T.J. 4 S.O.T.Y.

Pretty much any group of skaters that has passed this spot these past ~20 years has stopped and debated whether it was possible or not. I remember somebody pointing out that if Brandon Westgate hadn’t done it yet (he definitely would’ve known about it), then maybe it was impossible. We even posed the rhetorical “how long until” on Twitter two years ago (that photo does the size of it zero justice, btw.) Really glad T.J. was the one to get it. The fact that an ollie is on the cover should tell you all you need to know about how crazy this is. (Well, that and the fact that it’s broad daylight in midtown Manhattan should color the narrative a bit, too.) Assuming everyone will be onboard the #TJSOTY train when that Supreme video drops, so yeah. Photo by Jared Sherbert.

And on that note, Boil the Ocean makes an assessment of the past eleven months to decide who should be eligible for S.O.T.Y.

The match-up you’ve all been waiting for: Nyjah Houston v.s. Alexis Lacroix.

Here is a #longform, Pineapple Express-based Nick Ferro b-sides remix, and here is a #longform, lo-def Memphis/Texas/(?) rap-based Dick Rizzo b-sides remix.

Office favorite, Jawn Gardner, has a new part over on Thrasher full of hairy spots. Glad you’re ok John! ♥

Remember that Weed Maps clip we admitted to being a bit of a guilty pleasure on here last winter? Well, here’s the less jittery version of the same clip that features Jaws skating New York.

Been a fan of this guy since he skated to People Under the Stairs (yeah…) in 411 — if you need some style inspo for the day, Free managed to unearth a ton of unseen Javier Sarmiento footage from the start of the millennium.

After getting shamed for not putting the new OG.2000 video (the dudes who made the “Mariah” video last year and um, ollied onto a Ferrari) in #QSTOP10 contention a week ago, we finally got around to watching it, and yeah, it got way less shine than it deserved on the skate internet. Tons of incredible Euro skating from names that will likely be unknown to you — though I’m sure some #trend-weary curmudgeons will find issue with something. These two tricks in Paris are fucked.

Brian Anderson is the latest guest on Lee Smith’s podcast. The interview is damn near two hours long. Maybe these could benefit from Soundcloud or Podcast links? Or did we miss that?

Looks like SML Talk is updating their site again. Here’s a listicle of 17 “beautiful” moments in skate video history. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and quite frankly, Jason Byoun’s Astor Place line from Life is Goodie got robbed.

It’s no video blog, but Johnny went to Argentina to film the SB team a year ago, and made his own clip of the trip just now. Can’t wait for Beef Patty 2.

Back when Crailtap was a daily visit and the skateboard internet was a smaller place, they used to post these random digi cam tidbits (pre-iPhone obvs) on their site. Someone compiled all of them, 2003-2005.

The building got tired of replacing the rail in front of the out ledge at FedEx and just… knobbed the ledge instead.

QS Sports Desk Play of the Week: Hell ya Louuuuuuuu.

Quote of the Week: “I could see myself adding a nice siesta to my daily routine.” — E.J.

Shout to Cosme Studio for coming through on a slightly higher quality digital copy of Continuum. These are maybe only 10-15% better quality than the ones that have been on YouTube for ages, but hey, slow motion is better than… Also we’ve certainly pontificated about it in the past, but wow was Jerry Fowler’s skateboarding ahead of its time. Jahmal’s is obvs timeless, but you knew that :)

Monday, Call the Girls, Get ‘Em Linked Up

Photo by Jason Lecras

We have a capsule with Nike SB releasing this Saturday, April 14. It’s definitely our best one! More info soon ♥

Gonna throw in an early left field link, but the Pass~Port in Greece edit is the best (i.e. watched it more than once) trip edit that’s dropped during 2018’s Winter Getaway Footage Dump Season (yes, I know Australia is in the southern hemisphere.) It’s always nice to learn of some nice new songs in a skate edit too :)

“That’s what I keep telling myself, ‘maybe in ten more years.’ Those ten years go by and I’m still not ready. Actually, I’ve come to terms with it, this is it.” Skate Jawn interviews productivity legend, Dave Caddo.

