Tas Vs Tony

[cletus the slack jawed yokel]

Expand Quote

Let's forget about the 900.

I'm calling for a Knarly Pappas vs Kalis spelling bee.

No pads.

[close]

Cant help but agree

[castillo's curls]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

Let's forget about the 900.

I'm calling for a Knarly Pappas vs Kalis spelling bee.

No pads.

[close]

Cant help but agree

[close]

lol

[Dirtymac]

There's usually one reason for long winded emo rants like that... Tas on the sauce.

That crossed my mind as well....

[BIGFATFUCKINGLOSER]

Tas has cooked himself. Slow roasted

[The Woodsman]

I would like to preface the following by first saying that I am not a big Pappas fan, I thought his skating was sick but as a person not so much. I love Tonys skating also but I don't feel like I can trust the dude. He speaks like a business man, and I realize he is and there is nothing wrong with business but what I mean by that is he likes to talk his way around things like when corporations doing something outrageous and horrible and then donate money to charity and launch an ad campaign about giving back or something like that.

I don't know if that made any sense, I just know that hes in a position where he'll never admit to any serious fault because it might hurt him, and hes invested financially in way to much stuff to ever really admit to something that could damage his career or legacy or whatever and hes skilled enough in business and communication to deflect and talk his way out of things.

[Grampa]

Tas doesn't seem to be able to grasp how the real world works. On pretty much every level.

[franquietits]

I can see why Tas might respond that way. Tony kinda made it implicitly towards him. "Make sure you have a camera and go for it, the legit way!" If Tas was gonna do something big (like the 900), then why not save it for the contest? Especially since vert contests seemed like the norm back then.

I'm not sure if the burned bridges comments make sense. I did watch the doc. a couple months ago (it was an ugly and beautiful one for me). From what I recall, Tas WAS consistently skating those contests that whole year & was a frequent fixture in the best trick portions the whole time. So, it does seem fishy that someone decided to relegate him to the bench arbitrarily out of nowhere. I'm assuming x-games was the hallmark contest for that whole "season" of contests in those times.
I don't buy that Hawk had something to do with it, but on the production end of things I wouldn't be surprised if it was simply the television producers choice (or who ever was in charge) to botch his chances of making it. Maybe he was just the odd man out cause there was too many skaters entering? But, if Tas had photos taken of his attempts, then likely it would have been "locker room" gossip & everyone would have known he was gonna try it).
   
Doesn't seem like much of an excuse to use his negative image/baggage as reasoning from being thwarted, because it was a live television aired event & HE DID skate in that contest. It showed him have runs & he was getting huge ass airs. He participated, so then why wouldn't they allow him in when it came time for the best trick?

If anything, who ever ran the contest decided to filter/censor who ever they didn't want in, in those crucial moments at making action sports history: with it unfortunately being Tas.
Alot of the times the significance of events are based on timely aspects mixed in with some luck. Tony just caught the perfect time and place to freely go for it, as he was already becoming the poster boy action sports star at the time. So, it worked out for him greatly. Just sucks Tas got shut out.
It's just one of those extremely unfortunate, "what if" moments in sports or contests. Tas was forced out & an explicit answer was never given. I'd be mad if I never got answers myself. If Tas did it or even if he didn't, but was allowed to duel it out with hawk like Hosoi, It maybe could have earned him more exposure and maybe even could have altered the trajectory of his skating career & life.   
I bet Tas's 900 would have looked way cooler anyways.   

[Gray Imp Sausage Metal]

So that whole documentary was made to tell his side of the story BUT he's still ranting about it

[fang]

I like how Tas has found Jesus, yet wants to see Grosso face to face "you know what would happen"
violent jesus freaks are hilarious

plus, isn't Tas basically banned from America now? so that's dumb

But I would like to see the Anti Hero crew visit Australia and see what happened at that point

p.s. I haven't found jesus

[jonnysheen]

Wouldn't it just be nice to know the truth?

ESPN manipulating skateboarding for financial gain is the answer i guess.   

[abudabi]

tas never would have blown up like tony did so i dont really see what the issue is.
if he had been let in and landed it, it would have been good for his career for a bit, but he would have disappeared either way.

whose wife did tony snake?

[perverted super otaku!]

