Remember the day you skated your first backyard pool? Remember the day you skated your first "secret spot"? Mr. and Mrs. Urban Sprawl left to Disney World for the weekend and their pool was drained for cleaning. Dave Duncan's pool service was on hand for the cleanup. Everyone was quiet and "hush hush" as the sessions ensued.

Kinda funny to think the backyard ramp and/or pool was so "on the DL". Now look at the X Games Vert contest. It is a full blown stadium rock concert. Thousands of skateboard fans sit in air-conditioned comfort as a light show introduces each finalists run. Boom, Boom! The music thumps like a low rider Honda Accord with those buzzy exhausts. Each skater gets an introduction like Ali got in Manila. The only difference is that Ali didn't get his intro from the original backyard bandit, Dave Duncan.

"I love it man! Get serious, it's cool bro! Big ol' Rock concert and your buddies are the show" -DD

Attention Skateboarder! This is the big rock star show and you are the main attraction - X Games VIII skateboard vert finals.

This whole X Games vert show is almost hard to believe. It puts a whole new meaning to the phrase, "you've come a long way baby!" Do the skaters enjoy the big shenanigans? YOU BET THEY DO! Bob Burnquist described the experience as "painting a picture. I like to use the ramp as a canvas a paint a picture for the people watching." And believe me, there are a lot of people watching. The First Union Center is packed for the vert finals, full to the brim. 30,000 people I've heard. That is cool. The best part is, thanks to the bro-manship of skateboarding's pros, the pressure is actually low. Everyone skates to their best ability at that moment, and all in all, regardless of the slip-ups, the show is insane.

I heard Jason Ellis flat out tease Bucky Lasek that the kids wanted autographs from him more than Bucky himself. Jason left his commentary mic and stormed over to the stands to pump up some young skaters. "It is all about the kids", said Jason. I have a feeling that X Games athletes support the well being of America's youth more than George W. Bush's Family agenda.

"I like to use the ramp as a canvas and paint a picture for the people watching" - Bob Burnquist

The Vert Arena is the place where it goes down. How cool is it that Chris Miller and Tony Hawk are the commentators? They dig it. And believe me, they are not in it for the money. Those two don't need the job. They do it because they have so much stinkin' fun pumping up their buddies and making their bros superheroes.

Foobar on all the skater cynics out there. I know there are many who come down on the X Games for selling out skating. Yeah, foobar on you! "Next time you drop into a beautiful public cement park, thank the X Games" That's Dave Duncan talking to you! If he does not represent skateboarding, I am not sure who does. Media spectacles like ours make the fun and skill of skating available to all those moms and city planners. The X Games Vert Arena does a good job showing how crazy fun the sport is while at the same time exposing the friendships that keep it all together. In comparison to professional ball and stick sports jeez, at least skaters all push each other and are not out to take each other out. You never see fights break out in a skateboard contest.

When the Vert Contest fires up - you'll see nothing but good times and good tricks. The athletes all support each others skill and charge, while at the same time push each other to be competitors. It truly is one of the finest examples of sportsmanship in America today. LONG LIVE STADIUM SKATEBOARDING.