"World Longboard Champion" (LOL!) suspended. Nobody cares.

[PPK96754]

Thank you for the kind offer. If you're serious, I may take you up on that next winter. I'm pretty sure each of the three surfers you mentioned are old enough to be my father and I am in my 50s. Obviously, they are not in the category that draws my ire and I respect my elders.

Felipe is 79, still surfs the Bay here or travels to surf and is 3 years older then myself.
Jeff is 73, has been down in Brazil surfing or he may be back on Kauai by now when I talked to his Son, Ryan. Billy, lives down the street from me and now rides a SUP because of physical limitations and still rips the Bay when he's not shaping boards. Billy is 73 coming up on 74.

I took offense to your comment because you lump all longboarders into one group of bozo's who get your ire worked up. We been doing this sh!t for decades, got the slaps and cracks, learned the rotation, swam for our boards when there were "No Leashes" and even returned boards back to the rider if they lost their board by towing their board back with the tips of our toes.
I'm an old phuck, just how it is. Got no problem, take no offense if I'm called one. Shortboards and skating were a whole new revolution and exploded, and in surfing, the schooling, the cracks n' slaps, the courtesy's all went out the door. It was a free for all. My wave. MY, home break. Phuck you kook. The pleasantry's, the fun were gone. Done. No one took the effort to tell the newbs the rules of the road in surfing so hence, chaos.
And in the end, Your're left with Your ire to deal with. The basic's for learning how to surf was, "your on your own, dude." Cool, but if you don't inform them that paddling up through the line up is a no -no, you need to paddle around, then it's all on you or the more skilled surfers for the ease of information. Pretty easy verbiage but it didn't happen, and more chaos.

You and I could joust back and forth on the subject for days, but I'm not up for it. I just want to slide a wave or two, maybe squirt in mah shorts if it's a bitchen wave and call it a morning. That's all this ole phuck wants to do, and maybe that ole fuzziness of life will tickle my fancy once more.

Love and Aloha from Kauai's north shore ~
Offer stands, if by the grace of Miki Dora.

 

[GromsDad]

Felipe is 79, still surfs the Bay here or travels to surf and is 3 years older then myself.
Jeff is 73, has been down in Brazil surfing or he may be back on Kauai by now when I talked to his Son, Ryan. Billy, lives down the street from me and now rides a SUP because of physical limitations and still rips the Bay when he's not shaping boards. Billy is 73 coming up on 74.

I took offense to your comment because you lump all longboarders into one group of bozo's who get your ire worked up. We been doing this sh!t for decades, got the slaps and cracks, learned the rotation, swam for our boards when there were "No Leashes" and even returned boards back to the rider if they lost their board by towing their board back with the tips of our toes.
I'm an old phuck, just how it is. Got no problem, take no offense if I'm called one. Shortboards and skating were a whole new revolution and exploded, and in surfing, the schooling, the cracks n' slaps, the courtesy's all went out the door. It was a free for all. My wave. MY, home break. Phuck you kook. The pleasantry's, the fun were gone. Done. No one took the effort to tell the newbs the rules of the road in surfing so hence, chaos.
And in the end, Your're left with Your ire to deal with. The basic's for learning how to surf was, "your on your own, dude." Cool, but if you don't inform them that paddling up through the line up is a no -no, you need to paddle around, then it's all on you or the more skilled surfers for the ease of information. Pretty easy verbiage but it didn't happen, and more chaos.

You and I could joust back and forth on the subject for days, but I'm not up for it. I just want to slide a wave or two, maybe squirt in mah shorts if it's a bitchen wave and call it a morning. That's all this ole phuck wants to do, and maybe that ole fuzziness of life will tickle my fancy once more.

Love and Aloha from Kauai's north shore ~
Offer stands, if by the grace of Miki Dora.

If you go back and read my original post you will see that I made specific exception for those who have physical limitations......age obviously being one of them. I've been surfing now for 40 years and have my share of shoulder, back and hip issues. I still work to stay in shape to ride a shortboard. I'll ride a longboard in the summer when its tiny and shortboarding is otherwise impossible.

Starting surfing in the early 80s I caught the tail end of when lineups in these parts were orderly. For the first 20 years it was actually fairly uncommon to share the lineup with longboarders around here. Those who did ride them were mostly older regulars who had been on them before the shortboard era and stayed on them. The few longboarders back then had manners. A few of these guys I speak of are now in the New Jersey and or East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame.

