Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have all enjoyed your holiday so far. I know a post has been long overdue, but I'm back with a banger for today's entry. A little while ago, I picked up this vintage Shorty's Chad Muska deck. I remember first seeing this board in the video games during my teenhood. I call this the "Feedback" deck because he skates this 99% of the time in his Transworld Feedback part in 2000. As of now, I know longer own this. But I'm glad to see it go to another collector's hands.
Another amazing autograph signing took place in Durham Region. This time, Indigo hosted Chris Jericho's "No Is A Four Letter Word" book tour. Growing up watching WCW and WWF's Attitude Era, Chris Jericho has always been one of my favourites to watch and one of the best performers in pro wrestling. Being nervous as hell, it was a great moment to meet Y2J. He really dug the Winnipeg Jets jersey as well.
While waiting in line, I was able to read up to chapter 5. Within those pages was great storytelling and humorous entries of Chris Jericho's time on the road. Really can't wait to finish reading it.
Each signature was inscribed which has a much better personal connection. But with every book purchased, a fan is allowed another item for a signature.
Mr. Jericho also signed a copy of this WWE documentary which features Chris Jericho. Stoked he added "G.O.A.T" because he really is. Class act and overall great gentleman. Thank you, Indigo and Chris Jericho, for a memorable event.
The Vans Store up north is having a BOGO 50% off sale and that's something I needed to take advantage of. The sales team set it off by helping me find shoes with a steal of a price. Although these aren't the latest from Vans, you can never go wrong with them. The first pair are the Euclids with a seamless toe, UltraCush HD footbed, and a waffle cup outsole.
The second pair are Gilbert Crockett's first pro model shoe. Almost an exact copy of the shoe above, it features a waffle cup outsole and the UltraCush HD footbed.
It's always worth the trip to your local skate shop because you never know what board will be added to the sale section. I've always admire the shape and look of Kadence Skateboards, and when I saw the reduced price - it was an easy steal. Kadence is originally a distro company and easing their way into the skate deck category. Great riders on the team with excellent/solid service.
This deck measures 8.5" wide. I decided to keep it blank because it has a really clean look to it.
I picked up a set of Thunder Erik Ellington 149 Trucks from an online. Slightly scratched, but perfect enough. Also, EE is the freakin' king.
A set of Austyn Gillette sml. Wheels. These were lying around for a while and will go great with this Kadence board considering they also distribute the wheels throughout Canada.
This MOB x Suicidal Tendencies grip was also something lying around and had to break it out for this deck. Seeing how the bottom is blank, the top has to compensate.
You! Can't! Bring! Me! Down!
Pretty stoked to finally receive these Spitfire Raney Beres pro model wheels. I was fortunate enough to win them in a bid on eBay and looking forward to finally skate a set of their Formula 4 technology.
Ride the fire.
The seller also threw in a few stickers from another favourite brand of mind; Krook3d. Get it straight, ride Krook3d.
I was in search of a cruiser deck and came across this awesome piece at Hammer Skateboard. It's a Creature Skateboards Stu Graham Ogre 2 pro model. Although it's a modern popsicle shape, the board measures 9" x 33", making it just wide enough to maintain my stability. Not only does the board right great, but the graphic is out of this world.
Here's how the board looks as a complete. I applied a sheet of MOB and clear grip, a set of Thunder Trucks 151, OJ Keyframes Wheels, Diamond Hardware, and Mini Logo Bearings.
Just received a set of the new Thunder 148 Trucks. This features an 8.25" axle and is meant for decks measuring 8.12" to 8.38". I'm very excited to give these a go and hook them up to the American Zero deck I recently purchased. Much thanks to the great staff at Deluxe Dist. and Supra Dist. for sending these, fully comp'd, due to a defected product I messaged them about.
I know I continuously tell readers to support local skate shops, sadly when a major sale pops up at a mall store, it's too good not to avoid. One particular company had a Buy One, Get One 50% Off Sale on skateboard items and was surprised to see this in a sale bin. The price alone and the fact that it's a Brian Anderson pro model from the now-defunct 3D Skateboards was enough to grab it. Measuring 8.5" x 32.35, it's a little far beyond the dimensions I'm used to. It's strictly for the wall and will stay there for a very long time.
