Tom Schaar and Elliot Sloan, Skateboard Innovators – UNLEASHED Podcast E507

Here’s the third and final episode recorded at X Games Salt Lake City 2025. UNLEASHED hosts Danny Kass and Brittney Palmer interview skate athletes Tom Schaar and Elliot Sloan on the sports and pop culture podcast. Recorded at the Utah State Fairpark and Event Center on day three of competitions, the episode gets into the competitive mindset of the two winning skateboarders, alongside special memories of action sports icon and podcast host, the late Luke “The Dingo” Trembath.

Inventing tricks and winning trophies: Tom Schaar shocked the skate world by landing the world’s first 1080 air at the mere age of 12. He has matured into one of the most versatile skaters in the world, with medals in Vert, Pool, and Mega Ramp, along with countless trick innovations under his belt. Plus, a silver medal from the 2024 Paris Olympics. Equally inventive, Elliot Sloan has expanded the sport’s trick vocabulary with his signature Cab heelflip Indy 720 and earned wins in Vert, Big Air, Vert Best Trick and MegaPark disciplines. Between them, these two innovators own 33 X Games medals, with Schaar holding 17 medals and Sloan 16 medals, a lot of heavy metal for a special podcast episode! What’s more, the two skateboard innovators look back at their favorite moments with the late action sports icon Luke “The Dingo” Trembath, only on UNLEASHED!

Press the play button (and hit Like) on the new episode of UNLEASHED with The Dingo, Danny, and Brittney.

Make sure to subscribe and stay tuned for more UNLEASHED episodes. Also, follow @monsterenergy for updates.

Transcript

0:03

You now. Hello, I'm Danny Kass. Welcome to the unleashed podcast. It's day three here at Summer X games, Salt Lake City. We have two amazing guests here. To my right we have Elliot Sloan, a champion multi gold medal winner, hero of many avenues of skating. Tom Schaar, a long rap sheet coming off of two mega medals over there in Japan X games, competing in multiple venues of skate. We got vert, we got park. Best trick. Am I missing one? No. Mega no. I wish Mega slide, the mega slide. And of course, as always, the beautiful Brittney Palmer charming us here. How is everybody doing day three of X game. Tired? Yeah. We're tired. It's been hot out here. Well, you actually literally just came off of competition. This is the first time we've ever had an athlete come from competition to sit down. We almost thought we were going to be hosting this by ourselves. So things are showing up. Yeah. Right there. I mean, there was really no excuse. Ten minutes of your last runs for best trick for. How is it up there on the ramp this year? Hot. You know, it's probably ten degrees hotter than than it is, definitely under this shade. But, the ramp felt great. They just relayed it finally after, like, I don't know, 15 years. Yeah, in the same layer. That's nice. Where, like, Skate Light has this amazing long life, right? Yeah. Does it get slower or just a little less smooth? Yeah. It just kind of gets like chipped up a little bit. I think this is some new, like, fancy skate. Yeah. To. Yeah. Put on the new tech maybe. But, yeah. Super grippy and really fast and smooth. I wonder if that was like an insurance issue. Like my house in Florida. I got to redo my roof every 15 years. They couldn't get insured. They couldn't get insured, like so. That's cool. So it makes it a little bit faster. Yeah. It's fast. Little more crap. Yeah. And, and how did, you guys feel after the vert competition those two days ago? Tom? Great performance. I was sitting next to your your parents for that third. They were stressing out. They were forcing us. They're like, hey, my son, you better cheer. You guys better cheer. You can't sit there. Probably more stress that I was. Yeah, we got a good, a good crowd. More going for you guys. And it was pretty cool to be there to see that you guys were definitely some of the favorites, for sure. With the volume coming out. Nice. Hey you guys. Yeah, yeah. That's fun. As fun as fun. What are some of the highlights for you and and even some of the other people really pushing for this year? I honestly just trying to keep up with these kids at this point. It's it's getting pretty gnarly. Like. Yeah. A lot of, I don't know, I that's coming from Tom. Yeah. But I'm like the old guy now. Yeah. Right. I don't know, I'm like the oldest guy out there. Shit. I'm like 12 years older than most of the kids, though. And I'm like 12 years older than you. I know it kind of reminds me of, like, that era of, mega and mega quarter where it was like, you saw this huge, you know, age gap between, you know, the legends of it and then, you know, you coming in, right? Did you win a gold? The honor. Was that in? Yeah. I think I was like 14. I got a golden mega and that I was like the kid. Then. Yeah. You were the kid. That felt like a few months ago with the mouth guard. With the mouth guard? Your mouth guards. I thought it was really funny. Yeah, I had braces, and I was protecting my smile. Fair enough. But how is it possible that these, like, young kids can come out and acquire such a big bag of tricks like so young? I don't I mean, I think when you're young, you're just like, it's easier to learn stuff. You're made of rubber. Nothing hurts. I always say that it's because of, like, social media now. And like, all these kids are just feeding off of each other and seeing what everyone else is doing every day, and oh my God, this is possible. Okay, well, I'm going to do it and I'm going to do this. And then I think it's yeah, it's just like it's gone up so high in the last like five years I'd say. Yeah. It's like live news for action sports, right? Someone does something and you probably see it within 24 hours. Yeah, yeah. Every day something new and Instagram. Do you ever feel like. I mean and we've touched on this actually after watching you and listen I have I it's hard but there's, there's like that advantage of being that young or smaller light. And I'm like UFC has a weight class, right. It's like everyone's kind of or like a division of like what makes this fair? Do you ever see that being a problem to where you're like, hey guys, like now we're just I think that there's an advantage, right? Yeah. I mean, it's it's weird because these kids are so good. It's hard to be like, you can't compete. Yeah, yeah. You can't be like, there needs to be an amateur and a pro, right? Could do weight class. Could do weight class. That'd be nice. Be kind of cool. Weight or age division maybe. I don't know if you'd be a heavyweight. Well, I mean, 180, would he be like flyweight Bantam. Bantam. Yeah, sure. I don't, I don't, I don't whatever UFC knowledge is amazing. But yeah, it's, it's weird. It's kind of a it's been a totally different vibe out there. I feel like the last few years and just, I don't know, it's kids and a lot of little kids and, Yeah, I feel like the