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The Olympics: Finally the separatin between comp and film skiers?

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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,458
Will the Olympics finally widen the gap between contest skiers and film skiers? When will the national teams be named? I read the US team will be selected next may but I bet they'll all know by the end of the competition season. Will the national teams force their athletes out of filming this year to save themselves for the Olympics? What does this mean film skiers will have more minutes to work with?
Nov 2 2012 6:50PM
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eheath
Posts: 61110 - Karma: 118,312
Other than Tom, yeah mostly. I cant wait til everyone is training hard this year and toms hitting urban.
Nov 2 2012 6:57PM
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roddy116
Posts: 10622 - Karma: 7,396
and then he wins cause he is tom wallisch
Nov 2 2012 7:05PM
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AwR
Posts: 5147 - Karma: 1,878
All good questions. The best answer I can say is that we will have to wait and see. Skiing will be take an interesting turn in the next few years.
Nov 2 2012 7:05PM
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Mr.Sloth
Posts: 5091 - Karma: 13,469
A pretty interesting idea. It would be a shame... maybe we will witness the great rift in freestyle open before our eyes?
Nov 2 2012 7:22PM
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Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
what do you mean? widen what gap?
Nov 2 2012 7:27PM
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Twig
Posts: 6336 - Karma: 57,087
I don't really see why it would be a shame, I kind of hope the sports splits. Comp skiing is impressive but so is downhill racing. Neither bear much resemblence to how I see skiing.
Nov 2 2012 7:34PM
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MaryO
Posts: 2583 - Karma: 5,996
Are you sure about that? I'll be curious to see. Personally, I have a feeling he just may concentrate more on his competition skiing. He has a lot riding on this once in a life time opportunity to represent his country, and I think he's going to take it seriously and not jeopardize it. I could be dead wrong tho. Time will tell. I just pray Tom stays injury free this season. Bless!
Nov 2 2012 7:42PM
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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,458
The skiers in the gap are Wallisch, Bobby Brown, Sammy... These are the ones that see a lot of minutes in the movies while also spending a lot of time on podiums. I'm asking how to the olympics influence skiers. Will these skiers spend less time on film trips to work towards the olympics? If they do more minutes open up in ski movies for other skiers. Hence, widening the gap.
Nov 2 2012 8:04PM
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.ZT.
Posts: 5679 - Karma: 2,792
No.... filming is too large a part of the sport. People will always film some.
Nov 2 2012 8:10PM
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Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
got it. i wasn't sure if you meant that or if you were wondering if the olympics would make the competition skiers into much better than the film skiers because of training and such. as to this, it's hard to say, but i wouldnt be surprised to see guys taking time off filming to focus on training because it is the first olympics and such. but then again, a few years ago tanner said he basically prepared for the xgames by going out and skiing pow all season. but then again again, competition skiing was a whole different story then to how it is today
Nov 2 2012 8:12PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5675 - Karma: 4,268
Perhaps we'll just see a lot of documentary style videos on people training? Filming/training at the same time?
Nov 2 2012 8:52PM
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ALaw
Posts: 2616 - Karma: 1,552
Please no. The only way professional skiers should be "training" is by drinking more shots, smoking more weed and slaying more pussy. If that isn't how you train, I don't want to watch a movie about it.
Nov 2 2012 10:03PM
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finnafuckyobitch
Posts: 1647 - Karma: 865
thats retarded...complete wrong direction skiing should be going
Nov 2 2012 10:16PM
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Mr.Sloth
Posts: 5091 - Karma: 13,469
I dunno man... I feel like if the sports split, they'll become mutually exclusive for everyone- ie your either a film skier or a comp skier from day one. Idk, I just like how most pros can do both. It just seems more legit in my eyes.
That might not make any sense but whatevs
Nov 2 2012 10:19PM
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FerrisBueller
Posts: 8280 - Karma: 5,173
DOMINATION FROM JAH TEAM SWEDEN
Nov 2 2012 10:23PM
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DrZoidberg
Posts: 5675 - Karma: 4,268
Yeah I'm not looking to see training montages either, unless they're retro style with the final countdown or another classic montage song. And everybody has to wear old ski sweaters and ride 200cm straight skis and drink the entire time.
Nov 2 2012 10:46PM
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Ac31stuff
Posts: 557 - Karma: 10
i agree but be more respectfull
Nov 2 2012 10:51PM
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eheath
Posts: 61110 - Karma: 118,312
Yes, very sure. What else would he do? Go to the gym? No way, you're talking about tom here, not kevin rolland.
Nov 2 2012 10:54PM
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Skiingsnow
Posts: 1567 - Karma: 797
im assuming that because its the Olympics there will be uniforms right? god i would love to see them in country colour spandex, made by Saga of course
Nov 2 2012 10:57PM
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Bogs
Posts: 4296 - Karma: 1,361
thats the only way they should be "training," but not the only way they should be training.
Nov 2 2012 11:38PM
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MaryO
Posts: 2583 - Karma: 5,996
And you have a right to your opinion.
Nov 2 2012 11:41PM
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roddy116
Posts: 10622 - Karma: 7,396
but mary, its the internet there are no opinions, only facts D:
Nov 2 2012 11:45PM
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MaryO
Posts: 2583 - Karma: 5,996
No, I didn't say he'd go to the gym at all. I just have a feeling that as the Olympics approaches, there MAY be less focus on urban in order to prepare for the highest level of competition. I said "I could be dead wrong" which clearly you think I am. And BTW, Tom most certainly is not Kevin Rolland.
Nov 2 2012 11:47PM
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finnafuckyobitch
Posts: 1647 - Karma: 865
all the mufuckas at the top of the inrun are gonna be like daaaamn this homie just 2 pretz 2'd an 8 kink les just GIVE him the damn medal and call it a day
Nov 3 2012 12:03AM
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AwR
Posts: 5147 - Karma: 1,878
With all due respect....
That sounds like something an over zealous mother would say.

