The Dumont's Empire

Aussiepimp, you don't know shit about it. Yes, some FIS events have floundered because of piss poor management, some simply faltered because the public lost interest (aerials), still others have done just fine (snowboarding).

Terje didn't want to go to the Olympics so he didn't, good for him. Those that did go were all stoked. Someone like Danny Kass now has the opportunity to benefit from both sides of snowboarding, pro events, and FIS comps like the Olympics.

Snowboarding is a great example of how a sport that has a life outside of FIS, can use FIS to their advantage (Olympic opportunity), Freeskiing is in a similar stage, it has a strong life of it's own outside of FIS, so all FIS can do for pipe at this stage, is offer more opportunities for athletes. Those who don't want to do FIS events don't have to.

I'm sick of people like you, who obviously would never have a chance in hell of going to the Olympics, shooting their mouth off trying to shut down the idea for all of those athletes who are actually on top of the sport and want to go.

Gnar stuff i will totally buy some empire swag when it comes on sale thats sweet a freeride center company thats gonna kick some butt

Skiercross got approved over halfpipe... halfpipe needs to have a well established FIS WC circuit before it will get into the olympics. From what I hear the FIS halfpipe the judging is still pretty unfair, and biased. Kinks need to be worked out with that before it gets IOC approval. But it would be nice too see halfpipe in the olympics...

I know this text my be long to read, but if you're smart enough to get out of high school it shouldn't take more than 10 minutes and I really do think it makes sense. Feel free to flame though!

I don't understand how people on NS could say "I don't want more exposure / more money / more ppl involved in the sport if it becomes a mainstream pro sport"? I mean, I use to be on NS a few years ago, my user number was like 15 000 something. Should I be mad at everyone that registers after me? Think about it for a god damn second! Everyone was stoked when NS had some great opportunities (cause it was going directly to you?) Don't get me wrong, I love NS and I do think it's good that it can grow, but it should just be the same for skiing in general!

Let's say, Seth Morrison, wich I think everyone will agree to say that he has pushed the sport, has been one of the most proefficent skier, one that kinda started all that "pro" aspect of skiing and probably never skied for the money. HOWEVER, I remember sharing ideas with him at some point and he was like "I can't understand how Tanner H. gets so much money. After a trip to AK and the travel money from my sponsors I can barely save up to 10 000$". I'm sure Seth doesn't ski for the money, BUT if he had more maybe he could go in AK, in Europe, South America and just travel everywhere to ski, film, enjoy!

Money is not about being a Sell-Out. I'm def. not a fan of the cockyness and the way I use to see guys like Dumont, T. Hall, Pete O., and all those gangsta kids out there. But you know what, who am I to judge without knowing them PERSONALLY. I've met Pete O. two summers ago at High North and every summer since then, I met Simon this summer and more recently in Montreal at IF3 and T. Hall at IF3 again (I even had to pick him up from the ground to get him in the bar) and you know what, I totally changed my mind about them. They're not as cocky as it might seem. Let's put it this way: they're not affraid of saying what they think and YES they might have a lot of confidence, but doing what they do, the way they do it, it's normal to have a lot of confidence. And even if they're arguably three skiers that can ski to live, I don't think they are skiing in order to raise money and just stop skiing after. Sure they want more money, get some luxury, but it would only help them to ski more (not less).

I already hear ppl calling me a sell-out. I'm not a pro, I probably never will and there's one thing you have to realize. How many skiers are out there, not only freestyle / freeride, but skiers in general? A TON! More than Hockey players. Is there more money involved in Professional Hockey (for North Americans). FOR SURE! How many people are saying "yeah I'm sponsored by Nike/Bauer or Reebok cause I'm just that good in hockey?" Honnestly, it's not common and trust me I've played a high level. Getting more money in the sport doesn't more "randies" getting sponsored. Oakley won't sponsor kids that don't know what they're doing. Big companies, with a lot of money, won't spend it for no reason. Top pros will get more $, sports will get more exposure, progression will just be faster and faster and you guys will just be able to say in 50 years from now "yeah I was part of the small community at that time!"

Props to schmuck.

Props to Simon.

Props to NS.

Props to everyone that skis, no matter if you are a pro, a soul-skier or an online (NS poster) skier!

that was my 2 cents!

Oh yeah, it would be nice to see skier halfpipe as a demonstration event in 2010 at LEAST.. I mean, the infastructure is all there for snowboarding, might as well give it a chance to prove itself, so there might be consideration for 2014...

^^ sorry I'm just sick of brainless ppl and all this kiddy acting. It remains me the "Cyber-"""SPORT"""" community. It's ran, played and followed by kids (usually ppl under 23 or so). If you aspire to be pro be professional, NOT JUST GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO!

i like

yo tride your a retard, I was on a state mogul team just below making junior national team for moguls before I quit, ive been skiing since the begining of freeskiing and I saw people doing grabs as early as 1995/96 +I compete on the big mountain world tour and im a beter skier than you.. just because you dont agree with my opinion doesnt mean you can make bull shit up like that.. and i think all the facts above give me a preety good insite into what will happen if half pipe ends up an olympic sport...