My guess is one of Tony's sponsors who perhaps also sponsored the games themselves, applied pressure and organizers caved, that or bribed them to blacklist Tas

[TheDraught]

The underdog landing the 900 before the alltime MVP would have made for great television as well, and either way a 900 contest between Hawk and a fucked up Aussie would have made that best trick contest even better, probably the best in skateboarding history till this day.

So whoever directed that day fucked up big time, or Tony told him that it was him trying the 900 by himself or the highway. 

[Chavo]

My guess is one of Tony's sponsors who perhaps also sponsored the games themselves, applied pressure and organizers caved, that or bribed them to blacklist Tas

It's difficult to imagine why anyone would want to blacklist Tas. He was even such a good sport that he declined to use his own industry connections (Vision Street Wear) to get back in.

[JAesop]

Tony took a lot of crap from other skaters through pretty much all of his early and mid career.  Everything from his style, to his dad, to his work ethic.At some point I am sure he finally just hardened the fuck up and decided to do whatever necessary to make a career out of skateboarding. Along comes some loud mouthed, drug fueled, self centered asshole that tries to call him out/ one up him at a time that skateboarding is starting to see some real cash flow.Even if TH didn't have any direct say in keeping Tas out, landing the 900 that day is still one hell of a middle finger at Tas ( and if you want to get all cheap psychology about it, also a big fuck you to all the haters that he grew up with). That is how it works kiddies. Real world. Those on top want to stay on top. And Tas is pissed because he blew it. He could have done it earlier, he could have not compromised his chances by being such a prick , and he could have seen it coming. Tas is competitive and he got beat, mostly by himself and he can't swallow it...

[perverted super otaku!]

Expand Quote

My guess is one of Tony's sponsors who perhaps also sponsored the games themselves, applied pressure and organizers caved, that or bribed them to blacklist Tas

[close]

It's difficult to imagine why anyone would want to blacklist Tas. He was even such a good sport that he declined to use his own industry connections (Vision Street Wear) to get back in.

I meant blacklisted from the Best trick that day. If Tony himself was involved in it, he kinda deserves that blotch on his legacy imo

[Salty Lame Ass Poosey]

Skateboarding was still rad if not better before the x-games, dew games, gravity games & what ever double pits to chesty games there were..but it would be a good squabble T-Mo vs. Tas

[Chavo]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

My guess is one of Tony's sponsors who perhaps also sponsored the games themselves, applied pressure and organizers caved, that or bribed them to blacklist Tas

[close]

It's difficult to imagine why anyone would want to blacklist Tas. He was even such a good sport that he declined to use his own industry connections (Vision Street Wear) to get back in.

[close]

I meant blacklisted from the Best trick that day. If Tony himself was involved in it, he kinda deserves that blotch on his legacy imo

Sorry, I thought you were being sarcastic.

I'd much rather see a D. Way internet beef. Did Tas purposefully not throw D. Way under the bus for fear of another firebombing attempt (with a short-legged conspirator) or was he truly afraid of another restraining order? I'd like to think there'd be more source material for personal attacks (at least for a wife-beating, coke addicted, drug-trafficking ex-con to be calling out a guy who hooked up with his friend's ex-wife).

[Brett]

In the documentary Lance said it best when referring to the Xgames.

[ghostofcain]

The way I see it and its only my personal opinion as a spectator of this whole stupid argument is everyone KNOWS that when it comes to contests and events the judging is always suspect.  It is just an opinion whether a dude who skates pure tech and nails really gnarly tricks or someone who just goes in skates his ass off in an insane run, unplanned and raw, is better depends on the judges, the events, the influence of sponsors, etc...  There could have been something shady at the X games that year that had  nothing to do with Tony.  I find it more likely given the history, that Tas was involved or caused something behind the scenes that people were just like "FUCK THIS GUY!".  The whole documentary was bullshit it was a puff piece that portrayed the Pappas brothers as victims they didn't accept any responsibility for anything, it was always someone else who was at fault for everything bad that happened.  His brother MURDERED a girl and they put the blame on her! How fucked up can you get?  The documentary almost glamorized their drug abuse and criminal behavior.  In Tas's warped mind Grant Britain conspired with Tony Hawk to steal the 900 from him and the industry is responsible for how bad his life has become.  At the end of the day Tony landed the 900 and was more influential to skateboarding than Tas could ever be and he will never own up to his mistakes, his ego won't let him, so he lashes out at anyone he can.  I find it kind of funny in the beginning of the documentary one of them was skating a Powell Hawk deck.   If skateboarding needs a poster boy then Tony is the perfect choice.  Tas Pappas is a mugshot.   

