Chris Smith For Streetjesus : Dallas Hordichuk Edit

What started out as a joke turned into the future of action sports, and what started as a hobby turned into a passion.  What started as a part-time job turned into a crash course down a career path, and what started as a few chance meetings has turned into life-long friendships.

Chris Smith and Dallas Hordichuk are two guys who have had an immense impact on this blog and my life in general with their unrivaled stoked on their sport and daily commitment to sharing their enjoyment with whoever they can.

Over the last year Chris spent a ton of time in the mountains honing his craft and becoming a force to be reckoned with in the park.  Dallas was at home for the majority of the year but spent his time playing a massive roll in the growth of snowboarding in Saskatchewan and taking the Offaxis program to a new level.

I owe a lot to both guys, mostly for continuing to show me that there are people out there who care about the sport and will do whatever it takes to help make it into what it surely can be.  This video is a testament to skill level and insane commitment that both of them have to what they do, and shows that hard work pays off, the learning curve is worth it and passion is something that can’t be faked.

 

Thanks so much to both of you and I can’t wait to see what comes down the pipe!

-t

Forum Exodus : Is Pat Moore Next?

From what I know, and what I have read courtesy of Pete Andersen the lifecycle of a pro snowboarder is pretty simple and usually goes something like: Flow, Pro, Dough; followed by capitalizing on the dough, then getting old and hurt and actually having to work for your paycheck.

From what I can tell so far in the career of Pat Moore he is teetering on the edge of the dough part.  Having compiled numerous accolades as an Am and recently as a Pro with the Forum team Pat is now in the eye and loving hearts of the snowboard community and is surely on the walls of a few shops and basements.

That being said, Pat Moore is still a backcountry ripper who for some reason is on a Forum snowboard.  Hold on a second before you assume what the rest of this post looks like.  It is NOT going to be a hate-fest directed at Forum or their products, or the people who ride them.  It is simple going to be a (slightly) educated guess that when it comes to Moore, The Program is no longer the right fit “Forum”.

Let’s have a look at a few reasons why this may be true.  Exhibit A:  Jake Blauvelt.  Jake was enjoying a successful career as a pro shred hitting jumps and jibs and traveling the world on the funnest (I know, not a word) snowboard team in the game.

However, not long after he got a taste of fresh pow in his face, and sled exhaust in his lungs, Jake bolted for that area above the alpine with the likes of TRice, Muller and DCP.  After doing this for a season or so under The Program umbrella Blauvelt realized that the steezed out jib styling of Forum, Four Square and Special Blend were not what he needed to properly slay untouched pillow lines.

Exhibit B…Any guesses…raise your hands…that’s right John Jackson.  In a move that was announced just this past weekend, Jackson parted ways with his long time helpers out and now belongs to the Burton family, who have a much more established big mountain game, and will undoubtedly see him getting really sendy the next time Brain Farm makes a movie.

What I am saying with all of this, is not to take anything away from Forum, 4Sq, or Blend, but is once again to simply guess that the separation of segments within the snow industry is continuing to grow.  Did anyone see Familia 2?  Ok, and how wack did it look to see someone dropping massive ledges in Tech Nine outerwear.  Cool, I proved my point.  Again, not that their stuff isn’t great it’s just the same reason why companies make boards in the 150s up to the high 160s for the same guy (or girl).  Forum continues to push out some of the best street and park riders in the game (see Nic Sauve) that is what they have done since their inception, and it’s not stopping any time soon.

All I want is to be able to smile and nod when in a season or 2 a move is announced and I can quote the date of this article.  Alright now everybody group hug before I go watch “Vacation”.

-t

Snowmobile Racing Is Out At X

In a move made late last week, ESPN announced that Snowmobile racing and Snowmobile Speed & Style will no longer be included in it’s Winter X Games events.  Citing that they made the move to focus more on sports that the fans can get behind, ESPN said they are still going to make an effort to push the Freestyle aspects of snowmobile sports at X.  It appears that only one person was effected negatively by the decision, 5-peat champion Tucker Hibbert.

