Dogbowl - power from the past

Power. Objects retain power. Talismans. Ancient wisdom. Certain things that have been touched by holy or religious people are said to retain the vital life force and essence of those persons. Do some consider skateboarding a ‘minor religion’? Are there skateboarders out there that consider the Dogtown crew to be our holy forefathers? Some might argue the point but it becomes a non-issue. It must be true that they had immense influence and impact during the Dogtown heyday. The Dogbowl was the church and these guys worshipped there often. I was taken to the Dogbowl on July 10, 1999 by Tony Alva. I have included the original photographs that I took on that day. Make no mistake… the pool was massive. I walked around the pool that day and ran my fingers over the coping of the entire lip of the pool. TA just smiled as I did this. I need not explain.

Objects have power. The Dogbowl has since been bulldozed and is now a yard on a new estate where Dino’s family once lived. The house was razed and a new one built in its place. A friend recently gave this piece of original Dogbowl coping to TA through me. TA was stoked! We had it sitting on the mantle of Angelo’s Malibu clover for people to admire. Presently, it is here at Ridiculous. It will soon find its way back to TA in Coldwater Canyon. I touch the coping from time to time. I peer at the Glen E. Friedman images of Dogbowl and feel the impact. The place had profound influence and is now gone forever. Respect. Thanks to Glen E. Friedman for the image. Skate- Ozzie