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Latest
Update: September 22, 2000
OC Weekly Jumps on Broadcom
When the LA Times and the OC Register virtually ignored
the Bluetorch layoff the OC Weekly comes to the rescue. They
even went so deep as to quote The Sack three times.
Mail
Dominance
"Why don't you guys come on over and slam us at Wavecam.com?
We could really use the negative publicity. Having also lost all
of our funding and let every one of our people go except the janitor
who now owns and operates the company. (Toilets are backed up as
he has gone off to the Ments.)"
Until visiting we never thought we'd get enough of colored HTML text in all sizes and shapes.
How wrong we were.
Swell
Signs Deal With iTurf
In the effort to generate traffic Swell.com
will become a "strategic partner" with teen network iTurf.com,
because as we all know the average online teen chatroom junky can
never find enough quality, over-produced, surf content. I'm
sure Swell will fit in nicely with other quality iTurf sites like discountdomain.com,
and StorybookHeirlooms.com.
The Human Drama of Olympic Corruption
Ever wanted a complete laundry list of all that is wrong with the
International Olympic Committee? Well, the crew at Suck.com
has done just that. Included in the list is a great overview of IOC President and playful Fascist Marques Juan Antonio
Samaranch's history in politics and sport that will convince
anyone where the root of Olympic scandal lies. This is a manditory
read. Click here.
Hardcloud Black Tuesday
The second online site in a week gets it's funding pulled. At approximately
2:00 PM PST September 19, 2000 Hardcloud employees in San Clemente
and San Francisco were told that it is over. The second round funding
did not come through, Swell couldn't/wouldn't pick them up and they
are done. "No big deal," said one former employee. "You
give it your best shot and that's all you can do."
Dot.com Disaster Mail
The recent upswing in flailing dot.coms has brought correspondence
out of the woodwork. Seems like in Sacklunch's case there
really is nothing better than bad news.
Here is a short sampling of the mail we got yesterday:
First, a word from a dedicated Hardcloud.com
employee: "I find it difficult to write this email to all in
the face of the momentum and support that's been gaining for so
many months now. In spite of the solid alliances created, the positive
feedback being generated and the growth being experienced, HardCloud.com
is now longer a player. Though a merge was discussed with our competitor,
it did not happen and funding ran out. The site will be online,
I'm told, until the end of this month."
Secondly, a plea from a dedicated Swell.com
worker: "We were wondering how a fledgling [read: VC funded]
"action sports" website goes about getting added to your list of
links. You've been monitoring the rumors surrounding our parent
company, Swell.com, for a while now, but where is the love for us? Crossrocket (a.k.a.
Swell's snowboard site) is starting to get a Jan Brady complex."
Usually we wait until a site has launched before we start putting
links up all over the place, but since by it's own accord Crossrocket.com
is the "Online e-category leader in snowboarding" I guess
we'll have to throw it up now so everyone can read their wonderful
excuse for not being launched yet.
Thirdly, a US editor from Australia's Lifelounge.com
writes to say that we might want to check out their site. "We
have been around longer than any of the others," he said. "And
will remain around way after they have burned out."
Claiming online OG status is tough when Lifelounge.com has only
been online for a year, but it's par for the course in this age
of spin and self promo. As for remaining, we have to give it to
them: the Lifelounge site is tight. The design is solid even if
the navigation takes a little figuring out. At least they're rockin'
a site and making no excuses.
Finally, we got an extremely short, cryptic message entitled "You
Get the Award for Fast Breaking News Coverage" from someone
at Surf News who
writes: "We know who you are. Your time will come."
Uh oh. Does this mean our cover is blown? Say it isn't so Mr.
Sharp.
All this mail leads us to believe that if an action sports industry
website goes out of business each week from now until Christmas
our traffic will go through the roof. Of course, traffic doesn't
mean a whole lot when we're not selling ads and don't have any $65,000
launch partners. Got any news? Send
e-mail now.
Skateboarding
at the LA County Fair
Fair goers will not only get the chance to see great skateboarding
live, but they'll be able to skate as well as Pamono opens the 70,000
square foot Gravity Zone at the LA County Fair Grounds.
Can
Hawk Boost Activision Again?
The long-languishing stock of the video game publisher has moved
up in recent weeks, in good part because of strong sales of Activision's
"Tony Hawk's Pro Skater." And T-Hawk II is out in stores
on Wednesday.
Random Quote of the Day
"Swell produces content of the highest quality and depth aimed
at the core of action sports, with an appeal to the broader lifestyle
audience." --Swell.com press release.
ACG Story Finally
It took over a week, but the LA Times finally found a place
to run the story about snowboarders jumping in the Great
Western Forum. Basketball metaphors included.
Lunanda
Bay Corp Fights Back
After losing the Mossimo account to The Target Company,
this Anaheim based company is fighting back. In fact, they just
signed a deal with Target to manufacture Mossimo's stuff.
Getting
Wrecked For $20 an Hour
The Wave Loch Flowrider has been in San Diego for nearly a month.
Those who have ridden it say it's fun, but most of them come home
limping and barely able to walk. But, they say, you really should
try it.
Heelies
Should Win ASR Dumbest of Show
The San Diego Union-Tribune covers what we thought was the
dumbest product at the ASR show: the Heelie. The "mainstream"
media loves this stuff.
Man
Debunks Scooter Injury Numbers
Yes, there are defenders of the scooter. Here's one from the Statistical
Assessment Service in Washington. He says TVs are more dangerous
than scooters--he's probably right.
ASR
Wrap Up
If you haven't seen it already you can catch much of the skinny
(including a "other sources" jab at the sack) from the
ASR show from TransWorld Surf Business Editor Sean O'Brien.
Oakley
Shares Drop 4%
Times Mirror Magazine Bidders Unveiled
Emap Lagging with Peterson Pubs
Ziff
Getting Reorganized by Dunning
Previous
Bags o' Crapola:
-September
15, 2000
-September
9 , 2000
-August
29, 2000
-August
18 , 2000
Special thanks: to Jim Romenesko's MediaGossip.com.
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