Whether small or tall, regular or goofy, rookie or veteran, boys will be boys.
And boys like to cuss at each other — frequently.
The WSL has a big decision to make regarding some choice words after one of the many upsets during round three of the Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast. But first, let’s set the scene:
At just under four minutes in heat six, Glen “Micro” Hall sat with priority inside of Gabriel Medina. Hall then went for a routine block on Medina, as the defending champion paddled into a wave that appeared to offer the 6.73 he needed to overtake first place. As Medina angled down the line, Hall began to take off on the wave. Within a foot of Hall, Medina ducked out of the breaking wave. Hall took a fall, paddled over to Medina, had a few words, and won the heat after Medina was given an interference penalty.
Whether Medina was too close or if Hall simply embellished the interference, whether the new inference rule is necessary or ridiculous is not what needs to be addressed. The WSL needs to thoughtfully act on what happened next.
Hall gave a post-heat interview, and, with little prompting from Peter Mel, brought up the incident and the exchange of words afterward.
“He was way too close to me,” Hall told Mel on the broadcast. “It wasn’t anything personal…He’s a really good dude. We had words. I was explaining what I was bummed out about, and he was telling me to calm down. It’s nothing personal.”
During the following heat, Medina told Mel in a broadcast interview that he did not understand the new interference rule and said that he never touched Hall, something that Hall seemed to confirm earlier. Medina then went on to say that he hopes the WSL gets better at choosing days to run the contest and wants them to explain their rules more thoroughly.
Then things got a lit more confrontational.
“Next time Glen says ‘Fuck you,’ I’ll teach him some bad words…” Medina told Mel, who pulled the microphone away.
Here is the decision the WSL has to make: Will they fine Medina and make an example of him, or will they use this as a way to get more interest in the tour, which is lacking viewership and is sucking funds from the new owners of the WSL?
It is a decision that will set a precedent for the new organization. Will they hold professionalism as the hard rule, or will they use these moments to create drama and rivalry?
Or can they have both?
If the WSL can find a way to condemn Medina’s on-air language (a slap on the wrist, a couple bucks), but use the clash as a way to make repetitive broadcasts and heat scenarios a touch more interesting, they may see a rise in viewership. Surf fans will watch either way, but the WSL is shooting for new fans. How do you get new fans? Broaden your product’s interest. What is a broad interest? Drama. Cussing. Fighting. Rivalry.
Think Seattle Seahawk Richard Sherman calling out San Francisco 49er Michael Crabtree after the 2013 NFC Championship game in a post-game interview. Now, the Super Bowl doesn’t need any help with viewership, but Saturday Night Live parodied the interview, the news focused on it. The NFL may not have needed it, but it extended the reach of the brand, which is what the WSL needs.
No one would suggest they need to pursue a professional wrestling standard of drama, but reporting on a slip of the tongue instead of cutting the tongue off could go a long way for the WSL.
Gabriel Medina. Not psyched. So how will the WSL respond?
