Ted on Ryan Sheckler

[sergioflorez]

Hey Ryan, nobody ever said that Danny wasn't an Asshole


“Mystery is style. Our society thrives on the unknown and what exists in the shadows. The reason: that which we know little of, allows us room for modification and imagination. Enter Guy Mariano. Sponsored for nearly a decade, and yet not two decades old, he has managed to stay at the forefront of skateboarding while at the same time remaining virtually unheard of.
In spite of this, the brief glimpses that we’ve seen of Guy have never been short of amazing. He has the rare ability to master that which he wishes to do so thoroughly, it appears to be the work of a perfectionist, while at the same moment he looks so at home on a skateboard it couldn’t be anything but second nature. If you think about it, those are the traits of a “natural”.
This is, for the record, Guy Mariano’s first interview. It’s the largest collection of photographs of him published for mass consumption since Blind made Video Days in 1991. I can say without a doubt that I’m proud to have been a part of it, and what I learned in the time I’ve known Guy is that style counts; if someone tells you differently, they probably want something from you.”

So begins the legendary 1996 Transworld interview with Guy Mariano. In this intro, Joel Patterson carefully lays out the allure of a skater like Mariano. The person that they may be is completely secondary to what they do on a skateboard. All that matters is style. Now compare Guy Mariano in 1996 to Ryan Sheckler in 2008.


In the past few months two skateboard magazines have come out with two different interviews with Ryan Sheckler. One in Transworld and the other in the skateboard mag, they both deal with roughly the same thing: people's perception of Ryan Sheckler. Ryan Sheckler is, for better or for worse, one of the most recognizable names in skateboarding. He is also just a kid. He is easy to hate on because he has a reality TV show about his personal life, with his own voice-over which sounds like he's reading off a cue card in a predictable monotone. On the show he comes off as a boring run of the mill Orange County kid who happens to be endowed with talent and the glamor that comes with professional skateboarding super-stardom. There are also those special photos of he and his friends flexing their muscles and showing off their tattoos. This is humiliating for most skaters to know that someone so good is also just a stupid kid. We don't want to believe that someone better than us could be such a cheesy jock. I think that is the core issue of why people hate on him, and also precisely what he doesn't understand.

In his most recent interview, Ryan uses the fact that Danny Way is his sponsor, and that Danny went through similar hurdles when he was growing up as a means of justifying his own place in skateboarding. He seems to be saying that nobody hates on Danny Way because of his skateboarding, so why should they hate on him?

While it is certainly true that nobody can fuck with Danny Way, and to even say anything negative about him as a skateboarder is absurd and short-sighted, nobody ever said that he wasn't an asshole. He always came across as a bully. He may have grown up considerably, and the physical boundaries that he has crossed, through both injury and utter gnarliness on a skateboard, are testament to that. But he was still an asshole. You can tell it in the glimpses of him throwing cakes at pedestrians, teasing Mexican hat-sellers, taunting middle-aged women that he makes more money than them, and pretty much any other footage of him off a skateboard that was available for people to watch back then. The difference is that he grew up in an era when skateboarding wasn't so much in the limelight. There were no MTV shows and Proactiv endorsements offered to young skateboarders, only low-budget skate videos that were circulated through independent skate shops. This is where Danny Way staked his reputation, and this is why, despite what kind of person he may or may not have been, he will always be respected. His skateboarding mattered much more than his personality. This is also why someone like Ryan Sheckler, who is no doubt an amazing skateboarder, will always struggle to prove himself. With the whole world watching, if you come off as a corny jock with a backwards fitted cap, people will see. Most of Ryan's fans aren't even skateboarders, and it is clear why.

I make this argument using only the amount of information available to me through videos and media. I have only watched 2 episodes of Ryan's show, and have never met Danny Way in person. The point is about what people see of these personalities, not who they actually are. I speculate that Danny Way is an asshole through the scant footage of him that I grew up watching, just as I guess that Ryan Sheckler is a mis-guided little kid who probably doesn't know how to get himself out of the hole he has fallen into only from reading his defensive stance in his interviews.

What he fails to realize is that he will probably never regain that "core" respect. That's fine for him and his family, surely he's putting away enough money right now to live comfortably for the rest of his life, but skateboarding as something deeper than a sport to exploit will be irrevocably divorced from Ryan Sheckler. Danny Way's fame comes from what he has done on a skateboard and nothing else. Ryan Sheckler's infamy is due to his TV show, and in the collective consciousness of skateboarders and non-skateboarders, that will always come first.

Posted by tedbarrow at 12:04 PM

http://www.teddybarrow.blogspot.com/

[The Mess]

that was sick ted. well explained...props.

[NickDagger]

Pretty sick read, is this Ted Barrow from NYC?

