THE ULTIMATE #90’s SKATER POWER RANKING BRACKET

CTE (click to enlarge)

COMPLETE RESULTS HERE

UPDATE 4/8 – FINAL RESULTS. Shoutout to everyone that voted and linked.

This experiment in interactive content was inspired by a few different elements. First, the growing semi-serious discussion on #skatetwitter about power-ranking stuff in skating–like kickflips, etc. Until now, the closest thing had been the coverage meter on Transworld Business. Secondly, you know on Grantland  how they love to power-rank stuff, and also to place seemingly incongruous things into brackets that you can vote on? Except the latter usually manifests itself in weird matchups like Snapchat vs. Macklemore, or some shit like that. Thirdly, I have been filling out these brackets every March since like 1990; it’s a rite of spring or some shit.  I think I pick too many upsets, though. But you don’t want to be that dude who picks his whole bracket according to seeds, ’cause that’s boring as fuck. However, you also don’t want to be that dude who never watches basketball, knows nothing about sports period, yet conducts a shit-ton of research and tries to use some Sabermetric-type algorithms to “beat the system.” I think I just pick the team that I think is cooler, which led to too many Arkansas Razorbacks and Miami “THE U” picks. 

ANYWAY, the real catalyst arrived (like most inspiration in #modernlife) via twitter–@eclectik posted a link to a “Greatest Hip-Hop Albums of the 90’s” bracket he made on this site Challonge. After fucking around with the site for a while, and after a 13-hour selection committee meeting in a smoke-filled room, we have the Ultimate #90s Skater Power Ranking Bracket. Note: in order to establish a level playing field, the selection committee chose to omit, for the most part, currently active pro’s, dudes in the “everyone’s favorite skater” category like Gino, Carroll, etc., and those legends who are no longer with us. Here is the tentative schedule, which the selection committee drew up to align with the NCAA’s:

ROUND ONE: 3/17-3/20

ROUND TWO: 3/21-3/24

REGIONALS: (ROUND 3) 3/25-3/27

ELITE 8: 3/28-3/31

FINAL FOUR: 4/1-4/4

CHAMPIONSHIP: 4/5-4-7

So check back as per the above schedule to see results. [cue Highlander theme]

Twenty-First Century Corporate Lifestyle Footage

alternate post title: “[Podium] Erica Is Still My Muse”

I’m going to level with you here.

When I saw Tim “Secs” Gavin’s Big Brother trading card seventeen years ago, the first thing that I thought was not “whoa, this dude is management material.” Indeed, the content of said trading card was highly workplace-inappropriate. Ironically, though, Gavin has forged one of the most successful post-skating careers out, founding DVS and continuing to manage Podium Distribution effectively. He displays his signature management style  in hilarious fashion in the recent Matix Industry Profile internet video, presumably arranged by Gavin’s newest hire–none other than [Podium] Erica.  The purpose of this short film? To show all the kids out there what awaits them should they score a “dream job” in the industry.

I worked in a shop for 2 days.