http://postsurf.com Unfiltered Thoughts on Surf Culture Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:24:27 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Comment of the week goes to Dave Mailman, who seemed to develop a moderate-to-serious addiction to the PostSurf commenters arena this week. Honestly, I'm on the road right now, and I didn't take the time to read through all of the comments.  But I'm certain that many readers hammered out insights ... http://postsurf.com/2009/05/31/comment-of-the-week-9/ PostSurf is on the road for the next few weeks.  With any luck, I'll be spending time surfing instead of writing about surfing, meaning posts may be sporadic. For now, let's drink deep of some chilled visions from photographer Rambo Estrada, a PostSurf reader from Middle Earth. More of his work can ... http://postsurf.com/2009/05/30/photo-dispatch-rambo-estrada/ Joel Parkinson Tahiti Result: 9 Previous Result: 1 ASP Rating: 1 Joel Parkinson can find solace in recent history.  Like Joel, Slater started last year with two wins, only to fall early at Chopes.  Fortunately for Slater, all the other contenders fell early, too.  Same story this year, as Parko’s real rivals ... http://postsurf.com/2009/05/29/tahiti-power-rankings-1-5/ C.J. Hobgood Tahiti Result: 5 Previous Result: 5 ASP Rating: 4 Bitter truth: there was a moment in Tahiti, after Joel and Mick had lost, but before Taj had bested CJ, when Hobgood had a clear path to a legitimate world title.  It was Teahupoo, for fuck’s sake!  The last venue on ... http://postsurf.com/2009/05/28/tahiti-power-rankings-6-10/ Freddy Patacchia Tahiti Result: 17 Previous Result: 3 ASP Rating: 9 I’m worried that Freddy P has lost his edge after reportedly having that kid with Bruce.  Where’s the hatred?  Patacchia is full of aloha lately, which is really incongruous coming from a Hawaiian professional surfer. For instance: Fred nearly landed on ... http://postsurf.com/2009/05/27/tahiti-power-rankings-11-15/ Adrian Buchan Tahiti Result: 17 Previous Result: 17 ASP Rating: =14 Truly cutting edge surfers today realize that contest winnings and sponsorship agreements should only represent a fraction of their earnings.  The big money is in tell-all memoirs, video games, and merchandising. Just ask Kelly, who’s penned two books, created one video ... http://postsurf.com/2009/05/26/tahiti-power-rankings-16-20/ Josh Kerr Tahiti Result: 9 Previous Result: 33 ASP Rating: =20 It’s easy for cynics to discount Josh Kerr as a latter-day Christian Fletcher type, an aerial specialist, scrubbed clean and toned down for a different market.  Clearly, Josh Kerr feels that he’s capable of more than winning airshows – why else ... http://postsurf.com/2009/05/25/tahiti-power-rankings-21-25/ Drew Courtney Tahiti Result: 33 Previous Result: 9 ASP Rating: =20 Watching senior citizen/rookie Drew “Benjamin Button” Courtney surf Teahupoo was inspiring.  It reminded me so much of the first time I saw “Cocoon.”  Drew surfed and lost within the first couple hours of the waiting period… which was good for him ... http://postsurf.com/2009/05/24/tahiti-power-rankings-26-30/ Tim Reyes Tahiti Result: 17 Previous Result: 17 ASP Rating: =30 Who knew that Timmy Reyes could grow hair?  I erroneously believed him to be prematurely bald, like you know who and that other guy.  So when Tim showed up at Chopes with curly locks, I kid you not, I thought he’d ... http://postsurf.com/2009/05/23/tahiti-power-rankings-31-35/ Ben Dunn Tahiti Result: 17 Previous Result: 33 ASP Rating: =35 I’ve been wracking my alcohol-drenched brain, trying to determine if there was ever a more boring Australian pro surfer than Ben Dunn.  Ces Wilson? Jake Spooner? Bryce Ellis? Ben Dunn might take the cake.  If you’re gonna be a bottom-rung guy, ... http://postsurf.com/2009/05/22/tahiti-power-rankings-36-40/