2010 Laureus Awards Interview: Tony Hawk Still an Innovator in His Sport

The 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards are cashed, but there was far too much information consumed over the last few days to have gotten it all down before the climactic ceremonies.

Consequently, there will be several more stories trickling out of my laptop regarding the subject.

Since I've got 12 hours to kill in the Abu Dhabi International Airport before the one flight a day to Frankfurt departs (conveniently timed for 1:50 in the morning) and it's kind enough to offer free, lightning-quick Internet, I figured now's as good a time as any to relate one of the highlights of the trip.

On Wednesday, I was lucky enough to chat with skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, skateboard by his side. A telling bit of trivia considering the context was the inexplicably luxurious Emirates Palace hotel; i.e., if Tony Hawk were ever to be sans board, you'd imagine a seven-star hotel in the United Arab Emirates would be one of those times.

Nope.

The interview was a high point not because he's a particular hero of mine or because of any personal "I want to be this guy" reverence from my youth.

I clocked in at 6'2" and 160 pounds as a freshman in high school; my baseball coach once told me not to stand sideways at shortstop because he wouldn't see me. Yep, beanpole would be an apt description of me all the way back to elementary school (sadly, it no longer applies).

And not too many beanpoles have the necessary balance and agility to hop safely on a deck.

This is not speculation—this is experience talking.

So it was baseball, basketball, and a little soccer for me while more graceful practitioners navigated the world of loose trucks and kick flips (those are still appropriate terminologies, right?).

Nevertheless, I've always been keenly aware of Hawk.

Growing up in Northern California, more than a couple of my buddies actually were skaters and even more fancied themselves as such.

Additionally, one of my closest friends is an avid surfer and—let's face it—if it involves adrenaline, a board, and pulls chicks, it's close enough for government work.

Then there are Hawk's ubiquitous video games. I even gave those a try to about the same glorious success as the real thing, but with less blood.

More so than all of that, however, has been the evolution of his craft.

To put it in the words of the man, himself: “I can’t even say it’s a dream come true because I couldn’t have dreamed this...I didn’t ever dream of it.”

The quote from the San Diego native captures precisely what makes him so fascinating.

The dude has almost single-handedly taken an entire sport from the dark corner of counterculture obscurity and brought it into the popular light of the world. What's more, my man is only 41 years old.

In other words, the grand pooh bah has done it all in less than 30 years; he started riding at eight so we'll allow a small period for the learning curve. No wonder he never contemplated this reality; it would be an utterly laughable proposition had it not already happened.

If you doubt that this version of thrashing has gone global never to return, I offer a question posed by one of my American colleagues, Alan Abrahamson (it was actually his interview with Tony that I ducked in on so I owe him a big "thank you").

Alan is a decorated veteran of Olympic coverage and he brought up the subject of skating in the Summer Games. Understand, this wasn't some far-fetched hypothetical; that's not how Abrahamson works as far as I can tell.

This was a sincere question put to the Godfather of the sport.

Ever the pragmatist, Hawk conceded that it probably wouldn't happen until the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at the earliest.

But he was also quick to point out why it almost certainly will happen: "The Summer Olympics need skateboarding a lot more than skateboarding needs the Summer Olympics."

Brutal and absolutely true.

Hawk emphasized his point using snowboarding in the Winter Games as an example. The skate/surfing hybrid on snow has injected a modern sizzle to the event and it's no stretch to imagine the skateboard having a similar effect in the warmer months.

Can't really argue with that logic, which makes the inevitability surreal.

Who would've thought the "hobby" with an antisocial tint from my high school days could one day be in the discussion for that hallowed institution, the Olympic Games.

Again, if you put that possibility to the back-parking-lot grinders from my high school days, you'd've been uncharitably chased from the premises like the square you must be.

Under a hail of goth profanity and, possibly, lit cigarettes. You might even get a couple whips from the wallet-chain for good measure.

I mentioned this to the father of four (in not so many words).

“I liked that it set me apart, but I also wondered why more people weren’t into it.”

Well, skateboarding's foremost ambassador can stop wondering.

Millions upon millions have followed his lead and more are joining the ranks every day.

Yet he need have no fear because, no matter how many emulate him, Tony Hawk will always stand apart.

**www.pva.org**