[Binomial Nomenclature]

I think personality is reflected in a skater's style.  Sheckler jock persona comes out in his big stunts where he pretty much screams "LOOK AT ME!" Other skaters appear to have a more introspective style picking tricks and spots carefully for personal enjoyment.  A non skater can look at a Ryan Sheckler kickflip photo and know it's crazy, but when they see an insane Marc Johnson combo on a flat ledge they might not understand what is so awesome aobut that.  Sheckler has a style that appeals to masses of non-skaters who are so used to pro "athletes" jocking it up that it doesn't reflect poorly on him in their eyes.

[j....soy.....]

i still don't think you can really compare them cause sheckler is just not as good as them...maybe the plan b video will change this but he'll be known as a guy who had a t.v. show...not a guy who pushed the limits of skateboarding....

i wonder though....if sheckler was as good as say...chris cole or something like that...would we hate him more? less? 

[Sleazy]

i don't thin how good he is would make a difference but the fact that skill wise he's more of a duffle than a cole makes it a bit easier to hate on him

[Stutter box]

I didnt think it was possible to put Guy Mariano and Ryan Sheckler in the same blog. Ted did a damn good job.

[Choad Muskrat]

good read, someone should force sheckles to read this. I wonder how many people have already tried talking sense into him, probably not many.

[MexicanSpaniard]

Danny Way is an asshole?

[EricLogan]

good read, someone should force sheckles to read this. I wonder how many people have already tried talking sense into him, probably not many.

I'd imagine you'd have to penetrate a fleet of jackoff's to get anywhere near his personal bubble. I doubt he even touches a computer in his day to day life, or reads any skateboard publications he's not interviewed in. A thousand screaming fans and 2 million viewers would make it tough enough kickflipping the worlds largest loadingdock without having to brush that crippling ammount of "dirt on ya (muscular, tattoed) shouldas"

[friction!]

im not defending ryan, because i think hes an embarrassment to skateboarders, but that analogy fell a little short for me.

i understand where hes coming from referencing danny ways behavior and how is probably an asshole in real life, but im fairly certain ive seen that in quite a few videos in the past.
the only one that i can cite off the top of my head (and this is going to ruin the credibility of my statement on here) is greco and how he has harrassed more than a few pedestrians in his video parts. clyde singleton too.
like i said, im pulling from a very weak memory of what ive retained from some recent videos, but it seems like quite a few skateboarders have always had that attitude or mentality towards middle aged people attacking what we do for fun or are trying to kick us off the property they dont really have any personal attachment to.
i do agree that danny is pretty jocked out, but to say that hes the only guy that has tried to make average joes feel inferior in footage weve seen of him is kind of bullshit.

[brooklyn brawler]

Dear Clyde,


This is how you use the English language properly.


Love,


Chris deKoning

[rocklobster]

shex can never be legit, not after he misquoted JT in his recent TSM interview....

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

HOw much you want to bet he reads this, doesn't come on here to defend his words, and uses his little column as a chance to make easy money defend himself without a response by regurgitating stale ideas about bitter messageboarders who can't skate as good as the pros they criticize?
Of course, he'll ignore the obvious fact that people on messageboards often times are a relatively accurate reflection of the opinions of the skateboarding public at large, and will pretend that it isn't skateboarders in general who don't support any asshole who is down with the lil' jock.

[KnockoutNed]

i still don't think you can really compare them cause sheckler is just not as good as them...maybe the plan b video will change this but he'll be known as a guy who had a t.v. show...not a guy who pushed the limits of skateboarding....

i wonder though....if sheckler was as good as say...chris cole or something like that...would we hate him more? less? 

the thing is... sheckler is about as good the average am these days, just change the clothing and you wouldnt be able to tell him apart from any other up and coming kid, so hating him is kinda easy since he's such a cocky bitch without much reason, if he was actually better he would probably get a little bit more slack.

[Sleazy]

Dear Clyde,


This is how you use the English language properly.


Love,


Chris deKoning

And this talk of you having the best tre flip ends with this clip

[The Mess]

Pretty sick read, is this Ted Barrow from NYC?

Posted by tedbarrow at 12:04 PM

[ChildoftheGhetto]

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Dear Clyde,


This is how you use the English language properly.


Love,


Chris deKoning

[close]

And this talk of you having the best tre flip ends with this clip

Regardless if lucas' is good or not, It would be idiotic to say the one clyde did in trilogy was anything short of amazing.

Why do you guys hate sheckler? i can understand disliking, in the sense that, if someone asks you if you like him and you reply "no", but you guys go out your way to voice your hatred for him. That shit is lame.

[imfed]

Expand Quote

i still don't think you can really compare them cause sheckler is just not as good as them...maybe the plan b video will change this but he'll be known as a guy who had a t.v. show...not a guy who pushed the limits of skateboarding....

i wonder though....if sheckler was as good as say...chris cole or something like that...would we hate him more? less? 

[close]

the thing is... sheckler is about as good the average am these days, just change the clothing and you wouldnt be able to tell him apart from any other up and coming kid, so hating him is kinda easy since he's such a cocky bitch without much reason, if he was actually better he would probably get a little bit more slack.

