Oyuki kigan
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Posts posted by Oyuki kigan
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Originally Posted By: Black MountainDude, I think you are buying that bad boy, don't give two shits snowboarding marketing crap that seems so prevalent these days.
no, that attitude has been there since the beginning of the sport
Quote:If they didn't care about competition why would they train? They are top athletes in their sports and a lot is riding on their performance.
Really? Careers are not made and destroyed in the Olympics. When was the last time you heard something about Gian Simmen? Or JJ Thomas?
Quote:Whether some snowboarders are more or less serious about competition than other people seems to be a little beside the point because that's more about personality (and in sports there are lots of personalities)
i won't disagree with that.
Quote:Anyway, as I stated before, I'm not even taking about the competitive aspect of the sport. Nor am I talking about competition prizes, notoriety, fame or sponsorship. I'm talking about the responsibilities that come with representing your country at an international event.
i know, and like i said, are not that highly regarded in the halfpipe snowboard world.
Quote:Last point I'll make is that the suit thing is only a small part of the problem about what caused the criticism in the first place what more people cared about was his attitude and insincerity in the interview he did afterwards. Here is a small glimpse...
of course its insincere.　What percentage of apologies in Japan sincere? The lines are almost always known in advance. When asked about how you will do in the Olympics, you must answer "Ganbarimasu!". When asked to repent for your social faux pas, you must answer "Hansei shimasu". When asked about food, you must say "Oishii", and when asked about a political scandal, you must answer "Kioku wa gozaimasen".
The fact that he didn't put in the extra effort to look like he cared is what gets under peoples skin. -
I don't see much proof of the competitive aspect of halfpipe snowboarding as being high in importance to the riders involved, much less nationalist aspects. Fame and glory perhaps, but not much more than that. In that sense, snowboarding this far has maintained a much more lax attitude towards competition than more traditional sports. Many of the compeditors are close friends, and its kind of hard to suddenly pull yourself into some kind of 'them' against me' role. The nationalist aspect is even weaker.
And i'm not saying that Kokubo is an ideal role model, i don't know him well enough either. But i do know that Japan in general stresses form and fashion over fun, and that is something i strongly disagree with.
The former Olympic hopeful Narita had so much pressure on him to perform from all the bullshit nationalist media, having him kowtow and say 'ganbarimasu' and 'kachimasu' a million times. And when he did followed normal Japanese halfpipe strategy* and of course, ate shit, he snapped and started punching the floor of the pipe. As a snowboarder, this is way more serous that not following dress code. It indicates that he was too wrapped up in winning, and was very, very far from enjoying the comp. That is NOT in ideal role model for snowboarding.
Kokubo is taking the opposite route, and not making a big deal out of it period, which seems to tell me that he enjoys his snowboarding more. And that to me, seems more in the spirit of the sport. So in comparison, he is a little better.
There is of course the middle road too, where he could have just worn the damn suit properly. It wouldn't have made any difference to me. The fact that people even care is beyond me.
But i imagine a case can be made that Japanese professional sports can be way to competitive and serious that what we see as an immature immature act of rebellion has much more significance for him as an athlete.
*when it looks like you can't win from technique alone, go spectacularly big and crash. This has been normal procedure in the SLC and Torino games. Mero-chan's performance also synonomous with this)
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Originally Posted By: Black MountainOriginally Posted By: Oyuki kigan
And no, the Olympics are NOT that special. Especially when you are up against someone like Shaun White who will win it all anyways.
I think Kokubo's attitude is much healthier that the last Olympic hopeful, Narita.
You really think that representing your country at the biggest sporting event in the world is the same as competing in Alts Bandai? (just for example)
If you think of something like halfpipe snowboarding as a big deal, then that is where we part ways. I think Alts Bandai and the Olympics a little different only in scale, not essence. If bigger=better is what gets you off so be it. Why do some of the world's best pro riders bother competing in events like the Mount Baker Banked slalom or the Greg Todds Memorial that have relatively miniscule winnings and no points to their FIS standings?
