i feel shitty putting this up amongst the Andy videos but i can't help but feel exploited. I dig Jed but he's got a certain romance with all things controversial. Sure, this has been on my mind a lot the past few years. it's not cause the tour aint rad or i don't like competing, it's simply wondering what climbing up and down the ratings for the next 10 years of my life is going to benefit. It's a serious commitment doing the tour for a whole year. that's 8 months of it right there. i just wonder if i could be doing something more personally fulfilling with that time. i've never made a decision and i enjoy going to every event and it's a shame that Stab wants to exploit me in this way to sell magazines. surely in their article i say some critical things, because for some god forsaken reason i have trouble not saying whats on my mind when a sports writer provokes it, but at this point in time i'll save my harshest criticism for Stab because this was a sleazy way to advertise they're upcoming issue.

STAB

I remember being like 14 years old and surfing Emma Wood, it was like 1/2 a foot and i was out there just like any other day, then a bus pulled up with huge Billabong Logos (maybe i was older cause the time frame doesn't make sense) and Andy Irons paddled out. I was so stoked to surf with one of my heroes and i totally wanted to show him how rad i could surf and was trying so hard to bust airs in his face and shit. i guarantee he went in wondering what was wrong with me.

then i was like 17 and Blair Marlin who was doing the team for DC at the time invited me to go on a boat trip with Andy, Shane Dorian, Mick Fanning, and Taylor Knox. This sort of shit doesn't happen for 17 year olds and it was probably the funnest and most influential trip of my life and i made some lifelong friends. I told Andy the story from emma wood and he totally remembered. i was most impressed at how fearless they were at shallow breaks. i would be scared to stall for the tube and they would be going vertical into the lip and getting their tail halfway out the back. 'Darkslides' he would call them

from then till now we did several more surf trips and stayed together at a few events. he was raw and genuine and had a big heart. he was a solid and positive influence on my life. i feel fortunate for the times we had and i can think of many moments that make me smile.

the events that have unfolded in the past week seem surreal, as if created by some writer with a certain taste for tragedy. The days after Andy died were tough. half the tour stayed in the same hotel and we'd mope around avoiding eye contact (maybe just me). there was drinking and tears and some good times too but they were hard to come by. it felt like it would be sacrilegious to surf a heat and certainly to win a world title. but then a strange thing happened. the contest started and there was positive vibes. people were cheering for each other. that never happens. Kelly won everything as usual and we all flew home.

my heart goes out to the Irons family and those who were close to Andy. I can only imagine how tough its been for you guys.

but surely his surfing will continue to inspire surfers forever. over the past week i've gathered some of my favorite Andy sections (sorry bout the quality on some) and will be posting them over the next few days (havin trouble finding some old dvd's). Mini has also provided some contest footage and random shots that i thought were rad. Hope these videos stir some good memories for some or maybe something new for others. -DANE

I gave em 5 dollars. They gave me back this and a sandwich.