Tuesday, July 10

Sal Has the Answers

By Sal Masekela
EXPN.com

As I sit here on the Tony Hawk Gigantic Skatepark Tour contemplating the meaning of life, the upcoming Philadelphia X-Games enter the frontal lobe of my brain. It has been six years since the fledgling Extreme Games in Newport, Rhode Island. Many maneuvers to clap about have been executed. How many actual medals have been received? Hmm I wonder. How much do all those precious medals distributed over the last six years weigh collectively? How happy is mankind that ESPN in all its wisdom dropped the dreaded word "EXTREME" from the games? How many careers have been launched into outer space from this thing called X? How many children will converge on the city of brotherly love. Note: The prefix Phila denotes love. Will love rule at the 2001 X-Games? Are new heroes about to make their presence felt this summer? Who'll get arrested? Will His Eminence Allen Iverson make an appearance? Will the crowds dwarf San Francisco and San Diego and cause a bitter east-west crowd rivalry? So many questions race through the mind of yours truly and there must be answers. I close my eyes as Tony and company continue skating this demo and catapult myself forward on a metaphysical journey to Philly.

Yes they’re clearly in front of me. The answers to the big question: What will go down at the Philadelphia X-games? I am not selfish, so I will share them with you.

2001 is shaping up to be the marked year of the comeback. The Great One Mario Lemieux at 35 made critics look like what they are, critics, and brought the Penguins to the playoffs. Jennifer Capriati won the Australian Open. Jennifer Capriati. And now Sir Michael Jordan threatens to disrupt the balance of the universe with a return to the rim. Which brings me to an individual who after executing the coveted 900 in 1999, looked the camera dead in the eye an said, "That's it, I quit". Two years later, Tony Hawk is 10 times more popular retired than he was as a competitor. Tony Hawk Pro Skater is possibly the greatest video game series of all time. The Tony Hawk Gigantic Skatepark Tour is the gospel of skateboarding on wheels. The Book, and now movies - not as a stuntman, but an actor. I watch this man skate every other day, and he is better now than at any time in his career. The buzz is out there that "Yoda" a.k.a. Tony Hawk will return to competition this summer. Just think, it would bolster the sales of Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3, out this Christmas, quite nicely. The media frenzy leading up to it would be on par with Jordan and Lemieux, I guarantee it. But does Tony Hawk need it? Do the math. You have 2 beautiful kids, one on the way, every accolade ever bestowed on a skateboarder and then some, more fame than you want, and you can go skateboarding for the rest of your life without ever having to look at that 45 second clock. Oh, how could I forget. You’re the best. The best there was, the best there is, and the best there will be. Can a total of five 45 second runs sweeten that up any? - An unequivocal NO my friends. Oh he'll be there, and maybe he'll do the doubles run with Andy to give the kiddies a show. But you can bet the Plywood under your feet that the Birdman is chillin, just chillin.