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| Q&A: Michael Brooke - Publisher, Concrete Wave Magazine (7141 Posts)
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ok
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On 9/11/2007 mbl
wrote in from
Canada
(216.58.nnn.nnn)
my eyes are open - i think we are on the same page
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sheckler
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On 9/10/2007
Steve C.
wrote in from
United States
(72.55.nnn.nnn)
Sheckler may not race slalom, but do you really think he is one dimensional as a skater? I bet Sheck can skate parks and some vert. I would bet that he could dominate slalom races if he chose. Most pros have all around skills. I have witnessed a lot of pros who are known for street skating kill it in a park, on a vert ramp, you name it. I think guys like Sheck are popular because they rip to such an extreme that it is very impressive. I just don't think slalom will ever be as popular as street/vert/park skating. I think it is pretty closed minded to think if a guy is pro, known as a street skater, that means they can't skate anything else. It just shows that you don't know the depth of someones bag if you think all a guy can do is skate one thing.
Guys like Sheckler kill it, hands down. I bet Ryan can rip vert more than the McClarens. And I bet, given some time to practice, could give those kids a run for their money on a slalom course. This goes for most of the "street" pros today.
Just my opinion, but I have seen Sheck ride a park in person and it is pretty rediculous. Definately not someone who skates in a box and can only jump down stairs. Far from it. He is marketed to the street market because that is where the money is. Does not mean he can't do an air. Just because you don't see someone doing something in a magazine does not mean they don't have the skills.
This makes me laugh:
slalomers who can ride vert or excel at freestyle/flatland and dabble in street are especially impressive
So a guy who runs comes and can skate vert or flatland only has to dabble in street to be especially impressive? What about guys who flat out kill it on street? How about someone who destroys parks or vert ramps and does not slalom? How about downhill racers who can't drop into a pool? All these guys are impressive, but let's face it, someone who kills it is more impressive than someone who dabbles in a bunch of stuff. Just my opinion. The are people who are all around gnarly and that is the cool to. But someone who goes far beyond what most people can imagine is the most impressive to me. Look at Bob Gnar, that guy is known as a vert ripper, but you know what? He rips street to. Same with Mr. Way. That guys street skills are off the hook. Does it make it less impressive that he is not known for running cones? Do you think Danny would have a hard time dominating the slalom world? I really doubt it.
So I guess the point of this is that it is easy to act like professionals are one dimensional and people who do a little of everything are so much more talented, however, most slalom courses are not a life or death scenario. The Mega Ramp is. A lot of street skating, and park skating, is way more dangerous than slalom. Guys who rip these mediums are extremely talented and you should probably give them more respect than the last post. I read in there that street skating is something to do between slalom, freestyle, and vert. Maybe you should look at how hard people are killing it before you try to minimize their accomplishments. Sheckler does more, harder things in one day than most of us will ever do in our life. So do a lot of other pros who are known as street skaters. And they rip parks, pools, and ramps. Open your eyes.
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scheckler talented, but..
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On 9/9/2007 mbl
wrote in from
Canada
(216.58.nnn.nnn)
i think the world is looking for all-round skaters as the stars right now...pros who can do more than one discipline are the cutting edge...slalomers who can ride vert or excel at freestyle/flatland and dabble in street are especially impressive...jason mitchell, claude regnier, pierre gravel, ian comishin, richie carrasco, manuel schaub, mike cividino, vincent berruchon, steve olsen..etc
my kids aged 10 & 13 ride vert (like mclaren boys) and slalom, and now are working on their flatland/freestyle and ride street all the time between home & school
scheckler is a phenom who will flicker and change/grow or expire
keep skatin' and hav fun
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ratings...
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On 9/5/2007 Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(65.95.nnn.nnn)
MTV's Finds Life in 'Ryan'
Anthony Crupi
AUGUST 30, 2007 -
MTV got air Monday night with the debut of its latest hybrid scripted/reality series, Life of Ryan, averaging 2.3 million viewers and delivering a 2.5 rating among viewers 12-34 at 10:30 p.m.
The opener was MTV’s highest-rated series premiere of 2007 among the target demo.
Starring 17-year-old pro skater Ryan Sheckler, the series drops in on the shredding phenom as he tries to make sense of his parents’ divorce and the demands of life on tour.
Life of Ryan enjoyed a significant boost from lead-in The Hills, which served up 4.1 million viewers and set the high-water mark for MTV in 2007 with a 4.4 rating among viewers 12-34.
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more thoughts
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On 9/5/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(65.95.nnn.nnn)
You know, I think I get your point...street skating is so mental now that folks DO have to think a few steps ahead. The fact is you have kids like Nyjah nipping very closely at the heals of some major superstars. It wasn't all that long ago that Ryan was doing the same.
I guess I am starting to realize (in my old age!) that sometimes, less is more.
