Dunno. But pro shoes and movies aren’t on my list (except maybe natas etnies and Steve cabs for historical/ groundbreaking reasons)
Maybe something really unique about their skating. All i know is he wouldn’t make my personal faves list however long it was. I don’t even dislike him. Just… whatever
I guess it’s not really my generation or personal taste. I seem to remember you haven’t seen the early World viids which i find weird so its just personal innit really
Never said the movie gahahaha that was shit
For me - and this is bracketed with a caveat that my opinions are very much of their time i.e. late 80s to mid 90s - these are some of the things that make skaters ‘important’ rather than just ‘sick’.
Paradigm-shifts brought about by their skating so: Carroll, Gino. Rick Howard, Jerry Hsu, MJ, Neil Blender, Natas, Gonz, Henry Sanchez, Daewon, etc
Developing new ways of seeing terrain - Blender, Natas, Gonz, Ricky Oyola, etc
Style so amazing that there’s no need to explain why: Penny, Rick Howard, Ray Barbee, Stranger, Hewitt, Chris Miller, Jovontae Turner, Rune, etc
New levels of gnarliness/possibility - Hawk, Rowley, Salabanzi, Flo Marfaing, Jamie Thomas, Penny, etc
Artistic innovation/creative influence: Gonz, Natas, Blender, Pontus, Templeton, etc etc
I think p rod qualifies in terms of gnarliness.
He was doing switch flip tricks down 12 sets and switch tricks ahead of almost all others (switch inward heel 13, switch 360 flip 13), alongside legit big switch rails and tech switch rails before most.
He went from being the very best of a generic crowd, to a bit-part Batman villain (not on Berra levels, but enough that any modern output is rightfully criticised).
Paul Rodriguez influenced so many other big pros of the time, for better or worse.
Jereme rogers, Ryan gallant, Lewis Marnell, Shane o’Neil.
P rod was a pioneer of switch tech.
By way of example, here’s a young Bobby worrest, who (aside from a much nicer style) is almost interchangeable in terms of trick and spot selection as an early 2000s Paul Rodriguez. In fact skipping through the part, there are tonnes of spots and and tricks that Paul Rodriguez would have been skating around the same time
Get used to it bitch 
Only joking and I totally get what you all mean re P Rod - just convo innit
I don’t actually like p rod so feel I’ve gone abit heavy in this thread, but grew up in the tony hawk era where if you were 16 years old, either believed he was one of the best skaters of all time, or had the opinion of ‘yeah, he’s the best of the best. But he’s fucking boring’
He’s basically Proto njyah, and in turn, Proto yuto
Also was really on top of the contests at points and one a tampa pro, x games, Street league and malouf cup when they all seemed to matter more. I was fully clocked out by that point
I’d argue against him truly being a pioneer of switch tech - I’d say Howard, Carrol, Sanchez, MJ, Hsu, Bob Burnquist, Hawk, Penny etc were pioneers of switch - P Rod took the work of pioneers to perfect school yards and bigger obstacles (kind of) and was much more heavily documented doing so.
Also missed out PJ Ladd and Elissa Steamer from my ‘important’ list
he would’ve registered on my radar more if he used better music
And Frankie Hill and Jason Lee.
Both very important
Disagree. He was in a different lane getting the big boost from Kareem at the start of his career.
Nyjah’s had a tough debut for the ‘core crowd but I think a lot of people’s opinions changed when he got looked over for soty a few years ago.
Matter of fact Prod never won soty but wracked up awards from other media etc…
100% an era thing because those two wouldn’t even register for me
Totally get that but in context - without Frankie Hill there would be no Pat Duffy etc and without Jason Lee you can forget stylish tech.
I also forgot Matt Hensley
This P-Rod hate has surprised me
He’s one of the best pro skaters of all time
Accomplished more than most in video parts and contests and still skates amazing
Bland yeah but great style and ability
I personally am a big fan of everything he’s done on a board
Bit of a Doyle off the board but whatever, he’s from LA
It’s not hate
Mike Valley. D Way. Sheffey. Buster Halterman.
Painful writing the first 2 but there’s no denying.
100% agree with all those.
Definitely not hate at all - just opinion.
Prod shitting on his own legacy via those awful myopic videos with Miley Taylor that GH parodied has made it very easy to dislike him though.
But like you say - LA bubble
Skating is subjective but difficult to put him outside of top 30 for me
You have Mullen to add in there, plus the likes of John Cardiel, Heath Kirchart and many, many more that never automatically come up in these conversations before even getting to P-Rod.
PJ Ladd had the video part of their generation, right? Two years age difference.
