Author Topic: State of the Sport 2015  (Read 47013 times)

SUPcheat

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #90 on: April 25, 2015, 10:14:01 PM »
Japanese fashion looks like it has gone completely technicolor rococo pimpsville.
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TallDude

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #91 on: April 25, 2015, 10:41:12 PM »
Possibly the effects of radiation?  ::) I mean I surf at Nuc's and I've been told I glow green.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2015, 10:43:05 PM by TallDude »
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SUPcheat

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #92 on: April 25, 2015, 10:44:00 PM »
They are hung with so many medallions and emblems, they look like my refrigerator, only without the realtor magnets.
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TallDude

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #93 on: April 26, 2015, 09:58:33 PM »
Getting back to the 'State of the Sport 2015', lets review the growth of ocean racing. Then and now.

BOP then

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSPNxJJ2B1w


BOP now   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpdWwPqwau4

We've come a long way! Too bad we don't know where we're going.
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SUPcheat

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #94 on: April 26, 2015, 11:46:23 PM »
Am I a bad person for finding the BOP carnage entertaining?
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feet

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #95 on: April 27, 2015, 02:54:01 AM »
Am I a bad person for finding the BOP carnage entertaining?

No, it simply means youre in the 99%. Somebody somewhere did the stats, and only 1% of BOP viewers didn't enjoy the carnage.

But seriously, it is really fun to watch and it would really be great for TV.  Golf is an okay game to play in person, but I cannot understand how people can watch it on TV.  In comparison, BOP style races are entertaining and exciting.  I mean, if we consider how we broadcast things like bowling, cycling, marathons, nascar, etc.; SUP racing is so much more fun to watch.  I'd be shocked if this doesn't make the ABC/NBC/CBS saturday afternoon summer sports programming within a year or two. 

TallDude

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #96 on: April 27, 2015, 06:59:20 AM »
So does expanded viewership of such events grow the sport, or deter the potential newbie?
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spookini

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #97 on: April 27, 2015, 08:50:02 AM »
Being a participant makes any sport more interesting to watch.  Golf is very watch-able, if you golf.  Cycling is fascinating to watch -- if you know what's going on.

SUP?  For a non-paddler, I imagine it'd be boring as hell to watch -- less exciting than Olympic rowing or canoe'ing.  Except for the carnage part.  Crashes make everything more interesting.
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surf4food

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #98 on: April 27, 2015, 11:22:08 AM »
So does expanded viewership of such events grow the sport, or deter the potential newbie?


I would like to think that average non SUPer viewing BOB for the first time would have the ability to differentiate crashes and carnage at BOB from just going out for a flat water paddle session.  Plus airing it in such a way to cut to scenes of people cruising around in a calm lake and showing the diversity of the sport I think would spark interest.

lucabrasi

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #99 on: April 27, 2015, 11:40:26 AM »
Being a participant makes any sport more interesting to watch.  Golf is very watch-able, if you golf.  Cycling is fascinating to watch -- if you know what's going on.

SUP?  For a non-paddler, I imagine it'd be boring as hell to watch -- less exciting than Olympic rowing or canoe'ing.  Except for the carnage part.  Crashes make everything more interesting.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0NDjR9C28o

I agree tho I do find curling somewhat fascinating every four years without carnage and I have never curled anything.

« Last Edit: April 27, 2015, 11:44:12 AM by lucabrasi »

PonoBill

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #100 on: April 27, 2015, 12:16:38 PM »
Really, the last BOP was a gas, great fun for me. I was the goober to the right of Doctor Danger on the Standamaran at about 1:40--on my knees. I got out clean in the sprint, got pounded in the distance race and had to restart at the tail end of the 14's. I was in that mess at 4:40--not a great place to be on a 17' board, but I got lucky and found a hole in the logjam.

I've been in every BOP since the first one, and Salt Creek was right up there with the best of them. Don't let the carnage outtakes keep you from doing it.

I practiced surfing my 12' 2" every day for the week before, and had the re-entry down pretty well, and then I chickened out on the surf class because it got huge--everyone was flocking to it for obvious reasons, and I knew the 14 and 12'6" boards would still be swilling around in the break when they launched last, so I switched to my 17 bullet, which was a good choice for the sprint since they started us first,  in a good lull, not so good in the distance, when the announcing goobers stalled the launch and chucked us into a set. Surfing my 17 in was a little different than the 12', but I didn't have too bad a time of it either day.

Do it. It's SO much fun. Geez, two more and I'll be in 70+ group. That's a sobering thought.
« Last Edit: April 27, 2015, 12:23:20 PM by PonoBill »
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surfcowboy

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #101 on: May 03, 2015, 09:03:47 AM »
And, as a state of the sport indicator, BOP is gone?

