"He opened up the realm of unridable slabs."
The greatest NFL player of all time, Tom Brady, has led tributes to the big-wave pioneer, tow-surf and foil-board inventor, sauna champ, supermodel and movie star, Laird Hamilton, on the twenty-sixth anniversary of his groundbreaking ride at Teahupoo, subsequently dubbed the Millennium Wave.
Tim Mckenna, who shot the photo that became a cover on myriad surfing magazines, wrote: 26 years ago. August 17, 2000. The day Laird Hamilton changed big wave surfing forever by opening up the realm of unrideable slabs. Since then, jet-ski-assisted rides have flourished all around the world at every big wave or mutant slab.
Brady, a man who was cucked by a jiujitsu instructor, ironic given Laird Hamilton’s advice about learning to fight from a few days back, was among a torrent of stars lining up to heap praise on the grand wizard of surfing.
From Brady, a small black heart emoji followed by two large red hearts, signalling love (the red hearts) with a little touch of edge.
Human Viagra Raimana Van Bastolaer wrote simply, “Best rider, best photographer.”
Do you remember where you were when this photograph appeared and the world seemed to shift a little on its axis? I was married, living in a house built on sand dunes in Hossegor and the future seemed brighter than I could’ve ever imagined.
You?
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Garbage click bait from a garbage magazine run by garbage people. Last time this place had any integrity was before Rory left.
sounds like the plot of many a rom-com , always a happy ending
Probably fingering someone’s sister
Watching AI terrify Kelly for the first time at Pipe.
Earning a bathroom off the Swell.com boomers.
About a year away from making the worst mistake of my life.
but you loved her Nick
But it didn’t matter hippy.
why are you still here brother?
This thread was days ago
not that it was replaced by more interest, just the sands of time compounded by tides
Gah I dunno. I was down a writing hole and got stuck here.
of course you would say that…….as you don’t understand surfing’s culture….and where innovation and creativity come from……not talking about the lazy people who do step offs in waves …but to go where no man has surfed before…..and the technical expertise needed to conquer new frontiers……this does not exist on the Esat Coast of Australia….
The shortness of the shorts, their tightness and the white feet though?
Finishing last year of my PhD program. I was living in back of my POS Ford Ranger pickup about half time at various crash out sites around the Inland Empire. Other half of time on my folks or friends couches North County.
wasn’t so bad sleeping in the back of the truck three or four nights a week, by that time I had my own office in the department and the University had great athletic facilities, showers, etc.
My wife was in Seattle finishing law school in the same year. The focus of the family money was paying for her apartment. I would say that she owes me, definitely I owe her, such a smart and productive person
PhD in…?
spouse picking ,, apparently
I’d come back from an epic millennial New Year’s in Brazil, where at 2:00 a.m. on the way down my hungover ass made a can pipe and did tokes on the plane. Back when there was freedom in the skies.
Getting a plane in brasil back then was like getting a bus
All these Laird sharticles lately, it’s almost like Chas and DR owe him something.
Working in the receiving dept at a Barnes n Noble bookstore, trying to bang all the college chick cashiers, and occasionally succeeding. I’d have my little stack of surf mags in my back room hovel. Good little job, somehow paid the rent, and I got to surf all day. Was def not feeling the future was bright, however, as everyone else I worked with was in college and I was just surfing.
As a 48 year old with two young kids and a mortgage and a real-ish job for the first time in my life after 20+ years of fucking off and fooling around I dunno which is the right or wrong train anymore but despite the occasional stress and desire and expectation to surf whenever I want hanging on like a phantom limb, this is much preferable to the existential angst I felt prior to really settling down.
Your first line sounds like the lyric from a ganggajang song
Damn, RIP Laird.
He’s not dead, Derek is trolling with the headline
I know it was just fun to write that comment
Wankers been brain dead for fucken years
living in Charlottesville , wandering through a university bookstore. Saw the cover and couldn’t believe it was real life , mind truly did feel blown.
then a couple months later , bush v gore saga, and then not so long after that 9/11 , and then oldest kid born in October 2001 , yadda, yadda, yadda , and now am a BG commenter talking shit about laird’s inventions
ps , the house of sand reference was very well done
Now you are b.g. commenter? Pinnacle of human achievement
sure hope so , about all I’ve got , ha
I’m struggling to decide which is more enjoyable, commenting on BG or FT as the UK/EU inhabitants seem more fragile than the folks from Oz
the southern hemisphere breeds some tough ones , very primal
Seems like they appreciate the crazy orange man moreso than the folks across tbe pond these days. The Neanderthal gait orange man walks with must appeal to the southern hemisphere boys.
Very true!
I’ll be in Cville tomorrow for a dinner.
hope the free range feed is delicious
I believe it is move in week so the entertainment value will be worth the price of admission.
wear your seersucker to add to the entertainment
first time in years I won’t be writing checks to UVA , smells like freedom , ha
I cannot pull off seersucker at the level of the fashion focused like Chas so I’ll settle for a linen shirt as I don’t do well in Virginia heat and humidity.
Congrats on the partial economic freedom! Mrs Madeoff and I are enjoying it to our fullest abilities including a debate around a trip to Hossegor in late September after the pasty Germans and Brits have headed home.
nice, hossegor will be pumping then , bring your step up, ha
I survived a long night at Oakhart Social with some professionals in Cville so I’m ready for anything.
Thought I was reading a post mortem. Was not was.
Laird has been a trail blazer all his life
Bless your situation !
Xox
Hahaha, why not?! Nothing like some surprise during the foreplay of her discovering you fingering your own bumhole !
Xox
I was in year 11 and got suspended for fighting.
Laird would be so proud of me
Just another one of things and people that mean zero to me.
Dez you often write so warmly and fondly about times with your ex I wondered if you still have feelings of regret and what ifs cuz I know I certainly do brother. I feel when we are young we have a tendency to take that connection and love we feel for our beloved wife or partner or whatever for granted and as we get older and wiser we realise just how utterly dumb and fucked up we are for doing it?
I don’t want to bore everyone with the complexities of my personal life but just remember my fellow gritters be a good cunt cuz theres already enough shit ones getting around on this strange but beautiful spinning rock we all call home and their numbers are increasing daily. Kiss those you love dearly on the reg cuz fuck only knows what happens next. Love you all xx
I have destroyed the most wholesome of things. But not with intent. In my inability to argue mainly.
Xox
It’s not love until you argue…
argue serious?
ISea what you did there.
just wait til you’re 45 and realize you’re on the wrong train and a kamikaze self immolation is the only way to jump off
gotta be a less fiery way to go
“Getting caught in the gears of a combine… a parachute not opening…” -Frank Drebin
Could get towed into massive Chopes, I reckon.