Specialty webcasts: a new means to dream
In August last year Billabong set what was considered a record for an ASP webcast at the Teahupoo World Tour event. Measuring webcast viewers is a dark art - what with unique viewers, absolute uniques, pageviews, and many more confusing metrics - but what can be said without debate is that Billabong scored exponentially more viewers at Teahupoo then at their Jeffreys Bay event, held just one month earlier. The reason for the difference? The waves: J'Bay was small while Teahupoo pumped. Simple as that.
The webcast numbers for last years Triple Crown underscore the correlation between waves and viewers. The surf for Haliewa was small which was reflected in the viewer numbers. However, both the World Cup of Surfing at Sunset and The Pipeline Masters scored exceptional surf and equally impressive webcast stats.
Yet in 2010 it was the World Cup of Surfing that got the short straw having to contest the event in tiny surf at Val's Reef, just twenty or so metres off the sand at Sunset Beach. That event was sponsored by O'Neill who subsequently pulled their sponsorship for the 2011 event. Small waves meant small viewer numbers and minimal return on O'Neill's investment.
Let's drop the shibboleth of 'sport as theatre' for a moment: professional surfing contests are, at least for the companies that bankroll them, marketing exercises. In simplest terms they are an opportunity for event sponsors to advertise their wares to a surfing audience - to a passive, captured, surfing audience no less. And the bigger the audience the more successful the venture is considered.
Extended waiting periods have increased the likelihood for good surf on the World Tour though it is still a multi-million dollar gamble and it doesn't always pay off. Last year Billabong pulled Mundaka from the World Tour schedule when, after six consecutive years and a combined outlay of approximately $20 million, it failed to deliver the surf expected.
The cancellation was a blow for the European surf community, yet last month Billabong announced a resurrection of sorts for the Mundaka event. Rather than an ASP event, however, featuring the Top 34 and a fixed waiting period, the new event is a specialty event held on the best day within a three month waiting period. Competitors are a mix of hot locals, Billabong team riders and Dane Reynolds. On Monday Billabong announced Reynolds, who recently quit the World Tour, had accepted the invitation injecting interest and a fair whack of credibility to the concept.
The model for the Billabong Mundaka Challenge is taken from the old Billabong Challenges of the 1990's held at Gnaraloo and the South Coast of NSW. The Rip Curl Cup, a yearly event at Padang Padang, has also modelled itself on the idea and updated it for the internet age. The Rip Curl Cup has been won in the past by Jamie O'Brien, who continues to score invitations to the event.
Both the Rip Curl Cup and Billabong Mundaka Challenge are unrelated one-off events. They don't contribute to tour ratings though with large advertising and technology budgets they have the potential to draw huge webcast viewers - more than many World Tour events – if they score good surf. Of course the odds of that happening are greatly increased with a waiting period stretched from two weeks to three months.
It's no coincidence that Dane Reynolds and Jamie O'Brien have been drawcards at the two events mentioned. There is a growing movement, fuelled by the discontent of surfers such as Reynolds and O'Brien, that competition surfing in it's current ASP form is a shackle for talent. Importantly, neither surfer cares for the world title. Reynolds, in fact, questions the very concept of a world champion and his influence shouldn't be underestimated.
Events such as the Billabong Mundaka Challenge and the Rip Curl Cup fill a void of competitive dispirit and they represent a new way of reaching an audience, yet they also run the risk of being public relations disasters. With a three month waiting period the organisers expect to cherry pick the very best day of the season thus denying access to the local surfing community. At present they circumvent any friction by including locals in the draw but with growing surf communities and the advent of social media the risk of controversy is real.
At present there's only a handful of specialty events but expect to see more in the future. Any notion of allegiance that surf companies have for the World Tour is outweighed by their duty to shareholders, which itself is governed by the global economy. And many surf companies – Billabong the prime example – are struggling.
The expectations and consumer habits of the viewing public are changing, and although specialty events are few they provide exactly what the viewing public want – good surfers in great waves. Hence they also provide exactly what the companies want – lots of viewers watching their webcast.
The waiting period for the Billabong Mundaka Challenge begins on January 15th and runs for three months.
Comments
I don't think it's only the quality of the surf that influence webcast numbers. No doubt that's a big part but there's also the time difference. I'm sitting here at work on America's west coast taking a morning tea break at 10:40am and it's currently 8:40pm in Durban, SA. So even if it's pumping at JBay I've got to be watching all through the night from about 9 or 10pm to catch it. That ain't gonna happen.
By contrast, as I write this it's currently 8.40am in Tahiti and the first heats of the day would be in the water. I've got all day to sit back and check in on the action. So does every other punter in the US and importantly, Brazil. I would have thought those would have to be surfing's two biggest markets right now. Add in Europe, where it's currently 7:40pm on France's west coast, and you've got a pretty sweet time frame to broadcast.
So even if JBay is macking, I'm only going to watch the highlights. Sure if it's flat in Tahiti I'm gonna tune out, no doubt the surf plays a part. But you'll never get the big viewer numbers without the timezone helping you. For this reason, I reckon the Mundaka thing will die in the arse due to lack of interest. It's in the wrong time zone for huge numbers.
You may be right Benski, though I'm sure any click on the Billabong Mundaka Challenge website (highlights, heat analyser etc.) within, say, the 24hrs following it will register as traffic. Also, I wouldn't underestimate Europe and South Africa (also in a favourable time zone) as markets.
Let me get this right. They will try and kick everybody out of the water on one of the best days of the season so the chosen few can surf it and get paid.
Who deems who the lucky locals are that get to surf?
Who gets to tell the rest their not worthy?
I think the concept in an area like Mundaka is totally unacceptable.
If the surf companies want to do this type of thing they should go and rent out G-land, Tavarua, P-Pass etc
blasphemy rottmouths message is starting to get through is it stu? Not like you to complain without offering a solution.
Yep that's a good point stu, they are large markets.
Thinking it through though, I don't think it will be as successful as the tour could be from a money making perspective (and therefore will struggle in my opinion). From my reading, the success of chopes this year from a webcasting perspective was due to several things including the swell, but also the short waiting period nested within a longer year. There was tons of anticipation in the lead up to the event with people tracking the probable storm and so on. I think this would be diluted over a longer waiting period, reducing some of the hype. Maybe. Also being a part of the tour does give it some intrigue for the punters (despite what some outspoken critics might think), will Jordy challenge Kelly, remember AI etc. Big or small, there's no doubt an element of interest from all of that.
I do reckon smeeagain makes a good point too but booking out a place like Tavarua for 3 months would surely be too costly, and good luck to em tyring to kick out the paying punters when the swell hits within the window. Either way, it's difficult.
If it does work, the extended waiting period idea I mean, it would be interesting to have a tour with extended (and overlapping) waiting periods with everyone jumping on the plane to wherever when the swell is forecast. So for eg Jan-Mar for Snapper and Mar-May for Bells, May-July for JBay (for eg). If it's pumping in March at both the goldy and vicco, Snapper gets priority if it hasn't already run, but everyone waits around wherever they want and jumps the plane for Bells whenever it comes from Mar-May after Snapper is run. Spread this across the year and you've got potentially the best surf available at each place. Much bigger logistical issues, it may be impossible (given permits etc) but it would integrate the two ideas into a potentially huge year.
Having a first class webcast team - and their equipment - on standby for three months is not cheap. Especially when you're trying to monetise it with just a single day of surfing.
Still, all other points aside, this is definitely what the online viewers want. Whether it's commercially viable or not is another thing.
Might work at places like Mundaka with the go ahead from the local surf club, but imagine trying to do this at a regular holiday destination (i.e. P Pass). How about the surfers that book their annual holiday months in advance, only to find that that their trip coincides with the best swell of the season, and that they can't access the wave? Didn't that happen in Bali for the Rip Curl Search event a few years back?
The old Billabong/Hill st Pro at Kirra used to share the break with free-surfers. Worked out fine.
Pretty sure the Bong Challenge at Tombstones had free-surfers out there as well.
Not sure about J-Bay.
Why can't free-surfers co-exist with a comp?
Watch any contest first hand and the immediately noticeable thing is how many waves go through unridden.
Too many distractions.
If one of the main focuses of the event is the live webcast, then it'll be hard for commentators and cameramen to differentiate between free surfers and competitors, which will affect the quality of the production.
As it is, surfing webcasts are extremely difficult from a technical aspect - they don't need further complicating.
But if the webcast is irrelevant then maybe it doesn't matter as much.
yeah, I see your point.
They webcast the free-surf from Tahiti with free-surfers mixed in with the Pros.
If the format was more like the Eddie/Backdoor shoot-out then it wouldn't be so much of an issue.
IE if Pros were out there in 2-3hrs blocks with a cumulative scoring it might not be so crucial if some free-surfers rode waves in the area.
As long as the coverage was comprehensive.
I mean if some bloke from Mundaka jagged a set wave and got the tube of his life would that be a hindrance to the over-all package if it maintained good relations with the local community?
What if there are 50 locals in the lineup jagging the set waves?
Unfortunately it's really an all-or-nothing approach. If you let a couple of free surfers in the water, and the surf is off the dial, you'd theoretically have to expect a typical Mundaka crowd for those kinds of conditions.. ie 50-100 surfers, or more.
Plus, the webcast would have to be up to the standards we're all now accustomed to - which includes a water camera on the back of a ski. The ski can easily navigate its way in and around a 4 man heat to get tight shots from close to the breaking waves, but if there's a couple of dozen kooks flailing about, all sorts of carnage would eventuate.
Which ironically would produce great TV.
Yeah, guess so.
The Kirra comp was pre-webcast but the Pros got their waves and there seemed a gentlemanly agreement to give them some space.
Mundaka would be hectic but at a spot like Cloudbreak in the 10ft plus range I imagine there would only be a few free-surfers out there anyway.
I'm guessing the comp has the blessing of the locals at Mundaka which would be required.
@Wildenstein,
Solutions? Nah, just pointing out how changing viewer expectations - better waves etc - may affect the World Tour, especially in the post-GFC world. I'm a World Tour junkie myself but appreciate how hard it's gonna be to keep their audience and the sponsors happy.
It's no real surprise is it? Remember when the only way for a professional surfer to succeed it was as a competition surfer? Now there are myriad ways to be a surfing professional.
That is at the individual level. The same thing is mirrored in marketing, there are many ways to capture the publics attention besides competition.
At this stage the ASP is protected by it's history and tradition but if they keep pursuing the city beach approach they'll find themselves losing their core audience to specialty events.
Well,
I gotta hand it to you Stunet. You took your first step up the big boy staircase. It's a long staircase, and there aren't many lights the further up you go... and Ben Matson may not be happy if you turn too many lights on... but at least it's a step.
Myself?
I'm near the top. But not there yet either.
So we're on the same team.
Cheers!
And Boxright,
Core Audience?
The core audience has always been people working in or for The Industry. The paltry numbers reflect that. And a few Brazilians.
The core surfers don't give a rat's ass about the tour and never have. Because it ain't surfing. If they're going to watch, it better be fucking special and it should represent some semblance of what you and I do on a daily basis at our home break: FREESURF.
Just like pickup basketball, footy, whatevs... it's gotta be fucking in the ballpark at least.
"core audience has always been people working in or for the industry"
..... are you for real BR mate? What a load of bollocks! I myself work in the medical field where I play no part in "the industry", and I enjoy keeping up to date with the WCT and watching the webcasts, as do the rest of the crew down at my local, the majority of which are not employed by "the industry".
@Frother,
That is not what the numbers released by Swellnet (through Quiksilver), Inertia (through Surfline), Steve Shearer (through Billabong) and Nick Carroll say.
You seem to think that you and what, 10 or 15 friends means all regular Joe's watch surfing?
There are 20 million surfers worldwide my brother. Get you calculator out and do some math.
You are just like me. One of the teensy tiny regular surfers watching.
The concept of "reasonable assumption" seems to escape many people in this world.
Nice condescending tone there rottmouth, are you trying to win friends and influence people?
No Stan,
Just talking to fiends while under the influence
Hey, I'm on no-one's team, Brewser. Lone Wolf and all that guff. Anyway, glad you liked my 'Industry attempt at appeasement'.
Now to invoice Billabong for services rendered...
So Benski (Editor of Australia's Surfing World), Ben Matson, Stuart Nettles, and Steve Shearer commenting here. I'd bet all of Stu's money that Sandspit, Frother, and Boxright (Nick Carrol?), are also pieces of the Industry puzzle.
Anyone here comment for the everyday, sponsorless, short or longboard surfer? Or is this just a wannabe Inertia or Surfline spewing bullshit with fake fans?
Here's a thought: Not only do the 1% watch online surfing webcasts, they are also the only one's who comment on blogs. Where are all the other surfers? The 99%. The 18 million other people who like riding waves.
Why do you cater to such a small audience?
well i watched every event this year, whether it was 1 foot or 20 foot, i like to surf, and watching amazing surfers is enough for me, personally.
They're multiplying like Zombies Brew.
Every single one of 'em who doesn't share your world view: industry plants to the last man, woman and child. Maybe even small animals.
Fake DNA with computer encoded brains. All carefully controlled.
Be careful out there in Hollywood, they may be monitoring your presence with X-ray beams. Be alert at all times.
One small request: please don't claim to represent this 99% you have no fucking clue about.
Thanks in advance.
As you were.
In surfing, I am 99.999% Freeride.
Where have you been hiding?
Dissapointed that Stu didn't use your 2 million number in this article? Dissapointed that nothing you've written has done anything?
It's okay. At least you have a day job.
No, the 2.3 million number went into old media.
I expect you'll be able to read it soon enough.
