Chas Smith and David Lee scales podcast in real time with Texas wavepool event…
Earlier today, Chas Smith and David Lee Scales recorded their bi-monthly podcast The Grit while watching the wavepool event Stab High, held in Waco, Texas.
Over a Texas-themed charcuterie, the pair garnished the event with their own commentary.
“If the rest of the media is silent about this event, fuck them all,” Chas told me while driving home to north San Diego county from David’s modest hacienda in Huntington Beach. “Stab went out and spent a shit-ton of money to entertain us for a day. Everybody should be talking about it, whether it’s good, great or shit. I have nothing but respect for Stab and everybody should give equal weight to this event as they would to the WSL.”
A few takeaways, as they say.
- Like skateboard mega-ramp events, pools are going to become the preserve of little boys, in this case Eli Hanneman etc.
- It’s easy to watch the WSL and be snarky but they do kinda nail their event broadcasts.
- The best surfers still are on the WCT.
- Bobby Martinez does real fine backside hooks at Rincon. Not so hot at calling airs in a pool.
- Mason Ho has a slow-burning spark that takes hold of your eyes! Hoo-eee, last-minute rodeo.
Listen here!
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Does anybody know if the VIP access to the event include an invite to the after party? The most exciting clip I’ve seen of the event so far was when Harry Bryant grabbed the security guard (with the best surfing during practice and warm up sessions). Is surfing too much for the big state of Texas and their security guards dealing with a bunch of punk beach rats?
I think it’s great Stab pulled this off, couldn’t give less of a shit about airs in a wave pool though, and am generally tired as hell of thinking, talking about, or looking at wave pools. What is there to talk about, exactly?
Yes because spending a lot of money on something is cause for respect, I think not 🙄 and Good Job to the idiot who thought it was a good idea to charge $13.99…to watch some blokes surf 3 foot waves…in a pool…in Texas….most them only did it cause they’re sponsors said they had too. Can’t wait till this Wave Pool trend is over.
Not one of them had to do it. Those boys were psyched as shit to do something like this. Minus the incoherent ramblings of fucking Bobby Martinez and a confusing format, the fact that someone threw that kind of coin at a specialty event that was far more palatable and raw than fucking Surf Ranch should be cause for celebration! Say what you want, but STAB didn’t just pull 500k out of their trust fund to do this. It was an investment in showcasing something new and interesting in a format that was entertaining (minus the abortion that was the Acid Drop comp) and got to show the strike rate of guys that consistently just throw up edits. Dion Agius didn’t land a fucking thing, and Albee Layer showed that without a Maui side shore wind, he is just a big wave guy trying to who really needs a handi ramp to punt. Fuck, there was some sick shit in there. Does it need a whole tour? No. But a one off was sick.
I’m sick of the Waco pool. Backflip 3 feet above the lip, i’m really not that impressed. Paying 500k for a comp to watch people just trying the same shit over and over… It’s just not surfing in my mind. If i want to watch airs in board sports surfing is the last thing i give a shit about. Snow and skate equal first, surf and wake last when it comes to airs. I just don’t care! Watch any snowboard edit from the last 20 years then watch the waco pool, its like watching kids on scooters at the skate park. When i watch surfing i want to see SURFING. Surfers doing nothing but pump down the line to do 1 air is like those moto x style wakeboarder rats that drive to the snow, build a tiny jump and try backflips all day ignoring the entire mountain. It’s not real snowboarding. Giant alley oop from JJ etc mixed in with actual surfing is another thing.
What doesn’t kill ya makes you stronger ! I personally would be happy to take on Raglan with Steph but there is no way I would take on the ladies from NZ in Rugby as I would like to keep my head , shoulders, knees and toes and eyes and ears and mouth and nose unbroken and attached to my body ?
It was cool to hear C.S & Dave S provide such an complimentary podcast to Stabs production. Looking 4ward to their next one. See you all next time in Gympy, Qld..
Fuck Stab. I like the concept of their wave pool comp and I like Stab in the dark but I am still blocked on the comments because I was critical of Lost… as an advertiser. I don’t often check their site and when I do I click very few times.
what was the criticism that got you blacklisted? not to worry, youre in a safe space here….
