When A Pro Runs Over A Kook That Is Inadvertently Trying To Burn Them, Who’s At Fault?

Occasional Stab writer Jake Embrey is having one hell of a week, I’ll tell you what. 

First he disparages the accent of our Irish tube-hunting pal, Gearoid McDaid, titling his latest film “Gearoid McDaid’s English May Be Difficult To Decipher, But Tubes Transcend All Dialects”.

Next he physically assaults (perhaps sexually) a French surfer during a Manly QS heat, based on some archaic sense of wave ownership (this is extra ironic considering Jake votes for the labor party and is a Bondi boy through and through).

And just yesterday, Jake decided to flex his skinny arms at one of the world’s best surfers, Griffin Colapinto, during a Manly freesurf. 

Let’s watch the tape:

As we can see, Griffin makes his way across a beachie wall and board-slides a foamy lip before finding the money section. Somewhere out of frame, a vindictive Jake Embrey, who has yet to cool down from the Charly Quivront incident, decides he’ll take out his (presumably sexual) frustration on old Griff. 

Rather than motioning out the back or laterally to avoid the incoming Californian, Mr. Embrey turns toward shore and gives one of his patented limp-wristed paddle attempts into the wave. 

At this same time, Griffin is midway through a pirouette on the aforementioned money section. As Griff spins around, he catches a glimpse of Jake Embrey and does his best to avoid the flailing mass of flesh but inevitably makes contact with the “local’s” leg and falls off. 

Now, to say that the commentary on @snaketales IG is divisive would be an understatement.

On one hand, we have the pro surfers and their hangers-on:

@chaddutoit: “Please tell me that board is ok?? Don’t worry about that peanut”

@binnstagram: “The Manly lineup is really doing itself proud this week.”

@dimity: “Eliminate them one at a time @griffin_cola“

@mikypicon: “10”

@petedevries: “Next level. Stuck it perfect and almost avoided the guy too”

And on the other hand, we have the kooks and kook apologists:

@ramblinroundoz: “He saw him – he was looking down the line. If he is mister professional, he saw him. I’m a 48 year old never was and I would have seen him. He just didn’t care. He went for a move he couldn’t guarantee to pull off safely and probably opened him up. First rule – don’t hurt others. End of story. There’s no defence that Gumby shouldn’t have been there – the two year old shouldn’t have been in the middle of the road but you don’t run them down.”

@eugreen1: “Pro surfing and the entitled attitude that often encompasses the pro surfing is pretty lame. Just remember boys it’s the ‘kooks’ buying product that keep your lifestyle rolling. You all rip in the water…. perhaps adjust so you don’t mow down the guys that actually keep you afloat.”

@loco4olas: “Griff really shouldn’t have reversed there. Prob. should have high-lined around the ‘novice’ and hit the next section we all make errors…”

Etc. 

So, who’s right and who’s wrong?