“In a Warhol-esque version of a future skate industry where 1% of pros earn lavish salaries and the rest ball for position, will everyone have their own brand, with price-points scaling higher in accordance with gnarliness and footage releases?” Boil the Ocean on pros’ t-shirt ventures, and the cult of Jerry Hsu’s Sci-Fi Fantasy brand.

Even if it is in the Times + includes the phrases “daredevils” and “neoliberal training grounds,” Jeff Ihaza’s feature on how skateparks came to be understood, accepted, and built passes the litmus test of linkable traditional news outlet skate coverage.

Noah Johnson’s GQ profile of the GX1000 crew does as well. (Yes, Noah skates.) “It’s frustrating shit when you almost die.” Yeah, dying seems pretty wack.

While the Times may think we “won,” we also lost one of the best ledges in lower Manhattan this past week. The deknobbed ledge at Seaport that was more-or-less a go over the past year-plus is now knobbed not only for grinds, but for manuals too!

Weckingball is the latest guest on The Bunt.

Normally don’t care about “oh, so-and-so already skated to that song”-isms — especially in this fickle footage economy — but “Blowing Up Fast” holds a special place in many hearts. This guy does a line at Three Up Three Down, hypes up P-Rod, and has never seen Baker Has a Deathwish, which is totally fine because it’s almost ten-years-old now goddamn.

And on that note! Village Psychic interviewed Josh Stewart about the unwritten rules of #musicsupervision and editing gimmicks in skate videos.

Our friends from 2nd Nature did the “winter trip to Barcelona” thing.

QS Sports Desk Play of the Week: Everyone else is on the Sixers playoff bandwagon orrrr?

Quote of the Week
Rob Harris: “Yeah, Baker is having tricks in everyone’s part in the Alltimers video.”
Adam Zhu: “Oh, so he’s like the Gonz?”

4 Da Gang

Photo by Sam Ashley

Happy birthday Torey Goodall

Yo, the fucking height on T.J’s fakie heelflip… Also how far away do you think we are from someone ollieing the 8-flat-8 at the Met? Rumor has it that Bald Head Ed tried it back in the day, but maybe someone should take Chris Pfanner to see some paintings next time he’s in New York?

“Together, Lara and Olson have achieved a small, apocalyptic miracle: they’ve bottled the dreamy spirit of the skate shop.” Kyle Beachy has some nice words for the feel-good film of the year, the 917 Video. Also Logan moved back to L.A. and we’re never gonna see him again.

“From start to finish Sabotage 5 is a gloriously losing war against capitulation to the inevitable. Like any decent funeral, this eulogy is delivered by the immediate family, rather than transient pros, with the locals turning in their last tapes skating Love Park as it was, and a grip of tricks as it is dismantled.” More great video reviews! That one was re: Sabotage 5 via Boil the Ocean.

Monday #inspo: Village Psychic did a great Ron Deily remix with his past year or two of footage. We rigged one back in 2015 as well + this Junk Spot part was a good time.

Better Skate Than Never has been posting some fire Josh Velez .GIFs.

Here’s a short “Summer Trip to N.Y” clip with a pretty sick ender.

Josh Kalis and Brian Wenning skating Philly together. In 2017.

Grey has some pics from the making of the Palace video / the promo for their skatepark is amazing / shout out to Sidewalk for telling us all the Don’t Watch That PWBC news segments are actually still online.

Spot Updates: The rails at the 27th and 2nd park got knobbed, and has anyone stolen the Delancey Curb bench back yet?

QS Sports Desk Play of the Week: Thank goodness the NBA is back. Gotta give this one to Wiggins, even though now the only thing the Sports Desk roots for is Russell Westbrook’s happiness and well-being (J.R. too.) Must’ve felt like a postseason-esque loss if you’re an OKC fan.

Quote of the Week: “T-Pain is the black Rob Dyrdek.” — Carl Williams

I love Future like one of my dearest friends, but would honestly trade Super Slimey for like, three new Quan and Thug songs.

