It’s the Professor Barnfield Reverse Vee thread running simultaneously today. Good read. Maurice Cole just posted again. I got to go check it out. Hot stuff.
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Influential in the evolution of the three fin (obvious)
Influential in the evolution of blank design (obvious)
Influential in surf business (new and different ways of running a surfboard business … not so obvious)
It honestly doesn’t hurt to give someone a little bit of credit. Every year this come’s out and every year there’s someone who think’s it should be them. Giving a deserving someone credit doesn’t diminish everyone else.
I’m personally happy for the guy. I think it’s deserved.
Evolution of the three fin how? Not being difficult, but what most of the top shapers were shaping in then was about the same as Rusty. Just like now. He was definitely one of the better shapers and still is a very good shaper. I think the craftsmanship stinks out of choice to sell more boards.
Blank design…I will give you that one…but it’s my understanding Bill helped with that also.
What is new and different in the way he has run his surfboard business? Again…not trying to be difficult.
I am not writing this to diminish Rusty and I agree it does not diminish anyone to honor someone else.
However…I remain consistenly against the B.S. that is the big surf industry. Rusty is part of it and I think his double speak is a mild example of it. I see little innovative about Rusty.
I still think the guy can shape.
“Shaper of the Year?”
Good for you! Cheers to ya!
I guess I will have to keep backyard hacking at it and enjoying.
art
Let me get to one of the real points I am attempting to make.
Shaper of the year…most influential of the last ten years…all of it is mostly given to those in the know and with certain connections from to someone in the magazines. Either by advertising or by the old buddy system. You Brah…hook a brutha up. You know what I mean?
Those little shapers or those shapers who don’t play the game to some degree are not going to get noticed…even if their design or ideas were barrowed.
This is a magazine we are talking about here. An institution and a business. The magazines business is to sell more ads not tell the truth if need be. The institution part of the magazine is to pass out who is valid and who is not valid making themselves the standard.
Nothing rocket science about it, but thats the way it is.
For some of us that surf, want to make a living from the industry, love parts of it and really want to give something worth the customers dollar…the magazines with some of the here and there B.S. make it more difficult. As does someone who is a respected shaper joining ranks with them for the bottom line. I maintain there are two industries really. The big corporate side of it whose God is money and money only and the lifestyle end of it where some want to make a living from within the industry while enjoying the time to go surfing and skip corporate meetings. Neither as a whole are the good guys or the bad guys…but there is a difference in how they operate.
The two sides will never be friends and are really opposed to one another. The corporate side would prefer the grass roots side not to become too influential because they can call B.S. on some of the hype. They get tossed a bone every now and again to hopefully win them over or keep their mouth shut, but thats about it. The general public only believes what it reads, because most don’t really know the difference anyway. I am not saying that some ligitimate folk don’t join the ranks of big business…but I think it’s a minority as far as the Surf business goes.
I don’t see it as some giant conspiracy or anything…it’s just how business competition in surf is… Especially with magazines who have nothing to really sell and must create the story.
The pro tour is part of the clothing and the big business side along with the magazines. They all feed each other, which is why you should be suspect of anything they say or do if your attempting to find the truth about something in the industry or products.
This is the industry side I am writing about now…not the love of the art of surfing.
So what you get with shaper of the year is someone we are all familiar with because of magazines and a pro tour…backed up by large clothing companies. Few of the the grass roots guys will make the cover of surfing or surfer. Another thing…these magazine guys hold a grudge. If you ever refuse to play their game, they will remember it till the kingdom comes. This is why you rarely see certain influential folks in the pages of magazines in any major way. I am glad some of the grass roots guys are begining to get credit regardless of why…I guess thats a positive.
This is why the shaper of the year award, most influential surfer the last ten years award…the ten most important people in surfing award and the shapers family tree are complete horse hockey. They don’t include everyone in a sport where they could easilly with a little work do so. It’s political and it’s all about the money.
Greg…I resect much of what you have done. I have no problem with your or Rusty getting ink for your accomplishments, but I agree with the reasons George C. Scott turned down the Oscar for Patton…there is no best shaper of the year or ten most influential shapers really. Only what the magazines have created in a cartoon world. They have created the basis for the judgment, so it’s a sales gimik. There are just too many good shapers you will never hear about.
