Slap can be overwhelmingly negative, it's like 80% shitting on anything/everything and 20% discussing things in skateboarding. It's a bummer and it would be a way better forum if there was less of that.
It's also the only hub that I know of for people who are very knowledgeable about skateboarding. Plenty of skate nerds on here, I can't think of a single other place where I can find actual discussion skateboard history / current events.
Easy to hate on Slap, easy to defend it.
I wish the dudes on the 9 Club didn't take the shit talking so personally, it would be a way better look if they just laughed and brushed it off. It clearly gets to them a bit (except Rog maybe, I don't recall ever hearing him get worked up about it). However that's a pretty easy position for me to take considering that I don't have to deal with a fuckton of people on the internet hating on me. I also have been on skateboard messageboards for as long as I've been skating and I'm pretty used to trolls.