Been surfing lately Brew?
Nope. Broken Scafoid bone.
I CANNOT wait to see that number. It shall be glorious.
Meanwhile, what happened to all your ideas about me spouting bullshit about the fall of surfing and the bullshit of The Industry?
Suddenly, it dissapeared after Bobby Martinez pulled Stu's pants down, Then Sean Collins dies on a fucking TENNIS court, Dane saw the light, everyone knows Matson has been glomming for Billabong ads on this site while they dive into oblivion, and ever since you got a dime to write at Surfline, your comments have been so hard for The Industry I'd say you were a faggot if I was Mitt Romney.
What happened to your edge?
All gone.
Lennox dust.
Poor Hillbilly with no creativity, thoughts, of articles that combine even a little of either. You are a recording message for The Industry.
Nothing more.
Keep driving that bus. It has more morals than this fucking website could dream of.
Tell me Ben Matson,
Does it worry you that I could take my gloves off right now and knock you out?
Yeah. You know. Think about it. All of you Industry swine populating this site.
Whoa, angry little man.
All your fantasies are coming completely true.
Why Pro Surfing may topple into the sea like some broken down edifice and Bobby and Dane could rule the world.
So much interesting stuff happening in the world.
PLease, show a little more grace in victory.
Your hubris is most unbecoming for such a celebrated Hollywood screenwriter.
I can't believe the ASP can't get an umbrella sponsor with 2.3 MILLION hits. Guess the rest of the world is just dumb and the surfers have it figured out.
My IT guy was way off. and he only does research for Google and Apple.
You have your own IT guy?
Wow, you must be important.
Oh, thats right you're the holy gatekeeper of SURFING's soul , which you administer like an Old testament God from your humble computer in Southern California.
Your all right Brew. I don't care what they say about you.
Your all right.
who gives a damn about the webcasts...this blog is great! Best read yet...
"So Benski (Editor of Australia's Surfing World), "
I think the internet-speak response that I'm feeling is, WTF?
Don't worry Benski.
Blasphemy tends to get a little confused late at night.
HIs principal delusion is asserting that anyone who disagrees with him or admits to getting any entertainment from watching pro surfing is either an industry plant or editor of a mag.
It's hard for bush league megalomaniacs to admit people could have a different opinion to themselves.
Of course I'm important.
I don't surf for a living.
It's hard being humble when what I write actually generates jobs on occassion.
That said... go back and read what I wrote starting the day after Andy's death onwards. The Decline. The Apocalyptic. The End.
Just like perochial school, each and every one of you Industry loving pieces of living shit made fun of my words and comments without ever giving them more than a mere glance
Too bad. Billabong? I told you they were going down a year ago. Nike taking over? What the hell was I writing about the last few months? You dimwitted kangaroo fucking sloths couldn't even stomach the thought that Andy Irons being coached and tutored by Michaels Tompson, Paul Naude, Graham Stapelborg (Kaiborg), and Blair Marlin (with Lilo), may have encroached grossly on the rights of a HR Corpo.
Who cares, some say? Surfers are rock stars.
Bullshit.
If Surfers were rock stars they'd make more money and Andy's story would be common... like rock and roll.
Why roll over kids?
Why play Ben Matson's game? Why appease the industry?
Just fucking call a spade a spade.
“It's wise to remember that there is no limit to the good a person can do, if he or she doesn’t care who gets the credit.†~ Anonymous
Sure seems that way freeride! It's pretty amusing to me actually.
Oh Surfling Life!!!! LOL. I get all those dinosaurs mixed up.
C'mon Benski.
You want to mix it up. I know who you are on Twitter. I also know what Shearer's up to. Should be fun!
" Just fucking call a spade a spade."
Ok then. You seem like a paranoid nutjob who doesn't understand irony despite (to quote John Oliver) having a dictionary definition of it right in front of you.
You've got no grasp on the principles of logic and if you did once you've lost them in the haze of paranoia that grips your brain.
Your powers of communication are so severely harmed by your complete lack of self awareness that it's almost painful to watch. Yet I cannot look away.
Being a very normal and very ordinary surfer whose gainfully employed in a very different field, contrary to your thoughts, I might have been interested in your ramblings if you could string a few coherent sentences together. Instead I watch on for my own amusement and little more.
I'm off to bed.
Yeah, I've been writing a novel about called Death of a surf Blogger.
Got a publishing house interested to.
Who'd a thunk it.
Just wait Freeride. Ben's almost got enough of Naude's cock in his mouth to put his logo on this site.
Go on.
Ask him.
Benski,
You sound like EVERY SINGLE blogger after Bobby handed The Industry their notice.
Word for word.
Think you'll find you've got your countries mixed up their old sport.
Never mind.
Hollywood screenwriters never were famous for their geography.
Go to bed Brew. Your drunk and making a cunt of yourself.
You know who I am on twitter?
Hmmm that's very interesting. Since I'm not on twitter I'd say you're wrong there mate. To try and give this bloke (whoever you think I am) some peace from you i'll tell you that I'm a research scientist. If you don't believe me, the best I can tell you is to read this thread from a year or more ago:
http://www.swellnet.com.au/forums/8/topics/350/1
It was a thread I contributed to quite a bit as I am interested in the communication of science. The closest I've come to the surf industry was seeing derek hynd slide past me at noosa once.
If you still think I'm some editor of a surf mag, well, I can't help you.
That's it Freeride?
Not one SINGLE person taken on the message. Just me. The Roller. Copy and paste bullshit and end with pilled drunkard. Hardy harrr.
Dissenters,
What happens when the investors hear about all this?
I can and did tell you.
Find a day job.
Brew, I've got no idea how you've come up with all of your assertions about me and the way I run Swellnet, or the potential advertisers I may or may not be speaking with. I must admit it is pretty entertaining reading though.
For the record, yes - I have previously spoken with Billabong about them advertising on Swellnet. Along with hundreds of other companies, over the last ten years that I've been running this website. That's our business model. What's the big deal?
It's not big. That's the deal.
Welcome to ¡surfing.
Your dream to be Sean Collins died on a tennis court.
Cherry pick the day of the year ?
Billabong et al can go and get fucked. The day of camels bomb at tombies was magic for a lot of people and this was because they made space in their lives to be there and in reality took a large risk by even paddling into some of those things. Are these same people meant to foresake a shot at the wave of their lives so some rag trader can shift a few units of product ?
Getting the ride of your life will require catching the wave of your life . The ride of your life will remain with you forever as one of those half dozen moments that endure long after money is of any concern to anyone. Lets not give the opportunity or possibility of the rides of our lives to some business men to take to market. Those waves will define you. Great surfers gravitate to great waves whether there is money involved or not. You want to see them surf ? Get off your arse and go see them. The spectacle of the waves in a real context makes your computer seem like the z grade imposter it is.
And if you can't manipulate your world enough to be somewhere when the elements align . Too bad. Take it on the chin and try harder next time but dont ruin it for those that did by demanding it is available beamed to your living room to the exclusion of these same people.
Companies want to stage events to make money should build their own waves rather than the general public that owns these waves going without and subsidising the industries bottom line at the expense of their own lives enrichment.
But no, I'm not on your side Blasphemy Rottmouth. Your a fuckwit.
Oh the drama, the utter surprise that the folks and multi national companies that produce surf contests have come up with "new" old ways to run surf contests... Marketing 101.
Will anyone show up for the webcasts? Yes. Will blokes who are paid to surf show up? Damn straight up.
At the end of the day, old Rottkamp is doing nothing but humping the slight adjustments to contested surfing that BKS - Bob Kelly Slater has been promoting for quite some time... which include among other things, Marketing to the masses,... and wave pools everywhere.
Interestingly, the future will be based around wave pools/entertainment centers with a big fat Kelly Slater brand name plastered in perpetuity.
http://espn.go.com/action/news/story?id=4092753
There is one consolation prize we can all agree on, Rottkamp the rotmouth is a fuckwit.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=rottkamp
While old Rottkamp continues his tirade against anyone employed in "the industry", he still up in here dry humping any coming changes and improvements to the business plan that is taking place on behalf of the industry he so despises.
What a farking koooook. Glad to see his prescription meds and self medication sauce are having the same delirious effects as they have always had!
Capitalism 2.0. It still rules.
"In 1998, Baker and his partners at the Doyle & Boissiere investment group, which is based in Burlingame, California, acquired the Ocean Pacific heritage surf brand"....
Baker joined the board of directors of the Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA), based in Aliso Viejo, California, in 2000 while he was the chief executive of Ocean Pacific. He served as the head of SIMA for nine years before becoming the chairman emeritus of the organization. The Los Angeles Times noted that as head of SIMA, Baker directed the business of "selling surf to the suits" in the larger business community. He also served as a mentor to the CEOs and heads of other surf oriented apparel brands. Fernando Aguerre, the co-founder of Reef clothing company and current chief executive of Liquid Tribe, later called Baker, "part father, part brother and part friend."
In a speech to a surf insutry gathering in San José del Cabo, Mexico, in May 2005, Baker told attendees that, "Surf is on the world stage, and this hard-core, laid-back industry has been discovered by the suits. The non- endemic business types see this as an area of growth, and if you see this as a threat, then get a life -- it's a compliment."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Baker_(US_businessman)
From the last thread...
For those whose only source of retort is to call me a pilled up drunkard or a conspiracy theorist fuckwit... another way of admitting you have nothing to say. Read and weep:
ljkarma
Sat 31st Dec '11
"bit agro but interesting debate/fight whatever. I reckon Brutus is right re industry jobs with one addition.
Surfing is not just a sport it is a lifestyle for many and that creates a point of difference to say the finance industry ( I too read that SMH story) so if you rat on the finance world you loose a 'insider' status job and big $$. If you rat on the surf industry there are a number of repercussions to your whole lifestyle that could see you end up in a form of culture related 'solitary confinement', no other industry job, shunned by fellow friends and remaining surfer employees as being a risk to associate with (even in the surf), blackballed because the others are simply too afraid they will loose out by being associated with you.
Seems bizarre but that is exactly how it works. Take the like of the big three (and other), certain managers are or have a liking for 'things go better with coke' and have been known to encourage subordinates to have a swig with them. This is a great form of bullying and self protection because the instigator then has something on the subordinate who he knows will not rat for fear of either not being believed, guilty also by having the 'sip' and totally afraid of who else may doing it at what level so could end up being swatted like a fly. Not to mention that the whole scene is highly illegal and a police involvement would possibly lead to exposing suppliers and those blokes can get rather violent and nasty toward a lone rat.
Now Bong and others may have a whistle-blower policy in place where the rat should have sanctuary, but bet not one rat has chanced their hand and trusted their lifestyle on that thin line. Shut and take a walk is what the surf industry is known for.
Which is why I reckon Rotty has got his teeth into something that should not be written off just because he is so blunt about his opinions. The best form of defence a conspirator has to allow them to stay alive is to be the very one that acts to marginalise any ratters as being vexatious or bitter authors of a 'conspiracy theory'. guaranteed to have the likes of Rotty confined to the asylum...too easy."
...
Read and weep...?
So anyone that questions your argument you marginalise by accusing them of being 'Industry rats'? Yeah, good approach, but let's drop all pretence and just call each other names, eh?
Anyway, we've seen how well it works after you accused Benski of being a surf mag editor and 'knew who he was on Twitter'. I don't think that research scientist has laughed so hard in a while - I know I hadn't.
Evidence #364578
Stunet doesn't even address LJKarma's comment. You guys are funny.
But, as soon as you get those Quik and Bong logos on this site all will be FINE! and you'll be on the gravy train.
Carry on, fine chaps.
Be sure to keep those lightbulbs dark.
All I'm saying, and all I've ever said, is give some evidence. No more of these 'connect the dots' lines that sound like nothing more than a deep-seated grudge - provide something concrete and objective.
In your personal tirade you have been wrong on so many counts that it's hard to keep giving you credit. But I'm prepared to do that if you provide evidence of something.
Back to the thread.... Benski, the point I made about rent out Gland etc. is that they don't need 3 months to get really good surf. Theblowin's points are correct. So use the surfcamps, book out the whole area for 2 weeks 12 months in advance, throw all your selected contest and freesurf pros in there and run it like the backdoor shootout or some similar format.
As soon as the surfs good I think you will eclipse any previous viewer hits.
Run an online competition to give 6 of the general public a chance to be in the event. See how many hits that will get ya.
Corporations with product to sell have been paying people that surf to assist in the promotion since the days of George Freeth.
Today's minor changes are nothing new.
Even though he attempts at sounding controversial, and feigns it all semi well, the fact is he's on the team, and really doing nothing really but pimping for pro surfing in any of it's incarnations... May we collectively welcome old miss Rottkamp to Capitalism 2.0.
Hope. Change. Nepotism.
smeeagain,
This idea of contested surfing is nothing new.
Google, OP Pro Boat Trip Challenge.... And when one sees how well that whole event sold, is there any wonder why something along those lines won't be repackaged to a new audience?
Capitalism 2.0!
Speaking of repackaging contestable formats,... got to wonder if in any coming repack, if old baldy, BKS, will disinvite Lance Bass.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1320342/
As long he doesn't forget to envite Andy Irons, it's all good.
Rot,
could BKS be classified as an enabler?
http://alcoholism.about.com/library/blenablequiz.htm
Yes. Kelly knows all about what's been going on in The Industry. He chose not to partake and keep his mouth shut about everything.
That's the way it works in the Cartel. You talk, and you're done.
Will the conspiracies ever end?
doubt it.
as old rottkamp has stated right here in this and every other comment section, that not only is he a pilled up drunk, but he's evil as well.
http://www.alternet.org/story/140296/the_10_most_popular_conspiracy_theo...
yew!
