Kreitler on Blizzard?

**Jumper Bones** · 10-06-2005, 01:45 AM

Originally Posted by Darkside

Since when does Kent have an "Asshole" attitude? Have you spent a lot of time with him? I guess you're just talking shit about someone because they've got some success that you wish you had.

I put "asshole" in quotes like that since it was a quote from his film, Reverence....I've never met Kent, and he sounds nothing but nice from the mag stories I've heard. I wasn't posting judgement on him in any way, but referring to a rumored attitude that gets mentioned in the film. Watch it and you'll see.

**minddoc** · 10-06-2005, 01:30 PM

Originally Posted by Darkside

Since when does Kent have an "Asshole" attitude? Have you spent a lot of time with him? I guess you're just talking shit about someone because they've got some success that you wish you had.

I second that. You know I don't even really know the guy but he is always willing to help out or answer any questions that I might have. He seems to be a bit philosophical as well. He doesn't strike me as having a know it all attitude at least thats what I have seen.

**minddoc** · 10-06-2005, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by Jumper Bones

I put "asshole" in quotes like that since it was a quote from his film, Reverence....I've never met Kent, and he sounds nothing but nice from the mag stories I've heard. I wasn't posting judgement on him in any way, but referring to a rumored attitude that gets mentioned in the film. Watch it and you'll see.

I think the movie shows a side that everyone has, and I admire the honesty. I have heard he did a lot of the work on the movie so I am guessing he could have taken the "negative" parts out. I think it only shows that he is a real person. I would have liked to have seen more of this in Seths movie, although it did have a bit of his rough side.

**jump** · 10-06-2005, 02:37 PM

If nothing else we should all just be happy to know that ski companies still sponsor people.

**squaretail** · 10-06-2005, 04:44 PM

Kent Kreitler is not an asshole, and that is not the reason why he is no longer on Rossignol and didn't re-sign with a more "mainstream" brand.

To use an NFL analogy, Kent is a salary cap casualty. He's been around for a while now...that means he is fairly well paid, as far as pro skiers go. Unfortunately, because of circumstances beyond anyone's control, he'll likely not make that type of money again as a pro.

Why? 2 reasons. 1) Currency conversion. The USD/Euro conversion is 30% higher than at this time last year. That means a ski company sells the same number of pairs in the US that they sold last year, and they make 30% less money. This has a profound effect on pro athlete budgets. 2) Youth is king. Now, more than ever. Somebody else said this above, and it's true.

Kent spoke to just about every manufacturer, and everybody wanted him, just not at the price he is accustomed to. Accepting this, he then negotiated for non-money things, like product development and/or team management opportunities.

Blizzard offered him this, and he already liked the Krypton boot, so that's how it came to be.

I say all this on behalf of one of companies that did not sign him. Kent's a class guy. I wish we could have offered him more.

**Lane Meyer** · 10-06-2005, 04:51 PM

Originally Posted by lph

This is totally besides the point, and I don't know him so I really don't care what he is like, but.............did you see his movie???? Even his close friends say what a total PITA he can be.

If Shane and Kent can be dropped then no one is safe.

I do know Kent, and although scatterbrained and out-there, he's a sharp guy who's far from an "asshole." He's actually really intelligent and very nice. And like Squaretail said, he made a wise business decision by going with a European company for a plethora of reasons.