Eight Wheelers
Strike Back!

Apparently, a column I wrote way back in July 1997 called "Why Fruitbooters Suck" has ruffled the Rollerblades of some inliners -- so much that they've gone out of their way to drop me a line to try and set me straight. Unfortunately, none have been able to enlighten me as to why they're always grabbing their feet or convince me that 8 wheels are better than 2 or 4. Below are actual email messages I have received from irate rollerbooters. I haven't modified these in any way (other than remove their names and email addresses), although I was VERY tempted to at least fix the spelling and grammatical errors... (And by the way: I'm no longer replying to all the other rollerbooters who are now emailing me. I don't care one way or the other about inliners, and people are taking this whole thing WAY too seriously...)

To: Wire, kieran@ewire.zzn.com Subject: Stereotype!!! Received: 11/29/97 4:16 PM Yeah, I'm a fruit booter! I just want to give you my opinion on your article "Why FruitBooters Suck"! I am in no trying to put you down for writign it, but I am going to tell you why I think you're dea wrong! Please have the decency to read this! You just stereotyped us "FruitBooters"! See we are facing a problem in our sport! There are poseres that are starting to skate who are doing it as a fad! Real "FruitBooters" are trying to get rid of them! They make us look bad! Media? You read one of our magazines and you think they are shit! Yoiu probably read a shitty magazine, most sports have them! Pick up the "aggro" magazine called Daily Bread, I guarantee you'll change your mind! In the beginning we were a hell of a lot like SkateBoarders, but that has all changed, we have our own airs, grinds and other tricks! All sports have to start somewhere! THose are my thoughts, I'm curious to hear what your response is, so E-mail me back if you like! Thanx for listening! To: Wire, kieran@ewire.zzn.com Subject: fruitbooters Received: 12/1/97 6:42 PM Newsflash: In case you haven't checked up in the past 5 years rulerblading has changed. The new look is preppy, airs and flips are bigger than any other sport, especially sk8boarding or BMX. There are other tricks than just a frontside. It's technical stuff that will blow your mind if you will stop being so prejudice and pay attention. I can skateboard. I choose to rulerblade. But I still respect skateboarding and BMX. I rulerblade cuz it's fun. I agree that we have a bad name because when it started all of it was skinny guys in neon green spandex skating around like a bunch of faggots. Things have changed so open your eyes. Some day I will hunt you down and show your ass up on blades with about 200 of my friends. Then you'll call me a fruitbooter. Cock sucker. Blow me, queer. To: Wire, kieran@ewire.zzn.com Received: 1/2/98 5:50 PM Subject: screw you hey ass us skater are alot differnt than you say we are. we grab are feet to do a trick like a aly oop lue kang or spider monkey which are very hard tricks. and grabling your foot for a grind is to show that you dont need that foot liek for a backslide all it is a royal without the forward foot there are also alot more trix on a pare of s8s than on a board man so screw you ass hole To: Wire, kieran@ewire.zzn.com Received: 1/10/98 9:24 PM Subject: fuck you where do you live you piece of shit? im going to kill you

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