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merlyn_DHC
PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 12:39 pm  Reply with quote
Team Heelys - Northeast


Joined: 15 Dec 2006
Posts: 1803

I think I owe people here on HC an explanation. If you haven't heard, I've decided to stop skating Heelys. Its a decision I considered a few months back, but I wanted to wait until after Mikey and I went to Dallas before I finalized anything.

A few weeks ago, I talked to the new people over at HSL face-to-face. Suffice to say, we don't seem to see eye-to-eye on the future of the team. The whole AJ incident this past year left a really bad taste in my mouth. I came down pretty hard on the people who did that. Maybe they didn't appreciate it. Oh well.

Ultimately, I'm retiring because because HSL hasn't given me a reason to stay and captain the team. They've given no indication that they're serious about taking the sport to the next level. And as a person, I can't stay stagnant for long. I've always believed that the skaters can't do it without corporate. And corporate can't do it without the skate team. I guess they see it differently.

So starting next year, I'm going to retire from skating Heelys. This shouldn't come as a shock to a lot of you. Many people knew this day would come eventually. Merlyn's the type of person that masters a thing and then moves on. I've done everything I wanted to do in Heelys. There isn't a trick that I've wanted to land that I haven't. I think that about 50% of all tricks out there I've invented or was the first to perfect. I've made a lot of friends, and met good people through skating.

My mom always taught me to leave things better than I found it - to give back more than I take. In the time I've been skating, I believe I've given back more to the sport (and its participants) than I've taken. I'm content with my involvement.

I'm going to finish out this year as Captain of TEC and the National Pros (as I've promised to do). But starting next year I'll to looking for my next challenge.

My advise for people reading this? Everyone is at a different place in life. I love skating. But life is full of different experiences. And the beauty in life is to find new things; be able to fall in love over and over again. I've done this my whole life and mastered a myriad of skills along the way. Its not the end of the journey for me. Its just a step. This might be a new step for you. It might be an old step. Doesn't matter. Just remember that its the journey that's important.

Merlyn_DHC

_________________
[Wed 7:53] Slicer: *looks at Merlyn's finger frenzy score*
[Wed 7:53] Slicer: *face screws up in a combination of amazement and a sort of horror*

[Fri 12:06] IVI4V3R1CK: hey Merlyn, if you don't mind me asking, whys your name yellow?
[Fri 12:07] merlyn_DHC: Because I'm Chinese
[Fri 12:08] merlyn_DHC: (isn't that obvious) ?
[Fri 12:08] IVI4V3R1CK: o.o... thats kinda wrong
[Fri 12:08] merlyn_DHC: HAHAHA

David: Hey RU there ?
H33LYcRaZeD: yeah
David: How things ?
H33LYcRaZeD: thongs arte good

Big Mac: to go to camp quality to give lessons and give away hoes
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AgeMeansNothing
PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 12:57 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 03 Jan 2008
Posts: 223
Location: Warshington, USA

Wow. It's a sad day for me. I appreciate all that you've done for the sport, but I'm definitely sad to see you leave. At the same time, I completely understand and respect your decision. I hope someone as generous and kind, if not as skilled, will step up to fill your shoes. I especially hope that HSL finally knows what they had after you're gone. Unfortunately, that may come too late.

To all you up and coming pros out there, don't let Merlyn's choice change the way you feel about skating, or why you skate. As Merlyn always says, don't skate for other people, skate for yourself. You've made it this far, and you can keep going, if not with him, then in his honor.

I'm curious about "the AJ incident" though. Anyone care to fill me in? PM is fine by me if this is old news that I just missed.

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My Heelys: Escape #9110, Rumble #7317, Torch #9116, Suede Dogs #7501
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merlyn_DHC
PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 1:59 pm  Reply with quote
Team Heelys - Northeast


Joined: 15 Dec 2006
Posts: 1803

Thanks for your kind words. It means a lot to me.

