The Outsider: Epilogue
"Life is here to be taken alive and kicking. Give us a share of it and time to live it" - Eugene Guillevic
I celebrated the Slater victory by going surfing as far away as possible from anything to do with Pro Surfing. It was one of those libidinous North Coast mornings, trembling with the overflowing, humming abundance of early autumn. The small enclosed backbeach lay at the end of a rainforest clothed gully. Tangled vines and buttress clad Mahogany trees at the top, small Honeyeaters feasting on the white blossom of the Brush Box which suffused the cool morning air with the rich, sweet scent of honey.
An Osprey perched in a dead branch took flight with a metallic cry which highlighted the silence of a world that at times seems hostile and chaotic. In the words of Frenchman Guillevic: "When each day is sacred when each moment is sacred earth and you space and you bearing the sacred through time you'll reach the fields of light"
There were no signs of humanity on the beach. No-one in the water. The lefts wedged up against the northern headland and barrelled down a shallow bank. The roundpin quad was drawing off the bottom of a wave taut with warm water against sand, the lip translucent and back-lit by the morning sun.
It was amniotic. Beautiful. A beauty which gives one courage.
The Quik Pro 2011 will go down as a roaring success. But before the marketing smoke machine cremates the body and scatters the ashes it is time we considered the corpse with a coroners eye.
Dane changed the game last year by providing the judging template by which progressive surfing was scored. That was fitting given his undisputed status as the best surfer in the world. In his absence that honour defaulted to Taj. Taj's surfing looks as good as it's ever looked but it will still suffer in comparison to the Reynolds template, as it did on critical occasions last year at Trestles and Puerto Rico.
The prevailing wisdom has been that Jordy is a de facto world title contender due to his second placing last year and the unproven theory that he must've "learned so much". I saw no evidence of that at Snapper. He still failed to dominate crucial heats and was unable to control the event which was tailor-made for a high performance statement. In terms of strategy he has shown he hasn't learned anything from Slater, in particular the ability to suddenly build and rise to the occasion at the pointy end of the contest. The "oh, he's only young, he's got plenty of time argument" is the same piece of spurious sophistry used for Parko and Taj when they were his age. Jordy must both lift and learn if he is to challenge. The Pottz '89 Title should be his template.
In terms of coverage we note the continuing rise of embedded journalism. This phenomena, whereby a person hired by the corporation to fulfil a certain role, then moonlights as an independent voice, gives rise to a narrow range of predetermined and commercially acceptable outcomes. It is becoming the de facto method via which companies can continue marketing under the guise of journalism. The Outsider stands shoulder to shoulder with legendary New Yorker journalist Gay Talese in condemning this practice.
Professional surfing stands alone as a sport lacking strong independent voices and critical thinking. If the sport is to become legitimate in the eyes of the sporting public it must learn to accept and embrace independent journalists not under the sway of the surfing industries' marketing messages.
I wouldn't expect change to come easily in this respect, or even at all. But in the failed quest there is often humour and that alone justifies the attempt. In this Age of Information we are all principalities and agents of change. Corporations can no longer control the narrative as they once did through a compliant surf media with a God-complex. This diffusion of what US academic Joseph Nye calls 'soft power' will continue to thwart unethical corporate aims. In other words, the genie is out of the bottle and the corporates will have to choose between harsh crackdown on dissent or a more inclusive model.
The webcast and broadcast coverage is now reaching a consistently high standard, save for the tendency to run ads when live action is occurring, and sports fans are grateful for that. Heats on demand, however, remains an open sore that needs urgent triage. Slater's Quarter Final victory against Dusty Payne was a prime example where the heats on demand was woefully deficient in presenting the totality of the rides and their scoring. Surely this vital component of professional coverage can be fixed?
The women's tour must crack the male market by means other than blatant sex appeal, which will diminish their product in the long run and create useless division between athletes based on superficial distinctions. The Tour is worth covering and those in charge of the Women's Tour must present a compelling narrative to capitalise on the attention garnered at Snapper Rocks.
Brazilian surfing remains in the ascendancy and the restructured tour plays into their hands. If the Brazilian style can introduce some poetry to counterbalance the passion they will eventually win over critics from the established surfing nations. Looking at the radar Gabriel Medina stands out as a surfer with flow and style. De Souza will continue to threaten the Top Five.
