Faith and Confessions of a Fanboy...

So there I was, in a Northern Kentucky town at one of the best indoor parks(www.skateollies.com)... not quite a regular, but certainly a good patron. But I'm standing in the same room as the entire Birdhouse team, including the founder, Mr. Hawk, Kevin Staab, Jean Postec, Brian Sumner, and Willy Santos, all pros who I've seen crazy skate footage, or witnessed first hand rippage in the past. Other pros included, Sean Eaton, Jon Dickson, Matt Ball, Steve Nesser and Alan Young. I apologize if I'm forgetting anyone. They were ripping the street course, but no offense guys, I don't follow street, because I simply can't do it anymore. It's no less impressive what they do, but also, I couldn't really see 'em from my vantage point on the vert ramp. Oh, did I not mention that? Yea, Bob (Ollie's owner) let me on the ramp to film, as long as I left him my tapes. (I'll get the master's back, no worries.) A fair trade indeed.

So there I was, on the vert ramp, as Tony steps up and drops in. Gimpy is chillin' on the stairs shootin' the low angle. Even the simplest backside airs, so high he could smack your forehead with a tail stall, were amazing to watch. Jean busted out kickflip indys without hesitation, but never quite hit the kickflip to fakie on the over vert. Gnarly to even try. Tony took a couple of fakie rolls on it, and then rock fakied it... yea, and the 6' rock fakie scares the chit outta me still. Kevin Staab, the "old guy" rep, was crazy! The biggest BS airs, and sickest BS ollies the whole time. Tony threw out the McTwist as well, but not before 13 year old Morgan Burgess did! Morgan had struggled with the kickflip indy all day really, so when he landed one while skating with the pros, he was so stoked he tossed the McTwist (perfectly) in the same run. That kid's got skills for days.

Let's see, what else? A scary, but still landed Triples run with Tony, Jean, and Kevin, though Jean bailed the next wall after the cross over. I kinda wished I was watching THEM, even though it was insane to watch through the cam viewer. Oh, while he called it a "struggle" later, 5 tries to land a Pensacola 900 (a 720), was kickass. I can only hope I framed the make on film, because I DID watch him land that one, footage be damned. (I was "working" for Bob afterall right? Earning my spot huddled in the corner of the ramp, with the best view of the entire vert demo. Hoping for a chance to get in for an autograph and brief conversation with the man.)

I did not need to fret at all. Bob had set me up right, that it seemed I was almost expected to be where the pros were. Apparently I had composed my stoke enough to not be THAT crazy fan guy... I did relatively well, but when things calmed down, I certainly tried to relax, took a deep breath, and approached Tony with the Concretins video(s), and asked for a photo with his namesake ACTION FIGURE (shuddup bitches). He was gracious and I believe sincere when he said that he didn't mind. I apologized for being such an fanboy, and then retreated to the self-imposed 6'+ distance from the pros and tried not to let the jitters take over and make me physically jump around the room, but by the smile on others faces in the room, it must have been clearly written on my face. Do I really need to explain to you how stoked I STILL am, nor how stoked I shall remain? I didn't think so. (check out www.skateollies.com and www.birdhouseskateboards.com for other pics from the event)
- LT meets his maker.

- Tony's stoked to get his pic with a Concretin of course.

- LT got a new ride from Kevin Staab, and "big" Tony got copies of our DVD.

- Gimpy was stoked too. No doubt.


Fame is only important and relevant in relation to the company you keep. Unfortunately, I don't get to hang out with Tony. But the skaters I do hang out with are famous enough for me. I feel the stoke of skating at every session with them. And though while I know I'm a bit of a dork with my "creative fan appreciation," I know that they understand. But if ever, I get that 15 minutes, I'll use the notes I've taken watching Tony deal with his fame. If you didn't know it was him, you'd still enjoy hanging out with that guy. And I hope my friends are standing next to me, or perhaps at least taking the picture! (Thanks Gimpy!)

I sincerely don't care who reads this blog, or who knows that I am a Tony Hawk fan, not that I could hide it. Why I should I? I see punks with football/basketball jerseys who don't know jack about a full court press and couldn't run a cross pattern if it were painted on the field. "Attention whore." That was Jon's musing. That's not entirely accurate. What, maybe 30 people total will read this and most will think, "Whatta doofus." Does anyone really want that kind of attention? THIS is what's important. I believe, that when I handed Tony copies of a silly skate video, of me and my friends having fun skating, that at some point in the future, he is going to watch it. That he will appreciate the stoke that went into it, not for his approval or amusement, but for US. Will I ever know that he did? Nope. And that's ok. That's FAITH my friend. My wife mentions it on occasion. BonJovi wrote a song about it. Need a more realistic example? I don't have rock-n-rolls in the 11'... yet. Keep the Faith my brother.

Hawk Fan Since 1987. 20 years well spent. Life is good.