In response to Ed's one banger question I'd like to add that there are many changes happening naturally in snowboarding, there are many changes that NEED to happen in snowboarding and there are some things that should never change.my tangent in this video is just one aspect of snowboarding, competition. I was on the phone with an old friend Taylor Knox yesterday to find out why in the mists of a shitty economy the surf tour is growing, increasing their prose money, audience views and insures all the surfers? Keep in mind, last place on the ASP Tour 40 something place takes home 8g and anywhere from 80g to 300g for first. Now ask yourself…Is snowboarding competitions in balance with what's good for the riders and what's good for the event? What does last place at XGames take home? Dew Tour? TTR? Grand Prix? Olympics? There are too many tours! Many people would say snowboarding is bigger than surfing. I love snowboarding whether I make money at it or not but what I don't love is greed and watching athletes today get completely taken advantage of by events/tours, the Olympics and sponsors. We are losing it!!! I'm not going to sit around and pretend that FIS ( which stands for International SKI Federation), is a good thing for snowboarding!!! WTF!! Why is it that every event we have for snowboarding now is also a skiing event??? It's like having surfing and bodyboarding on the same tour. They just aren't the same and never will be, nothing against skiers or bodyboarders hell, I date a skier that went to the Olympics for GS (on his own dime) and him and all his buddies constantly say FIS RUINED skiing. Fact: FIS just passed a rule changing the size ski's GS racers are ALLOWED to race on. All the ski company's have to product new lengths. What if FIS comes in one day and says all halfpipe riders have to ride FIS regulated board lengths simply because the sport is just getting too dangerous? Terje had it right long long ago boycotting the Olympics when he could have won it. As far as I'm concerned, we don't need these events, they need us but it's al backwards because snowboarders haven't stuck up for themselves. If your interested in organizing a riders meeting on this subject contact me on Facebook and I urge you to watch Scotty Whittlakes Buoloco.com Video! He's right, boycotting would make way more headlines then actually going…that is if your into that kinda thing. Thank you Ed for creating this platform
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Whats wrong with the Shred?
Where's Snow White in all of this? He's the man at the top and could get some things changed........BUT you wont hear squat from him. Boo--he's the guy that could earn big cred back from the industry.......BUT $$ talks, so dont hold your breathe. Better yet, let FIS take over competitive snowboarding.....who cares? Its all going the way of ballerina moves anyways. F'it.....get into the backcountry. Thats where the soul of the sport is and always will be!
cough cough campbells soup
cough cough campbells soup cough cough
Reply to the Cough Cough Coward
Yep, campbells soup in hand fed me, my roomates and some of my broke friends free meals for months and months. I can understand why you wrote this but you missed the point. If Campbells soup wanted to sponsor a stop on the UNIFIED ASP (The Association of Snowboard Professionals) Tour I'd be all for it. The point is not to stop the sport from growing and keeping Pro's able to support themselves and their families, the point is to not allow events, tours, Olympics etc, take advantage of the athletes. Many pro's go to these events on there own dime without insurance etc. When the event is over its forgotten. The events these days are bigger then the riders involved and they offer no residuals for helping make the event even happen. I wasn't claiming non sell out statues, thats a hoax these days anyways, I was saying for snowboardings to claim thier power back over groveling for invites to these events that don't unlimately give back to the sport or the athlete. Thanks for commenting and NICE TRY anonymous, oblivious coward.
Keep in mind, I was at X Games when it got started and Gravity Games. They didn't have Ski'ing combined with snowboarding and they weren't attempting to start a multi-stop event making it a tour. The only tour I did on a consitant bases was the Vans Triple Crown. FIS was never my program. Im talking about TOURS, Im talking about unification. I hope we meet one day, that is if your not to scared to tell me your real name cause you seem like someone who deserves a beat down and I'd be happy to do the honors.
Tara Dakides
i think you're awesome
HI tara,
I live in big bear, where you started? I was born here in 1980. I started riding when the sport first became popular in the tacky 1990s haha, 1993/4 to be exact. I had heard girls and guys I rode with speak of "sponsorship" and this and that. But I wanted to go big with it...at the time. I got psyched out when I went up to Boreal in 1996, after riding @ Snow Valley mostly (when Schiridge was the best park between all 3 mountains). I then ended up living away from the snow and allowing things (friends, bf, high school)get in the way of my dream to make it to the first ever Olympics that would have snowboarding in Salt Lake, i believe it was 2001. For me it was never teh sponsorship I even thought of...I just wanted to be recognized as a rider. To achieve something amazing. I still love to ride, and for the few years I had to be away from the snow it was almost as if I was having an out of body experience.lol. You are so right. The sponsors dont care about the SPORT itself, its all a marketing gig to them. I was even told by a certain nameless rider that "snowboarders are tools. They use us to sell their products and if you don't sell then they drop you". Pretty sad. These riders ride because they love to ride, they complete in hopes of making a career out of it. Sponsors who stunt the "growth" of the athlete by owning them, in a way, yet not paying them "rent" so to speak are in fact ruining the idea that someone performs best in their CHi environment...for most pro riders that is on their board...but, if you are worrying constantly that you couldnt afford your family to join you for the competition a few hours away around Christmas then what does THAT matter.....because your family is who will be there when you are too old to ride and those sponsors leave. So just like any other traveling corporate occupation these expenses, 401K, vacation, etc should all be applied. Tara; i think the idea that you want to achieve here can be done if you take the steps to form an official snowboarder union. Just as the grocery stores, etc every employee is a vote in the outcome of what happens. It woudl regulate your pay, travel, vacation, and even retirement...hope you have a great Christmas and happy new year. :)
Whoever wrote campells soup can go eff themselve.....
You missed the whole point Homie! Would you rather listen to somebody who has seen all sides or just someboadys one sided opinion who hasnt lived it? WHy dont you comment on what the topic actually was instead of just trying to hate or call her out on something that is totally irelevant. Ps you douchelord When was the last time you did a switch backside rodeo into powder? Or hit a rail off a cliff? Well she was doing that shit 12 years ago....... if we are gonna talk about shit about stuff that has nothing to do with what she was talking about..................I hope you live hundreds of miles away from a mt. of any kind and are forced to talk shit on these stupid comment boards, meanwhile people that live it put there heart on the line and thats all you can come up with???? cough cough campbells soup cough cough????? You suck. Tara can ride better than you,drive faster than you, skate better than you and can kick your ass.