The Final Game of SKATE at The Berrics
Posted
on
on Monday, March 02, 2009
by Rob
Photos from the Berrics and at two day trip to LA including Rob Dyrdek's Safe Spot Plaza in LA.
By Rob Meronek
 As any full blown skate nerd would be, I was already blown away when I rolled up outside and recognized the fence and parking lot from First Try Fridays. Inside, they have the brackets on the wall filled in. That's Mike Sinclair with Dan Murphy |
 Steve Berra had his hands full running things for the night |
 The thumb type champ, Mike Mo, warms up for a game of SKATE by texting |
 Craig Chimile keeps things in check in the sales department at DVS. He's one of many former Tampons that made the move out west long ago and never looked back |
 The game between Benny and PJ was one of the best I've ever seen |
 One of the best things about being there was seeing Mike Mo skate flat for three hours |
 Benny Fairfax had SKAT while PJ Ladd had no letters. Benny then came back to win the last game before the Final |
 Billy Marks had plenty of wacky moves like triple flips, nollie double flips, and funny looking kickflips, but they weren't enough to serve up letters |
 I got to watch PJ Ladd and Mike Carroll skate flat ground for a couple hours. Amazing. Thanks for the invite, DVS! |
 Oh, this thing? It's in the back of the Berrics. That's Nick Matlin |
 Don Brown should recruit Koston for the Skatepark of Tampa Party Team |
 It would have been crazy to see Mike Mo Capaldi and PJ Ladd in the final game, but PJ can't do nollie backside big flips, so it's Mike Mo and Benny. Check the Berrics site for the final game to see who took it |
 Normally people voluntarily participate in a foot fetish. When shot with a long lens from across the room, it's more like a stalker foot fetish. Those are PJ Ladd's shoes. Nerd out. When your back foot shoe looks like that, you probably rip |
 I can't remember what this trick is, but one that I remember seeing Koston do was a switch inward heel revert. He's got some crazy ones like that |
 Mike Mo Capaldi and Sean Malto. What do you think they're talking about right now? I think they're discussing that chick's hair do |
 Things were supposed to start at 6pm. Finally at around 8pm, they got it started with the Best of the Berrics video. When that was done, they realized it takes like 10-minutes for the warehouse lights to warm up and turn on. Oops. Everybody chill |
 Alright, it's finally on. First up is a redemption battle between Koston and Carroll |
 It's amazing how high PJ Ladd snaps |
 What board is PJ Ladd riding? |
 Another stalker foot fetish. This time, Benny Fairfax. Nerd out |
 These are the Berrics filmers. They're probably still up editing right now |
 Chris Casey from the Captain and Casey Show was a letterkeeper. Rob Dyrdek was a celebrity judge |
 Those Go Mike Mo shirts were a popular item. That's Mike Taylor. I spy Paul Shier and Clint Peterson |
 Dan Murphy had money changing hands with Mike Sinclair on each game |
 Berra passed out several Butteryass Dollars with Donovan's mug on them. Broke ass Vern texted Sinclair to see if that was real money that was being passed out |
 Who did Koston give out the case of Butteryass Dollars to? Find out who won the final Battle when things finally slow down with the traffic and the Berrics site |
 One last stalker foot fetish. This time Mike Mo Capaldi. Nerd out |
 I found out from Shad Lambert that Dyrdek's new Safe Spot plaza in LA is nearly done. All you have to do is hop the fence to skate it. I got directions and turns out it's right next door to this thing |
 Those things are super rough. I love the feeling of getting star struck by a skate spot. Lance Mountain on these things in the early Powell videos and most recently Guy Mariano's cab flip stick out in my mind right now |
 With a fence hop involved, it sounded sketchy, but when I got there, turns out like 50 kids had hopped the fence |
 I heard the city of LA donated the land, and Carl's Jr. paid for the construction, hence the star logo obstacle there. If you don't know, Carl's Jr. is a west coast fast food chain. |
 Check out the ledge construction at this spot. It's metal on the face and concrete on top |
 Kids are already filming their parts at the Dyrdek Safe Spot |
 Of course along with this stuff is the best ground ever |
 What happens if the cops come right now? Does everyone get a ticket? |
 That's it for skate nerdness. I'm on some classic Los Angeles tourism before flying back home. Here in Beverly Hills, people stand in line to take a photo in front of this sign. I imagine this goomba feels the same way about this sign as I do about being at those brick trannys |
 Venice Beach and the weird-ass people that go with it are always an entertaining time. This is where I spent my last few hours before the airport |
 There's been a huge part of the beach allocated to build a new skate park there. It's right next to the existing Venice Beach Skate Park |
 Here's the scene at the existing Venice Beach Skate Park. I spy a snakeboarder |
 Oh, there's a sketchy crowd gathering, let's see what's going on... |
 Well look at that, it's Andy Mac's only fan doing extreme things for a buck |
 Andy Mac's buddies were engaging in some sketchy sexual acts |
 Whoa! Remember Silver Ball Guy from Manny Mania a couple years ago? He's still a local on Venice Beach. Nice tan |
 Every night at sunset on Venice Beach, the world's biggest hippie drum circle dance party goes down |
 Meanwhile, back in Hollywood, all these pointy eyed people are taking pictures of the Hollywood sign. I love reinforcing stereotypes about my people |
 This is the scene on Hollywood Boulevard. Tigger's trying to bounce dollars out of your wallet for a photo |
 I'll leave you with a food photo. Those are some damn good Hollywood hasbrowns right there. Good bye once again, California. Thanks DVS and the Berrics for having me at your shindig |
