got to meet Parks in person at Portland PWT

(autotunner69) · (autotunner69) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 08-01-2005, 10:07 PM

This was like nothing that I ever thought I would be able to ever do. I was sitting in my pop-up chair just up from where the riders geared up and I looked over my shoulder and there he was, Parks Bonifay. And let me tell ya he's a very cool guy. I got a pic with him and his audograph(spl?) and I'll get it on cd so I can share it here. and Ricky G. Now this is just my opinion, but Shaun Murray was kinda stuck on himself. He didn't ride, he just walked around the park both days acting all cool and stuff?
Awesome time though. I will definetly do this again. It opened my eyes to a whole new atitude about the sport. The Pro's-LIVE-IN-PERSON go huge!!!

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 08-01-2005, 10:32 PM

I don't think Shaun is stuck on himself at all.

He recently started riding again after a surgery last year.

Go watch some videos.

(greatdane) · (greatdane) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 08-01-2005, 10:58 PM

Murray is the ambassador of wakeboarding.

I have said "hello" twice and both times he was incredibly engaging and friendly. Exceptional behavior for a celebrity, IMO.

(dakid) · (dakid) **Join Date: Feb 2001** 08-01-2005, 11:03 PM

murray stuck on himself? lame...you have no idea what a cool guy murray is....he and his dad.

mrhappy133 08-01-2005, 11:09 PM

i met parks at the 2004 PWT in irvine... hes a cool guy... i got a picture with him too... its in my profile

(dcervenka) · (dcervenka) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 08-01-2005, 11:19 PM

"Murray is the ambassador of wakeboarding." Well put GD!

Murray is cool.... to everyone.

And what exactly did you mean by "and Ricky G."?

(blake_hughes)

I gotta say the same, about meeting Parks. A couple weeks ago, we ran into him at the Lagoon. He sat and talked with us, about anything and everything. He picked up on our never ending run of pranks/jokes, and jumped in like he was one of the crew. It wasn't too long after that, before he was givng me a hard time about my love for the heelside

. Overall, I'd definitely say he's a good guy, and great for the sport.

I can't say too much about Murray, I've never met him, but he seems to be a just as good of a guy... I don't know how many people I've heard say that he's always up for anything, especially busting big raley's over their kids... He's seems to be a pretty cool guy from what I've heard.

-Blake

(driving) · (driving) **Join Date: Jan 2003** 08-02-2005, 4:41 AM

Considering Shaun wasn't there I would say that it would be hard for you to get a good feel for him. Not to mention he is clearly the most approachable guy in the industry.

(laptom) · (laptom) **Join Date: Apr 2002** 08-02-2005, 5:29 AM

How do you know Travis

?

(toolfan) · (toolfan) **Join Date: Jul 2003** 08-02-2005, 6:36 AM

lol, pwned!

(blake_hughes)

Damn, and I'm sure he'd show you a thing, or two, on the water too! Glad that wasn't me!

-Blake

(jarrod) · (jarrod) **Join Date: May 2003** 08-02-2005, 8:00 AM

dammn....bashing THE MAN and he wasn't even there.

Thanks Travis.

(solo) · (solo) **Join Date: Oct 2001** 08-02-2005, 8:32 AM

Travis doesn't know what he's talking about.

(autotunner69) · (autotunner69) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 08-02-2005, 6:05 PM

As I said, this is just my opinion, but as for not going up to him and meeting him personaly, I did not get talk to him. If it was him. Travis, if you say that it wasn't him then I was probably mistaken. Don't you ride with him and teach with him? If so my bad. this guy may have looked just like him? In fact shaun is the reason that I got involved with wakeboarding in the first place, from the game.
kung-fu- Ricky Gonzalez(Canyon Lake Cali)

(lmtwa) · (lmtwa) **Join Date: May 2001** 08-02-2005, 6:24 PM

Robert
While I don't usually step in for Shaun, I can tell you that he spent the weekend with me (dad) in Dallas (not Portland). So whoever you thought was Shaun - was an impersonator. Sorry...... In fact Sunday, I watched him ride around on one of Darin's original boards (straps and all). And Steven - Travis is Shaun's partner. So - he "does" know!
Lloyd
PS Thanks Joe.....

(troyl) · (troyl) **Join Date: Feb 2002** 08-02-2005, 6:53 PM

My Shaun Murray Story:

At Elsinore the Friday before the Irvine tour stop (2003?) and at the ramp this kid is jacknifeing his dads seedoo trailer and having a terrible time getting it down the ramp. We are watching this guy from the water waiting to trailer our boat. Shaun jumps out of his motorhome and comes over and backs the trailer down the ramp for the guy and helps them load up the seedoos.

We came up next to them and mentioned if they knew who just helped them and the kid and his dad went pretty crazy about it. They thought he looked familure but only knew of the face from the PS2 game.

Anyway, most of us including me wouldnt go too far out of our way to help out seedooers...but Shaun did.

(autotunner69) · (autotunner69) **Join Date: Feb 2003** 08-02-2005, 7:06 PM

Thanks Mr. Murray for clarifying that. That's to bad that someone would even think about impersonating someone while giving people the wrong impression that I was given. I thought that was Travis as soon as I saw his name. I've emailed him before and he's very cool. I didn't start this thread to cause arguments. Peace out everyone!

