'It's pretty much committing 100 percent that you're gonna get licked' -- Ian Walsh So why the hell would you do something like that? My theory? Walsh is a great big wave surfer, but not the biggest name nor biggest personality in the game. His bosses at Red Bull know his vids will get clicks from the core audience, but a core audience does not a viral video make. For that you need something next level, you need...a pool toy Walsh on inflatable hot dog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOHSkure4s8 Of Course, Walsh merely adopted the pool toy. It was Jamie O'brien who popularized this style of spectacle by bringing it to Pipeline. A lot of people in internet land have been writing off O'brien lately because his latest webisode series featured much more partying and assorted idiotry than it did actual surfing. I can see where they are coming from, but I also like the implicit idea that surfing, even in serious conditions, shouldn't be taken too seriously.