_________________
[Wed 7:53] Slicer: *looks at Merlyn's finger frenzy score*
[Wed 7:53] Slicer: *face screws up in a combination of amazement and a sort of horror*

[Fri 12:06] IVI4V3R1CK: hey Merlyn, if you don't mind me asking, whys your name yellow?
[Fri 12:07] merlyn_DHC: Because I'm Chinese
[Fri 12:08] merlyn_DHC: (isn't that obvious) ?
[Fri 12:08] IVI4V3R1CK: o.o... thats kinda wrong
[Fri 12:08] merlyn_DHC: HAHAHA

David: Hey RU there ?
H33LYcRaZeD: yeah
David: How things ?
H33LYcRaZeD: thongs arte good

Big Mac: to go to camp quality to give lessons and give away hoes
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Merrie_England
PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 2:20 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 15 Jun 2008
Posts: 1391
Location: UK

Forgive possible typo's: slightly "merry" here, but what's new? Very Happy Well, it's the thought that counts. Wink

Although I'd recently gotten wind of this news when we chatted on IM, it's still a sad day to see it officially announced. I know you thought of quitting once before a few years back David, and said you were glad you didn't at the time, but having read all you wrote above I understand your reasons why now is the right time to move on, and you definitely have given much to the heeling community, and to the participants involved: as one of only a couple of serious heelers older than myself, I for one have found your help and advice invaluable, and therefore so have the friends I attempt to pass my (your) skills onto, although they may not even realise they are benefiting from your wizardly wisdom and advice Smile So, you may think you've helped dozens or hundreds of heelers, but through the people they've helped, you've most likely helped thousands without even knowing it.

Well, as is well known, I could go on forever, and often do, so I'll try to keep this short and end by saying:

Good luck in whatever you choose to do, I know you'll do well in it being as driven as you are. Smile I only wish I had half your drive and passion for life, and yes, I'm going to smile again now. Smile


Best wishes mate. I can only hope that in 6 years time I'm half as good as you are. Smile

-ME

P.S., don't forget to deploy the chute Wink


Last edited by Merrie_England on Wed Dec 03, 2008 3:53 pm; edited 1 time in total

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obiwan1410
PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 3:02 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Nov 2008
Posts: 222
Location: claremore, OK

man i was looking forward to meeting at an event but i think you hav a good reson

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wondercheese
PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 3:17 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 18 Mar 2008
Posts: 291
Location: Washington, USA

We'll be sad to see you move on! Sad but I can understand that too. It's hard to pour you heart into something an not see it move farther forward! We'll miss you knowledge here!

wondercheese

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Thu 21:53] wondercheese: we weren't trying to cause damage, and we DID pay for the broken lotion!
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merlyn_DHC
PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 5:11 pm  Reply with quote
Team Heelys - Northeast


Joined: 15 Dec 2006
Posts: 1803

Nah - it has nothing to do with disappointment. I'm not the one missing out here.

I'm proud of what we've achieved. But I need growth in order to stay interested. That's just me.

Other people have a lot more to grow and experience with the product before they get to where I'm at. And I don't say that to be boastful. I've just been doing it longer than most. That's all.

The product needs to evolve in order for us (pros) to take it to the next level. Its needed tweaking for three years now. But that's not necessarily in the business' best interest. They need to sell shoes. I understand that. I hope that they understand that we don't have to wait around until it does either.

As ME alluded to, I was going to stop skating a year ago. But some nice people at HSL asked me to stay on and develop the sport further. I agreed. And in a year I think we've accomplished a lot. Remember, the pro team has only been existence a year. But I asked the new people about the future and I got .. blank. No reply e-mails, no reply phone call, not even as a courtesy.

Ballz.
Oh well. Roll-Roll.