Olympics has maybe changed things, too, you know, like, we've never really had, like, coaches and, and, that's been kind of weird to to feel that vibe on the ramp now with all these, like, this is more people on the deck. Yeah. And it's just like, oh, this was never a thing, dude. And, I don't know, I just feel super grateful that I came up in the era of, like, Bob and Bucky, and I was the young guy then, and, Yeah. So about to be 37 next month. It's exciting. Yeah. He's exciting. Crazy how how time has just like but feel like that's one radical thing about vert is that, like, it takes a long time to acquire these skills, right. And like we saw with Bucky and Tony, I mean, and even Andy, Mac where it's like it's something that you can keep pushing yourself for such a long time. Why do you think that is? I mean, I think just like the nature of skateboarding keeps you young, like it still makes me feel like I mean, even being here at the X-Games, it makes me feel like when I first started watching X-Games, like, you know, just that little kid and me, it kind of, I don't know, skateboarding just brings that out. Yeah, I guess, and going back to the kid in us, right. We're here at X games. Like, let's, let's hear what some of your, like, favorite first memories of you competing at X games are you remember? Well, my very first X games. 2006 was the last year they did, the amateur contest in the staples Center. I just moved to California. I drove up to L.A. so psyched. I'm in there. I'm like, this is crazy. I'm here skating. The ramp was. It was like when they used to build the crazy ramps, vert ramps, you know, they hit all obstacles and whatever. My first run, I don't know if you remember, but it was like they had, it was the year they had this like step up euro gap thing off to the side. And there was like a rail and first run did like a really wide air over here. And like I kind of came up to this thing and I didn't mean to go that wide. And it's just like deer in the headlights. It's like, oh shit. And I tried to like, car back over and I hit my legs on the corner of the ramp. Brand new skate, light like thing laced open, pop back, sit up. I'm staring at my shin bones. Both my legs on my shoes, like, split open all the way to the bone. And I'm, like, freaking out. Like, oh. Can I kind of, like, passed out? I think I was, like, so scared of seeing the bone. And then this straight to the hospital stitches and both legs and. Oh, my, that was my very first exit. And here you are coming back for more. So I was like, man, what a way to start it off. My first one was a little more fun than that. Yeah, I would just say usually we have more fun ones, but I feel like there was a big redemption. Yeah, that came pretty. Yeah. Well, then I skipped, 2007, and then 2008 was the first, like pro when I did, and big air inside the Staples Center. And that was really cool. That was a wild one. Was that the same year as the infamous Jake Brown? Yeah, it was the year after. That was an incredible fall. That was insane. Yeah, I was a spectator for that one. Yeah. Jake. Right. So that and I like everyone just like literally thought he was done. That was it. Until you saw him limping around with the cane a couple hours later on, like what is. Yeah. How are you here at this after party? Yeah, I remember he made it to the after party. He's like, I go, but, And what about you? Time for your first memories. I wish I had a better memory. I think I've hit my head, like, too many times now, but, I mean, I was like 12, I think was 20. 12 was the first one. I did 12 in 2012, 12 in 2012. That was a good year. That one was sick. It was out in front of Staples Center, like on that street right in front of it. No, no, no, 2012 was in Nokia inside. No. Oh, Mega mega. Oh yeah. Yeah, I was right. Yeah you're right. I did do vert. I got, I think I got dead last in vert, the first one I did and I didn't get an invite back for a while. Damn. But mega, I got maybe like seventh or something second, but it was fun. I mean it was like me, Jagger, jet tray, like all those little kids. We did it for the first time. And, I remember I think it was Jake told me if I didn't do the big gap, they wouldn't give me a good score. Yeah. So I went, stood up on top of the 70ft, and I stared at it for probably 20 or 30 minutes. Yeah. And then I, I just couldn't make myself do it. Yeah. So I stuck with the little guy for a few years. Yeah. Yeah. I remember them telling me that too early on. And I was just like, I didn't want same thing I know. Yeah, it was, it was like so much scarier because I'd watch him do it and he'd like his trucks would be kind of bent, like Tic TAC all the way down on a 70ft jump. Yeah. And then, yeah, I don't know, I had to eject one time going down. My board was just pulling so hard I, like, jumped off my board. But I remember Volvo did that once and he slid up the jump. Yeah. It fell off the other side. Yeah. Good times. They need to bring mega back. Yeah yeah I mean that's obviously a huge crowd favorite. Yeah we love seeing it I mean the quarter pipe moments. It's just like absolutely just it's it's breathtaking and it's something that needs to come back. Yeah. Right. Who do we talk to here? I mean, I think we got to talk to monster. We got to talk. We got enough game signatures on a petition. Right. Let's go back. Yeah, let's start a live petition. Right. We're live on on Twitch. Jump in the chat. Jump in the chat. Oh, we need to talk to put it in the chat. If you got questions for these guys, let us know. Brittney, we'll we'll read them off. But yeah I mean we need we need it back. I also think it's crazy like to think of what would be possible now with all of this, all these new kids like this new generation, you know what I'm saying? Like, imagine all these kids skating. Yeah, Emma could do it. 21 621 probably. It'd be gnarly. Yeah, yeah, I mean, it would probably be the next step would be like 12 years because what it double flips. What it. Yeah. Magnets. And now the Magnus the magnets need to happen. Yeah. See I always like as a snowboarder I was always like would look at the mega and be like, oh, I could totally I would love to do that. I'd love to do that. But then there's a freaking giant ass quarter pipe. Yeah. And it I would not. Is that the scariest? Yeah. Especially off the bigger jump because you're man, you are going so fast and like, there's no way to scrub speed now, you could try, but that's kind of what Jake did. Okay. Yeah. And then scrub speed. Scrub the vert too. Yeah. He's like, well he was like d pumping and carving the wrong way or like, trying to carve and then carve back over. And there's just so much that could go wrong so quick on that, on that quarter pipe, you know. Yeah. So so how did you guys get into the mega, though? Like, because I know it was a pretty new sport as far as for skateboarding. I mean, was it like just being lucky coming to