Todd’s Surf Journal: Venice Pier

Thanksgiving morning. Woke up at around 6 a.m. Still kind of stoned. I don’t really remember how I ended up at Jade’s place – she’s that half-Vietnamese operating room technician I’ve been seeing, you know, the one who claims she used to be on the cheerleading team at Texas Tech but got kicked off for trying to buy coke from an undercover cop on their trip to Houston – but apparently this is where I eventually crashed. Not sure if we had hooked up last night but if so we made it a DOUBLE SHOT by 6:15. Went to grab a glass of water and discovered that she forgot to take her goddamned pill again.  I don’t mean to be a dick but why wouldn’t you just tie it to some other ritual, like brushing your teeth?  Anyhow, she’s only a day off so it’s no big deal but I don’t think the world is quite ready for Todd 2.0, if you know what I mean. 

Looks like I picked up a monster of a parking ticket – thank God for that signing bonus – and I’m glad I didn’t get towed, because then I’d have missed out on my best session of the year.  Nice light offshore breeze and a southwest swell that included more than a few overhead sets.  There as a pretty hefty crowd out there, but Terrence from Torrance and Carlsbad Carl were helped block for me so I got a good share of rides.  Including…MY VERY FIRST BARREL! Almost. I had it lined up and was ducking inside it but the curl caught me upside the head and I ended up having saltwater for breakfast. Oh well. I’ll get it next time. Still, not bad for a guy who’s been surfing for less than two years. 

The above isn’t from two weeks ago.  It’s from thirty-one years ago, during my first season in the NFL.

It sucks having the best days of my life behind me. I can live with that. That’s just life. But the biggest bummer about the best days of your life is not being aware that they’re the best while they’re actually happening. I wish I’d had known it at the time. Although…would knowing that things weren’t going to get better make things feel bittersweet? I don’t know. Sorry for getting all philosphical here. I’ll try to focus more on the pharmaceutical in the future.

Anyhow, I didn’t really have anything going on for Thanksgiving this year. I figured I’d drop by St. Mark’s later in the day and see what the scene was like, if there was anybody I knew around, but before that I thought I might take a trip down memory lane and visit one of my old haunts, the Venice Beach Pier.  It’s usually pretty quiet on holidays and today was no exception.  It didn’t help that the water was cold and the waves were weak.  I was actually the only person out there other than a guy on a stand-up paddleboard.  Normally ‘SUP riders are pretty unwelcome on any wave that can be ridden with a real surfboard, since they’re basically canoes and can pick up waves from so much further out.  But this guy was all right.  Pretty friendly and he wasn’t too greedy, so we were both able to get plenty of rides and everyone had a good time.

St. Mark’s was okay. Tomsula didn’t turn up – I heard he’s stuck in El Paso – but the Fingerling brothers were there. They got themselves banned for life for throwing food. They weren’t even having a food fight! They were just doing that little juggling routine they do. It was still good to see them, though. And you know who gave me a call later on during the day? Mark fucking Davis.  Of the Los Angeles I mean Oakland I mean Las Vegas Raiders.  Apologized for not having tracked me down until this year; said he tries to reach out to as many old Raiders as he can around the holidays. Says he might even have a little job for me in the future so he’s going to stay in touch. I just hope it’s not parking cars like that time Marcus Allen “invited” me to his Hall of Fame induction party.

Anyhow, in honor of Mark (I guess it’s Mr. Davis now, just like his dad) reaching out today’s post-session shot was something appropriately pirate-themed. Even had a bit of a Thanksgiving theme as well.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone, though I’ve been so late in getting this edition out that I might as well wish everyone a Merry Christmas.  Marinovich out.

 

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Rikki-Tikki-Deadly
Law-abiding Raiders fan, pet owner, Los Angeles resident.
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scotchnaut

So there was an Xmas get-together for employees and significant others at the local Legion. There were about 30 attendees and at least 12 of them now have Covid. Mrs. Scotchy’s extended family has an Xmas event booked for next Saturday in the very same venue. There will be about 65 people there. This is peak stupidity.

