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Clean Cut A Letter to Skim Online by Chuck Shamback Aaron,
I'm writing
concerning the Articles Section of your web site. I regularly hit
your site, at least once a day, to look at what is new or check out some
pictures. I have learned so much about skimboarding from this site
just in the past year its nuts. I must say the only criticism I
have of this site is this, the Articles Section needs to change or have
changes made to it.
The behind the scenes story of the skim contests you went to is a nice
idea but I feel it is inappropriate for this web site and probably for
some of the visitors to this site. Now before you get all fired
up, ("Who the Hell does he think he is!"), hear me out.
Not that I think you'll get fired up.
First, our sport is awesome, has a future, and I know we want it to
grow. Second, telling stories about your drinking escapades on a
web site surely frequented by kids (the future of skimboarding whose
parents buy the boards they ride) and then by the parents of those
children is not necessary. The parents, who are the major economic
force behind the boom in skimboarding, don't want their children exposed
to that environment, at least not now. Because those kids are the
future and we want the sport to grow I feel you should change the format
of the Articles Section. Thirdly, I am a former college student
who adventured into the atmosphere of drinking and that is the biggest
reason it took me seven years to graduate.
If you knew me you would know that I am not pointing a finger or saying
that what you guys do before, during, and/or after a contest is wrong.
I have been known, and are still known, to tie on a few wobbly pops.
However, I am not announcing it on the Message Board because I
feel it is inappropriate, not necessary, and detrimental to the future
of skimboarding. Think about it, the average Americans view
of the typical surfer is not Kelly Slater the Champ, its of
Ridgemont High's Jeff Spicoli. Lets not have their view of the
typical skimboarder be the same, even if we are all a little like him.
One could argue with great success that other sports have had great
stars who were total drunks and in some cases awful citizens.
Mickey Mantle, the Hall of Famer, was drunk everyday even during
the World Series. That was kept quiet from the public and wasn't
really released to the public for almost thirty years. Many
people had forgotten who he was.
My point is this, rip it up. On the waves and off. Go nuts.
Puke yourself and others. You want to share stories about drinking
I am there with you, I have some classics. But keep them
off the site, the kids and the parents don't need to see it.
Our sport needs publicity, good publicity. People say there is no
such thing as bad press, here's a scenario. What if Biker Sherlock
(not that I like Street Luge or him for that matter) turned
out to be a heroin addict and a wife beater. Do you think ABC
would be interviewing him? I am not saying any skimboarders
are doing that, but whatever they are doing lets keep anything that
could be considered negative off the site. Make the articles
section just like it sounds, a place for articles. Interviews, newspaper
and magazine spreads etc. I liked the interview with the Zap
guy, lets get more of those. Thanks
For Reading 27 and still ripping (off and on the waves), Chuck
Shamback Skim Online would like to thank Chuck for the
well articulated feedback on the site. It definitely opened my
eyes to a potential problem which I was not aware of. Aaron Peluso
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