Blogamole › Paul Rodriguez Jr.

By Michael Lopez

We all know that skater Paul Rodriguez Jr. has a long history with Nike. The sports brand has sponsored him through the majority of his professional career and he's collaborated with them on some killer shoe lines. But now they're partnering for their biggest project yet, a new "Just Do It" campaign called "The Chosen." And this past weekend, P. Rod spoke exclusively to Tr3s about the details.

"The Chosen is the biggest thing I've ever been a part of," Rodriguez said. "Just the fact that I’m a part of it is a huge honor."

What is "The Chosen" exactly? A massive advertising initiative featuring the hottest talent in action sports. Olympic snowboarder Danny Kass and surf kingpin Julian Wilson are just a few of the stars joining P. Rod for the campaign. The highlight will be an epic film, shot at night and featuring all of the athletes doing what they do best. There will even be 3D versions of "The Chosen" hitting cinemas July 4th weekend.

"I think that Nike does the best sports-related advertising of all time!" Paul exclaimed. "I haven't seen the 3D stuff yet, but I imagine, with the types of tricks we shot, it's going to be incredible."

Aside from the stars, "The Chosen" will also feature some extreme up-and-comers, including Latin skater Omar Salazar. P. Rod was quick to chime in on how the sport has grown within the Hispanic community.

"Just since the time I started, I feel like the majority of [the skaters] out here in L.A. are Latin. It's incredible. I'm happy to be a part of that movement and I'm proud to see my people excelling at this sport."

Of course, being a skatboarder isn't easy. In between the tricks, jumps, and slides, there can be a lot of broken bones. We asked Paul if he had any plans beyond the sport and got a very interesting answer.

"After I transition out of skateboarding, I wouldn't mind being an actor. It’s been something I've been around my whole life. My father is in the entertainment industry, so I've been on multiple movie sets and TV sets. It's definitely something that interests me."

As we all know, P. Rod's dad isnt just someone "in the industry," he's one of the most respected comics in the business (and a star on Tr3s). But don't expect Rodriguez Jr. to give up his day job just yet.

"I plan on becoming a better and better skateboarder for as long as my body allows me," Paul confessed. "Right now, my heart and focus is so much into skateboarding, that I don't have the desire to do anything else."

You can see Paul's skateboarding skills in action right now by checking out "The Chosen" website. There's even a contest to see if you could be "Chosen" as the next extreme sports star!

Which is your favorite action sport? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Action Sports, Exclusive Entrevistas, Hot Stuff, Nike, Omar Salazar, P-Rod, Paul Rodriguez Jr., skateboarding, The Chosen, Tr3s Exclusives

By Michael Lopez

It’s hard to believe that, at age 26, Paul Rodriguez Jr. already has his own foundation. The son of comedian (and Tr3s regular) Paul Rodriguez, P. Rod is considered a legend in the skateboarding world. So much so, that Nike sought out his foundation to help open a new L.A. skate park.

Labeled the Lincoln Park Skate Spot, the facility features rails, ramps, and a section where fans can watch the skaters grind their boards to the gravel. The park, run by the City of L.A.’s Department of Parks and Recreation, welcomes all skaters ages 7 and up.

According to ESPN, P. Rod was intimately involved with its construction. The Paul Rodriguez Skate Foundation, Nike and the LA 84 Foundation donated the funds to get the project off the ground. Not only that, Rodriguez collaborated with legendary Bones Brigade skater Lance Mountain on the conceptual design.

The grand unveiling last weekend brought out some of the skateboarding world’s best and brightest, including Shane O’Neill, Theotis Beasley, P. Rod and a few hundred die-hard fans who got the message via Twitter.

“Lincoln Park Skate Spot grand opening this Sat at 2pm. I'll be there w/ Nike SB crew for demo & signing.”

We imagine there will plenty more Lincoln Park P. Rod sightings in the weeks to come.

Have you tested your skills at a local skate park? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Hot Stuff, Lincoln Park Skate Spot, Nike, P-Rod, Paul Rodriguez Jr., Skate Parks, skateboarding

By Sharmaine Jones

Skateboarding fans are in for a special treat. Thanks to Nike SB's “The Bird is the Word” European Demo Tour, you can see the skills of Eric Koston, Omar Salazar, Lance Mountain, – our personal favorite – Paul Rodriguez JR. and more in action!

Image : Silvertruck

Nike SB's "The Bird is the Word" Tour occurred this summer from June 30 - July 8 but the famous swoosh brand is just releasing “Street Life” -- the second video installment of the tour.

The 4 minute video starts with Koston (wearing his signature “Oakley” shades) and Salazar warming up at a public outdoor gym, while Koston jokes:

“This is what riding for Nike entails, that's how we perform at the highest level.”

The footage then shows skaters on board a boat on their way to London. Here's where the fun began! The video goes on to shows high quality, high flying sick skating from all the skaters' demo footage as well as their freestyle street footage.