@Smeeagain,
But what happens if they don't get surf in those two weeks at G'Land? It's entirely possible and then the whole point of the event is defeated. The budget is blown and no-one watches.
@BR re: "You are just like me. One of the teensy tiny regular surfers watching". Get a fucking grip old mate. From what i've read of your comments, i'd of slit my wrists a long time ago from the paranoia you're experiencing. Sounds like your meds have been put to good use cleaning your crapper rather than curing your delusional thoughts.
As for your comment "I'd bet all of Stu's money that Sandspit, Frother, and Boxright (Nick Carrol?), are also pieces of the Industry puzzle", then I hope you are fucking loaded as i'd like to take that money from you shitdick. I'd love to work in the industry if it would result in cheap wetties, boardies, etc, though unfortunately I have to pay a bullshit price like most of your so called 99.9999%.......
Go eat a dick BR
@Frother,
Thank you. And I'm sure Stu and Ben appreciate that deep insight.
And my dear Stunet,
The reason you are working for a surf website that makes zero dollars? You cannot connect dots. Just assume when I ask people to connect dots, I am speaking to people with an IQ above the weight of your balls. Not you. Obviously. Thermal Ben knows exactly. Freeride is swinging at ghosts with lawyers... And the biggest story sits right in your beet red face.
Not much to ask, eh?
This is not cold fusion. This is you looking at reality and deciding what to write about. You write to appease the 1%. Bland, boring, ballsucking bullshit.
If I am so wrong all the time Stu Billanettles, then cite a single example.
No one has.
Not even The Roller.
'If I am so wrong all the time Stu Billanettles, then cite a single example.'
OK then.
'You are working for a surf website that makes zero dollars.'
So there's one example...
Apparently I'm an editor of a surf mag, remember? You "knew" who I was on twitter.
That would be a second example.
Sorry. Just thought I'd chime into this exchange because it was a funny example. At least to me.
You think I'm Nick Carroll. So that's three.
4. I'm a big hitting industry insider.(anything but.)
5. Surf industry is responsible for individuals life choices.
6. Individuals personal health and lifestyle is everybody elses business if they're famous.
7. I, rottencramp, have no skeletons in my closet, nor does my immediate family, we are all pure of thought and action, and beyond contempt or scrutiny, thus my private life is not open for inspection.
I sincerely hope Rottmouth is just winding us all up and laughing around his bong because if not, he needs help. Does he really believe the shit that comes out of his keyboard? If so he obviously does no self analysis otherwise he would realise that he is an annoying self obsessed cock who suffers delusions.
For someone who hates the pro tour so much, he sure loves to talk about it. If he really hated it, he wouldn't watch or worry about it and that in turn would save us from his puerile, lets get off the topic, paranoid rants.
Say what you want about me rottmouth cause I couldn't give a fuck. I won't reply to you cause you are a meaningless fuckhead who everyone in these forums wastes too much time on. Hurry up and ODeary me so we can discuss the topic of the article without being drawn in to your narcissistic waffle. Hopefully one day you'll realise you're nothing but an over opinionated, unsubstantiated fucking bore.
Funnily enough I just stumbled across this and I know Rottmouth away from this forum and he's not such a bad guy... just seems to get on the train in a big way... You know these Seppos!
I wondered why BREW has been mouthing off about Aussies and Swellnet on Twitter... now I understand!
Keep playing the man and not the ball kids.
Name a single thing I've said wrong in my message. Not these trivial little bullshit comments (understanding sarcasm a little may help).
I'm just using a BB gun because your heads are too far up your own asses and possess insufficient intellect to comprehend the overall message.
Keep paying those bills boys.
Keep calling me crazy.
Meanwhile the real dominos keep falling right in front of your face.
rottencramp, if you want trivial, look in the mirror.
fuck you are boring.
A cyber gronk, special subject - no one cares.
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
OK B+R, I'll try for clarification one last time.
The thing with me is, I don't even know what your "message" is because I can't work it out from your comments. The reason I commented that your powers of communication are severely harmed wasn't to insult you, but because you haven't communicated your "message". I still have no idea as to any point you are trying to make. I'm not playing the man here, I'm playing the message - specifically that I can't see one.
You said something above that suggested you rely on "reasonable assumptions." Yet you have made several completely incorrect ones about the identities of people here and the way the website is run. Firstly, that makes you look rather silly. Secondly, it shows the flaw in relying on any sort of assumption. If you can't back something up with evidence it makes a very weak argument. If you're relying on flawed or erroneous assumptions it's even weaker. So if you're going to clarify your message and convince anyone you're right, you need to demonstrate that you have some evidence and that if you are relying on assumptions that they are in fact reasonable. So far the only assumptions I've seen you make are about peoples' identities and you've proven yourself to be wrong. On almost every, if not every, occasion.
Finally the reason I said you lack self awareness and don't understand irony, again wasn't to insult you. It's because from all of what I've seen you write here, it's true. You're very quick to jump on someone's apparent identity and make veiled threats about doing something or revealing something about them online. It's all very internet tough guy. You seem to regularly make comments about people's lack of intelligence or that their "heads are too far up" their "own asses". Yet you'll jump behind a line like "keep playing the man not the ball" whenever someone responds in kind. This also makes you look rather silly and makes me wonder if you do actually have a "message." And it ensures threads get bogged down in trivial exchanges as this one has.
So to summarise, I have no idea what point you're trying to convey because you have very poor communication skills. You have also displayed a propensity to make erroneous assumptions which damages my perception of the likely veracity of your message. You have also shown a desire or willingness to play the man and not the ball thereby ensuring your "message" is lost in a haze of page filling, thread hijacking, pointless posts.
So I guess what I'm asking you is, can you tell me in 300 words or less, what on earth your "message" is? You're clearly passionate about it and that raises my curiosity as to what it might be, but you haven't gotten it across to me one bit, for the reasons outlined. Also, if you've got some amazing story or expose about something, I'd love to read that too.
rottencramps is a human version of those stupid little dogs that bark at everything. Doesn't matter whats happening, they're barking.
could be something, could be anything, could be nothing, could be everything... he's barking.
just happens he's focused on the very small world of surfing, irrelevant as it really is vs big global issues.
Look Benski, I realize that in the bro'd up world of surfing, where complete allegiance to other surfers is unwritten rule, I come off as abrasive. An anonymous rabbit gets your goat.
My message is this *gets out crayons*
1. The surf industry has been lying to surfers for years. About the number of people who watch webcasts. About the image if their surfers and their relationship with sponsors. About numerous other things.
2. Surfing as a competitive endeavor is a complete conflict of interest.
3. The 1% of surfers who watch and comment on surfing blogs are comprised mostly of Industry related people.
4. I care because it cost the life of one of the greatest surfer ever.
The message has been delivered on Twitter by @FSU_CEO, myself and several others.
If you haven't connected those dots by now then you aren't the person this message is meant for.
I have poor communications skills? Or you have poor comprehension skills. I mean, the surfing world is full of geniuses.
Benski, I know you are a smart person, I have read a lot of your comments on here.
B-R has probably generated more comments than everyone else reading these stories put together and has probably generated more traffic than Ben could ever hope for. Is his purpose to tear down this site or promote it?
I don't know.
However, his point is pretty simple. The ASP, the big surfing companies and the sycophantic media supposedly reporting on them have been living in a sheltered bubble for decades. Anonymous bloggers provide an ability to show this world for what it is: nepotistic and protective. AI's death was a good example. He was a reckless individual who undoubtedly contributed to his own demise but the spin coming out of both the ASP and Billabong was unbelievable.
You would have noted that the first major articles addressing AI's death were written by journalists who don't tour the world with the professional surfing circus.
I am not insinuating anything about anyone but in the words of good old Rotty...join the dots.
After a long time of essentially getting away with what they want the ASP, the big companies and everyone tagging along in the professional surfing game is now starting to suffer.
How much of this is due to bloggers like B-R? Probably a reasonable amount
Cheers tylerdurden. If that's it then I'm left thinking, that's it?
That is all quite obvious and really not a big deal. I mean, AI's death is a big deal but the structure of the industry and its coverage is obvious to any. Always has been. And yeah, agree on the coverage and spin re AI, but...I guess it doesn't surprise me or worry me. It all seems an odd basis to jump up and down and abuse folk online if they disagree. Anyway thanks again TD.
Re BREW Great Post Benski... The Voice of moderation in this Turgid Thread. Love your work mate... been a fan of Swellnet since the cams went live... Its Sunday so got some family things to do... but will get back to you re some more details of the message and the messengers... if Rottie doesnt get his teeth into it first that is in a lucid moment
I really don't care if people choose to use drugs.
And when/if they crash, don't blame me, or others. that's their shit.
Damn sure I wasn't put on this planet to tell people not to smoke crack.
@Benski
If it's so obvious and boring a message, then why does anyone disagree, challenge or deny it?
I think that's at least one of the point BR's trying to make. That the place this is being discussed is conflicted.
Take for instance the ads I'm seeing on this site... there's a Drug Aware Pro ad running in the top banner spot, and some lame looking mainstream TV show ad, and Yahoo.
The Drug Aware Pro is paying to be on this site. What do you think the chances are of anyone connected to this site challenging the ASP's credibility regarding recreational drug use amongst its surfers if it's going to cost them state funded advertising dollars from an event proclaiming to be clean and pure?
@The Ball.
And that's just one of hundreds of conflicts in The Industry and sites like these that are beholden to the paycheck.
Btw, LJ just hit one out of the park in the Billabong post.
LJ, please contact me via email or DM on Twitter.
Page just got refreshed when I posted so just read the new posts... most ground covered except, except I guess, and you would be familiar with this...
The domination of and direction given to the ASP and therefore the WT by the Big Corps and the closed shop that is the WT with access only to the "chosen" few mostly through the Big Corp Gateway and the backlash against all this... WT being held in shitty San Fran & NY Beachbreaks rather than Best Waves featuring Best Surfers etc.
asp trying to promote surfing to US market using this avenue so their "Buddies" can flog more merch.
The Dream tour is indeed a Dream come true for the profit figures of the big corps
The Webcast "figures" ... the relevance of the WT to the average Surfer and Joe Public
Other Stuff... like many pushing for the Triple Crown... all 3 events to be part of the WT... Hawaii is that important to surfing and its the Best Waves testing the Best Surfers... that came to me from Kanga... so I listened
"Free" Surfers like Red Bulls Jamie O'Brien @whoisjob and others also push an agenda Dane, Bobby & others have had a spray... the strange online Snipe and Nip against Ke11y etc etc are all part of this mix.
On Twitter @V_For_Vanguard and Rusty Steele @DemonScreams are active also Rustys blog worth a squiz http://blog.demonfactory.com
Many others tweet but these along with Brew possibly the main players if you care to pick up the thread.
btw Brew... better posts buddy, keep at it Rottie, I know you wont let go
Missed your reply earlier B+R, not sure why. But well done for finally making a clear point. Anonymity doesn't get peoples' goats, being a dick does. It's possible to have grown up dialogue with someone who disagrees with you without resorting to ineffective and petty name calling. It's much easier to change peoples' minds that way. Catch more flies with honey than vinegar etc.
But looking at your points, they just seem unremarkable to me. Points 1 and 3 may well be true to some extent. As far as i can see, competitive surfing is about making money for all involved. Big deal. Point 2, maybe but again - who cares? Humans want to compete. Some want to make money out of it. That's life.
Point 4, I disagree it cost AI his life (self responsibility is just that to my mind) but if you care deeply about that good on you.
But well done for finally putting together a clear post (even if you couldn't resist having a petty dig, my comprehension skills are fine thanks).
@ tylerdurden, missed the last part of your post...
"After a long time of essentially getting away with what they want the ASP, the big companies and everyone tagging along in the professional surfing game is now starting to suffer.
How much of this is due to bloggers like B-R? Probably a reasonable amount"
I did't know they were suffering but if they are I'd say it has little to do with anonymous bloggers. If only 1% of surfers read and comment on blogs, I doubt bloggers would be having any effect whatsoever. But maybe I don't know the ins and outs.
AS for reasons why they industry is suffering?
1) Tanking US economy
2) Fragile consumer confidence in Oz (despite a surging economy)
3) Cheap gear from China taking market share from the big companies (see GSI for eg)
for the ASP specifically I'd say
4) bad surf. Before chopes this year there hadn't been a memorable contest for years. Memorable like the search in Mexico was memorable.
5) Kelly's dominance bores the general public (and perhaps much of the surfing public).
6) The pros seem slightly boring and hard to relate to.
7) Surfing events are boring to watch and despite webcasts bringing us live action from great waves with great surfers, you have to watch 8 hours of coverage to get...5-10 minutes of scoring wave riding time for the day? It's just not gonna ever be a winning combination for ratings.
All of those things would be independent of anonymous bloggers I'd say.
Very Well Said Ben
@theball
I thought the guys here did cover it pretty well? I ddin't really look at it closely because I was flat out busy when AI died and I haven't really followed it much.
But in any case, to use a very distant analogy I remember seeing an interview with Bono talking about AIDS and I think debt in Africa. He was asked how he could work with the catholic church given the pope condemns condoms (in favour of abstinence) which are the one thing that would reduce the spread of HIV better than any other. Didn't it make him so angry that he would not want to work with them?