Fast forward to about 2000. All of a sudden a number of former shortboarders who either weren't ever very good or who were no longer very fit discovered that they could get a lot more waves by riding longboards. Mostly local working class guys. They brought their aggro attitude with them to the new equipment and took full advantage of the extra foam to dominate the lineup especially in the early AM and after work sessions. For the next 10-15 years the lineups were frustrating but mostly tolerable. There would be that one or two assholes who showed up and backpaddled and sat outside and snaked the sets and killed the vibe.

Fast forward to about 2012. Another wave of newbies on longboards emerges. Adult learners, hipsters and young "surf school" graduates dominate this crowd. These folks are especially entitled and entered the lineups with no manners and no experience on shorter craft. These folks were told by the surfshop employee or surf school not to buy a shortboard......rather, "Here buy this nine foot $1000 30 pound Bing, $900 Hydrohull, $499 Torq or Foamy and go have fun. You're entitled now. See that peak over there with the rippers......that's where you belong."

Its a total sh!t show now. God forbid you say anything, grab a leash, spear someone, tackle someone or have an altercation in or out of the water. You'll end up on YouTube, Instagram, Beachgrit and in Court.

If you want to be angry with anyone that my attitude as a dedicated shortboarder exists you should be mad at the longboarders who've created bad vibes with their conduct in the water. They've destroyed any level of respect longboarding might have.

To this day I have never encountered a lineup that REQUIRED someone on a longboard to sit 20 yards further outside than the shortboarders on the same peak only to paddle like mad to get a running start before popping up before even reaching where the shortboarders are sitting. Watch Jamie Obrein at Pipeline and you'll see that he's not being a dick on his 9' foamie even though he could if he wanted to. He's sitting in the mix beside everyone else. I think back two of those East Coast Surfing Hall Of Fame members I used to surf with a lot growing up. These guys always sat right in the mix with us shortboarders no matter how critical the takeoff even on the biggest days. When it was their turn, they would position themselves, sink the tail of his board and with no more than three strokes pop up. One of them would often sit inside and use a technique of paddling OUT to meet a set wave and then at the last second spin and then sink the board and coordinate his pop-up on one or no strokes at all using the wave's energy and perfect positioning to do all the work. Nobody on a longboard does that today. They all sit 20 yards out there being assholes snaking every wave by paddling like madmen to get in early before those on smaller craft have any chance. Then they paddle around the entire lineup to sit with the other longboard assholes sitting way outside. Rinse and repeat.

I have several longboards. Always have. I don't ever want to be "That guy" on a longboard though.

If you're a longboarder, the next session sit no further out than the competent shortboarders and get your waves in that rotation instead of sitting way outside. Try it.

 

[SurfFuerteventura]

In my dreams I surf with PPK.

Not in a ghey whey, NTTIAWWT.

 

[theramrod]

Oh stop with the BS WSL, we all know what really got him suspended. Maybe Joel revealing the intimate LGBTQ relationship between tour director JMD and one of its tour surfers TW and posting it on social media?! As well as calling out the hypocrisy of not giving MJW a spot on tour following Pipe for beating TW. This and this.

I want to know more. Thought TW had a steady girlfriend?

 

[santacruzin]

If you go back and read my original post you will see that I made specific exception for those who have physical limitations......age obviously being one of them. I've been surfing now for 40 years and have my share of shoulder, back and hip issues. I still work to stay in shape to ride a shortboard. I'll ride a longboard in the summer when its tiny and shortboarding is otherwise impossible.

Starting surfing in the early 80s I caught the tail end of when lineups in these parts were orderly. For the first 20 years it was actually fairly uncommon to share the lineup with longboarders around here. Those who did ride them were mostly older regulars who had been on them before the shortboard era and stayed on them. The few longboarders back then had manners. A few of these guys I speak of are now in the New Jersey and or East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame.

Fast forward to about 2000. All of a sudden a number of former shortboarders who either weren't ever very good or who were no longer very fit discovered that they could get a lot more waves by riding longboards. Mostly local working class guys. They brought their aggro attitude with them to the new equipment and took full advantage of the extra foam to dominate the lineup especially in the early AM and after work sessions. For the next 10-15 years the lineups were frustrating but mostly tolerable. There would be that one or two assholes who showed up and backpaddled and sat outside and snaked the sets and killed the vibe.

