Warning Tired passionate surfer having a rant.

Just read the new power rankings after the Pipe contest written by Nick Carrol. http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/pow3r-rank1ngs-billabong-pipeline-masters_64291/

I was prompted to read them by a tweet from Craig Jarvis (@red_elvis) who said they were "pretty good and well done to Nick Carrol".

I disagree.

They were safe at best, at worst, similar to the one thing I did agree with which was NC describing the tour as "repetitive and predictable". I guess it's tough sometimes, he spends a lot of time with the guys he's critiquing and probably doesn't want to ruffle too many feathers but journalists don't do their job to make friends (or do they?). I think it's a reflection on the current state of the tour that "journeymen" surfers are described as "good enough, smart enough" (Taj), "grown up head" (D Hob), "knows the game" (Trav) and for fucks sake "An ornament" !!!!! (Bede). Seriously, if there was no tour would "knowledge of surfing heats" Dan Ross be on anyones surfing radar with the exception of the Yamba IGA? Would "too savvy" Fanning still be media managed by The Claw's men? "Smartest of men" Perrow would be a legend in his backyard at Lennox and that would be it.

Owen Wright apparently wants to "beat Slater at his own game" and how is he going to do this? With "intelligent wave choice, super accurate lines. His range is now wider, as is his understanding of how to build momentum through an event." In other words he's going to become yet another "ornament" on the tour, although he'll possibly be more a Meissen piece than a Lladro. "I wonder if he's surfing enough heats to develop the ingrained technical know-how that even a surfer of his talent requires in order to do this job right" This is Dusty Payne he's referring to, is it any wonder Dane has bolted? 

"He's Dane without the complexity and Jordy without the anger"

"His whole year was like a movie; actually it WAS a movie. Make another one next year, entertain us."

Sound more like it? Hell yeah, that's Julian Wilson and Matt Wilkinson he's talking about. I wanna see those guys surf, I wanna see Funky Cold going nuts, I wanna see John John taking waves cos he wants to surf them and not lose the friggin contest because he rode one!!! I wanna see them win comps but I don't wanna see them win heats.

I think Nick Carroll missed an opportunity here. He's well aware of the dissent and "haters" (really shitty word), he hints at it and he pushes it around the plate a bit but he needs to take a fucking big bite and swallow it. It's time for a change.