"I don’t think Kelly will ever win another world title."
Hope Hicks is gone but dry your eyes because we have Dave Prodan and we always will. The World Surf League’s senior vice-president of global identity predates the WSL by a good five years. He was there, when professional surfing was called the Association of Surfing Professionals. He will be here when professional surfing is called the Indoor Surfing Club. Dave Prodan is eternal.
I first met the man in Europe, I do believe, in the early 2000s. He was then CEO Brodie Carr’s right hand and executed his duties with a wry sense of remove. Nothing but nothing could ruffle Dave Prodan’s feathers. Nothing but nothing can still. He is able to walk the very fine line between corporate and core interests somehow deciphering one to the other. I don’t know that he has ever said or written a wrong word and would imagine that future heads of state will someday look at his body of work, call and say, “Dave Prodan? My name is Oprah Winfrey, I am President of the United States and I’ve been following your career. What would you say to coming to work with me in the White House as communications director?”
“I’m truly honored…” Dave Prodan will respond “…but the Indoor Surfing Club has just released its tour schedule, including Dubai and Midland, Texas. It will be an important year and I must sally forth.”
He is honorable yet he just sat down with provocateur David Lee Scales for a podcast. What WSL secrets slipped out? Well there’s this…
We do not have a permit for Pipe in 2019. The mayor has acknowledged that the permitting process is flawed. They’re tearing up the permitting rules and rewriting them from scratch. It’s my understanding the Da Hui Backdoor Shootout did not receive their 2019 permit either. Hopefully we end up with Pipe back on the schedule in 2020.
Is true? Da Hui got slapped by bureaucracy? Son of a bitch.
Come listen for more!
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He put me to sleep. Soooo much corporate jibber-jabber, no actual meat to the ‘information.’
Very important! Everyone should have a good whatnot game.
The black shorts are bunch of racist drug dealers
Just to give you all some heart in these difficult times, here is Article 137 from this year’s version of the WSL Rule Book.
Article 137: Equipment Approval
Surfers may be denied the ability to use certain equipment while competing in Events (i.e. no SUPs, paddles or surfskis).
Take that, you fucking sweepers!
One step toward Article 137B, “FireWire are the sole surfboards approved for use in the WSL/KellySlaterKookPond”?
Well fascinatingly in this current Rule Book, there is not a single mention of the Pool or any rules pertaining to it. Not one.
Are we surprised? Not only can’t they get an application in on time for their premier contest but inadvertently set the stage for Wilko to switch foot down the pond on a Pool Pony.
Would watch!
It would certainly fulfill the Innovation criteria! That’s er, if it is in fact a criteria.
Totally! Speed, flow, whatnot.
As long as he doesn’t use a paddle, he’s golden.
Pretty harsh with the ‘fucking sweeps’ dig – I mean your brother might not be able to hear you with those things in his ears….but he’s right here – on the same page!
little tense sometimes over the holidays at the Carroll house
Perhaps Tom could get a MY BROTHER’S SWEEPER tattoo ?
haaaaaah
Yessssss! Soooo good.
I’ll have you cunts know I am an EXPERT surfski paddler.
But your not Sweeping the Surfboat ( a la Midget)?
There are limits, you know.
so J.O.B’s giant hamster wheel would need prior approval?
is it written purely with the surfers in mind or does it include commentators, judges and associated staff?
for example, how far they can reach with their gag orders for non WSL sanctioned events?
is there a general code of conduct or can the the wsl doctor swear in a non WSL interview?
is there a minimum requirement for how the number of times turpel has to say “89 world champ”
The Rulebook Code of Conduct is truly a spectacular thing. It is lengthy and covers pretty much every form of behaviour other than sex. Nobody, and I mean nobody, can bring the sport of surfing or the WSL into disrepute in any way. So just fucking keep it to yourself, Beach Gritters, or face the wrath of the WSL Discipline Director!
Are the WSL rules available to public or have gotten a sneak peak at them?
Peek while you can. It can be downloaded from the WSL site if you look in the media area. Only a matter of time before they realise there is an information loophole here and block it.
Cheers Nick.
if this isn’t proof Kelly gets unique treatment, if they haven’t created a flat-out conflict of interest. you hear that “there’s layers” response to OK sponsoring Fiji? you mean there’s different prices for being the title sponsor for a WSL event? can’t imagine why other companies would have a problem with that.
Sorry, did you say ‘flat earth’?
i’m too woke, brah. but really, how do you interpret that statement Prodan made? (30:30 if you want to listen first)
I didn’t interpret it. I implied a misreading of your comment for a funny.
I ain’t listened yet.
Don’t ya hate having to craft nuance with wordy things?
Is Nuance that pop singer?
Why would you paint Prodan constipated?
All in favor of having the Da Hui Shoot-out scheduled, not having any signage, telling Ashton Goggins that he won a free private reserved session at pipeline, and then have Da Hui show up just as he paddles out?
#nowavesforashton2018
Lisa Simpson will be the next President, It Has Been Fortold.
i’d like to see this man “walk the very fine line between corporate and core interests”. My buddies that are sales reps think they’re doing that too but we all know where their bread is buttered.
What if Kelly just went back to Merrick and got his late 90’s early 2000’s boards re-made? He could spray them to look like Slater designs and maybe have a fighting chance at winning something?
what if Kelly’s boards didn’t show up and he had to ride literally anybody else on the CT or even the QS’s boards?
Literally anything other than what he’s been on for the last 8 years.
You get it though?? Slaters got a year on me {and a somewhat better set of skills on a surfboard than I} but personally i’ve ridden some truly horrid boards in my forties just to keep the interest alive and feel something/anything new… If he’d kept on stock boards I’m sure he’d have left the tour 5 years ago.
You said it right there. He should have left the tour five years ago. Essentially he did, in a way.
“Indoor Surf Club”. Soon we’ll have to differentiate between an Indo trip and an Indo Proper trip. Sad.
I bet they’re already working on a climate controlled environment for the wave pools so winter becomes a thing of the past. Actually, me and my tropically bent extremities would go for that.
if they start popping up in airports I will partake. 6hrs in filthy airport massage chair is not as relaxing as it may sound.
Glibness is a gift I wish I possessed… I like how he refused to answer what sources of surf media he follows other than Warshaw’s stuff. Also, quit being so self-referential, Chas. Fuck…
… got to the part about the 2018 rookies and wow, Scales, Carmichael cementing grit as the necessary ingredient for Tour surfers of the future to have? Uh, ADS has been around FOREVER, winning a World Title and finishing 8 of the last 10 years in the Top 10, almost purely through grit. He’s the most influential Tour surfer of the last ten years. Fuck you. Also, Jordan has no chance.
Is he part giraffe?
…and now we must Sophie forth.