R.I.P. BPC Wall Rail

battery park rip

One of the premier destinations for “Summer Trip to New York” montage enders, and the most oft-back smithed obstacle in skateboarding’s multi-century history is no more. Well, technically, it’s still there, but someone with quick reflexes will have to hippie jump over a park bench half-a-millisecond after landing.

At a time when wall rail skating was stagnating at 5050 grinds, the Battery Park City rail was there to spur progression by being a mere two inches more away from the wall than your average wall rail. Even though larger humans like Brian Anderson were forced to modify their skateboard decks to fit their larger feets on the rail, the spot was a burgeoning epicenter of crooked grinds, flip-in tricks, and switch tricks while everyone else was stuck skating other wall rails with two trucks. It was just beginning a shockingly ahead-of-its-time nollie phase with Justin Henry’s “OPM” part, until its life was cut short with a skate deterrent more effective than the chalk on the ground reading “No Skateboarding” that was previously employed by those living within earshot of the heavily trafficked spot. Thanks to Vintage Sponsor for the tip.

While this might not be the brightest news for the city’s youth as we approach a 70-degree weekend, you could rest assured that Sremmlife 2 is on the way to wash away all your woes. Grab a cup, catch a vibe.

Bando Lingo

flag

Photo via @mdfilms on IG

She’s better than you, and has better style.

Sorta inevitable that Sheckler would meet the “why the fuck you lying”-guy, who was the unofficial soundtrack of Labor Day weekend.

Some photos of the soon-to-be-completed skatepark in East Williamsburg, which is developer-speak for “not not sorta Bushwick.” (It’s off the Graham L.) Looks on the mellower side of the skatepark spectrum, a la Canarise.

The fakie hardflip over the block at J Kwon should put an end to the age-old debate.

The most important piece of #skate #journalism in at least thirty years: Jenkem interviewed the iconoclast who tried to ollie the thirteen-flat-thirteen in the rain…which of course, is one of the five greatest tricks to never happen.

Thanks to perhaps the most heavily reblogged trick of 2015 (and maybe a surging interest in Canadian exports), Spencer Hamilton earned a place in the hearts of many who otherwise forget that Canada often produces superior skateboarders to America. Supra took notice, and made a “best of” part for him to bring anyone else up to speed.

Rare in-office week for the QS Fashion Desk, in preparation for #NYFW: SMLTalk runs down the greatest headwear choices in skate video history and here’s an an interview with Fergus Purcell, one of the principal designers behind Palace.

Vice has an #uplifting mini-doc about the emergence of skateboarding in Palestine.

Bronze’s “ask me anything” department is right — it doesn’t matter what crew “shitted on” whatever other crew in New York, because New York skateboarding never fully recovered from Dave Mayhew’s stay here in 1999:

The backside flip off the big bank over the police barrier is legitimately still the 8th or 10th best trick done in city limits after Westgate’s 2x ollies on Canal Street, Kalis’ fakie flip at Newport, Jake’s wallride, Rieder’s impossible, and a bunch of stuff Zered has done. Also, forgetting that part was a massive oversight here.

That being said, Pyramid County’s Ripplescape video is solid, and features a handful of the more insane things to happen here in recent months (pull-in nosegrind at Columbus Park, frontside flip the Seaport bench, etc.) Way more enjoyable than any other U.S. tour vid in recent history.

“In the span of just about a week, Boil the Ocean internet web blog was able to compile an array of image-damaging content features and fiery remarks that reflect poorly on the extreme sport that once seemed on pace to unseat baseball as the sport of the future.” Wipe your lens Wilson, damn.

Eli Reed doing some manuals, and some bro cam footage from the Mira Conyo squad.

Spot Updates: The downtown Brooklyn post office spot is now knobbed.

Quote of the Week: “Having a French bulldog is like buying a used Jaguar. It’s the best and you’ll love the thing, but it’s going to cost you a ton of money.” — Barnes

Enjoy that school year y’all ;)