Vans Showdown incident

There has been much discussion about the now infamous Mike V. incident at the Vans Showdown this year. Up until now the story had mostly been made up of bits and pieces from the slap message boards...until now. The following is from skateparkoftampa's site. Its a long read, but well worth it.

he Mike Vallely Incident at Vans Downtown Showdown 2008

Posted on Friday, November 14, 2008 
By Jay Brundege, Sole Tech Events Coordinator

I was standing right at the fence when the now infamous Mike V. vs. Creature Lee drama started and it could have easily been solved with a conversation. Mike V. approached Lee, maybe with a conversation in mind, I doubt it, but Lee kind of laughed it off and this turned Mike V. into a raging, level-five, Gorgoth monster, leading to punches being thrown in the vicinity of Lee's chest and throat. No face punches...YET. The Gorgoth got more furious and pushed Lee into the fence with a well executed shirt grab-and-twist, at the neck. However, he released Lee pretty quickly and starting walking away, to check again that his family was OK. When he passed by Lee on his way back, he stuck a finger in Lee's face and swore some more, threatening more violence if Lee threw anything else into the crowd, specifically towards his family. Once he arrived at the far end of the Creature obstacle run-up, Gorgoth turned around and saw that Lee was yucking it up and mocking him in front of everyone along the fence. This really pissed off the Gorgoth and his rage elevated to a level-eight, Dumb-Band Gorgoth....almost to a full-on, level-ten, Wastoid Gorgoth Troll King!!!!! 

So the now fully enraged and puffed up Gorgoth came back to the fence line, right next to the camera dolly setting on the ground and that's when he starting banging Lee into the fence, and in turn, the fence was being pushed into innocent spectators and kids. Wait, the same thing that caused him to become so furiously violent, his family and kids being endangered, is now causing him to put other families and kids in danger. Oh the irony.....although I don't think Gorgoths or Trolls of any level have a conscience, certainly not towards humanoids, or their offspring. 

The Gorgoth threw more punches and finger pokes, the likes of which I've only seen ringside at WWF matches, into the chest and neck of Creature Lee. After the furious chest poking and neck punching, Gorgoth became aware of the crowd at the fence-line yelling to stop, because kids were being crushed against the fence, and walked away again. 

Lee, feeling very lucky to be alive, after a few maulings at the hand of one of Dumb-Rock's highest level of enraged Gorgoths, was now very aware of just how serious this Gorgoth was. Being the Brand Director at Creature has probably prepared young Lee to battle Gorgoths, Dragons, Giant Rats, Trolls and many other monsters from the Skateboard Industry Swamp of Despair and Anguish, but apparently this was no ordinary Gorgoth... 

Gorgoth returned and was still furious and slightly embarrassed by his display of power and poking ability. Creature Lee thought it might help to calm the Gorgoth if he approached him (dummy..) and offered his apologies for the harm that certainly could have, but didn't, come to Gorgoth's fragile brood had the board actually hit them. Gorgoth, being certain that Lee had not suffered enough, and ignoring Creature Lee's attempt to apologize, tried to further inflict pain and suffering with more punching, poking, slapping and pushing until it was finally broken up by the skaters and photogs standing at the end of the fence line. Gorgoth and Lee went their separate ways and this was the end of the drama inside the Creature Pentagram of Death Pit. 

Now, I won't defend the Gorgoth's action in any way but Creature Lee did throw a deck into a completely unsuspecting crowd with at least a small amount of deliberate abandon. I say deliberate because A, it sounds cool and B, I was standing there when it all started and Lee told the tweens standing inside the fence that he was going to launch the deck into the crowd and it would "probably hit some kook not paying attention" and told them to watch because it would be funny. Keep in mind, there was no announcement of a product toss, only people in the front 5 or 6 rows of bodies packed against the fence, and paying attention solely to Lee, could even see what was going on and he launched the deck clear into the picnic tables near Van Doren's BBQ set-up. Little did Lee know that Mike V's family might be the "kooks not paying attention" and it would awaken the sleeping Gorgoth, bringing with it a fantasy world of anger and rage. If it clocked my kid or me, and I wasn't part of, or near what I knew to be a product toss, I would have probably thrown some punches too. Especially if it hit a toddler or similarly fragile person that doesn't deserve to be injured or startled over something they aren't aware of, or a part of. 

So even though Lee certainly deserved some kind of come-correct measure, it could have been perfectly served with a nice warning and some awesome heckling. Mike didn't see it hit, or come near, his kids, he just saw it thrown and was looking out for his people to see where it landed. When he determined that it was close enough for him to be mad, that's when he went ape-shit. Lee could have just offered to apologize and acted a little concerned about the kids, whether they were Mike V's or otherwise, but he chose to clown on the Gorgoth and shit got crazy. 

I was counting on a brawl of some sort between Gorgoth and the Creatures of Doom but within 10 minutes of this happening, I passed Mike V and his entourage near the Black Label Dive Bar, on his way out. His head was down, his family was trailing behind and I couldn't help but wonder how he must have felt. How do you explain to your kids why they had to leave early, or if he even tried to explain what happened to them. Despite his "chivalrous" attempt at defending his family, there was no honor in his actions after the first 30 seconds, and by the way he carried himself on his way out, it was clear that he was not a proud man. The Creature of Doom Goons didn't have to beat him up, he defeated himself. 

that's my story and I'm sticking to it. and Mike, I'm sorry I called you a Gorgoth, but dude.....you certainly weren't human. 

change in 09!
Jay