Creating a nearly 6-week gap in the schedule this will no doubt put a massive strain on racers, teams and sponsors in the Snowmobile racing realm.  As bad as this sucks for those people, it is also a huge step forward for action sports on a broader scale.  ESPN’s decision to focus on the fan friendly sports will allow them to take the next step in terms of mainstream acceptance and respect.

With events like the Maloof Money Cup and Street League making in-roads to the worldwide sports viewing public, things like Snowmobile Cross are only holding things back, by hanging onto the idea that just because something is different and not widely accepted, that makes it a legitimate action sport.  I think the response to Enduro-X this past summer can speak to my argument there.

Now if ESPN would just let the rally thing die, and bring back BMX dirt I could finally sleep at night.

** Note: All this being said I am happy that ESPN has decided to hold onto and push the freestyle elements of Snowmobiling.  Action sports are as much about style and expression as they about an alternative to traditional sports.  Seems like this is some serious backing to that mindset.

 

-t

Jeff Schmid Leaves Streetjesus

Something happened earlier today that shocked everyone close to this project and will greatly impact the viewing audience that has been following Streetjesus for nearly 2 years.  Our main contributor of content, as well as team manager and my close personal friend Jeff Schmid has decided to part ways with Streetjesus, and it’s affiliated projects.

I am not going to try and speak on Jeff’s behalf, but I will try and outline for all of you the immediate impacts that this will have on the day-to-day operations of the site.  First off, let me begin by saying Jeff’s decision to leave was an amicable one, and his time spent on this project was and is greatly appreciated and highly valuable.  Jeff played a major roll in the daily operation of Streetjesus as a website accounting for most, and often all of the online content that appeared on the page.  He was also responsible for founding and maintaining the team portion of our efforts including managing their online content as well as keeping up the working relationship with our team members.

As a result of the decision Jeff has made, several key things will have to change, at least for the immediate future.  This will include the dissolution of our team as it is currently structured.  This means that the “Team” section of the page will no longer operate as it has been, but that is basically where the changes stop.  Streetjesus will continue to post content from friends and riders close to us, and support their careers and endeavors if they chose to continue using us as an outlet.  In addition to this, the behind-the-scenes efforts that have been made to support our artists and riders will continue to move in a direction that will benefit these people, as well as future Streetjesus ambassadors.

As far as the daily content of the site goes that will also see minor changes moving forward.  All of you have probably noticed Jeff has nearly been the sole contributor of content to the website.  This move means that content will obviously suffer a slight set-back, but rest assured every effort is, and will continue to be made to keep the site and it’s content at the highest level possible.

The biggest thing with this decision is that Streetjesus today, has effectively lost its   most valuable member.  The enthusiasm that Jeff has shown to this project over the previous months has been immeasurable and is something that will be greatly missed.  This does not mean however, that Jeff is no longer a part of the Streetjesus family, as his input, insight and personal feelings toward the action sports world are highly valuable and are something that will always command a high level of attention and respect.

“Streetjesus started as friends, who were inspired by what was happening in our lives.  We are stoked.  Now we want to share that feeling with as many people as we possibly can.  Sick of over commercialized cheese ball perspectives of our lives by the mainstream media, we are taking our stories to the streets and putting them where they belong…In your face.

This is what we do; this is who we are…THIS IS STREETJESUS.”

This is a statement that still holds true and will never change, it is the reason this project was started and it will continue to be the thought process that pushes it forward.

I speak for our entire viewership and myself when I say that I would like to thank Jeff for all of the hard work and effort that he has put toward this and wish him nothing but the best of luck with his future endeavors as well as his current undertakings.

I would also like to sincerely thank all of you for the support and love you have shown us and hope that you continue to look to Streetjesus as your source for stoke, emotion and passion in the online world of action sports, and keep making our presence felt where it matters most… In the Streets.

