Author Topic: Another article about this?  (Read 12954 times)

Offline Fat Tony

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Another article about this?
« on: June 17, 2009, 02:56:12 AM »
http://espn.go.com/action/news/story?id=4263334

Possibly not as well done as mine? Haha, kidding. Here's another perspective on a topic that has been brewing as of late.

I can't wait to see more and more flatland on TV in the coming years!

Revisit:
http://bmx.transworld.net/2009/05/05/the-modern-progression-of-flatland/
http://bmx.transworld.net/2009/05/13/flatland-has-taken-another-step-a-response-to-feedback/

Offline tru

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2009, 03:51:26 AM »
nice article.
I'd still like to watch flatland on tv tho, as long as they are required to wear a shirt.
« Last Edit: June 17, 2009, 03:57:40 AM by tru »

Prasheel

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2009, 05:17:01 PM »
I disagree with a lot of what is said in the article to be honest.  I don't believe the technicality of flatland is what is keeping it off of TV.  I mean, if you look at any other individualistic sports, lets say, diving, figure skating, that one where they bounce run and bounce on that sort of bouncy floor and do crazy flips, and skateboarding. 

Diving, to me, it all looks the same, they jump off the board, do a bunch of flips, end up in the water, but there's insane detail and a huge technical side to it.  Same with figure skating, to me it just likes like they jump and spin and land, I can't tell the different between any of the "tricks".  I have no idea what that bouncy floor sport is called, haha, part of the whole gymnastics thing, they are always just running jumping and flipping like mad, all i know is they have to stay inside the four corners, everything else is beyond me.

And skateboarding, there's so many different tricks, I can't tell a kickflip from a heel flip from a hard flip.  But I still watch all these on the television.  They all don't get huge air time, but they are seen on TV and are watched by many.

How do they display these complex, technical sides of the sport to the public?  After each run, they show those parts in slow-motion, every dive gets shown in slow-mo, complex figure skating jumps get shown in slow-mo.

I know this begs the question of "well then why isn't flatland on tv"...And I have no clue, I would say maybe there's not a big enough market for it maybe...But then I have to ask myself, is there really that big of a market for gymnastics?  Figure skating?  Diving?

I'd also like to point out that in 2008 bowling had higher viewer ratings then NHL hockey...Ugh.

Offline AddisonM

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2009, 05:32:38 PM »
I believe It's simply called "floor routine" or something like that.

And If the NHL is being beaten in ratings by bowling, It's also being beaten by Nascar, Cheerleading, and absolute trash reality TV.... so it really has nothing to do with talent, excitement, difficulty, or athletic prowess (lets be serious... in MLB you can be morbidly obese and get 15 mill a year)

I think any sport can be popular, if golf is f*cking televised and worshipped, flatland certainly can.. it just needs to be re-exposed to television.


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katobmx

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2009, 05:36:39 PM »
i liked the article in conjunction with Fat's.So from what i understand flatland is too hard and nobody understands the diffulculty.Amahl and I talked about this earlier some weeks ago.He told me a difference between flat and other bmx forms is near instant gratification.As Flatlanders you start off doing learning inifinity rolls, trackstands fork glides, peg wheelie, and bw steams etc.but on the other hand a beginning street rider can learn(which we also learn also) barspins,manuals,180 footjam endos,and footjam tailwhips,and grinds.He was saying you still see pros doing these tricks,but you dont see a pro flatland rider doing infinity rolls.but I think the two biggest misconceptions about flatland is thats you need some crazy bike to start and if your not doing turbine this and turbine that your no good.and seeing an expensive flatbike and super hard tricks maybe a turn off to potential riders but if they have that mentality maybe they dont need to be riding.
        Flat will never go "extinct" were not a species and where not endangering ourselves. Like i told a friend of mine it takes a certain mentality to ride flatland.You have to believe in your self and be willing to fight for something you want.Society is the reason flatland is obscure because not too many people have the qualities I stated before and sports arent about the good plays and the breaking of physical law, but its about the danger it seems its all about the danger now.hucking your self.I'm not saying everybody needs to be riding flat and shove it down there throat etc.but things like this , flatland be "obsure" dying and goin extinct,are an indicator of societies conddition.Not many believe anymore,Not many want to put in the work to make the magic.

Offline That Joe Miller

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2009, 05:45:58 PM »
I've been fighting the urge to comment on this for a while now, so keep in mind that this is just one old mans opinion. Here it goes, in the late 90's i was attending every ESPN comp in the US and @ almost all of them Steve Swope would hold a meeting to try to make the flat comp a success both with the riders and the TV cats. @ these meetings I witnessed time and time again some of the biggest Pros @ the time spend the whole time Bi@#$ing and not offering any usefull input @ all. So, after an entire year of this Sh@t Steve and the rest of the promoters threw up thier hands @ the entire aspect of the sport and the flat comps were removed from the TV comps. just something to think about. L8r, Joe
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katobmx