He just said, you've got to ask the people to do things they are comfortable with. You don't ask nuns to hand out condoms but if they're willing to help the sick and needy, you get them to do other things (work on debt forgiveness campaigns or whatever else). The point was marshall your troops to do what they can. Same with information gathering, understand the potential bias in your source and take the message with that grain of salt but don't expect them to be some magically perfect source of objectivity if they can't be. For example, I remember reading (I think on the billabong financial thread here) B+R getting agro that Nick Carrol didn't cover TC's trip to rehab (I hadn't heard he went to rehab and wouldn't care if he had). But to think Nick Carrol would report on that? Of course he wouldn't. And nor should he or any of TC's friends. He'd be hopelessly compromised if he did and he'd probably ruin his family life as well. It is naive to expect that. Sure maybe someone in the surf mags could have done that, maybe they did, I don't know. But that sort of information isn't going to come from the traditional surf media. It's not a surprise, just reality. Same way Bono is pragmatic about who he works on for what campaign, you've got to choose your sources and understand what they can and can't or will and won't cover.
To look at Swellnet. It's a surf forecast website that's primarily a feel good site with fun pics and weekly thought bubbles from stunet that we get to have a pow-wow about if we want. Should they be digging dirt on the surfing pros...I'd think not. Of course they could, but they don't set themselves up as some investigative powerhouse. It's a massive missed target to go after them for not being what they don't try to be. It's a forecast site with fun pics and a good bit extra kept free for us by advertisers. It's not 4 Corners and they don't employ George Negus.
Cheers surferjoe. I probably won't pick up the thread, I'm not interested enough. I was just curious about what B+R was banging on about because he came across as a guy thrashing around at everyone without a coherent thought. Obviously he's clarified it for me and I haven't read this stuff elsewhere so wasn't sure what any message was.
But yeah, overall it's clearly all about the coin. The only reason a tour exists is because someone thinks they can make some money out of it (both businesses and surfers). That of course would lead to all sorts of agendas and potentially nefarious actions. It does in every industry on the planet. That's why I'm not particularly surprised or bothered by all of this. It's common to humanity as far as I can tell. But I'm also not trying to make a living out of surfing, I just scan this site for pics of home and occasionally read the surfer's journal for a bit of surf thought.
sorry to be spamming these pages, I'll shut up now.
NEWS FLASH.
sorry everyone, the triple crown and other hawaiin events will have to be scratched because Hawaii is full of drugs and corruption, and its a monopoly, run by the north shore mafia.
and we can't have that in surfing.
rottencramps is going over there to personally confront & expose them.
and, er, drug test his rebel hero, Bobby.
forwarded from Twitter
B.R.E.W.
Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
Whoever Benski is on Swellnet: The complete def. of Surf Media 1.0 & the willfull ignorance of the sheep who feed at the trough of Industry.
also forwarded from Twitter
Fifth Column
V_For_Vanguard Fifth Column
@
@Rottmouth You can see the strings being pulled by his fingers as he types, while the suits salivate over another pliable, thoughtless mind.
sorry Benski but those 2 tweets amused the fuck out of me
Still going B
V_For_Vanguard Fifth Column
@
@Rottmouth "I don't see it as a big deal." "It happens in every industry." That's the mind of a religious nut who's swallowed the KoolAide.
fwded from Twitter
Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
Swellnet is being paid to promote The Drug Awareness Pro. You think their writers are going to run an article about Mike Tompson's arrests?
Haha! That's funny, cheers surferjoe. I don't know how to reply to all that. Whoever I am?
I think I'm just bemused and amused by it.
Oh well.
Finally Rottmouth drops his laundry list and as noted what a thoroughly underwhelming document.
Hey Brew as a famous Hollywood screenwriter take a tip from a Lennox hillbilly: Now that you've dropped the denouement the audience has nothing to hunger for. Better to keep at the conspiracy and ask people to join the dots than to be seen as an emperor with no clothes.
I think Mark Twain said it better "Better to keep your mouth shut and have people think you a fool than open it and remove all doubt".
But anyway the list, as you always say nobody debates the substance of your grievances.
1. The surf industry has been lying to surfers for years. About the number of people who watch webcasts. About the image if their surfers and their relationship with sponsors. About numerous other things.
Probably, but they hardly had need with a bought and sold media that acted as a de facto marketing arm for them.
As far as webcast numbers go, this year is the first time I've seen any numbers mentioned.
700'000 for France, 2.3 million for Tahiti and 10million for the Triple Crown.
I don't know about the first and last but I've had the Tahiti number confirmed for me by a very high level inside source. If you have evidence to the contrary then bust it out or shut it. And saying you have some "IT guy who works for Apple or you-toob" or some porn site isn't evidence.
As far as the image of surfers goes I think the surf media faces predominate blame due to the inherent business model of having large advertisers in the industry control content.
Those days are gone now. And yet when it came time to stand up and deliver in Hawaii the silence from the surf media 2/0 darlings was deafening.
2. Surfing as a competitive endeavor is a complete conflict of interest.
It's a divine comedy, a stumbling giraffe on the savannah, a source of entertainment that occassionally transcends it's inherent limitations to resemble a sport. Most surfers tune in when they are interested or when they know it'll be pumping. The way it's structured and organised is a joke. But it's hard to argue with the world champs it produces.
3. The 1% of surfers who watch and comment on surfing blogs are comprised mostly of Industry related people.
Total bullshit. Complete kook-who-cried-wolf Rottmouth speculation. I very much doubt one person commenting on this thread has any involvement in the industry. This is your convenient way of maintaining "purity" in your message. Pure propaganda 101.
4. I care because it cost the life of one of the greatest surfer ever.
Bullshit upon bullshit. Bullshit squared. Fake concern to advance your agenda and nothing more.
You hounded AI when he was alive on various blogs. Mercilessly, remorselessly, ruthlessly. To now advance compassion for his untimely death as the reason for your stance is opportunism of the most loathsome stripe. You're a moral and intellectual guttersnipe Brew to think anyone will fall for that.
You have no feeling for surfing. You're a self confessed kook, an ego who has attached himself to a cause to sustain some bizarre sense of self derived over the internet. A mouthpiece for disgruntled former pro surfer managers.
I can smell your phoniness from here. It smells like cheap sunscreen, bad BO and rotten eggs.
Thing is most surfers with half a brain are broadly sympathetic to your message. The surf corps have ran roughshod minus any accountability for years. Only problem here is: your self aggrandizing bullshit is a cure worse than the disease.
Anyone with half a clue is capable of making their own conclusions about the state of play in the surf industry.They call bullshit on the whole branded exercise and seek out their own relationship with surfing that has zero connection with what some marketing guru in skinny jeans sitting in a cubicle in Sydney or the OC thinks surfing is.
But they aren't about to be dictated to by some phony Hollywood screenwriter who requires absolute adherence to their party line lest they be accused of being some industry puppet ( a tired and mouldy old line BTW for such creative types). That kind of blind obedience is the very thing people have had a gutful of.
But carry on Brew. Don't tone it down. Tone it up. The world needs you. Just don't be surprised if a bunch of convict scum don't fall in behind you and start worshipping you.
Fair Enough Steve youve heard it all from Brew... I respect your comments
I guess the broader point I take from Rottmouth is this: if you rely on an industry to report on itself it is always going to come across as positive.
Where were the journalists who were in Puerto Rico when AI died? Did any of them try to interview the doctor that diagnosed AI's dengue fever? The ASP have never released this doctor's name or said how the diagnosis was confirmed. No evidence of dengue was found at autopsy. It therefore seems that this was completely fabricated by Billabong.
For about 30 years the information we have been fed by the surfing media has come from journalists who benefit from saying nice things about the ASP, the surfers and the big companies.
For about the last 5 years we have been getting information by bloggers who have an interest in surfing but no connections and stand to lose nothing by putting out some cold hard facts.
Maybe not all of it is 100% verifiable but certainly they are prepared to say things that an otherwise sycophantic surf media is not
Steve, in years to come I think you're going to look back on 2011 and realise that you were a troll that got trolled.
For now it's interesting to see how you gloat (falsely) about something that you're clearly telling us doesn't matter to you. I see somewhat of a contradiction there, and some telling signs of poor character. Do you?
All fair points, Tyler, the bloggers are definitely influencing the closeted and cloistered world of surfing. Only problem is that they don't always - in fact they very rarely - put out 'cold hard facts'. Mostly it's speculation and innuendo to fit an agenda. And in spreading misinformation they are guilty of committing the same sin as the old surf media.
In general I welcome the change, yet readers should still approach it with caution.
if it's not 100% verifiable it just bullshit plain and simple, so stop dribbling shit put out the facts ,what have you got to lose you dont work in or for the industry
Well said Steve, agree with every word except it's not just convict scum who'll refuse to fall in line behind BR.
this has been an entertaining read and after everything isnt that what its all about.i love the web casts i would much rather watch hours of surfing than watch another episode of law and border or how i met you big bang bullshit.as for a new idea about a contest with a long waiting period well i welcome it. the more surf they can but to air the better.i dont care much for who wins or loses its just entertainment.
i do think the surf industry is full of shit but i need wetsuits boards wax legropes and so on so what can you do you cant take the money with you anyway.
i am heading down for a dawnie with my young daughter in the morning who doesnt surf yet but loves to have breakie on the beach watch the surf and talk to the other regulars the surf industry cant put a price on that. cheers everyone.
Not sure what you think I'm gloating about theball.......and poor character?
Written right there on my high school report card.
As for what I'll remember from 2011. I can guarantee ya a great season at the Point, paying my bills and surfing Chopes will overshadow anything that happened in cyber-space.
Also,the irony of you complaining this site is somehow conflicted whilst engaged in a completely non-censored conversation on self-same site is delightful.
There's never been any censorship of any kind here. Ideas are debated and stand and fall on their merits.
Which is as it should be.
Steve, who is debating, on what merits, and what are the agendas of "self-same"?
This threat has been a great form of entertainment and much mirth for me, especially some of the quotes from rotten chops.
I loved the one about we on here watching webcasts and commenting, all being industry related! I can say for a fact that heaps of my friends watch the webcasts and none come even close to being industry related but still like to watch the comps. A lot of them have commented how good it is to be watching surfing on their computers when they should in fact be working on them. The only time I don't watch the webcasts is when I really have to go and put it in at work and don't have the time to sit down and watch. I even try to watch the women's events too as their standard has improved so much that it is seriously worth watching nowdays.
Poor old rotten breath has some serious issues and deep seated anger aimed at the whole surfing scene that I'd love him to come out and discuss in plain english, without talking in riddles.Then maybe we could all help him deal with his problems and he would then see that the surfing industry is not something to be so feared and loathed to the extent that he has for so long.
There are two types in this world. Uppers. And downers.
Rottkamp is a downer...
The thing about this self admitted pilled up drunkard, Rottkamp/rotmouth, he's coming from the kooky left whinger point of view. No surprise mates, he makes his massive pile of crumbs in the Hollywood industry. You know, that sector which relies on a business plan that exploits free labor thru interns... totally corrupt accounting practices.... and well underpaid assistants who do most of the work.
What old rottkamp does not get is that people making bank thru competitive surfing is not going to go away in our or anyone else's lifetimes. It has and will constantly adapt to economic conditions, whatever they may be... Supply and demand.... Competition is good. Without winners there would not even be any God damn civilization.
So lets sum it up.
1. Old Rottkamp is a self admitted abuser of prescription drugs mixed with hard alcohol.
2. He's been very vocal and wrong with his opinions.
3. And as he says about himself, he's evil.
Is it any wonder he comes off like many of those kooks taking up space in the car park?.... A total barney with a delusional high opinion of himself.
Keep flapping those rubber lips, old rottkamp. The entertainment value alone of a kookmeyer with a foot up his pie hole, pissing himself again, is always priceless. And helps boots the ad revs.
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=rottkamp
Brilliant comment, Stiv...
And rottkamp?... What an absolute kook.
What old rottkamp does not mention is the death of his OWN little website was due to his censoring, deleting, and banning of those with a different opinion than his.
Booyah!
Well said freeride76. "Thing is most surfers with half a brain are broadly sympathetic to your message. The surf corps have ran roughshod minus any accountability for years. Only problem here is: your self aggrandizing bullshit is a cure worse than the disease." Got it in a nutshell.
A quick thought (just returned from the mountains).
And this most likely will be my last repost here, with my BB Gun as the heavier artillery has arrived. However, Just a quick shout out to Freeride76 for spending so much time on that comment. Well written as usual, with nothing to chew on.
As The Ball has astutely pointed out, your obviously conflicted thoughts, carried forth as practiced positions taken by the teensie horde of lemmings seen on this site, seem to high light only one thing:
You have chosen to believe The Industry more than common sense.
Why?
Why would you trust a single word or number uttered by the Industry? We know your numbers are false… simply by the fact that the only numbers ACTUALLY published to this point, have been by the Marketing Department of the Companies running the event. You claim to have an “inside informant†that will back up a million plus figure for Chopes… I call complete bullshit. Publish that number in an article and allow me, FSU_CEO, V_For_Vanguard, SeamanStainz, and others to eviscerate that number. Ironically, Nick Carroll, published the most likely number of truly unique viewers for any single web cast at 30,000 – (ASL). I know what unigue webcast views rock bands like U2, Coldplay, and Radiohead get when they stream live… so don’t even utter the word “millions†if you, as you have admitted on Twitter, “IP numbers make me gag +/-.†If you truly want to take me on in this argument, at least study what that means.
Why is the number of viewers important? Because it’s yet ANOTHER lie perpetuated by the industry. As you have already admitted, The Industry lies about all sorts of things. You sure didn’t seem to think Melekian went far enough with AI’s story at the time when commenting at my blog as Matt Branson’s Cock Ring, but since then you’ve changed your tune to goosestep with Bong / Matson and see no evil and hear no evil.