Fast forward to about 2012. Another wave of newbies on longboards emerges. Adult learners, hipsters and young "surf school" graduates dominate this crowd. These folks are especially entitled and entered the lineups with no manners and no experience on shorter craft. These folks were told by the surfshop employee or surf school not to buy a shortboard......rather, "Here buy this nine foot $1000 30 pound Bing, $900 Hydrohull, $499 Torq or Foamy and go have fun. You're entitled now. See that peak over there with the rippers......that's where you belong."

Its a total sh!t show now. God forbid you say anything, grab a leash, spear someone, tackle someone or have an altercation in or out of the water. You'll end up on YouTube, Instagram, Beachgrit and in Court.

If you want to be angry with anyone that my attitude as a dedicated shortboarder exists you should be mad at the longboarders who've created bad vibes with their conduct in the water. They've destroyed any level of respect longboarding might have.

To this day I have never encountered a lineup that REQUIRED someone on a longboard to sit 20 yards further outside than the shortboarders on the same peak only to paddle like mad to get a running start before popping up before even reaching where the shortboarders are sitting. Watch Jamie Obrein at Pipeline and you'll see that he's not being a dick on his 9' foamie even though he could if he wanted to. He's sitting in the mix beside everyone else. I think back two of those East Coast Surfing Hall Of Fame members I used to surf with a lot growing up. These guys always sat right in the mix with us shortboarders no matter how critical the takeoff even on the biggest days. When it was their turn, they would position themselves, sink the tail of his board and with no more than three strokes pop up. One of them would often sit inside and use a technique of paddling OUT to meet a set wave and then at the last second spin and then sink the board and coordinate his pop-up on one or no strokes at all using the wave's energy and perfect positioning to do all the work. Nobody on a longboard does that today. They all sit 20 yards out there being assholes snaking every wave by paddling like madmen to get in early before those on smaller craft have any chance. Then they paddle around the entire lineup to sit with the other longboard assholes sitting way outside. Rinse and repeat.

I have several longboards. Always have. I don't ever want to be "That guy" on a longboard though.

If you're a longboarder, the next session sit no further out than the competent shortboarders and get your waves in that rotation instead of sitting way outside. Try it.

Let me give you some advice, When someone like Peter speaks to you shut the eff up and listen.

You don't need to write a 2 paragraph ramble explaining yourself. No one cares.

 

[Senor Sopa]

To this day I have never encountered a lineup that REQUIRED someone on a longboard to sit 20 yards further outside than the shortboarders on the same peak only to paddle like mad to get a running start before popping up before even reaching where the shortboarders are sitting. Watch Jamie Obrein at Pipeline and you'll see that he's not being a dick on his 9' foamie even though he could if he wanted to. He's sitting in the mix beside everyone else. I think back two of those East Coast Surfing Hall Of Fame members I used to surf with a lot growing up. These guys always sat right in the mix with us shortboarders no matter how critical the takeoff even on the biggest days. When it was their turn, they would position themselves, sink the tail of his board and with no more than three strokes pop up. One of them would often sit inside and use a technique of paddling OUT to meet a set wave and then at the last second spin and then sink the board and coordinate his pop-up on one or no strokes at all using the wave's energy and perfect positioning to do all the work. Nobody on a longboard does that today. They all sit 20 yards out there being assholes snaking every wave by paddling like madmen to get in early before those on smaller craft have any chance. Then they paddle around the entire lineup to sit with the other longboard assholes sitting way outside. Rinse and repeat.

Funny, I like to sit 20 yards out farther than the other longboarers.
You mention Jamie OBrien. Did you forget to mention that he has high level status at Pipe and knows EVERY local? When's the last time you hogged all the waves from the crew? How'd that work out?

Yes, no spots REQUIRE anything. But if you want to catch the good ones, some places to sit are better than others. I know many places in my town where longboars can get a roll in, waaaaay before any shortboarer has even thought about paddling. What's the protocol for this? At my regular spot, I let the guys inside get plenty. Mainly cuz the ones I want, the shortboars are all caught way inside.