Quote:Saying something like, 'I'm going to approach this event just as I would any event and not let the stress get to me' and 'I don't think the olympics snowboarding competition is important' are completely different things. He is not only an ambassador for Japan but also his sport within Japan (one that seems to be dying a slow death). The effects of having a positive role model who can inspire younger generations is exactly what the sport needs. Not another selfish, pouty loser who is only in it for himself.
For someone who has been raised in the western tradition of snowboarding, i would rather have someone like Kokubo be a role model that Narita. And if i have to explain why, you have either been in Japan too long or do not know why snowboarding exists in the first place.
Quote:He comes across as any number of spoiled kids who are handed everything and never have to reflect on their actions. Anyway, one thing is for sure, he won't be invited back in 2014 unless he wins a medal at this competition. I don't know this kid personally but from everything I've read or seen about him his attitude absolutely sucks.
no, not having fun snowboarding sucks. -
I know, i know. But snowboarding an general (especially subjectively judged snowboarding, like halfpipe) has never really attracted the straight-laced types.
From the CBC halfpipe announcers (former pros) getting reprimanded for loaded jokes in the Nagano 98 Olympics (not to mention some of the world's best boycotting the entire event) to Jasey Jay's 'scandal' for testing positive for the performance enhancing drug marijuana to Heikki Sorsa's 2-foot mowhawk in Salt lake City to whatever is happening now, i'm not really phased. Its snowboarding.
However, it is cute to see the Japanese SKI Federation reprimand him tho. Insert your own joke here.
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Originally Posted By: Black MountainRegarding the olympics, he is there representing Japan, not himself, tuck in you shirt and straighten your tie. It has nothing to do with individuality. The Canadian team has lots of crazy individuals (bearded and dreadlocked), all of whom tucked in their shirts because they realize that they are there representing their country.
This guy also made some stupid and lame comments about how he didn't think the olympics were special and that it's just another event so he obviously doesn't grasp the idea that some things are bigger and more important then his ego. There are loads of other boarders in Japan who would love a shot at representing their country, let them go instead.
C'mon, its snowboarding, not something serious like figure skating.
And no, the Olympics are NOT that special. Especially when you are up against someone like Shaun White who will win it all anyways.
I think Kokubo's attitude is much healthier that the last Olympic hopeful, Narita. Remember him? The nice, obidient one who had a fit at the bottom of the pipe when he fell? That kind of pressure has no place in snowboarding, let the other sports have it. The rest of the riders were hi-fiving each other at the bottom of the pipe, not taking it too seriously, and i think Kokubo (and his extensive riding overseas) understands that there is more to snowboarding that 'winning' or 'プãƒãƒŠã‚·ãƒ§ãƒŠãƒ«ã‚¤ã‚ºãƒ '. -
I won't contradict you guys in saying that it was hard, and in the areas with heavy traffic, it was icy as well. And i agree, a nice dump of snow would be nice.
I suppose i can still remember last season, when the conditions WERE completely crappy, and being able to ride on natural snow this year is still a treat.
I am not a carving nazi at all, but i honestly didn't find the conditions bad enough to prevent me from having fun, which is what i usually refer to a 'crappy'.
The park was in pretty good condition as well.
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After over 30 years on the hills, i think i have an idea of what good snow is like. I never said anything about powder, there was enough soft stuff over the ice to make it enjoyable for myself. Then again, perhaps all the years skiing and snowboarding have made it possible for meto enjoy conditions that aren't 'optimal'.
Too bad you didn't have a good time.
And the touch of new snow and grooming made it a pretty good today as well.
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Originally Posted By: -20.7Bollocks, it was most definitely crappy at 47 today.
I was there.
Very little snow forecast overnight.
i suppose we have quite different standards for 'crap' -
It was fine today at 47. Not epic, but not that crappy. Will be better tomorrow with a touch of new snow and grooming.
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Originally Posted By: dyna8800Quite frankly, I do not think that the Japanese ski/snowboard schools would have been able to handle the foreigners.
