scott byerly

i'm just wondering, i see legends like parks, and murray in all the comps and its obvious why they're the undisputed best.

but i was just wondering what byerly's history was and how come he's so top in the sport. I can see that he's influenced it a lot in the equipment side but interms of everything else can anyone give me a quick history lesson??

cheers

got his start kneeboarding
straight up
his dad and greg n. dad are boys and hung out together and took the kids kneeboarding

i really mean the reasons why he's become such a ledgend in this sport. People are likely to dissagree with me but i can't see why his rated so highly as people like parks, murray and shapiro.

i can obviously see he's awesome but as far as those top 3 people go i don't.

He invented about half the tricks those guys are doing. And he has tattoos.

i thought shapiro and murray where the two old boys of the sport?

Murray didn't come on the scene until 96-97. Byerly was there in the beginning (1993) with Darin and a few others. He won the worlds in 94 (or 95) using the WakeTech Flight 69, which was the first twin-tip board on the market. Between himself (and Gator) riding these boards, he proceeded to change the way a wakeboard was meant to be ridden (rode?).
As Kaiser mentioned, Byerly invented several tricks, and was doing things years before anyone else was. Before he came along, wakeboarding was very much like trick skiing, only with air. There was no style and it didn't come close to resembling other boardsports. Byerly changed all of that.

(Message edited by craiger on January 14, 2004)

let's first clear up what invented means. thought of,made,helped someone make (coached)?

Byerly has been there from the start. I could be wrong but he was a major influence on the change from the "surfboard" looking board to the twin tip wakeboard. Shapiro was also there from the start, Murray came along a few years into it.

Scott won the Worlds in '94 or '95, something like that and then basically never did well again in comp. Never was his thing.

Byerly was the original non-skier style rider who was Darin's strongest competition in the early to mid 90's. Scott and darin flip flopped as winners of most events. After I believe the 1996 Season where byerly won the last tour stop he stopped riding in contests for a while and decided to focus on free riding. So yes Byerly was a original competitor and world record holder who his one of the few who are still in the scene today.

Didn't even see rammer's post while I was typing mine but obviously I agree with everything he said. Invented - did it behind the boat and held on to the rope.

invent - To produce or contrive (something previously unknown) by the use of ingenuity or imagination.

Besides creating new tricks no one had seen or done before (Pete Rose, Skeezer, Fat Chance) and also the early stuff he did on sliders and wakeskating, it was his style and the way he did things that was innovative to the sport.

so your saying that scott first thought of these tricks or made them
pete/switch pete/front mobe

Tomas...you "bear baiting" here? I've seen Kaisers posts, so I would be careful.

kaiser
on a wakeboard?
because some of that stuff was done off a ski jump by scott clack (the pro tour onsite director back in the 80's)

got it,
so basically the reason he rides so similar to everyone is because they all ride like him.

now i got it. ledgend.
cheers guys, was unsure on that.

Rammer, you are a wealth of information.

Against my better judgement (like I have any) I'll take your bait, Haveasue.

1. Yes on a wakeboard
2. And I don't know whatever "stuff" you're referring to w/ Clack but I don't think he did a switch crow mobe or a toe side back mobe w/ a blind landing off a ski jump. If you're insinuating that Byerly received undue credit for quasi-invented tricks "borrowed" from the jump ramp, well that's just boggle honkey. Clack, May, Reinhart, and their ilk may have been doing the discombobulator and back flips with a full twist (just like the trickers) since way back in the day but it's totally unrelated to the way Scott Byerly rides a wakeboard. And no one on this thread is by any means claiming that Byerly invented the mobius. He just did a whole lot of stuff on wakeboard that nobody had ever done before.

There will be a new DVD released within the next few months that will be ALL about Scott Byerly.. It is produced by the guys at Sidewayz..

just wanting to clear things up
thanks
say hi to cory

No problem, Cory says hi back.

I believe Byerly was also the first to stick the 720. anotherreason that Byerly is so popular is that he has a unique "Byerly Style", all hunched over, knees bent and he does tricks in way that make them look sick. Very few people can do a Pete Rose the way he does and it just looks better that way. He also was the first to do a grabbed/handle passed pete rose 5. Byerly's tight, our sport would be a lot different if he wasn't out there. Look for interviews with some of the "top 3" you mention and over the years you can find lots of interviews where they just give him props like crazy. I would like to see him do a comp just for fun...

Don't forget Gator.

Yeah thats another one - who is Gator? You have to excuse us over here in england, as we only have the hyperlite website's version of history to go on and nobody else is gonna tell us how it all started. Its a very new sport over here.