California? I know you weren't born in California, so. Yeah, I migrated to it. Yeah. So like when I first moved out to California, I'd stayed at Bob's house all the time at skate the vert ramp a lot. And I think at that point he already had the mega out there. And like I had seen the video by that point, you know, and I remember the first time I saw it, I was like, still to this day, one of my favorite video parts. And I knew when I first saw it I was like, I want to do that shit. That was the coolest thing I've ever seen. And so when we used to skate Bob's, you know, I'd kind of go over to the mega after and I kind of just I had up and it was it was terrifying. It was way bigger than I had imagined. But, you know, at some point I got myself to drop in and just kind of slowly started skating it and, yeah, big shout out to Bob for, for, big shout out to Bob to Bob for all the years for letting us come over there and, you know, having that facility there and, man, it's been so many good sessions out at his place. And, you know, unfortunately, I think it's like a little over 20 years old at this point. So the ramp has seen better days. It's time for some new skate. Like it's kind of it's on the post-apocalypse really like the whole structure is like pretty, pretty rough on all the plywood underneath. A lot of the posts have kind of given out, but, I myself don't really go out there that much anymore. I think he's been out there. I think a few times we go randomly every so often. It's still you can skate it. It's nah, like kind of sketchy. Screws it up randomly. There's like you're literally going down the road and it's like it's a little it's like that. That's basically the wrong. Yeah. That's. Yeah. It's not far off. No. So I mean, speaking of Bob. Right. Being an inspiration building, you know, this training facility and the ramp, you kind of took a page out of his book. Yeah. As well with, in your backyard. Yeah. I mean, seeing that, seeing Bob's place at a young age and, you know, seeing that that was possible, that was always a huge dream of mine, especially growing up in New York. I mean, I grew up in an apartment building and never had a backyard. And, I always thought that was the coolest shit ever, that I was like, you can have a backyard with ramps and, like, I don't want to do that. I want that someday. So, yeah, the timing of all that worked out insane because, I got that place in 2012 and there's no way I could afford a house in California. Now if I were to try and buy something. And, it's crazy enough plg actually cosign for me on that property. At the time, because we were, like, trying to find land to to build one of these ramps. Because at the time, there wasn't really, a ramp that was the same size as this one. And, you know, we were skating this ramp at all the contests, so we wanted to practice on the same one. And then, yeah, it just so happened that I found this property and, dude, we could build all this stuff there, and so. Well, actually, we're going to give a year supply, monster energy a whole year, whole year. I email unleashed podcast at Monster energy.com. And the trivia question is going to be, what did you name your backyard facility? Am I supposed to say it? Yeah, yeah, you guys say it. Oh, is. It's a yard. Sloan yard. Okay, it's Sloan yard. Oh, I thought that you were telling people that. Well, so the whole point is, they watch the show, they get a little, an answer to a trivia question. They. Yeah. And then the email us you don't want to, like, make them search. We don't want to make them work too hard for, you know, you really just got to listen. Yeah. Okay. And for a lifetime supply, just email. How many screws were involved in building? Wow. Yeah. There you go. That's a good one. That is a good question. 25,000. Now it's got to be more than, It's got to be. Well, I don't know that are currently in not giving we're not giving it supply. So please don't. And how many screws are sticking out of that one. There we go. Small tight under there. It's not how many guys. Just kidding. But you've I mean, you've got to really utilize this quite a bit, right? For pushing this ball and also hosting many events through X games there. Yeah. I mean, dude holding the X games there was probably the biggest. Like it was such a trip, you know, having, all that branding up there and just, you know, like I said, from where I came growing up in New York to having this backyard and like, like, holy shit, we're hosting the X games here. It was it was crazy. And just, Yeah, I've been there for like, 13 years now. Wow. And it's been amazing. So many good times. And, you know, it's helped me tremendously to, you know, have this place that I could skate at any time a lot. And I pretty much live there. Yeah. Tom's coming over a lot, and there's always good sessions and, Yeah, big shout out to monster for, So is there any, like, days where you really don't feel like skating and then people knock up on your door? Yeah, there's definitely. All right, let's go. There's time. I think it's good. The yard. I think just because of how the property is set up, you know, unfortunately, there isn't, like, a separate entrance for the ramps. I really wish there was. But sometimes it does feel like. Like, I don't know. I'm not. You got to keep your house clean. Not clean. It's just like people are using it for your backyard. It's just, like, fun, you know? Like, I just want to be alone, you know? Yeah. You're like, you're shopping, you know? And, Yeah, I feel bad, too, like, because I don't want to say no, but at the same time, it's like, just maybe I don't want anyone here today. So what's the protocol to get a session in? I mean, usually just text me, okay, shoot a text. Yeah, just shoot a text. So obviously you guys have spent so much time out there training. I was wondering, like, what are some of the bigger tricks you've battled, like on the mega? It's, like, been the most rewarding for you to land? This guy's got a ton. I don't know anything over the gaff. That's kind of what I like skating the most. I think right now. What was the one that you just hit? That was like, the longest I've seen you? The switchbacks. I've switchbacks. I flipped over to, I don't know, 6 or 7 days, probably. Yeah. For him. Yeah, but, 6 or 7 days. Yeah. Because it's just, there's just so much time in the air. You just have to catch it perfectly. Yeah, there's hundreds that I would catch, and then it just fly off my feet. You just need one that magnets. You just need one that sticks to your feet. Yeah. I got to be sick. I see one that just comes to mind. I feel like it's a really long time. I don't even know. I think it's maybe more of, like, a snowboard trick. I don't know what it's called, but, like, go off the jump, and it's like kind of a front flip, but it's like. It's not like, are you spinning back into the barrel roll, barrel roll. And are you landing backward? Not