[franquietits]

Tony took a lot of crap from other skaters through pretty much all of his early and mid career.  Everything from his style, to his dad, to his work ethic.At some point I am sure he finally just hardened the fuck up and decided to do whatever necessary to make a career out of skateboarding. Along comes some loud mouthed, drug fueled, self centered asshole that tries to call him out/ one up him at a time that skateboarding is starting to see some real cash flow.Even if TH didn't have any direct say in keeping Tas out, landing the 900 that day is still one hell of a middle finger at Tas ( and if you want to get all cheap psychology about it, also a big fuck you to all the haters that he grew up with). That is how it works kiddies. Real world. Those on top want to stay on top. And Tas is pissed because he blew it. He could have done it earlier, he could have not compromised his chances by being such a prick , and he could have seen it coming. Tas is competitive and he got beat, mostly by himself and he can't swallow it...

The thing to me is, this character flaw, "blame yourself", karma type of language still doesn't really explain it: Seems more like conjecture, especially when
he still skated the very same contest & still ended up having the rug pulled out from him. Even the commentators at that same contest were suggesting hints at him trying the trick at the 1:22 mark (everybody had to have known at least a little bit):
The issue doesn't seem like a, "can Tas beat Tony, this time" type of situation. The doc showed he already had beaten hawk before in a contest run. It was just about having a fair chance & wanting to make a name for himself/improve his and ben's life. U can't really blame Tas for speculating. Must have felt excruciatingly bogus and shocking to have to sit there on the sideline and watch Hawk go for something, when Tas knew it was supposed to be his time.   
Maybe Tas shouldn't have blamed Tony. It's just a story now with unanswered questions. 

[ghostofcain]

The thing to me is, this character flaw, "blame yourself", karma type of language still doesn't really explain it: Seems more like conjecture, especially when
he still skated the very same contest & still ended up having the rug pulled out from him. Even the commentators at that same contest were suggesting hints at him trying the trick at the 1:22 mark (everybody had to have known at least a little bit):
The issue doesn't seem like a, "can Tas beat Tony, this time" type of situation. The doc showed he already had beaten hawk before in a contest run. It was just about having a fair chance & wanting to make a name for himself/improve his and ben's life. U can't really blame Tas for speculating. Must have felt excruciatingly bogus and shocking to have to sit there on the sideline and watch Hawk go for something, when Tas knew it was supposed to be his time.   
Maybe Tas shouldn't have blamed Tony. It's just a story now with unanswered questions. 

Like just said in my previous post, I find it more likely Tas did something behind the scenes at the event given his history that he was excluded from the best trick by the organizers and blew his chance and only has himself to blame.  The truth will never really be known, even given the chance he may not of landed it.  It is what it is, you can't go back he should stop lashing out and dwelling on the past, remember the good, and look to his future and be thankful he is still around and able to skate.   Just let it go dude, all this anger is going to consume you. Learn from the mistakes and good luck.  Wish him well.

[The Woodsman]

I watched the documentary and just from the bit I learned about Tas's personality I dont understand why he didn't charge the ramp during the contest.

He was already an outcast its not like he would have been any more unliked than he generally was at that point but at least he could have gotten in there and given it a go.

[DISTANT RUMOURS]

Man I really wish Duane would join in on all of this...

[SHARPSHOOTER]

What a nut.

[spungo]

What if god was one of us?

[DISTANT RUMOURS]

What a nut.

Add him on Facebook, for more "insights on life" and all that.

I'm sure that deep inside he's a decent guy... but man he's pretty far gone, and has been for a long time.
Wouldn't be surprised if Lennie Kirk is somehow related to him 

[midevilco]

It happened the way it was meant to happen, and Tas can't accept it. It was more about cementing Hawk's legacy as the known face of skateboarding than it was about the 900.

Even if Tas doesn't get himself blackballed and hits the 900 before Tony, any minor career boost / extra income from it goes right up his nose, upping the chances he would be dead now.

Plus, he can barely spell his own name so the chances he would have been able to parlay the exposure into anything meaningful is pure delusion, which is par for the course with addicts.