Let's see...start out the lesson with some stretching, calisthenics, then highly rigid instruction, lots of drills and not a lot of free skiing/riding which we instructors call "mileage".
For rental, are you saying foreigner sizes or ??? What was the opportunity there?
yes, we foreigners tend to quite spoiled and unreasonable, expecting all kind of special treatment such as season passes, meetings that don't run past hour paid hours, and actually skiing/snowboarding for fun, rather than straight carving practice. -
Karuizawa is crap and i can not in good faith recommend it to anyone.
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that the strap, and if you are looking from a japanese server, scroll to the bottom of the page and there are some shops listed that sells them.
One Make in Chiyoda, and Ca4la in Harajuku is what it tells me.
Oh yeah, one more thing. It depends no how old your 'old' bindings are.
Older burton toestraps are attached by a bolt, but the newer ones slide up through the baseplate, and are not compatible with the older tech.
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55% for 1kyu, so no pass. But better than i thought, 'cause i didn't study at all for it.
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i don't think its required at any park i know of.
I rarely wore a helmet for 19 seasons, but after i knocked myself out and broke a couple ribs (on a small kicker i'd been hitting all season) last year, i started wearing one.
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try Rakuten, but you probably won't find anything over 153
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47 has a passable park, nothing to leave home for tho. I can't reccommend it.
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Smokin has made one of the best boards i've ridden in my short 20 seasons of riding.
They are kinda rockered, but its very, very subtle, with basically the board flat between the feet. They consistantly place in TW Snoawboard mag's top 10 good wood. Plus, they come with a 3 year warranty.
http://www.smokinsnowboards.com/
I'm guessing the KT-22 is the model for you
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I'm not a fan of Shaun White, but it looks like he's set to win the Olympic Halfpipe again.
Unless the other compeditors can learn DOUBLE MCTWISTS in the next couple of weeks.
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have you told you parents about your 'experimenting'?
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unions are well made and responsive
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halfpipe is gonna be crazy. Shaun White upped the gnar bar this year by debuting a new trick, a double cork in a NZ comp, and eveyone has been running around to catch up, as its probably gonna be a deciding factor in winning.
Pro rider Kevin Pearce seriously messed himself up a couple of weeks ago trying them in practice. He recieved very serious head trauma, and that was with wearing a helmet.
Mammoth Mountain just held a halfpipe contest that secures the US team positions, and danny davis gave us a hint of what we'll be seeing in the Olympics
Ladies and gentlemen, the grarliest halfpipe run EVER
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Originally Posted By: Black MountainWho would want to get high at a resort anyway? Whatever you do in your own home (or accommodation) is your own business.
the dudes who hotbox the gondolas, apparently. I've ridden behind guys who put the windshields down on the quads, and in a couple of minutes it looks like its one fire with smoke coming out.
Its been a while since i've caugh the whiff of a jay while riding the lift
Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics
in Snow talk, trip reports, Japan avalanche & backcountry
Posted
Competitive halfpipe riding is lucrative. And yes, you are right, it IS competitive. I may have exaggerated the noncompetitivenss of it.
But compared to other sports, the competition is slightly different. You are competing in a large part, against friends. Which is to say, there is as much of the negative aspects or rivalries of other sports.
Shaun White is a very competitive fellow, and one of the reasons he does so well is because he utilizes the pressure of having to perform positively. So in a sense, he is competing against himself. Sorry if i overstated my case.
But snowboarding has grown despite not being in the Olympics until recently. Unlike other sports in t world where the Olympics reperesent the pinnacle of sporting events, snowboarding has got along for years without them, and only embraced them with mixed feelings. For many snowboarders, it is 'just another contest', just with the 'olympic' brand behind it. So for them, it may not hold the same significance as for say, a nordic biathalon athlete.
He may very well be a pompous ass. Which is still kinda beside the point.
The fact is, this whole thing is a joke to snowboarders like myself, kinda like the 'big' controversy surrounding Jasey Jay Anderson's medal revocation for testing positive for marijuana use.
A snowboarder smoking pot? A snowboarder with his shirt untucked?
The horror!
whatever.