Slater 24/7

hal9000

Duke status
Jan 30, 2016
55,649
16,350
113
Urbana, Illinois
I can't be bothered to watch this.

Also, isn't it amazing how the best athletes can never just bow out gracefully when they're at their peak?
 

wedge2

Billy Hamilton status
Jan 20, 2011
1,417
1,852
113
Slater is a weird mofo...that wave pool is environmentally friendly as are his $120 cargo shorts made from recycled plastics :rolleyes:
 
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Waterlogged05

Michael Peterson status
May 14, 2005
1,923
1,822
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TIGER CAME BACK TO WIN THE MASTERS
KELLY JUST NEED SOME OF THAT HGH BREH

WE OUT TO GET ELON MUSKOVICH TO BUILD HIM SOME ELECTRIC KNEES.
GET SOME OF THAT CHINESE ORGAN HARVESTING SPONSORSHIP, FOREVER YOUNG
 

Mr Doof

Duke status
Jan 23, 2002
24,850
7,747
113
San Francisco, CA
I can't be bothered to watch this.

Also, isn't it amazing how the best athletes can never just bow out gracefully when they're at their peak?

Giving up is for losers!




More lame humor aside, this 'bow out gracefully' thing isn't all that easy to do.

I cite any number of deceased relatives/friend/friends of friends who did not die gracefully but fought against the tide of time/illness/injury.

Case in point: friend of mine died in her 40s from lung cancer. Took three years from diagnosis to end up in the dirt. Did experimental drug trials, wracked her mind/body/soul with chemo, faith healings, nature strolls ripped to the gills on pot, blah, blah, blah. Then one day she said she was tired of it all. A month later, into the ground she went with crying family and friends watching. That was 2 years, 11 months of not bowing out...horrific toll all around. At times I sure wished she would have bowed out to spare my weak ass some pain (and others too, but if I'm being honest, me first please), but then I came to understand it is probably what I would have done as well, so, yeah, I grew up tiny bit more.

Anyway, dying isn't the same of aging out of a physical/mental sport, but by extrapolation, the best people fight until they are tired and they get to decide it for themselves. After all, we can all laugh at their folly from our comfy chair all we want and swallow our bile if they surpass our predictions.

PS
Did I read something about Denis Rodman wanting to play in the NBA again...isn't he in his mid 50s? The desire/need to compete is just ingrained in some of us much more than others.
 
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000

Duke status
Feb 20, 2003
26,018
7,171
113
I can't be bothered to watch this.

Also, isn't it amazing how the best athletes can never just bow out gracefully when they're at their peak?
he did. he retired from the tour as #1

but then he unretired a few years later
nice of him to let some other guys win titles for a bit though
 

Leaverite

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Dec 19, 2017
7,924
1,092
113
Central Cal
He has been driven by competition for so long and has been at the pinnacle for so long. It is his all encompassing existence. As long as he is around it he will continue to push himself to the outer limits to excel.

Kelly needs a new hobby.

Golf???
 

Leaverite

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Dec 19, 2017
7,924
1,092
113
Central Cal
He has been driven by competition for so long and has been at the pinnacle for so long. It is his all encompassing existence. As long as he is around it he will continue to push himself to the outer limits to excel.

Kelly needs a new hobby.

Golf???

I would love to see Kelly join the PGA and kick serious ass.
 
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Leaverite

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Dec 19, 2017
7,924
1,092
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Central Cal
The only other present day guy in sports who is walking in Kelly's shoes that I can see is Antonio Carioli. Born in Sicily in 1985. 9 time world GP Motocross champion. Team KTM. Finished 2nd this year. God. These guys are superhumans. But the time comes to pass on the torch. You can't be bummed. Even if you pass the torch on there is no guarantee that the new owner will do a fraction of what you have done.
 

HarryLopez

Phil Edwards status
Jan 17, 2007
6,580
544
113
Neck deep
I can't be bothered to watch this.

Also, isn't it amazing how the best athletes can never just bow out gracefully when they're at their peak?
People that can realize their expiration date and plan accordingly and do it gracefully are not that common actually. I'd be surprised if 30% of the erbb pulled it off. No offense Gents!
 

Leaverite

Rabbitt Bartholomew status
Dec 19, 2017
7,924
1,092
113
Central Cal
Expiration date comes with $$$ to how far you can extend it. Look at our current surf contests.

All held in good venues, in a established time frame, but does the playing field actually equal the players???
 
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TheEl

Billy Hamilton status
Oct 31, 2010
1,377
1,353
113
To me the whole thing felt like an ad for the pipe contest. WSL and HBO slob'n each others knobs.
 

FecalFace

Duke status
Nov 21, 2008
42,338
2,105
113
The Californias
Yeah his 10th place WCT ranking is pure sh!t. What a loser :bricks:
Calm down, I didn't say he's a loser.

By his own admission, his body is falling apart.

But he say he still has a competitive urge.

So I suggested golf.

It was sad watching him at the Haleiwa contest.

Apart from that one turn.

But I DGAF about competitive surfing anyway. They're all losers!