I think skiing is fine the way it is people are already making good money look at jon,tanner, dumont, henrick, gurlain ect ect. I dont want skiing to be like snowboarding and to be cool in the mainstream then more kooks like you will do the sport and every one will sell out ride for massive compaies like target that use sweat shop labour to produce shitty good that fall apart for mass production, no hate on dumont he just wants to get paid but in the end. the bigger skiing gets the more people are on the hill the more rules and it will do the same thing freestyle did in the early 80s' crash and burn, history repeats its self... so FUCK FIS and there rules and national teams ...

hiring that schmuck guy was such a good call for this site. every article of his i've read so far has been an obvious step up in quality from the typical articles. not trying to say others were bad, but his are just on a higher level. and my pops is one of the best sports journalists in the country and has been since before i was born 27 years ago so i'm not just blowing smoke up his ass.

as far as simon's company goes, i wish him luck because he's gonna need it.

i'm still undecided on olympic hp though. but comps have never really been my cup of tea anyway.

Yo aussiepimple, sweet claims mate! Oooooh an Australian state mogul team! Woweee, that sure gives you a lot of experience with FIS at a World Cup level doesn't it? You never even made it to a Nor-Am or Europa Cup, so tell us again how experience at Aussie national events makes you any sort of expert with regards to FIS at a high end level? Did you get to stand beside Desovich and Toppa at Jr Nationals once and overhear some gossip about the big events?

Yeah, that and some last place finishes in big mountain events (that anyone can enter) sure does guarantee that you are a better skier than myself or half the people on here. Because of course there's no chance that any of us came from a high-end competitive background right? If you only knew.....

Anyways, who gives a fuck if YOU think skiing is fine the way it is. You are not someone who would ever have a chance to go to the Olympics so leave the decisions about whether or not it should get in to those people with the skills to go.

But hey, I'm sure if "claiming" was in the Olympics you would have a decent chance....C'mon and back that shit up kid, let's hear some of your results from IFSA tour events....or from any FIS comp bigger than the Hotham Hammer or Abom mogul challenge...

Oh yeah, one other question for you since you claim to be such an expert in all things FISlympic.

You state that pipe should not be in the Olympics because we need to "learn from our history, the FIS killed moguls and freestyle".

You also state that pipe should not be in the Olympics because you don't want it to "be like snowboarding and be cool and in the mainstream"

So, the premise of your brilliant argument against the Olympics is that it will.... "kill the sport" and "make it cool and mainstream".

Sorry if I'm the only one who finds that to be an impossible contradiction....

Great article buddy. I really enjoyed how candid yet layed back it was. Unfortunately as much as I enjoyed those two pairs of beautiful blue eyes at the end, I thought we had an understanding about putting yourself in your own articles...

^^Hahahahha... Schmuck got PWNED!

Aussiepimp and tride... guys maybe take this bitching to PM's? I think you guys both have decent opinions, but you're just making it a flame war...

man we need like a flame war place where people vote on it. lol...

At a base level all skier/snowboarders are pretty cool people that share a love for a sport.

The people at the top of our sport are no different from anyone else.

Given the same chances/ability everyone whould make the same moves as these guys!

Good luck to em and keep pushing this SICK sport!!!

so sick

I'm serious about this Anti-Olympics PIPE event. I mean, who the hell really wants to pay $100+ and $30 parking to go see a friggin' moguls competition or a stand at the finish line in at the Super-G??? Pipe skiing is literally the best format for a spectator sport on snow. No other event can compete, except for maybe aerials...hell, almost the same event.

Seriously, when the nail is in the coffin for a 2010 OLY pipe event, you Vancouverites go up to Grouse/Cypress and take a well-written business plan. Getting sponsors is no prob for an event like this, because they're totally there already, but are getting very little exposure compared to the Cokes, Nokias and Samsungs of the world. Ya, unfortunately, you won't be able to get people like Mikey Douglas involved (I'm sure he's paid to pump Whistler Only), but you can get many other big names to come out and participate and pump the event. Every athlete would rather come to VAN for the olympics rather than watch it from hom. If I was in Van, I'd set up this event for sure. I'd charge $10 (incl. parking) to get some of the tourist cash there. Set up a hot dog stand selling $6 red hots and $4 cokes and call it a day. A pipe event would be the highlight of peoples' week. Freeskiing will thank you for it. Seriously. Someone champion this idea and get on it. Who's a big sponsored name based outta Vancouver?...or even Whistler, but not tied to Whistler? This is going to take the biggest names in the world to come together, but if LINE, K2, Solly, etc. get together, it'll get done. Those companies stand to prosper the most, and they know it, so they'll pitch in for an anti-oly event that's raising the stature of the sports that are their bread and butter.

Think big people. NS, you guys are already leading this shit, but also stand to prosper and are WELL-connected. Get'er'done.

this kid is a dumbass

DUMONT..send some samples to EVO..its a ski shop owned and oprated bby riders here in seattle..evogear.com...evoseattle.com

im sure they would help you get your stuff out there

haha nice this is jokes