The setting then moves to Paris and the display of pure talent continued to amaze us. Nike even put a camera underneath a skateboard so that you could get a feel of what it was like to BE the skateboard. Of course, undoubtedly for selling purposes, the shot gave you a perfect view of the Nike insignia but the innovative approach was pretty cool.  After “being” the skateboard we couldn't help but go crazy when P-Rod switch 360 flipped a Parisian double set, while wearing what appeared to be a pair of “Nike Zoom Paul Rodriguez 4” sneakers. If P's secret to skateboarding success is in the shoes, put us down for pair!

The exposure is sure to be beneficial to P-Rod's growing empire. If you follow his tweets you know his brand “PlanbProd” is hot:

“RT @Skatelab: Just SOLD a new @planbprod. That only took 20 mins. Get em while they're hot. http://twitpic.com/31qdef “

And he continues to make moves with Nike:

“RT @nikestore: Made to the specifications of @PlanbProd. The Zoom Paul Rodriguez 4 Hi is now available http://go.nike.com/03cjq3n9 “

Who says athleticism and brains don't go hand in hand? Continue to prove them wrong P-Rod!

Did Paul Rodriguez Jr. impress you in Nike's “Street Life”?  Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Eric Koston, Lance Mountain, Nike SB, Omar Salazar, P-Rod, Paul Rodriguez Jr., PlanbProd, skateboarding

By Michael Lopez

Latinos and extreme sports go together like grinding and rails! X Games 16 officially kicked off on Thursday (July 29) in Los Angeles, and one look at the roster reveals a heavy Hispanic presence. And not just with the guys, even lady boarders are hitting the circuit for what’s shaping up to be a very exciting event!

Broken apart into the categories of Skateboarding, BMX, Moto X, and Rally, there’s set to be over a hundred competitors from all over the world. In total, we’ve got 16 different events and Day 1’s set to kick it off with a bang! Highlights include BMX Freestyling, the Skateboard Street elimination, the first round of Moto X Super X, and more.

The list of talent is truly overwhelming, but here are a few of our personal faves:

Paul Rodriguez Jr.
No stranger to Blogamole, we’re huge fans of Paul. He’s got creativity, passion, and his Dad is hilarious! But most importantly, he’s an awesome skateboarder and won last year’s Men’s Skateboard Street competition. There’s been no “official” confirmation of his participation this year, but if he’s there we’re rooting for him!

Diogo Canina
Ok, we know we technically shouldn’t root for another country, but Brazil’s Diogo Canina is off the chain! He’s one of the best BMX ridersin the world and always puts on a dazzling show. Never one to “play it safe,” expect some major showmanship when he hits the track!

Danny Torres
Spain is on fire right now with that World Cup win. And just to prove they’ve got athletes for every sport, Danny Torres has arrived to nab motocross bragging rights. Believe us when we say that Danny’s no joke! He’s taken victory cups in Mexico, Poland, and Madrid and is a master of the backflip!

Vanessa Torres
You’ve gotta love the amount of Latinas competing this year! Leticia Bufoni, Nora Vasconcellos, the list goes on and on. Of course we’re rooting for them all, but one in particular that we love is Vanessa Torres. She’s a true skateboarding vet (having competed since 2003) and most recently won the Boston Dew Tour!

Who are your favorite competitors at this year’s X Games? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Extreme Sports, Paul Rodriguez Jr., random cool, Vanessa Torres, X-Games, X-Games 2010

By Michael Lopez

Skateboarding and art definitely go hand-in-hand. Just look at the wild designs on the boards, the t-shirt graphics, and the shoe colors! And like the sport itself, the imagery that goes along with it is always inventive, original, and totally unique.

Need an example? Enter professional skater Paul Rodriguez Jr.. For those who aren’t familiar, yes P-Rod is the son of legendary Latino funnyman Paul Rodriguez Sr., but he’s carved out a very unique niche all his own — via shoe designs, a killer X-games resume, and a new partnership with Mountain Dew!

Just this month, Paul and legendary artist Don Pendleton announced the Mountain Dew Green Label Art Contest. 35 skate shops from across the country threw out some incredible soda can designs (complete with monkeys, white tigers, space aliens, and more) and now the public gets to pick which one will actually make it to vending machines.

“It’s great to be a part of this program and give a voice to skate shops in the U.S. since these shops are the lifeblood of our sport,” P-Rod said. “Mountain Dew has a long-standing relationship with skate communities and recognizes the influence they have in shaping cultural trends inside and outside of skate parks.”

We are totally on board with the idea. In fact, why not continue to crank out cool designs on all the beverages we drink? Don’t you think those red and white Coke cans and Vitamin Water logos are getting a little boring at this point?

Source: [LA Times]

Which underground artists are you the most inspired by? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3!

Tags Green Label Art Contest, Paul Rodriguez Jr., Paul Rodriguez Sr., skateboarding, Sports