Can we see a challenger for Slater anywhere on the horizon, sports fans? We are heartened by the performance of J-Dub, as well as his mental and psychological toughness. While it's unrealistic to expect a rookie challenge, he has come to this Tour fully realised. The Tour structure will suit his approach and skill set and there will be no Dane implosions at crucial junctures.
Otherwise, Slater remains in full control, with subtle hands pulling on many strings. He is continually suggesting and shaping the narrative via his public statements. Continually introducing the Slater mindset into the public and judging consciousness. This subtle method of control which reflects a superior intelligence cannot be matched by anyone on Tour, or even attempted if truth be told.
The sport is his to shape as he sees fit. He must embrace the purist vision of the Rebel Tour if the sport is to evolve and thrive. Wavepools are a spiritual dead-end not worthy of his historical legacy.
In the free marketplace of ideas integrity remains the most expensive commodity.
Thanks for reading and big ups to all who left comments. The feedback, both positive and negative, was invaluable and it was thrilling to be part of such an open conversation.
Comments
epicness, great reporting dude. lets hope you dont have to go to bells again and miss this epic time of year in NE NSW. hopefully, we can meet tomorrow at the end of a dirt road in an amazingly tranquil part of the world(despite being so close to a backpacker sludge pit) that you may or may not have mentioned earlier. keep up the good work, dont let the pigs(capitalist, not police) compromise your laurels.
The first four or so graphs were amazing. Let's hear more about that.
I read the later half in the voice of Edward R. Murrow. And I'm glad I did.
Wavepools. You don't build oceans to surf for the same reason you don't build mountains to ride.
What is this "big ups" you speak of? Will it last more than four hours? Shall I call a doctor?
At any rate, this was far and away the best installment in your series. For you to be absent from Bells would be abominable. I disagree regarding Jordy, for reasons I've already outlined elsewhere. I think his ceiling lies somewhere North of the one-and-done campaigns or Potz and Nicholas Wood. It may indeed fail to ripen. However, there are other templates.
Mick was cracking Top Five in '02... and roller-coaster’d until 2007 before his first of two titles.
Jordy still has time. A win at rifling Winki (please dear Laird let the contest run there, rather than phat phucking Bells) will bolster his chances this year. His showing at Snapper was less than inspiring though... so I must defer to your expert opinion until next time. You win this round, you lady hater!
My hope remains fervent, nonetheless.
In the free marketplace of ideas integrity remains the most expensive commodity
ay dios mio - you rock!!!
Please do Bells......
Yep, great stuff again. Thoroughly enjoyed all your posts. there should be more real comment like this. I,m with them, go to Bells so's I can get a decent handle on what's happening down there. Otherwise I'm stuck with 'sponsored, biased hype. Hopefully Dane will be there and, along with with Wilko, will keep it all worth following.
Hello everyone out there,
I'm a longtime listener, firsttime caller. Loved the reports Steve. Reckon you ought to go to Bells.
See ya.
Well done! So much more than the mindless, machine driven, drivel.
Keep it up, Steve.
Thank you.
Makasi Mr Steven for yet another pleasurable read. I love when I have to Google (sic) obscure literacy masters and meanings to words.
The school master.
art is love made visible
awesome event and agree heats on demand are absolute garbage at every event and give no idea to the people who cant watch it live what happened.
Hey Steve, love your'e work mate- you should head down to Bells for sure if you can! Re heats on demand- I think we need to send a message to whoever is responsible for these that the average surf fan wants to hear the commentary and see the heats in totality. It seems that all they are currently showing is selected highlights and are more focussed on the music background. Heads up to the production crew or whoever puts these packages together- My friends and I do not want to hear the music, we want to see the heats with the commentary because for whatever reasons we have missed the live coverage and want to feel the excitement that a heat has as if it were live- just like watching the footy replays we don't want to know the score , we want to recreate the atmosphere as if we are watching it live! I hope this message is heard by those who produce the heats on demand.
Again thanks for your'e fresh approach to surf reporting Steve!
Definitively won the battle of wits with the Insider. I was reading both and you could tell from NC's writing that you had him rattled. Far superior analysis of all things topical in the crazy realm that is professional surfing. You are dead right, Surfing is lacking in critical and investigative journalism. Great to see someone still saying what others only think.
