Are you not entertained?
Whew and what a day yesterday turned out to be. I am far too shy to listen but tell me, wherever you fall re. “winners” and “losers” of the debate, was the podcast (listen here) at least entertaining? At least mildly entertaining? I’ve been crowing my entire surf journalism career about how professional surfers should say what they really feel when a mic is pressed underneath their nose. That they should spew forth their passions even if their passions are only felt for a brief moment. Oh I know I am no professional surfer but who would I be if not even able to mirror what I so desire?
A bad example is what and as a husband of a wealthy wife and a father of an innocent little angel that is simply something I cannot allow myself to be.
You, of course, know the scene in Gladiator where Russell Crowe fights in the north African octagon, killing many men before throwing his sword at his captor and demanding to know if the audience was entertained while spitting derisively on the ground.
I want to be this except instead of strong, skinny. Except instead of killing many men, fumbling to silence one for a few moments. Except instead of throwing my sword at my captor, merely offering a silent prayer to the Gods of Surf Journalism (Nick Carroll and Matt Warshaw). Except instead of demanding to know, derisively, if you were entertained, meekly asking with an upward inflection at the end signifying that I really do want to know.
![Upward inflection | family guy [hd]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/tqNhEzrWQpY/0.jpg "Rumor: Maverick'S Might Run Soon! 2")
In any case, enough about that. It is time to entertain elsewhere and did you know that Maverick’s might run this Martin Luther King Jr. weekend? It’s true! The world’s fourth most famous big wave event, ripped from the hands of entrepreneur Griffin Guess by the WSL, appears on the verge. And let’s read from San Jose’s Mercury News.
A buzz has hit the Central Coast as organizers of the rebranded Mavericks big-wave surf contest have alerted competitors and others that the event could be held as early as Monday.
World Surfing League officials are monitoring a potentially large swell that is expected to pound the coastline after the weekend. They have targeted Monday or Tuesday as possible dates for the day-long event. Santa Cruz contestant Sarah Gerhardt said Thursday a decision wasn’t expected to be announced until later in the night.
WSL officials got the blackout date for the Martin Luther King holiday on Monday waived, said Sabrina Brennan, a San Mateo Harbor District commissioner.
But the contest traditionally is held in deal conditions: a day of big waves, clear sky and mild winter weather.
“I’m looking out the window wondering if it is going to clean up,” said Brennan, who lives on the bluffs above the famed surf break off of Pillar Point. “It looks pretty messy out there.”
The contest, now called the Mavericks Challenge, includes 24 men and for the first time a six-woman single heat. The event is the newest addition to the WSL’s Big Wave Tour and has a purse of $130,000.
The WSL took over the popular contest from Cartel Management, which declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and canceled the event a year ago despite one of the state’s best surfing seasons in decades.
Damn it. Did I just cut and paste another press release?
Shit.
Gotta say, the “Upward Inflection” reference and video is hilarious..
Upvoted for the hilarious Scott Bass anecdote. Well done!
Can you do Mick Fanning next?
High on my list but have never visited. Not very sinister of me
Sometimes I hate being regular. Like I got a bad case of the
sinister-envy.
We cant all be perfect Otto.
No we can’t. But we can all be sinister.
https://youtu.be/_WQfZYacEAw
Exemplary reference work OBT
Dear Ashton,
I am an incessant reader with a wide range of tastes and like many here I‘ve read and enjoyed alot of your work. However..
Chas is the best writer I am reading right now. In any genre. I have no dog in this fight Im a total outsider. My only agenda is to shed light on this fact.
That he’s answering to you guys at all should be taken as a high compliment. Remember: we read you everyday. We know. There is no hiding behind philosophy or manifesto. Its the words that you write by which you are measured.
A case in point was this whole 41 year old vs 25 year old argument. So bereft of meaning. If our idols wont shoot us down who the fuck will? Ashton, your kid gloves protection of your writers is doing them a great disservice. 25 year old anyones should be thrashed to within an inch of their creative lives and let the strongest rise to the top. You know, like any profession.
Respect to you. Hope you learnt to not bring people’s kin into an argument unless you want to put your hands up.
Boys club behaviour and dominance of this selfish industry is long over due for a shake up, if it takes rolling on the floor with a smug 25 year old editor of an industry lap dog, thats a start.
When you think about it, hiring a millennial upstart with little industry (or web analytics apparently) knowledge is quite a smart move on behalf of Stabong, and a prime example in the difference of age, ethics and approaches to ‘objective’ ‘Surf Journalism’.
Finally! Footage of The Ashton vs Chas dust up.
https://m.youtube.com/watch…
Maybe the French . I just read an article at surf session in French about the takeover of billabong by Quik and they talked figures and even named the 3 banks lending the money 💰.Merryl Lynch , Deutsche Bank and the Macquarie Group . They like a bit of investigative journalism and see the world through non English speaking eyes. It’s only an observation but for whatever reasons Australian surfing seems to be losing its voice . If I read another article written by an Australian about how happy I am supposed to be that Jon Jon is world champ I swear I’ll Shoot myself in the foot with an Australian gun( ok mini gun 6’6”) made in Asia.
Surf Session looks alright. Thanks for the tip.
As a former DUNNY HANGER I appreciate the analogy . ( no not a la George Micheal , but EBC ). I forgot I was supposed to only discuss the Thriller in Manila or the Rumble in the Jungle or the Beach Stabbing in SoCal or what ever the BIGSHOW was called .
I reckon this whole scene is slowly heading back to bro down invite only events a la 1972.
I’m eager to get Derek’s take on all of this.
And by the way, Chas, a lot of what you said confirmed my gut instinct. I surf regularly with a Stab frequenter, early 20s. Last week he told me that he just clicks straight to the video content every time. Never reads a damn thing.
