Leaving a pro skate career is a lot like leaving a gang. Exit quietly and you’ll slowly realize how hard “real life” can be outside of it. Publicly announce your retirement and be hated on for your pretension. Lose all your sponsors and become skate industry laughing stock. Seems the only “respectable” way out of skating is death.
However, there are rare skateboarders who can leave skating gracefully. Daniel Shimizu is now one of them. Skateboarding’s hive mind accepted Shimizu’s recent retirement because he didn’t leave to make cringy rap music or ditch us before we were ready to let him go. Shimizu left just in the nick of time, before he could be called out for completely milking it.
In appreciation of skateboarding’s cleanest scumstache, our friend Joey Sinko edited Shimizu’s most memorable video moments into a vintage compilation. A reminder for older folks of when they first wanted to skate in button-up shirts, and a primer for young bucks on how to look good on a rail. No judgments if this one makes you feel all warm and gooey inside.
Related Posts
-
AN ODE TO DYLAN RIEDER
The world lost an icon with the passing of Dylan Rieder. We wanted to honor his legacy with a special ode.
-
AN ODE TO DONNY BARLEY
No judgments if this one makes you feel some sentimental type of way.
-
AN ODE TO CHAD MUSKA
If you ever wanted to remember why you loved Chad, or forgot what he was like before he went full on artsy, check this one out.
-
AN ODE TO BRIAN SUMNER
If you didn’t know much about Brian Sumner or wanted to remember his skating before becoming a Christian pastor, check this one out.
-
PREMIERE: “THE FIRST & THE LAST PICTURE SHOW” BY JOEY SINKO
"I just want to get people hyped and wish them a merry Christmas with a skateboard video that’s slightly experimental"
-
PREMIERE: “MANIMAL” A SHORT FILM ON COREY DUFFEL
Revisiting skating's premier big-gap-slammer.
-
AN ODE TO JAMES BROCKMAN
Retiring from pro skating may be the gnarliest trick of all.
January 25, 2018 3:30 pm
He looks like a Chinese version of Jerry Hsu. Ching Chong ding dong walla walla bing bong
January 25, 2018 4:04 pm
Loser
January 25, 2018 4:48 pm
Your mom
January 25, 2018 6:14 pm
the only person that ever looked cool in nike sb
January 25, 2018 7:39 pm
thank you god
February 5, 2018 12:50 am
lewis marnell
January 25, 2018 9:24 pm
I used to Watch his part on Art Bars everyday. Good lucky Shimizu
January 25, 2018 10:21 pm
he’s had a 20 year career. i suppose it’s time.