enough forward, forward okay. But it's like a front side side roll. Yeah. We've kind of developed a fun term called slow roll. A soft cloth roll. Yeah. Because it's kind of like you're just like a little bit in the front in the front. That one took so long and like, I started trying it at Woodward, in the foam pit. And that jump was, like, really steep. And so I was coming around really good, and I was like, oh, sweet, I'm going to go home and land this right away. And the one here, yeah. Yeah, the one here. Sure. We go. I'm pretty. That's pretty fun. Yeah. That's fun. But then I got back to my place in my jumps, way mellower. So it was like it wasn't coming around as easy. And, like, I've never had to, like, focus so hard on, like, like getting my arm top to keep my momentum forward. And I don't know, I feel like that one was probably two weeks or something, two weeks on and off, but like. And how many tries a day? Oh, I don't know. Usually I can skate that thing for like three hours max and then I'm toast because we're walking back up the same StairMaster. Yeah, like the one at Bob's. We have like a, you know, somebody's driving, so it's not as like, taxing on your legs, but the one at my place here, skating back, walking up one set, walking up another set. It's a like, kind of like a maze when you had, like, the whole course. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. I mean there was what, like there's like five features. Well now, now there's five. There's two jumps, two quarter pipes. And then we just, built this one thing off on the second jump, we kind of, there was like that roller. I don't know if you remember that, but we took that out and put, like, made it, made it one jump all the way across and then built like this step up thing and there's like a ledge and, yeah, it's been really fun. If you get creative, there's like ten features. Yeah, you could do it. There's like other things you could add and then can you roll backwards through the thing, you make it to the end and then come back. You can, but, you can't do the jump back. You can't do the jump backwards. I think at that point, I think in my mind initially I thought you'd be able to do that and, and not have to walk. It didn't really work out that way. Like I thought you'd be able to, because there's a roll in on the second one that goes back, and I thought you'd have enough speed. Roll in, roll back, do like another full air. And I remember when we first built it, the first time I tried it, I like went over it with the speed. No, no, it didn't work. Just going back a little bit, talking about that, switch back side flip. Right. That was for the project you just came out with. Vert is not dead. Yeah. I mean, was kind of, I think broke the internet there for best part of all time. That's part of all times. You talk a little bit about that went into this and where the inspiration came from. I mean, I like ever since I was a child, I've just gravitated towards vert. That's just what I've watched videos, everything. And, there was a while where I kind of stopped skating vert as much and just was focusing more on like, Park and that stuff. And then I think in maybe the past, like for maybe like 3 or 4 years, I kind of got back in the vert and then boy did. It's been fun and I've just been filming a lot. And thank you to this guy so much for letting me. It's been awesome. It's been a baby at his house. This guy doesn't battle anything though, and that's a switch back. That's a lie. There's crazy there. Like very few battles, mostly. Oh, you enjoyed it. You're like, I'm going to go out there and watch this another day. I just kind of want to watch Tom swear and throw his board. Yeah. Was there any board throwing? A lot of broken boards. Broken helmets? Okay. Anything that was on me that could break got broken. Pretty much. I'd say most of everything he does, though, is like, for sure one session a lot of times ten tries. So that's 10 to 20 tries, which is just like, I get that. Can you guys keep it down? Max, is that, is it more like the board focusing thing on aggression? Is that more of like a the street skating thing, or do you guys also do that. And I just get that is focused mind right now. Okay. You did you. Yeah. Are you bummed. No. But I just I thought we over it. There was like one try that I thought I was going to kind of make it. Yeah. And then I was like oh okay. The next one will be good. And then the next one was nowhere even close. Yeah. I was like, oh yeah, that thing's getting worse. That's the worst. So you're like, oh, I figured it out. I just got to do this little adjustment and then you're even know. Well, the best trick is it's super annoying how they they run it here. I feel like it used to be like way back in the day. It's different or it was different, but now it's like we get five tries and it's like they're holding you in between each one versus like back in the day. I feel like it was just maybe 30 or 40 minutes. And yeah, I think the first round they would go in order. And then it was like, okay, you know, that's how best trick everybody. Like trying a little bit of a snake session. Yeah. Oh yeah. You know so that's kind of sketchy I feel like. But that's how it used to be. I doubt it would go down. I mean, you have the size on the kids. We. Yeah, definitely bully them. But I don't know, it's, it feels like it's hard to get in the rhythm sometimes. And the best trick contest here, there's five, ten minutes between tries. Yeah. You know, somebody does something and they got a hold so they can, like, show it from ten different angles, replays. And it's like I get it from the from the TV you know side. But from our side it's a little frustrating to like you know, it is a bummer because they do that in snow too, where they call it a jam and then it's the same order. You're like, this isn't a jam. The jam is like, you get up there, you drop in organized jam. They show all the replays, they're talking to your coach for five minutes. You lost your turn, right? You know? Yeah. But in this part, I mean, what were some of your favorites? I know, obviously there was some insane gap stuff going on. I think that was probably my favorite part of it. To film the stuff at Tony's ramp, we made the gap, like twice as wide. I stole that from a Shaun White video. The white Album. It was like a mini documentary on him, kind of. And there was a part in there where they skated it and it was that size, and I just always thought it was cool. So I asked Tony and, he very kindly let us, take apart his ramp and then put it back together like that, which only takes like 20 minutes. It was crazy. His ramps like a Lego set. Yeah, yeah. And there's like. I mean, it looks like there's quite a bit of danger in between that gap. Yeah. You just look, you know, a pad, you just don't look down, right? You just go fast enough to where you're going. You just look at the other side