Category: Sport

Sport is a popular pastime for people around the world. These articles cover everything from skateboarding to skateboarding.

Satan’s Drano is gnarly, dude!

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Most people agree that Los Angeles looks like a boring place. Every high school has a perfect 12 stair handrail and everything is manufactured and inauthentic.

But Satan’s Drano, the only skate hot sauce brand, might change that. Their creator Bob LaSalle just released their first “Lifestyle and Action Sports Video” with the perfect amount of guitar solos, skating into walls, and Mark Gonzales clickbait. This video makes LA look less like a casting call for the new Jonah Hill film and more like a place someone would actually want to be.

Satan’s Drano’s hot sauce line-up includes titles such as:

(via Jenkem, where you can read a full interview with Bob LaSalle)

Hot sauce related: Hellboy Right Hand of Doom Hot Sauce

Artsy on skate culture photography

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For Artsy, Alexxa Gotthardt picked 9 photographers that “captured the renegade youth of skate culture“:

In the mid-1970s, teen skateboarder Jay J. Adams descended on an empty swimming pool in Southern California, with beers and board in hand. A drought had recently ripped across the state, forcing residents to drain their backyard swimming holes. For many, it was a disappointing summer. But not for a crew of misfit young skaters known as the Z-Boys. From their vantage point, those smooth concrete craters made perfect skate bowls—sanctuaries for a sport and subculture they were unwittingly pioneering.

Skate culture related: 5 ways skateboarding culture inspired modern art and Werner Herzog on skateboarding.

The internet's thoughts on Space Jam 2

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I’ve not watched Space Jam 2 yet (tomorrow night) but the signs are not good. So I’ve collected a list of reviews that I’ve not read but the varying titles intrigued me.

And an extra special mention to Dom Griffin who did a video review you should watch (I’ll view it after I’ve seen the movie).

I’ll add more to the list as and when.

Tom Karangelov skating on 16mm film

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Filmmaker Matt Payne shot footage of Tom Karangelov skating on 16mm film and it looks really cool. Then again, everything looks good on 16mm. Matt also did an interview with Jenkem about the film and his techniques

How much did u guys spend on 16mm film to make this?
Not that much! Tom lands everything first try!

Just kidding, it was expensive and when we rolled on a trick we really had to make it count.

But we made this project on the side over a couple of years and got some deals with Kodak / Pro8mm so it didn’t hurt my wallet all at once. And I may or may not have used it as a tax write-off and sold some b-roll.

How do we know you didn’t just film this all on iPhone and use a 16mm filter or app?
I might have. The apps are that good. What if I told you this was all a marketing rouse to unveil the newest Kodak filter for iPhone 12 Pro Max? [laughs]

How much money would it cost to make a ~10 minute skate video on film?
I would say probably $2500 – $3000 on the cheap side. Maybe upwards of $5000 if you do it proper with good transfers and real cinema cameras.

(via Jenkem)

How to make a Hey Arnold! skateboard

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Making A Hey Arnold Skateboard!

North West Decks tried his hand at making a Hey Arnold! skateboard using some cool-looking decals. Before watching, I assume the decals were complete with the outlines and the colour but they were separate, meaning you need a steady hand and an eye for detail. The result is the coolest thing this side of 1998.

Follow North West Decks on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Werner Herzog on skateboarding

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JENKEM - Discussing Skateboarding with Filmmaker Werner Herzog

Jenkem did something unthinkable and unexpected: they tracked down Werner Herzog and discussed skateboarding with him.

He’s a guy who brings a true sense of uniqueness to an industry increasingly overrun with superheroes. But what does he have to do with skateboarding?

Technically speaking, nothing. Werner has no background in skating. But I believe he is one of us.

He preaches maxims like getting the shot by any means necessary, carrying bolt cutters everywhere, and thwarting institutional cowardice with guerrilla tactics. His entire career has been built on a DIY approach to life, his craft banged into existence through decades of trial and failure.

The result is surreal and short but wonderful. The filmmaker declared his puzzlement at being approached for the interview but found a commonality in what skateboarders do and what he does. One thing he pointed out was his seeming dislike for David Blaine which I was unaware of. In comparison, he said “skate kids” weren’t out for the publicity but did it for the joy of skating.

I think we should have more interviews like this for different disciplines. What does Ja Rule think about the imminent post-pandemic recession? What are Mads Mikkelsen’s views on comic books? How does Whoopi Goldberg feel about skateboarding? Now that I’d like to hear.

A Tribute to Karl Hubenthal, One of the All-Time Great Sports Cartoonists #

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Through pure coincidence, I’m posting this on what would have been Karl Hubenthal’s 104th birthday.