It was right after lost… moved to Stab from Beach Grit and I said something about them paying their advertising bills in surfboards instead of money. I have said plenty worse for sure so I was surprised that such a mild comment got me banned. Hell, I busted Chas’s balls pretty solid for a few months and he never censored a bit of it.
I say because they embraced the pay model, props must be given. At 9$ to view, who paid? Who would pay 10$ per event? I personally won’t, but I’m not the target audience.
Wish I calouldve watched but I’m too fricken busy. Highlights please.
Edit: after listening to the podcast I’m now glad I didn’t bother.
Thanks Chas n Dave!
More in touch with core
than Surf Ranch by
a fuckin’ country mile.
🌽🎾s
“Corn on the cob tennis balls”
I’m sorry you’ve lost me.
If you are lost by a simple emoji then there’s no helping your shook ass.
I’m old. Gimme a break.
I don’t know your jive-ass emoji jibber-jabber.
If English was good enough for Jebus, then it’s good enough for you, sunshine.
Who is Jebus?
You know: water to whine, nailed to a cross etc.
Like a Santa Claus / Dracula kinda dude. All mythical storybook morality Bronze Age shit. That guy.
Sounds like you mean Jesus as in our lord and Savior who is very real and going to be mad at you for saying he doesn’t exist. Repent and be loved. I will pray for your eyes to be opened to the truth.
Biannual, Quarterly, Monthly and Bimonthly, at what point point can we say fortnightly? Where is Ben Marcus when you still don’t give a fuck about him?
He’s the turd that just won’t flush.
He’s still in the foyer of the venue that hosted the 1996 Surfer Poll awards.
I remember, some years ago, visiting the then two hottest surfers in the world at their North Shore rental and both saying the unkindest things about Mr Marcus, and doing so in a manner reminiscent of nineties hit movie Mean Girls. I think there’s a lot of hurt there.
Sounds like he’s doing it pretty tough; http://surfcareers.com/blog…
Wow, I didn’t know such a site existed.
Perhaps I should throw up a page.
Name: Channel Bottom
Qualifications: aging kook with no connections to industry.
More Info: Giz a job you fat monied fucks. I can travel to exotic locations and your cameraman can make me look great with careful editing and slo-mo.
Only the subscription numbers will tell..but this is the future.
Surfing should be sold as escapism entertainment, not sport.
Loved Bobby’s cluelessness, no one being able to add, roster sheet no one reads, public drinking /exposure, all so entertaining
Could be the tip of the iceberg ?
Look who American’s president is, clearly this is the future
Like Kelly’s pool, if they’re all hitting the same sections at the same time at the same speed, it’s boring to watch. Waco not as boring as Lemore, but still.
Not saying the airs aren’t crazy, but the wildcard in every surf (free or comp) is mother nature.
Mikey Wright is the wildcard in every competition!
Touche!
That statement from Chas was classy, mature, and correct. Stab did a hell of a job putting this on, dropping the cash, and bringing us an event outside the WSL. Cheers to Stab today. Cheers to Chas for not just bashing them. Cheers to surf fans everywhere that got 6 hours of entertainment.
and cheers to those who sat and watched for 6 hours rather than just catch the highlights tomorrow.
*stumbles into the room*
Sorry I’m late! This is the jeers course right? No! It’s cheers?!
*awkwardly backs out of the classroom*
“Classy, mature and correct”, I think you may have the wrong website.
Funny! Cheap! Character revealing!
Was the quote “I have nothing but respect for STAB” tongue-in-cheek? If not, why the change of heart Chas?
I have nothing but respect for the effort of putting on a live event. Good on ’em. Good on ’em for taking a swing.
more than Beach Grit have done.
Beach Grit got a chick to do an air using only technology, money, and a Brazilian… essentially a precursor to this whole Waco progression fest in my opinion.
Yes. “When Lakey learnt how to Fly “ feat. Holy Toledo and Hurley money ?
You got that kinda cash to throw around?
according to Ashton, his wife does! Don’t jump over the keyboard Chazzy…… I aint no hipster pussy!
Oh we’re just getting started!
Who- Preston or you?
It’s a new nadir.
“Crusty , manure and incontinent”, with more Grit than your average Coprolite ?