Zaturdays: A Typical Tuesday (in So.Cal)

Let the record show that I hate the term “So. Cal.” Who even says that? But the larger point here is that in Southern California things are different than they are in the rest of the world. Typical here is anything but anywhere else. It’s like a skaters Fantasy Island. If you like great weather, great spots, and the chance to bump into a former pro at the corner liquor store, well then So. Cal is the place for you. I’m in So. Cal right now, and sitting around the other night with the bros, one of the more muscular and tanned ones among them asked me if I’ve been writing anything lately. “Bro!” I said to him. “I do a thing called Zaturdays or the SPoT site.” “About what?” he asked. “About whatever...anything…everything.” I answered. And that’s when I realized that the bros I was talking to were just what Zaturdays needed. These six dudes have some of the richest backgrounds in skateboarding and the heaviest resumes. They run half the industry. Well maybe not half, but it’s gotta amount to some sort of share of it. Allow me to introduce them. Dan Rogers (the tan and muscular one that inspired this post), aka Dan The Man Rogers, aka DTMR. Originally from Des Moines, Iowa, he moved to So. Cal to fulfill the dream. He can lift something like 400 pounds right up over his head without breaking a sweat. Dan is in his 40s, but looks 25, and acts 15. You don’t hang out with Dan without ending up in a Full Nelson at least once. I personally witnessed him once put Willy Santos in a hammerlock in Prague while not wearing any clothes. Willy seemed to really enjoy it. Dan and I share the distinction of both having been sponsored by Birdhouse skateboards in the 90s, and both having been kicked off. At one point Dan probably held the record for the biggest ollie in skateboarding, like the Jaws of his day, by spracking something like an 8 flat 7 double set. Still big today. He was more famous for his back boards though. He could back board anything, kinks be damned. On a side note he’d never call it a back board. Dan has managed a thousand teams since “retiring” as a pro, and today he’s some sort of big shot sales manager at AYC. He also co-owns Subsect Skateshop with Heath Kirchart. His last goal in skateboarding is to win the Industry VIP contest at Tampa Am. I do not doubt that he’ll do it; if I did I’d keep it to myself for fear of repercussions. Brian Young. I haven’t really been in touch with Brian in the last ten years or so, so I’m not 100% sure what he’s up to now, but here’s some history. Originally from Ann Arbor, Michigan, he moved to Cali to fulfill the dream. I think he might have started in SF, but he ended up in So. Cal. Brian was pro for Invisible along with Jamie Thomas before Jamie moved on to Toy Machine and then Zero. Once Jamie left it was a tough row to hoe for Brian and the rest of the Invisible gang. He could back tail anything though and had a part in the only Spitfire video I remember ever being made. I’m pretty sure Brian is also responsible for getting that Ambig Modern video made. That video rules. Jesse Fritsch was a vert guy from State College, Pennsylvania who moved to So. Cal to fulfill the dream. He’s famous for his hardflip to fakie, heelflip indy grabs, and freaking out and focusing boards. He was also the only vert guy to get a spot on Zoo York. And he quit! Jeff Pang will never forgive him for it. Fritsch’s career was cut short due to bulged disks in his back that had to be surgically repaired. Didn’t really fix it though. I guess he’s also famous for breaking his ankle in a million places in that one TWS video with the hideous slam section. Somehow Fritch got to be tight with Birdman and ended up as a co-host on his radio show. He can also create knock off versions of any type of music you might need for your video part to avoid royalty fees for using the original. He’s also probably due at least 50% of the credit for the early success of RIDE Channel where he worked for the first few years. Today Jessie basically runs the Yacht Club with Stevie Williams, so he’s Dan’s boss. Dan will still put him in a chokehold at the drop of a hat though. Kyle Berard. He rules. Originally from Virginia, he moved to So. Cal to fulfill the dream. Kyle is the most talented skater of any of the dudes that were in attendance. In fact, besides Luan Oliveira he’s the only person to ever win Tampa Am (2000) and Tampa Pro (2001). His career was highly marginal considering how amazing he is but hey that’s skateboarding. We all still love him. Today he judges Damn Ams, has his own show with Pat Duffy on Hella Clips called Yer Welcome, and operates Front Rock Concrete and will build anything you might want to roll your wheels on: bowl, curb, plaza, kitchen counter with angle iron edges, etc. Good sense of humor too. Michael Burnett is the smartest person you’ll ever have the pleasure to meet in skateboarding. He moved from College Station, Texas to So. Cal to fulfill the dream. As if you don’t already know, Burnett IS Thrasher magazine. I think King of the Road was his idea. He shoots amazing photos of the best dudes, writes all the tightest articles, is down with everyone, and will answer any email in under 24 hours. Early on he was working his way toward a career as a pro vert skater until he saw Danny Way do the first Indy backside revert and that was pretty much that. His strengths today include mini ramping and keeping his finger firmly applied to the pulse of skateboarding. Michael already knows if you’re going to make it, and he can help you get there. Mike Sinclair is pretty universally known as one of the tightest dudes out. Originally from Durham, North Carolina he moved to So. Cal to fulfill the dream. Mike had a starring role in the Blockhead video Debbie Does Blockhead back in ’92. He’s famous for having an ad doing an early grab tweaker to fakie on a mini ramp accompanied by the text “Burly Air by Sinclair.” He was also a pioneer of the kickflip back tail and heel flip body varials…I mean Bruce Jenners sorry. Mike also once did a bigspin back tail on a halfpipe. Mike lived with me for six months in Tampa once but his gold BMW broke down and since he refused to get a job I had to kick him out. Sorry Mike. Since then he went on to invent Real Street at the Xgames, take over as Neff TM, take over as Tum Yeto TM, and do about a million other noteworthy things. Oh, and if you think Larry Perkins is funny, you’ll LOVE Mike Sinclair.