Thursday 22 April 2010

Perspective: Flatland eats itself...

Few days ago, I got this article from someone who wishes to remain Anonymous. A lot of interesting points maybe from a different perspective than you.


Flatland eats itself.
I have been observing a downward spiral that a lot of people aren’t seeing. People everywhere that ride flat aren’t recognizing what is happening and are definitely not looking at the big picture. I hope that me writing this at least has one person take a step back and realize the big problems. Yes I have left my name out, because I do not want to be attacked for the things I have to say.


* Old School Flat riders are what killed flatland.
The lack of respect in this statement alone is astounding. On numerous sites conversations are happening saying old school riders didn’t progress enough and that they killed the sport. I wonder how anyone could be so blind. Look at Kevin Jones or Chase Gouin. If you say they haven’t progressed flatland then you are off your rocker. How do you think every trick came to be? Old school riders invented them. Those “New School” tricks where done a decade or more ago… they have just advanced into a new stage. Yes they have been altered, put in different links, scuffed and pumped beyond belief, but think about who first discovered that trick. If you think old school tricks and riders didn’t progress think again. It’s similar to this… We started having light with a flame, and then Ben Franklin invented the light bulb. Which we have now taken and “progressed” it to a light bulb that can last for years on barely any electricity. Just like flatland. We went from one whiplash to Chase thinking up unimaginable ways of whiplashing. From singular tricks, to scuffing and pumping, slow to super fast speeds, links made up of 10 tricks. Old school invented new school. It is Progression! One day our new school will be old school and a new generation of flatland will appear. All riders are inventing new ways to link and new ways to progress. Stop putting down old school riders. Without them, you wouldn’t have 90% of your tricks.


* Old School vs. New School has got to stop.
If you want a sport to keep moving forward you all need to come together and stop comparing, asking each other to change and trying to force beliefs on each other. To be honest it would move the whole sport forward if there were not any categories. Look at a sport like Football. They look up to the players that started the sport, applaud the men that walked that field before them. We should be doing the same. No old vs. new, no categories, just flatland! We ride how we want to because it is FREESTYLE! Let one another have passion for the way they ride and have respect for it!


*New riders seem to believe they have to learn to ride “new” school.
Think about what that means. That you are riding the way someone makes you feel you should ride. Stop. Just ride how you want and progress towards your OWN goals, no one else’s. If you aren’t enjoying what you are learning and aren’t riding how your heart desires then you will stop progressing and / or stop riding. Don’t think that you have to pick a side or ride old school or new school. There shouldn’t be any pressure towards a new rider to ride one-way or the other. There shouldn’t be teasing over riding with or without brakes. A new rider can ride however they want… but to push them to follow a trend.. Like brakeless is bad… they will loose passion for it because the amount of tricks will go down and the tricks will be harder for them to learn brakeless first. I am all about riding whichever way feels right… but learning building blocks usually with brakes will let a new rider learn quicker and will keep them in flatland. Rather than pressured to do advanced tricks that are so hard and frustrating already and then minus the building blocks will only turn them away. Every rider has a style and a goal… don’t push each other to ride a certain way or to follow a certain trend. If they want to learn an advanced trick before they know the building blocks go for it…but we need to motivate each other in positive ways that can help our riding rather than limit it.


* Respect is what keeps a sport alive.
Talking badly about other riders, other techniques, judging and styles is what kills flatland. Opinions are good to have, IF you can voice them diplomatically and without putting someone down. If a forum is up and all people see is bad mouth about styles, judging, riders, contest floors, media and so on…Why would any sponsor, venue, park, contest coordinator or big contest want to include us. The first thing they assume will happen is that the flatlanders are going to put them down, damage their reputation or make them feel horrible when they worked their ass off and spent a lot of money to try and help out the sport. We need to recognize that whenever we complain about something put together for us, there are serious consequences. And of course no one will EVER be happy with how judging goes down but you have to try and view it from all sides. As hard as that is. And even if you still don’t understand or agree is there a reason to go on and on for a month or more? Not only are you preventing sponsors to want to provide for the next contest, you are in a way disrespecting riders who have no control over the judging. It also may make other riders not compete the following year because they don’t want to be talked badly about if someone doesn’t agree with their placing. You should really just look at all of the contest and remember how great it was to ride, or to jam with other riders. Look at the BIG picture! That is what really matters. Remember no matter which way a contest is judged that there is always going to be someone unhappy about it. Get over it.


