Laird Hamilton anyone

[shamgod]

What's the consensus on this guy? He's always struck me as a narcissistic self promoter.I saw a movie called "Riding Giants" or something like that where he essentially dubbed himself "Greatest big wave surfer ever".

What's the verdict? World's nicest guy? Best big wave rider in history? a triumph of style over substance? A media creation ala Britney Spears? A legend in every way? Destined to open a 1-900 HOTLINE called "Talk nasty with Gabby"? Future Nobel Prize winner?

[JonS]

Laird Hamilton is the real deal. Arguably the greatest big-wave surfer of all time. A true waterman. His life story is pretty trippy...picked out his own father (Billy Hamilton) on the beach as a kid. About the only negative you'll ever hear about him is that he has yet to surf Mav's...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uoCsbxOgfv8

[Russell]

I first met Laird in 72 when his family moved to Kauai the same time I did. He was only about 7 or 8 then and couldn't surf the good waves yet but he was always on the beach. I almost literally surfed everyday with his dad. We were both Tunnels surfers and surfed it everyday until it got too big and then we surfed Hanalei. Laird lived a completely unique life. No on who has not lived on an Hawaiian outer island can know what it is like to grow up there and go to school as a blond haole. As difficult as that was, typical Yin/Yang of life, his dad was Billy Hamilton, and he lived in one of the most beautiful places on earth. It all made him who he is. He had to be tough enough to stare down the meanest locals and live up to his dad's legacy. Billy was one of the best surfers in the world at that time. He is best known for his consumate style but he charged and ripped from 2'to20'. In one of those movies Gerry Lopez called Laird the best big wave surfer ever. No one better qualified to make that call.

[shamgod]

. In one of those movies Gerry Lopez called Laird the best big wave surfer ever. No one better qualified to make that call.

I've never met Laird Hamilton, but I've produced a lot of infomercials and a big part of infomercials is the famed testimonial interview--all of which are paid for by the way. I've coached hundreds of people through product testimonials. And in the interview with Lopez, speaking from experience, I can assure that Gerry's response was coached--it's unfortunate because if the director knew what he was doing, he could have gotten a more authentic sounding reply from Gerry. What Gerry said, the way he said it that is, was laughable. There are tricks to doing this. Trust me, Laird may or may not be the greatest big wave surfer ever (a highly dubious claim for anyone to make) but don't for a second believe Lopez was giving anything other than a coached response.

[Russell]

I have known both Lopez and Laird personally for over 30 years. Of course Lopez is the ultimate shill who knows how to make a buck. Don't you think the Lightning Bolt was both a stroke of marketing genius and a gold mine! I surfed with Lopez at Cojo during the filming of Big Wednesday and you think he wasn't loving the super star treatment. From a cynical soul surfer perspective Laird was even worse being a GQ model. Before you call BS on Lopez and Laird take a long hard look at that vid, above. Remeber that Laird and Derrek Doerner invented tow surfing and then went out at Jaws with nobody else around and did it. I grew up here with the SB soul surfer anti-competition mentality and have never once heard TC brag about his surfing so I understand the cynicism, but I doubt anybody who is on the same level is going to call BS on either Laird or Lopez.

[shamgod]

I looked at part of that video. I'm not so much a fan of tow in surfing. paddling into a wave is part of the game. It doesn't seem like surfing to me. It undercuts a lot the things surfing is supposed to be about, like self reliance, strength, wave knowledge, awareness of personal limitation. If there is such a think as "Greatest big wave surfer ever", and I don't think there is, I certainly wouldn't base that moniker on what a guys does behind a jet ski with his feet strapped to the deck and helicopter flying overhead.

From a personal point of view, I can't think of anything more annoying than surfing a nice spot with some 750cc Jet ski buzzing through the break.

So I draw a big distinction between the accomplishments of Gerry Lopez and Laird Hamilton--Lopez built his reputation for dominating pipeline like no one else ever has. No Yamahas, no helicopter, no footstraps, Just a guy and his board proving it all day long.

[shamgod]

Laird Hamilton is the real deal. Arguably the greatest big-wave surfer of all time. A true waterman. His life story is pretty trippy...picked out his own father (Billy Hamilton) on the beach as a kid. About the only negative you'll ever hear about him is that he has yet to surf Mav's...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uoCsbxOgfv8

That last wave on the video isn't Laird.

[Russell]

Having surfed Hawaii every year from 1966 to 2005 and growing up here listening to all the big mouths who never did it and tried to claim they could if they wanted to, I have never towed and now never will. I surfed Hawaii as big as it was ridden before towing and I can say I am kind of glad I was too old once it came around, those waves can kill you. I guess my point is, if this was coming from someone who was an experienced big wave surfer and had the capability to tow surf Jaws but decided to paddle instead, it might have some credibility. As it is I'm calling BS. Laird and others are surfing death defying waves that could not be ridden paddling. Prove you could do it but choose not to and I might give you some cred.

[JonS]

In my opinion (arguably) the greatest big-wave surfer of all time has to be none other than Da Bull (Greg Noll). That wave in '69. Nobody else out. Maybe the biggest swell in the past 100 years. 1960's-era technology. Balls of granite. 'Nuff said.

:)

EDIT: I 'd like to throw in Bradshaw as a contender as well. Maybe we should make this a poll?

[Russell]

Shamgod may claim he was coached/paid too but Greg Noll called Laird the best ever. What I respect about Noll is doing it first with nobody out. I am old enough to have surfed epic giant surf with few out and it is scary. Fear loves company. Bradshaw and I are about the same age and he used to come to Kauai all the time when I lived there and I visted the North Shore regually the whole time I lived over there so I surfed with him a lot. Bradshaw has balls and lots of experience. He is a "very good" big wave surfer. He has no talent compared to a whole host of guys. I don't even want to get into it but my idol was Reno Abillera and a no name who won the Smirnoff two years in a row in macking Sunset in the 70's, my neighbor on Kauai, Jimmy Lucas was arguably the best big wave surfer I have ever seen. He surfed macked out Hanalei the way TC surfs overhead Rincon. I have seen him do vertical off the lips at what we used to call 15' macking Hanalei.

[shamgod]

Laird and others are surfing death defying waves that could not be ridden paddling. Prove you could do it but choose not to and I might give you some cred.

Oh I see, it's about me now. You're making a big mistake thinking anyone gives a rat's ass about who you think has or does not have "Cred." You're now off point, not arguing with substance, so ironically it's YOU that no longer has "CRED" and your constant references to who you know, where you've surfed etc makes you sound like a poser. That's what happens you start personalizing discussion--you lose.

By your way of thinking no one should comment on the superbowl unless they've played in the NFL.

You don't even know who I am. You shouldn't make judgments about people you know nothing about. Laird Hamilton has gone out of his way to promote himself and has become a media figure and as such is fair game for scrutiny. You're out of line on so many levels it's not even funny.

[JonS]

In the interest of community I'm going to close this thread. I'm hoping that we can keep the discussions peaceful, and not let them digress into a flameout.

Thanks for understanding.