Monday, August 27, 2012

STREET LEAGUE

Spent the afternoon and early evening at a skateboarding competition at The Prudential Center in Newark with my youngest son, oldest son, grandson, and two friends of my youngest. Wonderful mix in the cheering crowd and among the competitors. Witnessed some feats of balance and footwork and aerodynamics and creating works of art out of body and board manufacturing illusions of suspended animation and impossible physics and grace as well as noble failures and mishaps.

Entertaining and delightful. I'm grateful to my boys for sharing their love of this unique individual sport and art and helping me to appreciate it as well. Only wish it had been around when I was a kid.  Can't wait for the Olympics to catch up to it. Though my boys think it would spoil the purity of its street cred. If you ever get a chance to watch some great skateboarders, take it.

Here's a link to a video of one trick in slo mo so you can see how difficult it is (after the commercial, then the first try and major mishap that would have put me in the hospital—that's concrete he's landing on—second try beautiful).

5 comments:

Reanna said...

I think Street League is becoming a remarkable venue to showcase the art and excellence of skateboarders. But I have to agree with your boys that the Olympics is not the place for these athletes.

Lally said...

But it would be cool to see them get that kind of worldwide recognition beyond the skater world plus to see great skaters coming up from Africa and Asia etc.

Anonymous said...

Lally,

We don't want recognition outside of the skater world. You want a spectator sport go watch football or cricket.

Also it isn't hard to see skaters from Africa or Asia. Both of these areas are putting out amazing skate videos. If you want to see it you only need to look for it.

Street League and the Olympics are skateboarding. They are/will be nothing more than a strange hybrid between gymnastics and stunt-boarding. Amazing, but boring cause it is the same thing over and over again.

Lally said...

Oh, sorry anonymous I didn't know skateboarders didn't want spectators, especially considering that they spend so much time filming themselves or having themselves filmed. I guess those are meant only for other skateboarders. Oh wait, you then say I can find skateboarders from Africa and Asia on videos too. So I guess it is in some ways a spectator sport. Anyway, I only meant it would be nice for those who don't get to see the greatest skateboarding feats to have the opportunity to see the best in one big event televised worldwide like the Olympics. Sorry for being so enthusiastic.

Lally said...

And for being so sarcastic. But you started that tone anonymous with your football and cricket remark. I did play American football in high school but have no objection to non-players watching the game, though I stopped a long time ago because of the ways it became more violent and about money and exploitation etc.