* Live feed should be prohibited because it prompts more riders to come and support the contest. Live feed only ignites bad talking on forums. These people don’t get the feel of all of the riders together. Also this shows supporters (non-riders) that flatland is a family and we came to support fellow riders. This will probably also stop the flood of bad mouthing by people that weren’t even there. Show sponsors for contests, the coordinators and the venue that we really do appreciate it and their efforts. Which in turn will get us more contest, which means the sport, will grow larger and more appreciated. We need to always show the coordinator respect. They have taken time out of their life, spent months of planning and money on us. So no matter what happens at a contest we need to show that person we are grateful.


* Respect other riders.
Respecting other riders, helping and encouraging others rather than putting each other down or talking smack is what builds momentum for flatland. Sadly, I’m noticing more and more that respect and tactfulness have been lost. If you don’t like another rider why is it that you have to belittle them, why not just leave it be. Most of the time people talk down about other people to see if others will respond because in a sad way it makes them feel better about themselves. In the nicest way…. Grow up. I don’t ride for approval, but for the love of flatland. It is a small community and supporting and encouraging will let it grow. New riders don’t want to be afraid of getting talked down to, or to ask questions. So we should show to ourselves and others that the passion we have can be transferred and that will welcome new rider, more contests and more jams.


* Global Flat needs to be monitored.
This is a big problem. I’m sorry but talking shit and ungrateful comments should be taken down. We are adults and should know how to talk about things, and if you don’t have a good thing to say don’t say anything. If there is rumor talk or hatefulness it should be removed. Realize that all the negativity is de motivating. It helps nothing and kills the sport. I know some wont agree but it is fact. On numerous occasions riders, without me saying anything, talk about how depressing global flat is to read and how they don‘t want to ride after reading the negative comments. I already know your response… “Don’t read it then”. Well that is just bullshit to be frank. Global is for flat riders so we shouldn’t have to “not read it“. Just remember everything has a consequence. Negativity is diminishing this sport. Why would someone want to be involved in a bad mouthing sort. They want to see the passion and positive feedback. Let’s face it, Global is in need of serious monitoring.
I hope that you all have actually read this without bias and understand what I am pointing out. We started riding for fun and then love. We need to remember this and motivate each other, teach others and keep flatland alive. We need to respect flatland and each other. If we were to bring other riders up and not bad mouth, think of were flatland would be and what level it would take us.


Thanks for reading.

25 comments:

flatmatters said...

Lot of interesting points, respect, monitoring, i think "respect" holds the key to what is written here, its deals with all issues covered. we do seem to go over old ground constantly after every big contest, which is frustrating I think for everyone involved, and in the past has seen flatland out of the x games, for example.
Positive vibes motivate more riders into the sport for sure!

EZChris said...

tbh nothing new being said here, just regurgitating old arguments and statements allready being voiced. Im thinking this will just add to the fire rather than just getting on with it and riding a bike.

The point about live feeds was interesting, but also really stupid. Think of it this way - I can get a live feed, and a live recording of high contrast playing at say SnowBombing or somthing - but if I had the money i'd sure as hell still pay to see him play. I think the same goes with attending contests, if people can they generally will.

I stay well clear of these topics btw, theyre all kinda self destructive.

flatmatters said...

Good points chris. See what your saying about self destructive. When you back down south anyway buddy? You going to Luton?

A said...

Bottom line is that we ride ,politics will always play a major part in riding in what's cool and what's not etc as for this old school new school divide thing there is none apart from our age's .
we all ride and do whatever we like as in the term freestyle life's too short for conflicts of interest.
signed anonymous aged 78 ha ha.

Raso said...

Lot's of complaining going on here, I don't think that all this negativism really goes on for REAL except on the mentioned forum ... I didn't see people jump up and complain when the judges passed Trevor. It's time to get over it.

jm said...

This article hit on some valid points; mainly that we need to keep perspective and not generate so much bad vibe online. Our opportunities in flatland are fleeting and fragile. I hope in the future we see less complaining and more thanks, more respect. It's not entirely about changing our opinions, but more so about tactfully expressing them in a way that does not lessen our unity or chance of success. If we have no respect, we'll get none back.

That Joe Miller said...

Old school, new school, I never liked school!

tod.borndead said...

I believe there are some very valid points being made with this post, especially the point about respect. Also, the comment about FREEstyle is spot on. Let people be themselves...which leads me to the comment about Global needing to be monitored more. To put it bluntly, I just don't agree with suppression of free speech. Flatland forums are a community, and silencing any speech is not needed. With that said, I do hope that people can learn to restrain themselves, and use a little tact. Bashing other people is just not needed. My signature on Global..."Passing judgement can be the ultimate compensation for one's own shortcomings."

