Gabriel Medina ain't going anywhere.
I discovered Francis Ford Coppola’s seminal masterpiece The Godfather when I was sixteen, maybe seventeen, years old and was hooked from that opening wedding scene. Every frame grabbed my young attention, every operatic movement. Marlon Brando with his distinctive bulldog jaw, John Cazale as the bumbling Fredo, Scott Caan’s pappy James all hot and bothered, Al Pacino, playing Michael, as fresh as a daisy.
I loved it and could not imagine that filmmaking could reach a higher plane until racing to the video store, renting The Godfather part II and popping into the VHS. I had been vaguely aware that sequels could best (see: The Empire Strikes Back, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom) the original offering but to beat The Godfather?
Well, The Godfather part II did beat it and in every way. Young Vito, played flawlessly by Robert De Niro, Michael’s turn to black, it was flawless and I could not wait to get my trembling hands on The Godfather part III so back to the video store I raced, panting, out of breath.
Now, I had heard that The Godfather part III had its problems, that it wasn’t, maybe, up to standard but those damned critics didn’t know Coppola like I did. Didn’t share his vision.
Except the critics were right. The Godfather part III is, all things considered, a terrible, terrible film and maybe one of the worst ever made. Overacted, under-cooked, a smily gooey mess but there is one scene that still reverberates through cinematic history.
Which made me think about Gabriel Medina’s bombshell announcement, yesterday, that he would likely be withdrawing from the tour next year. Taking a “break” after one of the most dominant runs in competitive surfing history. A Brazilian in his prime just walking away.
But he won’t, will he.
Medina’s won’t miss Pipeline, he’ll be wildcarded right in and he’ll make it to the finals and will either beat, or lose to, Italo Ferreira. Since he’s already in Hawaii, he’ll surf Sunset and do well enough and be ranked either two or three. Sponsor obligations will force him to Portugal for the MEO Pro and he will stay two or three in the world, having to then go to Bells for more sponsor obligations.
Now, maybe he’ll skip Margs and maybe he’ll skip the Gold Coast but no way, no how, will he be skipping G-Land, Trestles, Rio, J-Bay or Teahupo’o and look at him, straight back to the second inaugural WSL Finals Day, rinse and repeat the next year and the next and the next.
Mikey Wright can choose to retire but for the best surfers in the world, the tour is an organized crime.
Never out. Always pulled back in.
Feast your eyes on Corleone Slater.
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Gold Coast no longer on the Tour
Nup,soz…… only reminds me of Sylvio Dante
But Charlie don’t surf!
Surfing was a pure sport, long, long ago. Making $s is not the problem, if it is spent wisely, with good conscience and morals. Unfortunately, too many sell their souls to Sponsors, in the ‘greed is good’ world of today.
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pull out, Gabs. Flip didn’t. and he lives in a san clemente cul-de-sac with his wife and 4 kids. pull out
Scott Caan? That’s JAMES CAAN, his father.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wi…
good catch JSC, worthy of a badge, for real
Italo is totally against drugs, whatever they are.
This is the power of a broken heart and girlfriend, and knowing she’s having an affair with Gabriel Gabigol, foward scorer from Flamengo, most popular soccer team in Brazil.
This is the best and worst fuel for personnal goals.
Reading the book was my first taste of pussy and throbbing erection.
Could you taste the difference?
At this point, I think professional surfing is more like an Organized ‘Scam’– bleeding millions from Dirk and Natasha Ziff.
Maybe he just doesn’t want to compete against JJF next year He knows he was lucky this year and doesn’t want to push it.
Yeah nah
LOl sure.
The tour is in shambles… professional surfing is, arguably, more of a dog and pony show than it has ever been.
Wondering if Medina’s been put off going for title after title by seeing how mad Slater’s become? And by the way what’s happening with Italo? He seems to have ordered everyone in his village to get the same haircut as him?
I’ve said it here before: Italo needs psychological/psychiatrical help, ASAP. I’m not joking nor is it funny. I feel like the guy is a disaster waiting to happen.
This is the power of a broken heart and girlfriend, and knowing she’s having an affair with Gabriel Gabigol, foward scorer from Flamengo, most popular soccer team in Brazil.
This is the best and worst fuel for personnal goals.
Starting a cult?
Gabby is dark, cold, powerful Michael. Italo is hotheaded Sunny. Felipe is Fredo, never able to live up his brother’s expectations.Wow.
which one had the over-sized cock?
Are you you thinking of Godfather 4: The Rodfather?
Who’s the tour’s Luca Brasi?
Wade Carmichael. Same build, plus he’s always getting knocked off early on
Kelly is that d00d who wakes up with the horse’s head in his bed.
Medina would make a good Michael, Italo seems a perfect choice for Sonny, with Felipé suitable as Frédo.
Any of the San Clemente boys are similar in character to, and could play, Carlo Rizzi.
JJF would be Tom Hagen, with Jordy as Luca Brasi.
Jeremy could be Sollozzo, with Leo as Barzini.
Igarashi should be Enzo the baker.
Slater would audition for all parts but end up as both Don Fanucci and Johnny Fontane (as well as Jack Woltz and Moe Greene) and complain for years that he wasn’t given the Don Corleone role…
Books before movies Chas. tsk tsk
Not always!
Betteridges law – no. Funny analogy though.
Seems to me that someone needs understand who the ‘Godfather’ in today’s professional surfing world really is. From that point, maybe there’s a conversation.
Of course Chas neglects to mention Diane Keaton cuz she’s the chick.
I’ve never liked Diane. Thought she was annoying to the point of it being unbelievable that michael would be choose her over family.
She had her moments.Also got tired of the fucking sup hogging all the outside peelers and got an 11’2″ and can pick a few off those fucking scum of the ocean sup pieces of shit i hate them so much that’s great you caught the wave first now you have to hop into a surf stance and hold on to that stupid fucking paddle whilst trying to carve a proper section did I mention how much ai hate them ok thanks just needed to get that off my chest
I’ve never liked Diane. Thought she was annoying to the point of it being unbelievable that michael would choose her over family.
No, professional surfing is not organized crime.
Professional Surfing is a brothel. It is the Red House over yonder. And Medina is the best whore they got. There have been many Madams at the WSL Brothel, but Madam Logan is notably the most whore-iest of the lot. The problem is that the Madams have never appreciated their best whore Medina. Never. They still think their best whore in the Red House is Kelly Slater, parading him out for feathered fan dances before an undulating crowd.
Medina wants to be a better father than the step father he had. Step #1, becoming a father. It is the first step in proving to himself that the toxic environment of his family had no lasting effects. It is the only path before him that is important.
Professional Surfing is not organized crime. It is the Red House over yonder.