POD’s

He actually got back in the pocket on this wave.

Maybe a little late on this one, but cool A-frame.

photos by NC

Thanks to Mad Dog

Lots of skimboarders talk about how they wish the sport of skimboarding would grow larger and become more “mainstream.”  Talks of the Olympics, bigger prize purses for the pros, more legitimate coverage from larger sports and news outlets. Non-relatedly, you would think, is the dream of Giants fans for Buster Posey to win the batting title, MVP, etc.  Yes, these 2 ideas seem unrelated, but let’s dig a little further.

Suppose for a second that skimboarding was as big as surfing.  Look around you next time you’re at the beach skimming, how many people are you skimming with?  2,3, 8?  By yourself?  This weekend I skimmed the best waves I’ve had all summer. The Cove was firing in Bodega, and how many people did I fight for waves?  Saturday I skimmed with Deebo, and today with Vacadoug and Deebo.  Kevin almost showed up, that would have problems.  I mean, waaaay overcrowded.  I kid.  But seriously, now think of skimming as big as surfing.  30 guys at the cove?  That would be fun, on one day of the year: cramikfest.  Otherwise, that pretty much blows.  What about liner spots like Lefts or east side santa cruz?  Forget about it.

Some skimmers want the sport to be big so they don’t feel the way I feel when people say, “you still have a blackberry?”  Skimmers, especially younger ones, want legitimacy and acceptance, without realizing what they’d be getting themselves in for.  Now, let’s get back to Buster.  Suppose Buster wins the MVP, which looks all but assured right now, what does that do for you as a Giants fan?  Sure, it gives you as a fan another bragging right, some legitimacy with the national baseball crowd. But what it actually does is make your team, the Giants suck more. Why?  Because now at contract time Sabes and the Giants owners have to deal with MVP on Buster’s resume.  How much more is that going to cost them?  The more you pay to Buster, the less you have for the rest of the team.  Sinking lots of dough into few players is hard on a team that has a limit to what they can spend, which is every team outside of the Yankees and the new Dodgers spending spree.  Look what happens to the A’s every year, their great new players that they bring up every year win awards and/or gain recognition and are no longer affordable by the team.  Constant turnover, with wishy-washy results.  Sure they’re doing great this year and possibly next year, but after that?  Impending doom.

Isn’t it good enough to skim with your friends and have great un-crowded waves virtually every time out?  Wouldn’t it be great to have a very good catcher that you believe in and who is great for the team, but without the national recognition?  Who needs it, really?  Keep it small, keep it underground, and enjoy it for longer.  So, I’ll be rooting for Buster to come in 2nd in the MVP race, go 0 for 15 in his last regular season at bats, and smile when people ask me if that’s a “boogie board” in my hand and reply, “sure is.”