Last edited by merlyn_DHC on Wed Dec 03, 2008 5:17 pm; edited 1 time in total

_________________
[Wed 7:53] Slicer: *looks at Merlyn's finger frenzy score*
[Wed 7:53] Slicer: *face screws up in a combination of amazement and a sort of horror*

[Fri 12:06] IVI4V3R1CK: hey Merlyn, if you don't mind me asking, whys your name yellow?
[Fri 12:07] merlyn_DHC: Because I'm Chinese
[Fri 12:08] merlyn_DHC: (isn't that obvious) ?
[Fri 12:08] IVI4V3R1CK: o.o... thats kinda wrong
[Fri 12:08] merlyn_DHC: HAHAHA

David: Hey RU there ?
H33LYcRaZeD: yeah
David: How things ?
H33LYcRaZeD: thongs arte good

Big Mac: to go to camp quality to give lessons and give away hoes
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IVI4V3R1CK
PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 5:17 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 04 Dec 2007
Posts: 1067
Location: Colorado Springs, CO

Merlyn,

I am sad to see you go. As everyone has said it will be a hard day for heelers everywhere but we respect your opinion. I wanted to say thanks for everything you have done without noticing you've done it (trust me, I have picked up a lot from watching you). I can understand about you reaching the pinacle of your skating career. Its sad to know that someone doesn't have you back (corporate) but they'll realize when they bomb in the next few years.

If you still continue to skate on the side, I hope you enjoy it as much as you did when you first strapped on a pair of shoes. Even just going around down town for me can be as exciting as hitting a half pipe. But whatever your decision is, I wish you well in your journey.

Without you being there for this sport it would be nothing. I probably wouldn't have the shoes that I have now because I doubt anyone was as deticated as you. Granted there are a lot of tricks out there, and there still might be some more, so I am happy you left some discoveries for the rest of us Wink

But again, thanks for everything you have done over the past six years. There has been some wild rides with the beginning of the sport and for those who have been doing it for just as long as you or the people who will pick it up a year from now will know of you and what you have done... What you have stood for...

Good Luck My Friend,

Patrick - "Maverick"

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Favorite Tricks – Frontside, Footy Stall, and Footy
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merlyn_DHC
PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 5:20 pm  Reply with quote
Team Heelys - Northeast


Joined: 15 Dec 2006
Posts: 1803

Thanks Mav,

Likewise, I've always felt you were one of the brave ones.

_________________
[Wed 7:53] Slicer: *looks at Merlyn's finger frenzy score*
[Wed 7:53] Slicer: *face screws up in a combination of amazement and a sort of horror*

[Fri 12:06] IVI4V3R1CK: hey Merlyn, if you don't mind me asking, whys your name yellow?
[Fri 12:07] merlyn_DHC: Because I'm Chinese
[Fri 12:08] merlyn_DHC: (isn't that obvious) ?
[Fri 12:08] IVI4V3R1CK: o.o... thats kinda wrong
[Fri 12:08] merlyn_DHC: HAHAHA

David: Hey RU there ?
H33LYcRaZeD: yeah
David: How things ?
H33LYcRaZeD: thongs arte good

Big Mac: to go to camp quality to give lessons and give away hoes
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Slicer
PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:00 pm  Reply with quote
Museum Curator


Joined: 29 Jul 2006
Posts: 1474
Location: Central North Dakota, aka The Middle of Nowhere

First and foremost: For Merlyn to even begin to approach Slicerlike levels of serrated distaste, something is extremely fucking wrong.

I always thought that the usual gripes about corporate- no Pro Models, stupid unwheeled tricks, a CEO who doesn't trust his own brand- were the result of greed and a shrinking economy.

We saw the overexuberance and subsequent contraction under Staffaroni. He was in it for the short term, and he succeeded and then failed. Greed, which is a CEO's job. At least he gave us Torches and a promise of Pro Models (June, remember?) instead of the whole lot of aggressive nothing we see now. No Pro Models in the US (seriously, what the fuck? You can't ship a smallish order to ONE American online retailer?). Last quarter they barely traded water, and that wasn't due to sales increases.

This new crew isn't greedy, they're completely fucking incompetent, balanced only by their desperation to cut losses. Don Carroll apparently can't fucking understand what the pro team (and regional teams, and EMMs, and similar marketing efforts) do for them. Nah. He's too busy making Geckos. And the stock's $3.15. Under normal circumstances I'd say to buy buy buy. Unless Capital Southwest gets its ducks in a row and starts wielding the Axe whose visage is Pink Slips and whose name is Unemployment against Carroll and whoever else is responsible for this junglefuckery, things aren't going to get any better.

