i think the most interesting thing about him is that out of every pro out there he's the one that most truely doesn't give a shit about the industry or fans while still being one of the most talented people to ever touch a board. he had and still has an opportunity to be not only one of the worlds top pros but also could hit legend status but truely doesn't give a shit. he could be banking like prod or nyjah but would rather skate sick parks in france. he knows that people critisize his overhyped, self cheering but doesn't give a shit. i've always been a fan and find his fuck you to all of us and the industry to be one of the most interesting things about him and his skating.
I think it wasn't really his choice and he couldn't bank like Nyjah oder Prod, even if he wanted to. He was on top of the skateworld and
made tons of money with his sponsors(Flip, Etnies, Quicksilver,...) and then, the day after this:
he lost all his sponsors because of the influence, Flip had on the industry at that time, and it seemed they didn't like the behaviour of him at that contest, or they realised he was getting too good, whatever. I think the only ones who were still backing him were Thrasher after that happened. There was a gnarly interview in The Skateboard Mag a few years ago but I can't find it online. Probably somenone can post it.
I think it's really strange in the skatebiz how some people can get from superstar status to beeing blacklisted within a day and never get the chance to recover. I have to think of guys like Josh Kasper, Salabanzi, Danny Gonzales and a few others...