I do not know the pretzel man, but I think he could care less about his country and more about enjoying skiing and having fun.


Nov 3 2012 12:05AM
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mattytru
Posts: 2767 - Karma: 5,479
im not so sure, i could see that to be honest. it's kind of like committing yourself to something bigger than yourself. maybe it won't be because he wants to represent his country persay, but it's still the olympics, it's a big deal. i see a little more training than normal happening at least.
Nov 3 2012 12:23AM
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_Garagely_
Posts: 1938 - Karma: 3,198
I think skiers like Tom will decide to hit urban, film more, ect. and contribute to the skiing community instead of doing Olympics stuff and just letting a bunch of poor idiots lean that freeskiing actually exists.
Nov 3 2012 12:24AM
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easy.steezy
Posts: 2931 - Karma: 1,056
I feel as if won't see the "gap" skiers who still film and compete somewhat evenly, such as Tom, Bobby, Gus, and Sammy, after Sochii.

I personally hope Tom quits competing after these Olympics and just focuses 100% on filming. Think of a fully rounded Wallicsh segment..... that'd be fucking dope. Besides, if(when) he medals at the Olympic level, nothing can top that comp wise.
Nov 3 2012 1:06AM
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Stumpa
Posts: 250 - Karma: 380
Interesting.  Do you want to see documentary style filming for these Olympic bound athletes, or do you them to just do the current filming style?
Nov 3 2012 11:23AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22671 - Karma: 75,830
I think you're absolutely right that there is going to be two distinct paths one can follow in the sport. The advantage is that there is going to be a lot more money being pumped into the competitive side by outsiders, which in turn should leave a little more money in the films side of things for everyone else.

I believe that in snowboarding this has already happened, and the guys who are mega contest pros focus really hard on that, and the film star guys are able to focus harder on sticking to that.

Right now as a skier we don't have enough people that are one or the other, many of the guys do both. I'm sure that will never completely go away, but I would bet that we're going to see an explosion of people able to go deep into the film side of things.

It will be very curious to see how it all plays out in practise though. Easy to say theories, but you never know what happenes in the real world.
Nov 3 2012 11:31AM
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ILLinoisance
Posts: 3527 - Karma: 5,398
Haha, the day he goes to the gym to train will be the day that he starts losing a lot of fans on here. He's done fine and murdered the competition without training hard guys like Bobby and Gus do. The best place for training in my opinion, is not in a gym or even on a trampoline. It's on the snow, skiing every day and having fun while doing it.
Nov 3 2012 11:32AM
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Blurst
Posts: 13577 - Karma: 10,168
.

Nov 3 2012 11:44AM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22671 - Karma: 75,830
The only point I would make on this is that the amount of abuse that happens to the body, even when you're filming is massive. These guys have to train at least somewhat to make sure they have enough muscle mass to survive the crashes and abuse that the tricks these days put on you.

Its easy when you're young to not train at all, but as you get into your mid-20s and you've been doing it for a long time, the 20' drops to flat concrete on a gnarly closeout start to play hell on the body.

