words by: Bradley Rosado
photos: Chris McDonald
Bradley_Tufty is in the building! How's the good life man?
Tyler_What up! Everything is chillin, I just scored a new job with Nike SB and just waiting for the good weather to come back so we can get working on your new video. 2007 is gonna be a big year for me.
Bradley_It seems like you are from everywhere. Like I don't even know where you are originally from. Where did Tufty all start out at?
Tyler_Well, I'm originally from a small town in Iowa, Sioux City. I grew up skating in Alexandria, VA and DC. After high school I moved to Norfolk, VA to go to school at Old Dominion University. From there I spent a lot of time traveling back and forth from Raleigh, NC and DC. After school I lived in Raleigh for almost a year, then finally moved back up here. So I kinda have been all around the Mid-Atlantic.
Bradley_What's up with this DC gentlemen's beer drinking club I keep hearing about?
Tyler_Ah yes the beer club, it's all about slamming beer towers at The Old Dominion Brewery and comparing our manly status. Rory and McElroy started it and I was soon inducted after my first beer tower. Its my favorite beer slamming spot, hands down, flat screens everywhere for my sports viewing pleasure and 133 oz beer towers, can it get any better?
Bradley_What is your infactuation with coffee?
Tyler_Coffee is the best, its a perfect way to get your day going. I guess it all started when I was in college and would stay up super late studying or working on a paper and needing that extra caffeine kick. Then it turned into something I started drinking every morning. Now its part of my routine, coffee everyday!
Bradley_If you had to pick one over the other, what would it be? Beer or Coffee?
Tyler_ Oh thats a tough one, sorry beer, its gonna have to be coffee. I can't catch a DWI off coffee and it would be hard wake up everyday and slam a beer to get started. Though that has happened before.
Bradely_Since you are currently filming for my video, is there anything different in this part that we will see from previous Tufty parts?
Tyler_I'm always trying to come up with something a little bit different, maybe some new tricks or some old tricks on some new spots. I want to get some more bank/wall ride spots involved in this part, just something to make it interesting to watch and also something that will hopefully make people want to go skate.
Bradely_Good Plan. What exactly is Two Nine for the people that don't know.
Tyler_Two Nine is basically my crew of friends that I grew up skating with. Every year on July 29th we have a huge cook out/party where everybody gets together, its like a family reunion. Its a great way for all of us to get together every year slam beers, eat a bunch of food and have our annual game of skate. It gets better every year!!
Bradely_How did the Nike SB position come along?
Tyler_I owe a lot of that to my friend Bob Reynolds. He is friends with the Nike SB sales manager and Bob put my name out there when he was asked who might be able to fill the sub rep position. That combined with the fact that I have a marketing degree and good friends with some key accounts and have been involved in the skate scene for so long all just worked to my advantage. I'm psyched on it! Its a good way for me to start a career and promote skateboarding through out MD, VA and NC.
Bradley_So what happens with you and DVS?
Tyler_I basically had to "break up" with DVS. At first I felt kinda bad because I had been with them for so long but then I spoke with Gabe (DVS team manager) and he was super cool about it and was psyched for me. He understood that it was a career choice for me and I have to do whats best for me. Gabe is the best dude and has helped me out a lot over the last few years, him and everybody at Podium is cool as sh!t.
Bradley_Anything changing with Matix?
Tyler_I'm not sure, but I think thats kinda like if you don't get one anymore you don't get the other. So that will probably be over with too.
Bradely_Let's hit up some top 5's. Give us your Top 5 Eastcoast spots.
Tyler_Freedom
Welfare
Smooth Flat anywhere
Round Wall anywhere
Backyard Pools anywhere
Bradley_Top 5 Pair of Dunks that have come out on the SB line.
Tyler_Heineken
Buck
Supreme
Denim
Ice Green
Bradley_Are dudes already asking you for free shoes since this new job oppurtunity has come up?
Tyler_Wow you wouldn't believe, I've barely got any for myself! I wish I could hook everybody up but it just doesn't work like that. I guess that just comes with the job though huh?
Bradley_Tell us about your recent hill bombing expierence. I missed it but I heard there were a few "fallen soildiers".
Tyler_Oh man that was fun, for some it wasn't. Keir and Tucci took up to this windy hill that is on a closed off road. There was probably about 15 of us all bombing the hill at once, it was sick. Around the first turn Rory didn't make it and flew straight into the woods, it looked funny as hell and he was alright because he landed in a big pile of leaves. Then down the last straight away, Tucci was in front of me, riding switch. He started getting the craziest speed wobbles but since there were so many people around it wasn't like he could do much about it. So Tucci went down, slid and rolled for like 15 feet. I was like oh shit! People were dropping left and right! I didn't see it because he was behind me but Corn also fell. He got the worst of it because he had his camera bag on. I think he cut both his hands, his wrist, his elbow and the side of his waist. It was definitely a dangerous mission, bombing the hill with so many people right next to each other. It was fun and a great way to warm up, actually that was pretty much the only thing we skated that day. The hill and the shaw courts. So fun but it goes to show you that you shouldn't take hills for granted! Click This!
Bradley_Is finally what should happen gonna Finally happen?
Tyler_I'm guessing Finally would be a good thing for this area, but it may be a tough thing to Finally get rolling. When its done though it will Finally be happening. FINALLY.
Bradley_Ha, at least that didn't confuse anybody or anything..Give them Shout Outs!
Tyler_Maricel, The Forgotten City, Pit Crew, Nike SB, The Washington DC Gentleman's Beer Drinking Club, Beer Towers, Freedom Plaza, 2Nine, PMA, everyone!!
"Summer of Cicada"
Viewpoint V.3
"DVS Perfect"