of it and just pretend, you know, there's stuff down there. So I don't think Guinness Book was there, but if they were there, there'd be quite a few tricks into the gap. I mean, was it the I mean, it's got to be the biggest no clip, right. Oh, if you're going trick by trick, yeah, maybe. But I think Tony did a 24ft gap bigger than that one. Eight feet bigger than that one. Wait. Real. Is that out in the desert? Yeah, I think it was 24. Okay. Sure. Pretty sure I'm 24 I don't know. What did he do? Just an air. Okay. Frontside air. I'm pretty sure I did a birdhouse video called, The beginning. Yeah, that was the desert stuff. And they put his ramp out in the desert, and Sean's that was here, I think. No. Wasn't it this whole flat? Yeah, maybe. I think so, but then, yeah, they put like, that Jeep up on top. So I think he was sponsored that Jeep at the time and he did like an invert on it. And actually the quarter pipe at my place now is, oh, that's that's kind of cool. Just realize that, because yeah, the quarter pipe, for the mega at my place, they used to use that at the boom boom Huck Jim boom boom way back in the day. And yep, they Tony had it sitting in his warehouse for like years. And I was like, I got the spot for it. Yeah, I got a parking place for him. You know. So I took it took a few years for, for him to give it up. I mean, and big shout out to Tony, right? He's just been an absolute legend, supporter of skateboarding in every form, right? 100%. I don't think any of us will be sitting here. No. Yeah. Brittney's really close with us. He calls him the Hawk. She was, like, telling the story like that, and she's like. Yeah. So, like, me and her let it go. Like I had a theory on why I called him Hawk. Because if I said Tony Doan would think I would beat me. Maybe they would. I guess this is thing no one. Tony. Yeah, that's fair enough. That's true. Right. So I only know the one skateboarder. No, but he is always here. And he commentates with our friend Corbin Harris that's sitting over there watching us. And it's always cool to see Tony Hawk, too. My brother was a massive fan. So every time I'm all Jared, Jared, look who you got. Yeah, as you guys know, which we had briefed on before, this is our first show back, our first X-Games back without our brother Dingo. And so it's been special and beautiful and healing. And for so many of these athletes and you know, we have Dingo’s mother here. And it's just really been one of those powerful X games. And, we love to kind of talk to you about any stories or anything that you remember about Dingo that could just, you know, continue his legacy of the show. And really, X games. Yeah. I mean, just, I don't know if X games really doesn't feel the same. I think without him. I was kind of thinking about that coming into this, like, oh, man, you know, he was always there and not, like, just always hyping it up and as soon as you would see him, you know, for me at least, I'd be like, oh, just immediately in a better mood. Yeah. He was almost like the mascot soul. Yeah, 100%. So it's definitely a weird vibe here. Without him. Yeah, definitely. Miss him. Yeah, yeah, I remember I think I was like 16, 15 maybe the first time I met him. But, it's, I don't know, he treated me like I'd known him for ten years already. Yeah. He's just I don't know. Yeah. He's definitely one of those guys that you meet. And you just feel like you've known each other. Yeah, exactly. That's how it was. That's such a constant to every single person that we've spoken to. Even if they met him briefly, they all felt just so special to him. And I think that that's just so important that everyone knows that that's who he was to all of us. And then yesterday they had a tribute. Corbin had a beautiful speech. We were all crying. What do you think about that? It was heavy. It was heavy. I don't know if I could really talk right now. And I'm glad I said that early on, because as soon as I got to like the stage and it was like people from all sports trickling in and coming in and wearing the shirts, it was like, oh my man. Like the floor felt like it was 1,000 pounds for me. And but just to see everyone there and support, I mean, and it's just been awesome to see everyone coming out really and really how they affected is and how much he really meant to everything that is extreme. From from the morning to night. It was like he was a leader for all of us. And the piece they put together was beautiful. Yeah. We're going to play that. And, but at the end of it didn't it get like cut short. And then the music just like hit and we don't know what happened. We were, we were like saying we're like he's done. He wants the party to start because we were still had stuff to say and it just stopped, remember? Oh, he's like no, okay. He's like, get the party started. Let's go. Monster girls dancing with the button. All right. Well, I want to show you guys, do a little recap of that. Yeah, let's play the tribute. Let's play the tribute. Let's get them on here. It's. It's really hard to clean like that. The extra time in pain go, is no longer with us. He out of the way, lining up everyone, every event, every single night. And last year, he really loved your. No, not a lot. And he always did. You act. Didn't even smile. But most of all, like, you can tell a story to on and in a song about song. I mean, he was. Yeah, yeah. I really want to take a moment to you guys to strive for the resilience. And I even care about the end. Singer. Thank you for being such bright light over the wall. Just so many of us. I mean, what a beautiful recap. So many, fond memories and moments there. I mean, I did so many absolutely stupid things with that man, you know, and I regret absolutely none of them. No. It's so good. I wish I could just go back and make more mistakes. You said that I like that. Yeah, I like your mistakes. I like him, too. Yeah. I mean, you guys are almost of that age where you want to go back and make more mistakes right now. Make make more. Yeah, yeah. Well, I just asked you guys and I made them not answer because that's always what happens when we're off air. We'll ask a really good question. And then when you're on air, it's never as good. Where would be an ideal spot that you would want X games to be? That's not your backyard. Don't that one. I back in San Diego, I think just somewhere down there, somewhere cool, somewhere it hasn't been, well, somewhere it hasn't been. You could do. You could do. I mean, as long as it's indoors. Oh, I got to go to that Staples Center again. Staples center would be so sick. Isn't that Kryptonian Kryptonite? It doesn't. It doesn't have the staples forever. Yeah, I don't know why, but Las Vegas. Yeah, that would be really, really, really. Well, I like that they could do it inside somewhere, I'm sure. Right. Yeah. The T-Mobile arena. Perfect, right? Yeah. What about you, Brit? Well, Vegas is the sphere. