Video of the Week: Bobby Worrest - Luxury and Loudness

Bobby Worrest comes out with a new part that is full of the expected smoothness and grace. Always dropping quality footage, Bobby mesmerizes us with his fluid switch tricks and clever lines. So far, Bobby's been killing it this year and I'd say is in good contention for SOTY at this rate. There's something about his switch back noseblunt that never gets old...

In other skate news:
Tiago Lemos is introduced to Silver Trucks with a technical trip of ripping footage. I've been a fan since he got on BLVD and he's been improving since. The first line and the half cab heel around 1:35 are absolutely wonderful.
Nate Greenwood has an exclusive part for The Skateboard Mag and kills it, as I've come to expect
Civic Affair, the video by Jake Kuzyk, is full of Canadian shredding. Just overall awesome skating.
Boo Johnson is given a compilation part from Supra that if I'm not mistaken is "his first full part" since Future Nature. I call it that because if Supra hadn't put out the numerous tour videos over the past 2-3 years, they could've created a full length video with their stacked team, including buttery awesome parts like Boo's. Just saying.
Strange Notes asks: Who The F*** Is Jeremy Tuffli? He answers with an assault on many transitions including an instant classic new move at Burnside.
Yuri Facchini is featured in Blind's Damn Sundays with some pretty heavy clips. Not sure if whether they're all new or not but the couple of minutes are worth anyone's time.
Addie Fridy's new part on the Berrics: What time, When? is a gentle reminder that he is one smooth dude. Plus having nollie shove feebles on lock doesn't hurt.
Chris Colbourn skates North Hollywood Park for Bones Bearings and is soooooooo good.
Lee Dupont's part from The Cinematographer Project was released by Transworld, shedding new light on Washington Street Park in an edit that really builds the energy of a good session.

Pro Too Soon #5: Neen Williams

I first remember hearing the name "Neen Williams" from his Mag Minute. This alone to me was just another very solid part but with a better-than-normal smooth style. Nothing outstanding or exceptional to really go crazy over. Since then (possibly back in 2008?), I don't think I really heard much about Neen at all, up until Chicken Bone Nowison was approaching its release. Maybe some park footage or random clips on the internet, likely a commercial for the Shake Junt vid too, but nothing really to affirmatively place Neen on the radar. Now in 2011, Neen is welcomed to Deathwish in February and I'm thinking, "Ok, this guy's got a pretty tight style and should be able to put out some good skating." Again, a satisfactory feeling but nothing truly noteworthy yet. He gets on Supra in August later that year, the awaited Shake Junt video drops in November (Neen's part above), and then almost immediately goes pro after the video in December of 2011. Now his SJ part was definitely really good, churning out loads of ridiculously smooth tricks and one of the best heelflips in skateboarding (when Neen's heelflip at full flick is rightfully compared to the iconic Michael Jordan slam dunk silhouette, it's one for the ages for sure). However, I don't think the part was THAT good to warrant turning pro after being on the Deathwish squad for maybe 10 months at the time, especially when Moose had been shredding with the crew for much longer! And it wasn't even like Neen was generating tons of footage with all the Supra tours at this point because he also just got on that team. It really felt like a rushed time to give him the pro nod. Despite Neen's definitely special personality (I mean that with no sarcasm at all because it really is special in every good sense of the word), the time put in with Deathwish and the actual skating that he put out by that time is not enough in my opinion for turning pro.
However, ever since then, Neen has been on a tear with the Supra team stacking clips and banging out tricks with every tour. And his latest video part in the Deathwish Video was definitely his best yet. Getting 3 tricks at that last tall staircase blew me away! It's a showing as good as this one that make me think how turning pro after the Chicken Bone Nowison part was even less worthy, because of how good a part Neen is capable of coming out with. Anyway, long story short, turning Neen pro after the work put in since the Shake Junt video and culminating with the Deathwish Video would have been ideal.

Video of Last Week: Rodney Mullen TEDxTalks On Getting Up Again

There were a great deal of solid skate videos this week, but I must give top honors to Rodney Mullen's recent TEDxTalk. Even though the video came out prior to this past week, I didn't see it mentioned until this week and it is just too critical of a video to pass up mentioning.
Rodney has to be one of the brightest people on this planet. Finding enough physical and mental strength to progress any physical activity like Rodney has with skateboarding is already a feat in itself, which explains the whole industry behind professional athletes. But it takes a truly brilliant mind to pick apart at that psychological/physical teamwork to express the process behind doing what we do as skaters. I'm sure everyone's had those instantaneous fleeting thoughts right before you pop a trick that result in the board being kicked away and busting yourself, and just like Rodney said, you tell yourself that you're not going to do that the next time. I believe Rodney called it a "cognitive override" when he referred to getting back up again just to conquer the trick. His ability to put into words the evanescent thoughts that fly around in our heads to analyze skateboarders like no one else has before is remarkable. Personally I really enjoyed hearing him discuss skateboarding as a language, which is a relatively common connection, but going further to describe how "environmental components" shape our "physical dialect", a comparison I've never thought of before but really do admire now.
Rodney has intellectually conquered his body to the point of knowing his limits when it comes to ripping apart scar tissue, and through that has converted his physical setback into the most legitimate switching of stance possible for skateboarders. At least, that's what is currently considered because who knows what skaters will accomplish ten years from now...much like how Rodney established that learning tricks through others is merely learning that tricks are possible after being materialized from some innovative skater's thoughts.
I have boundless respect for Rodney and this video captures a lot of the reasons why he is one of my greatest inspirations.

On a more standard level of skateboarding videos, this week had a nice dosage, so listed below are some videos worthy of views:
Pat Rumney and Taylor Kirby's shared bonus part in the Deathwish Video, spawned after this week's welcome video for Pat onto Supra Footwear.
JP Souza full video part via Thrasher
Dashawn Jordan's pretty crazy raw clips
Alex Schmidt's exclusive part for The Skateboard Mag
Bert Wootton's Sequel video part

And last but not least, congrats to Sammy Winter for turning pro for Cliche! I love the whole Cliche squad and Sammy is definitely one of the sickest underrated dudes out there. Also in honor of Sammy turning pro this week, we have a short film by the one and only French Fred, Sammy's remixed part by Manolo from Bon Voyage, as well as his original part from the Cliche vid.

Dudes with Nicknames #4: Furby (Ramiro Salcedo)

I'm not sure how Furby got his nickname, but it is definitely clear that Ramiro Salcedo has been retired as a name. Never have I heard Furby be referenced by any other name than Furby, and with its catchiness it's bound to last him the rest of his career. (Does Deathwish have nickname prerequisites?)
Now Furby has got one of the illest styles in skateboarding: with all of his many fliptricks he's got the perfect pop and flick, and somehow manages to stomp his tricks down while still looking like he's bouncing on the clouds with light feet.  Not to mention he looks like a straight G in whatever he does. He's got his 180 fliptricks in any stance or direction on lock and never fails to put out really great footage. While his latest Deathwish video part was instantly my favorite from the video, his skills and consistency are really shown in his 420 part (above) which was filmed in less than 20 days! Also worthy mentioning this part from Supra where Furby once again goes off with stylish tricks.