First the EMMs got winnowed. Then there were no more regional teams or events. And now there is no more pro team. Who the fuck is going to replace Merlyn? Anyone?

...Anyone at all?

*chirp* *chirp*

YOU HAD A SERIOUS FUCKING CHANCE TO GET A REAL FUCKING PARTNERSHIP WITH FUCKING DISNEY, AND YOU ARE GOING TO FUCKING LOSE IT WITHOUT A FUCKING PRO TEAM, YOU FUCKING IDIOTS.

This demolishment of marketing apparatus in lean times reminds me of a man cutting off his legs to save on food supplies. Think you can so easily get them back? Hey Don, do you even have the remotest fucking clue how you can replace experienced people in a particular niche market? You're not stupid enough to think that you can just hire shoe marketers, are you? You must have learned something after the Gamer failed and the Gecko's going the same way, right?

...Right?

When sales start to decline even more, will anyone, anywhere who knows a thing about Heelys wonder why? Awesome product, shit for management. You want to play an endgame? Forget the drawn-out bit. It's not worth it. Here's an endgame that I recommend for who all is responsible for this shit: The door. Don't let it hit you in the ass. YOU should be leaving, not Merlyn.

Yeah, I still don't know who to blame here. Don Carroll of course is responsible, and to some extent Capital Southwest, who should probably just cut their losses, buy back the company (at $3.15!!), sell the patent to Sketchers, and run wearing black eye masks and clutching $90 million in cash in a big bag marked $. CEOs don't operate in a bubble, though. Several someones have let this company go to hell, and I can't puzzle it out from here just who. What the fuck do you clowns do all day? Did all the other good people already skedaddle?

I still don't know just what the fuck happened with AJ. (Remember, I'm not answerable to anyone. Post what you want. Under a new name, if you feel you have to.)

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obiwan1410
PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:11 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Nov 2008
Posts: 222
Location: claremore, OK

ya what was the aj insadent you can just pm me

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TEAM A.M.N .-^-._.-^-. obiwan1410
ghetto points: 1,000
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DeezUU
PostPosted: Wed Dec 03, 2008 10:13 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 03 Jan 2007
Posts: 469
Location: Ol' Virginny

Dude! You've been nothing but positive and have been a great 'roll' model for my groms. We've all enjoyed watching your vids and learning from you what we could via the screens of YouTube. I do wish we could've caught up and skated with you at a demo or TEC practice but things don't always fall into place. Me an the groms appreciate where you have taken the sport and we can only hope that 'someone' will take it farther in the direction you have pointed it. BIG UPS and THANKS! Good luck with your next venture.

Chris, Logan, and Evan

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merlyn_DHC
PostPosted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 3:42 pm  Reply with quote
Team Heelys - Northeast


Joined: 15 Dec 2006
Posts: 1803

Thanks Deez,

Seeing fathers like you and AMN get involved with your kids, having fun together has been an inspiration to me too !!

MDHZ

_________________
[Wed 7:53] Slicer: *looks at Merlyn's finger frenzy score*
[Wed 7:53] Slicer: *face screws up in a combination of amazement and a sort of horror*

[Fri 12:06] IVI4V3R1CK: hey Merlyn, if you don't mind me asking, whys your name yellow?
[Fri 12:07] merlyn_DHC: Because I'm Chinese
[Fri 12:08] merlyn_DHC: (isn't that obvious) ?
[Fri 12:08] IVI4V3R1CK: o.o... thats kinda wrong
[Fri 12:08] merlyn_DHC: HAHAHA

David: Hey RU there ?
H33LYcRaZeD: yeah
David: How things ?
H33LYcRaZeD: thongs arte good

Big Mac: to go to camp quality to give lessons and give away hoes
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Hidude28
PostPosted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:45 pm  Reply with quote
Team Heelys


Joined: 17 Sep 2007
Posts: 764
Location: Representing Southwest

but... but.... it's not april fools day Sad

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seth1230
PostPosted: Thu Dec 04, 2008 5:13 pm  Reply with quote
Heelys Encyclopedia


Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 2974
Location: Representing SouthEast

I cried when i read that.

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