Thanks for spreading that positivity E...I like your attitude about flat.

Lea said...

Valid.... And I don't believe that was about taking freedom of speech away.. simply saying that have ur opinion just say it in a more respecting way.. or it get's taken down. I agree!

Anonymous said...

even though i kind of agree with some of the things you were saying, i find this whole post very lame. Strip free speech for an online forum? That just makes no sense to me at all. If you can't handle any sort of negativity amongst a group of people how do you even function? The whole thing about taking down the live feeds is clearly insane and it seems you werent thinking when you came up with that idea. I believe more people watching a competition online only furthers the expansion of the flatland scene. Lots of people obviously couldn't make it to jomopro, so why shouldn't they be able to watch a live stream just because they live too far away or have a job. The funniest part is when you say "do what you want, its freestyle" but than a second later your like, don't ride brakeless in the beginning because its harder lol..

Anonymous said...

What utter fooking bilge!
That's your perception mr anon.
Have your crisis elsewhere!!

what!! said...

I don't quite understand why everyone feels the need to do this whole "hey man just chillax and stop being so negative" shit when clearly there are a ton of problems in the sport not being addressed by these very same people.

Old school RIDING isn't what has hurt flatland, it's old school RIDERS who refuse to acknowledge anything happened after 1995. Huge huge difference. Nobody ever spoke badly about Chase or Kevin or whoever, it was the old nuthuggers that kept reminding everyone that Kevin did lots of tricks first etc. Yeah, he did. Great. We get it. There are a lot of other guys doing new tricks today yet so many older guys will not hand an ounce of respect out for them.

Basically this is just a bunch of nonsensical pie in the sky rhetoric written by an older guy out of touch with how most newer and older riders feel about the sport.

jm said...

A lot of us have strong opinions on this, with regards to contest fallout, I'm one of the "chillax" guys in the sense that I feel we need to fix our problems in an efficient and professional matter, not weeping about injustices online. Our community, at least on the net, has a tendency to flip out any time there is a problem, and instead of getting a solution we shut down the show. With regards to "free speech" I think the point is to look at the bigger picture and discuss things in a way that will work towards positive outcomes as opposed to merely rehashing complaints. sorry for the rant, I'm done.

Anonymous said...

TJ Perry is the reason for all the BS. And he is a very over-rated flatlander. Only thing he will ever be good at is global-flat.

Footprints In the Spam said...

There's still some mad respect and reverence for the old school out there. Check out what I found while Googling for old school BMX legends.

http://dannysirkinsuperfan.blogspot.com

Burd said...

The part in this post about not allowing live feeds from comps is unbelievably wrong. Do you really think sponsors of events want *less* coverage? Are you kidding me?

This is part of what's wrong with flatland right now... some people think that keeping the sport in the dark is the best way to make it grow...

FLATlinINGbmx said...

i ride because i love our sport to learn and jam with my bros and i have on thing to say old school new school its all the same school now im off to ride

Hugo said...

Monitor Global-Flat? That is just ridiculous, the world has fought enormous wars to stop tyranism and totalitarian power, let's not go back to censorship and such, if riders don't want to feed those negative vibes then don't discuss them, One thing is for sure, they will still be valid points of view.

surfer_atomico said...

Good points,but, us riders @ Global-Flat can take care of our selves.

A said...
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A said...
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A said...

" old school RIDERS who refuse to acknowledge anything happened after 1995" quote from What!!

Well i never knew this i must remind myself this every time i ride , shame on me for not realising this valid point and refusing to believe it .

The word respect or lack of springs to mind in this case if it wasn't for "old school" there would be no " new school" self explanatory really.

A said...
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A said...

"There are a lot of other guys doing new tricks today yet so many older guys will not hand an ounce of respect out for them " quote from What!!

This really does make me laugh

Respect works both ways bro you have to earn it to get it and vice versa and i certainly do not see that Examples Trevor Meyer,Chase,K Jones etc go and rant on Global to see how much hate there is from the young guns TJ Perry is a prime example,and as for old school riders (god i hate that term) ruining flatland god give me strength how will it recover blah blah blah ,the only thing ruining it is lack of support or lack of riders simple really, regardless of age which is blatant discrimination an easy excuse in my opinion.

A said...
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