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I come from the generation of skateboarding when it was still relatively underground and not widely accepted by media and parents. It was still sort of a vehicle for these unruly street kids to make something of themselves. A time when you would have to fight your parents to just go and sit at the local shop to watch some videos. My friend had posted a story about how Lance Mountain was dumbfounded when he witnessed a dad trying to bribe his kid to skate. The sport used to be an act of rebellion and now it's become the "cool" thing to do. I feel like I don't see that many younger kids these days that are just genuinely stoked and humbled by the success and opportunities that skateboarding might afford them; which is precisely why when you do run across a great one, they shine even brighter. Theotis always has a huge smile on his face and will go out of his way to shake your hand. You can feel the excitement and gratitude radiating from him. It may sound totally unremarkable to you, but it's something entirely refreshing for me in this industry.

Dustin Dollin says it best... "All these fancy superstar skaters out there beware. I've never heard about anyone with so many opportunities being so humble and positive. His life, I imagine, is somewhat different from the average yuppie rich kid whose mum and dad buy them everything and then they turn pro and expect more from their sponsors than mummy and daddy could ever offer. I doubt that happened for him. He used to have to stay at the Baker house when shit was too ghetto where he grew up. Imagine sending your kid to our crazy-arse party Baker pad because it was safer. Sketchy."

Scanned from the Transworld February 2011 issue introducing the skaters for their next video.

8 comments :

yoshi said...

my bf said that if we have a boy, he's not going to college... he'll be training him to skate once he learns how to walk. FML.

Bee said...

I started skateboarding when I was still doing ballet and it drove my parents nuts. I still have scars on my knees from those halcyon days. Anyway its nice to see people being, you know, humble and really like what they do.

esra said...

so true!
(ps.i've always had a weak spot for DD <3)

LT said...

THANK YOU for posting this!!!!!

ray said...

if you ever find yourself in tampa... preferably in march for that tampa pro @ SPOT ;] .. you should definitely hit up the bricks, their new bar/resto.

insanely good food and thrashers everywhere for reading.

our kinda jam


def anxious for this video.. Subtleties is one of my favorites

ray said...

if you ever find yourself in tampa... preferably in march for that tampa pro @ SPOT ;] .. you should definitely hit up the bricks, their new bar/resto.

insanely good food and thrashers everywhere for reading.

our kinda jam


def anxious for this video.. Subtleties is one of my favorites

supercalifragilisticexpialidocious said...

when you were talking about skaters who only skate to be cool , my brains couldnt help but think ryan sheckler ryan sheckler ryan sheckler . just got something against that kid .

Element urbain said...

i totally agree with you !