The predictable scowl on that faces of those who have read this far makes me giddy. They display the faux and working class Aussie surfing backgrounds as though that means they haven’t been brainwashed by birth by the Country That Invented the Bullshit We Call The ASP. Fred Hemming’s was a bit part in that bullshit if you know your history. He actually tried to care about the brown skinned blokes in Hawaii.
The parting point is this…
We won a long time ago.
Media 2.0.
It wasn’t won in the surfing arena, it was won in the world arena. And the Surfing World can’t stop it.
My question to each of you is this: Why would you believe one single word or number The Industry tells you?
You can tell me I am full of shit and a bitter rabbit, an anonymous drunkard and all pettiness you can think of. But at the end of the day, has The Industry given you ANY evidence that would contradict what I have said?
The Michael Tompson, to Paul Naude, To Graham Stapelborg, To Kai Borg, To Andy Irons connection is real connection that you can Google.
If your choice is to sweep this under the rug and say “no big deal†let’s just be happy with what we got and make some superficial tweaks like a drug testing concept that’s ALREADY been in place for years (yeah, go read the rule books)… then fine. As I said, the audience at Swellnet is marginal at best compared to Twitter (where the number of followers has no real connection to who actually reads the page).
Otherwise, I wish you all well in you cut and paste adventures with ASP Press releases and well worded contest recaps and the rest of the things that keep you all gainfully employed.
If you wish to rebut.
You know where I am. Where everyone else is.
'You know where I am. Where everyone else is.'
On Twitter with your 800 followers?
Face it, when it comes to popularity, you are the 1%.
See ya!
The reason most tell you're a bitter rabbit is because you come on all sweary and accusatory towards people who have already said they agree with a fair few things you've said. You're arguing with shadows and yelling at everyone else.
A weird phenomenon.
Anyway, I think you've truly bored me. Thanks for clarifying your message etc but you're on a crusade I for one don't give much of a toss about. But try not to confuse apathy with ignorance or something else. I just don't care. There are far more important things going on in my life that make this of little interest to me any longer.
Stunet: 800 followers on Twitter has ZERO correlation to how many page views someone gets...
You fuckers need to hire a geek.
Wotabout your IT mate that works for Apple or Google or whatever it is? Is he free next week?
hey rottencramps,
1. are you going to confront the North Shore community and will you drug test your rebel hero Bobby. ?
2. or do you only selectively gronk as per your agenda. ?
3. Further, will you please unveil your real identity so we can scrutinize you to the same degree of transparency you expect of others ?
Sid / Stunet,
How about you answer MY questions first?
Benski is empty headed enough to have already been filled with Industry porridge, as we can see.
Again:
Why would ANY OF YOU BELIEVE ANYTHING THE INDUSTRY SAYS OVER ME?
Have they given you evidence you trust more than me?
Or do we have to follow Ben Matson's $$$$$$?
This isn't about Andy Irons.
He was the kindling.
Poor Stevo never got that... amongst many other things.
.."... Publish that number in an article and allow me, FSU_CEO, V_For_Vanguard, SeamanStainz, and others to eviscerate that number."
AKAIK it'll be published in the Surfers Journal.
2.3 million. Same number I've said a bunch of times.
So knock yaself out champ eviscerating it.
Be careful with sharp instruments though. Hate to see you cut yourself.
I don't believe a single word the industry tells me. I believe what I see with my own eyes and what can be verified by credible witnesses.
So far that's worked out better than listening to a bunch of small-time ego-maniacs on Twitter who have deluded themselves into thinking they are performing a public service. Or that they are somehow analagous to oppressed peoples in the Middle East.
White mans delusion.
Hey Brew, slow down!
I got no questions to ask you. As I said before I'm fully willing to believe the Billabong/Tommo/AI stuff, I'll even publish it here on Swellnet, but not without evidence.
But about your IT guy: Is he free? And how does he feel about being paid in Gummi Bears? As you know we don't make any money here at Swellnet.
Steve,
One sentence: It's already been debunked.
AKAIK = FAILCOPTRZ!!!! LULZ.
You got trolled.
Sorry mate.
I knew it would come to this. But, you'll have fun reading the response article. Already written by my lawyer.
Seriously, why don't you confront NS community, why don't you confront BIrons.
Why do you demand of others what you won't offer of yourself ? Transparency.
huh ? that's fair enough isn't. or are you beyond scrutiny ?
Cool thing about Surfer's Journal (the only mag I read), is that any statustical info is debunked or confirmed weeks ahead of publishing.
BTW Brew, welcome back.
The premise : You either believe Blasphemy Rottmouth or the Industry is what is known as a false dichotomy.
A common undergraduate error in logic.
You have a double degree don't you?
What? You skip classes finger-bashing Mary Jane rotten-crotch when they were teaching critical thinking.
And to think convict scum have to give the great Rottmouth lessons in logic.
It's great to see the great rebel bring in the lawyers. Lulz.
rottencramps,
1. Do you have a wife ?
2. Does she suck and swallow ?
3. Do you do her anally ?
4. What about your daughter ?
5. Is it any of my business ?
Jeez, bit of a flat spell and all hell breaks loose!!
Coupla points:
1. For mine, any surf blog that encourages/allows/enables the use of the word "denouement" is worth its weight in gummi bears or any other currency. Noice, Steve, very well played.
2. Benski, your trouble is you insist on being reasonable and logical, and eschewing supposition in favour hard evidence. Stop that immediately, before you're silenced by way of voodoo doll or some other equally scientific method.
3. Stu, I don't think that you should be put off by simple things such as defamation laws and like. Just publish and be damned. 20 million or so surfers (where the hell does THAT number come from???) can't be wrong. Or not.
Anyway, back to it. And, yes, I am the president of a large surf multinational.
Or not.
A mind so fine that no idea could violate it.
T.S Elliot on Blasphemy Rottmouth.
So Steve,
You don't dispute the message?
no rottmouth has a boyfriend, and yes he enjoys FELCHING,and its none of our business.........
We've dealt with your message in an earlier post.
and the veracity of the messenger.
Now about this debunking of the 2.3million.
where's your evidence to the contrary?
Please don't say the number of yoo-toob hits that U2 got for a concert.....that would be lame beyond words.
10 million is a Googlable record set by Coldplay a year or two ago...
Jeez, Heals, I take your point but citing a Nobel Prize laureate to debunk the Idiot Bunny is kinda overkill, doncha reckon?
I, hereby demand, the release of rottencramps medical and criminal history, for the purposes of public scrutiny.
'Just publish and be damned'
Thanks for the legal advice, Whaaat. But it's not pro bono, there's one pack of Gummi Bears coming your way - red ones.
If Surfing gets 2 millions hits in Chopes why can't they get a major sponsor?
Steve?
Tell me?
2 million kill most major rock bands in hits.
hahahhahahahhahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.......Coldplay.
Oh well, a beesdick cooler than U2.
thats all you got?
ANSWER THE FUCKEN QUESTIONS YOU ANONYMOUS GUTLESS HYPOCRITE CUNT.
c'mon, you want dirty laundry, lets see yours .
Stu, I'm from Head Office; I'm here to help.
Steve,
Coldplay is a world reknown rock band who are known throughout the globe. Surfing is a little bubble.
YOU are the one citing 2 million viewers for Chopes. Not me. Not Coldplay.
But bands like Coldplay would suck your bee sized cock to get those numbers for a live show...
Connect the dots, hillbilly.
Stu, sorry, just re-read that sentence. A tortology. Sorry.
Don't know about other companies but Quiksilver include many products in their website traffic: real time viewers; highlight packages such as heat analyser; and third party products that get onsold to mobile and news companies. Anything that has the Quik logo I guess.
Bit hard to compare to YouToob.
But if you're looking for comparison Chris Bryan's Phantom camera footage of Chopes had 500,000 hits in the 10 hours it was on Vimeo. That's without any announcement or advertising.
Whaaat,
I believe you've made a Freudian slip of sorts - it's 'tautology'.
I also believe it's an oxymoron not a tautology.
That's enough pedantry for now...
rottencramp,
we demand transparency, man up.
list your own medications, in both chemical form AND/OR generic name.
criminal history.
tax records.
and all of the above for family and close associates.
@Stunet:
That's !SURFING... not surfing... Like Garrett Mac macking every News Industry... you are supporting my arugument in full. JOB, BIrons at Cloudbreak, Dylan Longbottom at PPass at BBC... MASSIVE views.
!SURFING.
You are cannibalizing your argument.
I don't have an argument, Brewser. There's no fixed agenda from me. I only care for the truth.
Sorry, I mean The Truth.
BIrons uses drugs,
so does coldplay.
huh, ?
huh rottencramps,
no disclosure forth coming ?
Doh, Stu, well engrossed. My bad. Was drafting a claim for nervous shock by reason of myxomatosis.
During the holidays I was up at Noosa visiting a friend when I realised I had left my boardies at home. Seeing as I was in a bit of a bind, I headed to the closest store (Billabong) and bought a pair of their rather expensive brightly coloured numbers. Nothing funny about that you ask? Read on……
The thing is when I went to pay in cash and the till opened, there wasn’t the standard arrangement of notes and coins neatly lined up by denomination, but rather envelopes. Envelopes with 'Top Secret' stickers on them. Now what Im about to tell you may blow this whole story wide open, but when the security buzzer went off in the store, and the checkout girl went to investigate, I leant over and had a look at the envelopes a bit closer.
The top one, which I soon learnt was now (obviously) being used for change, was well worn, large, and labelled 'AI's Devils Dandruff Fund'. There were numerous others as well - 'Occ's Dancing Lessons' and 'Rasta's Hippy Stuff (ROFL)'. But the one that really stood out was 'Parko' ASP W.C.'12 Bribe'.
When I heard the checkout chick returning from her interrogation of a grom who tried stealing a $14.50 block of wax, I snapped back - pretending not to see anything. She was suspect, and her inquisitive looks to other staff members were met with a mixture of coded hand signals I couldn’t understand and faint nods. One of them who had previosuly been patting racks at the rear of the store whilst staring blankly at us, disappeared through a side door. I became anxious, and rushed to pay and leave. (You can thank me later, Parko)
Anyway, as I was leaving the store in a state of shock at what I‘d just seen, I was confronted by two goons outfitted in Billy’s latest Hi-Summer short-shorts and excessively deep arm and head hole singlet range with matching loafers.
“What did you see in there?†barked one.
“Um… not much, but that bird at the counter has a nice set of ti…†but before I could finish, the second larger man, who looked even angrier, demanded I stop playing games.
“Stop playing games†He demanded, surprisingly. “We were watching you. WHAT DID YOU SEE?†he yelled. Latte sipping Hasting Street shoppers were slowing their pace and looking on.
“Um nothing mate, I just bought some boardies – expensive ones at that. That’s all I knowâ€
They stared me up and down. Had I seen anything? Would the secretive ‘aiding’ funds of Billabong now be blown wide open to the rising world superpower of Media 2.0 and the world’s surfing population? Would Occ be able to tango anymore? And more importantly, would Parko be runner up - AGAIN?
Tune in tomorrow and find out......
hey mulder, scully was trying on bikinis in the change room, and she collaborates with your version of events.
Geez this threads getting a bit tedious...I can't wait for the ASP world tour to kick off for 2012 so that I can pass the time at work watching the live webcast rather than reading this shit.....
Well fuck me, that's what those envelopes are for!
@Sidfish,
How long does it take your mom to remove the helmet from your head?
147 comments.. Is that a record Stu?
Ha ha...nah, the last article (on Billabong) cracked the double ton. There was an article on social media killing the secret spot that also rated pretty high.
Regardless, 147 is pretty damn good and with Blasphemy on the loose it could go higher yet.
rottencramps, is that the best you've got ? LAME.
I REPEAT ...
WE demand transparency, man up.
list your own medications, in both chemical form AND/OR generic name.
criminal history.
tax records.
and all of the above for family and close associates.
c'mon, you want dirty laundry, lets see yours .
rottencramps, re: yourself, you offer...
NO disclosure.
NO accountability.
NO transparency.
NO scrutiny.
sound familiar ??? connect the dots.
sidthefish we get the point now shut up.
there is something still bugging me here forgive me if i have it wrong but freeride you were very critical of the surf industry after AI passing.now it seems (after a trip to tahiti a billabong event) they arnt that bad after all.
swellnet itself is a part of the surf industry.you make money gummie bears what ever out of surfing that makes you a part.
Thunderwood hits the nail square.
glass houses .
crack.
Nice diatribe guys... and BREW if you've got the Gatling Gun or even better an AC130... start firing rounds now... youve got the platform and Surf Media 1.0 and his convict mates are listening... Lock & Load... give us some Rock n Roll.
Freeride... Matt Branson's Cock Ring... et al., were VERY critical of Bong at the time of AI's passing.
The same time I and many other realizes "fuck! this is how far the industry will go?"
Freeride continued his derision of Bong UNTIL he got the gig for Surfline.
I can mark the exact dates and times (that's why my blog still runs).
All of a sudden... we no longer hear about ANY wrong doing by Bong. Shit, Shearer never even MENTIONED #PUTBRUCEINCHOPES because he was too naive or too star struck. Meanwhile #PutBuruceInChopes may still make ESPN's Sport's Center for next year. The Tahitian Navy has things to say. And Shearer? Nothing... but puppet numbers...
By the way,
Anyone want to guess who the last Publication was to PASS on the SARGE story: The SURFER'S JOURNAL.
Certified fact by Fred Pawle himself.
@Freeride:
If my name was Daisy Mistletoe... would you even bother arguing with me?
Someone make him stop.....please!
No Blasphemy, I continue my criticism of Bong based on any credible evidence that comes to hand.