The endorsement contracts that Ryan signed with some of the big companies are obviously lucrative...but he requires more. Ok, more power to him..BUT I think he might have jumped the shark.
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ben pappas
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On 9/5/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21364143-661,00.html
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sheckler
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On 9/4/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
Well, for me I am interested in Ryan, how his life is growing up as a contest skater and how that affect him. I seen him before on crib and that mikeV show and I am looking forward to watching this new show.
Maybe the ncdsa crowd is not the target audience, but anyone who is a fan of street skating have some interest in the personal lifes of their favorite top pros, (just look at all the interviews in mags)
old geezers have their favorites too,alva, hosoi, duane, olson, just look in Juice..
(how about BBC skatekings when they follow alva around?)
I think all the mtv skate shows have been successful, I love jackass and wildboys, but didn't care much for bam and rob.
And if you watch the first episode, I don't think Ryan plans to make a jackass out of himself.
also Michael, no one would watch a Burnquist reality show, I saw him on crib, all he talks about is his veggie garden...
that reminds me, I need to pick up some Mike McGill shoes at Walmart, might be a collectible someday.
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Thanks Mike
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On 9/4/2007
Steve C.
wrote in from
United States
(72.55.nnn.nnn)
Thanks Mike, this is more of what I was looking for. Sometimes you are a little short with your answers, and you need to be needled into elaborating. I dont agree with everything, but hey, my view is just this: If people want to do stupid s#@! for money, more power to them. My point is this, guys like Sheck are being forced to resort to stuff like this because street skating is not going to be the popular force forever, especially on the money end of things. People are risking death at contests, and switch b-side 180 down 10 stairs is not even in the same ball park as switch b-side 180 over 75 foot death gap. So unless this kid steps up to that, he has to plan for his future, and making as ass of yourself on MTV pays pretty well. I have not seen the show so I figure it is just the same old crap. Whats the harm? Personally I don't watch TV so I have no idea what its all about. Probably crap. I just don't see it ruining his future, because he needs to step up if he hopes to compete with where competitive skating is going. Street skating is fun, and hard, but those kids don't slam like that Jake Brown s#@!. That is what people want to see. The same thing happened in the 90's with snowboarding. It used to be pretty easy to get sponsored and turn pro. Now you have to risk death every minute or no one cares. Skateboarding is going that route now.
Another factor is this, MTV has been a launch pad for things outside of skating, like movies and stuff. This is where the big money is. Let me ask you this, did Jackass really hurt Bam? That dude is super rich now. Skating does not last forever, and guys who think ahead often have more to show for it than their honor. And at the end of the day, I know some honorable people who are broke. Lots of them. And I know some smart people who sold out to an extent and have reaped the benifits. Don't call it a sell out, we all sell out. It is just what we sell out for. Being a sell out for money, in my opinion, is no worse than selling yourself short. We all go to work. Mike, even you bend to people to some extent. Don't tell me you don't. Hell, I will admit it. I sold out because I was tired of being poor, does that make me a bad person?
When I was younger, I listened to the Butthole Surfers a lot. You can learn a lot from Gibby, if you listen. To quote the intro to Sweatloaf:
"Daddy, what does regrete mean?"
"Well son, a funny thing about regret is it is better to regret something you have done than to regret something you haven't done. And by the way, if you see your mom this weekend, be sure and tell her......
SATAN SATAN SATAN!"
That about sums it up in my book. And if you don't get what I am saying, it is about regret.
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have not checked mail...
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On 9/4/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(65.95.nnn.nnn)
Joe,
did not check mail yet
however, your segment is in the evolutions dvd and it rocks!
also, there is a nice pic of you in the new issue!
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Maryhill DVD
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On 9/4/2007
Joe Lehm
wrote in from
United States
(65.19.nnn.nnn)
Michael, did you get it before you left?
