Fall 2008
Webmaster's Note: This should have been posted 2-3 months ago and I'm lame. Sorry. Here is Tony's Journal from Boom Boom HuckJam...
BBHJ [injury] update - Aug 16, 2008
I should have known that starting the tour with stitches in my elbow - from a failed 720 during rehearsals – was a bad omen. Injuries are nothing new to a BBHJ tour, but this consistent string of guys getting taken out has got to end. Here is a breakdown of the kind of random wounds plaguing our tour:
<< Sean Nielson (fmx) – concussion and lacerated kidney. It was sprinkling during our first show in San Antonio, but not enough to make the ramps slick so the show went on. Sean caught the wind during a cliffhanger and his wheel washed out upon landing, or he landed on his brake. Either way, it sent him to the flat and there were a few frightening minutes that ensued. He has been resting at home ever since and is hoping to make our final dates on the west coast. We will be happy to have him.
John Parker (bmx) - fractured leg. John had a missed cue on a routine with Elliot (who came in as Kevin’s replacement) in Detroit. They ended up coming straight at each other and only managed to clip each other’s sides, knocking both of them down. John finished out the show and took advantage of our four-day break during the X-Games. He came back to our VA Beach date to find that his leg wasn’t functioning the way it should. He went to the hospital and found out that he had fractured his tibia and wouldn’t be able to ride the rest of the tour.
<< Kevin Staab (skate) - punctured foot. Kevin was coming out of the locker room showers in Birmingham, Alabama when he felt his foot stick to the pavement. He looked down to find a metal rod puncturing his shoe and going into the middle his foot. There were many rods scattered around the backstage area, apparently to hoist a tent enclosure that had since been removed. Nobody warned us about these little death traps and Kevin found out the hard way that they are not easily seen, but easily found. He went home the next day and will make it back for our California shows.
Jesse Fritsch (skate) – pulled groin. Jesse managed to pull his muscle while climbing into his bunk on the tour bus. He stayed on and kept skating. The ridicule would have been too much to bear had he given up and gone home. In fact, he has stopped complaining about it altogether
Tony Hawk (skate) – separated shoulder. The wind kicked in during our NJ show and flapped my board just as I was coming in from a Method Air. Suddenly I found myself crunching into the flat bottom on my head & shoulder, as I my arm instantly felt numb & heavy. I finished the show using only my left hand, so my runs were filled with Indy’s, Stale Fishes and tailgrabs. I went to an orthopedic doctor the next day in Chicago to find out I had a separated AC joint (type 1) and that I’d just have to push through the pain if I expect to finish this tour. Barry attacked me with ice for the next three days and brought me back from questioning my future to manageably functional. It is getting better each day, but mute grabs are still incredibly painful and I have yet to try a 7 with my broken wing.
Kevin Robinson (bmx)– bruised abdomen and back. Kevin caught the wind (a recurring theme on this trip) during a tailwhip 5 in St. Louis and hung up on his front tire, falling straight to the flat on his side with his bike tangled up. He then came back the next day with and tried to push through the injury, only to slip his pedal on a can-can during our intro routine. Another one-way trip to the flat, but this one was too much to bounce back from. He flew home the next day and plans to be back in action for our NorCal show.
Ray Underhill, 1962-2008: although my dear friend Ray’s passing has nothing to do with the tour, it has been one of the hardest experiences of my life – and, of course, for all of those who were close to him. He was the best friend, husband, father, brother, skater and artist that anyone could ask for. I was honored that he requested me to write/read his eulogy, but words could never do him justice. Ray never had a bad thing to say about ANYBODY. Not everything happens for a reason, sometimes things are just f***ed.
Despite all these setbacks, we haven’t missed a show and have managed to skirt bad weather too many times to count. I am typing this on the bus while en route from Denver to Boise (850 miles) with ice on my shoulder, while watching Michael Phelps make history. We do this because we love it, quitting is not an option.
Goodbye, Ray, and thank you for all of the great memories. Touring will never be as fun as our trips together, but we will try to make the best of it. I miss you, but I am happy that you are no longer in constant pain. We shall never forget your amazing presence.
-Tony
Underhills / Hawks, New Year's Day 2008, Kauai.
Hey, wasn't that in a video game?
We went to Bam's on our day off to skate his backyard playground.