The Dengue diagnosis was clearly bullshit. And the subsequent handling of the death was tasteless in the extreme.
The only credible evidence we have to the origin of the dengue diagnosis is Melekians second article which clearly inferred the family was responsible for generating that.
If that is the case, then it is entirely understandable. Any grieving family might do a similar thing.
If you have evidence that Thomson or Stableborg fed him drugs then come out with it. Otherwise it could have been anybody. The poor cunt died with every known drug in his body. He had prescriptions for oxy and methadone. Following the chain of responsibilility leads pretty squarely to a bloke who made some very poor choices when the chips were down.
No judgement either, we all make poor choices.
Christ I could get an eightball of coke delivered to my farmhouse here with one phone call.
If there is evidence for corpo malfeasance than bust it out.
I reported what I saw in Tahiti and strange as it may seem to you, the reality you were experiencing via Twitter was very, very different to the on the ground reality.
No-one gave a fuck about or even mentioned putbruce inchopes.
But your a little too in love with social media to realise that Brew.
And lets be honest......you don't really give a fuck about surfing. This is what you care about: ranting on internet platforms about things you've got fuck all clue about.
All the false emotion Brew, you should save it for your screenplays.
People have sniffed you out now and pronounced you full of shit.
more like Daisy Cameltoe.
the lamest thing about you rottencramp, is the fact that you are exactly what you claim to expose...
a faceless ?man? hiding in the cyber shadows, offering no accountability, no equality, no transparency - everything is up for scrutiny but YOU.
you are what you despise,
hypocrasy is lower than shark shit (and also my pet hate).
Steve:
Do you think it was "anybody" or do you think it was Borg?
Steve:
Funny how you say you only want facts, but if facts aren't present you go with the industry status quo. Does that make you feel weird. At all?
Steve,
Let us shorten our words...
Steve,
Are you bitter that I didn't choose you as my ambassador of thought? When I told you you didn't have the heart... did that make you angry?
I hope not.
Because what follows WILL.
Old Media is DEAD.
Poor Surfer's Journal too.
Just a day late and a mortgage short...
Good luck predicting swels for this website... I'd recommend staying away from tennis courts...
oh Rotty.
You sound a bit confused.
Cup of tea and a lie down dearie.
What happened? You miss out on the Golden Globes?
Hey, weren't you going to stay away and in your safe little Twitter bubble where your frail little ego could be protected from all these convict scum?
That didn't last long.
Ambassador of Thought?
hahahhahahahhahahahahahahahahahaa......fuck, you can't make this shit up.
We can't. That's why we are laughing.
Isn't that your answer?
We aren't making it up?
Why would we? And if you believe so, why think us more evil than you?
.."but if facts aren't present you go with the industry status quo."..
See, that there is another one of them false dichotomies.
For a bloke of your educational attainment you really should bone up on some critical thinking skills. It makes all that expensive education look like a waste of resources.
IN the case of AI .....I'm using the information/facts gleaned by Melekian. Oh, don't tell me, because he was editor of Surfer mag he's an industry puppet too.
Can this hydra-headed beast ever be defeated?
When the facts of the case became apparent by the reporting of Melekian and the autopsy results I modified my views.
Don't worry dearie, I don't think your evil.
You got to give it to Mr Rottmouth, he is persistent. I have been following his 'work' since his Postsurf days. And this 'campaign' since it hatched during that Ambien OD.
I may not agree with Mr Rottmouth on most things, but he does provide entertainment.
That said, Mr Rottmouth has been promising to bring the heat/gatling/gun/goods/whatever for a long time now.
Still waiting.
No rush, though. In the grand scheme of things it doesn't really matter. It's just surfing.
Thing is, please don't bring it on Twitter Mr Rottmouth. It may be media 2.0 but media 3.0 is on the horizon and you don't want to miss blowing your load there. It could be quite the spectacle - Twitter 3D vision and all.
Mr Rottmouth for ASP CEO (no drug testing allowed)
YEW!
I'm sure you have these type in The Lucky Country. You know, those kooked out ockers on the tele, going on and on about news stories, over hyping any and all stories in order to garner ratings and twitter followers?
Old Rottkamp/rottmouth is just like that....
Rolling like Nancy Grace in drag.
Looks Like The Brewster & Vanguard have lost interest in us Convicts... nevermind you can follow them on Twatter... If u want
B.R.E.W.
Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
@
@RiffRaffBriz @V_For_Vanguard There are always more eyes here. Swellnet has no audience.
B.R.E.W.
Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
@RiffRaffBriz @V_For_Vanguard Dear Swellnet: @FSU_CEO has written more 140 character words of wisdom than all your posts combined. Wake up!
B.R.E.W.
Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
@
@RiffRaffBriz @V_For_Vanguard Cool. Appreciate the plug. Once I saw the web traffic to that site I decided to abandon anything further. Lol!
'Looks Like The Brewster & Vanguard have lost interest in us Convicts'
That's not how Brewser works, Surferjoe. He hasn't lost interest - to the contrary, he's very interested. He's been ticked off so now the insecurity will begin to show through: repetitive Tweets, ridiculous claims etc etc.
Then the rest of the pigeons will begin to peck away, sending messages on Twitter - about myself and Swellnet - to reinforce approval amongst themselves. It's like reading a script and I enjoy it immensely.
Let the good times roll!
Iain C
RiffRaffBriz Iain C
@
@Rottmouth No worries... at least it keeps us Convicts Amused and passes our Days in the Cells @V_For_Vanguard
B.R.E.W.
Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
@
@RiffRaffBriz @V_For_Vanguard There are more savvy convicts than you could imagine... we shall hopefully soon hear from a few.
B.R.E.W.
Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
In other words, @PeterPerfect007 can literally shit on a rug and publish more newsworthy items than anything published on Swellnet.
B.R.E.W.
Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
NOT ONE surf rag would publish the Sarge story (including Surfer's Journal) until STAB picked it up. NOTHING has changed.
B.R.E.W.
Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
"Experts said odds were 10-billion-to-1 that DNA was not OJ's. There aren't 10 billion people in the world. How could that be true?" ~Juror
B.R.E.W.
Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
I liken most surf blog commentary (industry apologists) and blogs in general to O.J. Simpson jurors. The parallels are uncanny.
Apologies Crew If I'm boring you with sharing the Twitter Forwards... But they Break me up
No need to apologise, Surferjoe. But do you see what I mean? Same way he said in this thread that 'this would be my last post' and then posted 50 more comments. Brewser hasn't lost interest, I'm his new enemy and he never ignores a target.
no wuckas joe.
jesus, rottencramps tits sure flap hard.
Thanks Stu
Re BREW yes he's on the train... a mission... to an unknown destination... I dont know how he keeps up the energy levels... or Rather I do but cant air such matters on a family show like this
let him twang his twat red raw.
Ah shit, I have been too busy at work and forgot to finish my story.
I dont think I'm going too far out on a limb here when I say it probably would have been the best thing you'd ever read.... maybe.
blasphemy-rottmouth, media 2.0?
pffffft.
You're a decade behind my friend. A decade behind.
You think you're little band of merry men are onto something? You're being played so hard that you don't even realise it. Media 2.71828 is where it's at douche. We're so far underground we've evolved to see without eyes. Join the dots pal. Join the dots.
You think you're onto something about Andy? Dream on muthafucka. You reckon it's a coincidence he died the same day as the mid terms? There's way more going on that you can even begin to wrap your small time brain around. You think it's a coincidence Kim Jonh Il died exactly one year after Andy? You think it's a surprise Greece is going down one year after Andy? Shit you're dumber than you look.
Join the dots moron. You're not even scratching the surface. Everything we said would happen is already under way.
If you can't see the truth then you're even more blind that Nettles and Matson.
Everything I've said here has been proven right. And what about you? Fucken jumping at shadows my brother. Jumping at shadows. Try digging a little deeper and you'll be surprised what you'll find.
If you want to rebut, you don't know where to find me. And that's why the game is where it's at.
Media 2.71828. Look us up. You'll find us down low.
Kim jong Ill died the same day Billabong crashed.
was he a shareholder ?
Did Kim jong Un liquidate.?
join the dots.
twit twat twang twat twat.
Shit talk me all you like sidthewetfish but youre just a useful idiot in their larger plan.
Why would you believe the north koreans over me????
this is why you sheep are on the outer.
i'm thru wasting my time with this lot.
im gone.
in the night.
you wont hear from me again.
ever.
and youll be sorry
ok thats it now really.
no you hang up
like I care,
I've got more traffic and a bigger audience in my twat.
twat twat twang.
Shame Brew took his bat and ball and went home after copping a licking from some uneducated convict scum.
I really wanted to hear some more about this "ambassador of truth"position he had vacant.
Guess if someone was the ambassador then Rotty must be the President of Truth, or maybe even the King of Truth.
Hell maybe he is the Imperial Emperor of Truth.
Hey Imperial Emperor Come back, we can hug this out.
I believe he's too busy exchanging hugs and other gratuities with his Twitter posse - Seaman Staines, Peter Perfect, RSBandit. It really is an insight the messages they exchange. When it comes to sycophants those guys leave the surf industry for dead.
They're all in a cloud of delusion. If you're not reading it it's worth it for the entertainment. They're like the dumbest contestants on the dumbest reality television show.
Vasectomy Blottmouth is on Media 2.71828?
This sounds suspicious to me. Being someone who did advanced 2-unit math up till the 7th grade I know that 2.7828 is somewhere generally in the vicinity of Pi. And that means this whole caper has sort of come full circle. But not just that, it's also kinda been divided by the diameter.
It's all starting to make sense...
B.R.E.W.
@Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
Fucking Nyquil just pounded my skull like a hillbilly's bat in Lennox on a pile of mildewed Russian Philosophy books.
B.R.E.W.
@Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
That's right... YOU got PLAYED mutherfucker!
B.R.E.W.
@Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
KNOW your ENEMY!
what? the Imperial Emperor of Truth is now communicating through a medium?
Wasn't Jim Jones able to accomplish that?
Hug it out Brew. This will pass.
Guess I'm just the Twitter Taxi... Brew says he doesnt want to "appear" with us convicts on Swellnet any more .. see previous posts 5 & 6 hours ago says it doesnt have enough views for him... so thought I'd Bring The Brew to You
the Supreme Enabler of Trooth.
@twang @your @twat .
Rottmouth has certainly evoked a lot of vitriolic responses on here.
But consider a couple of points:
1. The ASP is run by the big surf companies to the point where basically it doesn't even decide it's own schedule
2. The big whizz bang change of introducing a mid-year rotation was reversed within 6 months even though Renato Hickel described it as a success
3. It has a dead 3x world champ who died with drugs in his system a few months after coming back from rehab and a few weeks after winning a comp and ultimately in response has introduced possibly the most pathetic and pointless drug testing policy in the history of professional sport
4. Possibly the best surfer in the world (Dane Reynolds) doesn't even surf on the tour
Most people reading these comments would consider these to be pretty obvious points...but Rottmouth and other similar bloggers were the first people to start saying them.
Before you jump on your keyboards and start shooting me down think of this: your angry, he's loving every minute of it
Right Tylerdurden
Brew and his cronies have done exactly as you said put it in peoples faces... to let them decide... is that the new Surf Journalism Version 2.0 I dont know but they are walking the walk.
I talk to Brew quite a bit and you know, as a person... he's a down to earth bloke from So Cal... the online stuff is another persona... make what you will of it but he's got a lot of people taking notice.. and I'm sure the Have a Quik Bong before you Rip Curl Crowd are also taking notice
trya burbon - points 1-4 , yeah we know and don't care.
I reckon we've had more fun with the Supreme Enabler of Trooth than he's had with us, so twit twat twang yerselfs stupid.
journalism? who cares, surf mags, same as penthouse, get bought for the pics.
@tylerduren,
Sorry to spam again everyone, apparently I don't do short posts.
Who's angry? From what I can gather most people are mocking him and using him as their personal play thing.
The thing I don't understand is that going through his points and yours is that there's not really an argument:
1. Surf industry lies and controls the message from the surf media, and what you added: the ASP doesn't control the schedule.
No one is disputing this. Freeride agreed with it. I agreed with it. I think stunet also agreed with it. All on this thread.
2. Competitive surfing is a conflict of interest.
Probably, as freeride said it's a big joke from the structure to the process. But I think the key difference is no one here takes it seriously. Like sidthefish said just above, industry surf mags (and the tour, for mine) are like penthouse...you don't "read" em, you look at the pics.
3. The 1% of surfers who comment on blogs are industry plants.
Well that one is rubbish and I think that's been amply demonstrated by the fact that on this thread alone B+R has accused several people of being someone else. To claim this as a fact and expect anyone to believe it is rather silly, especially when you've made mistakes here. OK so that's one point that no one really agrees with, but it's fairly trivial.
3. Dead former world champ.
Everyone agrees with him that it was outrageous spin and incredibly poor form the way it was handled. No arguments here.
The only argument around this emerged that on this thread is the faux concern B+R fabricates to suit himself. As we have been informed by freeride, B+R hounded AI online while he was alive, treating the man with contempt. Now he fabricates some kind of big hearted concern. That's pretty lame.
4. Dane doesn't compete.
You can't force a man to do something against his will. But yeah, everyone pretty much agrees the probable best surfer in the world isn't on the tour. So it delegitimizes the tour a bit. Yep, but what do you do? And why care? I can tell you, it makes no difference to my life (or anyone else's here, I'd imagine) that he's not competing. When I'm in the middle of a bottom turn I don't suddenly straighten out cos Dane's not on the tour. When I'm at work cranking through the hours, I don't sit up in a stupor cos Dane's not on the tour. It doesn't really matter. So...what's the argument about with this one again?
