Tony Hawk has a feature in the New York Times Jobs section. I guess the job he’s talking about is being a professional skateboarder. Sure, it can be a career choice for a select few, but it’s not exactly a viable choice for most of us… especially with the competition that is out there. 90% of the kids at the skatepark want to be a professional skateboarder – who wouldn’t? Kids who’ve skated for 3 weeks are already working on their sponsorship videos.

I’m not the best writer in the world, but I’ve had enough education and experience to spot a bad writer. Tony Hawk is a great skateboarder and business man… but a bad writer/story teller. Skateboarders need a more educated person, like John Rattray, to represent us in the New York Times. But then again, who gives a crap… it’s skateboarding, not rocket science.

Here’s the article:

THE BOSS

For Tony Hawk, the Skateboard Is a Canvas

I STARTED skateboarding because I never fit in with team sports. I was so energetic as a kid, and skating became my outlet. It was like finding a blank canvas.

You can skateboard however you want, any style. You don’t have to listen to a coach or rely on a team. I played basketball and baseball but never felt that I was improving. But every time I skated, I got better at it.

When I started, the industry was relatively small, and there weren’t many competitions. There was no governing organization. To reach a professional rank, I simply checked the box on the form for professional instead of amateur. To enter competitions today, you need the support of sponsors and you have to qualify. continue…