(nj_alex) · (nj_alex) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 08-02-2005, 7:09 PM

At the last XGames in Philladelphia (2002?) my girl and I spotted Shuan in the roped-off riders' area wearing a cowboy hat (like in Hype). So we got out the 35mm and used the zoom lens to snap a couple of pictures of him. We laughed when we realized our mistake about 45 minutes later when the "real" Shaun, and Lloyd climbed arrived by van.
The point of my story? We made an honest mistake. Robert probably did as well.
Either that or Shaun is enlisting body doubles to keep everybody guessing!

(tparider) · (tparider) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 08-03-2005, 10:00 AM

Shaun is pulling the Saddam Hussein and from what I hear, has 5-6 other "Shaun Murray's" working for him and his family in order to get more work done each day.

(lksammkt) · (lksammkt) **Join Date: May 2005** 08-03-2005, 1:08 PM

Gosh, this thread originally was for PB and turned in to about Coach Shaun. I'll join in! He's the nicest guy in wakeboarding, but from the posts prior everyone is well aware of that! Hi Coach Travis!

(lmtwa) · (lmtwa) **Join Date: May 2001** 08-03-2005, 2:27 PM

Robert
You're welcome. Sometimes I even mistake myself for someone else!

David - 5 or 6 SM's - now that's an interesting concept..

'Sup Alex??!! How's the Garden State?

(solo) · (solo) **Join Date: Oct 2001** 08-03-2005, 2:30 PM

Lloyd I was just kidding. Travis and I are friends as well.

(nikki) · (nikki) **Join Date: May 2004** 08-03-2005, 2:45 PM

Wow i'm glad this got all cleared up. I went to the boarding school last march, and all i can say is shaun is one of the nicest guys i've ever met. I kind of expected him to be all stuck on himself since he is a pro, but he was completely down to earth and kept us laughing the whole time. Travis is awesome too and bocci (sp?), haha.

(lmtwa) · (lmtwa) **Join Date: May 2001** 08-04-2005, 5:20 AM

Steven
I thought I recognized your name... I think we met in PHX 2 years ago (BYT at Lake??)- nice lake - very steep parking...
L

robertt 08-04-2005, 6:39 AM

Lloyd,

A few of the local guys have mentioned that Shaun is from my area (Lake St. Louis MO).

?????

(ladythump) · (ladythump) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 08-04-2005, 6:50 AM

Robert~

http://www.wakeworld.com/news/2002/BYT9.asp

robertt 08-04-2005, 7:11 AM

Thanks...how did I miss that????? I was on the water all day.

(ladythump) · (ladythump) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 08-04-2005, 7:15 AM

This was back in 2002 ... it's an old article.

wbhata 08-04-2005, 8:30 AM

Man, you got to meet parks?! That's awesome! I am so jealous. I hope I get to meet some pros one of these days. I guess it'll be kind of hard to meet them up here in chicago huh?

Does anyone have any advice on what I can do to improve my chances to meet some pros???

(nikki) · (nikki) **Join Date: May 2004** 08-04-2005, 9:46 AM

D. Sanchez: Go to some events! Or you could just move to orlando, haha.

(lmtwa) · (lmtwa) **Join Date: May 2001** 08-04-2005, 10:31 AM

Robert
Shaun lived in LSL from 1988 until he left for Orlando )1995?
In fact he was in LSL a few weeks ago - did a clinic on the river. Nice town.. Nice lake... I have many hours on that lake - driving mostly - they would never let me take a turn riding... (just drive) Oh yeah.. and pay for the gas...

WBHATA.. To meet pros - I think Nationals is in Wisconsin in a month or so.. Or check the individual bus tours that are still moving around the country - these guys/girls are all very approachable and friendly. Or... come to Orlando....

nautiquejeff 08-04-2005, 8:11 PM

I've gotten to know Shaun a little bit over this summer, and he's a great guy. Great for the sport, great for his sponsors, and a pretty good pilot, too!
Shaun Murray At The Controls

(dcervenka) · (dcervenka) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 08-04-2005, 9:19 PM

Fly like an eagle... to the sea

http://www.dpcfilms.com/VideoPlayer.asp?i=117

(solo) · (solo) **Join Date: Oct 2001** 08-05-2005, 7:27 AM

Lloyd,

We've actually met a number of times. I drove the mission2ride bus all last season with Jon Lindsay shooting the Pro Tour photo galleries for Wakeworld. We first met at Shaun's house a couple of years ago. You're slippin Lloyd! Hope all is well.

(lmtwa) · (lmtwa) **Join Date: May 2001** 08-05-2005, 2:05 PM

Steven
Yes I am - slipin' (at almost 63)- but now I'm clear... and remember... Hey to Lindsay!

Jeff
Fly that down to my house - it's just under the TCA (Lake Hart) - and I have better parking than Shaun.

nautiquejeff 08-05-2005, 6:55 PM

LM,

Wish I could. I was just a spectator that day from the comfort of Travis's boat.

paperbagwake 08-05-2005, 8:41 PM

my experience is quite the embarassing one. so im at owc in the middle of december. being from detroit, im in my shorts and a vest, while everyone else is wearing full wetsuits. seeing as ive never done a real dock start before, i figure it will be interesting. but since everyone is doing it and making it look so easy, i decided to give it a shot. so i get my board on and all ready to go, i look to my left and theres murray sitting there after just finishing a set. anyway, the rope came around, i got pulled head first into the water, i lost my wind because of the cold water, and shaun and i had a pretty good laugh at the end of it. very good guy, at an event probly three years ago he was giving my mom instructions on wakeboading, that takes some patience.