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, God. Oh, no, that would be crazy. Recaps would be going wild, you know, everyone's getting whiplash. I'm looking up. I don't know, I think Vegas would be sick. I mean, that's my hometown. And it's always. It has just so much potential to have after parties and dinners. And, you know, my friends are there. And so yeah, true pretty is all right. So we need to go back into the chat. We have so many things to vote on. Yeah we do. Yeah yeah. If you got a location you want to see it hit the chat. Yeah. Unleash podcast. Or if you have questions for our, these athletes, please drop them in the chat. I will ask them and. Yeah. All right, let's get back to business. All right. Tom, so you basically compete in every tranny aspect in skateboarding. Yeah. What are you you kind of mentioned you took a little break from Bert, got back into it. Obviously an absolute dominant force in it, but what are you enjoying more? That's hard. I think my heart's kind of with vert, but parks is like, I don't know, it's like two completely different things. Like, I will like, if I'm going to try and learn something new, I'd rather learn it on vert and like practice more on that. But park it. I think it kind of helps with both too, because it's like park keeps me, I don't know, it's smaller, different tranny. You kind of have to like do things differently. It kind of like, I don't know, opens your eyes to looking at things in a different way. But I really I don't know if I could pick one. I mean, if I can pick one, Mega would still be, okay, that's top dog. That's top dog. Yeah, I do love that. Like where there's that style of learning things and bringing kind of like vert bigger tricks into the park. It's not something you see at a skate park most of the time where you're like rolling around. People are doing obviously insane lip tricks and airs and stuff, but it's very rare you're starting to see like these 540 combos and like just some of the incredible things that you guys bring to vert. Yeah, it's Yeah, park's changing a lot. It's just becoming I mean, kind of vert at this point. But there's also I mean, that's not true. There's a lot of guys that have a very unique style in the park and do really, really cool stuff. So it's that's kind of why I like Park too a lot is you get a lot of different kinds of skating vert. I mean, everyone's a skater and you're going to see more or less similar stuff, but, park's got yeah, a lot of different people doing different stuff. And then, talk about bringing tricks from vert to park. What about like the bowl scene? What's kind of going on there with full concrete, concrete coping? Now, this one was kind of gnarly because this thing's a little weathered. So it was kind of some rough concrete. My knee got kind of smoked a little, but, Yeah, I don't know. They've been building like the parks have been. They're just getting bigger and bigger, which I'm a fan of. Oh, sorry. I mean, I mean, not just park, I mean bull, like the true kind of like the style bowl. Well, recipes can't be. Recipes can't be done, Yeah. But, that's kind of fading away. Like really big bowl skating. I feel like there's not as many getting built anymore. Do you see Bucky post that thing the other day? I did Bucky did, like, he had a buddy that was a pilot or whatever. They flew over his old house. Yeah. And his bowl still there or put water in it. Dry, perfectly intact. Just sitting there to some dust. Such a bummer. He had, like, the sickest, craziest bowl. It was terrifying. It was huge. It was this size of the ramp, but concrete. Yeah, she was massive. I mean, that's like, pretty much like, as scary as it gets, right? Yeah. Riding a big actual pool, I loved it. I don't really skate like smaller bowls and pools. So for me, it felt like sick. It felt like, you know, a vert ramp. I'd probably like it now, but I was I was 411 when I was skating at. So it was kind of scary. Yeah. I like, the story of how they're flying over it because it reminds me of the original. Is it like skate movie as far as theater with like, what is it? Searching the cube. It does search for animals. Oh, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Is that the one where they're flying over and they, like, pay the pilot? Yeah, they're like hawks in it. There. It is. And basically he's like, he's the driver. Yeah. Pizza delivery guy. But they're flying around California and finding like searching for this ram for pools. Yeah. Right. And then they kind of find one and go skate in. Yeah. That's one of my favorites. I had to watch that about a thousand times. The kid. Yeah. So leading into you know the these games and all of your competitions, what is it you guys do to kind of like keep your body in check your diet and check. Is it have I mean, all of the conversations we have is being like training obviously. And you know, going on the vert but the actual training of your body is is just as important. So what do you guys do to kind of keep you guys ready to, you know, compete? This is Mr. Healthy right here. Yeah I mean healthy I feel like I've just had to be a lot more conscious of it the older I get I'm really starting to feel it. You know, like I said, about to be 37, next month and started kind of having some back issues, like maybe three years ago, like out of nowhere and things out of nowhere, you know. Yeah. Well, it wasn't really like one injury or like one slam, like I, I was literally just like warming was like 100 and it, like, seized up out of nowhere. And I was like, it's the craziest pain I've ever felt. And so basically, since then, it's happened a few times and I have to, like, stay on this pretty strict, like workout routine now because I don't like it'll kind of happen. And so it's it's kind of been a blessing in disguise where so like, you know, keeps me really on top of, you know, working out and, yeah, I know I do all the ice baths stuff and. Oh, yeah, sauna. And, he's got the full set up. Yeah, I mean, I don't know, it just feels good to, like, feel good, you know? And like, I can tell a huge difference with, like, I'm eating like, shit or, you know, not getting good sleep. Or not drinking enough water. But now it's just like, I don't even think about it, you know, try to prioritize sleep and, you know, workout, and then it just makes skating easier. Yeah. It's just a way of life and just being that healthy. Yeah. Do you have any. Are you on the young version of none? Yeah, I'm in the gym, but he used to be. Yeah. I take pretty good care of myself. Workout, eat healthy. I've been sober for like three years almost now. So nice. I think all that kind of helps, but, Yeah, I mean, I can feel it too, if I'm, I don't know, just especially after, like, trips, I just, I like this weekend has been pretty gnarly, but get back home, you know, get back in a routine and. Yeah, be fine. What what kind of drives you guys to continue? Like, just