Latest Update: May 6, 2003

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From The Sacklunch Boards
Currently being discussed: Not a whole lot. If you have some info, add it to the mix. This is a perfect anonymous place to share dark secrets.

Sack The Vote
Makua Rothman won the Billabong XXL with a macking, bone-crushing 66 foot Jaws monster, however, you weren't on the judging panel. If you had been who would you have chosen as the Billabong XXL Winner for the winter of 2003?

Primedia Editorial Director Axed
Elizabeth Crow, editorial director and executive vice president of Primedia was fired May 2, 2003 as the company is rumored to be getting ready to "sell off everything that is not core" according to Folio: First Day. The big question, what does KKR consider "core."
-Primedia's First Quarter 2003 Report
-Enthusiast Magazine Titles

Wrisley Leaves TransWorld
After 15 years at TransWorld Media, Group Publisher Tim Wrisley announced on Friday May 2, 2003 that he will be leaving the company in mid June. Wrisley was removed from his current job and "offered another position in the company which he declined." The change comes as part of a "management restructuring."

Burnquist Backs The Reefer
Bob supported his girlfriend Jen O'Brien when she appeared on the cover of High Times and says, "I feel like I have to fight for what I believe in."

Machado On Promo Drive Through Japan
Rob and the crew on are tour in Japan in support of the new Steelhouse film Drive Thu Japan. The Japanese media appears to be paying attention.

Parks & Rec Board to Quit Over Skatepark
The board of director of the Parks and Rec department said they would all resign if the city of Berkley Springs, West Virginia puts a skateboard park in a public park. These are exactly the kind of idiots who should resign.

Howies Sued by Levi's For Tab Placement
A small Welch denim company is being sued by Levi's for placing the Howies logo tab in the same place that Levi's places there. The Howies website is now providing tabs for people who would like to replace the tab on their Levi's.

SF Surfer Sentenced In Beating
Ryan Farrell, 31, of San Francisco got 150 days house arrest and a three year ban from surfing any of San Francisco's beaches after he and several others were found guilty of beating Adam Browning, 32, of Berkeley at Fort Point, under the Golden Gate Bridge. The story appeared in more than 24 daily news papers across the nation.

Skate Market Taking a Dive?
According to the San Diego Union the once hot skate market is beginning to cool as company begin cutting back on skateboards. Watson Liminates laid off 35 in January and most others are feeling the heat as well.

The Kids Don't Get the Element
You've seen the ads popping up everywhere, but something about Honda's alterna-SUV just isn't appealing to the young skate/snow crowd. The average age of Element buyers so far has been 41, and most of those are women wearing "practical shoes" if you know what we mean. What gives?

Trouble at Four Star Distribution
Word is that Steve Ruff was cut cold on Friday. Sack sources also claim that riders and reps aren't getting paid on time. Raul Reis is scrambling to keep the company rolling and has reportedly asked for two more months to pay them off.

More Layoffs At Burton
On Friday approximately five more people were laid off at Burton including long, long-time VP and Director of Global SAles Dave Schmidt. More layoffs may be on the way as the company reportedly moves torward a more broad-based, Quiksilver like approach to boardsports.

Apple Launches Music Service, New iPods
If you haven't been to the site yet, roll by Apple. They are about to revolutionize the recording industry with their new music sales system and rockin' new 30 gig iPods. Viva Le Jobs.

School Shooter Described as Skateboarder
We just can't get a break. James R. Sheets, the 14 year old from Red Lion, PA who shot his principal and then killed himself was described as an "avid skateboarder." Luckily, he also played team sports as well.

Snowboarder Jailed for Injury to Kids
Michael Wolff, 20, of Killeen, Texas, has remained in Garfield County, CO Jail on a $15,000 bond since March 15 when he blasted through a ski school class on his snowboard and seriously injury three 5- to 7-year-old skiers at Sunlight Mountain.

Quik's Bright Lights, Big City
Taking the beach to the city has been the dream of action sports brands since Hang Ten first grabbed the malls of America, now Quik is doing it right with their store on the corner of 42nd and Broadway.

Primedia's CEO Gets The Boot
Tom Rogers, the guy who has lost $1.28 billion for the publisher of Surfer and Surfing was ousted by the board for having "real differences in strategic direction." Apparently the board was interested in making money. This has started speculation of a magazine sell off.
-Hearst to Buy Seventeen Magazine $180 mil
-Bust Up Coming to Primedia
-Slate Asks Why is KKR Having Such a Hardtime

Stance Gets Pantsed
It started circa 1991 as Blast then became Warp and finally relaunched as Stance. But new names couldn't attract readers and now TransWorld Media's action culture magazine has gone the way of Action Now! and Dirt before it. Apparently, there's not a wet eye in the building.

