Could ELo be surfing’s Johnny Appleseed?
Erik Logan burst onto our surfing scene like a
bomb. Shot directly from Oprah Winfrey’s canon, the diminutive
stand-up paddle enthusiast was announced as president of the newly
formed WSL Studios and quickly pulled all focus. He was everything,
everywhere, all at once, sharing how he had grown up Oklahoman and
afraid of the ocean until his wife gave him a “magic wetsuit of
armor” that allowed him to conquer his dread.
WSL Studios quickly failed, without producing a single bit of
content, though Logan was promoted to Chief Executive where he
continued to rise and shine. He shared breath with Jack Robinson,
skin with Filipe Toledo and effervescence with the world. Logan was
not shy about being the “face of the brand,” as it were, and leant
hard into “selfie mode” while traveling around the world with the
Championship Tour.
Alas, it all came to a blazing stop in 2023 in Brazil. Three
years after ELo had climbed to the top of competitive professional
surfing, he was undone with the most brusque press release in
corporate history.
One line simply reading, “Erik Logan is not longer with the
company.”
Surf fans speculated wildly as to what led to his ouster as
stories of a severe temper
and off-putting
vibe percolated. Logan, for his part, remained silent
until popping up selling short stories on Substack and off-brand
John Varvatos clothes.
His clown-ish legacy settled.
But might it deserve a fresh look?
David Lee Scales and I get together weekly, as you know, to
discuss various surf world hithers and thithers. Today, a call came
in from a surfer who happened to stumble on a mystical non-surfing
surf fan whilst at the dog park. The woman proclaimed to have never
once surfed but fallen in love with it as sport and watched all the
broadcasts, knew all the names etc. I had, two years ago, embarked
on a mythical
quest to find such a specimen, though never did.
But was I not giving enough time for ELo’s seed to find
purchase?
Though who could forget the story of Johnny Appleseed, a man who
wanted to cure hunger and so wandered these great United States
planting apple trees. Well, of course these trees didn’t grow
overnight. They needed time, water, sun and might the non-surfing
surf fan had needed the same minus water or sun?
Is it possible that non-surfing surf fans are crowding Arkansas
Applebees, asking harried barmen to find the Pro Pipeline feed?
Hmmmm.
David Lee and I also, anyhow, discussed the degradation of the
Pipe Masters and our upcoming live
show.
I think you will enjoy.
