Skateboarding

It doesn't matter how old you get—you always have to look both ways before you go into the street.

This skateboarder apparently forgot to follow a rule everyone was taught as a child, and it nearly cost him in a big way.

He decided to show off his board skills by riding a rail and continuing to do tricks in the street. Then, in a complete surprise, a car drove through in the far lane, and the skateboarder narrowly missed getting run over.

Crazily, it doesn't appear anyone warned him about the oncoming car. Then again, that was always Virginia Venit's job:

Fortunately, the skateboarder managed to avoid getting wrecked by the car. Now he can live to watch the clip go viral.

[House of Highlights, YouTube]

Australian apparel company Afends wanted to do something edgy, so it brought out some skateboarders and action sports enthusiasts to do tricks in the middle of what looks like Field of Dreams: Bill Walton Edition.

The company took over the middle of Australia's largest hemp field, built a ramp and shot some video. 

Afends positions the video as part of its hemp initiative—a dedication to the durable, eco-friendly plant used in making clothing, rope, oils and the bad necklaces you once bought on a family vacation to Hilton Head Island. 

From the description of the video (sic):

Here at Afends we've jumped on the hemp bandwagon and are riding this proverbial train to more sustainable pastures. To celebrate our self proclaimed sustainable legends status, we headed out to the largest hemp field in Australia, threw together a half pipe (literally, we built it on the day - DIY till we die!), and skated the crap out of our mini ramp right in the centre of a damn hemp field.

Along with us we bought Australian skaters Boyd Young and Bibi Bradbury, videographers from Flamingo Amigo, photographer Sam Nolan and we threw in surfer Josh Sleep for good measure. Oh, and a few cartons of VB. Classic.

So we're clear, hemp is not recreational marijuana. It's a tall, workmanlike variety of cannabis with a low THC content better suited for holding puka shells than smoking.

But it looks pretty cool, so let's just pretend it's the real thing.

Dan is on Twitter. Follow him? It'd be a lot cooler if you did.

The future has arrived—sort of.

Lexus’ hoverboard, the “Slide,” is the real deal, and pro skater Ross McGouran took it for a ride at the company’s custom-built park in Barcelona, Spain.

Here's the thing: The Slide only works there.

CNET’s Tim Stevens explained why and also broke down how it functions:

Called "Slide," it is a skateboard-like device that floats a few inches above the ground, promising the ultimate in futuristic, personal travel. To pull off this seemingly impossible feat, the thing contains a series of magnets and superconductors cooled by liquid nitrogen. The board is real, and it exists exclusively for the purpose of elevating the Lexus brand image.

…

The levitation effect of supercooled superconductors has been known for ages now, but deploying it on such a scale requires some serious effort. Namely: lots and lots and lots of magnets built into the ground. The company has built a custom skate park in Barcelona, Spain, upon which its prototype hoverboard can be used.

According to Jeremy Korzeniewski of AutoBlog, “Lexus has said it does not intend to sell a production version of its hoverboard.”

Sigh.

At least we can still watch in awe, dreaming of the day when we can cast wheels aside in favor of hovercraft technology.

[CNET, YouTube]

Anybody who watched Back To The Future II as a kid dreamed of owning a hoverboard one day, and that dream looks to be moving closer to reality. 

The "future" part of the 1989 movie was set in 2015, and a company called Hendo hope to have something available in October of next year that resembles what Michael J. Fox whipped around in during the hit movie.

Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk rode a prototype of the hoverboard, which is called the "Hendo Hover," and this time, it is the real deal, unlike the Funny or Die clip that caught people out earlier this year.

As Yahoo notes: 

The hoverboard itself is designed much more like a mini-hovercraft and it isn’t the floating wheel-free skateboard that first captured the world’s imagination in Back to the Future II. Nonetheless, it looks like an amazing feat of engineering that left Hawk very impressed.

Hendo is also working on future hoverboards that will look much more like what we saw a young Michael J. Fox riding around on all those years ago. The future hoverboards will be much thinner than the one we see in the Tony Hawk video and will be able to levitate up to one inch off the ground.