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rs
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On 9/4/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(65.95.nnn.nnn)
1. you wanted more than a small response, you're gonna get one! 2. I do know the mother. I met her a few years ago. She seemed to be fairly grounded. 3. I have never met Ryan but I have seen him skate and he is a fantastic skater. I know that he's making some hefty money from endorsements. Good for him. But why do I feel this move may not be particularly good for Ryan. I sincerely question the value of this move to MTV from marketing perspective. Will it bring in more sponsors if suddenly the "target market" don't think he's cool? My answer would be no. What makes someone "cool?" Well, that raises a number of questions. A lot of times an incredibly good skater will be ignored because he isn't "cool." There are a number of people who determine this and it's like high school, only worse. Conversely, there are a number of skaters who are talented, but definitely get the cool guy blessing. In short, their look/attitude is correct. Ryan Sheckler has already made a huge name for himself within skateboarding. His cool factor, was, at one point, high amongst the core skate community. My sense is that this factor has gone down considerably. This can be a problem when it comes to future endorsements. So perhaps, this was his way of moving things up, career wise. Exposure on MTV has always been a bit of double edge sword amongst the skate community. There are some folks who can get away with it, and some who miss the mark. For example, could Bob Burnquist get away with a show like this? Perhaps...Bob is definitely driven to succeed and I am sure he has a number of personal dramas that he deals with daily that I am sure would be riveting...but he's not a street skater and this changes the equation. He's also not a sex symbol for young girls...unlike Ryan. So, I think that while Ryan might gain a following amongst young girls and some younger skaters, the move to MTV is a bit of a "burn the bridges" strategy. It's hard to regain your cool factor amongst skaters. Then again, maybe Ryan and his management team see a bigger picture. I sure hope the paycheck is a biggie. Because, if this program is not successful and is cancelled, it will most likely have tainted his image and made it more difficult for future endorsements. Here are some random thoughts posted about RS over at Thrasher... Bryan August 15th, 2007 at 3:11 pm anybody who can say they still are down with sheckler after watching that is a f*king idiot. that sh*t is like laguna beach, how can that kid be serious? Uncle Sam August 15th, 2007 at 3:15 pm he’s a fine representative of the direction that skateboarding is going in this day and age… right in the faucking sheeter!! Skate Rat August 15th, 2007 at 3:24 pm $$$ talks, and every reality TV show is scripted, so half the s#@! on TV isn’t really true anyways. But thanks for being a role model to little kids, I got tired of kids trying to be Hesh at the park, now they can be gay like you, drink red bulls, and struggle to find a “cool chick” cheese master August 15th, 2007 at 4:03 pm hahahahaa MTV is faker than sh*t. Ryan sold his soul to the devil… for the all mighty dollar… but i guess you can’t blame him… who wouldnt want to be rich?? i’m sure everyone is gonna get sick of all the little girls talking about how cute he is… empty vee August 15th, 2007 at 4:52 pm oh man. hurtin’ for certain! what a mimbo. kid’s got skills (i guess) but really should pull his head outta his own ass, cuz he’s an embarassment to those who are dedicated to skating for skating’s sake. prediction for 2008: sheckler gets endorsed by abercrombie and fitch and demands top dollar for shirtless mall signings. THEN THERE IS THE OTHER SIDE>>>> MrMoore August 20th, 2007 at 4:58 am You guys are all haters man. LIVE YOUR OWN LIVES! Why waste so much time hating on Shecks. I don’t really care for him but I’m not about to call for his public execution. Go skate and shut the hell up. If it bothers you, dont watch it. If you could make a few million, you would do have a show on MTV too. And I bet his sponsors are all for it! Thats tons of exposure for Plan B and that means more sales! If you got a problem, you want to be a bitch, keep it to yourself. Not everyone cares about what shecks is doing. I dont. I care about skating. Go skate jason August 22nd, 2007 at 7:59 am If the show gets more parks built who cares. Obviously people care too much about there dumb preceptions of what skating should be. ************************************************* ***************************** Again, it's a free country....you are free to make decisions like the move to have your life "dramatized" on MTV. Don't think for a moment you'll make millions, however. Maybe $100,000? So, for $100,000 would you subject your family to reality tv on MTV. I know my answer...
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Sheckler's image with his target market
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On 9/3/2007 Rich Sayers
wrote in from
United States
(71.202.nnn.nnn)
This Saturday I saw some boys who were approx. 11 to 14 years old skating in the mini-half pipe at Sunnyvale skatepark. A couple of them were doing well. I mentioned one kid's style was like Dan Drehobel -- he and his friends were cool with that. Another kid's skating style reminded me of Sheckler and I told them that. Then the kid who skated like Ryan said "Oh nooooo! Have you seen his show! Don't compare me to him. And he started running around imitating things he apparently had seen Sheckler say and do on TV. Mostly whining and complaining kinds of stuff. While I have not seen the show, it appears some young skaters don't like the image.
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But why....
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On 9/3/2007
Steve C.
wrote in from
United States
(72.55.nnn.nnn)
Mike, let's face it, skateboarding has hit the big time. Guys like Bob, Danny, Jake, and others are really pushing things. People are taking note. People are interested. If this kid wants to put himself up on display what is the harm. How does it harm his family? Do you know them personally? Are they against it? Dude, MTV is not all that bad. If you don't like it don't watch. Plus I am sure the amount of money he will get is pretty big. Not everyone thinks alike, and people do all kinds of stupid s#@! for money. Hell, the things I do at my job are things I would have never imagined when I was a kid. And you know what, it is mostly because the money is good. Does that make me a whore? If MTV offered me a bunch of money to put myself on TV would I say no? Probably not.
