Latest Update: August 1 , 2002

(Editor's note: If you click on a link, and it requires you to register before viewing, just enter "sacklunch" into both login prompts. We've registered so you don't have to.)

The Surf is Definitely Up
Get ready for the explosion. For some reason surfing has captured the minds of the nation for yet another go round, according to Greg Ambrose of the San Francisco Chronicle. This time Blue Crush leads the charge.
-Expanding market means competition for manufacturers.
-Growth causing retailer turf war as O'neill opens a shop in Marin

Garrett and Allington to Globe
Former McElroy mainstay Tim Garrett and former Vans Marketing Director Cary Allington (with a brand spanking new MBA from USC) have joined the Globe Team; Garrett a VP of global marketing, and Allington as Marketing Director. Watch out.

Sun Valley Considers Halfpipe
The management of Sun Valley Ski Resort is investigating building a halfpipe on Bald Mountain. In related news, the accounting department is looking into using "calculating machines" and the marketing department is optimistic about what's called the "printing press."

Chick Breaks Back and We All Pay
Charlene Vine of Murphys, Calif., was paralyzed from the waist down after breaking her back at an employee party at Bear Valley ski resort. She's been awarded $9.7 million dollars and now the industry worries that we'll all pay in high ticket prices. Well, at least people who still pay for tickets.
-Story in Canadian newspaper

Surf Culture Art Show In Laguna Beach
Some of the surf world's best art is on view at the Laguna Art Museum from July 28 through October 6, 2002 in a show pulled together by museum director Bolton Colburn. Be sure you check it out and you really should not have missed the party.
-LA Calendar section story

Wetsuits Help Northwest Surf Industry
You can't surf very long if you're freezing your ass off. Now with improved wetsuit technology more people are surfing on the North Coast.

Mellem Charges First Day Of US Open
Everything was right for the official opening day of the 2002 U.S. Open of Surfing. At least that's what Shawn Price of the Orange County Register had to report.

Blue Crush Soundtrack On Track
The movie is getting a huge media push, yet the music on the soundtrack stands on it's own with tracks from Lenny Kravitz, Beth Orton, N.E.R.D., Doves, and more.

Gator In New York Video Festival
Helen Stickler showed her documentary film Stoked (The Rise and Fall of Gator) to packed houses. Mike Mills, the so called "So-Cal skate kid turned good" was featured in "Meet Mike Mills" as well as two of his sort video pieces. The show ended July 25.

Freitas Got Pop
Former Thrasher photographer Nik Freitas has swapped out his skateboard for a keyboard -- and the glories of '70s pop. Some of his songs made it into the hands of Future Farmer label boss Dennis Mitchell and the rest of skate-pop history.

X Games Selling Danger
New York Post sports columnist Phil Mushnick thinks ESPN has a double standard between what it promotes on X Games TV and the behavior it requires of it's employees. He doesn't like that.

Glombing Onto Sk8ramp.com
Tim Glomb Jr. has a pretty impressive resume in the park building world, according to Delaware Online. He built a training facilities for professional skaters such as Philadelphia's Kerry Getz and Josh Kalis, and a backyard ramp in West Chester for Bam Margera.

Goodwin On Cover of Greek Vogue
Kaua'i boy Aamion Goodwin, 23, made the cover of Greek Vogue this month to go with his January 2000 cover of Surfing Magazine.

The Beast Back In Action
The only world champ ever to call the UK home is back in action in this Daily Telegraph story on Martin Potter.

Jack Johnson Extends His Tour
It's been a steady string of dates for Jack Johnson as his Brushfire Fairytales continues to climb the Billboard charts.

Mommies in the Water
It's true with the whole surf explosion more and more soccer moms are throwing racks on the mini-vans and heading to the beach to surf without their kids.

Board Burning in Brazil
In an effort to keep surfers out of the water where sharks have killed at least 11 swimmers in the past decade, Brazilian authorities are burning confiscated surfboards.

Strange Group of Skaters
When the Soul Bowl contest fires up on the beach this weekend during the US Open of Surfing there will be an odd mix of skaters of all ages, including Eddie Elguera, a 37-year-old pastor from Loma Linda, CA and Jack, the skateboarding chimp from MVP.

Internet Killing Print
According to a new study, newspapers and magazines have been toppled as the main alternative to television in every household that has access to the Internet. Not news to us.

Vans Still Buying Back Stock
Vans Inc. said it resumed purchasing its common stock under the 1 million-share repurchase program its board approved in Sept. 2001. If this keeps up maybe Vans will be a private company again.

Red Bull Streets of SF Luge
Tom Mason's San Francisco event features speeds of up to 60 mph and, new for this year, jumps "that could send lugers flying up to 50 feet." What a perfect event for Red Bull.

A Real Blue Crusher
She won the PSTA in Oceanside and now Nor Cal's Diana Mattison is set to take on the rest of the world. Here she is profiled on Surfpulse.com.

Judge Awards $5.2 Million Snowboarder
Behind Surfer's Power Issue
Salomon Becomes Core Surf Company?
Water, Water, Everywhere?

Previous Bags o' Crapola:
-July 17, 2002
-June 25, 2002
-February 23, 2002
-February 19, 2002


Special thanks: to Jim Romenesko's MediaGossip.com