Best defence against a blown knee is solid muscle structure in your legs. You can still party, smoke, get pussy... whatever you want... but you're no good to anyone so injured you can't ski anymore.
Nov 3 2012 11:58AM
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t_rob
Posts: 6433 - Karma: 11,458
Being a professional skier isn't a career. It is a job that you have for a few years. If you don't have an exit plan, you shouldn't be a pro skier in the first place. Ask yourself, who is the oldest pro skier? If Mike Douglas comes to mind, he isn't. He is a pro whatever it says on his switchback business card. While we're at it, Jon Olsson has Yniq and Douchebags, Cody Townsend has Arcade, Dumont has Empire, Tanner has inspired. These guys are some of the biggest names in the game and they don't want to see the day when not having a sponsor means not having a job. Being a pro skier doesn't qualify you for other jobs outside of skiing and barely even in skiing. So if you are "enjoying every second of it," you're just falling into a black hole.

When Tom Brady retires, he'll have job offers to be an NFL analyst for NBC, CBS, NFLnetwork, and fox. Why? Because he was known as a good quarterback. Those are real jobs which pay the bills. What will some xgames gold medalist skier have? Nothing. Sure, maybe they'll be asked to do commentary on the xgames but that's not a job. It's only going to get you by one month a year.

Having an olympic medal on your resume, even if it is in curling, is probably the best possible if you were a professional athlete and need to work after your professional athlete days are over. Why? Because it is a universally accepted sign that this guy busted their ass for something. Being shown as a medalist validates that you otherwise didn't accomplish anything for the last X years. For a skier old enough to wrap their head around the fact that there is life after skiing for a living and are being in the olympics is there's for the taking, I don't see how they could afford to pass it up.
Nov 3 2012 12:10PM
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I.B
Posts: 8137 - Karma: 24,354
ok gys

olmpics should be like american idol. were you txt your vote. like tom wallisch goes, then "IF YOU WANT TOM WALLISH TO WIN TEXT WALLY TO 696660" on the screen and then yeah. But you should only be allowed to vote like once.
Nov 3 2012 1:29PM
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Stose
Posts: 7109 - Karma: 4,123
Yeah I've seen an interview where Tom says that's why he wanted to finish college, because you just can't ski forever
Nov 3 2012 1:38PM
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ski0
Posts: 2321 - Karma: 5,370
As much as I hate so say this, I really do think Tom will take a step back from filming super gnarly urban this year. And frankly, you cant blame him, the dude has millions of dollars on the line for the 2013/2014 season and the chance to win gold in the olympics. Considering how risky urban skiing is, and how lucky he has gotten so far staying healthy, the guy will probobly take a step back from the urban game. As others have said in this thread, urban skiing is a young mans game . I know that my body right now at 22 does not bounce up as quick as I did when i was like 16 , and tom is a few years older then me and im sure he feels the same.

Dont get me wrong I really hope im wrong, but from a logical standpoint, jumping off buildings, slamming into brick walls and sliding down handrails with concrete stairs beside just doesnt make sense. Yes its fun for us to watch, but Tom has more important things to worry about like $$$ , comps , his short term and long term health then risk his neck filming urban . I wouldnt blame him at all if he stopped.


Also, what the fuck is wrong with going to the gym eheath? Tom probably does go to the gym sometimes?
Nov 3 2012 1:42PM
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AwR
Posts: 5147 - Karma: 1,878
I completely agree with you on most things. Most skiers will have to have to find other ways to support their habits. The ones you listed are silly though because all of them are still making a career through the realm of skiing. Douchebags are ski bags, Arcade is skiing clothes, Empire skiing outerwear, and Inspired has a chapter in ski porn. As of right now,I would guess Tanner's made far more money (not saying hes Batman Rich) through Armada than Inspired. Once again I am not saying Tanner is Batman rich but he has been successful in life through owning skiing related things like Retallack and Armada. Oh and by the way they are all doing so without a gold medal.

Having an olympic medal on your resume, even if it is in curling, is probably the best possible if you were a professional athlete and need to work after your professional athlete days are over.

Your notion "having an olympic medal on your resume, even if it is in curling, is probably the best possible if you were a professional athlete and need to work after your professional athlete days are over" is a bit of a reach. I would be fascinated to compare the current salaries of curling medal winners vs Jon Olson. Medals dont get you nearly as many jobs/connections as sponsorships do.

Oh and I'm pretty sure all of the NFL analysts do it because they love football not because they need the money.

