Current Events > Are modern pro skateboarders better than Tony Hawk?

(+) Yeah! (+)

It seems like he would be pretty hard to pass in terms of talent.

One day someone will pull off the 901

Modern Pro Skaters are fucking gnar man. The game has changed for sure. And I dont even follow it that well but guys like Nyjah Huston are legit crazy good.

I think modern skateboarding is pretty boring.

He built the modern skateboarder.

Complete_Idi0t posted...

One day someone will pull off the 901

some kid did a 1080 but not on a half-pipe.

Robot2600 posted...

some kid did a 1080 but not on a half-pipe.

I once did a 1440 from a standing position

Tony Hawk is a legend. But, he was never a top tier street skater. In his prime, he ruled vert, but he's ancient for a pro skater. At this point, he's been surpassed, but it's a different world and he is still competing with kids young enough to be his grandchildren.

SiO4 posted...

He built the modern skateboarder.

CAS everywhere

CM_Ponch posted...

CAS everywhere

Hmm?

He pretty much rates the highest level trick he is capable of doing at level 17 out of 19 (current). level 20 and 21 reserved for future tricks. So even he knows there are better skaters than him these days. Also this is only relevant for vert skating.

That said level 18 is what he rated the 1080 which was done a megaramp. Level 19 done on a halfpipe tho.

https://youtu.be/OOg-4mtA3Zo

How many Battle at the Berrics did Tony Hawk win? Exactly zero.

I remember when Tony Hawk drove a Pizza Hut pick-up.

But Rodney Mullen is still a god on the street.

A thing that happens in every sport is progress. People build on the techniques and skills of the past, athletes become more athletic because more is know/competition is fiercer.

So you could look at it in two ways. 1) you compare like for like as they were in their prime in the age that they competed in, or 2) you imagine what Tony Hawk would be like if he grew up today, with his raw ability but all the modern learning.

In scenario 1, he'd be a bit of a joke. Like his 900 was such a huge achievement and now literal 10 year olds are outperforming that. Same goes for any sport. Put Pele against Messi (both in their prime) and pele would look slow and cumbersome. In scenario 2, you'd expect them to do as well as each other, maybe pele would be even better.

Ratchetrockon posted...

He pretty much rates the highest level trick he is capable of doing at level 17 out of 19 (current). level 20 and 21 reserved for future tricks. So even he knows there are better skaters than him these days.

Gosh, what an awesome person. The more I learn about Tony Hawk the more I love him.