Nobody does no paddle takeoffs? Must be an East Coast thing. Aside from scarmbling to catch a set, if I have to paddle like a madman to catch the wave, it just feels so undignified.

 

[crustBrother]

In my dreams I surf with PPK.

same. and hopefully *before* my soul detaches itself and does the one-way paddle out at polihale

 

[GromsDad]

Let me give you some advice, When someone like Peter speaks to you shut the eff up and listen.

You don't need to write a 2 paragraph ramble explaining yourself. No one cares.

I don't know who Peter is beyond a screen name of PPK. Should I?

 

[santacruzin]

I don't know who Peter is beyond a screen name of PPK. Should I?

Nope. Not knowing whats going and clueless is kind of your brand here.

 

[Bob Dobbalina]

Takeaways:

Grom's Dad has some misplaced resentments to work out. Time to 4th step that sh!t.

For those telling Joel to "make his own tour", he did. Years ago. The Duct Tape invitational had equal prize money for the men and women's division and ran all over the world, helping to reframe the perception of what a longboard comp could look like. It GREATLY influence the shift in criteria for the WSL Longboard Tour.

Joel isn't "wrong" about what to do with the loggers, but it is greatly oversimplified and he certainly doesn't speak for every competitive longboarder. There are several World Champs that disagree with Joel's view on what longboarding should look like. I tend to like Joel's view on riding logs, but I think there is a little more room for variety than he wants to give credit to. Yes, ideally you through the loggers out in a couple soft pointbreaks, but I'm happy to see them work it out in some beachies and the occasion chunky/heavier locale. I think chucking the loggers out on CT down days is fine in some cases, but in others it's pretty rude. Not to mention that it's a significant new bloat to float at events that already run at a loss. Furthermore, it relegates longboarding to an eternal sideshow.

As usual, joel brings up some very salient points, but he does so like an angry teenager. Social Media call outs, rants, and the like are great for views, but don't illicit sober, thoughtful, movement of ideas. But that's the price you pay with Joel. He cries like a baby, but his talent, knowledge, and reverence for surfing are incredibly valuable to surf culture. As far as investment in longboard events, Joel could certainly through some weight behind getting Vans on board in order to move the conversation forward.

All that being said, WSL is on some runny weak sauce for this "suspension". It's a classic misstep of validating the class clown with too much negative attention. Negative attention is attention none the less. I've backed JMD for a long time, despite not really liking my interactions with her, but this just feels lame. WSL does best when they lean on the relationships they've fostered and have real conversations. Working it out in public through press releases is wack.

TL/DR: Joel isn't wrong, but he's not right about all of it. WSL looks really weak for this. Both sides need to work on their communication skills. The fact that WSL can't call a World Champ in to talk through some of these things shows a massive disconnect between surfers and athletes. Joel is never going to be "the sporting guy", but the toothless commissioner of the longboard tour surfs Joel's homebreak for Christ sake.

 

[Sharkbiscuit]

Nobody does no paddle takeoffs? Must be an East Coast thing. Aside from scarmbling to catch a set, if I have to paddle like a madman to catch the wave, it just feels so undignified.

I do no paddle takeoffs sometimes. Did one at Mayport once, about six people saw it, asked me if I paddled for that wave, said no, nobody had even heard of it, one of the people in immediate vicinity overhead this and rejected that it had even happened.

What GromsDad says about longboarders on the East Coast is laser-guided. A small minority surf well (eg Justin Quintal & Co, there's a crew of Auggie doggies, the Flagler guy in the superhero wetsuit) and the rest are wave hog kooks who reliably paddle up the face into your way to spare themselves turning turtle. Most of the shortboarders would backpaddle (or try to shut the door on) their dying mother for a rusty penny, but at least that's a fair fight.

I do my tide/sandbar homework and mostly fuggoff by myself. Thank god for beachbreak and windslop.

 

[santacruzin]

I have seen punches thrown twice recently in the surf.

No cops either time.

 

[GromsDad]

Most of the shortboarders would backpaddle (or try to shut the door on) their dying mother for a rusty penny, but at least that's a fair fight.

I have no problem doing battle with other shortboarders. Throw 6 guys on longboards sitting 20 yards outside and scratching like crazy to be on their feet before the wave peaks just so they can boost wave count then paddle around everyone right back to do it again. That is where my frustration comes from. Longboarders are a scourge. Perhaps its a regional thing.