Was Gerry Lopez the best that ever surfed Pipe? He likely was one of them. The magazines have created a Semi - Surf God out of him. Did Cheyne Horan really lose a world title or two because of his equipment…or was the judging biased? Is Rusty one of the best shapers of the last ten years? He is certainly a good one, but is he way more talented that someone like Greg Pautsh, Stu Sharp or Jeff Bushman? Sorry…I don’t think so…just better known. Is Kelly the best thats ever been or is he just the best thats every mastered the judging criteria riding acceptable equipment?
The list could go on…
Maybe I should write a book … Maybe that’s why all these friggen names and dates are burned into my mind … How is it that I can remember the date I met Dewey Weber (8/28/68) but I can’t remember what date the business quarter ends. I guess there are certain things that are important in life.
greg
if it is not arude question
what age was you 1968
huie
You already know what I think.
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greg
if it is not arude question
what age was you 1968
huie
BTW: Greg L is one heck of a good surfer… for those of you who don’t know.
whats that got to do whith his age
just wanted to know were his veiws of the sixtys were coming from
was he a grom or a stary eyed teenager or mature enough to see it how it was
I was 16 and I am one of the lucky ones Solo is upset with.
Solo, I get what your saying and I can’t argue with all the magazines are. But it’s not as cut and dryed money as you state.
Was Gerry Lopez the best at Pipe … YES!!! I was there. Rory was in second and it wasn’t that close. Even Rory would tell you that. Watching Gerry at Pipe in his hay day was a privilage, one of the most beautiful athletic statements in history … a privilage!
Cheyne was great. Should have been world champ and was a better surfer than many of the other world champs. But no one who knows anything would ever say MR didn’t deserve the four. Sometimes time just sends an Ali.
Is Kelly the best ever … YES by a long shot. Second place (MR) ain’t that close. BTW, great story. A few years ago Andy was world champ and it had been a long time since Kelly had won a world title and it looked as though he may never pull another. The contest venue that day was Haleiwa and all the pro’s were lined up on the beach watching heats. Set came in and Kelly takes off runs through a couple impossible sections and pulls a 360 floater in the toilet bowl section at the end. Pancho S. stands up to face the other pro guys watching and states at the top of his voice, “There’s the best guy who ever lived. You guys are all kooks.” No one argued. I think he would have scored a 12 if the judges could have figured a way to do it. Watching Kelly surf is a priviage. Anyone who has seen the guy in person would agree. Anyone who hasn’t seen him and calls himself a surfer should.
Is there BS at the mags … of course. These guys listen to a million people a day trying to bend their ears to their way of thinking. They get it wrong, for sure. But time and time again you could make the arguement that getting it wrong isn’t all about money. Stretch is the perfect example. I called him the day I got that mag to congratulate him. I asked him “How the F#&K did you slide in there?” He deserved it, for sure, on so many levels and advertising and money WASN"T part of it. It is the exception that proves your statement wrong.
As for me I could give you 50 reasons why I’m one of the luckiest in the history of this sport. Imagine, I got to be one of the very best surfers in the world at a very unique and exciting time. I got to be protege’ of Mike Tabeling who was protege’ of Dewey and Nat. My protege’s are guys like Greg Mungel, Pat Mulhern, Bill Hartley, Matt Kechele and more. And Matt’s protege is the greatest surfer in history. Nice line huh? I got to travel with David, Nat, Dewey, Tabeling, Propper, Art Brewer, Larry Pope, Guy Motil, Corky, Randy French, Darrel Jones, Ed Angulo, Rick Rasmussen, all my protoges and so many more. My privilage to know every one.
Before I ever picked up a planer I got to stand in the shaping rooms of guys like Dick Brewer, Johnny Rice, Phil Edwards, Mickey Munoz, Terry Martin, Owl Chapman, Joey Thomas, Michael Peterson, Sam Hawk, Harold Iggy and more. I’ve gotten to “talk shop” with guys like Diff, Rennie, McT, Rusty, Al, Pat R, BB, Bert, Nev, not to mention all the cool guys right here. My privilage again.
I got to see Gerry, Rory, Nat, Shaun, Simon, MP, MR, Curren, Carroll, Kelly and so many other greats surf in person at their peaks. Talk about privilaged!