-t

 

Streetjesus: 500th Post

Yup, we’ve been at this for a while now. So much gnar. So much inspiration. So much fun.

For our 500th post, we decided to take a look back at some of our favourite posts from the last year and a half, and also say a few words about the future of Streetjesus.

Jeff’s thoughts

A few posts that stand out for me…

Team Profile: Blade Cleaver – 20/05/2011

There is no doubt that meeting Blade changed my life. I have never met someone who is so stoked on the simple things that everyone else takes for granted. 112 days until the gnar continues.

Inbox: with Stephanie Just – 29/08/2010

Stef is obviously pretty rad, so doing this interview was a lot of fun. Once again, Stef focuses on what’s important in life, and none of the bullshit… and you gotta love that.

Forum Snowboards: F*** IT Teaser – 15/06/2010

My third pick is a simple one, but to this day I still watch this trailer to get stoked. In a lot of ways, it’s way better than the actual movie… and the five words that I chose to describe it could not be more true.

Those are just a few of my favs…

As for the future? I’ve decided to re-focus on making Streetjesus the best action sports blog I possibly can. On top of the aesthetic and functionality changes that are happening, the site will now be updated every day at 12 Midnight (CST). The goal here is to offer fresh content to every shop kid, every shredder, and every person stoked on action sports on a daily basis.

I honestly could not be more excited. Thank you all so much.

Ty’s thoughts

The 500th Streetjesus post is a pretty proud moment for me.  I have been constantly working toward something for years now, and SJ has been the outlet for all of the emotions that have gone into this work.  What it is I have been working towards isn’t something that can be defined but is simple none the less.  All I have wanted out of life since I realized it was possible is to have a career in action sports, no matter the shape or form.  Streetjesus has taken me down a few paths : Shop kid, Retail employee, Sales Rep, Writer, and Event Planner.  All of these things have helped shape me into not only a person better suited for a career in this industry, but a better person in general.  Action sports teach commitment, perseverance, and consistency and breeds passion, love and desire like nothing else on the planet.

This website has been my drive, my motivator, and my constant reminder for the last 19 months, that the goal Jeff and I have been chasing is not something that will come easily.  But then again, the good things in life seldom do.  There have been countless moments along this journey that have stood out in my mind, all for various reasons.  So I guess the best thing I can do is tell you a few of them, as well as the reasons why I will never forget them.  Here it goes.

Red Bull: Charging It – 22/01/2010

There is a post that gives me the feeling I can imagine someone would get while watching their child’s first try at something.  It was the first time the publish button was ever hit on SJ.  “Red Bull : Charging It” went live on January 22, 2010 and I don’t know if it was all the sugar in my system or simply the nerves, but I felt sick for a solid 24 hours after posting it.  I was hit with a flood of feelings “What if no one reads it?” “What if no one cares?” and then I thought, forget all of that, how about this “You finally have a place to let out what is on your mind, just enjoy it.”

Since that day, all I have done with this site is that, enjoy it.  Everyday when I wake up and look at things, I smile, take a breathe and get back to working on making SJ the best it can be.  I haven’t been posting very much lately, but rest assured I am working my ass off everyday to grow Streetjesus and do what I can to take it to the next level for everyone who has been a part of it from the beginning.

Element & Vitamin Water Present Party At The Plaza: Recap – 07/09/2010

That’s why my next pick would have to be our first event, “Party At The Plaza” was something that came about as a result of both Jeff and myself being a part of several events.  First as fans and spectators, then behind the scenes organizing, setting up and executing a few.  The Party was different though, this was something that was born of our own thoughts and was made possible from start to finish by our own efforts.  It was something that up to that point I had never really experienced and I will take with me from here on as a very important experience.