 

[Woke AF]

For "violation of the following provisions: sportsmanlike conduct (14.02), damage to surfing’s image (14.04), and verbal assault (14.08)."

is WSL an acronym for: pussification of surfing, lawyers making sht up, JMD getting her knickers bunched up?

 

[PPK96754]

GromsDad ... I got no beef with shortboarders. Some very highly proficient friends ride shortboards and I'm amazed at their skill level. Malia Manuel's Dad is a beast on waves with a shortboard. I think we, that live in Hawaii have an advantage of having good waves here, warm waters with the capabilities to see surfer's perform on a daily basis and pick up maneuvers that one, would like to do.
I was calling out kids names years back at the local longboard contest here in Hanalei like Bethany Hamilton, Tatiana Weston Web, Koa Smith, was the announcer for the Iron's Brother's PineTree's contest when the same kids moved to shortboards. Hell, I tried to get Stevie Lis, who is a dear friend of mine to build me a Fish, because I wanted to "fly" down a wave and got shut down. "Your good on a longboard Peter. Stay there" Phuck, Subway asks me to ask Stevie and HE, gets a Fishy. Just how it is.

I truly understand the dilemma between both LB's & SB's and how pissed off "000" gets at "us" ... but not my fault. AND, I live in an area (the Hawaiian Islands) with a population that is no where near, what it might be in your own location or "000" and I get His frustration. Blame the Beachboy's, Jan and Dean, Bruce Brown, John Severson. Blame the guys that go on surf trips and put it out there on social media. We never had that sh!t in the late 50's, early 60's, but we did have the opportunity to go search for waves in a more quieter way and get those chicken skin moments of adventure and waves. Different times is all.

The frustration shouldn't be pointed at one particular vehicle, but the lack of knowledge from us ole guys that did pass on the do's and don'ts in surfing but was never passed on when the shortboards came into play. Nada. It's like teaching your kid how to drive. Ya take um to a Walmart parking lot, put them in the drivers seat and slowly begin. The kid learns, understands the principals of a car and the dangers in driving a car AND, the responsibilities that come along with driving a car. Knowledge, passed down. Your kid can now drive ( but only an Automatic, heaven forbid you put them in a car with a stick shift )

I'm done. Enough.
As for Joel. Joel is being Joel with droopy eyelids. Donald Takayama, another old friend and one time roommate told me he found a "haole kid" who can just surf his aazz off and I'm going to mentor him and make him a team rider. I'm guessing Donald's mentoring worked.
Joel is like Miki Dora, getting in your business n' poking ya in yer rib cage and stir'in the pot.
Just how it is ...

 

[ElOgro]

For "violation of the following provisions: sportsmanlike conduct (14.02), damage to surfing’s image (14.04), and verbal assault (14.08)."

is WSL an acronym for: pussification of surfing, lawyers making sht up, JMD getting her knickers bunched up?

OMFG! Damage to surfing’s image! Verbal assault! Sweet Jesus make it stop!

 

[McHatin]

I thought he would've been cancelled for being AntiVaxx , but it seems its just WSL being a bunch of sensitive goofs instead

Never thought I'd see the day where Tudor is one of the cantankerous old farts

 

[ElOgro]

GromsDad ... I got no beef with shortboarders. Some very highly proficient friends ride shortboards and I'm amazed at their skill level. Malia Manuel's Dad is a beast on waves with a shortboard. I think we, that live in Hawaii have an advantage of having good waves here, warm waters with the capabilities to see surfer's perform on a daily basis and pick up maneuvers that one, would like to do.
I was calling out kids names years back at the local longboard contest here in Hanalei like Bethany Hamilton, Tatiana Weston Web, Koa Smith, was the announcer for the Iron's Brother's PineTree's contest when the same kids moved to shortboards. Hell, I tried to get Stevie Lis, who is a dear friend of mine to build me a Fish, because I wanted to "fly" down a wave and got shut down. "Your good on a longboard Peter. Stay there" Phuck, Subway asks me to ask Stevie and HE, gets a Fishy. Just how it is.