Much of what has already been said is correct and goes a long way toward answering the original question. Speaking in a more general sense, the brief history of wakeboarding reveals that Scott Byerly either invented or strongly influenced the development of virtually every major trend in wakeboarding: spinning, jibbing, grabbing inverts, riding with a skate/snow influenced "style," first twin-tip boards, then finless boards, wakeskating, wakesurfing, the "revival" of spinning, the "revival" of jibbing. Scott either invented or heavily pushed for all of these, not to mention the many tricks he thought up.

He is the godfather of our sport, and a visionary.

I'm sure there are a few major trends that he did not originate, but I can't really think of any right now.

I thought of one...
Byerly did not invent the raley, but either he or Gator may have been the first to grab it and turn it into a hoochie glide. I'm sure somebody will correct me if I'm wrong.

Rich - Gator came on board to Wake Tech along the same time as Byerly, and they both had the same vision riding wise. At that time Gator was one of the biggest names in the sport due to his super aggresive style. He just went way bigger than anybody else. This equaled into some serious knee injuries (one of which you can see in the video Mayday). As a result, he backed off the (public) riding scene, but continued to lurk around, riding for himself and chasing his dream of having his own board company. Gator Boards is the result of that, and I guess he's doing well with it, and still ripping it daily I'm sure..

By the way Dr. Octagon, I think it was Gator who first started grabbing raleys..

As far as jibbing is concerned, Greg nelson and josh smith deserve a bit more credit than byerly in that area--please reference gravity sucks.

As for the hyperlite version of wakeboarding, take it for a grain of salt because they're trying to claim everything in that little timeline, including the idea that their graphics were the first to represent the "wakeboarding lifestyle."

Also, gator did invent the hoochie glide (to whoever that brought it up) and kovak "invented" the mobe on a wakeboard.

Chef, you're right that Josh and Greg were the first to have photographs published showing them jibbing. Byerly and Gator were right there with them and I think Byerly probably got more play in videos with his jibbing, just because he was in front of the camera a bit more. But I agree with your point, and I almost always give Nelson equal credit as being an innovator and visionary along with Byerly. Then, when the jib "revival" occurred a few years back (emergence of Pointless Posse, jibs on the pro tour, etc.) Byerly was still on the forefront of jibbing, whereas Greg and Josh no longer were such public figures.

BTW, how do you know Cole?

Dude bra, my crew was jibbing a home made kicker on a Hydroslide when Barley was still a surf rat.
Where's my love?
Damn cameras.

another first for Byerly, the first to slide a VW Beetle. Ha! No one can even come close to claiming that one!! I also think he was one of the first to do shuvits & such on a wakeskate. There's a big reason Hyperlite pursued him & Nautique still supports him, he moves product and has really come out with some incredible board designs. First "bat tip" basically the first board that wasn't round/squared at the ends. First Finless (mentioned above) and all kinds of things. Byerly deserves every ounce of respect that he gets and he can still straight kill it on a board. I mean he learned a switch front mobe before others even had gotten the regular front mobe. look into old school vids like Gravity Sucks, and you'll see Byerly sporting the Flight 69 and busting.

I remember seeing the wbm from august 1996 in the book store (as usual, my subscription copy was late) and I just about poo'd myself right there in the bookstore. That VW shot is still one of my favorite shots to this day. Plus it's cool that gregg snapped it Here's an interesting thing about that shove, byerly was the first to have one on film, but he actually saw matt maloy do one first! I just think it's cool that a) matt did that and b) that byerly gave him credit for it. It's just bad--you know, so bad it's good. Lastly, you won't see the flight in a vid until wake the beast. Gravity sucks was strictly surf style and directional, but impressive none the less.

Oh, one other thing about byerly that I find special is the fact that he's like 30 and he's still pushing himself hard. I think in alliance they had that article about the week that was spent out at radar, and they mentioned how it was byerly that was waking up at like 7 in the morning to go ride. I hate getting up early, so I just think it's dope that he's beating out a bunch of teens and early twenty year olds in that department. It's respectable, I'll leave it at that.

This is in reference to a post that's higher up, but murray entered the scene in 1995 at the US open. He did quite well his first season on tour and the rest is history (geeze, another cliche).

Dr, octagon, I think you're correct in reference to the camera thing. I believe Josh Smith was a memember of the dirty dozen (from what I've heard, I haven't actually been able to get an accurate list of who actually comprises that whole group--I only know that there are 12--ha ha, just kidding), which would actually set him in the scene before byerly. And as we all know, josh smith is all about the snow/skate stee. But byerly just has that certain something about him and he really did deserve the coverage he received. Maybe it's a combination of work and location (as to why byerly got the coverage and josh really didn't), but that's just personal speculation. I should add that no matter what the year was, byerly was always progressive and creative with his jibs (some dope ones are in hit it). But I definitely wanted to toss Greg and Josh in there, because they were doing their own thing from the start and they've made their own contributions to modern day wakeboarding.