[franquietits]

Expand Quote

The thing to me is, this character flaw, "blame yourself", karma type of language still doesn't really explain it: Seems more like conjecture, especially when
he still skated the very same contest & still ended up having the rug pulled out from him. Even the commentators at that same contest were suggesting hints at him trying the trick at the 1:22 mark (everybody had to have known at least a little bit):
The issue doesn't seem like a, "can Tas beat Tony, this time" type of situation. The doc showed he already had beaten hawk before in a contest run. It was just about having a fair chance & wanting to make a name for himself/improve his and ben's life. U can't really blame Tas for speculating. Must have felt excruciatingly bogus and shocking to have to sit there on the sideline and watch Hawk go for something, when Tas knew it was supposed to be his time.   
Maybe Tas shouldn't have blamed Tony. It's just a story now with unanswered questions. 

[close]

Like just said in my previous post, I find it more likely Tas did something behind the scenes at the event given his history that he was excluded from the best trick by the organizers and blew his chance and only has himself to blame.  The truth will never really be known, even given the chance he may not of landed it.  It is what it is, you can't go back he should stop lashing out and dwelling on the past, remember the good, and look to his future and be thankful he is still around and able to skate.   Just let it go dude, all this anger is going to consume you. Learn from the mistakes and good luck.  Wish him well.

Who knows? It's a juicy story though.
The highly tempered/talented sometimes addict vs the golden boy.
I'm sure Hawk knew who his competition was that day, but still went for it anyways. Kinda like when some people thought it was bogus that burnquist still took his run to win after jake brown fell on the mega ramp. It wasn't a "900 contest", but it still was a "contest", meaning that you're challenged by your equal competitors.
X games is a tv special. There are underlying storylines to things most of the times & Tas wasnt let in & Hawk had free room to go for it which makes it kinda unfair. Tas obviously didnt make a scene at the time, he just overlooked it.
His path went on and he's a survivor (& still landed it years later). I doubt he's dwelling on it too bad, he just seems unafraid to call it out & answer back about it when it comes up. Hawks comments brought that out.

[ghostofcain]

Expand Quote

Expand Quote

The thing to me is, this character flaw, "blame yourself", karma type of language still doesn't really explain it: Seems more like conjecture, especially when
he still skated the very same contest & still ended up having the rug pulled out from him. Even the commentators at that same contest were suggesting hints at him trying the trick at the 1:22 mark (everybody had to have known at least a little bit):
The issue doesn't seem like a, "can Tas beat Tony, this time" type of situation. The doc showed he already had beaten hawk before in a contest run. It was just about having a fair chance & wanting to make a name for himself/improve his and ben's life. U can't really blame Tas for speculating. Must have felt excruciatingly bogus and shocking to have to sit there on the sideline and watch Hawk go for something, when Tas knew it was supposed to be his time.   
Maybe Tas shouldn't have blamed Tony. It's just a story now with unanswered questions. 

[close]

Like just said in my previous post, I find it more likely Tas did something behind the scenes at the event given his history that he was excluded from the best trick by the organizers and blew his chance and only has himself to blame.  The truth will never really be known, even given the chance he may not of landed it.  It is what it is, you can't go back he should stop lashing out and dwelling on the past, remember the good, and look to his future and be thankful he is still around and able to skate.   Just let it go dude, all this anger is going to consume you. Learn from the mistakes and good luck.  Wish him well.

[close]

Who knows? It's a juicy story though.
The highly tempered/talented sometimes addict vs the golden boy.
I'm sure Hawk knew who his competition was that day, but still went for it anyways. Kinda like when some people thought it was bogus that burnquist still took his run to win after jake brown fell on the mega ramp. It wasn't a "900 contest", but it still was a "contest", meaning that you're challenged by your equal competitors.
X games is a tv special. There are underlying storylines to things most of the times & Tas wasnt let in & Hawk had free room to go for it which makes it kinda unfair. Tas obviously didnt make a scene at the time, he just overlooked it.
His path went on and he's a survivor (& still landed it years later). I doubt he's dwelling on it too bad, he just seems unafraid to call it out & answer back about it when it comes up. Hawks comments brought that out.

Tony probably should've taken the higher road left it out of his post but the documentary was almost a 2 hour attack on him personally and probably felt like he had to point out there was another view of the truth and the actual facts validated what is generally accepted as skating history.