Tom Groholski #2.

This is from an interview with the Jersey Devil by Glen Friedman:

Do you think California pros are threatened by pros outside of the sunbelt?

I don't know. They might be a little bit. It's not like we're out to get them or anything. We're just back here with no magazines, no companies, no hype (don't believe the hype) and crappy weather. We don't skate because it's a novelty or because it's hip. Things are not handed to us here like they seem to be there. We have to shovel ramps and deal with bad weather. We work to skate and we appreciate what we have. I like it back here better because it's not as big on a fad level. It's big but it's on an underground level. We can have a pool and not have it graffitied in a week, and we can skate the pool for longer because there are not a million people going there to make it obvious or a bust. We're not worried about catching up to those guys. I don't think there's any catching up to do nowadays.

Outside of this area, who do you like to skate with and why?

I'll skate with anybody, but I don't like competitive attitudes, like jock skateboarders. If it comes down to a contest type attitude trip, I'll just sit down, let those guys go for it and I'll skate when no one's around. I'm not into that type of situation. As for favorites, I like to skate with Dan Wilkes and Jeff Phillips because they're my friends. And as for style, Reese Simpson, Lance Mountain and Steve Caballero are the people I really like to watch.

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RIP Eric Stricker.

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The picture is by Marty "Jinx" Jimenez.

For the ad: Thrasher - March 1989 Volume 9 Number 3

For the quote: Thrasher - September 1989 Volume 9 Number 9