Hendo are financing the development of the boards through a Kickstarter campaign, which has already raised $450,000 in just three days.

Now, all we need is a copy of Grays Sports Almanac and a holofilm version of Jaws 19 to complete the Back to the Future dream. 

Unfortunately, for now, it is Back to Reality. 

[YouTube: RIDE Channel, h/t Yahoo]

Downhill skateboard racing—is there anything else quite like it?

The wind in your helmet, the beautiful scenery, the imminent threat of skin-shearing demise lurking around every corner.

If you haven’t had a good look at this terrifying sport, it’s time for you to check out this video from the Pike’s Peak Downhill. On Sept. 8, over 50 of the world’s fastest skateboarders met up to compete on a breathtaking course set in Colorado’s most visited mountain summit.

With a course beginning at over 11,000 feet in elevation, competitors weaved through hairpin turns and reached speeds of 60-plus mph, according to race organizers. 

If you can watch this video without your rear end tightening up, I applaud you. You might have a future in downhill skateboarding and/or base jumping. 

I, on the other hand, tightened up like a snare drum. I’ve bent through mountain switchbacks on a road bike before, but I’ve never went palm-down on a skateboard at 40 mph. These guys work the pavement like surfers carving a wave. Also, they race down the hill—four at a time. Gulp.

Having some guy shout “Whoa, WHOA!” into your ear as you scream down a mountain doesn’t exactly foster confidence. Perhaps that’s just a mind game—or a knee-jerk reaction you have when you’re threading the needle of death.

Either way, these skateboarders not only have huevos, they have huevos rancheros. They’ve got the whole kit and kaboodle, the confidence and the skills, and they are highly deserving of your respect.

The winner of the Pike’s Peak downhill was American skateboarder Zak Maytum, who earned 650 competition points in the International Downhill Federation circuit. 

Indeed, this sport is international and organized. There is a federation of half-crazy downhill daredevils out there. 

Keep that in mind the next time you’re planning some kind of Ocean’s Eleven stunt and need a team member who doesn’t understand fear.

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Skateboarding is a dangerous sport.

You can eat it and shatter your wrist. You can land awkwardly and roll an ankle. Heck, landing tricks even puts your nether region at risk.

Of all the dangers facing skateboarders, however, “Mom Attack” has never been a top concern for professionals—until now.

Reggie Noble of BroBible recently spotted a video of a skateboarder being attacked by a seething mother, and the incident is full of all the questionable parenting and poor communication you'd expect from a runaway toddler situation at the skatepark.

Professional skateboarder Leland Goldberg was at a skatepark shooting a segment for “Warm Gravy”—a pro skateboarding mixtape—when a child running through the area ended up directly in his path.

Concentrating on his tricks, Goldberg didn’t notice the child until the last instant, and the two collided. The child began crying and was scooped up by a woman.

“I’m sorry, man,” Goldberg tells the child.

“Did you not see him?” the woman asks.  

“I did not see him. I was looking down,” he says.

The situation is awkward but nonviolent—that is, until the boy’s mother finally shows up on the scene.

“Did you run into my son?” the boy’s mother yells. “On his birthday?!”

With nary a look at her son, the boy’s mother goes straight for Goldberg, shoving him in the chest.

“You didn’t see him?” she yells. 

Goldberg is baffled by the shove, considering the collision was accidental. The child and skater were not aware of each other. The incident was not a deliberate attack, despite what the boy’s mother appears to believe.

Before he can explain the situation, however, the woman clocks Goldberg in the mouth. Dumbstruck from the assault, the skater beats a hasty retreat, and the video cuts off.

Walking away was the smart move on Goldberg's part. Right or wrong, this mother couldn't be reasoned with at the time, and further conversation likely would've only provoked her more.

Let it be known that allowing your toddler to run amok at the skatepark without a helmet, pads or supervision is probably not a winning proposition.

By nature, these areas tend to have—ya know—a lot of skaters flying around at high speeds, and they’re not all going to be able to hardflip over your five-year-old.