I guess I'm just making the point that, all of these things B+R is raving about are non-points. They're non-arguments that just about everyone agrees with. It's the equivalent of claiming some clairvoyance while saying Barack Obama is a millionaire. Sure he probably he is. But we all know that and who cares anyway? There are much more important things to argue about and that one isn't worth getting your knickers in a twist.
It all just makes no difference to anything of consequence.
Now you reckon B+R etc were the first to start saying this stuff? I don't think so Tim. Remember what people said about Occy's world title win? It's got an asterisk next to it because the best surfer in the world didn't compete that year.
How about Dooma Hardman? Lame contest rules in piss poor surf made sure crappy robotic surfing won on the day. From what I recall, that's why Machado quit. Not too mention all the other free surfers like Frankie and others.
These sorts of issues have been around for years and in my opnion contribute to what freeride's talking about as the whole thing being a joke, a divine comedy. It is. It's rubbish. But I don't think anyone really cares. It's a bit of fun to watch a few guys surf some great waves on their own from time to time.
And that's the thing, most agree with what he's said. It's just that he's not looking for agreement, he's looking for something to argue about. surferjoe tells us he's quite a good bloke and down to earth and the online stuff is a persona. I guess that confirms my perception that he's a bit of an insecure fella looking to get his jollies by attention seeking on the interwebz.
Well that's pretty lame, and doesn't make me angry (or anyone else I imagine) just makes me feel a mix of condescending pity and mirth.
Excellent points, benski. And yes, old rottkamp has been not only a fool who's let his success as a Hollywood screenwriter go straight to his liquor cabinet for so long that he's found himself in the precarious predicament of "progressing" to mental health professionals prescribing psych meds, by a clown shoes barney who's been nothing but wrong on every level of his opinions on surfing!
All the while, the pros working diligently and progressively in the surfing sector have not only signed up even MORE multinational mega billion sponsors such as Lenovo Group LTD, (2011 revenues 21 BILLION), and Le Meridian/Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, ( headquartered in Connecticut, 2010 revenues 5.5 BILLION), but have structured contests in new locations such as China.
It's a global community making serious bank. Welcome to it.
Rotmouth/Rottkamp/Nancy Grace is wrong again. It won't be the last time.... Welcome him to it.
Well Benski, Rottmouth has certainly stirred up some serious emotion in you to the point of writing a long and exhaustive post.
Roller, tell me this: if the ASP is so cashed up why doesn't it do what we all want ie distance itself from the big 3 and run the tour totally, with control over the contest dates and venues, webcast, commentators, contest directors, judges and infrastructure and just simply sell the advertising banner atop the judging tower and on the webcast to the highest bidder?
The ASP will do what's best for business. After all T- Durd, is it not owned proportionally by the surfers on tour?.... Even if the Association of Professional Surfing were to go out of business tomorrow, contested professional surfing would not end.
Does anyone recall all of the panic when Clark Foam went out, and somehow the market place sorted it all out in the matter of months?
This rottkamp/Nancy Grace kook is as wrong as they come. Her continual wrongheaded, hyped up opinion that the ASP and all of professional contested surfing will somehow end is the equivalent of saying prostitution and or drug use will end any day as well.
After all, this rottkamp/Nancy Grace kook has continually told anyone who cared to listen that she is an absolute pilled up drunk. And must find enjoyment beating her head against a big pile of nothing... And who ever trusts the word and or opinion of a drunk?
I wouldn't call pity, mirth and bemusement "serious emotion" TD.
T-Durd, 'lil miss rottkamp/Nancy Grace is spewing nothing original. She's doing nothing but parroting what Bob Kelly Slater has been promoting for years....
http://espn.go.com/action/news/story?id=4092753
And we know BKS's real game.... he's currently pulling the biggest coup in ALL of surfing...
He's about to own in perpetuity, the rights to the most lucrative, the most important part of the game... The waves... The arena itself.... Capitalism 2.0.
And that is good for the future business of surfing.
trya bourbon -
for the record, you are an insult to TD from zero hedge.
so dream on and twit twat twang.
knock yourselves out.
Benski, if you reckon some of the above comments don't contain anger well then we are reading different comments.
Have a think about the structure of the ASP and it's involvement with the big companies.
The majority of the spectators to the world tour events are watching via the webcasts.
Yeah there are a few thousand at the beach and a fair few watching via Fuel TV but these pale in comparison to the Internet.
If these numbers are as high as Freeride (Steve Shearer) is suggesting the ASP should be using this as a bargaining chip to take control of the events and put out to tender for sponsors.
Essentially, the hit rate on the webcast and how these statistics are interpreted is vital in terms of showing a potential sponsor what the return for their investment will be.
If this is high as Steve is suggesting then the ASP should have no problems attracting sponsors, possibly even non-surfing sponsors.
If the ASP had some genuinely attractive hit rate statistics to present to a potential sponsor then it would not have to pander to the whims of the big 3 like it currently does.
However, the reality is that it is not as high as Steve is suggesting and probably something more like what Rottmouth is suggesting.
The result is that if the ASP were to fully take charge of the entire tour the amount of sponsorship dollars they could obtain would not be enough to pay for the whole thing.
Therefore they rely on the big 3 to fund the events. The big 3 however then demand to control the schedule, the event location, the webcast, commentators and contest director, with an ability to break contracts largely consequence free.
This control trickles down through every layer of professional surfing to the point where none of the touring surf journalists are prepared to write anything truly critical of the industry for fear of losing their meal ticket.
This all may seem very obvious to you now but Rottmouth and the like we're the first ones to say it.
I don't know Rottmouth from a bar of soap, but all of the above he has said in one form or another before.
All I have done is connect the dots
trya burbon -
if it wasn't for the big 3 there would be NO tour,
cos surfing is really boring to the masses and no one cares.
Want proof...??? 2.5 waves on a news bulletin, if your lucky.
Benski TD roller Fishy
Good Conversation and I'm just enjoying the debate... Benski I for one think that if some of the positive ideas mentioned by all and sundry... If format, location and timing improvements were made to the WT it would make it a better product for us to watch, would create more mainstream interest and through more viewers more exposure and product sold for the Big Corps too... maybe even would trickle down to more ad $ for Swellnet
You are right Sid but the pretence from the ASP is that it is their tour that they control.
...."However, the reality is that it is not as high as Steve is suggesting and probably something more like what Rottmouth is suggesting."
Rottmouth isn't suggesting anything as an alternative number. He's trying to make comparison's with mouldy Brit stadium rockers ten years past their prime and using that as a prima facie case as to why the numbers couldn't be right.
Like his false dichotomies, this appealing to authority and making meaningless comparisons is a common error in logic. I do worry the poor fella's parents wasted their money on that ivy league education.
I could give a flying fuck at a rolling donut what the webcast numbers are as a general rule. I had them confirmed from an independent source, every single surfer I know watched Tahiti and was commenting on it, therefore anecdotally it seems reasonable that during the Chopes comp 2.3million tuned in.
If someone has an alternative figure with compelling evidence then lets see it.
Accepting that there are 20million surfers world-wide then that figure seems eminently reasonable.
As to why the ASP can't leverage that figure.....who knows? Incompetence? Lack of over-arching strategy? Failure at management level? Lack of money due to tight credit in the global economy?
There's likely a myriad of reasons.
Old Rotty is as much a part of the Pro surfing landscape as dodgy judging, recreational drugs, hawaiian violence and obsequious coverage. If Pro surfing died tomorrow the poor cunt would end up a dripping pool of ectoplasm in front of his keyboard.
His life would lack all meaning.
I loved his reason for stepping out of here though after he was bent over by a bunch of convicts: lack of web traffic. Hahhahahhahahhahahhahhahahhaha, brilliant.
Wonder if that will stop him watching Snapper.
"No the webcast numbers are too low, I'm not watching".
Ah, good old fashioned bullshit. The stock in trade of the Hollywood screenwriter.
I think what has happened in military parlance is called a strategic retreat.
No need to worry though, Old Rotty isn't going anywhere. I just hope he goes back to being funny Rotty.
This angry Old Testament Rotty, the Imperial Emperor of Truth is a bit hard to swallow.
Excellent points, Steve.
As to the "big 3", if one fails, or if any decides to cut back on the ad spend, there are heaps of other multinational corps looking to get in the game. From the employees and executive at the corps, to the judges, to the players on the field, everyone is replaceable. Just ask Bobo Mart.
And contrary to then opining of our pilled up drunken pal, Rottkamp van Nancy Grace, (who quite clearly needs to find a way to recovery), the game ain't ending anytime soon. 'Cause old chia head is about to own the bloody court on which they hold the act.
BOOYAH!
the Industry/big 3 have controlled the ASP since the beginning,as they have with the surf media.
The sadest part of all this is that the ASP no longer own web or TV rights,have no global presenting sponsor,or global TV deal.
The surfers agreed to sack 12 of their mates,to form the new Top 32....where there was the expectation that contests would be streamlined into 2 dsay events and use 1 swell for the 2 days. Of course the sponsors then realised that they would not get enough bang for their buck in 2 days,so another non-losers round was included to lenghten the competition to at least 3 days ....and usually the loser round gets held on the second day of the event...when the surfs best..and finals are often run in marginal surf ,because of alll the extra rounds......
so if ya look at todays ASP/Industry.....it looks like the ASP is in its death throes and flogging the same old dead horse.....as are the iindustry brands.....how many surf brands are showing strong growth at the moment?
One positive for all of this is the entry into the market by Nike/Hurley and soon hopefully puma/Volcom,who bring real professionalism to the industry and will hopefully up the ante for the others.....
'I could(n't) give a flying fuck at a rolling donut'
The mental image I have of this boggles the mind. Pink or chocolate icing, Steve?
Just noticed that I can't access the comments from my iPad (where I have previously posted) but can from my iPhone.
Have I been blocked!?
Steve, the point is the total webcast numbers are not sufficient to present to a sponsor in order to ask for the money required to fund the tour.
Selling the naming rights for the tour/comps and/or the broadcast rights simply will not generate enough revenue to fund the entire elite tour. This is because there are not enough people consistently tuning in to the webcasts.
Therefore the ASP is dependent on the big 3 and this arrangement ain't gonna change anytime in the near future.
Discredit Rottmouth all you want but that is a point he made long ago
....."Steve, the point is the total webcast numbers are not sufficient to present to a sponsor in order to ask for the money required to fund the tour. "
You may well be right TD, but without any evidence to support the claim it's pure speculation.
And an overarching sponno would'nt fund the entire thing, there would be cost-sharing arrangements I'd imagine.
Do you have any evidence to disprove the 2.3million for Tahiti?
Anyhow, as Maurice pointed out looks like Nike/Volclone/Puma are stepping in so time will tell if or when the ASP topples whether it will be same as it ever was with different corpo players.
I'd expect the Divine Comedy to keep muddling on for a while yet.
All I know is that it had five eighths of fuck-all influence on my surf this morning.
And I don't need to discredit Rotty, he does a grand job of that all by himself.
brutus, no industry is showing strong growth at the moment, the whole world is in fiscal deleveraging, and you ain't seen nothing yet.
rolls, there are NOT lots of multinationals trying to get in on surfing, they have got bigger fish to fry. football(s), tennis, golf, motorsports, basketball, baseball, cricket and on the list goes.
puma/Volcom, oh pllleeeease, name one major sport event puma sponsors (any sport) then explain why they would sponsor a minor sport event such as surfing. volcom is a B grade label with low revs, and for what its worth, a bloody awful logo.
Look at Oakley, its easy to think surfing is a big part of O, but truth is, surfing is whooppee whooppeee chook shit to Oakley.
Hurley, lame, no meaning, no heritage, a bit part for Nike.
Best thing Globe could do is walk away from surf/skate and go for soccer, (the world game/globe/perfect fit) but the Hill bros haven't worked it out yet. When Japan played China in the world cup qualifiers, 220 million people watched and the Hill bros are still getting dinged up in skate parks.
boys, get your hands off your joy sticks.
No need to discredit the old girl Rottkamp van Nancy Grace, as he does a fine job of that all by himself.
As to paying sponsors, surfers surfing for a living, whether in contests or not, pull their crumbs from a myriad of multinational companies who are pulling in massive growth and revenue numbers..... Hells bells, it's better for sponsored surfers to have the profits go towards those companies that PAY THEM, than it would be if the funds went to the ASP!
As to your so called point of "no global sponnos, or "global TV deal"...
Read it and weep. Go cry in your Weetabix, and piss up your own leg.
http://boxscorenews.com/outdoor-channel-signs-partnership-with-associati...
Tyler,
It must be a tech glitch, you've not been blocked. In fact, we've never blocked a single person. As for the numbers getting thrown around: Note how the large numbers are only for specific events and not for every event. Mother nature sees to it that not every event gets the kind of surf that makes people tune in.
Spectacular, crowd-pulling surf only happens once in a while and then those numbers get thrown around as a benchmark. But they can't be used to extrapolate across the board. Teahupoo may well have scored 2 million viewers this year. Next year it may well be flat and they'll get a fifth of that.
In my article above - way up above - I mentioned that O'Neill pulled sponsorship after the 2010 World Cup of Surfing cause the surf was tiny. In 2011 it was huge and the numbers reflected that.
trya burbon, maybe the real TD from zero hedge hacked ya server.
sidfish,
As to growth numbers of those many multi's sponsoring the minor entertainment event that is surfers and surfing,
Back to your beginning accounting classes. Your opinions are faulty.
VF Corp. Parent company of Vans.
http://investing.money.msn.com/investments/financial-statements?symbol=vfc
Nike/Hurley.
http://investing.money.msn.com/investments/financial-statements?symbol=nke
PPR/Volcom.
http://investing.money.msn.com/investments/financial-statements?symbol=F...