Sheckler is pretty good at skateboarding, a lot better than the average am if you ask me, but he does overhype himself.

[Hatechild]

I like Ted Barrow

[Ronald Wilson Reagan]

Dear child of the ghetto,
Ad hominem attacks actually weaken an argument, to defend your statement only by saying a person is an idiot if they disagree is actually providing no argument at all.

Why does anybody need to explain shit to Sheckler? I don't want him to apologize, I want him out. I just don't like him.

[Painted Shape]

I'm guilty of reading the Skateboard Mag interview. From what I was able to gather... it bummed me out that this dude couldn't just say that all the hate bothers/bothered him. I don't think he would have won anyones respect, but at the very least it could have put some of the hate to rest. Dead horse analogy

It's hard to demonstrate that harsh words don't offend you when you have 2 interview and all you talk about is the hate and how it doesn't bother you. And then expect points to be earned by talking about how much "Ass" you get.

As for Danny Way. I imagine he'd be regretful towards anything that he may have done to cause harm to anyone. Especially in his older age.

[Binomial Nomenclature]

I like Ted Barrow

Holy shit.  Make skating switch look that casual.  Really sick video part.

[eat.shit]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Dear Clyde,


This is how you use the English language properly.


Love,


Chris deKoning

[close]

And this talk of you having the best tre flip ends with this clip

[close]

Regardless if lucas' is good or not, It would be idiotic to say the one clyde did in trilogy was anything short of amazing.

Why do you guys hate sheckler? i can understand disliking, in the sense that, if someone asks you if you like him and you reply "no", but you guys go out your way to voice your hatred for him. That shit is lame.

You my friend, are a complete and utter moron. All the people that made skateboarding what it is today, just got bitch slapped by Ryan Sheckler when he made a T.V. show out of what people do for fun and the love of it. He doesn't love it, if he did he wouldn't be doing all this bullshit. In the hierarcy of skateboarding he is by far, THE LOWEST form of anything. He's next to a pile of shit in my book.

I got arrested a few weeks ago, and when I posted bail and they let me out, THE FIRST THING the cop says to me is "Do you know Ryan Sheckler?"  NOW. While this may not be a problem for you, it is for me. 4 A.M. in the morning, I'm drunk as shit, I'm tired, I'm cold, and the first god damn thing I get asked upon being released is about SHECKLER?

Oh and Ted Barrow? SICK switch b/s smith.

[Lance]

Teds switch skating looks better than anything I've seen Shekler do...

[Sleazy]

sheckler could kickflip over a fence into the grand canyon and I'd still rather watch Ted casually switch wallride and switch slappy in lines

[MexicanSpaniard]

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I like Ted Barrow

[close]

Holy shit.  Make skating switch look that casual.  Really sick video part.

That was really good. I bet he has a chill girl.

[LENNIEKIRKSBIBLE]

Expand Quote

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I like Ted Barrow

[close]

Holy shit.  Make skating switch look that casual.  Really sick video part.

[close]

That was really good. I bet he has a chill girl.

Yeah it's amazing the kind of girls modeling for Urban Outfitters will get you!

But really, Ted Barrow is radical at skateboarding and gifted writing chap.

Sheckles is actually the second coming of christ.

So I'm stoked.

[ChildoftheGhetto]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Dear Clyde,


This is how you use the English language properly.


Love,


Chris deKoning

[close]

And this talk of you having the best tre flip ends with this clip

[close]

Regardless if lucas' is good or not, It would be idiotic to say the one clyde did in trilogy was anything short of amazing.

Why do you guys hate sheckler? i can understand disliking, in the sense that, if someone asks you if you like him and you reply "no", but you guys go out your way to voice your hatred for him. That shit is lame.

[close]

You my friend, are a complete and utter moron. All the people that made skateboarding what it is today, just got bitch slapped by Ryan Sheckler when he made a T.V. show out of what people do for fun and the love of it. He doesn't love it, if he did he wouldn't be doing all this bullshit. In the hierarcy of skateboarding he is by far, THE LOWEST form of anything. He's next to a pile of shit in my book.

I got arrested a few weeks ago, and when I posted bail and they let me out, THE FIRST THING the cop says to me is "Do you know Ryan Sheckler?"  NOW. While this may not be a problem for you, it is for me. 4 A.M. in the morning, I'm drunk as shit, I'm tired, I'm cold, and the first god damn thing I get asked upon being released is about SHECKLER?

Oh and Ted Barrow? SICK switch b/s smith.

Who are you to judge how much he loves skateboarding? Do you guys realize that no one starts skating for money. Just the nature of skateboarding you would have to enjoy it to get good enough to the point where you could even make money from it.

How is him having a show about his life a slap in the face to anyone. I guarantee you if MTV approached mark gonzales with a tv show, he would say yes in a heart beat, as most skateboarders would.

[Lance]

Girl Workshop B what is your stance on the topic at hand?