mutinyfreeboards.com

Mutiny Freeboards.

I must admit a bit of an obsession with Mutiny. Here I am 10 years away from anything to do with the company and I still look back on those years with incredibly mixed emotions. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." as they say. So why a site 10 years later? Well, why not?

Mutiny was special. It was the right concept at the right time with the right people targeting an industry that was in sore need of an identity. By writing this blog I hope to do a few things:

First, bring myself (and maybe some others) a little closure. I don't fail very often and the business failure of Mutiny was just that, a business failure. I take full responsibility for that-- As a concept and as an industry leader it was a huge success thanks to the people who believed in it. Despite its failure it impacted everything at the time and everything since its time. The fact that we didn't make any money doing it still keeps me up at night...

Second, education. Maybe by posting some of the old stuff here people will understand better what Mutiny was about. What it was trying to accomplish. Looking back 10 years later and seeing things is often easier--albeit less beneficial.

Third, a chance to share history. Well, at least my view of history. I know others saw things differently than I did and they are all free to contribute. I would love to get takes and stories remembered from people like Mike "Cheezeboy" Brown (who put Erich and I together), Duane Pacha (Concrete Bindings founder and lead salesman for Mutiny) and Sean, Carter Gibbs (SRH founder and great supporter), Ricky Melnick (Warehouse manager), Michael Watkins (construction and go-fer), Merilyn Andre (Controller), Hank (Manufacturing), Sam Aljazererli (who officed with us and did the computer work), and the team riders: Josh Smith, Thomas Horrell, Chris Patten, Kris Markovich, Schneider, and of course the heart and soul of Mutiny Freeboards - Erich Schmaltz.

Finally I want to make one thing perfectly clear. Mutiny Freeboards does and always will belong to Erich. It is his concept and his name. Should he request this domain I will turn it over to him in a heartbeat. I consider him a friend and a brother. He currently runs www.integrity-wake.com where hopefully he will be reviving the Mutiny name once again.

Mutiny Freeboards!

Peace

RO