Expand Quote
I don’t think he’s going to be the revolutionary skate prodigy that Andrew aspired for him to be.
That's basically the main issue I have with the Boss's recent decisions. Has a fucking ripper in Frankie Heck on flow, yet puts Zach Allen of all fucking people on the team, then turns young and inexperienced and unready teenager Kader pro for Baker, only for him to put out a mediocre Supreme/FA style part. And if it's not his skating that's supposed to be the draw for him, it should be his personality right? Well everything I see recently just shows me he's becoming more and more insufferable. Probably do to the inflated ego he has due to Boss's well meaning but irrational decisions with the Baker brand.
First off, no one Andrew Reynolds put on Baker at a young age ever turned into a revolutionary skate prodigy - Herman, Spanky, Theotis, Braydon, etc. are all talented skaters who were sponsored at a young age and went on to have long and successful careers, but nothing I'd call "revolutionary" or "prodigal." I don't really see why Kader is having the role of "revolutionary skate prodigy" pushed onto him by his critics. Definitely a double standard.
Second off, Frankie Heck is a fucking twenty-seven-year old man am who no one heard of before that Shake Junt part earlier this year and who likely has another five years left in his career (at best, if we're being realistic). On the other hand, Kader is still in his teens, progressing pretty rapidly, and and has no problem stacking footage, which (hopefully) equates to a longer career, more exposure and relatability among kids (and possibly POC), and a better payoff for his sponsors. Seems pretty obvious to me.
I honestly cannot believe the concepts of marketability and long-term investments are seriously lost on some of you.