Billabong Scores with XXLs
Bill Sharp's XXL Big Wave contest has consistently gotten more press than any other promotion in surfing. A recent websearch for the term "Billabong XXL" returned 359 links including the following:
-California Semidetached from US
-NYT's Hawaiian Surfer Tops Big Waves
-Vive le Jaws

Juliette Lewis Files For Divorce
Add Steve Berra to the list of cool skate guys who have had short marriages to Hollywood Stars/Models. The two had been married four years. According to Lewis' publicist "the divorce is mutual and amicable."

Basich Runs the Gumball Rally
Tina Basich joined the band of "hedonistic, thrill-seekers" who paid $12,000 each to race and party their way across the United States. "By the time we got to Las Vegas," she said. "Everyone had a story to tell."

Heddings In Jail For Son's Murder
Pool skater Neil Heddings and his girlfriend Christine Rams are facing 25 to life for the death of their 2-year-old son Marty. According to Neil, Marty fell in the bathtub. It also appears that Marty already had some medical problems as well.
-A letter from Neil on Big Brother
-Pala Pool bail fund raiser

MFM Buys Tahoe Motel
Marc Frank Montoya along with investors who include Travis "straps" Wood paid a reported $1.5 million for the Lampliter Inn. The 28-unit motel is being renamed "The Block".

Why We Feel Like Riding Krux Trucks
Sometimes we see a product that just makes us want to buy, buy, buy. The Krux Skateboard truck is one such item. See for yourself.

Billabong Puts Asia Travel on SARS Hold
Billabong chief executive Derek O'Neill was forced to postpone a roadshow throughout Asia last week as the company put all non-essential travel on hold because of the SARS virus.
-Action Sport Companies On SARS Alert

Roger Carver Best Young Snowboarder?
The mainstream media just can't get enough of the 13-year-old crack baby and his snowboarding feats. Then why haven't the snowboard magazines mentioned him?

Roxy Girl Books Gets 'Em Young
First it was tiny, sexy, swimsuits for 14 year olds, now it's books for the Tweenagers. Quiksilver is launching a bookline with HarperEntertainment with adventure stories for young girls. Saucy and well read? Bring it on.

So This is Where Reef Finds The Girls
Ever wondered how Fernando and Santiago end up with all those beautiful girls to represent them in their trade show booths and the pages of surf magazines around the world? Talk about "shock and awe".

Vancouver Opens Streets To Skateboarding
In an era of skate hate it's amazing to see the actions taken by the city of Vancouver, BC to legalize skateboarding, take away the right of officers to confiscate skateboards, and build a skatepark.

Random Linkage

Andrew Crawford: Guidance Counselor?
Crawdaddy stopped by Miss Waldop's freshman English class at Salem, Oregon's McNary High to tell kids that it's okay to follow their dreams. Andrew did and now he's making "$300,000 to $400,00" a year doing snowboard tricks? Really?

Torres Profiled in Modesto Bee
Vanessa Torres, Lyn-Z Adams, Cara-Beth Burnside, and Jen O'Brien are on their way to Slam City and they're making stops along the way.

With MJ Gone Who Can Endorse
Marketeers are now scrambling to find the next huckster for their products. Mitchie Brusco and Luke Mitrani are a couple that sponsors have already picked up.

Ice Luge and Street Luge Unite
Proving once and for all the street luge is one of the silliest things you can do on four wheels, USA Luge (the group that sends people to the Olympics) has teamed up with International Gravity Sports Association to help make luging cool. Will we see a two man street luge? Gee, we hope so.

Super Duper Pipe Still Sucks
A few months ago we told you what a stupid idea Mammoth Super Duper pipe was. Now the local paper is even getting into the pipe bashing.

Snowboarding's Bad Year In Seattle
After a winter that the Seattle PI described as "lackluster" Northwest shops are trying anything to keep things rolling. Quotes from Sno Con's Atlee Treasure included.

Sessions Sign Of Business Growth
When the Santa Cruz Sentinel wants to show how business is picking up look who they go to, Joel Gomez and Sessions. Apparently he just leased 19,000 square feet in Scotts Valley.

Primedia Down, AOL Up (sort of)
Everyone is all excited over at Time Inc because AOL's first quarter was better than expected, but then they'd have to be.

Surfers Dye Their Hair Too
Just ask Taylor Knox. He'll tell you he's rockin' Maxim hair color for men. Yes, the magazine that launched the brand that launched the hair dye of the aging action sports stars.

411VM In OC Weekly
This story is only four months old, but we missed it when it came out and it's well worthy of a checkout if you didn't happen to catch it.

Burton Cans 42 Employees
New Globe President Stocks Up
Quiksilver Charges China
Perrin To Sell Remaining Shares

Previous Bags o' Crapola:
-March 13, 2003
-February 26, 2003
-February 6, 2003
-Janaury 27, 2003

Special thanks: to Jim Romenesko's MediaGossip.com