Pop an ollie and innovate! | Rodney Mullen | TED

The last thing Rodney Mullen, the godfather of street skating, wanted were competitive victories. In this exuberant talk he shares his love of the open skateboarding community and how the unique environments it plays in drive the creation of new tricks — fostering prolific ingenuity purely for passion's sake. (Filmed at TEDxUSC.)

TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more.

[crrulz]

The way he talks about skateboarding at 45....just like a little That kind of love, even after so many years.... Now I see why he is the greatest ever

[LashanR]

The way he goes from childlike excitement and incoherence to pure eloquence and wisdom on a dime blows my mind

[chfski]

That was, hands down, one of the greatest things I've ever watched.

Just the way he talks, the way he acts, his mannerisms, the way he laughs like a schoolboy, the excitement and the love for skateboarding that's still there after all these years, amazing.

[raidernation]

Dude is literally the Leonardo da Vinci of skateboarding, he made 90% of today's Street tricks... His brain processes differently than the rest of us💯

[TheGoofygoobr]

He so genuine, such a good guy, when he shows a picture of "the best skaters in the world" he just proudly says "those are my friends" made me so happy for him

[PrincessaAnastasiya]

His excitement and passion is so heartwarming and contagious.

[seanno]

What I love about Rodney is that even when he’s just standing he looks like he’s on a skateboard. Bent legs, balanced, loaded up

[jamesoconnor]

It’s tough to truly understand until you’ve skateboarded, but his balance and coordination are superhuman.

[materialistadialectico]

He's more than a skater: he's an artist.

[GreatestMKfighter]

Rodney Mullen isn't a skater, he's a Jedi master with a skateboard.

[zenatman]

I love how rodney is talking like he didn't invent 99% of skateboard tricks🤣 humble god mode

[mg-byuu]

"Landing Primo is the worst!"
-Every skater ever except one




"Landing Primo is awesome I want to do it on purpose!"
-Rodney Mullen

[IETCHX]

I'm 52. I still skate.Since 1975. I am freaking GLOWING right now. Thank you Rodney.

[unrooolie]

Rodney Mullen is hands down the greatest skater of all time. He created an entire style of skating

[XrpAndy]

Being super depressed lately… life has been hard for me. But watching a grown man with such a child like enthusiasm and energy gives me hope. Almost tears me up a little

[controlZchannel]

He stands like he's always on a board.

[AslanW]

He's so goofy and spacey, then he drops these knowledge bombs and amazing observations, all with this kind of barely contained enthusiasm and juvenile optimism.
I can't help but be amazed at how much wisdom he has extracted from his passion and experiences. He's definitely an enigma. I can't find the words to describe it, it's just.. Yeah.

[itsstucat]

"There is an intrinsic value in creating something for the sake of creating it- there's this beauty in dropping it into a community of your own making and seeing it dispersed and seeing younger, more talented- just different talent, take it to levels you could never imagine. and that lives on."

[zarateom]

It’s insane how quickly he flips the switch from bubbly and chuckley to genius and serious. One minute he is the happiest man alive, next he is smarter than everyone in the room. The man is on another plane.

[Zeviander]

His conclusion is just downright inspirational.

"There is an intrinsic value to creating something for the sake of creating it. There is this *beauty* to dropping it into a community of your own making and seeing it dispersed and seeing younger, more talented; different talent, taking it to levels you cannot even imagine, because that lives on."

Truer words have never been spoken.