Go ahead and hit us up at Skatemag@twsnet.com or mail us at TransWorld SKATEboarding, 353 Airport Road, Oceanside, California 92054.
IGNORANT PUNKS I recently finished reading the Hawk tour article with all the bits and pieces of Tony's journal. Tony and the gang were going all over the States, exhausted, skatin' their asses off doing three-hour autograph sessions. I'm not a real good kid or anything, but Tony showed up at these kids' front doors, did an awesome demo and an autograph session, and the little f¿kers were bitchin' about staying in line too long for autographs. I've been skating for five years and never has anything changed so fast. Skating used to mean something, then a whole bunch of ignorant little punks sprung up as skaters overnight, and I was like, this'll give the pros a break. But when the man who started it all can count the thank yous he got on one hand, something is wrong.
I'm in Canada, and if Tony or any other pro tour even came remotely close to wear I live, I'd be paying to go. All I'm trying to say is skate for the love, not the fame. And just because you're an ignorant punk doesn't mean you can't be appreciative of what you love.¿Matt Kuntz via e-mail
WHERE MY GIRLS AT? I just picked up the March 2001 issue, and in the grand total of 300 pages of pictures, articles, and the inevitable advertising, I saw a grand total of one picture of a woman skater. Now, I'm not a chick, but I am a horny teenager, and nothing pitches a tent quite like a picture of a chick doin' a railslide. So get some chicks in the magazine. You know who else would have liked to see skate mags with chicks in them? Bob Marley. "Tink 'bout dat now."¿HeavyDrinkin' via e-mail
PRODIGY I'll have been skating for eleven months on January 2, 2001. I seem to learn everything faster than any of my friends, and I'm better than most people who have been skating for almost a year more than me. Here's what I'm saying: I landed my first kickflip at five months; heelflips a week later; 360 shove-its, varial flips, backside flips, and even big spins came within three months. I can five-0 a two-inch wide square handrail seven inches off the ground for almost five feet, and I can 50-50 a rail seven feet long down a slanted hill five inches off the ground. A week ago I backside flipped off a two-foot launch ramp, and an hour later within fifteen tries I kickflipped off a four-foot ledge.
What I'm asking is, is that good, or normal? Or do you think I'm a liar? I'm fourteen, and my parents hate skateboarding. They want me to quit and live a quiet life. Saying I'm ahead of normal might slow their minds from snapping, because I want to skate for the rest of my life, doing what I love.¿Prodigy via e-mail
I've been eating cereal for three weeks now, and I think I'm getting really good at it. I learn everything before my friends, and I'm better at eating cereal than most people who have been eating cereal for years. For example: Yesterday I got the prize in my very first bowl of Cocoa Puffs and I ate every last puff before they even got soggy. Anyway, we have crappy cereal spots and the cops are always busting me, so my parents want me to eat pancakes.
GRECO I would like to first start off by saying how much I admire Jim Greco's style and the contribution he has made to skating. However, when I say contribution, I mean his skating and not his attitude. Alhough I would consider Jim one of the best skaters out there, he falls short in the character department.
I have been skating for over sixteen years, and never have I seen the likes of Mr. Greco's identity crisis. For example, the article starts off with a mini dictionary of words that are part of Greco's vocabulary. These words, when I first read them, were tolerable, but when they were used in the interview, I thought, "this guy is a total contradiction of himself and the image he is trying to portray." After he uses "mob-like" terms, he starts talking likke he was born and raised in Compton or east LBC. On top of this, Greco tries to come off like he was from the late 70s, wearing the ball huggers, the black spiked hair, and wearing all kinds of other punk paraphernalia.
What's going on with this dude? I realize there are several different styles in skating, and I must say his is pretty cool, but his interview shows me that he hasn't made up his mind on who he is. Let's not forget about the times not long ago when he was rockin' baggy Dickies and a plain white shirt, and then decided to go Sex Pistols on us. Again, I cannot take shots at a guy who never lets me down with video clips and photos, but there has to be something said about his attitude and his image he tries to portray. One last thing before I step off, why the hell did he have to beat the shit out of Geoff Rowley at the skater-of-the-year party? That attitude is just bad for skateboarding.¿Faithful TWS Reader
Greco and Rowley did get in a little drunken scuffle, but nobody even came close to "beating the shit" out of anybody.
PUNK I was wondering, what the hell happened to punk in skatebaording? Where have all these stupid ghetto thugstas and ghetto blasters come from? Luckily there are still a few like Jim Greco and Tony Trujillo to keep the spirit alive. I'm also tired of seeing all of these homies doing low-tech tricks that require no balls at all. I'd rather see Geoff Rowley do a plain boardslide on an abnormally large rail than see some thug who thinks he's a playa do a super tech switch trick on a low bench any day. Anyone who feels the same or has any comments, feel free to e-mail me.¿sk8erpunx85@hotmail.com
Sk8erpunx85, get ready for the hate mail.
BAMMIE WAMMIE Hi, my name's Megg, and as I sit here with my two best friends Tara and Christine, I'm trying to figure out some slick way to start out the letter. Okay, we love Jackass, who doesn't? I also love Bam, and it has come to my attention that it'd be nice to meet him. He's my inspiration for skating, and his crazy antics just give me more reasons to find fun in life. I would like to thank April and Phil Margera for being good enough to bring humans like Jess and Bam into this world. They just make it a better place to be in.¿Megg via e-mail
ATTENTION ALL GIRLS: We can't hook you up with Bam, sorry.
BEER IS WACK I'm sick and tired of looking through your magazine and seeing beer cans censored out, I'm sick of seeing skaters drinking beer in videos, and I'm sick or beer interfering with skateboarding. Beer has nothing to do with skateboarding and does nothing but get you drunk. Why is it so advertised in skating? Whenever I read an article in your mag that's written by a photographer, I'll read, "It only took two days, and one beer, to get through one successful day of filming." How can a skater be proud of gathering up enough courage to do a huge gap or rail if the only reason they did it is because they had a buzz off the beer they had earlier? Stop tipping back the booze and use some real courage for a change!¿Isaac via e-mail
I'll drink to that!
TURTLE POKE This is in response to your "Skate Slang" section in the March 2001 issue. It is "turtle head" not "turtle poke." I was devastated when I read your gross misuse of what I thought was basic slang. Turtle poke does not even make sense. It is the turtle's head poking out, hence the name turtle head, not turtle poke. You guys on the West Coast might have better weather, but ya'll don't have the slang that we have in the South!¿Jon Tracy, Greenville, South Carolina
Ya'll need to pull that turtle out ya'lls asses and chill out.
