Interview: Andy Zeiss about the upcoming COB

[matt wilhelm]

Here's a prediction to show you what I mean. Matt Wilhelm (arguably another american killer machine) will be knocked out in the early rounds regardless of having flawless runs and less than flawless competition. This will happen as it has in the past because he is just being used as window dressing and not fairly assessed because (insert your preferred bias here). 

Didn't he get 4th at the last COB and 3rd at KOG in October???

I'll take that bet.

[sharp4130]

It's not even true contest anymore...
It's a big flatland show!

[FreeEnterprise]

Matt, I think Brandon was saying that you will be "positioned" in your first bracket with the hardest competition to try and eliminate you right away...

Make sure you don't practice too much... jk

It is obvious that it is not about skill, but about politics and "proving" to the world that flatland has passed the US by...


I agree with Scott, it does sound like a show.

but, all of flatland will be watching.

(even old guys like me, that are living in the past...


and hoping for a successful future for flat).

[Amahl Abdul-Khaliq]

where is the point when it stops being about fun,life,ect and starts being training?
good point about jeff,jeff i forgot about that.

What happend?

[JFos]

where is the point when it stops being about fun,life,ect and starts being training?
good point about jeff,jeff i forgot about that.

What happend?

read the interview and the reasons given why Justin wasnt invited...try that.

[B-random Fantom]

Here's a prediction to show you what I mean. Matt Wilhelm (arguably another american killer machine) will be knocked out in the early rounds regardless of having flawless runs and less than flawless competition. This will happen as it has in the past because he is just being used as window dressing and not fairly assessed because (insert your preferred bias here). 

Didn't he get 4th at the last COB and 3rd at KOG in October???

I'll take that bet.

Yoopss!!
Someone called me on my knowledge of history! KOG doesn't count  cause it's not the same organizer. No seriously, congrats on your past placings...You're more than window dressing to me my friend. I was mostly thinking about the first COB that you went too cause I thought you got robbed in that one. Or maybe it was the second one...how many have their been? I'd love to see you take it/best wishes.

[Storm Shadow]

That explanation made me pretty mad. Total dig at Justin. How much you want to bet there were other pros that influenced this guy's decision not to pick Justin?

If you're having a competition with the best basketball players in the world, you should't leave Michael Jordan out. If you're having a competition with the best flatlanders in the world, you should't leave Justin Miller out.

Other riders that were left out arguably did not deserve inclusion. There's no argument about Justin. He should have been on the list.

[blind]

man props to justin, if i was one of the best in the world and didnt get the invite id be pitching a fit.thats pretty good money on the line.

[rully]

remember... besides for the sake of flatland's progression and growth, there's Red Bull that needs to sell their products as well. so for their marketing policy they decide to invite riders that's more like show-riders instead of those who really ride for self expression or whatever you call it.

so yeah, at the end of the day, it's all about sell outs, marketing, promotions of certain products and... MONEY!!!

face it, we're (flatland) too weak to stand up on our own feet, our so-called sport doesn't sell as good as our brother street rider... so we need other's hands to help us but in return.. there's always price to pay, right?

[pwh4130]

man props to justin, if i was one of the best in the world and didnt get the invite id be pitching a fit.thats pretty good money on the line.

While Justin may be one of the best contest riders in the world, I wouldn't rank him in the top ten best riders.  There is a difference in my opnion.  (No offense Justin, I think you rip it up) Apparently this contest is a showcase of riders.  If it is invite only, they have to have  a criteria they are looking for so let them choose who they want.  I realize it's a big event and a lot of money but we aren't making the rules.  If it is a problem to you, boycott the event and subsequent video.  Get the word out in print or on the net. 

Good luck to all the riders.

[TJ Perry]

man props to justin, if i was one of the best in the world and didnt get the invite id be pitching a fit.thats pretty good money on the line.

While Justin may be one of the best contest riders in the world, I wouldn't rank him in the top ten best riders. 

I am very curious to see your worlds best top ten riders list.

[blind]

would anyone on here disagree with not putting justin in the top 10 in the world im just wondering.i would put him in mine for sure.i cant think of a trick he cant do.

[brany]

'You have to feel it, live it, suck it up, etc. Then you feel the lifestyle - lets face it, flatland is about expression of character, state of mind, personalitiy, creativity, hart, soul, edgyness, dedication, uniqueness, freedom, freestyle, etc. right?'

