Could ELo be surfing's Johnny Appleseed?
Erik Logan burst onto our surfing scene like a bomb. Shot directly from Oprah Winfrey’s canon, the diminutive stand-up paddle enthusiast was announced as president of the newly formed WSL Studios and quickly pulled all focus. He was everything, everywhere, all at once, sharing how he had grown up Oklahoman and afraid of the ocean until his wife gave him a “magic wetsuit of armor” that allowed him to conquer his dread.
WSL Studios quickly failed, without producing a single bit of content, though Logan was promoted to Chief Executive where he continued to rise and shine. He shared breath with Jack Robinson, skin with Filipe Toledo and effervescence with the world. Logan was not shy about being the “face of the brand,” as it were, and leant hard into “selfie mode” while traveling around the world with the Championship Tour.
Alas, it all came to a blazing stop in 2023 in Brazil. Three years after ELo had climbed to the top of competitive professional surfing, he was undone with the most brusque press release in corporate history.
One line simply reading, “Erik Logan is not longer with the company.”
Surf fans speculated wildly as to what led to his ouster as stories of a severe temper and off-putting vibe percolated. Logan, for his part, remained silent until popping up selling short stories on Substack and off-brand John Varvatos clothes.
His clown-ish legacy settled.
But might it deserve a fresh look?
David Lee Scales and I get together weekly, as you know, to discuss various surf world hithers and thithers. Today, a call came in from a surfer who happened to stumble on a mystical non-surfing surf fan whilst at the dog park. The woman proclaimed to have never once surfed but fallen in love with it as sport and watched all the broadcasts, knew all the names etc. I had, two years ago, embarked on a mythical quest to find such a specimen, though never did.
But was I not giving enough time for ELo’s seed to find purchase?
Though who could forget the story of Johnny Appleseed, a man who wanted to cure hunger and so wandered these great United States planting apple trees. Well, of course these trees didn’t grow overnight. They needed time, water, sun and might the non-surfing surf fan had needed the same minus water or sun?
Is it possible that non-surfing surf fans are crowding Arkansas Applebees, asking harried barmen to find the Pro Pipeline feed?
Hmmmm.
David Lee and I also, anyhow, discussed the degradation of the Pipe Masters and our upcoming live show.
I think you will enjoy.