This from Bob Staake:

Growing up in Los Angeles in the 1960’s, there were two types of people — those who read the Los Angeles Times, and those who read the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner — and our family was of that latter persuasion — Dad not knowing that the “Herald” wasn’t the best of papers, Mom not really caring, and me delighted just to be able to see Hubenthal’s cartoons each day.

Hubenthal. I’d heard it said as “hoo-ben-thal” once or twice, yet Dad had always pronounced it (rightly) “hugh-ben-thal”, and while at the time I wasn’t sure which was correct, one thing was certain: this Hubenthal could draw.

Skateboarding in Jordan

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The Lost World of Skateboarding In Jordan with Tyler Surrey & Friends | CURSE OF PETRA Part 1

It’s a small world we live in. Sometimes, you have to go a little further than just down the street to find certain things in life. This time, the journey took our squad to the Middle East to check out the lost world of skateboarding in Jordan. Josef ‘Speed Demon’ Scott, Manolo Robles, Milton Martinez, filmer Edu ‘Eddy D’ Munoz, and photographer Sergio ‘Astronaut’ Alvarez hoped on board for the mission. The locals greeted them with open arms, and even some traffic control at times to ensure the boys could shred some good spots. Sit back and enjoy some banger clips from their skateventure.

(via Red Bull)

Skate-related: An empty water park In Dubai made a dope skate park and the Uganda skateboard union.

Proper Gnar: a skate brand for and by Black girls

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3 femme models for Proper Gnar: 1 crouching, 1 standing with their skateboard, and one on their standing on their skateboard

I’ve been seeing a lot of stories and brands about women in skateboarding and Proper Gnar is another one to add to the list.

Proper Gnar is a woman-owned skateboarding and streetwear brand, created by Latosha Stone. She set out to draw her own designs not only for clothes and skateboards but as standalone art.

Talking to Skateism, she talked about sizing and the struggles she has faced when trying to get clothes in plus sizes:

The size thing is something that really bothers me as well. And it’s an issue with the apparel industry as a whole. I’d love to carry all sizes but it’s almost impossible to find suppliers that go past a 3X, sometimes 5X on tee’s, and on crop tops I haven’t found larger than an XL. I always feel so bad when someone asks if I carry their size and I can’t because my suppliers don’t.

And her views on a connection between skateboarding and “femme power”:

I don’t think there’s a direct connection, I’m just a feminist in general. And I just feel like there’s something badass and powerful about taking something and putting your own twist on it, making it your own.

Follow Proper Gnar on Instagram.

The Uganda Skateboard Union

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The Uganda Skateboard Union started as an organisation for Ugandans to skate and “have a positive impact on the youth’s development and growth.” Back in 2006, Jackson Mubiru and Shael Swart built the nation’s first skateboard ramp out of bricks and cement. Later, a Canadian filmmaker named Brian Lye worked with them to build a small course beside the ramp and fundraised to create a skateboard park.

The skatepark featured in the music video for Naughty Boy, Kyla & Popcaan’s “Should’ve Been Me” (although the video description says the park was built in 2004).

Stream it below.

LeBron James in his new Space Jam jersey

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LeBron James in his new Space Jam jersey

I watched Space Jam with my son for the first time last week (his first time; my 7 millionth). He loved it and now I can show him something from the upcoming sequel. The LeBron James Family Foundation Instagram account posted the first look at King James in his “A New Legacy” jersey.

It’s more colourful than the original white jersey with blue and red trim and that caught me off guard. I’m interested to see how the Looney Tunes gang look in it.

Esquire gave an in-depth analysis of the new kit (certainly more comprehensive than I’d care to give it):

A reading from the Book of LeBron: When James did the whole taking my talents to South Beach bit in 2010’s ‘The Decision,” he traded number 23 for number 6. The new digit became synonymous with his newfound status as a villain in the league, something he played into a lil’ bit (R.I.P. Mask LeBron), which wouldn’t really be redeemed until he won a ring in Cleveland.

Check the shorts—number 6 is back.

OK. What’s the next logical thing to do after you save your planet from the grubby green hands of a raging alien capitalist? Secure a Nike sponsorship! With the entire NBA devoting little squares of jersey real estate to sponsors like Bumble, even the Tune Squad, apparently, isn’t opposed to making an extra buck from a corporate overlord. You have to ask: Did word of the Tune Squad’s heroics somehow reach Earth? Making them something of a well-known, traveling hoops act actually worth sponsoring—a la the Harlem Globetrotters?

When I first heard Space Jam was getting a sequel with LeBron James, I was sceptical. The original was a big part of my childhood and I wasn’t sure if I wanted the magic to be replicated. Nothing against LeBron (his cameo in Teen Titans Go! showed me he has the cartoon acting chops), but I don’t know how good the writing will be so we’ll have to see.