Put on a helmet and wrist guards and join me on Twitter.

Follow @Dr__Carson

Skateboard legend, activist, entrepreneur—those are only three ways to describe Tony Hawk.

Before Hawk came along, skateboarding wasn't considered a serious sport.  It was just a recreational sport, but because of the popularity of Hawk, "skateboarder" is part of the American mainstream.

Who would have thought that a shy kid from California would have such an impact on his sport, and the world.

When Hawk was a child, his parents thought something was wrong with him because of his hyperactivity. But in reality, nothing was wrong. In a test that was done on him, it was determined that Hawk had an IQ of 144.

Soon, Hawk would channel all his energy into skateboarding, which made him a legend and a multimillionaire. His legendary moves have earned him 14 medals (nine of them gold) at the X-Games for skateboarding.

His moves on the skateboard brought more interest to the sport, which was once thought of as a hobby slackers. Hawk would parlay his success in skateboarding to endorsements, video games and even amusement park rides.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, which was Hawk's first video game, started back in 1999.  It continues today and has led the Six Flags franchise to develop Tony Hawk's Big Spin, featured at several Six Flags locations across the country. 

Hawk has also made appearances in films and television as well.  But, perhaps his biggest contribution is his philanthropy. Hawk started his own foundation that builds skateboard parks around the country, and helps underprivileged kids.

To this point, the foundation has raised almost $4 million dollars. 

Hawk also started a foundation with other athletes called "Athletes for Hope," which is an organization that encourages athletes, as well was others, to volunteer in their communities. Athletes like tennis great Andre Agassi, boxing legend Mohammad Ali and baseball hall of famer Cal Ripken Jr. are all part of this organization.

Hawk's vision and kindness have lit a path for not only him, but for others like him who were encouraged by Hawk's story to follow their dreams and make a way for themselves.

It's just past 12 noon and the mind-numbing aromas of roasted chicken and cheese-smothered macaroni tickle the nostrils. Empty tins are being filled with popular menu items that can be recognized blocks away.

Soon, hundreds of panting fans will be watching the celebrity of their dreams sign autographs, all while enjoying a feast. This is no routine Thursday for Boston Market CEO George Michel and his fellow journeymen.

The brief morning tranquility of Ridge Road in North Arlington, New Jersey comes to a screeching halt as his arrival nears. Shrieks of teenage excitement flood the crammed parking lot, passersby look on with curiosity, management begins to sweat. Like Ali G, Ryan Sheckler is "Indahouse."

His free-flowing blonde hair is stuffed beneath his grey Red Bull snapback, his ears stomped with thick diamond studs. A pro skater who doubles as a teenage heartthrob, Sheckler seems unfazed by the bevy of screaming girls and inspired bros. It's just another day in the life of the San Clemente-bred boarder.

But today isn't about Sheckler becoming the youngest pro skater to ever win gold at the X Games (2004), nor is it about his kickflip over a Big Apple taxi. Today is about mashed potatoes.

"Once you find those good mashed potatoes somewhere, it never leaves your brain," claims the enthusiastic eater.

And while the taters may be magical, the memories are even more fulfilling. "The best memories, dude," he says. "And then every time you sit down and you get that plate in front of you, you're just like, ‘Oof!’…you just get excited."

His genuine thrill when speaking about Boston Market is naturally enjoyed most by Michel, who could hardly contain his vibrant smile. According to Michel, Sheckler was recently quoted as saying his perfect last meal would be Boston Market. Those intriguing words provoked Michel to make a call, in hopes of colliding with an athlete who defined what the restaurant chain is all about, a healthy lifestyle.

A partnership was sparked.

On Thursday, August 23rd, the time had finally arrived for the donation. Sheckler signed autographs and smiled for fans lined up around the corner, took photographs and naturally ate "free food, yeah!", as he yelled excitedly before filling his plate. "He sent me this amazing card that says I can get food whenever I want for free, which is crazy," says the cheerful boarder. "I couldn't even believe it."