this passion that you have to go forward, maybe if the competition didn't go as well as planned. Like what do you have advice for anyone else who's even if it's not skating, you know, like what kind of keeps that passion forward? It's just the love of it or the driver, I'd say. I mean, for me, what keeps me going is more just like challenging myself to to learn new things or film like, you know, the same stuff for Instagram, like these contests kind of burn me out, to be honest, you know, especially if it doesn't go quite as planned. So yeah, I don't know. I think just challenging yourself to, to, you know, learn new things. Yeah. Yeah. Eating is like it's own. Right. And it's also like, I mean, I would say just to always have fun with it. You know, I think sometimes when you start taking things so seriously, it just takes away that fun that you started doing, you know, I mean, I'm a painter and when I paint for like, commissions, it's never as fun as when I'm painting my own stuff and it's like, takes the fun out of it. When you become more of like the business aspect of it. So that also, I think would help keep that drive. Yeah. And I think it's hard, right. Because we all like started skating and doing these sports as like for fun. Right. And then it's kind of like crazy where like all of a sudden, you know, you hit the competition level twice and it kind of becomes, yeah, a job where you take it seriously and yeah, you know, it's something you got to put extra work into for sure. And I always love skateboarding the most because I like, grew up doing it and kind of like competed as a young kid. But then I just started snowboarding and I was like, oh, sick. Like that's there's never any pressure this. And like, snowboarding kind of became the job. And now skateboarding is just like, I never it never got as jaded, you know. Yeah, in that sense. But obviously. So we find love in those things we do off, off the board. Right. And I know you do quite a few things off the board. Right. I know that you are an insane metal guitarist. I try to shred the red. I don't know the right term to say like rips and trash in Ruger. Yeah. So you're shredding me, Krueger of the guitar. And when did you pick that up and start getting into this? Man, I started playing guitar. I think when I was like ten, 9 or 10, I think, before I even started skating. But I got more into guitar once I got into skating and kind of figured out, you know, like got more into music. Then it kind of like fueled the guitar playing. So do you think maybe you combine the Mega Jump and the guitar? I actually did a one of my video play. Looking back on it, I think it's maybe a little cheesy. No, no, no, it was actually really hard. Thanks. You should do the DJ that I did. I was at, at Bob's house. I did, an all E3 holding guitar. Were you actually playing or are you just holding? I was holding it. I was just holding it. All right, but I but I wrote the song for the video part, and I kind of, like, synced it up because I think it was, it was my first video part that I put out, and, like, I synced it up with the, like, beginning of the song. So I landed and was like, yeah, that is pretty. You deejay as well, though, right? Yeah. Can you deejay this weekend? Yeah. Oh, no. The other night opened up for Dead Man. So fun, so fun. And yeah, I've been super in electronic music for a long time to, You know, the prodigy was like the first group that, like, it's like, Holy, what is this? And then, you know, got into it and, like, way heavier, I'd say in, like 2009 ten, like I first heard Skrillex and I was like, what is this? Oh my God. And then got into all kinds of other stuff from there, drum and bass and, you know. Yeah. You made the song for your last part. I did, yeah, kind of tried to keep that as an ongoing theme. Have you done some songs for his part now? Yeah. Coming soon. Yeah yeah yeah, soon is. Is that something you want to take more seriously? Like doing the DJ and is that like, yeah, a new passion project or is it something that you want to actually like for sure. Dive into. I actually just put another song out, Friday where, where can they listen everywhere. Spotify, Apple Music. There we go. Yeah, it's a drone, bass, electronic. You name. Now just I'm just going by my name. Yeah. I mean, I was thinking about that, like trying to make a DJ name, but then I'm like, I'd have to start a whole new Instagram account and, like, grow it where I can just. You already have your name, already have my name. And I can kind of just, I don't know, there's I mean, there's a lot of DJs that use their name like Dylan Francis. It's like, yeah, pretty big, you know? And you got a great name. Yeah. Thank you. Deejay Elliot Sloan in the building, I like that. Is there any upcoming shows for the the metal bands you're in on that? You know, that's when the metal band is been unfortunately a little bit at a standstill. We have like, an entire album. We have like 15 songs. We don't have a singer. So that's been extremely frustrating. I'm super proud and super stoked on the on the music that we have. But yeah, it's just we've been, having a really tough time finding a singer and I'm like, super picky about what I want it to sound like. So, we're talking we've been talking to a few guys, so hopefully something pans out. How's. How's your voice? Not good. It is. So I've tried. It's it's really, really hard. Is your voice. Yeah. No, I mean, this could actually work out. Well, if you're listening and want to audition. Yeah. Check it in the chat, let me know on Instagram, set up an audition and bring that that metal voice out. Tom, what about you? What are you like? What kind of hobbies do you have out off the board? I was snowboarding a lot, and then I broke my collarbone twice. Yeah. So kind of a coming of a long way. Twice in the same season? Yeah. One surgery or two. Both surgeries. Oh, that second one was to fix the first one. Yeah, I bent the plate. That was it the second time. Yeah, I got one. I took it out. Yeah, yeah. Where it is right there. I kept the plate. You got your plate, I got my plate. I got the first like, what do you mean I took it out. Well you can have it taken off till after it heals. They said like ten years. I can take it off. Oh, really? Yeah. Yeah, I don't know. I was kind of like this thing. It's kind of cool. I got the first one. Still. This is my route. You take it on, like, have it make it the first place. I think you should make a necklace. Yeah. Or something. I've got a real ring. Right. Know that was in me. Oh, it's my teeth. Well, you got to keep that passion going, so no, I do. I love snowboarding, but it's me too. I just get overconfident. I like, think just no jumps. Dude, you just gotta choose. Yeah, that's the best part. It's the best part. Yeah, yeah, I just try not out. Yeah. Because I grew up as a kid. Like, going to, like, really close to Kona Skate Park in Florida. So I