What is so scary about the existence of other surf media? Let's ask Stab!
A weird disease plagues surf media and it is a general inability to speak about, write about, address or acknowledge other surf media. I’ve always been very confused about this because all other sports, news, fashion or gossip sites regularly discuss or credit each other. Even sworn enemies like ESPN and Deadspin or Fox and CNN.
But in surf? Fearful blinders! Like, recognizing where a story/idea came from is, in some way, very embarrassing. Or scary. That the existence of other surf media is shameful. Or intimidating.
Stab is, by far and away, the largest transgressor and seems to be most afraid, regularly ripping, biting, stealing but never ever ever crediting. Very recently, for example, our own Rory Parker (who is thankfully alive and well) wrote a very funny story digging into the WSL rule book and identifying that Julian Wilson and Matt Wilkinson might be subject to fines or expulsion.
Of course Rory didn’t write the rule book nor did he interview anyone inside for exclusive quotes but he was the first to tie the WSL rules with surfer behavior.
Funny!
Stab copied the exact same story ten-ish hours later, like it has done countless times in BeachGrit‘s short history, with no mention of Rory Parker’s name and this one finally pushed me over the edge because I love Rory Parker! I tried to comment under the story but it was apparently rejected at Stab HQ with trembling hands.
And so here we are.
It is fun that we all exist, is it not? Even The Inertia! The surf media, as far as I’m concerned, is part of the broader show and a chickenshit denial of the other’s existence is… is… well it’s weird!
What is so scary about the tiniest sliver of journalistic integrity? About mentioning inspiration or source? Is it because the Stab thinks that once readers discover other surf websites exist that they will not come back? Because SurfStitch has a directive that competitors are waiting in the bushes with sharpened knives and pretending they don’t exist, while hunkered behind high walls, is the best longterm option for the stock price?
I’m so very confused!
Come on Stab…put on your big boy pants and dance. I promise it’ll be fun!
Or funny!
That’s why I come here, to escape the copy/paste crummy state of “surf journalism”. Keep ’em honest boys!
its like being promoted from hang-around to prospect in a motocycle club
A friend of mine has had to ask multiple times for credit on edits he has made that Stab has ‘curated’
The fucking Fat Jewish of surfing.
that’s exactly it, why create when you can curate? fuckload cheaper isn’t it?
talk ’bout stealing people’s thoughts and placing on another thread, you’re the king of it, f… upvote whoring is a helluva drug, heh…?
Hahaha.
Neve®, all my original thoughts™ you ©unt
STAB Israeli shit.
Hey Chas always been the same – remember the heady days of the ASP when every event was run and funded by one of the big brands? It was almost as if each event was the only one on the planet !! They backslapped the shit out of it – for their own feel good vibes!!
Nothing changed in surf world – Stab probably thinks they ARE the only site
Stab is so very played, and they know it! Even the after school special focus group of dorks and drug warriors at The Inertia is more authentic.
how could you say that about Legend and Larvell Jones?
So Chas, I posted a comment remarking on the similarity of the Stab piece with Mr. Parker’s offering and noted that Mr. Parker’s piece appeared on the internets well ahead of the Stab piece. Surprisingly, my comment has been deleted. I concur, Stab, a cauldron of cowardice!
Sad.
Using this logic, didn’t you Gritters ‘steal’ stab’s coverage of the wsl comedy skits and fail to credit when they posted them at least a day before you. Glass houses and stones, Charles.
No because there was nothing at all proprietary about that. WSL released. Everyone did a piece. Stab very often lifts specific/exclusive content and never credits.
Fair point! Word is born.
…you’ll like this. In their story, WSL Judges Under Fire Over Questionable Calls, Surfing Life grabbed their photo from our page, identifiable by the BeachGrit caption.
(See it in the wild here.)
http://www.surfinglife.com….
So sad, so so so tired and sooo lame!
Mahdi, you’re back!
c’mon a little bit of jealousy there as Stab’s reprint got twice as many comments! be proud someone is copying you ?
Oh I agree! It thrills me! Chas less so. Bottom line, we ain’t curing cancer, right? Just a pack of fruits hammering away at keyboards, all of us…
fuck everytime I see somebody copying a design , Its taken awhile , but its rather flattering…I am just a fossil grinding dust!
I love the whole game! The only thing that bugs me is a cowering refusal to look others in the eye. Stab needs to grow a backbone!
you need to chillax a little…
nope. more important.
I always thought it was in bad taste/pointless when media covers the media, unless there’s a very good reason. Plagiarism would count though I suppose. Though it’s not like BG hasn’t ever bit the material from other surf media outlets either.
Sometimes media is the story though! And I feel we have a very good track record here for citing source when it is a direct steal… I love the share economy! Like burning man!
this is fucken hilarious ,try being a designer shaper and constantly seeing your designs , being ahh , plagiarized , or ripped off FFS! take it as a compliment when the sheep are following , you know that you are ahead of the pack , so no looking back , and FFS get off the gack!
lavoisier rules…
Michael Newman STAB moderator, BeachGrit reader and up-voter.
Are you the muzzled dog that wouldn’t let Chas comment?
What are the rules of engagement the STAB overlords supplied to you?
Is BeachGrit a banned word?
Do STAB still pay in flat-brim hats?
Anyone else got any questions for the STAB mod? ask below…
The only thing I’ve figured out I can do is edit people’s comments, which is a hoot. I can see tech-savvy Chas’ dirty little comment festering in the ‘Pending’ folder though. This may have been blocked because of the weaselly tone, but I don’t think Disqus filters are that smart. More likely it’s the link he added. This link filtration dates back to the time Cavvy was adding links to images of Mexican drug cartel disciplinary action.
No weasel! Just stating a fact with an exclamation mark! Also…bullshit.
I implore you to rewrite your comment without the link.
Doing now! And thank you for coming back and chatting. That’s really all I want. To be friends!
It worked! Maybe!
Just do ….www.gaysex.com.au…. Pretty sure it still works with the dots.
#freecavvy
That weaselly tone is BeachGrits stamp! My old mate Cavey hasn’t been around here for months. I think he finally realized it only took me about 10 seconds to block & delete an hours worth of his trolling.
That and the fact he is under the impression I tracked his residential address.
I’ve been more than happy to let folk think I vanquished Cavvy, but I didn’t do shit. Maybe it’s the Feds.
Cavvy was a figment of my imagination.
If true, I’d be equally sickened with disgust at your sadness and impressed at the same time…
After watching Mr. Robot I’m convinced cavy was in all our heads, all along, the feaces throwing alter-ego in all of us acting out.
The Prince will not be moderated! Cavvy was a pleb.
I have no powers on this heathen site, but at Stab you will kneel.
I’d quite like it if you could go back through my comments for a good proof read? I want to sound like Will Self but come across like Alex Ribeiro.
no questions, just #freecavvy
I gave him ample chances…
can you guys please put up a post about that kolohe vs. kelly heat so we can continue to bash the judging? this is just ridiculous at this point……
Slater won that one for sure
Didn’t Kelly lose priority paddling for that wave?
disagree. Kolohe should of won.