I wonder how does he measure it? I doubt that eg. Justin Miller, Adam Kun, Simon O'Brien, Matthias Dandois, Waldemar Fatkin or Bram Verhallen 'feel it, live it, suck it up, etc' less than the selected 18.

'Those 18 riders we have selected earned that respect over decades and are still able to be top notch - this is why we credit them with COB.'

What about Keelan Philips? So saying that reason for leaving Matthias out is :

'...he rides couple of years now but still need to learn much more on the lifestyle of flatland and needs to earn more credit. He was there to fast where is he is now.'

It's a very dumb excuse. I'd like to know what else does he need to learn about flatland?

'The riders, the sport and it lifestyle should be in the right spot and it should be promoted the right way so people can see what flatland is and how great it is.'

To show 'what flatland is' could be done much better by giving a chance to young up and coming riders because I think this is what flatland is about these days...

[pwh4130]

man props to justin, if i was one of the best in the world and didnt get the invite id be pitching a fit.thats pretty good money on the line.

While Justin may be one of the best contest riders in the world, I wouldn't rank him in the top ten best riders. 

I am very curious to see your worlds best top ten riders list.

It would be a bunch of old heads that have proven themselves throughout the years to be versatile in all types of flat.  The kind of guys who have done or can do pretty much everything.  It's just MY opinion, nothing more, nothing less.

People like Jones, Gouin, DeGroot, Steingrabber, Meyer, etc...

[JFos]

remember... besides for the sake of flatland's progression and growth, there's Red Bull that needs to sell their products as well. so for their marketing policy they decide to invite riders that's more like show-riders instead of those who really ride for self expression or whatever you call it.

so yeah, at the end of the day, it's all about sell outs, marketing, promotions of certain products and... MONEY!!!

face it, we're (flatland) too weak to stand up on our own feet, our so-called sport doesn't sell as good as our brother street rider... so we need other's hands to help us but in return.. there's always price to pay, right?

They have every right to make any decision they want, people in my opinion have the right to make any stupid decision they'd like to. Its a BASIC freedom. I just dont buy their explanation is all. Like show riders? Pumping fist's, pinky squeaks slick hair and no footed wheelies? jokes aside ..... Trevor is one of the hardest working SHOW riders in the industry....and its not like Trevors exploding with energy between tricks. Do you mean flashy just in general? How can the most difficult links in flatland not be enough? Lets get Justin a shiny silver shirt he can wear or something...convince him to snake other riders..talk **** and entertain as with the MC Hammer side shuffle dance....if you got bombs you got bombs...

You have MC Freshco struggling, that wasnt flashy...then you have Hammer..proper!

So I guess Justin strictly unda unda....the best contest rider in the world is not enough...wow...Ive always liked the idea of battle format...thought it was good and was needed hell back during the ESPN debacle based on aspects SIMILAR to B-Boying and DJ battles. The one ellement I hated about it was the hooplah and energy given towards fronting...I thought tricks and links would be plenty after the public figures out its not as simple to the eye as backflipping some huge gap....This just leads us away from exactly what flatland is if you think about it..reliance on something that IS NOT a search for the technical...which Justin is...this bugs me. Battle formats fine...but if we arent basing it on riding then we arent really bridging an uneducated crowd to what flatland is. I thought that would be the goal of what flatlanders want. I know its Redbull and its what they would like...but we are loaning the talent. Cant contest's remain a battle of ability?

I think Redbull just distanced itself from the average JOe rider...so I'd say rully that "there's always price to pay, right?"..but I guess thats directed more torwards Redbull...It's not like 5000 pissed off flatlanders means anything anyways...its just sad when our best sponsor's probabaly world wide are relying on people who aren’t actual repping us. I mean was this an actual REdbull decisions or a couple people with agendas...I mean if the CEO and CFO were sitting right in the crowd watching..Im sure they'd be largely disappointed by Justin's "performance"...


I know I'm insane but I am still grounded enough to know that its all a blur to Joe publis and ESPECIALLY to suity Bob Dobalina's....I really would like to see how they came to a decisions on what's flashy enough to begin with...is there a points system?  any points? statistics or something ? reference chart or something?

Battle format IS the future..REdbull IS the future..mindless entertainment is the future when we havent even let people know what we are yet...
so Justin lay off a bit on those hiker flip variations and progression ins tricks...if you gotta eat...you better learn to spin and you better learn to keep that chin up and smile like Miss Texas...nahhh you dont need your eyes to balance...punishment for progression? they'll appreciate it you when your dead.  no problem Buckshot  shorty didnt make a ****ing dime either!

Heads know!