As for the shirt number and the brand sponsorships… I couldn’t care less. Apathy seems to be a common theme with recent branding announcements.

Hey, it's Tyler The Creator skating!

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tyler the creator in a blue shirt

2020 has been a dumpster fire of a year so when you find something wholesome, you’ve got to wash your hands, wear a mask, and cling to it for dear life.

I found this wholesome video of Tyler the Creator skating carefree and it’s the right amount of relaxing. If you didn’t know he could skate, and, like me, you haven’t played Tony Hawk Pro Skater for nearly 20 years, you might also be surprised to know he’s also in THPS5 as a playable character.

And Mr Hawk holds him in high regard too:

Honestly, the best skater that I’ve seen who raps is Tyler, The Creator. He really can skate… He’s legit.

Stream the clip compilation below and watch out for that super long manual he pulls off at the end.

Tyler The Creator Skating

OH-SO: a magazine celebrating women who skate

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Paola Flores in OH-SO magazine

What do you do when your child gets into a hobby but doesn’t see other children or adults like them? For Rob Hewitt, creative director and the publisher of OH-SO magazine, he decided to do something about it:

OH-SO magazine was founded after my daughter (7yrs Old) took an interest in skateboarding this past summer. We started with the board—we went to a store and looked for something that appealed to her—we both noticed that it was a male dominated selection. She asked me why she couldn’t find something she liked…so began the search to help her find something she could identify with while she immersed herself in the brief history of female skateboarding. Ultimately, this led to the development and production of OH-SO, a magazine that celebrates the global female skateboarding scene. We’ve reached out to many talented individuals, looking to contribute and collaborate along the way, and we will continue to do so to document this journey.

Representation of all people in any community is important and it’s good that Hewitt highlighted the importance of women in skateboarding. So far, OH-SO has 5 issues out featuring stars such as skateboarding legend Mimi Knoop, England’s first female pro Lucy Adams, Leticia Bufoni, and the dynamic duo Sky Brown and Rayssa Leal.

Jenkem's list of Black-owned skate businesses

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A Black skateboarder getting some air time

Black Lives Matter is not a catch-all term. It represents the fight for equality, liberation, and radicalisation for Black people around the world and we will continue to challenge every institution and system until it happens.

As part of that fight, supporting Black-owned businesses is becoming more important. Black people are often denied bank loans and leases because of their race, particularly in the US. According to the ACLU, Black people are 3.73x more likely than White people to be arrested for marijuana charges. But we’ve seen a recent boom in the marijuana industry and it’s headed by White people. Unfair and unjust. Also check for the CBD legality before getting them.

Skate publication Jenkem Magazine care about Black businesses too, and with the help of friend and contributor Patrick Kigongo, compiled a Google sheet of Black-owned skate companies to support, aptly named The Black List.

At the time of writing, there are 140 different Black skate brands, stores, organisations, and media outlets to give your money and support to. There’ll be some names you recognise (like Tyler The Creator’s Golf Wang) and some you might not. But all your proceeds, shares, likes, and listens will go a long way to bring a balance to a system created to marginalise Black people.

Check out The Black List here.

Tony Hawk dissects skateboarding films for GQ Sports

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Tony Hawk Dissects Skateboarding Films For GQ Sports

Got half an hour spare? No? Well, you do now.

Tony Hawk sat down with GQ to talk about movies featuring skateboarding. Unless you’re into it, you probably can’t think of many off the top of your head. But the kickflip legend runs his way through some great films including The Amazing Spider-Man, Back to the Future, and Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World.

The video comes as part of GQ’s The Breakdown series where athletes “break down” their respective sports in movies. The series has featured the likes of Brian Ortega, F1’s Daniel Ricciardo, wrestler CM Punk, and the LA Dodgers in its first season.

Featured films

Back to the Future

Grind

Gleaming the Cube

The Amazing Spider-Man

Police Academy 4

Mid90s

Daddy’s Home

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World

Rather than say stuff was good or bad, Tony dissects scenes and gives a flavour of the eras they were trying to depict. He also gives his opinion on the “realness” of the tricks performed. And he gets technical (because it’s friggin’ Tony Hawk). Imagine if Tony Hawk was the director for some of these scenes and you were an actual skateboarder!

Of course, Tony was asked what he thought was the best skate movie he’d ever seen. You can watch the video to find out what his answer was.

Something random and unrelated – does anyone else think Tony Hawk sounds like Josh from The West Wing in the early seasons (played by Get Out actor Bradley Whitford)?

Tony Hawk Breaks Down Skateboarding Movies | GQ Sports