would go there is like, you know, a little ten year old and watch the vert events they would have there with like Tony and McGill. And so he was on my face at the time, just massive. But then when I started snowboarding, I was like, oh, I can ride for because I could barely do like the coach. Did you ever aren't there? Yeah, yeah, I could drop in and roll in and like, do some Pop tarts and cab threes. But after that I kind of like, they just, refurbish that ramp. Really? Yeah. They, like, sanded it down, made it all smooth. Painted it the concrete one or the concrete one. Oh, that one's pretty gnarly. One. Oh that one's. We went there like a year or two ago. That makes Bob's look like a brand new skate. But there like on a little trip. And, I remember seeing that vert ramp in, like, Tony Hawk's the gigantic skate park tour, and I was like, oh, we're going to skate. It's going to be so sick. And it is. Yeah. It's so bad. It's, but the skate park is crazy. Like, it's so cool. Right? So cool. Like, I've never seen anything like that. The whole snake run was super fun. And I think it's still the skate park in. Yeah, yeah, I think they're in, like, Stonehenge down in Daytona. Kind of that similar like Snake Run, all concrete kind of bowls. Super sick. I mean, did you guys get to see the, who's the moto rider that just went down there? Yeah. Hold. Colby. No. Oh. Josh Hill. Josh Hill. Yeah, I like it. He's doing all sorts of crazy. Like, you see the whole snake run? Yeah. So sick. That was not really. It's just because it's like a park that you could kind of do whatever you want, but man, he here shout out yeah to Josh. So sick. He kind of turns. Yeah. He's done that at a few parks. It's kind of like he's I've seen he got seriously smoked I think on the first try. Oh really? I think he either went way too far. Yeah. Short or something. Yeah. The he buttered like the concrete ramp into that. Yeah. Smaller little mini bowl section. Okay. Well we'd like to do this thing towards the end of the show and it's a rapid fire. So I'm gonna start with you okay? So answer quickly. Don't give it too much thought. Okay. Ready? Best trick you've ever landed? I don't know. Yeah. No no no no no no no no, you have to answer. Yes, you have to. You have the switchbacks, I think. There we go. There we go. Favorite feature at your training compound? Just his whole house. The whole thing, especially inside of your house and bothering us. Well, no, you have your own. You have your own, one word to describe your contest mindset. Stressed. Parkour. Vert. Vert. Who's the last skater you want to follow in a final? Oof! Jimmy. Yeah! Hahahahaha! Nice. All right, Elliot, you ready? I think so, trick that always gets you hyped to land. Deals of 720 vert or mega ramp session after the last couple of weeks. Mega. All right, one word for landing under pressure. That's a good, good answer. Skater who could surprise everyone in Salt Lake. I don't. Tom. Here we go. Music or silence during a contest run. Well, it depends what music. Depends on what music. Yeah. You're on your own. Oh, well, yeah. I mean, as long as it's not like country music, then. Yeah. Okay. I don't like. Some music. Yeah, yeah. Music just in general. Yeah. Okay. What about you? Silence, silence. Really? I can't like, even if I have headphones in which I do that sometimes I can't even hear what I'm listening to him. He just puts him in and, like, leaves. No. No music. Well, sometimes when I'm skating at home, I don't talk, I like silence. But like, sometimes it's awkward here. It's like it's too quiet and there's no music I love music. Yeah, yeah. For, for skating. What kind of music do you listen. Do I listen to everything I mean I have such a random wild mix. I don't have any mixes. I just have one giant liked mix with like 400 country. But, I mean, growing up competing and skating, it was like, very punk driven. It was like misfit. No Effects is kind of one of my favorites of all time, Dead Kennedys. And then I remember at 12, I had my brother buy me a Wu-Tang CD when it came out, and he was so bummed, really. But I needed him to do it because you had to be like 17 or 18. He's like, this is so bad. You shouldn't be doing like Wu-Tang forever. I think I put Wu-Tang on your little post today, actually. Oh, nice. Just living in it. Okay. Well, that was a perfect rapid fire, guys. Thank you. Sweet. All right. Cool. Anything in the chat anybody wants to know? Anything in the chat? I think we are. Any questions? You have a bucket list? Do you have a bucket list trick before you want to kneel before you die? So, I didn't I didn't wait, what, were you joking? This bucket list trick, the one that I almost didn't didn't do to. That's right. What is that? Drink? No. Grab. Yeah. Seven. Seven. Yeah. I mean, that's that was like, difficult. Next time. Next time you got one. I think the thing I tried today to. All right. Yeah. We're gone for it. Yeah I actually now probably just a switch try on flat. I'm still trying to learn this. It's been 15 years. It's been that long? That's hard. I suck it flat. Vert skaters are not any good a flat. I've only landed like fourth tray bombs my whole life. It's a good feeling. Loved every one of them. Yeah. It's live to talk about. I learned to heel flip early on when I knew I wasn't going to be ahead. You were here today? Yeah. Yeah. In Benihana, I had a sick Benihana. That's a crazy bag of tricks. And now they're cool again. Yeah. Are they cool again? Pretty cool. I I'm back at them. I like if you ride the line. They ride the line. Yeah. They've been cool. Not cool for a while. I think they're cool now. I think it's in right now. That's all. He does them. First we're going to run. All right I'm going to do I'm going to go home and I'm going to send it to you guys. Yeah. Please. My Benihana. So, I actually like this question before we we sign off, if, you guys had to compete in another X-Games discipline, what would you choose best? What? That's weird. Well, no, I don't want to die, actually. Now you get your time. You're not going. Like, if you were just like in another one, you're automatically just as you're good. Yeah. You're like, I say the best way. Yeah, for sure. Moto quarter pipe, which is about to happen. No way that I would be so scared. I think I want to say it. Yes. Like rally back in the rally was sick. The rally. Rally. Oh yeah. We were talking about that rally was cool. Yeah. I go freestyle motocross because I'd be good at it. Yeah, yeah. So scared to ride a motorcycle in general. Yeah. The, the snowmobile was gnarly, too. Yeah. Oh, the best trick. Yeah, that was pretty sick. I don't know, I love how, like, some of the Fedex guys would get into it. Yeah, like, I've never really ridden a snowmobile, but I can do tricks. I can still. I'm going to try this. Yeah, well, this has been sick. I've had so much fun with you, Danny. Thank you guys for coming on the show, having us. You.