Potentially the biggest thing that Streetjesus has done, not just for Jeff and I but for everyone involved has been the sense of community it has created.  Those initial thoughts of “What if no one cares?” have been rapidly replaced with thoughts of “Wow, people legitimately love this thing!”.  The proof of this has been easy to see from the simple things like when the Class 5 boys started calling me Jesus instead of Tyler.  Or when we hit up Ange for some stickers and had no problem plastering over 100 peoples property with them.  But the biggest thing that has shown me what Streetjesus has become is at the top of the site under a very fitting header “Team”.  There are 28 names on this page, but it represents the hundreds more that support us every day, and will no doubt continue to support us as we grow.

I would sincerely like to thank each and every person who has helped SJ get as big as it is, and be the reason why it will become much, much bigger.  To all of the team riders, congrats on all your huge accomplishments, from your photos and videos to your trophies and prize money.  To all the brands that have gotten behind us, thanks for your support with your product, your energy, and your people, without all of which, we would be no where.  And lastly to all of the readers.  There would be no point in continuing to post content if no one is going to look at it, so thanks for paying attention and look for big things in the future.  One of the biggest will be my grammar steadily improving over the years to come.  Much love!

Fall 2011 Movie Teaser Ultrapost

As far as I know, there is nowhere you can find as much fall 2011 shred movie gnar as right here. If this list is missing anything, please let us know and we will add it asap. Enjoy the stoke!

Snow

The Art Of Flight 1 2 (Brain Farm Cinema)
Kaleidoscope (Isenseven)
Winter Wars (Peepshow)
YES. It’s A Movie (YES)
TB20 (Standard Films)
Vacation (Forum, Special Blend, Foursquare)
Tabarnac (Brothers Factory)
A Shot In The Dark 1 2 3 (Process Films)
Standing Sideways (Burton)
One (Givin)
Day and Age 1 2 (Sandbox)
The Shred Remains (Rome)
Sexual Snowboarding (Lobster)
Can’t Not Be Feeling This 1 2 3 (LSL Productions)
Snap Crackle Pop (The Business Ltd.)
Buck Love (BuckHunters)
Defenders of Awesome (Capita)
Set Your Sights (Toy Soldier Productions)
Shoot The Moon (Videograss)
One For The Road (Teton Gravity Research)

Ski

Begging For Change (4BI9 Media)
Weight (Stept Productions)
The Grand Bizarre (Poor Boyz Productions)
Attack of La Nina (Matchstick Productions)
After Dark (Level 1)
Nothing Else Matters (Legs Of Steel)
Can’t Not Be Feeling This 1 2 3 4 5 (LSL Productions)
Self Taught (Inflik Media)
Set Your Sights (Toy Soldier Productions)
That’s Fine (Voleurz)
Being There (Field Productions)
Prime Cuts (Meathead Films)
Retallack: The Movie (Inspired Media)
Whatever!? (Headbud Productions)
One For The Road (Teton Gravity Research)
All.I.Can. (Sherpas Cinema)
On Top Of THE HOOD (Sammy Carlson and Nimbus Independant)

Plan B’s Big Bang?

I actually have a lot to say today, but we’ll get to that in a second…

Let’s start by kicking back and enjoying the skateboarding of Torey Pudwill (click below to redirect to the video on Trashermagazine.com).

Did you see it? DID YOU SEE IT? Yea… T Puds did a Feeble Grind – 360 Flip Out on a handrail and a bunch of other craziness. But there was something in this video that was more shocking to me than anything Torey did (because Torey is always bangin).

There is something at the end of this video. The very end. It’s something that has been years in the making. It’s something that has lingered for so long that ME AND TY WERE TALKING ABOUT IT WHEN WE FIRST MET (wow). It was subtle, but a date has been announced for Know Future. I’ve enhanced the following image so the world can see that it actually exists…

Know Future is the third rumoured title for a skateboard movie that does not exist, courtesy of Plan B. The video was rumoured to be called Superfuture in 08, Unquestionable in 09, and now Know Future in 2011. The hype began in 2008 when Plan B released a 20 minute (yes, 20 minute) promo DVD called Superfuture, which claimed “Video Coming 2010” at the end. Me and Ty used to hand these out for free to our awesome shop kids (many of who now skate on our team… yee!). No video came.

