A crisis brewing?
Uh oh. Oops. Etc. The World Surf League is known for many things including ridiculous positivity, no negativity and serving milquetoast lukewarm. Thus, professional surf watchers were stunned, days ago, when Chief Strategy Officer Dave Prodan blasted the International Olympic Committee as “shameful” for refusing to recognize Hawaii’s “surfing sovereignty.”
As you well know, surfing was introduced at the 2021 neé 2020 Tokyo Games with much thrill and happiness. Certainly the waves were small and the show not so great but historic, nonetheless, with Brazil’s Italo Ferreira and the United States’ Carissa Moore wearing gold medals at the end.
Except shouldn’t it have been Hawaii’s Carissa Moore?
In World Surf League parlance the wonderful archipelago is considered a sovereign kingdom even though dastardly American capitalists stole in 1950 and rebranded a “state.”
John John Florence surfs for Hawaii. Kolohe Andino for the U.S.A.
Well, the IOC apparently ain’t as generous as the WSL, forcing Hawaiian surfers to Olympic surf under the Stars and Stripes and much to Prodan’s chagrin.
A “shameful act,” according to Prodan in his recent chat with fine Hawaiian Mitchell Salazar.
Oh, I’m with the Chief of Strategy Officers here. Absolutely pro revolution, as is the BeachGrit way, but fomenting trouble is really not World Surf League-esque.
In fact, very off brand, especially in light of Chief of Executives Erik Logan’s “seismic shift” telegraph which very much depends on surfing’s Olympic success.
Will there be heads?
I can’t imagine, but I’d also love to see Prodan put his opinion re. Hawaiian sovereignty where his loyalties are and campaign hard for a breakaway.
Chief of Strategy Officers Prodan, Kingdom of Hawaii has a real ring.
Mahalo.
If there was an Ultimate Surf- Vivor Pool within the industry Prodan and Stapleberg would be the only survivors. Prodan is the king of self Preservation. Good work if you can get it.
Prodan is a fuckwit, maybe he wanted to get those pesky hawaiians out of the way so egghead could get his precious shot at the olympics.
The spanish would go bananas if aritz whatshisname surfed for the basques thats for sure.
Mind you, the IOC does allow puerto rico to compete as a separate country, likewise hong kong and “chinese taipei” though they cant call it republic of china or the commies would lose their shit.
drug test everyone from any country ‘cept the United States of Pharma, including the brass…as they seem to be outta their minds. BGer’s are exempt!
You and your pesky facts again
“dastardly American capitalists stole in 1950 and rebranded a “state.” –
The Territory of Hawaii was annexed by the United States in 1893 and formally became the 50th state in 1959.
Were you formally educated at all, or merely collected occasional snippets of useless drivel from drunk or stoned surfers in beachside California parking lots?
“Serf Journalist”
Serf Hysterectomist. (not intended to be missoginistic, alitotosist, or hypersonicgist.) Fuck! its hailing/snowing in VTA…I mean no harm, Lord!
I’m putting them on blast anyways.
If there’s anyone to blame for this, it’s Hawaiian surfers for failing to recognize that you can get almost any concession you want from the IOC with sufficient bribery.
It’s just a plot line … Make or Break Season 3, “Rise of the Hawaiians”
If I wasn’t so blasted I’d blast the Oktoberfest Committee as “shameful” for refusing to recognize my “beer drinking sovereignty”.
Chas, the Hawaiian monarchy was toppled in 1893, and statehood started in 1959. What is this 1950 event you speak of?
Oh you must have missed. It was sweet!
Seriously Charles, you could have just used Wikipedia for that one.
it semms you not familiar with the whole clickbaiting concept…
I think it was the year Chas was born
Duke Kahanamoku represented the USA at numerous Olympic Games before Hawaii was a state, so if it’s good enough for him, it should be good enough for Prodan
Good enough or not, the IOC isn’t about to step into that pile of shit to recognize the Islands as an independent cuntry. Might seem like a good idea to some but, if you wanna see Hawaii die and become part of a different cuntry then pursue the sovereignty thing.
Everybody associated with the woke surf league acts like one of those annoying teenagers who think they have the world figured it out but is actually very ignorant. Why wouldn’t Hawaiians represent the United States? It’s not an independent country.
Cheers! Where everybody doesn’t know your name: Independent Bloggers of The WorldWideGrit. Motto: “We Never Claim”