Monster Beverages.
http://investing.money.msn.com/investments/financial-statements?symbol=mnst
Shall we research and list more?
rolls, don't put up nikes stats and present them as surfing.
its like putting up Europes GDP figures as representing Lithuania.
fuck, do you think I blew in with the last onshore.?
less than Litiuania, probably more like Malta.
@t-d
"Well Benski, Rottmouth has certainly stirred up some serious emotion in you to the point of writing a long and exhaustive post."
I for one am enjoying the post's return to reasonable and reasoned debate without the crypto-fascist inanities.
What's more, the Idiot Bunny doesn't go close to deserving the credit you gave him earlier in this post. Fred Pawle, Ted Endo, Stu and Freeride himself have all written significant pieces relating precisely to the points that you ascribe causatively to the IB and his gang of tools. Which points, as Benski correctly identifies, are not new or world shattering in any sense; just points that most of us take as read.
Furthermore, if I'm not mistaken, the central thesis the IB put forward was a grand conspiracy involving all participants in "The Industry", including but not limited to criminal behaviour by certain individuals close to the late AI. A small but important point: if he or anyone else had actual knowledge of this, he or they should go to the police. Or the media. Or both.
Evidence. What a shitty requisite for proof.
Joining the dots? What a load of crap. The simplest explanation is usually the correct one. There is no conspiracy; just a bunch of people trying to get money and power.
And even if I'm wrong, I don't enjoy some overamped fascist telling me I'm a fucking idiot for not seeing his points or agreeing with his suppositions.
To paraphrase Freeride, Funny Bunny is great; Idiot Bunny is tedious and, frankly, bloody boring.
On with the debate. Enough with the enabling....
Roller by the looks of it that tv deal covers a few events in the Australasian region (but I could be wrong) and that's about it.
Look at it this way, Quiksilver pulled it's NY comp I believe mid-contract with no consequences.
If the ASP had control of this comp they would have told QS to get lost and found another sponsor...but only if the webcast numbers were sufficient to present to another sponsor such that the sponsor could be convinced they were getting value for money.
Face it, the webcast numbers are simply not there in order to give the ASP any leverage and it is stuck kissing the butts of the big 3...which is what Rottmouth said ages ago
'the ASP...is stuck kissing the butts of the big 3'
Barton Lynch said the very same thing in about 1993. So did Graham 'Sid' Cassidy. The Big 3 rolled Sid and kept up the collusion. It's nothing new, Tyler.
Yo Wesley!
NOW it's a record.
Tyler, you make it sound so easy that all someone has to do is front up with some web stats, and the sponnos will come running with buckets of cash.
It's just not the case in this day and age.
There are many political and financial reasons for this - some of which have merit and others which don't - but most of the points you mention (re: ASP control of events, or lack thereof) are very old news, and have been discussed ad nauseum on this website and many others.
For what its worth, I can't see any significant change to the ASP World Tour happening in the near future. Rebel Tour? Not gonna happen. Too much risk, too little reward. The specialty event concept detailed in this article (above) is probably the next phase for pro surfing.
if anyone wants good indicator of the state of play of "the Industry" they should look no further PacSun closing 200 of 800 stores.
and sorry, dumping inventory in clearance sales doesn't count, at least BBG 'fessed up. One of the others doesn't have to. Waiting on the other anyday, slight delay cos their CFO bolted, perhaps. wonder why?
not put up nikes global stats juiced up on Asian soccer and golf sales.
cos you can have ya novelty event in China, Vietnam comps in the 90s, Drouyn taking 30 boards to China in the early 80s,
but after all these years, the Colonel still rings true...
Charlie don't surf.
and thank fuck for that.
sid,
Those massively growing ten year comps of these multinational companies includes their surfing side,... which may be small when compared to mega entertainments events like soccer and golf. But, that's where surfing currently matches up to the rest of the entertainment biz.
As to ZQK pulling out of NYC, hells bells boys, try working with politicians who control these major cities. Most are too busy running their ego driven corruption machine, power grabbing, and showing their junk to girls on their Twittie account.
http://mmehiphopnews.com/profiles/blogs/busted-more-steamy-photos-of
http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/2011/06/anthony_weiner_17.php
Charlie may not have surfed much in the past, but that does not mean that he or she won't do so in the future.
The future is straight cash, homie.
I have no doubt that Nike re Hurley and whoever bought Volcom have already had their "whoops" moment, just like BBG did last month, and Quik did before them.
In the short to medium term, I'll stick with the Colonel, and silver bullion. Especially while Europe implodes and Uncle Sam spends all their dosh on blowing up yellow and brown people. 2012/13/14 will be fun.
surfing small? mate its a hot dog stand vs mainstream. Christ, even US fishing tournos have $ 1 mil first place purses.
rolls, Nike will take you straight back to Huntington Pier, with the beach volley ball, stunt jets, kite surfing, body building, jugglers, clowns and 2 foot slop.
Told Brew You guys were missing him and...
the V for Vanguard too.... Answer was
B.R.E.W.
Rottmouth B.R.E.W.
@
@RiffRaffBriz @V_For_Vanguard Of course, we have something to say. Unlike anyone else there. Their reactions paint a dull Monet background.
Fifth Column
V_For_Vanguard Fifth Column
@
@RiffRaffBriz @Rottmouth They seem to say over and over "if you were nicer BR" or "tone it down we agree" but BR is the wrecking ball.
Fifth Column
V_For_Vanguard Fifth Column
@RiffRaffBriz @Rottmouth Maybe one of THEM would step up? Like roTmouth did with the Michael Tompson story. Just speak!
Not to worry, mates...
Similar to how Michael Tomson is the Keith Richards of surfing, our pilled up and drunk pal old Rottkamp/Nancy Grace is doing a fine job rolling as the Lindsay Lohan of surf comment sections,
rolls, rottencramps is now using MP as a point of reference to back up crusade.
MP ?
sid.
Alcohol aside, and I do not know that much of MP, did he consume a lot of drugs over his lifetime? Was he as much of an addict like old Rottkamp tells everyone he is?
At the end of the day, which multinational corporation do you think signs those paychecks for 'ili miss Rottkamp/rottmouth?
yes he did, lots.
and none of it had anything to do with any "the industry" of the time.
He mighta got a few free wetties off Rip Curl, that'd be about it, sponsorship was limited back then and he made his own boards.
absolutely no dots to connect there.
He created his own destiny. Dunno what rottencramps is on about there.
a quick glance at rottencramps twat account, he's twatted no less than 11,000+ twats, yes you read right 11,000+.
and of his 800 odd "followers", amongst the usual twatter telemarketers, transvestites and tryhards are his devotees ... BIGGAYDICKS and ANUSGAS.
winning.
sidthefish would you just fuckoff your a moron repeating yourself over and over im sick of your shit.come back when you have something intellegent to say.
^ lmao
One should be careful with their spelling, grammar and punctuation when asking someone else to "come back when you have something intellegent to say".
Furious pounding of the keyboard caused the mistakes, I hope.
By the way, here is a comic flowchart on how to deal with internet arguments: http://laughingsquid.com/comic-flowchart-on-how-to-deal-with-internet-ar...
clif
One should not be such a pompous wanker when judging others.I was unaware that spelling, grammar or punctuation were a sign of intelligence.
Back to the topic please.
Awwww. I'm just taking the piss, Thunderwood. It just wouldn't be an online forum without someone being the 'grammar police'. Much better effort with your last comment. Although, there should be a space between the full stop mark and "I".
sidthefish. FIGJAM.
thunderbox, I've got another 10,967 twats to go.
Strap yourself in, London here we come.
;)
eddie, get a job.
What a post!
Back when I remember the hoopla about Michael Peterson. He was a talent, like a few others, that imploded in his own detritus.
That this article is about Mundaka, I am always impressed with the degree of debate in Oz. Some of you should have careers as writers - very amusing to read some of the comments.
Back to Mundaka - What a wave? And sandy bottom to boot!
I like the idea of a 3 month waiting period, and I have no interest in who waits and eventually surfs.
The point being, that on any given day there are more than enough qualified tube riders to impress.
Let the games begin with whomever is on hand.
May the best ride win.
Hard to judge when and if they wait for the 'perfect' day!!!
I'm sick of seeing the same old faces on tour - this would be a sweet reprieve from the SOSO.
Kelly would win anyway - so why contest it anymore?
Hmmm. I don't agree that undiagnosed and untreated mental illness qualifies as one's "own detritus".
Big business looks out for big business interest. The very fact participation is dependent on SWOLLEN profit margins (you made them rich) should be enough to put you off. It puts me off life..
These corporations don't care about you. They don't care about surfers/'athletes'. The marketing and profiting of your culture is the bottom line.
The delusion surrounding A.I (yes personal responsibility must enter the equation) that nobody was enabling him? No spin? Are you fucking kidding me? Saving face was for Billabong, not the Irons family. All you need do was pick up a mag or follow the internet coverage.
All of the above is so blindingly obvious I'm struggling to understand defense of the world tour and heartless corporations that DO NOTHING FOR ANYBODY, unless it stands to gain.
The long held belief surfers are ignorant rings true.
On topic,
- Generally the waves are poor
- the action is slow
- the commentary is dry and pro product
It's all roses. Fresh product caps and shades for when you exit the water. There's no drama, no critical comments, no animals! this all makes for boring entertainment.
I'd rather watch a tennis player flip out and break all his rackets live.
OK fishhead,
I'll submit Option C.
Billabong should have sacked him and hung him out to dry.
Happy ?
Option D - Going forward, only KITE contracts get written... if surfers fuck up, go off the rails, have extra-marital affairs, get done DUI, whatever, then the string gets cut and the surfer is on his own.
Happy?
Really, do the companies have to hold these spoilt brats' dick 24/7 ?
The delusion is the people who refuse to accept AI's self determination, as if he was made to take drugs at gun point.
I'll concede personal responsibility is a major factor in this equation. Andy was a human being capable of self help like the rest of us.
Will you concede a blanket was thrown over the entire situation to the benefit of Billa while spin was created. Even as far to shift attention to the family and encouragement of sentences like the Irons brand would be tarnished/affected from his wife! The whole drama is so transparent
There's no delusion there. All you need do was follow the coverage
So who do want to suffer more?
Billabong,
or the family & friends cos you rubber necks continue the scrutiny, having his whole life picked to pieces like some public plaything and refuse to let him rest in peace.
you Crusaders are just parasites, blood sucking on a tradgedy.
Can we crack 300? Oh Webcasts...Thats right. Never watched one. Cant be bothered sitting on my arse in front of a computer for that long. I see the highlights on the 1/2hour TV show 6 months later.
fishhead,
"Big business looks out for big business interest".
Yea? Even your local milk bar does not make and sell sangos from the goodness of their heart.
Drive thru.
You're missing the point entirely.
Most of the people here would support protecting whales/dolphins/corproations etc. You just hate on human beings right?
Your precious cotton rag trade employs 12 year old's to make your billboard t-shirts (not exclusive to Billabong). It also wants to tap that swelling Chinese market at the same time, but how these kids will ever afford the boardies they make is beyond me.
Comparing a milk bar to a multi-national corporation is a big laugh, but okay - our local 'milk bar' sponsors competition for a MENTION at the presentation. Feeds all the kids too. The Milk bar also manages to sell WAX. Unlike the Billabong store 'beach culture' I worked in. More like cotton culture.
That's what your surfing scene is > Cotton culture. So far removed from surfing culture it's ridiculous.
I'm not anti-everything or paranoid.
@ Sidthefish - nobody is picking apart his life? If I supplied you with crack and you died, I am legally accountable. It's that black and white. Accountability is the point and you're missing it.
What's the easiest way to control a human being? Get him dependent on drugs. You're happy for that to continue behind closed doors? Discussion and future prevention is a negative thing for us to be doing?
You suck.
didn't think you killbill crusaders could go much lower, or dumber, but here you go.
[What's the easiest way to control a human being? Get him dependent on drugs.]
Now AI is Elvis and Billabong is the Colonel.
fuck, that'll do me, I'm out.
Something often missed by those who live a pure and wholesome life is that if you are ever afforded and accepting of that first snort… control has been established.
This concept is as old as the Smack Dealers infiltrating the USA inner cities back in the 70’s.
Control is established the moment a person addicts he/she to a substance.
You may not understand it.
That’s fine and good. But the power of narcotics are stronger than most people can imagine. Once that dependence is established… a feeding trough is needed to satiate that hunger.
You see where this leads Sid.
I know you are just trolling for comments.
But these are facts.
So fuck you and all that you love.
Andy Irons was the first and only three time champ to die in (or near) his prime.
Billabong fucked up.
It woke me up.
And this last ASP year is a prelude to the end.
Watch it unravel...
To blame the person (AI) for everything is preposterously retarded. No drug addict can score without help. Andy was employed by people who were know addicts. See: Michael Tompson. Connect the fucking dots. You think Andy was meeting fools in back alley's in LA to score?
Bullshit.
He had all his Rx and Coke delivered right where he wanted.
Steve Shearer and The Industry calls it all "conjecture."
I call it "Fuck YOU!"
At some point I hope some of you use your actual minds... and not depend on what your "mentors" from the olds days told you. Read Cori Schumacker's article on Wordpress. Brilliant.
Nails you fuckers to a cross you will never dismount.
So you tell me how "enabling" those friends were...
Surfs lookin' good in my part of the world tomorrow. Hot temps, light winds, bit of swell. Nice.
Is that appropriate for this forum...can't degenerate anymore I reckon.
Happy surfing!