The Eternal Sunshine of Erik Logan's Spotless Mind.
I woke this morning too early, the grey still hovering in southern California’s unseasonably chill dawn, and my first thought was “I wonder what Zoë Kravitz wore to Coachella yesterday?” quickly chased by my second thought “Did the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach run to its finish?” A quick snag of my phone off of vintage bedside table, swiping up to unlock, clicking on browser, opening dear BeachGrit and seeing the wonderful Open Thread Comment Live post crowning all.
It did run, but to its finish?
I scrolled directly to the comments, to you, to realize no, it did not but more importantly, Italo Ferreira had apparently stormed the judges tower in a blind rage while, if I read correctly, World Surf League cameras swung away to focus on an interview with Tom Carroll who was reading from his 1981 diary in a sensually-lit masturbatorium (?).
Insane.
Absolutely incomprehensible.
Now, I’ll surf journalist and get to the bottom of this story, spooling it out over 10 – 15 delightfully whimsical episodes, but in the meantime, how but how would a rare bit of drama not be the absolute focus of the broadcast? A former champion incensed, heated, on the march but no. Too… what? Real? The staid and buttoned-down NFL, NBA, MLB only turn the cameras away when a fan has taken to the field and running around (so others don’t get encouraged, I suppose). Otherwise, every fight, altercation, screaming match, shove, etc. is documented, commented upon, examined from multiple angles.
Professional surfing, apparently, too family-friendly, though, to show frustration in real time.
What makes it even more wild is the fact that Make or Break, the much ballyhooed upcoming television program documenting the World Surf League’s championship tour, has access to this sort of business. No way a producer/director in her/his right mind would take on a project and not be guaranteed full entry. I am certain the interaction was documented and will provide a thoroughly dramatic moment when the show airs.
Now, one would think that the main benefit of a Make or Break, from the WSL’s side, would be to pull viewers over to the championship tour broadcast, maybe even enough viewers to charge a subscription fee or at least obtain real sponsors. What happens when these viewers come, though, expecting to see bull rushes of judging towers but are instead met with masurbatoriums and the patented Wall of Positive Noise?
I’m going to direct/produce a new series that really really shows what goes on in professional surfing. It will be called The Eternal Sunshine of Erik Logan’s spotless mind.
Less as the story develops.
Italo is obviously dealing with roid-rage issues.
I’ve already mailed two batches. Mail seem slow to California, and quick t0 the UK.
I can’t believe any of you bother watching Bold And The Beautiful of The WSL last year was barely watchable. This year it’s sweet as sugarcane. sick. I thought hey I’ll catch the highlights of the day in WSL app. there was a 1 minute reel or watch a full replay to maximise ad revenue. wsl lost the plot. just go surfing forget the wsl.
Surf media has a history of turning a blind eye to unflattering personal drama until the roar of rumour forces acknowledgment
Dropping the high and low scores of each wave when you only have 5 judges is ridiculous. All judges scores should count. Italo is often underscored. His last wave v Robinson was a 7 plus, at least a half point better than Robinson’s last gasp ride.
Dreadful decision. Rigged judging. Judges should immediately lock in their scores rather than look at replays and then doctor scores. Italo on the end of some very bad calls. Pro Australian judging. WSL judging panel in need of urgent overhaul.
Chas compared to previous years what they showed of italo losing his shit in changeroom then flyjng the drone over judge tower was totally next level for wsl, by not going deeper just left us hanging for the footage when the series comes out.
He’sahoe didn’t thank God enough, or maybe the wrong God or say some inspirational quote..IDK…fuck off…
As time’s gone on I think, quote sadly, ELo doesn’t give a single fuck about surfing – he brags about SUPping with not a morsel of irony!
It’s all about “the show” “the clicks” “the ratings” “the engagement”…
The surfing? Buncha sun-bleached fuckwits. Who gives a shit? E-Lo here to turn the WSL into 90210
ELo’s attempts at trolling are getting pretty lame.
would you have banned Kelly for smashing his board in Portugal……green washing bastard he is?
Cope seethe and dilate, the better surfer won
So sorry about the mullet’s return mates, that’s a sad moment …
It creates drama and anger and rage among fans and competitors. If they’re all in on TV and serialising the tour for screen ratings, it’s perfect to have a trigger such as judging to set everything off
Let’s translate this for the benefit of WSL’s largest audience.
https://youtu.be/Z1dH5GMAypM
How much are the judgeds being paid to push an Aussie through? This heat reaks of corruption. Shame on WSL.
I’m hearing Italo spoke words that definitely brought the WSL into disrepute.
Therefore it will be quickly covered up and never mentioned again.
I’m tired of beating the same tired drum, and fuck me the BG community is sick to the teeth of me saying “see? See? I told you so”. But fuck ‘em all.
See? I told you all before the year started the entire judging system – every facet – is broken. It contradicts itself and lies to the surfers and fans. Judging problems will never, ever end until it’s fixed.
Unlike most other fuckers who complain without solutions, there are simple ways the judging can be fixed. Judging can be fixed. Wozzle can’t be fucked.
Plus competent, transparent judging would hardly make for good pay per view Apple TV drama eh…?
I’m interested in how the judging can be fixed?
The very very short version is this:
They’ve got 5 categories now that the judges use. But those categories are highly flawed and need less ambiguity. Not hard for anyone involved in testing and statistics.
After they’ve cleaned up the categories, they then need to classify wave scores for each category. For example, let’s say Category 1 is ‘power and commitment’. Then you have descriptors which tell the judges 8-10, surfers must do abc. For 6-8, surfers do xyz. For 4-6, surfers do bla bla bla.
Rinse and repeat for the other 4 categories. Now they have 5 categories and zero descriptors. Like actually fucking zero. So how does anyone, judges included, objectively know what’s an 8, a 7, a 9.5…? They don’t. So they’re guessing every wave and then watching replays to do comparisons
It’s pretty much how any testing and scoring works in academia land, and has been tried, tested and perfected over so many decades that you can hire consultants at the drop of a hat to help with categories.
Then work with surfers and judges to classify it all. Bingo.
That’s rather disingenuous of Chris and the propaganda issuing from behind the WOPN.
His claims just were not as good as they could have been , letting the good folk of Brazil down with such a lackadaisical performance,
more fist pumps and chest pounds to up that score !