Not any given Sunday.
Do you recall, many years and multiple CEOs ago, when the World Surf League’s Paul Speaker stood before an audience and vowed that someday, and soon, professional surfing’s elite tour would eclipse the storied National Football League? The New York Times reported him as saying, “Our strategy has been, since the beginning, let’s remove all stop signs and turn them into welcome mats..”
The surfing audience, he declared, was massive and un-tapped and simply turning stop signs, all menacing and un-chill, into welcome mats, warm and fuzzy, would be enough to beat out viewership numbers for every major sporting league.
Halcyon days.
Surfing for the win.
Alas, his prognostication has no borne out. Speaker was replaced by Goldschmidt who was replaced by Erik Logan who made an oopsie and was replaced the the Chief of Human Resources and the Chief of Legal. The World Surf League took down the stop signs, fashioned them into a Wall of Positive Noise and here we are today.
Bailey Ladders.
So much failure that, according to a well-placed source, the World Surf League is afraid to put its Super Bowl up against the NFL’s measly opening day (Sun. Sept 9th) or a peak hurricane swell, avoiding waves that may be “too big.”
Yes, Finals Day is more likely than not to run tomorrow.
Per the just released presser:
YELLOW ALERT: Potential for Rip Curl WSL Finals To Run Tomorrow
Next Call: Saturday, September 9, at 7:30 AM PDT
–WSL Final 5 Prepare to Battle for the 2023 World Titles
-WSL Rising Tides Hosts Special Activation with World Champions Layne Beachley and Lisa Andersen
-WSL One Ocean and Partners Help Enhance Biodiversity at Trestles
Who do you think is most excited about this turn? Sitting champion Filipe Toledo avoiding bigger surf? The biodiverse bushes getting planted out amongst the cobbled stone?
Other?
Ready your fingers, in any case. It’s open thread time.
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That’s it. The taxi driver ref was the best thing I’ve ever read. I’m burning my lappy,books and devices as we spik!
Swell is just hitting the San Diego buoys… Fuck the woz but tomorrow’s the day
According to Mark Sponser they should run it on Thursday when a nice ground swell rolls in. I would trust him over whoever does the wsl forecasting.
I think I’ll watch some World Series of poker reruns instead.
Griff for the win! I doubt the Wozzle could take the backlash if Philly won it having ducked out at Chopes!
Big smooth ‘made in California’ power arcs will win the day…ignore the judging criteria handed out…total horse sh*t! If I’m right I’m applying for the job!
So, will it be the Chief of Human Resources or the Chief of Legal presenting the World Surf League Championship Trophy?
It’s going to be quite a moment for either, don’t you think?
Sublime moment of absolute ridiculousness…remember these types of people run the world!
The awkwardness of the ridiculousness shall overfloweth, And it will be glorious, Glorious.
Love this, Ottz ^^^
I am glad you stumbled on some common ground for us to stand together on, for real.
Vote #Fuck the WSL ’24
Wow, Shocks me just how much of a total Pro Hoe like myself doesn’t give a shit about this event. Much like I haven’t really given a shit all season. Sad state of things, I’d clear my diary and be couch bound if it was at Cloudbreak.
or Pipe. Some wave in Indo. Fuckin anywhere but there.
they call…they’re coming up. open the floodgate, guide ’em to the water…shoot ’em, then feed ’em, then lay down the rug. elliitcal, guh!
https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx….
Strider will announce when the bell rings after consulting with the new WSL Chief of Ops…
https://scontent-sjc3-1.xx….
It would be just like the WSL to take the opening weekend of the NFL into account when making the decision for when to run their finals day!
The real winner here is traumatic brain injury surpassing carcinogenic melanoma and/or getting run over by jet-ski assists.
but who exactly was the oopsie with,, ??
Damn, was thinking this morning that I might try to come out of retirement to write a Power Rankings if it got pushed to at least Monday as expected!… but, nah, still wouldn’t.
I sent a preview to DR approximately twelve hours ago now. But presumably he’s up to his nuts in guts in some Bondi back alley.
Presumably ?
The WSL would like to acknowledge all past, present and emerging indigenous E-Bikers of San Clemente and direct them towards the gift kiosk.
sec football > wsl
Oh hell yeah can’t wait to get on the beers and watch Connor O’leary plant the SHIT out of some bushes.
Bummed the Chiefs went down yesterday – meh, no Tyreek, no Kelsey, a couple of dropped passes and an interception, oh well … can’t wait for the Special Activation with Lisa and Layne.
agree re the bummed but arrowhead was wild. Happy, crazy, very loud crowd. Good times.
you were there, no?
Yes. Great venue.
“we didn’t build that Arch!”
Maybe Toney could have caught more than 2 of 5 to help. Ouch!
I am more worried about the plight of the rattlesnakes and how they feel about the biodiverse bushes than who will win this judged event. BTW, when will HB put up the Ronnie G statue?
If C Moore loses the title for the second year in a row via the new format, she is going to be super bummed.
https://www.youtube.com/wat…
Yeah, been meaning to start my Garden.
The swell is forecast to peak on Sat and fade on Sunday so the call makes sense at this point:
“Rough data suggests swell arrival on Fri afternoon (9/8) building to 2.4 ft @ 16 secs later (3.5 ft). Swell peaking Sat AM (9/9) at 3.7 ft @ 13-14 secs (5.0 ft) holding decently through the day. Swell fading on Sun (9/10) from 3.5 ft @ 12 secs early (4.0 ft). Swell Direction: 167 moving to 180 degrees”
Its fun to blast the wozzle, but in this case they are making the right call based on the info available.
4-6 could be deadly and one must wonder if Felipe is worried?
No 4-6 in that forecast but…
I only trust Surfline and they are calling for 4-6 so it shall be ordained*!
*or maybe not
notary publico