Pro surfers who don't surf anymore??

[loco4olas]

Dinosaur: The reason MP doesn't surf isn't physical, it's a conscious decision on his behalf, ego-related according to the book. Although he would need a bigger more bouyant board now if he wanted to get back into it.

I haven't read the book but im pretty certain he's got scizophrenia. may as well be physical obstacle

Yeah, pretty sure that's right. I've read the book, makes a great read. Have it here in front of me and was trying to find what the illness was-just a little distracted.....he had a really heavy child hood from memory.

Suggest grabbing the book for a read-some really good stuff in there for anyone interested in MP and the 70's surf scene generally-which was pretty much the heyday IMO.

[sean--]

Not too sure if Joe Engel surfs anymore. Pretty sure he won Bells one year and a couple of pro juniors.

[buzzy]

My interest in surfing has waxed and waned over the years. My interest in pretty much anything waxes and wanes over time. I reckon it's absolutely normal to have your enthusiasms change over time.

Back in the day (although not back as far as pre-Rick Sunshine Surfing!!) I remember Kingsley being a really gentle and encouraging voice to this (then) little inept grommet. He'd lend me his boards and wetties, and gently push me to try harder. Mind you, this was the Zap era, and I think I was about the only other person who wanted to surf his board.

[Laurie McGinness]

I'll put in a good word for the Herring brothers. Making assumptions about drug and alcohol use from brief encounters is always risky but true or false, I have to say I'm always glad to see either or both of them....a good heart will shine through the shit. I'd rather have a chat to them than a hell of a lot of others with perhaps less problems of that nature! They are funny, down to earth and still preserve the stoke that made them great surfers in the first place.

[Hawkeye]

Shane I always liked, and still do. Decent bloke: always friendly, never arrogant. At least, in his dealings with me.

In his favour he has some good people behind him trying to help him get his life back in order. But he has to make some choices of his own - like whether he wants a life more than the booze, because he can't do both.

[Beerfan]

The mp book has some pretty sweet pics too !

[chrisb]

Dinosaur: The reason MP doesn't surf isn't physical, it's a conscious decision on his behalf, ego-related according to the book. Although he would need a bigger more bouyant board now if he wanted to get back into it.

I haven't read the book but im pretty certain he's got scizophrenia. may as well be physical obstacle

Yeah, pretty sure that's right. I've read the book, makes a great read. Have it here in front of me and was trying to find what the illness was-just a little distracted.....he had a really heavy child hood from memory.

Suggest grabbing the book for a read-some really good stuff in there for anyone interested in MP and the 70's surf scene generally-which was pretty much the heyday IMO.

It is true - MP was an undiagnosed schitzophrenic, hence his odd and sometimes anti-social behaviour in his prime. After diagnosis he was prescribed medication that curtails his schitzophrenia but slows his metabolism. As a result he has put on significant weight.

I gather from the book that MP's not unhappy, he just leads a simpler and comparatively sedentary life, sleeping in, going to the TAB etc. So I take your point "guard" we are probably looking at sadness etc. from our point of view rather than from the subject's ie. MP's, which is the one that really matters.

His schitzophrenia, or its medication, does not present a physical barrier to MP surfing. It was his choice not to surf largely because he knew that he couldn't replicate his glory days and he always wanted to be the best.

Remember that as a schitzophrenic he was the best in the world.

Terry Fitzgerald is quoted in the book contemplating if MP's schitzophrenia was diagnosed earlier whether he would have reached the great heights that he did. Makes you think.

I too thoroughly recommend the book as a great read.

[Grant Moss]

Where the fvck do all you shitheads get the gall to psychoanalyse people most of you have never met before.

I think the question that started this off was does anyone know of any ex pros who don't surf anymore? NOT who knows of an ex pro we can sanctimoniously tear to shreds to make ourselves feel like better people than them.

You fvckwits.

[Karlos]

Where the fluffybunny do all you shitheads get the gall to psychoanalyse people most of you have never met before.

I think the question that started this off was does anyone know of any ex pros who don't surf anymore? NOT who knows of an ex pro we can sanctimoniously tear to shreds to make ourselves feel like better people than them.

You cloodle.

Ummm, who exactly is being 'torn to shreds'? I haven't read the MP book, but as far as I've heard, it actually addresses his schizophrenia, whch I would presume was actually diagnosed at some stage. So I don't actually think anyone's doing any real psychoanalysing of anyone.

As far as the original question goes, doesn't it go without saying that most of us would be curious as to WHY they don't surf anymore? I'd certainly like to know. Would've been a pretty short-lived topic otherwise.