Haven't checked out the heats on demand. If they are stuffing that up they really haven't worked anything out yet, have they. After praising their coverage this time they really should sort that out.
All they need to do is show the better waves in chronological order with some commentary about the rising tension, the interplay of tactics and time remaining, etc, like they do when wrappping up a report on the league.
I would imagine there would be heaps of punters interested in that. You want to be there, you don't want some fucking inappropriate gen y and gen z white noise music to pics.
Just the facts please and a bit of analysis, and maybe the grown ups would watch it.
I reckon all events should have two versions - (1) standard heats on demand, being an archive of the actual 30 minutes that was aired to the web, and (2) a wave-by-wave breakdown, which should show every single wave surfed - good or bad - in chronological order. Basically, the entire heat minus the paddling and waiting for waves.
This way, you've got the short condensed version (for time-poor people) or the actual-heat-as-it-happened, for those who want to relive the atmosphere build up.
Thanks Outsider,
Have loved reading this installment- the insights into Slater are priceless. Get on down to Bells and give us your words. Do it.
G.O.D
Yeah need to show all the incidents that went down. A lot of the time the viewer at home is missing the sick almost made barrels and airs. Or even in France last year i was itching to see a replay of that atomic bomb that broke on Mick fanning's head during the final of the quik pro france.
You’ve set the tone for the year ahead outsider,i hope your principles remain true no matter who or where you report for/from.
Not sue a rebel anything will loosen the patronizing stranglehold the current majors hold on our sport, though I can sense a wind of change brewing with media and multi nationals ready to pounce.
And yes there’s absolutely nothing spiritual about a wave pool, but, I admire the kings vision in regards to projecting passion. A wave pool has the potential of becoming an Olympic highlight….. and that’s massive.
Outsider, I like your rambles and observations of surfing.
A few notes.
Relax on the nick-names of the pro's.
I am an occasional reader but find it difficult to follow who the hell you are talking about at times.
I dont want to read waves/asl/etc to know who you are talking about.
I believe you are trying to attract readers who want and enjoy non bias alternative surf journalism (similar to the newspaper print tracks journalism), so why chase your tail and make it a so called inner circle of who's who.
Its cool that you may be mates with these guys, I believe the common surfer isn't and doesn't really care.
Living in Northern NSW is cool but come on man, I could rip the shit out of the alternative 'cliche' surf lifestyle it sounds like you aspire too.
Keep up the good work, relax on nicknames and relax on how cool it is to live in N,NSW.
Every surfer would live in a non crowded surf area if it wasn't for all the other things in life (family/career/bettering oneself/making a go of it) revealing them-self.
Being negative to other peoples Geography gets boring quick.
Da Rock
Nah, I'm not mates with the pros at all Rock.
It's just habit to call 'em by nickname.
They wouldn't know me from a bar of soap.
Nothing against anyone living anywhere. I've lived in Brisbane, I've lived on the Goldy. Just saying truthfully how I feel about things. I welcome your opinions too, especially if they differ.
@Da Rock,
Even though it reads like a list of Biblical Commandments wrapped in red tape… your constructively critical comment purchased valuable soil.
I would only argue the declaration that, “being negative to other people’s Geography gets boring quick.â€
Whether or not something is ‘boring’ has no bearing whatsoever on geography, topography, ethnography, or pornography. It’s all about the angle, context and narrative... and something else we peasants refer to in the King’s English as “BALLS.â€
I found Freeride’s commentary on the Gold Coast to be refreshingly prescient.
That said, I pray to my dear Laird and Savior he never covers an event in my hometown.
Thanks Steve!
Finally someone who departs from the default Molly Meldrum model of surf journalism. Generally the internet has opened up minority voices in many aspects of ‘life’ yet surfing seems to be such a tight knit yet massive voiceless behemoth with all media mediums brought under the seemingly happy go lucky censorship of a few ex rich hippies. Swellnet has started to offer an alternate objective voice and i applaud you guys to keep going.
good reading freeride thanks
i loved nick carrolls commentary such a smart and interesting guy. i agree with you on the jordy thing but enjoyable to watch him wriggle out of trouble when the waves come to him J-Dub i dont believe to be mentally strong at all i think he is just a tool doing and saying what he is told by his management team.Owen Wright on the other hand is a great young future contender even if he stands the wrong way. i do hope there is still time for the likes of parko taj or bede .If any of them win they need to do it with slater still on tour.
as for surfing becoming legitimate well i like it the way it is now but i liked it right from the time i started.