How would it be better in the long run to say no to this? Please explain, in detail, because your short answers are not quite detailed enough. How does this affect his family poorly? And how would he be better off in the long run? Explain please, how is it better to say no. And I really doubt that he did not get paid a reasonbly large amount of money for this.
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I kinda figured I'd get that argument...about RS
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On 9/3/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(65.95.nnn.nnn)
Look, I am not adverse to making money...I never said that I was adverse. I just feel that MTV has a way of really distabalizing things. I doubt RS got a huge chunk of money for this. I just think (from what I have seen so far and read) that he really didn't need to do this...and put his family through this embarassment. A lot of stuff should be kept private...but people have this desire to share it with the world.
I am not questioning his skating ability, nor his rightful place in society, nor his goal of making oodles of money. All I am saying is that sometimes, it's better to say no.
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skatopia - today show '77
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On 9/3/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
SKATOPIA Skatepark on TODAY SHOW 1977
"Rare clip talking about the new trend of building skateboard parks."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNWXBHi92YI
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spinning wheels
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On 9/3/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
SPIN'IN WHEELS Skateboarding Movie 1975
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-g2GLSaLy0U
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Sheckler
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On 9/3/2007
Steve C.
wrote in from
United States
(72.55.nnn.nnn)
Can you blame someone for making money? How is this series bad for skating? How is it bad for Sheckler? Please explain, in detail, what the problem is.
Now Micheal, I usually agree with most of the things you say, however you are losing me on this one. How is turning down a big money deal a bad idea for this kid? How will it devalue him? Skateboarding is huge and having a high profile is good for your career. Not everyone is in this for the "soul", many have decided that money is good as well. How is this bad? If you ask me, this is a good idea for this kid. Maybe you don't get it cause you are Canadian, but us Americans love money!
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some answers..
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On 9/3/2007
Michael Brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(65.95.nnn.nnn)
we are going full throttle this week to set up things for the booths in statesville.
I can confirm that Woody's will be there...
As for Mr. Sheckler...well, I don't hate him at all. He's a great skater. I just think he's devalued himself by doing this show. Sure, they might be paying him a lot of money..but sometimes you have to think LONG TERM...
Saying NO to MTV isn't the worst thing you can do...Saying yes might be...
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worlds in statesville
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On 9/3/2007 jake
wrote in from
United States
(24.28.nnn.nnn)
Michael,
I saw that you are putting together a trade show for the worlds and was wondering who do you have coming. Thanks, Jake
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sheckler
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On 8/31/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
skate prince? sharks? backlash? lost their way?
michael, are you calling ryan a sellout?
how about tony alva in skateboard the movie?
how about lord of the dogtown?
how about tony hawk in bagel bytes? ;-)
How much is Ryan getting paid for this?
from wiki...
'Upon turning pro, he states "Haters come out of the wood work! They spread hate about you, your family and your friends like mad. That is a very new to me. I just can’t figure out why people hate on people they don’t know".'
I think they should make 'Life with Olson' for all the over forty crowd..
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life of ryan
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On 8/31/2007
michael brooke
wrote in from
Canada
(65.95.nnn.nnn)
hey, it's a free country, do what you want skate prince Ryan...but sometimes saying NO, while hard, is better in the long run than saying YES.
hate to say this, but I see the sharks about to jump when it comes to skateboarding...let the backlash begin...
many have lost their way...and now it's plain to see the emperor has no clothes...but lots of shoes....ha!
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ryan shekler
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On 8/29/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
'life of ryan'
http://www.mtv.com/ontv/dyn/life_of_ryan/series.jhtml
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Concrete Wave parody
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On 8/26/2007
Rich Sayers
wrote in from
United States
(71.202.nnn.nnn)
Michael,
Did you see the Concrete Wave parody in the new issue of Automatic magazine?
They did a fake cover on page 54 with mag name "titanium hip." Story teases such as "-Why Ollies Suck" and "-Special Bulletin Board Update: Who's Feuding With Who..."
By the way, the 45 at 45 Tour site has an updated schedule page and new special event and theme days listed...
http://45at45.com/schedule.html
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Close but no cigar....
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On 8/20/2007 Stubbs
wrote in from
United States
(75.11.nnn.nnn)
Just got off the phone with CBS Evening News and NO, WE DID NOT WIN. Thanks for all the help, it was close, but.....the story that won was the "Mow-rons from New Orleans".
There, I saved everyone from watching the CBS Evening News ever again.
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Blank decks....
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On 8/20/2007 hc
wrote in from
United States
(71.198.nnn.nnn)
was reading CW sping issue under fine print regarding blanks...
article 'War on Blanks'
http://www.twsbiz.com/twbiz/features/article/0,21214,1559572,00.html
search 'blank deck' - bunch of interesting articles...
http://www.twsbiz.com/twbiz/search?query=blank+deck&submit.x=12&submit.y=15&submit=Search
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