Random US Open thoughts

I've been watching the US Open on the local cable channel.

Thru the lack of waves

Thru the sudden appearance of wave due to Hurricane Eugene.

A couple of things I noticed in no order of importance

• If you are going to show me women's surfing please show me women surfing

If you are just going to show me close ups of some girl's butt while she paddles out let's just save that for the bikini contest (do they still have those?) so I can just skip it. Not that I don't appreciate the beauty of the female form but it's a SURFING contest. (yes two words that don't go together well but let's just go with the surfing it OKAY?)

• If progressive surfing is just air moves then just change the name to the US Open of Skateboarding

I like to watch skateboarding or snowboarding for that matter. If progressive surfer can't come up with something better that to recycle skateboarding airs than lets just move the whole deal to a well built half pipe and clear the water.  On the other hand what else do you do with a closed out Huntington dumper but punt?

• I like a good tshirt. But that the tshirt and trunks companies run surfing is not only sad but the reason there is so many things wrong with surfing as it is commonly perceived. 

Surfing is ultimately about any one persons relationship with the ocean. If they ride a glass slipper, a hull, a pig, a mat, a twin fin, a log, a hand plane or just body surf naked. Contests have nothing to do with surfing.  Hurley, Quiksilver, Nike, if you want to impress the heck out of me, have your stable of "pro surfers" leave their egos on the sand (no hiding in the contestants and VIPs only condo on the beach) and spend the week teaching some under privileged kids about the water. Pass on some Aloha. I would be very impressed (heck I would every volunteer to carry the boards from the van to the beach and back)

• If busting your fins out on every wave is the apex of surfing performance why not ride a craft with no fins to begin with? 

I'm just sayin'.

• While I'm taking about tired moves that thing you do to make it from the outside to the inside, the "Huntington Hop"? Please stop that immediately. If you are a professional come up with something else to do. If you  look up ugly in the dictionary, I pretty sure it shows some poor shumuck doing the Huntington Hop.

You might look at boards without such exaggerated rocker that they can trim. If you haven't heard of the word "trim" or the idea of trim I can suggest several good movies and some time well spent on a single fin.

I know contests aren't going away. I'm just providing valuable marketing feedback as to the preferences of  Males between 23 and 200 that spend in excess of 2 dollars a year on new action sport apparel. You are just trying to increase market share. It's just business. I understand.