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2009, 08:06:35 PM »
I've been fighting the urge to comment on this for a while now, so keep in mind that this is just one old mans opinion. Here it goes, in the late 90's i was attending every ESPN comp in the US and @ almost all of them Steve Swope would hold a meeting to try to make the flat comp a success both with the riders and the TV cats. @ these meetings I witnessed time and time again some of the biggest Pros @ the time spend the whole time Bi@#$ing and not offering any usefull input @ all. So, after an entire year of this Sh@t Steve and the rest of the promoters threw up thier hands @ the entire aspect of the sport and the flat comps were removed from the TV comps. just something to think about. L8r, Joe
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Offline That Joe Miller

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #7 on: June 17, 2009, 08:14:44 PM »
I've been fighting the urge to comment on this for a while now, so keep in mind that this is just one old mans opinion. Here it goes, in the late 90's i was attending every ESPN comp in the US and @ almost all of them Steve Swope would hold a meeting to try to make the flat comp a success both with the riders and the TV cats. @ these meetings I witnessed time and time again some of the biggest Pros @ the time spend the whole time Bi@#$ing and not offering any usefull input @ all. So, after an entire year of this Sh@t Steve and the rest of the promoters threw up thier hands @ the entire aspect of the sport and the flat comps were removed from the TV comps. just something to think about. L8r, Joe
Damn for real :huh:.
Yeah, I'm not kidding. I could name names, but anyone who was there knows exactly who I'm talking about. L8r, Joe
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quad_simmons

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #8 on: June 17, 2009, 09:05:33 PM »
from tv and your average spectator point of view...flat is dead and there is no coming back

Offline AddisonM

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #9 on: June 17, 2009, 09:31:21 PM »
I guess that opinion  explains the 5 year old Chappelle Joke you have constantly looping next to your name.
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Offline handspin

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #10 on: June 17, 2009, 09:55:24 PM »
that's strange, i thought the pros at the x-games were just complaining about the riding surfaces. did they think they were going to sell out? tell us more. it seems like they didn't really understand each other and needed some middle man rep to sort things out proper like.
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Offline That Joe Miller

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #11 on: June 18, 2009, 10:43:39 PM »
that's strange, i thought the pros at the x-games were just complaining about the riding surfaces. did they think they were going to sell out? tell us more. it seems like they didn't really understand each other and needed some middle man rep to sort things out proper like.
Steve was that middleman you speak of. The TV guys were not into flat @ all, and if not for Steve and Mat it would have never been on the tube @ all. It just basically just became a losing battle, trying to make the TV cats happy, as well as the riders. As I stated before alot of the "top Pro's" didn't have anything good to say @ all, and no matter what Steve and Mat did, nobody was happy. The big names were always pissed about the surface, purse, results ect... L8r, Joe
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Offline Bodhisattva

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #12 on: June 18, 2009, 10:50:09 PM »
Back in the late 80s when flatland had its largest numbers a kid could buy a bike and usually have a few other flat riders to ride with.  Fast forward to present, a kid would be lucky to have one other person to ride with.  Compare that with street, where a kid can go to the local skatepark, because almost every major and most minor cities have one, and ride with a group of friends.  They can constantly meet new friends.  They can take their tricks to other skateparks in other cities and meet even more riders.  Riding by yourself in a parking lot for hours on end is not going to be appealing for most young people.  When a kid pulls something in a skatepark other riders  are there to give him his props.  A flat rider pulls something on his typical solo practice session-crickets.  This is my opinion on why there are not more flat riders.  I have no idea why it's not on TV.  I think audiences respect it-Wilhelm won that show he was on a long time ago.  Just my two cents.

Offline EZChris

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #13 on: June 18, 2009, 11:18:23 PM »
<post culled to remove wall-of-text>


I cant say I agree here.

I ride at a public skatepark and know many flatlanders that also ride at public skateparks.

I ride with a group of my best friends there, who ride ramps, skate, and even blade.

They are always giving me props on my stuff, and we always have a great laugh sessioning despite us all covering different sports.

Not to say people riding in parking lots dont exsist, just merely stating that if a rider wanted to, riding at a skatepark (which you pointed out are cropping up everywhere) is defiantly an option to most riders.
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Offline Bodhisattva

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Re: Another article about this?
« Reply #14 on: June 18, 2009, 11:30:20 PM »
<post culled to remove wall-of-text>


I cant say I agree here.

I ride at a public skatepark and know many flatlanders that also ride at public skateparks.

I ride with a group of my best friends there, who ride ramps, skate, and even blade.

They are always giving me props on my stuff, and we always have a great laugh sessioning despite us all covering different sports.

Not to say people riding in parking lots dont exsist, just merely stating that if a rider wanted to, riding at a skatepark (which you pointed out are cropping up everywhere) is defiantly an option to most riders.

Trust me, most flat riders do not spend most of their time at a skatepark.  You're lucky you have enough room to ride at the skatepark.  The parks that don't have room are not going to tolerate a flat rider spinning in front of a transition.  I'm sure you have better options as far as lots go, but you prove my point by choosing to ride with other riders, despite the fact that they ride street.