I truly understand the dilemma between both LB's & SB's and how pissed off "000" gets at "us" ... but not my fault. AND, I live in an area (the Hawaiian Islands) with a population that is no where near, what it might be in your own location or "000" and I get His frustration. Blame the Beachboy's, Jan and Dean, Bruce Brown, John Severson. Blame the guys that go on surf trips and put it out there on social media. We never had that sh!t in the late 50's, early 60's, but we did have the opportunity to go search for waves in a more quieter way and get those chicken skin moments of adventure and waves. Different times is all.

The frustration shouldn't be pointed at one particular vehicle, but the lack of knowledge from us ole guys that did pass on the do's and don'ts in surfing but was never passed on when the shortboards came into play. Nada. It's like teaching your kid how to drive. Ya take um to a Walmart parking lot, put them in the drivers seat and slowly begin. The kid learns, understands the principals of a car and the dangers in driving a car AND, the responsibilities that come along with driving a car. Knowledge, passed down. Your kid can now drive ( but only an Automatic, heaven forbid you put them in a car with a stick shift )

I'm done. Enough.
As for Joel. Joel is being Joel with droopy eyelids. Donald Takayama, another old friend and one time roommate told me he found a "haole kid" who can just surf his aazz off and I'm going to mentor him and make him a team rider. I'm guessing Donald's mentoring worked.
Joel is like Miki Dora, getting in your business n' poking ya in yer rib cage and stir'in the pot.
Just how it is ...

I blame Laird. And Chuck Dent.

 

[mundus]

GromsDad ... I got no beef with shortboarders. Some very highly proficient friends ride shortboards and I'm amazed at their skill level. Malia Manuel's Dad is a beast on waves with a shortboard. I think we, that live in Hawaii have an advantage of having good waves here, warm waters with the capabilities to see surfer's perform on a daily basis and pick up maneuvers that one, would like to do.
I was calling out kids names years back at the local longboard contest here in Hanalei like Bethany Hamilton, Tatiana Weston Web, Koa Smith, was the announcer for the Iron's Brother's PineTree's contest when the same kids moved to shortboards. Hell, I tried to get Stevie Lis, who is a dear friend of mine to build me a Fish, because I wanted to "fly" down a wave and got shut down. "Your good on a longboard Peter. Stay there" Phuck, Subway asks me to ask Stevie and HE, gets a Fishy. Just how it is.

I truly understand the dilemma between both LB's & SB's and how pissed off "000" gets at "us" ... but not my fault. AND, I live in an area (the Hawaiian Islands) with a population that is no where near, what it might be in your own location or "000" and I get His frustration. Blame the Beachboy's, Jan and Dean, Bruce Brown, John Severson. Blame the guys that go on surf trips and put it out there on social media. We never had that sh!t in the late 50's, early 60's, but we did have the opportunity to go search for waves in a more quieter way and get those chicken skin moments of adventure and waves. Different times is all.

The frustration shouldn't be pointed at one particular vehicle, but the lack of knowledge from us ole guys that did pass on the do's and don'ts in surfing but was never passed on when the shortboards came into play. Nada. It's like teaching your kid how to drive. Ya take um to a Walmart parking lot, put them in the drivers seat and slowly begin. The kid learns, understands the principals of a car and the dangers in driving a car AND, the responsibilities that come along with driving a car. Knowledge, passed down. Your kid can now drive ( but only an Automatic, heaven forbid you put them in a car with a stick shift )

I'm done. Enough.
As for Joel. Joel is being Joel with droopy eyelids. Donald Takayama, another old friend and one time roommate told me he found a "haole kid" who can just surf his aazz off and I'm going to mentor him and make him a team rider. I'm guessing Donald's mentoring worked.
Joel is like Miki Dora, getting in your business n' poking ya in yer rib cage and stir'in the pot.
Just how it is ...

I spent a week in your home town years ago, wonderful place, but as a tourist I knew dam well to avoid the few local spots unless invited and minded my manners at the tourist spots. Show respect to everyone even if not reciprocated, most often it will be if you are coming form the right place.

 

[donuts]

ok, initially i thought i might’ve missed something....

i know who PPK is.

JMD = jesse miley dwyer ? (sp. ?)
TW = tyler wright ?

LT = lawrence taylor (not some running back)

LS=MFT ? (for the cognoscenti only)

GFY / KSN! /FTW !