Mail drop.

BOSS MAN

I got a few things to say. First of all, I'm from Jersey. Go ahead, laugh. It truly is a shitty state. In fact, most Jersey jokes you hear are true. Second, Thrasher kicks fucking ass. Now that I've cleared some stuff up, I wanna apologize for writing this letter so late because it may change where skating is going. As anyone knows, many ledges like Hubba have been made un-skateable. Surprisingly what no one has noticed is that PUTTING SHIT ON LEDGES AND RAILS SO THAT YOU CAN'T SKATE IT IS ILLEGAL. It's all true. That's completely illegal. So, if your favorite spot has been bolted or something, either one: call a building inspector and find the article in the building code that proves this (it does exist, I've found it), and show it to the inspector. Two: File those kinks off that ledge or rail; although, I suggest number one because number two requires a shit load of effort and getting a building inspector is just gonna rub it in cops' faces. So why not get what you want and shove it in cops' faces? Shout ou ts to Mikey, Tim 0, John, and the fat anonymous guy.

Greg "Ozzy" Selover

Morristown, NJ

Knobs are for radios. T-ed

CITY BOY

I'm a San Francisco native, born and raised in the Sunset District. Not exactly The City's skating hub, but a mere bus ride away from such hallowed spots as Pier 7 and the now-knobbed Embarcadero (bastards). Recently I hung up the ol'popsicle stick double-kick for a rad '80s board--an old Jim Grey Blockhead with rails and a tails skid, the whole deal. I continue to go to Fort Miley, an old favorite, where me and the boys represent the '80s (for those of you who don't know Blockhead, I can put a familiar face on the company through Omar Hassan, an old Blockhead rider). I'm chased out immediately more often then I get a chance to skate, but I love it so much that I keep going. Fuck cops and tickets. Skating is life. And I'm happy to see it spread, even if through Tony Hawk Pro Skater and the X-Games. Like John Cardiel once said, "Anything that supports skating and is down for skating, I'm into." We as skaters need to unite. However different we seem, all grudges aside, popsicle stick or long-board, hip hop or p unk rock, Muskas or Chuck Taylors, skate to create or skate and destroy--it don't matter. We gotta come together and stop hating other skaters 'cause they're "trashy niggers," as some would say or because they wear expensive shoes or worship the Muska. Hey Paul from Oregon, IL (March 2001), who cares how long Chad Muska's interview was? Why don't you just go skating and forget about it? Probably 'cause you spend too much time complaining. Stop bitching and moaning and get on your board, I don't particularly relate to skaters who wear $100 shoes either, except that we are all skaters! If people would rather spend money on expensive clothes or big brand name decks, or if they'd rather skate a rail or pool, so be it. At least they'd rather skate than rollerblade. Everybody just have fun. Nothin' but peace and unity, skaters. Happy 21st, Thrasher. Stay cool, T-ed.

Matt Downing

San Francisco, CA

I'm so cool, I'm frozen stiff T-ed

CON LECHE

I am so stoked for Arto Saari, aka "Handraileo con longhairo," but if you ask me the real Skater of the Year is (drum-roll) Jim Gagne, the man. Did you not see Label Kills? Did you not see Jim's bad ass part? I know Jim isn't girly-looking with a fruity name like Arto Farto, but Jim's the real deal. He's got freaky fast style and knows when to throw down. But you had to have it your way with Arto, Arto's probably listening to his Fleetwood Mac records thinking about his hair or a new disco outfit or plotting out his new space shoes that will be slicker that snot, while Jim rides on, the unsung hero sitting at Taco Bell with a twisted ankle and swellbow having his dinner and getting ready to go back out and skate. Jim, you got my vote brother. Ride on.

Jonathan Cannon

Santa Maria, CA

HEADS UP

Oscar, Oscar, Oscar. So you were most hated. Get over it. If they would have picked me I would be stoked. "If everyone likes you or everyone hates you, you're doing something wrong." But bagging someone because they're not "sponsored" is chicken shit. Jake can ride a pipe. Jake can ride a pool. Sponsored or not, you're just a street fag. You could probably get sponsored in San Diego for blowing bubbles, So you sold out, Oscar. Don't bag on someone who skates strictly for enjoyment. That is skate-boarding's highest calling. Jake wouldn't have let you have your mini interview if he disliked you that much, would he? Jake is a real skater. He took the crew to seven or more pools in one day one time. Here is just a little advice from some-one that's been in the game for 28 years: Don't bite the hand that feeds you. God bless, OJ.

Sugar, Head Skate Marine

Everett, Washington 

SIGN IN

Homeboy Trey is in for a rude awakening when he realized that he has "sold out" to defend and serve the business of America, sacrificing his blood and sweat for a military salary. Shit, Trey and his troupe might even find themselves on a billboard someday pimpin' the benefits the armed forces have to offer, Wouldn't that be disgusting? Unless Trey is willing to give up a minimum of four years of his life to the military on love, he shouldn't expect any skater to do the same for the companies they represent because until you have a bill collector ringin' on your ass everyday to pay for knee surgery, you don't know how much your love is worth (to others). Love doesn't survive on its own, especially the love associated with something that will likely flick you up. There has to be some beneficial result to balance the scale against what is being put on the line. If one of the results is making a good living then there is no love lost (or sold). A "sell out" is someone who never bought in. And I can't think of any commercialized skater that hasn't paid their dues. Trey, have fun trotting the globe. We'll hold it down here. I pray for your safe return.

KC

Leawood, KS

What the hell is a smart bomb? T-ed

RETURN TO SENDER

I'm at work reading my March addition of Thrasher when to my surprise I see a two page Nike shoe ad. This shit doesn't belong in my mag, so I'm sending the ad back to you. I would rather be shit on, have my eyes poked out, be flicked in the ear, have my dick cut off, listen to a fat lady sing non-stop for the rest of my life, be in a boy band, eat Corn Pops out of my ass, suck as bad on a skateboard as I do and never be sponsored, than be sponsored by a non-skateboard company such as Nike. So flick the sell outs and flick you, Nike. Anyway, I realize Nike has the financial backing to help make skateboarding bigger, but this is also the same company that makes jock-wear out of childlabored sweat shops. Enough said. Keep up the good work and please, please, please keep it real.

Cory Carr

Trenton, Ontario

Michael Jordan skates now. T-ed

BACKSIDE D

First off, vert will never die. So fuck "Mephisto Predicts." Secondly, rails are so played out now. Maybe that's why Arto and Koston have been seen recently skating pools. No matter how many rail, stair, ledge, or flippy shit pic tures you use, time will prove that it's all about skating EVERYTHING. The '90s sucked and all these faggot freestyles milking it in their washed up/getting old ways are regressive to skateboarding. Retire and let the young guns into the new millennium. I say "millennium" because it's 2002 and I'm still seeing a lot of the same old shit I was seeing in 1992, only with Johnny Thunders posers. Oh yeah, everyone in the skate world--Mic-E Reyes used to be a fuckin' cop. I cant believe Thrasher supports that bully. I'm not buying your shit-wipe 'zine anymore until I see Danny Gonzalez beat Mic-E to death.

Anonymous

Nowhere Important, USA

Danny Gonzalez works at BurgerKing in Austin, Texas. T-ed