Lastly, if you're asking me about cole munster, I dont' actually know him. I just have a friend that's in touch with that whole group and he has kept me informed with just about any question I ask, so I'm thankful for that. I'm personally just a huge fan of his...linear was crazy and I feel like some people might over look him because he doesn't do any wake to wake stuff, and he makes it look so damn easy. He linked like five technical lip tricks together and didn't drag a hand or stumble at all. And if you're not talking to me about cole munster, this conversation never took place

God, it's so interesting to really think about all of this, especial when the word "revival" is used because that's so true in many cases. In my opinion, 1997 was a dark year in wakeboarding simply because of the pro tour format (and having the same two guys go back and forth with wins was almost boring) and the point system on tour which sort of emphasized certain tricks on tour (basically raley based tricks). I guess with that in mind, things just didn't seem as fun either. Then it seems like 1998 was all spin-to-win and things were happy--for me, at least. I still like to watch shaun murray's run in charleston. Dark may seem extreme, but it's just weird...

The end. Ohhh, SNAP!!!

Chef, great observations, you know your history!

Yes, I was referring to Cole M. I knew him and his brother Jay back when they were learning to wakeboard on Lake Lanier north of Atlanta in like 96 or 97, and I just wondered if you ever talked to him these days.


Harryhog... good original question. Do you now have a better understanding of the answer?

absolutely, now my opinion of byerly has completely flipped. Thought i'd get some harsh responses back for disrespecting byerly, but his too awesome for even that.

Now as far as my ratings go, parks then byerly (pretty much for innovation)

Tell u what, don't think i've ever seen so many responses in the space of a day. nice one.
i'm off to british bed, laters...........

This whole thing started when harry and I were watching a vid and thought - we know byerly is a legend but why? I kinda talked him into putting the question up here for you guys to educate us. You have certainly done that so thanks alot! Also does anyone know of a vid/book that covers this sports development and history. I know we're not talking about way back here but a hell of alot has happened in a sort space of time. I think it would be sweet if someone could try to bring it all together into one place with an unbaised view point. Us young guys need an education!

As of now, there is not a "history" book available on wakeboarding. My advice to you is to watch whatever videos you can and read whatever literature you can, but it might be hard to get a hold of it in england. Also, if you need to, keep asking questions on here. From what I've heard, wakeboarding is sort of building steam in england, popularity wise. My sister's fiance is english and he mentioned wakeboarding to his friends and he was surprised they actually knew what it was. Anyway, people seem to be quite helpful on this forum so I'm sure you could get any piece of information you needed. But just so you know, not every wakeboarding website is accurate (in case you try to do some web searching).

Doctor, unfortunately I've never actually spoken to cole. Also, in regards to your hoochie post, I remembered that byerly invented the oriental (raley w. japan grab) so they each had their "hands on a raley" (sorry, I've been watching James bond this week so I can't stop saying these ridiculous pun-like sentences).

Way, way, way, back,(94 I think) there was a sequence of Byerly doing a shove-it 360 on an old sandle-wrapped skurfer (with his feet out of course). Tell me that is not pioneering. Other pro's didn't catch onto wakeskating for like another 5 years.

yeah byerly just started it all. He was on tour not too long ago...when did he stop 02? or 01? somethin like that so hes kinna fresh not doin the tours

This is why. August '96 Wake Tech Ad.

Just because byerly was the only one that had a shove in a magazine (in 1995 on a flight with sandals) doesn't mean that other pros weren't wakeskating. As I said, byerly actually saw matt maloy do a shove before that sequence, which is evidence that others had been wakeskating at that time and it did not take the rest five years to catch on. Plus, fresh water traction started putting out their traction pads at the end of 1996 or early 97, so someone was already realizing the potential of wakeskating.

Brandon meek invented the hoochie, Shapiro invented the raley named after his coach chet raley. I will post more when i am not tired.
Good night.
Long live the original style masters from Wake Tech.
GB B%$#H

Are you totally sure that was brannon meek? I've always heard that it was gator. But brannon did invent the scarecrow.

Have u guys seen the video "splash" ??? way too old! Byerly says in a interview in the video "I need a boat, man" "I'll settle for a bayliner" lol ...

yeah all those guys gator, brannon, scott all rode together Gator was the first to do an oriental, I believe. Brannon invented the ohh also. He was always under the radar cause he is so quiet.
ITCH
GB

Splash? That's the mermaid movie isn't it? I'm just teasing, I think you're talking about "spray." That is a dope move for sure.

Itch, I guess we're just going to have to agree to disagree. I don't even remember where I've heard everything anymore, but I do know that gator had the first hoochie and trick tip for it in a mag in 1994. Also, in the 10th anniversary issue of WBM, sean dishman did the write up for gator and he said something like "where do I start? Hoochie glide, slob 720 and heelside krypt..." But I suppose anything's possible. Lastly, I too heard that brannon invented the OHH.

I have a question for you, do you by any chance rep for VZ?