Do the mags get it right everytime. No way. But when your faced with meeting greatness on a daily basis where do you draw lines? Who do you listen to? I’ve have seen my share of greats in all facets of the sport. All the guys I’ve mentioned here were or are great. Every one deserved the accolades they got and get. So OK sometimes money comes into it, but less often than you think. Attempting to say it’s all money is attemping to diminish the honor. You are not diminished by Rusty’s honor, why try to diminish him?
GOOD ONE ! Brose.
This subject is growing old, quicker than I am.H
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I was 16 and I am one of the lucky ones Solo is upset with. I am not upset with anyone. I see the industry side pretty clearly having spent 30 years around it and part of that making a living in it. The big money side is just no good for the most part. Period. If your making it I am happy for you, but my respect for you has nothing to do with your sucess in the big business side of the industry.
Solo, I get what your saying and I can’t argue with all the magazines are. But it’s not as cut and dryed money as you state. No doubt about it. It’s not cut and dryed…but enough to warrant not spending your money on magazines or believing much of what they say.
Was Gerry Lopez the best at Pipe … YES!!! I was there. Rory was in second and it wasn’t that close. Even Rory would tell you that. Watching Gerry at Pipe in his hay day was a privilage, one of the most beautiful athletic statements in history … a privilage!
None of what I typed was doubting any of it. I am saying…Lopez is not all that mattered in North Shore surfing. I was and am a huge fan of Lopez. Old Crawford was pretty darn good too if I remember straight.
Cheyne was great. Should have been world champ and was a better surfer than many of the other world champs. But no one who knows anything would ever say MR didn’t deserve the four. Sometimes time just sends an Ali. I am not saying the Gentleman who is Mark Richards didn’t deserve anthing. I will say…go look at Cheyne’s competitive record. Look at 1982 where the guy wins like four out of 12 contest, places third in a couple and second in a couple and doesn’t win the world title. The system was screwy and I personally think the most of the entire thing was rigged. I think the same with Elkerton one year. I can’t prove it obviously, but that will be my feeling with something subjective like surfing contest.
Is there BS at the mags … of course. These guys listen to a million people a day trying to bend their ears to their way of thinking. And here is where I disagree again. I don’t think they listen to anyone very much at all. I think they create fantasy for the most part. They try and create a scene that does not really exist. I think Beach Happy is closer to the truth than most surfing magazines. It does not mean they don’t put out a good article now and then or a great shot. I flip through them in the book stores sometimes. I am not opposed to using them to help your business, but like I said…I think the average surfer would be better served to simply go surfing and find a shaper that will make them a board that works for them before believing some article written in a mag about how the latest pro board will help their surfing. They get it wrong, for sure. But time and time again you could make the arguement that getting it wrong isn’t all about money. Stretch is the perfect example. I called him the day I got that mag to congratulate him. I asked him “How the F#&K did you slide in there?” He deserved it, for sure, on so many levels and advertising and money WASN"T part of it. It is the exception that proves your statement wrong. I already said they will toss a bone every now and again and may even get it right one year…so what? How many do they leave out. Usually the only folks who get noticed are the ones that know someone who knows someone or has the money. They rarely go to hometown U.S.A. and tell a life story on one of the local shapers. It make hack off one of the big shops that doesn’t carry his boards and they would threaten not to buy ads anymore.
As for me I could give you 50 reasons why I’m one of the luckiest in the history of this sport. Imagine, I got to be one of the very best surfers in the world at a very unique and exciting time. I got to be protege’ of Mike Tabeling who was protege’ of Dewey and Nat. My protege’s are guys like Greg Mungel, Pat Mulhern, Bill Hartley, Matt Kechele and more. And Matt’s protege is the greatest surfer in history. Nice line huh? I got to travel with David, Nat, Dewey, Tabeling, Propper, Art Brewer, Larry Pope, Guy Motil, Corky, Randy French, Darrel Jones, Ed Angulo, Rick Rasmussen, all my protoges and so many more. My privilage to know every one. You should write a book about that. I would probably buy it. But if I saw it in a magazine I would question the validity of the thing or wonder how it’s skewed. Can’t help it. Many of us know someone…why does that make us more noteworthy than someone who knows nobody? Thats a great list btw (minus one ha ha)
Before I ever picked up a planer I got to stand in the shaping rooms of guys like Dick Brewer, Johnny Rice, Phil Edwards, Mickey Munoz, Terry Martin, Owl Chapman, Joey Thomas, Michael Peterson, Sam Hawk, Harold Iggy and more. I’ve gotten to “talk shop” with guys like Diff, Rennie, McT, Rusty, Al, Pat R, BB, Bert, Nev, not to mention all the cool guys right here. My privilage again.