In my mind BG and Stab are catering for an entirely different audience.
That’s why S.S. would be nuts to jump ship. Unless he gets a Godfather offer that trumps a Pyzel Ghost. Hard to imagine as that may be.
Ashton is a fake, disingenuous cunt. He will therefore keep lining his pockets.
It was a lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, lose, win. A loss for Ashton, Chas, STAB, Beachgrit, surfing, “journalism”, but s Gold medal, champagne popping win for your respective audiences. Such macho earnestness about such trivia. But I do wish you blackened that fuckers eye when he mentioned your daughter.
Yeah, and to slip it in again, telling him to spend more time with his kid was a total douche move. That’s when he should have got a bitch slap.
I’ve never listened to those podcasts but when I heard that you tried to choke Ashton, I had to listen, and I’m glad I did. It had everything! After the podcast, I visited stab for the first time in my life just to see what the heck you guys are talking about – I think Ashton, Chas, David, and “the entertained mob” are all winners. Good job organizing the debate! We want more! Feed the mob!!!!!
there are few legendary figures in surf media who actually measure up to people’s expectations in person. well done charlie.
Every week some bloke from Oz drops a clip charging in WA or SA or Tassie but the only guys invited by the WSL are a former clubby living in Hawaii and a former Air Show guy living in SoCal . They finally gave Hipwood a go at Peahi and he dropped a 10 which was the show stopper until Ian Walsh’s wave of the century . Am I being overly nationalistic or is the Big Wave Tour a return to the invitation only events which lead to the bustin’ down the door era a long long time ago ? On another note it was interesting to see Nic Lamb ( 13th rated BWT) win the non sanctioned big wave event this week in Punta Galea . Has the WSL changed its policy since the cape fear Red Bull challenge in 2016 banning surfers who compete in non sanctioned events ?
i can’t imagine the WSL has had a change of heart with respect to allowing these guys to do unsanctioned events. and i doubt its a tough call for these big wave guys who can’t make a living being on the WSL’s good side either.
Damned if they do damned if they don’t .
Cardiff might be shortboard-able next week, Chas.
https://uploads.disquscdn.c…
Cardiff is always shortboard-able. Just line up 100 yards north of the last guy on a SUP and throw some elbows at the stickered up groms who surf better than everyone you know and you might even get one.
You should just start writing in speech to text,that way all the grammar nazi’s head explode and others not have way?
Derek is currently driving Felipe to Maverick’s, with lots of pep peps and back pats by crossed fingers.
“Damn it. Did I just cut and paste another press release?”
Why don’t you get some 25-year-old, who looks up to you, to get the REAL story about the contest, you know, from the inside?… make sure for the story that they also insert an “epic” video of some no-name “charger” surfing La Jolla Cove…
I think Ashton might have been the last one who looked up to me. My behavior has left me with no aspirational charges!
Besides too much restraint on the choke, great job on the podcast. Please keep kicking this biz in the nuts, it’s it’s only hope.
I like both of your writing. The podcast was epic. I think you both made salient points. But you won, I’d say. Not by anything you said but by your rage filled act of violence. Surfing needs more violence.
Good point Neal….Here’s my take, Problem for these surf journo’s that Charlie constantly antagonises, they can’t get him in the water because Chas don’t surf the waves these guys are surfing…..Chas will be off “surfing” some fat retro soft peeler……The berated long for the day he appears in a serious line-up…but unless Chas fast tracks Nick Carrolls “Improve your Surfing Program”, it won’t happen!
You’re like a bad record… You may have a new IP address but the song remains the same. Sharkattack right?
Totally down for more violence, direct insults, and generally grotesque behavior in all facets of daily life. Slap the condescending barista who hands you your coffee. Tell your friend, “that wave sucked, cuz.” The parking lot guy checking the waves? “You look like a fucking idiot in that beanie, homie.” The guy handing out fliers to the club in town? Punch him.
Parenting and a career have made me long for those fabled times when I could still be myself.
This is fucking excellent. Definitely want to back hand that self important barista.
When Ashton said “you haven’t worked an honest days work in your life” he made a big error – what he meant to say was “You haven’t surfed an honest days surfing in your life”….You would have had no comeback!
oooooooooh!
Paging Lawrence o’doyle. I’m a prick,but I’ll deal better than Rory.
21-year-old. By the time they’re 25, they move on to STAB or have a drug habit.
“WSL officials got the blackout date for the Martin Luther King holiday on Monday waived,…”
blackout date??? phrasing! hello! McFly!
It’s the Great Surfer Mag Instagram Scandal of 2018 all over again!
Theyre hoping to offset the indiscretion by announcing a White out in Mammoth on Monday. God damn kooks
At first I thought it was an innocent mistake. Then I thought, is it?
The WSL put the copy in copywriting, dont think they’re capable of such sinister thoughts..
It wasn’t their words. That said, the WSL requested a waiver. Imagine. How did that request process proceed?
WSL: “um, we need a waiver for that day? Why?”
The Harbor Commish: “it’s a Federal Holiday for an important black man in American history.”
WSL: “But, there’s fucking waves coming! I mean, we get it! We love black people too! But, there’s fucking waves coming! Alright, how much you want? You know! To make us, the WSL more important?”
Harbor Commish: “there’s a routine $50 waiver application fee. Non-refundable. Even if we say no.”
WSL: ***sinister laugh*** “HaHaHaHaHaHaHa!”
Harbor Commish: ***nervous-ish laugh***
“HaHaHaHaHaHaHa”
Since sinister used to mean left handed i propose we replace goofy with it. I ride sinister so does occy
Ha!