But the highlight of the day was Michel's donation of $10,000 to the Sheckler foundation, a non-profit dedicated to helping children with serious illness and action-sport athletes with severe injuries. Or, as Sheckler puts it, dedicated to helping "everyone." People helping people, it's powerful stuff.

Sheckler may play the part of confident celebrity, but beneath the surface is a philanthropic optimist simply looking to have a good time and help the world. He's been called a sellout, a television star, a business mogul. Yet, there's something about his radiating innocence that sticks with those who give him a chance to speak.

He's just enjoying all the world's flavors.

But don't fool his cherubic charm for weakness. "I've broke this elbow like five or six times, this one, four times," he says as he nonchalantly points to each arm. "Actually," as he begins to reminisce, "my foot injury was the worst...I separated my first and second metatarsal...a Lisfranc injury, I was out for 10-and-a-half months," he says. "Definitely the gnarliest one."

It's Sheckler's honesty and colorful vocabulary that keep the world inspired, almost in shock that such love for humanity exists.

At 22 years old, when most kids his age are anxiously searching for jobs and praying they can escape their mother's basement, Sheckler has already traveled the world, starred on his own television show, The Life of Ryan, and taken the skating world by storm.

As Sheckler puts it, "the world is just waiting to be skated."

The only boarder to land every trick he tried at the summer X-Games in 2003, Sheckler has been revered for his rhythmic style and fast flow. Bailing doesn't seem part of his repertoire.

With the Street League Skateboarding Championships taking place this past weekend, Sheckler clearly had a stacked schedule. But that didn't stop him from joining fellow phenom Nyjah Huston and mentoring youth on a Street League course. Something about helping young kids and eating quality mashed potatoes has this star swirling with cheer.

In hopes of reaching future boarders, Sheckler said, "have fun man, just have fun with it, understand you'll fall a lot and it will be difficult," says the seasoned boarder, "but you'll only get better."

Beneath the glistening surface is a maturing young man who just wants to make his dog fly and eat some free chicken. He's simply living the dream.

Follow me for more extreme cheddar...

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It is rare that a mainstream athlete's performance can be compared to that of a lesser-known athlete in a sport of such a vastly different nature. 

Although the comparison of athletes in separate sports is always a difficult one, the performance of Paul Rodriguez at the 2012 X Games Skateboarding street event is eerily reminiscent of the NBA Finals performance of the Miami Heat's LeBron James. 

Coming into Game 5 of the NBA Finals, James had successfully led his team to three consecutive victories that put rival Oklahoma City Thunder in a position of near impossibility to come back and win an NBA title.

Game 5 was seen by most sports pundits and analysts as a game that the desperation of the reeling Thunder would be enough to force a Game 6 against the comfortable Miami Heat. 

Compare LeBron's situation in Game 5 to that of Paul Rodriguez's final run of the X Games skateboard street final.

P-Rod was leading the event comfortably after a near perfect run with only one other competitor having a run left to challenge him for first place. Rodriguez could have accepted his already winning score and allowed the struggling Ryan Sheckler, who sat in last place, to have to put together a perfect run and rely on luck to dethrone the eventual champion. 

Back track to Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

With the game close and competitive deep into the third quarter, LeBron took over the game and left no window of opportunity for the young and desperate Thunder to come back. He finished with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists in a blowout win that left no question as to who the best player was of those finals. He did everything within his power to allow no opportunity for the opposition to determine the outcome.

Back to the skate park.

In P-Rod's last run in this year's X Games, he stepped on his board and left no margin for error. He nailed everything he attempted, including an array of flawless switch tricks and capped it off with an as-clean-as-it-gets switch 360 flip down the park's lone set of stairs.

P-Rod's performance bettered his previous first place score, which was necessary as rival Ryan Sheckler put together a clutch, near-perfect run highlighted with a blunt slide rail transfer and a backside 360 off the kicker as his run time expired.

Much like LeBron James, he did everything within his power to allow no opportunity for the opposition to determine the outcome.