I gotta say, more women and more focus on things to attract women on the land couldn't have hurt them. My wife loved the event but completely for the hang and to watch.

Lots of disposable income and they influence a ton of purchases for a household, women are good friends for an industry to have.

I live in LA, all the girls that surf here wear wetsuits so if you want to show women accurately to me, put them in a 4/3 cause that's how I see them most often.

Since this thread has really gone into "the state of the zone" I'll add my thoughts. This is an old boy's club and from its design/look to its content, the Zone is really not aiming for a younger and more female crowd. (This is where we get into my opinions and know that I'm not attacking, just offering thoughts. No malice or harsh criticism meant, I love this forum as most can tell from my activity.)

Admin, a software update and UI pass might not be a bad thing to consider but please be careful, do it well with a good company. (And TEST on a beta site before migrating!!!) Even the old dog swaylocks got a new look this year. (And yeah, it was a nightmare but at least it looks like 2008 over there instead of Netscape 1996.) in the age of Facebook people expect a clean easy to use UI. The content will follow, I'll bet. I'd be happy to advise and you have enough solid tech folks on here that this place could get pretty great.

If not I'll still be here and I'll post media as I can but making that all easier would skyrocket pics and video posts I'll bet.

Maybe we could start a friendly thread on proposed features and folks could help collect the good ones.

I'll start. Declare officially supported photo sharing sites that work seamlessly with the Zone. Do the same with video and make sure that the link codes are compatible so that it's effortless to share media here. I have given up on posting pics at times due to the hassles and I own a software development company and have used and done light web programming for over 15 years. I hate to think what happens to casual users who try.

I'm willing to be on the advisory board, this site has been a lot of fun for me over the years. I want it to grow and flourish.


Admin

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #102 on: May 03, 2015, 09:40:09 AM »

Admin, a software update and UI pass might not be a bad thing to consider but please be careful, do it well with a good company. (And TEST on a beta site before migrating!!!)

Hi SC

We are running the current version of SMF with the Default theme.  The vast majority of forum sites run on one of 3 (fairly equal) forum platforms.  If anyone wanted to attempt write code to compete with the years of development, complexities and ecosystems that are reflected in each of those software lines it would cost many millions.  The existing forum lines are all free. :)

We use the Default theme which, although it is quite basic looking, auto updates without breaking when the SMF base code is updated (which happens frequently).  We could choose a custom theme (skin) like Swaylocks has but that means that every plug in (the Zone uses 85 plug ins) can break at each update.  Even without a custom skin a few break with every update. 

I would like to see a SMF default theme go to a responsive design and that is rumored to be in the works.  Not sure of an ETA though.

The way video and photos (and most other behaviors) on forum sites are handled are by 3rd party mods or plug ins.  These are written by developer teams and offered for either free or for sale to forum owners.  The ones that we use are pretty well the defacto standards. 

Please let me know what issues you are having posting photos or videos and I will be happy to troubleshoot.  Video should be as simple as pasting an URL from any major site into your post.  Photos can either be embedded (from any site) or uploaded via the attachments option below the posting window.

« Last Edit: May 03, 2015, 09:45:52 AM by Admin »

PonoBill

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #103 on: May 03, 2015, 11:47:10 AM »
I understand what SC means about look and feel, but forums are forums. I belong to quite a few, and the zone is as pretty and user friendly as most. Several of the motorcycle forums I am on have recently undergone substantial theme changes and perhaps some customization. Not what I could call an improvement. Reliability has gone down the tubes, and for some reasons the spammers are much more prevalent and stay longer before getting zapped. Compared to most forums the zone is remarkably spam free. That must take a crazy amount of work, or some pretty good software, or good policies, or all three.

I think the underlying notion of this forum being more interesting to women if it underwent some kind if spring cleaning is fundamentally flawed. If I had any rule for marketing, it is that for it to be effective it much have razor-sharp focus and purpose. Anything less is just the pink board syndrome. Once a site has evolved as long as this one has, any attempt to change the focus is more likely to lose ground than gain. Its just applying guesswork and belief insted of data and experience.

Yeah, I know, facebook has a timeline. They tweak the UI frequently. Lots of people on Facebook therefore... 

If you really think the BOP could have been saved or even helped by making some effort to attract more women, then I'm at a loss as to what more I could say other than: Nah.
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lucabrasi

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Re: State of the Sport 2015
« Reply #104 on: May 03, 2015, 12:09:42 PM »
If you really think the BOP could have been saved or even helped by making some effort to attract more women, then I'm at a loss as to what more I could say other than: Nah.
Maybe could say, Hey baby.........wanna BOP?

 


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