What about the standard of commentary? It leaves a lot to be desired.
Surely they could model the commentary style off that displayed by the test cricket commentators. After all most of what's happening in the water is the tactics of picking waves, interrupted by the occasional explosive display of wave riding, just like cricket is mostly a bunch of guys standing around scratching their balls, interrupted by the occasional outburst by Tony Greig.
The commentators should be independent of sponsors, then they might be able to comment on the judging without fear of loosing their job. Same panel of commentators at every event.
Give Pottz the flick and have Occ at every event. He's our Bill Lawry!
Yes. Heats on demand are shithouse.
^^^ are you serious TGI? Pottz is far more akin to the cricket commentary team than Occy.
Yeah I'm cereal. The cricket commentators aren't scared of silence.
Pottz feels its necessary to describe what it means to be natural or goofy EVERY FIVE MINUTES, makes up moves like "wrap around cutback" and "Through the lip" (whatever happened to a reo?), describes any sort of tail throw as an air reverse...... sorry I'm starting to rant.
Occy comments on the sea gulls and the shit camera work. I love it.
On a completely different track. I don't think the judges should be able to watch replays in slow motion. The speed of the surfing is definitely a measure of 'radicalness'. It is also a part of the judging criteria.
I see what you're saying TGI, and agree to a point - but that's just part of surfing's expansion into new demographics. Irrespective of whether you love or hate it (I'm not a big fan), I suspect there may have been directives from above to swing this way.
But Occy's commentary - personally, I can't stand it. Love the bloke 'n all, but he sounds ridiculous on the microphone over long periods of time. Small vox-pops would be more suitable; even replacing GT on the beach would be OK.
That's true about the women. I only saw the Roxy and was not over impressed with cameras stuck up their cracks, like something out of a subway pervs angle. Sure must be great to wear nothing much, it's an anatomy thing, not just to take it as come on.
Cogito sumere potum alterum!
KS is an absloute freak, best athlete ever possibly ? Surely in the elite crew of best ever...but still goin, could the best surfer in the world be a 40 yr old bald guy ? time will tell...Julian is good but unsure if he has the hunger and total sellfish and one eyed mind set of the competitve machine that is KS, I hope so but doubt anyone has it. The change in judging after Danes efforts is great and this may give others hope in my opinion...Taj was surfing the best ever, just needed to put it together for one more heat...anyway, it was good to see surfing on tv again, last time I saw coverage of a comp was Wide world of sports and it was a comp at Manly when Barton , TC, Kong and Dooma were at it, U2s' 'desire was the soundtrack but I am off track here....Great work Mr. Outsider...keep it up...You going to Bells to freeze ones gonads off but to supply us with enjoyable updates ???
Chiming in here about the commentary - I think it's pretty bad. I remember seeing Richie Benaud talking about commentating and he said that while learning the ropes he asked some legendary BBC commentator for advice. Basically the bloke said words to the effect of: Don't say anything the audience can see for themselves. Only speak when you have something to offer that the audience can't see or might not have thought about.
So when Pottz says, "Kelly Slater up and riding, he pulls into the barrel, comes out, big snap off the top throws a heap of spray followed by a deep bottom turn and into a roundhouse cutback." All he needed was "Kelly Slater up and riding" to make sure I know who it is. The rest I can see for myself. It would be fine for radio commentary but I can see he just did a big turn off the top you don't need to tell me.
On the replay start talking about each manouvre and offer some insight into it, like why you'd do a snap there and not just trim through or whether that was the most critical turn he could have done. But blow by blow description of what we can see for ourselves offers nothing.
Yes, Benski. Richie knows what he's talking about.
Heats on demand need to lose the music soundtrack
Last year they played a sponsored track from a record company.
This year a mix of commentary and music.
I would rather every wave shown with commentary, no music. Not the whole heat between sets etc, just the waves riden and any other relevant content.