The promo DVD ended with a 3-minute Ryan Sheckler part that at the time was so good, it was hard to believe they had actually saved any footage for the video itself… if there even was a video.

HOLD ON. THAT DON’T MAKE NO SENSE.

I know… and I’m sorry, but it’s confusing subject matter. Ryan’s promo part came out so long ago that I couldn’t even find a high quality version of it to share with you, and I lost the DVD so I can’t even rip you one…

Years later, we were treated to this…

Here’s the thing about this newer teaser… most of the clips in it have now been released. P Rod released his life changing iTunes part in February (if you haven’t seen it, you should probably make that happen), TPuds realeased his full part yesterday, and other Plan B guys have released banger footy online as well! I’m so confused.

Either Plan B is blowing it, or they have some REALLY gnarly stuff in the archives. But did Sheckler really do more than Kickflip that monster drop? And does Torey have a more tech trick on film than a Back Tail – Backside 360 Big Flip Out? I guess we’ll find out in November.

On top of all of this stuff that makes no sense, former Plan B pro Brian Wenning has been quoted on some skateboarding sites saying things like “The Plan B video will never come out”, and until yesterday I believed him 100%, and I still might. Brian left the team because the company that distributes Plan B couldn’t pay him, and gave him the run-around for 4 months straight.

Let’s face it… it’s pretty hard for skateboard deck manufacturers to make money. This is because all the stand up individuals who buy DC Court Graffik shoes and Hurley hats don’t buy skateboards. Footwear and clothing companies usually have a bit more money kicking around for things like epic full length skate videos.

No matter what happens, I am not, nor will I ever be a Plan B hater. Their team gives the mid-80s Edmonton Oilers a run for their money, and Danny Way and Colin McKay are obviously two of the coolest people of all time. I just really want to see this video.

Heath Kirchart Stay Gold : B Side

This video is a little old, but the more I watch it the more I realize one simple thing. Skateboarding, and action sports athletes in general DO NOT get enough love. Love for what they accomplish in their chosen field, love for the time they put in perfecting their craft and love for the dedication and self-sacrifice required to get to the level they are at.

I myself am guilty of it at times thanks in part to countless heroic acts at the X Games, or the stomp-fest that is known as Street League. In any case it is a total travesty that these ATHLETES are looked at by most people as punks with nothing better to do than stick it to the mainstream and venture off the beaten track down a path of alternative enlightenment.

I feel in fact like the opposite is true, action sports participants on any level have to work much harder to get things done than most mainstream athletes, due to the plain and simple fact that they are not mainstream. The facilities, training and backing just do not exist for these participants like they do in other realms.

Take a look at the majority of Olympic sports; they come and go every 4 years with a fleeting moment where these athletes are in the spotlight, then for the remaining 1459 days they are forced into obscurity and faced with the daunting task of being their own support system in order to stay competing at high level.

The same thing goes for professional action sports athletes. They are looked at occasionally when ESPN decides to be a little “radder” for a few days, but other than that they are forced to grind out a living praying for a good shot to keep food on the table.

Meanwhile people all over the globe walk around in DC t-shirts completely oblivious to the fact that the “jersey” they are wearing is the same one dawned by Danny Way while he broke countless bones, and suffered innumerable blows to the head trying to push his sport.

All I’m asking is to watch this and appreciate it, for what it is. A testament to action sports athletes around the world sacrificing their minds, time, bodies and bank accounts so that we can all feel a little bit cooler.

Thanks Heath

Hey Volcom, Where’s The Soul?