As stated earlier, the store was having a BOGO 50% deal on skateboard hardware and I scooped this as well. A very nostalgiac board celebrating the 20th Ann'y of Zero Skateboards is this American Zero graphic. It measures 8.375" x 31.9 which is a size and shape I've never tried before, but looking forward to it. Furthermore, it's pretty reminiscent of a time when skateboarding was most raw and playing as Jamie Thomas in the video games with this deck.
Found a pair of éS Accel Slim shoes and couldn't pass up on the amazing $40 price tag. Like the Accel OG, this is a thinner and lighter version with a special colourway for pro skater and Philadelphia native Tom Asta.
Featured today is a much sought after Edmonton Oilers Wayne Gretzky jersey in its road blue colourway. This is a custom piece without any company labels. Just like some jerseys in the collection, it was built from the ground up. The sweater itself was found at a thrift store with some recreation league logo on the front and a random number on the back. I did my best to strip the previous details, but unfortunately, some glue residue still remained.
I knew from the start this will not be a perfect looking jersey. The patch for the front was ordered online and it was taken to Game Day Sports to complete the job. The numbers are in triple layered tackle twill with a single colour name and name bar. Aside from the glue marks, this jersey is perfect.
Wayne Gretzky would would be featured on many magazine covers wearing this style all while tearing up scoring records in the National Hockey League.
"A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be." - Wayne Gretzky
I've always admired the So Hip Jays deck and pulled the trigger on it. I intended it to be a hanger, but the shape was too good to pass up. There have been a few changes to this complete since picturing it, but here's how it looked when I first put it together. The deck itself measures 8" wide and aboout 31.5" in length. A white is always prime for sticker creativity.
What kickstarted this complete was pair of slightly used Venture Trucks I found online for a cheap price. These are the Torey Pudwill signature model that came out a few years ago.
For the wheels and bearings, I originally attached an new old stock set of sml. Wheels and Bones Reds Bearings. As of now it has a set of Darkstar Wheels and Bronson Bearings.
This grip job was one I was most amped on, but unfortunately had to replace it because of a repair on the bolt a few days ago. With an extra sheet of clear grip and a Simpsons calendar, I chose to get a little creative.
Today's post is what I consider a double throwback. It's the Quebec Nordiques Joe Sakic from their final years in Quebec City.
This would be the road style jersey worn back in the early to mid 1990s. The royal blue CCM sweater features factory pressed team emblems and embroidered letters/numbers in single and double layered tackle twill.
Born on 7 July 1969 in Burnaby, BC, Canada, Joseph Steven Sakic was selected 7th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1987 NHL Draft, scoring 62 points in his rookie season. He would play in his first All-Star Game in 1990, and continue to represent the Nordiques until 1994. In 1992, he became the captain and helped lead the the franchise to their first playoffs appearance in six seasons. He would help them win the Adams Division in 1995.
The following fall, the Quebec Nordiques franchise moved to Denver, renamed themselves the Colorado Avalanche, and captured the Stanley Cup in their first year in the Mile High City. Burnaby Joe recieved the Conn Smythe Award as Playoff MVP with 34 points in 22 games played. In 2001,he won another Stanley Cup Championship and the Hart Trophy as league MVP with 118 points [54 G, 64 A]. He would finally call it a career at the end of the 2008-09 NHL season.
NHL Highlights & Achievements
1378 games played, 635 goals, 1016 assists
2x Stanley Cup Champion [1996, 2001]
Conn Smythe Trophy [1996]
Hart Memorial Award [2001]
13x NHL All-Star [1990-94, 1996-98, 2000-02, 2004, 2007]
NHL All-Star Game MVP [2004]
Lady Byng Memorial Trophy [2001]
Lester B. Pearson Award [2001]
NHL First All-Star Team [2001, 2002, 2004]
Hockey Hall of Fame Inductee [2012]
No. 19 retired by Colorado Avalanche in his honour
"The more I can hear, the more I can learn, the better off I'll be. - Joe Sakic
This weekend, Blue Tile Lounge hosted Worst for the Worst, an art show featuring Anti-Hero Skateboards most prominent artist Todd Francis. My brother and I had the pleasure of meeting the man himself as well as pro skater/DJ John Cardiel.
Here are a bunch of pics taken from the event. Great people and great times, I hope to see something like this again in the near future.
