and if you're lucky, maybe you can even
get to witness a shooting or two. In case
you haven't guessed how the name came
about, it was built in the middle of the
projects. But besides the negatives, the
Bro Bowl can be a fun place to skate if
you catch it on the right day.
As far as the street skating goes, I had
to find some reliable sources, so I head-
ed out to talk with Scott Conklin, Jerry
62
Giardina, Allen Russell and John Montesi. Everyone
was easy to find except for Scott. I had to visit him in
the hospital. He had been there due to a previous
stab wound that happened in Tampa's night-life hot
spot called Y-bor City. He was diagnosed with bowel
obstruction due to scar tissue pushing on his intestine.
The terrain in Tampa is not only good, it's too good
to be true. Every spot is guaranteed to come with a
lame ass security guard. If a security guard doesn't
kick you out, the TPD (Tampa Police Department) will
be sure to lend a hand. Jerry and Scott have both
been arrested for skating. Scott was ticketed $60.00
and had to make a court appearance. Jerry's arrest
resulted in an overnight stay in jail accompanied by
Chris Williams. Both ended up paying fines and their
boards were confiscated for six months.
Tampa's weather is great in the winter but most
unbearable in the summer because of the humidity.
Everything is really spread out, so you most defi-
nitely have to have a car to get any skating done.
The last place I am going to mention is the Skate-
park of Tampa. It's hard to say that one place makes
up a whole scene, but without it, there wouldn't be
one. Besides the great skating, the park is like a
headquarters for twenty to thirty people who have
been tight for more than ten years. Some of our
tightest friends don't even skate. They just come for
the fun or just to have a good moating or two,
throwing people in the dirty stream outside the
park. The vert ramp is perfect, and the street course
is the best it has been since the park opened in '93.
If just skating when you visit Tampa is not enough,
we have alternatives. There's an endless amount of
strip bars or just bars and clubs.
You can gamble your money
away on jai alai or go down to
the race track. If all else fails,
you can just soak up the sun on
our sandy, white beaches.
I hope this can give you an
idea of what Tampa's all about.
And if it hasn't, I suggest you
come check it out for yourself.
Frontside switchblade at the SPOT
(opposite top) by Mike Frazier. Brian
Schaefer (opposite right) toys with fire-
works. Scott Conklin (opposite bottom)
vaults over an anti-vagrant device. Look
around on the sandy beaches of Tampa
and you might even see Barbie (above)
herself. Matt Gee (left) heelflips into the
banks next to the Bro Bowl. The Tompo
crew (below), from left to right: Matt
Gee, Allen Russell, Dax Brunet, Scott
Conklin and Milton Arelland.