Relax.

[Sausage]

Where the fluffybunny do all you shitheads get the gall to psychoanalyse people most of you have never met before.

I think the question that started this off was does anyone know of any ex pros who don't surf anymore? NOT who knows of an ex pro we can sanctimoniously tear to shreds to make ourselves feel like better people than them.

You cloodle.

I agree, I knew Shane well before he rose to fame, he seemed ok as a teenager, he had his problems like everyone.
Just so veryone knows,(in my opinion) Shane surfed DY point better than anyone, his first rock take offs are legendary, even Garth Dicko was outshined by him well before he became a pro surfer.
One thing is for sure the world isnt perfect and people arent always going to turn out like they are expected to. People make choices and sometimes they are not the best choises. Im sure he lived and surfed more than most people would in a lifetime.

Dont pity these guys just celebrate there contirbution to surfing no matter how brief.

[chrisb]

Where the fluffybunny do all you shitheads get the gall to psychoanalyse people most of you have never met before.

I think the question that started this off was does anyone know of any ex pros who don't surf anymore? NOT who knows of an ex pro we can sanctimoniously tear to shreds to make ourselves feel like better people than them.

You cloodle.

Thanks Karlos, Sausage and Dinosaur - I suspect that I am one of those to which grunter's comments were directed. In addition to your responses, and I agree with them all, you no doubt noticed grunter's internal contradictions ie. accusing us of psychoanalysing people we haven't met yet here he is passing judgement on us, people he doesn't know and pretending to know our motives for our comments.

Who's the sanctimonious one now grunter ?

For the record, my comments on MP are based on his authorised biography, a bio that was written by a respected author. I have complete confidence that MP's book is totally truthful.

Other than my opinion that MP's book is a great read, everything else I said about MP is supported by his bio.

[buzzy]

chris, I agree with everything you say, bar one. Even an authorised biography will contain untruths. Indeed, especially an authorised biography will contain untruths. That is not to denigrate the motives of the author, subject or other characters, but the reality is that recollections deteriorate over time, people have the tendency to reconstruct events and people like to portray themselves in a favourable light. I'd say the book is an interesting insight, and most likely substantially accurate, but even with the best of intentions there will be omissions, inventions and untruths in the book.

[Grant Moss]

Sorry prescious.

Now that I know you don't like it when people put things in internet forums that you think might be bagging you, I promise not to do it again.

[Nick Carroll]

I think the question that started this off was does anyone know of any ex pros who don't surf anymore?

Yeah ... and that leads in an instant to this question: why not? Why would a really good surfer stop?

It's not a silly question at all for a group of surfers to bandy about between 'emselves, everyone's shown respect I reckon. Ease up a bit there buddy.

[pig champion]

Sorry prescious.

Now that I know you don't like it when people put things in internet forums that you think might be bagging you, I promise not to do it again.

lookout ... mr angry has come out to play ... or maybe mr schizophrenic?

take your own advice, tough guy ---->>> Get off the computer & go outside there's better things to do out there.

[Beanpole]

Gee I forgot about this thread and when I come back to it theres a blue going on.
I guess its inevitable that people would focus on MP considering the topic but he is an extreme example. That bio sheds light on a lot about his motivation. Consider being a paranoid schizophrenic and someone who couldn't walk down the street in Coolangatta without every surfer in the place watching your every move
The book tends to paint him as just a passive victim but really he was a major operator in and out of the surf. He managed to burn a lot of people who were mesmerised by his profile.

[Laurie McGinness]

The MP saga has been analysed to death. It's all very sad but the really interesting question is why is it just assumed that a pro (or anyone else?) who stops surfing is some sort of failure? Sorry to disappoint anyone who thought otherwise but surfing is not the only way to add meaning to your life.....if it stops working for you, stop doing it! perfectly reasonable!

[nthnbeachesguy]

Hmm anyone know what became of matt branson. Heard a rumour he was no a fully fledged member of the club that goes swanning through the city once a year on big parade floats? Dunno if he still surfs anymore, last thing i remember bout him in the popular press was as a stabbing victim in the cross or something???

I think MP's bio is probably the only major surfing bio i havent read, from mind Mr Sunset the Jeff Hakman story is possibly the most interesting, or at least one of the better written. A lot of em are just pop culture garbage that i could have done without reading. Even with all his problems Hakman still surfed and considering his problem was heroin addiction makes u wonder at what the others were going through that distracted em so much they no longer surfed?