I got to see Gerry, Rory, Nat, Shaun, Simon, MP, MR, Curren, Carroll, Kelly and so many other greats surf in person at their peaks. Talk about privilaged!
Do the mags get it right everytime. No way. But when your faced with meeting greatness on a daily basis where do you draw lines? Now this sounds like it just came off the press actually. I don’t think the lines are that hard to draw. Obviously when you get to a certain level that what you begin to think. Who do you listen to? How about printing word for word what one of those your writing about says without adding to or taking away. How about writing about something other than the pro tour or well known shapers on a consistent basis. I know shapers who are as good as any you mentioned and don’t get the ink. So yes…it is mostly about who you know and…the money. I’ve have seen my share of greats in all facets of the sport. All the guys I’ve mentioned here were or are great. Every one deserved the accolades they got and get. So OK sometimes money comes into it, but less often than you think. No arguments from me on whose great…they are just not the only great. Money always comes into it to some degree. Thats ok to as long as the reader realizes. I am not against capitalism. I am not even against the big boys making it. I don’t like it when they become institutions that dictate their version of the state of the art as the only valid version…mostly with hype. Attempting to say it’s all money is attemping to diminish the honor. You are not diminished by Rusty’s honor, why try to diminish him? How have I diminshed Rusty. He is rich, well known and sought after by many. I am saying he gave his friend credit on one article and left him out on another taking all the credit himself while the words in both were very close. He is part of big business in the Surf industry, he is part of the clothing end of it as well ( the biggest B.S. end there is…even more than magazines) and yes…I think most of what he does is to promote his brand and this gets him points with the mags where he spends alot of money. Again…there is nothing wrong with that, but why try and pretend that money is not part of it and that knowing that diminishes any honor he may get, deserve or have? Rusty is a great shaper. I personally don’t see from a shaping standpoint as a customer not a shaper where he has been all that innovative. He may have in other areas, but how is marketing machined and ghost shaped boards with his signature on the stringer innovative. Again…I think the guy shapes a really nice surfboard, but my views on magazines and how folks get noticed remains unchanged. Nothing wrong with machines or ghost shapers either, but there is nothing innovative about them really. Maybe the cad.
Actually I don’t think we disagree that much. SJ does things on locals and some think to the detriment of others who are more deserving. They’ve never done anything on a guy like Harold Iggy and yet they’ll do a piece on some lifeguard in Santa Monica. That’s just wrong. It’s a mag about surfing.
For sure they are creating a certain feel, a lifestyle overview that is meant to sell advertisers products. And there have been times in the past where advertisers did call the shots in editorial. I don’t think that’s so much the case now. The 80’s …
One of the great things about mags is that you don’t have to buy them. They also have less influece today than ever before and they are less and less influential all the time. This blog we’re on right now has as much or more than any mag does today. So the playing field is leveling in that way but that doesn’t mean that fairness is around the corner. The world isn’t fair and don’t expect it to be any time soon. Someone who has decent writing skills will potentially, in the future, bury guys who are better craftsmen. This however may not be that different from today where a lousy craftsman with a gift of gab can out sell a really fine craftsman… oh my, I have some stories on that one.
I guess what we differ on is that you want to see fairness in an unfair world and I don’t expect it to be better than moderately fair.
And yes, Crawford did show himself proudly at Pipe … I should have mentioned him somewhere in there, we grew up together.
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I guess what we differ on is that you want to see fairness in an unfair world and I don’t expect it to be better than moderately fair.
Actually we agree on this 100%. The world is what it is. Reality is something that is…whether it’s accepted or not. However…I do enjoy writing idealogy and I am to some degree and idealist in my dreamtime.
Can anyone list who has won the Shaper of the Year in past years, and what years?
Hi Greg -
One thing I’ve noticed about TSJ is that they have very little advertising and no “staff writers” to speak of. A typical issue might have an inner front cover ad, an inner back cover ad, an outer back cover ad and some various TSJ store items. That is a far cry from “ER” or “ING” which literally have up to 80% ad content inside the covers.