King Hippo

Never leaving the house – the perfect lifestyle FOAR all seasons!

/hoping to do a little more Katla tonight, hope we see Asa’s shoulders soon

Mr. Ayo

Tonight’s menu is sadly shoulder challenged, though not shoulder absent.

King Hippo

I took a nap today, so I will stay awake late enough to peruse your selection before Saturday morning. How’s the freezer vodka today?

Mr. Ayo

Flowing most gloriously.

SonOfSpam

Yeah. ended up more like University of Idaho roommates.

Horatio Cornblower

I’m enjoying the OT a lot more than the rest of the game. Apparently 20 out of 22 guys being on yellow cards really improves the flow of a game.

Horatio Cornblower

Yes. Yes it would have.

2Pack

This

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BeefReeferLives

I wonder if Deshaun has to go around his ‘hood and have a chat with his neighbors…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gV0CVX60Weg

Horatio Cornblower

Are these OTs sudden death? I just realized I have no idea.

Last edited 1 year ago by Horatio Cornblower
SonOfSpam

Nope, they play the whole 30

Horatio Cornblower

How ironic that anything in this World Cup was held up for want of coin.

SonOfSpam

Bananen taarten!

SonOfSpam

Prostituees en marihuana zijn het komende uur voor de helft van de prijs!

Horatio Cornblower

AND HERE COME THE PRETZELS!!!

Horatio Cornblower

Absolutely amazing.

Horatio Cornblower

That header on the Dutch goal gets more amazing every time I see it.

Horatio Cornblower

JA!!!!!!

(Which is Dutch for YES!!)

Horatio Cornblower

They deserve to lose Las Malvinas for that.

Oh, wait.

SonOfSpam

comment image

Horatio Cornblower

This Argentine team is so likable that I sincerely hope they get to star in a documentary.

Preferably called “Alive 2”

Col. Duke LaCross

SOCCER FIGHT!

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Horatio Cornblower

The benches have cleared!

Van Dike, (sp?), may have done one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen following that up with that shove.

Horatio Cornblower

Apparently they’re giving them as the game goes along. Virgil just got one.

They’re saying the Argentine who fired the ball at the Dutch bench, (which I think was pretty funny), should have gotten a red. Don’t know the rules on that myself.

Horatio Cornblower

Was it the same guy who did both? I couldn’t tell.

If it was then yes, Argentina should absolutely be playing 10 right now.

yeah right

Well shit. Here we go again. Mandatory masking at work starting Monday.

Just when I remembered what everyone’s face looked like.

I’m going to start wearing them to the grocery store again too. Starting today.

yeah right

I wore them until a few weeks ago when I noticed all of the cashiers had stopped wearing theirs. Easy enough to do again.

Game Time Decision

same, don’t want to be sick like that evar again

BeefReeferLives

Ditto. I used to get a head cold or sinus infection every couple of months in the winter. Haven’t had one since I started masking in public places.
Why change a winning game?

2Pack

I hope they don’t start up here again. Really messes with the flirting with pretty waitresses game. My priorities are a bit on the reckless side.

Gumbygirl

Yeah, me too. I have a cold, and I could have avoided it easily.

blaxabbath

Does Todd have one of those like iwatches? I am thinking about getting a Samsung watch but what features do people really use on them?

2Pack

They should booth review some of the obvious overacting after incidental contact that goes on in the box before awarding a PK. That looked like some bullshittin to me.

Horatio Cornblower

The ref can card for dives, but they never do. And certainly not to Messi, who just went down like he’d been shot after a mere touch.

King Hippo

Can’t appreciate fuckshit that Argentina does. That whole “cult of Messi” phenomenon just nauseates.

King Hippo

Dear Heavenly Jeebus, these are so good. I totes hear them in Marinovoice

ballsofsteelandfury

Right??