So I'm just bored, anxiously awaiting winter, and if I stare at my new Hellbents any longer the graphic is going to give me nightmares, so here's a RANT.
I just read a Q & A on the Dalbello site with T-Hall and I happen to agree with something he said (sure he's been an arrogant tool in the past, but I think he's gotten better in the last few yrs). Skiing is not rollerblading, nor will it ever be. Sure our sport has been influenced by other sports, but we don't owe our allegiance to any of them. I have nothing personal against Rollerblading, I just have no interest in riding them or watching others ride them at all, just my opinion.
This matters to me for 2 main reasons:
1-To ignore the general public's perception of our sport just slows the progression. I want skiing to get hyped as much as possible, it's not like my "pet indie" band that I'm going to disown once I hear on the radio, screw that thinking, I want it to be my "Radiohead"(super popular but still mad creative). The main reason is for this opinion is $$$$. I want every kid to feel cool for choosing to pick up skiing, and get his parents to pump more cash into the sport. $$$ fuels the progression, in products, movies, style etc...
That said, those within or without our sport that compare us to rollerblading aren't doing us any favors, say what you want, but I just think style in skiing is far superior to blading culture and the inter-related perception can only bring us down.
2-Secondly, as I mentioned briefly, we don't owe our allegiance to ANYONE. Sure other sports have influenced our sport and helped us progress,
"but without snowboarding, we wouldn't have parks or park culture"
"Well without skiing, there wouldn't be any lifts or mountain culture in the first place."
It's about time for other sports to start claiming US as their inspiration. The roots of our steeze now run deep, all over the world and it's growing fast. It's time for those different styles to branch out into their own niches, with more $$$ flowing into each of them, like other sports with more public recognition. There is room for Big Mtn charging, Slopestyle/pipe comps, urban jibbing, rails, gangsta steeze, artsy steeze, or any other perspective on the new school. The branching out of these niches will only make the roots stronger. Those varying styles within the sport are the key to progression, NOT rollerblading or any other sport. Snowlerblades are barely worth mentioning here, they don't even deserve negative attention. I just hope snowblades will soon go away forever, like the Bush administration.
...rant over.
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