Once in awhile one of the TSJ editors writes a piece but most of the stuff published is submitted by independent photo-journalists. The editors simply pick and choose among the items that have been sent in.
Take a look at any issue. Though you might recognize some names in the Table of Contents, few writers are regular contributors.
A piece by you or Bill Barnfield would probably get the same consideration as anyone for inclusion in upcoming issues. You guys have as much to offer as anybody.
Didn’t Tom Curren beat Kelly Slater a couple of years ago as a wild card or something like that?
Watch out for the new Surfing Mag. Have’nt read
everything yet, but MOST of it is praising our
Chinese future. Burton/Merrick is thought to be
“high tech” with new materials and whatnot.
Burton snowboards fall apart more than most,
they are huge because of MARKETING,
ADVERTISING, TEAM RIDERS, and
M O N E Y. Product sucks. Company is
“ruling it.”
Surfing mag is kinda gay already (in my opinion)
but now they flat out suckit. Print what is payed for,
not truth or heart.
Bye Merrick handshapes (and the whole),
hello Burton popouts (and the whole)
At least most of us here can and will LOVE
to shape in the backyard on a nice sunday afternoon.
And NEVER buy into the crap that is going around these days…
“This is why the shaper of the year award, most influential surfer the last ten years award…the ten most important people in surfing award and the shapers family tree are complete horse hockey. They don’t include everyone in a sport where they could easilly with a little work do so. It’s political and it’s all about the money.”
That shapers family tree Solo:- I bought that issue, noted with pride that I’d worked with several of the names on it, and smug that there were certain omissions. Two weeks later I looked again…there it was, must have been a typo! ME!!!
I could’nt sleep for hours that night…It was very much WTF!!! I’ve never placed an ad, never had any sort of widely recognised name ride my shapes, what small label I put out on my own never produced more than 2 boards a week. Yet, there was my name amongst the legends of my youth, greats like Parrish and Diffenderfer, Skip Frye, Webber…you know…
What I mean is, horse hockey or otherwise, I was SO stoked to get that tiny bone chucked this way…
Should’nt I be?
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“This is why the shaper of the year award, most influential surfer the last ten years award…the ten most important people in surfing award and the shapers family tree are complete horse hockey. They don’t include everyone in a sport where they could easilly with a little work do so. It’s political and it’s all about the money.”
That shapers family tree Solo:- I bought that issue, noted with pride that I’d worked with several of the names on it, and smug that there were certain omissions. Two weeks later I looked again…there it was, must have been a typo! ME!!!
I could’nt sleep for hours that night…It was very much WTF!!! I’ve never placed an ad, never had any sort of widely recognised name ride my shapes, what small label I put out on my own never produced more than 2 boards a week. Yet, there was my name amongst the legends of my youth, greats like Parrish and Diffenderfer, Skip Frye, Webber…you know…
What I mean is, horse hockey or otherwise, I was SO stoked to get that tiny bone chucked this way…
Should’nt I be?
No…I don’t think you should be since it left out or misplaced others. Should you be happy to have your name in print only or would it mean more if the thing was correct? I know what you mean…it is nice to be noticed and I think the guys that originally put it together had the right intentions…but…look what the magazines did to it. “You are the future of surfing…we are the future of surfboards”…hak…puke…
Yancy Spencer was put in the shapers tree and he is not a shaper. Steve Forstall who is one of the best shapers to come from the same town was left out of the magazine version. They have Mccoy with two influences only which is blasphemy IMO. They left out Steve Stack from the same town as Yancy Spencer…he was there for 18 years providing quality boards for the town. There are others I picked up on as well. To me …if your going to do something…do it right and don’t allow the magazines to use it as promo for a popout company.
Glad you made it in and got some ink. BTW: Not really the same subject as Shaper of the year. I used it to show how magazines make themselves institutions which pass out who is valid or not. The shapers family tree is still their version of the shapers family tree and yes…I think some made it in because they advertise. Not all…so what? Just like the board sections or fin sections. If you can’t shape, but can afford an ad, you will have a picture of your board in the mag right next to the masters.
Reputations should mean something. Some of us bend over backwards to take care of our customers and we are shown as equal to or lesser than some that can afford big ads but could give a hoot about their customers. Some who sell and promote lesser quality products as well.
Thats business and reality…but we can still write about it.