Last week a deal was confirmed that made Volcom and its brands a part of the French group PPR. For those of you who don’t know (everyone, including me prior to writing this) PPR is an investment-based luxury and retail group who owns such action sports giants as Yves St. Laurent, Gucci and Puma…Wait, what the fuck? If that last sentence seems totally wack, please continue reading. The deal was struck after PPR committed $608M for a majority share in Volcom (VLCM). That abbreviation shows Volcom’s stock sign, which is wrong in itself and the basis for me writing this. I am not going to get into the details of the transaction because let’s face it, I simply don’t know enough about finance to comment on it, but there is something I feel qualified to talk about and that is the purity of action sports.

I have said more than a few times that action sports saved my life, as a matter of fact I think I say it every time I write. The point is that there is an integrity and a soul to action sports that is unrivaled by any other professional physical activity. The concept of alternative sports is built on people who don’t care what the mainstream is doing and want to go it their own way. Over the years as various action sport specific companies started to pop up, the mainstream and non-endemic market started to take notice. I have absolutely zero problem with this, anyone who has ever been in a conversation with me knows that I completely understand the need for outside sources to help our industry thrive. Be it companies like Stride Gum sponsoring snowboarders, or idiots wearing DC “Skate Shoes” because it’s familiar and cool. The need for the mainstream and run of the mill bros is a necessary evil.

The whole reason for going on this rant is not to make it seem like I hate corporate giants, because that’s not true I actually kind of like them. The point of this is that when it comes down to it, the human race is a weak bunch. We will all reach a breaking point eventually. Push something on people long enough and hard enough, and they will do whatever you want. Case and point, (VLCM).

Last week the Volcom, PPR deal was made official; six years after Volcom put themselves on Wall Street. Being a publicly traded company is whorish enough, it says “Hey, in the interest of making money, why don’t we let fucking anyone make decisions for us!” Although it’s not always that bad, in most cases that is the point, money. Something Volcom was clearly against in their early days. I’m going to stop you there before it looks like I’m trying to be core and say I hate business. I don’t, not at all, I love it, I even started one! I do hate people who make you believe they have values and a belief system and then it turns out to be total and complete bullshit.

Richard Woolcott founded Volcom in 1991 and the early years were spent running the business from a garage with the mantra “Youth Against Establishment”. Well, Dick PPR seems pretty fucking established. I have come to the conclusion that you have no soul, and you are now a robot who works for the man and only cares about the bottom line. You might as well be selling cars or houses instead of boardshorts and demin. If you think I am wrong, then tell me why someone would sell a company with an apparent $505M valuation that is predicted to grow over the next 12 months. You are a greedy pig, and I actually despise everything you really stand for.

**Valuation source – www.infinancialsanalytics.com

Why a good company goes public is simple, they want to get better. All too often it is done out of necessity as demand and supply become unbalanced and the need to get product out is too great for what their current infrastructure can handle. Congrats to Volcom, you global giant, apparel kingpins you. Now you are faced with a dilemma, do you continue to grow organically, or do you ask Uncle Pennybags for some scrill in exchange for your soul? Soul for cash, oh okay.

There is legitimately zero excuse for what Woolcott has done. You don’t walk around acting one way, like your whole life is based on something, and then completely turn your back on it. Not if you have any self-respect, or soul…there is that pesky word again, hey Dick.

In the interest not sounding like I’m on a bitter rant (I know that’s how it sounds already) I am going to stop there. I wish nothing but the best for VLCM as they move forward in this new era of corporate control. May your stock rise many points, and your shareholders grow very wealthy on the shoulders of your phony core-empire. This is not my multi-million dollar company being talked about, nor are these my decisions to be made, so I am going to leave it at that. Congrats on the acquisition Richard, and Francois-Henri Pinault, the new Emperor. Volcom Boardshorts. Northshore Proven, Boardroom Approved.

"Alright Gentlemen, say it with me 'Youth Against Establishment'"