Latest Update: August 18, 2000

X Games Go Global
The ``X Games Global Challenge'' will start in 2002, run every two years and include more than 10 installments filmed on five continents. Just what the world needs.

Websites Still Not Profitable
Is the future looking rocky for online action sports site? It is if they follow the lead of most all the other major online content players.

X Games Primer
Yes, those wacky X Games sure are tough to follow so here, thanks to the OC Register, we straights can finally understand what's going on and which OC residents to root for.

Man Dies At The Wedge
Quincy Lee Jones, 20, of Fullerton walked into the water at the Wedge Thursday dressed in a long white gown. Police tried to stop him but wehn the first set hit he dissappeared beneath the waves. Police believe it may have been suicide. This is the fifth death at the Wedge since May.

Zimmerman Paints The World
After years of traveling the world surfing, Laguna based artist Caroline Zimmerman, a breast cancer survivor, is now painting more in Europe and trying to "be at peace."

Navarette Skates the Nude Bowl
No, 151 Pro Dave Navarette didn't make the drive out to the California desert. He just rounded up some talent from a Twin Cities peeler bar and kicked whitetrash skateboarding up a notch. His mother must be so proud.

Man Jumps From Bay Bridge Near X Games
Paramedic's stationed at the skateboard portion of the X Games responded when a man who's girlfriend had been murdered jumped to his death and landed right just feet from the entrance to the skate park in San Francisco.

Ricky Grigg: Old Man and The Sea
Seminal waterman Rick Grigg has surfed around the world, discovered that the Hawaiian Island are sinking, and preached a simple gospel: "Just keep surfing. It's good for the soul." Read this profile from the LA Times.

World Professional Surfers Take Over
The WPS wrested control of the ASP executive board during their annual meetings in HB and then nearly doubled their prize money and then reshuffled the schedule for 2001. To some it looks like a case of the wrong people reinventing a square wheel.

Skate Camp At the Skatelab
Simi Valley, California's Skatelab hosted a skate camp last week with 80 kids. "This is the largest turn out we've ever had," said Steve Badillo, the camp's director.

Rodney King: The Surfer
He was awarded nearly $5 million in damages from the beating seen around the world, but he says his lawyers have taken all his money. So what has Rodney King been doing while everyone is fighting for his cash? According to his currently legal council he's been "spending a lot of time surfing."

Police Still Haven't Identified Dead Skater
The Asian skater who was found dead San Francisco's Pier 1 is still unidentified.
-Man Beaten To Death In SF
-Police have few leads.
-Police say skateboards not involved.

Jewett, LaVigne, and Fidrich Launch Savier
Just when you thought the world couldn't hold another shoe company a group of OG snowboarders brings out a new line. Jeff Jewett, Rob LaVigne, and Paul Fidrych say Savier is going to rock and I believe them.

Clive Relaunches Website
Backpacker to the stars Tim Swart e-mailed recently to say that the Clive website has been completely redesigned. Look at all those colors. Hey Tim, if you have an extra Deluxe Trainer laying around, send one over we need to pack in style.

Bluetorch Goes Pervy
Put this in the "we missed it the first time around" file, but it appears that the guys at BIG have hired dirty old men to cruise the beaches and sneak photos of girls butts and boobs. Hey, if that's what it takes. At least TWSurf's Mimi the Intern knows she's getting her picture taken.

No Internet In Sydney
The IOC still hasn't figured out a way to allow website to cover the Games. In fact, for the upcoming summer games they've "banned" them. That hasn't stopped Quokka from going for it anyway .

Hardcloud Begs Newport for Live Cams
Jim Kempton and the crew at Hardcloud have enlisted lifeguards in their hunt to put live cams on public property in Newport Beach. According to lifeguards these new cameras will be doubleplus good in helping them patrol the beach which leads us to believe they've never actually viewed a "live" surf cam before. Otherwise they'd realize that with these cams they won't be able to tell the difference between a drowning swimmer and a dead pelican.

Jewett, LaVigne, and Fidrich Launch Savier
Just when you thought the world couldn't hold another shoe company a group of OG snowboarders brings out a new line. Jeff Jewett, Rob LaVigne, and Paul Fidrych say Savier is going to rock and I believe them.

Swell Wants Piece of Cam Action
You know if Hardcloud wants it Swell wants it even more. The neighboring San Clemente companies are moving to broadcast Newport to the world. The big question: who really wants to drive to Newport to surf?
-OC Register Coverage

Quiksilver Spends $46 Milion to Buy Oz
When you're the ones making all the money it's difficult to share the proceeds with the home office. So why not just buy them out? That's what Bob McKnight just did.

Man Beaten To Death In SF
While noontime crowds watch a group of guys with skateboards beat another man to death with a medal rod at San Francisco's Pier 1. Now police aren't so sure if the reports are even reliable.
-Police have few leads.
-Police say skateboards not involved.

Pereyra Wins Mass Luge
The X Games have started in San Francisco and the street lugers are already finished and medaled and on their way home.

Skaters Own Companies
Wow, can you believe it? Chis Gentry owns a compnay, skates, and has a rockin' wife to boot. The SF Chronicle profiles the owner of the Kingdom as well as T-Hawk and Biker Sherlock (now there's a businessman).

Things Get Gnarly for O'Connell
Apparently, the OC Register had some leftovers from their Bluetorch coverage and they're running it now. Like this profile of Pat O'Connell. But it's worth reading just for the OP-Realm buy-out discussions.

Summerland Just Wants To Be Naked
While Santa Barbara County authorities and beginning to crackdown on the nude beach, townspeople would like them to crack down on the people who come to watch.

Ventura's Surfing Lawyers
Yes, there's a whole crew of them so be careful. You never know what dinging one of their boards could cost you. Somebody is going to pay.

Nathanson Moves Over At Swell.com
We certainly lagged on this one, but it's worth a read anyway. It's interesting how the street always gets excited when a founder (Nicholas Nathanson in this case) is smart enough to move out of the way and let a real businessman take over once the going gets tough. That's a nice way to put it. We'd probably call the new CEO the fall guy.

OC's Contributions to the Language
Did you know that Corky Carroll claims the invention of the word "dweeb"? We'll that's not all Orange County has given the world. Oh no. Not even close.

Tech Decks Taking Over the World
X Games Mix High Tech and Action
Gotcha Glacier Stalls Again
Two-Year-Old Skater Rules The Ramp

Previous Bags o' Crapola:
-August 11 , 2000
-July 27, 2000
-July 20, 2000

Special thanks: to Jim Romenesko's MediaGossip.com.