The Future of Sport-"Climbing"

[Dwayner]

What you talkin' about, gurlfren????

I have NO idea what you're trying to express here.

[Dwayner]

"You used to make some pretty darn funny posts...but it's no fun when it's all predictable"

 

Yup. They's loves it when I's funny, but step out of the comedy zone, and I'm a pain in the ass. Perhaps a song is in order:

 

"For the benefit of Mr. Kite

There will be a show tonight on trampoline

The Hendersons will all be there

Late of Pablo Fanques Fare

What a scene!

Over men and horses hoops and garters

Lastly through a hogshead of real fire

In this way Mister K

will challenge the world

 

The celebrated Mister K

Performs his feat on Saturday

At Bishop's Gate

The Hendersons will dance and sing

As Mister Kite flies through the ring

Don't be late!!

Messr.s K and H assure the public

Their production will be second to none

And of course Henry the Horse dances the waltz

 

The band begins at ten to six

When Mister K performs his tricks

Without a sound

And Mister H will demonstrate

Ten sommersets he'll undertake

On solid ground

Having been some days in preparation

A splendid time is guaranteed for all

 

And tonight, Mister Kite is topping the bill!"

 

SO HOW'S THAT FOR ENTERTAINMENT?

[allison]

Sorry I'm late in responding, couldn't let the whole weekend go by without going in the woods for a bit.

 

My point is that when Steffi said something about sport climbing, you said something like 'rock on, my Icelandic brother.'

 

I seek the same 'exotic origin' waiver as I am from a place with an exotic name.

 

I think the objection a few are expressing may have more to do with your singularity of focus, dissing sport climbing and sport climbers. Steffi's said it well in two posts on the subject, so that's all I'm going to add.

 

And in his honor, Iceland's own Sugarcubes!

 

[ 09-01-2002, 06:13 PM: Message edited by: allison ]

[Dwayner]

Miss Allison, to satisfy your apparent need to have your own homeland likewise acknowledged, how's this!

Climb away, my Puyallupian alpine soul-sista!

Happy now?

 

My "your singularity of focus, dissing sport climbing and sport climbers"

 

I assume that "dissing" means "being critical of"...it doesn't appear in my dictionary, but,

 

a) having focus and conviction isn't necessarily a bad thing. Don't forget, I also think bouldering is kind of lame. These might be unpopular viewpoints to many readers, but it's a viewpoint I care to express. If you don't like it, disagree or ignore it.

 

b) apart from pointing out the folly of sport "climbing", etc. I have also brought you:

- Big Lou's Giant-Thang;

- Close-encounters with His Lou-ness;

- second-hand anecdotes from pope's "Cirque Expedition" including his crapping on a sleeping bag;

- reports of drinking from exotic locations including my own home;

- imaginary climbing commentary from Sir Thomas Stoppard;

- pseudo-intellectual debates with Petey Puget;

- The Year of Big Lou;

- Alpine Buddy of the Week;

- pube-club reports;

- assorted humorous insights and exchanges;

- and much, much more.

 

"Dwayner....they only like him when he's funny."

[allthumbs]

You know, I've been reading Dwayner's "stuff" for around a year now, and other than a few oddball posts, I've found him to be entertaining, witty and sharp. Whether he can climb or not isn't my problem. I think he's a good guy and some of y'all should cut him some slack.

 

...and no, I'm not bootlickin'.

 

P.S. I'd just like to toss a plug for one of my favorite bands, Aerosmith. "I mean hey man, if they can play the Super Bowl with Britney Spears and get away clean...they're bulletproof!"

 

[ 09-01-2002, 08:02 PM: Message edited by: trask ]

[JayB]

Dont forget the one about whether "diss" will endure in our language or pass into oblivion as just another "temporal lexical marker." and join far-out and groovy on the linguistic slag-heap. That post was dope.

[Figger_Eight]

I gotta admit I'm from Puyallup...and I am FAR from exotic

 

Hey Trask, I just noticed your new classification.

[fleblebleb]

Dwayner, you're just catching flak for this need of yours to constantly remind us that you think sport climbing sucks. It's a little old, that's all. You used to make some pretty darn funny posts and I still read whenever I have time, but it's no fun when it's all predictable... enough of the preaching already

 

As for my earlier post, let me try to explain a little better. What I meant was that sport climbers, especially younger ones that just haven't really had the opportunity to try any other kinds of climbing, might be intimidated from using the board when the prevailing attitude is so blatantly hostile.

 

In fact most of the people I've met on the board will happily clip bolts, but the loud words on-line are all anti-sport. I think that kind of (possibly unintentional) intimidation is uncool, although I'd happily agree to disagree about that with you rather than carry out some lengthy debate.

 

I've even got an example! I was bouldering at the UW rock a couple of days ago and spent some time sending problems with this 15 year old kid. Since he's recently moved here I told him about the bboard, along with the UW climbers' mailing list, since both are a good way to meet climbing partners. Considering that the gear for alpine and trad costs big $$$ I'd think it would be rather hard for most teenagers to adhere to the whole sport-climbing-is-neither mindset. Shoes, harness, helmet and belay device alone will set you back a couple of hundred, right? Throw in rope and quick draws and you might be going on half a grand. Kind of steep, eh? And we didn't even touch on how much more complicated learning to climb trad is in comparison with bouldering or clipping bolts.

 

I'm a student myself and it has taken me years to collect the gear that I need to organize trad/alpine trips on my own. Now that I have it I go without clipping bolts for months at a time, but I don't have anything against sport climbing - I've just found something else that's more fun and aesthetic to me. It's a fucking privilege to be able to to trad/alpine, not something to constantly rub other people's noses in if they aren't doing it.

 

Anyway, I know you're not going to change your mind or anything and I don't think you should, but you sure could find something else to rave about for awhile. Feel free to slam me back but I've kind of said my peace here so I'm going to leave the thread alone.

 

Cheers/Stefan