From: The Inertia: Dane Reynolds is the most exciting free surfer on this planet, because he’s his harshest critic. And while the trophies might fall by the wayside, and conventional accolades don’t seem to motivate him, he has won the adoration of droves of surf fans drawn to the notion that a great surfer can create a life for himself on his own terms. And that’s a bold thing to do. But in a culture that discourages the braggadocio of claims, I can understand how Dane might be less than forthright in revealing that the path he has taken to succeed requires a lot of hard work, ambition, and talent. It’s much simpler to shrug it off. No claim. He need not fear a legacy of cutthroat, ruthless competition. It’s not him. He’s pioneered a new way – one spawned by the rare kind of productive, self-criticism that yields a single, violent turn that no one who saw it could possibly forget. Ever.
Or, in more modest terms: He’s nice. He has fun.
*Warning: A few bad words in this clip*