Nov 3 2012 1:47PM
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sandybov.ill
Posts: 804 - Karma: 1,559
Definitely agree with the staying strong argument. Love the second part haha
Nov 3 2012 2:00PM
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JKill
Posts: 626 - Karma: 67
A lot of this will go down to the matter of CASH in the future IMO. The Olympics and some comps get national/world exposure. Films though really only appeal to very small niche market. Big brand sponsors pay more money for things that get more exposure. Money trumps everything and skiing is not excluded.
Nov 3 2012 2:20PM
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easy.steezy
Posts: 2931 - Karma: 1,056
You just took his post far too literally. He was saying that those mentioned pros are making money on something other than purely skiing. As in they're making money on PRODUCTS or companies that they created/co-founded.
Nov 3 2012 2:45PM
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loganimlach
Posts: 5132 - Karma: 14,052
fuck that mentality. look at some the best urban skiers around: wesson 26, hornbeck 26, leigh has gotta be around 25 or 26, wallisch 25, cam 24, etc, etc.

i personally hope that i still get to bag some urban shots when i'm 30. i have no doubt that anyone listed above with do the same, other than cam, his body might not function at all by then because he hits the gnarliest shit in the game.
Nov 3 2012 3:01PM
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manutdsaol
Posts: 906 - Karma: 56
I agree completely, I think most of the smart professionals already are ready for life after being a pro. For example, if Tom Wallish can't get a job in the ski industry after he is done being a pro (which I think is unlikely), he is still going to school, so at least he has some kind of fallback. The pros who are not anything special and only ski and party have the most to lose by retiring or getting an injury.
Nov 3 2012 3:09PM
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Mr.Bishop
Posts: 22671 - Karma: 75,830
I think its a mis-conception of a lot of people that you can't stay healthy as you get older. That is definitely where the gym and treating your body at least semi-right comes in though... you can do some pretty gnarly stuff well into your 30s, but you gotta work your ass off to stay strong.

I think the main missed fact is that you can be an idiot when you're really young and get away with it.
Nov 3 2012 10:38PM
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2_fadez
Posts: 7780 - Karma: 4,180
>Radio Ron

http://www.meatheadfilms.com/athletes/Radio-Ron

He is 50 and still killin it. I think you would like this video

http://www.skitheeast.net/tv/episode/815408094/meathead-bonus-deep-thoughts-with-radio-ron
Nov 3 2012 10:46PM
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2_fadez
Posts: 7780 - Karma: 4,180
Nov 3 2012 10:48PM
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iSki13
Posts: 360 - Karma: 1,402
THE OLYMPICS WILL BE THE RUIN TO SOME ASPECTS OF THE SPORT.

REMEMBER WHEN YOU AND YOUR FRIEND USED TO GO TO THE MOUNTAIN AND WOULD SEE THE RACING BOTS ALL CLUSTERED TOGETHER, IN THEIR UNIFORMS, CONFORMING TO THE PROGRAM, LIKE A BAD EPISODE OF DAWSON'S CREEK ON SKIS.

IS THAT NOT WHY YOU STARTED SLIDING RAILS AND SKIING BACKWARDS

YOU HAVE GAINED OLYMPIC STATUS, THE CATCH IS NOW IT WILL BE REGIMENTED, IT WILL BE MECHANIZED, THE LATTE DRINKING RACE SUITS WITH COKE BOTTLE GLASSES WILL NEED TO MICRO MANAGE YOUR INDUSTRY AND STEEZ FROM A SKYSCRAPER.

THIS HAS THE PROPENSITY TO GET UGLY OVER A LONG RUN AGGREGATE. IT WILL MAINTAIN ITS IDENTITY FOR 4-12 YEARS, HOWEVER THE BEST WATERING DOWN OF A COMMUNITY AND ITS SPORT, WILL HAPPEN OVER A LONG TIME.

GO LOOK AT THE INDUSTRY PEOPLE IN RACING, LOOK AT THE FANS, LOOK AT THE PERSONALITIES, LOOK AT THE PSYCHOLOGY, LOOK AT WHAT THEY WEAR, HOW THEY ACT, HOW THEY TREAT OTHER PEOPLE.

RACING WAS ONCE FREE SKIING YOU KNOW, IT WAS REBELLIOUS TO RACE. THEN RACING BECAME NATIONALIZED AND YUPPIE AND IT BECAME REBELLIOUS TO SKI BACKWARDS AND SLIDE RAILS,

DO YOU SEE THE FALL LINE HERE?


Nov 3 2012 10:56PM
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.tomskis
Posts: 380 - Karma: 1,025
Tanner; Is that you?
Nov 3 2012 11:36PM
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Twig
Posts: 6336 - Karma: 57,087
exactly, no reason why not! Andrew Reynolds was 31-32 when Stay Gold dropped and he was hitting the biggest gaps of anyone in that movie. He's 33-34 now and still killing it.
Nov 4 2012 5:20AM
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ktd619
Posts: 927 - Karma: 96
Holy shit, if someone wants to go to the gym to train and get in better shape for skiing, WHO THE HELL CARES?!?!?! If they're dedicated, love skiing, and want to get better, why wouldn't they? Why does it even matter??
Nov 4 2012 8:15AM
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