So what will they change the name of ‘slopestyle’ to?
Chucky you can’t compare Nazis and the FIS. No one is at risk of dying here, the only people who really are affected by this are the pros themselves. We are a snowboarding forum and even snowboarders themselves don’t really know whats doing on here. If you asked all the people riding snowboards at Perisher one weekend who the FIS was, I’d bet at least 80% of them wouldn’t have a clue, including those who own their own gear and seem like they know what they are doing. They know who Shaun White and Torah Bright are, but that would be about it as far as pro snowboarding goes… It just feels to me like this a problem that is definitely real, but which its up to the pros to do something about, if anything is ever gonna get done.
Terje had the balls to do it and props to him for that. The organisation W.A.S. are doing it and that is a pretty damn good step I think, but I just don’t see how much difference regular punters can make.
Chucky you can’t compare Nazis and the FIS. No one is at risk of dying here. . .
Of course you can. It’s an analogy - it’s not meant to be taken literally!
. . . the only people who really are affected by this are the pros themselves. . .
Wrong, the sport of snowboarding is affected.
We are a snowboarding forum and even snowboarders themselves don’t really know whats doing on here. . .
Which is exactly why it’s important to educate people on the issue.
It just feels to me like this a problem that is definitely real, but which its up to the pros to do something about, if anything is ever gonna get done.
That’s the most disappointing part about it all - it’s always ‘someone else’s problem’.
“First they came for the communists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a communist.
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak out for me.”
Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.
. . . I just don’t see how much difference regular punters can make.
Without ‘regular punters’, the Olympics wouldn’t exist. Neither would any of the other competitions, or even snowboarding itself. WE are the ones who drive the whole thing, because WE are the ones who shell out our hard earned cash to buy the products they’re selling - which is what funds these events and keeps the organisers employed. Without us, they have NOTHING.
This sums it up perfectly!
snowboarding isnt a sport to me
I dont care what the ‘the general public’ see it as
in reality it will never effect me even if The Sith start running the Olympics….however I do think what happened is wrong and if the Pros boycotted I would be likely to follow their lead and boycott anyone they thought was siding with the FIS. OF COURSE the companies would care…..if Shaun White suddenly said no way this is bullshit im not competing in the Olympics, and my fans should boycott any company that supports them, Burton would not touch the Olympics.
So in one way I disagree when people say oh the average snowboarder cant make any difference…of course they can.
but on the other hand, if the Pros arent prepared to help themselves than why should I step in? I dont see them stepping in on my behalf when I get ripped off on my lift tickets.
Perhaps it’d be easier to comprehend the situation if this singular act (FISting slopestyle) was viewed as merely a symptom of a much larger problem?
The skiers at the FIS want to control snowboarding - their attempt to control slopestyle is just one little brick in a wall they’ve been building between us and them, with the intention of eventually shutting us out completely. Sure, it’d be nice to smash the wall down with a huge wrecking ball - but if all we have at our disposal is the ability to chip away at one brick at a time, then so be it, that’s what we should be doing.
And if we continue to view it as someone else’s problem - that’s what it’ll be, right up until the inevitable moment when it actually becomes OUR problem, and it’s TOO LATE to do anything about it.
This sums it up perfectly!
so good!
This sums it up perfectly!
so good!
Did you see the one they did about banana boards? That is hilarious too.
Perhaps it’d be easier to comprehend the situation if this singular act (FISting slopestyle) was viewed as merely a symptom of a much larger problem?
The skiers at the FIS want to control snowboarding - their attempt to control slopestyle is just one little brick in a wall they’ve been building between us and them, with the intention of eventually shutting us out completely. Sure, it’d be nice to smash the wall down with a huge wrecking ball - but if all we have at our disposal is the ability to chip away at one brick at a time, then so be it, that’s what we should be doing.
And if we continue to view it as someone else’s problem - that’s what it’ll be, right up until the inevitable moment when it actually becomes OUR problem, and it’s TOO LATE to do anything about it.
I agree with a lot of what your saying and the intentions especially, BUT (theres always a but!) how exactly can it ever affect me? I mean really? short of them shutting the slopes to snowboarders? which isnt going to happen at more than a few places in the worst case scenario?
To put it mildly…if the spoilt little bastard snowboard pros don’t care then why should I? If Im going to get worked up about some sort of inequality issue, ill start with someone/some group that doesnt have the ability to defend themselves.BUT if they want my help Ill back them.
. . . how exactly can it ever affect me? I mean really? short of them shutting the slopes to snowboarders? which isnt going to happen at more than a few places in the worst case scenario?
Why not? That’s the way it used to be, and that’s the way the FIS would like it to be.
why not?
1) FIS doesn’t own any resorts
2) there is way to much money made by letting snowboarders ride in resorts
3) I’m almost 100% sure it would fail a legal challenge
thats three off the top of my head
To put it mildly…if the spoilt little bastard snowboard pros don’t care then why should I?
They ‘care’ a lot - and they’re trying hard to sort things out - but it’s a LOT harder for them to be proactive when their livelihoods are at stake. Like it or not, snowboarding’s a job for these people, so they’ve got a lot more to lose. They need most, if not all the big names to show solidarity if they’re to succeed - otherwise they’ll do more harm than good. It’s not an individual decision, however, they’ve got to answer to their employers. Terje had Jake Burton’s full support in his decision to boycott Nagano.
Maybe we should look at it this way - without snowboard pros to push the sport, snowboarding would stagnate. There’d be no progression/innovation, so there’s no way we’d be riding the awesome equipment we ride today.
why not?
1) FIS doesn’t own any resorts
2) there is way to much money made by letting snowboarders ride in resorts
3) I’m almost 100% sure it would fail a legal challenge
thats three off the top of my head
1) The FIS didn’t own any resorts when snowboarding was initially banned.
2) If the FIS succeeds in decreasing snowboarding’s popularity, there’ll be less money to be made by letting snowboarders ride in resorts.
3) The resorts which still ban snowboarding have beaten many legal challenges.
Ill have to agree to disagree on the last lot of points cause we can refute each other back and forth forever. To some extent Im playing devils advocate on this. Lets just saying pulling the ‘feel sorry for the pros’ line isnt a convincing one, your right, its their livelihood so they should care more than anyone. ME, I just snowboard for fun, its not my life (although sometimes it feels that way), theres bigger fish to fry for me im afraid.
Put it this way….what are you going to do about it then? a few stickers aint going to make much difference I’m afraid.
If every single Boardworld member could sign and send the WAS letter to the IOC, and convince others to do the same, that’d be a nice start.
For me, it’s the principle of the thing. I’m a snowboarder - and as such, I object to the sport of snowboarding being butt-raped by a bunch of skiers. It doesn’t have to affect me directly to warrant my attention or action - I’m not that selfish.
I enjoy shredding on snow and don’t care if snowboarding is influenced by skiing. In fact I prefer that skiers and snowboarders share the sport of sliding.
No body is butt raping anyone.
Some people should stop inciting and promoting the differences.