This is how he gets around his property.
One of the many bizarre murals around Bam's place.
This one is on the wall of the indoor skatepark, near
another with Osama binLaden playing basketball in outer space.
Lhotse and Kadence, East Coast SUFS, 2008
The Hawks (minus one) in NYC.
The boys only cared about Toys R Us in Times Square.
Spencer and Keegan in St. Louis. Yes, we went to the top.
A typical overnight bus ride. Thank you, DirecTV.
March - June, 2008
It’s been hard to keep a journal with things in a state of flux recently. It seems like we have been awaiting the arrival of our daughter for nearly two years (well, we have in some ways), so all plans were tentative until her arrival. Here is what happened during those last months of her incubation:
<< Went to St. Petersburg, Russia for the Laureus Awards. Never been to Russia, but the elusive KGB secret-police allure is long-gone. The buildings and monuments remain, but the storefronts look more like European stores and deli’s as opposed to fledgling breadshops. We were lucky to have Miki V as our tour guide; he lived in St Pete during the oppressive years and was able to give us insight about many of the landmarks and customs. The most exciting part for me was buying an Ushanka hat (with ear flaps) and being offered cans of caviar by a street hustler. I wish we had time to skate, but we were only there two nights.
I was a guest on the new Million Dollar Password opposite Rosie O’Donnell. I prepared for this by playing the home edition with L as much as possible, but it was very discouraging when words like “daunt” appear. Rosie was good and I thought at some point she would make it to the finals every time. I managed to click with one contestant and made it to the final round., bringing her to $25,000 pretty quick. We failed at 50k because she just couldn’t get me to say “drugstore.” Her clue was “Eckerd’s” (an East Coast chain). If only she had said “Long’s,” she’d have made twice as much. At one point, Rosie wanted me to make a pact that if we blew it for someone in the big money round that we would cover their losses (up to $500,000). I told her that she was crazy and that I didn’t have a syndicated talk show to throw around that kind of money. She laughed it off, but I could tell that she was partly serious. Here is a link to her blog (that includes a video of us backstage): CLICK.
<< Took a family trip to Japan. It was something I always wanted to share with my mom, brother and sisters since my first visit. It was fun to see their faces upon first seeing sushi and dried octopus at 7-11’s, and to share barbequed squid-on-a-stick at a street vendor. The only downside was missing the Kids’ Choice Awards and finding out too late that I won the award for favorite male athlete. So I couldn’t be there to accept the award… but nothing will replace the memories of Kyoto and searching all day for the skatepark with Riley. It’s not the destination, it’s the journey that is the most fun.
Young Hollywood Awards. I presented the “Young Picasso” award to Kat Von D and drove home right afterwards. This has been the scenario for all visits to L.A. in recent weeks. It is too late in L’s pregnancy to make a night of it, or to shmooze afterwards. I’ve never driven so much in my life., but it’s forced me to find the best techniques to avoiding traffic on I-5 and 405.
<< Turned 40 in style with a Big Lebowski bowling bash in Las Vegas. Careful man, there’s a beverage here!
Went and saw Flight of the Conchords play live. They played most of the songs from their first HBO series, but their between-song banter was hilarious. Weird Al was highly visible watching from the balcony, perhaps taking cues from the future of comedy folk music. I am officially a Jemainiac and a Breterosexual.
Flew to Chicago to interview Tommy Carroll, an inspirational BLIND skater. No, he doesn’t ride for Blind… it’s just that he has no vision. The kid goes for it and is not afraid to fall. I was most impressed with his backside revert technique. As a ramp skater, backside reverts are one of the last things to learn because you are blind to the ramp when coming down. But then I realized that he’s ALWAYS blind to the ramp. It doesn’t make it any less dangerous though, and I am amazed at his tenacity and easygoing approach to life. Check out shredordie.com for the interview and you will no longer have an excuse NOT to skate.
<< Got a deal with T-Mobile that allowed me to design a new Sidekick – the first one with video capabilities. I’ve been using a Sidekick since the first one was released in 2003, so it a huge honor to have my name attached to the lates and greatest version. It even has a griptape and bolts design on the bottom.
<< June 30, 2008 we welcomed Kadence into the world. My first daughter and she looks just like her beautiful mommy. Here brothers are very excited and life will never be the same. I can’t wait.
ARCHIVE