Todd Richards | Snowboarding Fundamentals | Commentating | Craft Beer | Surfing | Tiger Balm

Episode #11

This week on the podcast AJ and I are joined by my friend, neighbor and general partner in crime Paul Horning for a chat with Todd Richards. Paul’s my surfing, snowboarding and skating buddy and a recent feather to Chloe and Isabel – the twin girls born on Halloween night (as I think I mentioned back in episode #2). I was planning on having Paul on the podcast much earlier, but as he puts it –  the two little poop machines are a full-time job and then some.

“Surfing is the most fun you can have while being constantly frustrated.”

Between Paul’s list, AJ’s list and mine – there were hundreds of topics that we wanted to talk with Todd about.  I think AJ could have talked with Todd for hours about commentating alone. That said, we did get to cover a slew of topics ranging from surfing to asshole parking and I even learned what a Humpkin is… Halloween is forever changed in my mind. 

We had a little background noise from time to time mostly in the beginning…. The only consolation I can offer, since the noise is coming from the resort Boreal – would be to recommend that you check out the Instagram account called people of boreal. It’s good for a laugh and very much in-line with the tone of today’s conversation, I think Todd would approve. 

Episode highlights:

• Surfing at Ocean City Maryland 
• Dealing with birthdays and asshole friends
• Shred Soles and some bootfitting dos and don’ts  – “I’ve been running those things since you sent them, I love em.”
• People of Boreal making background noise 
• Growing up back east and learning how to ride your edges.
• Todd asks AJ about his stance…
• “I want to know firsthand what it is that you are stoked on about your stance?…..The fact that you could actually live between Shaun Whites feet…”
• 90’s snowboarder problems like the Morrow sheet metal screw binding mounting system and leashes
• Quinn Sandoval, Tarquin Robbins, Adam Merriman, Ali Goulet and Stevie Alters
• The dangers of skiing (Jerry of the day)
• Omatic and semi-snowboarding entrepreneurism “I thought those boards we some of the best boards I’ve ever ridden in my life.”
• How Todd got into commentating via an injury.
• AWSM.com’s inspiration via  WERD.com … Snarky product reviews – now it’s all video.
• Me Myself and I – A Documentary on the life of Todd Richards
• On announcing live events “Be calm, know everybody, have a relationship with the riders… give the appearance that you are relaxed on camera. Be entertaining while not offending everyone… when you have a microphone you want to say bad stuff!”
• How Mikey Taylor and Paul Rodriguez’s Energy Drink idea turned into Saint Archer Brewing Co.
• “You can really get to know who a human being is on Instagram, I use it as a stream of consciousness.” Find Todd on Instagram here: http://instagram.com/btoddrichards
• On Asshole parking – “it’s staggering how dumb people are… People park like complete morons.”
• Lane Knaack calls Todd a pussy live via AJ. – Todd takes it as a compliment.
• The HUMPKIN and learning the Wet Cat.

Some of my favorite quotes:

“Well, my stance on stances is…” – AJ

“When you land a trick (with a narrow stance)… you don’t land a trick like you’re getting ready to ollie (a skateboard)…you’re wilsoning.”

“We had the leashes on the skis back in the day and we would fall.. the leash just tethered these spears to your body!”

“Stevie Alters was just like this gem of a human being… he replied all the hardware on his bindings with ticket wickets…. He was an enigma.”

“Craft beer guys are hardcore, if your beer is not good, you’ll hear about it.”

“The beer industry has been so blown away.. they’ve been coming at it from a non-authentic place for a long time.”

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