising not one American mentioned the film North Shore in the responses.
Kids could like, be the Arizona wave pool champion of the universe! Then move to Oahu to smoke ice and drop in on Laird.
Thanks surfchaser. Yes, your right nobodies whipping boy... yet. What happens once they loose the ability to make their own false economy? How much are they in debt to the rest of the world? Will it be countries like Australia that help bail them out once it all goes pear shaped?
So, are you suggesting removing the union jack and replacing it with the stars and stripes?
Yes, I agree With you Stu (for once). How long do you wait before publishing a story about all this? At least you gave them a chance to put there design through the system first.
Another classic Stu. Stirring it up 2GB style! Made for a good lunch time read. I don’t know who to laugh at. Now every one back to watching Kelly’s bottom turn
@surfchaser,
if you know where ST George and his Dragon were from, (Syria Palaestina ), St Andrew ( Judea) and his cross of choice to be crucified on ( He said he was not worthy of being crucified on the same cross as Christ) you will find that it does not represent the UK or great Britain at all - but rather east and west Christianity including Russia. That is a large section of the worlds land and population and a beneficial unifying combined symbol to be associated with. ( including its largely unpractised set of values)
I used to think it was an abomination of the British empire -but when I learned what each of the symbols meant to who and where they came from I changed my mind. The southern cross has a important rightful place there as well.
My point - if one is to get stirred up about something its always wise to know the complete facts and complete history otherwise one may be getting manipulated. Too many people have been wasted in history being manipulated under the false use of flags and their supposed meanings. Too easy to make throw away judgements than to actually know what you are talking about!
No I am not a smart arse- know it all - when I need to know something to make an informed opinion on I look and learn before speaking. (so that I may make a meaningful contribution?)
Despite any prejudice I have against white Anglo Saxon protestants and the British Empire ( wasps -I am one -I was bought up in Australia thinking we were just IT), I now believe that the Union Jack is a unifying symbol that represents most of us from Romans and Jews onward , the southern cross the rest.
BTW I love the song "we are one but we are many" it should be our de facto national anthem -forget what the politicians say- we can have a passive revolution just by adopting that and singing it at official occasions. ( look it up where it came from?)
Since this is a surf forum - the union jack is also on the flag of Hawaii - nice thing as far as I am concerned.
Surfchaser you need to learn a bit before mouthing off? I did and have benefited for it.
Your opinions of people - well that's up to you but doesn't mean a thing unless you identify yourself. That in itself says much!
Otherwise who knows you may be an ok guy?
Thinking too much of ourselves ? well we ALL need to be bought back to earth as often as it takes to stay real! you too (if we knew who you were?.) I have been, plenty of times and hopefully become a better person because of it.
Stu - well he's a paid journo -what else do you expect? (said tongue in cheek)
Jeez Bob, you should be a politician.
You could have told him all that in two lines:-
Surfchaser, pull your head out of your arse and go away until you have something constructive to add.
There Bob, done!
rotflmao!!
he has every chance to redeem himself though?
just a bit of humility?
( I'm practising to be a journalist?)
lol
kelly slaters awesome
BKS Enters the wave machine debate?....
Hells bells, Bob Kelly Slater is a capitalist to 'da max!
In the not too distant future, not only will BKS own those eleven world titles, but the very court surface to most every single surf event.
Genius.
More greed more stealing, webber was on to it years ago, still do not have enough money kelly (girls name)
Kelly slater the donald trump of surf industries.
@ backbeach - donald trump has got hair, even if it is a fake comb over.
slater is more the Tom Cruise of surfing. dunno about the closet, but wouldn't rule out the 'tology.
mr the fish, have often wonderd about the `tology side
he does have a certain aloofness that old tom seems to posess and the drive for the dollar is that just a yank thing?
yes roberta can surf but is he what he seems? getting his nickers in a twist about what big mr nettle has said seems a little princeess-ish to ones ever so humbleself
One of the older blokes that surf down here a bit was an ASP judge back in the 90's. I asked him what KS was like. His one word answer-
GREEDY.
How was that Eddie competition back then. They announced Tony Ray was the winner. Presented him with the Trophy. His moment in the sun. Kelly poured over the judges sheets. Found a minor mathematical error somewhere. Spoke up "hey I Won it, not him". took the Trophy.
GREEDY!
yep, forget the trophy, he took the $55k, T-Ray ended up with the 2nd place $10k. at the time 1 AUD = 60c US ...do the maths.
Anyhow, I'm sure the USPTO, and attorneys, will relieve both Slater and GW of large funds.
BTW, GW is pushing shit up hill, speaking from first hand experience, the doors at the USPTO only swing one way. Its USA all the way.
Does anyone recall Bob's major partner with his previous run at starting the so called "rebel tour"?
'Twas ESPN. Parent company The Walt Disney Company....
With the coming advancements in wave pool technology, and BKS - Bob Kelly Slater, being the capitalist that he is, is there any doubt that BKS will virtually own the tour one day soon? With his branded name being a not so minor selling point?
As to the rest those whinging on about Bob Slater being greedy,...
wealth envy will be your demise long before greed could ever be.
Maybe my original advice to Greg about selling his patent ASAP (which was cirticised at the time) wasn't so bad after all
TD,
Who owns or doesn't own the patent to man made waves aside,... according to BKS's opinions up on his twitter feed, the future, and the real is in living healthy....
http://www.squidoo.com/The-Benefits-of-Chia-Seeds
Still, BKS, the old hair follicle challenged champ might just need go with another tried and true method of restoring his cerebral health.
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xl58uo_saturday-night-live-chia-hair_fun
ppfffffftt...
hair is overrated.