More sports

Friendship larger than life

Skateboarder Rob Dyrdek and bodyguard Christopher "Big Black" Boykin stop by Skatepark of Tampa to film a show. And Dyrdek had a bet to settle.

By BOB PUTNAM
Published April 14, 2007

TAMPA - Skatepark of Tampa is awash in strains of rock and alternative bands pumping through the sound system. Prepubescent kids seeking autographs contort their torsos over wooden barriers, lowering their skateboards down far enough so Rob Dyrdek can sign his name in black-felt ink.

Dyrdek uncaps the pens and stays awhile, cheerfully signing skateboard decks. When he is asked to pose for a photo, Dyrdek obliges, smiling brightly.

"All the attention is pretty amazing," Dyrdek said.

Dyrdek, 32, is learning to cope with his newfound fame after the first season of his reality-based MTV series, Rob and Big.

The show follows the daily lives of Dyrdek, a white, skinny skateboarder, and his massive bodyguard, Christopher "Big Black" Boykin, who weighs 416 pounds.

Both were at the Tampa Pro last month to film an episode for Season 2, scheduled to air in June.

"I always wanted to come here to do a show," Dyrdek said. "The Tampa Pro is one of the best contests in the country. It's not the X Games. This is real skateboarding."

Dyrdek, who turned pro at 16, often came to Skatepark of Tampa before he stopped competing in contests on a consistent basis in 2002.

He decided to come back this year after fellow skater Steve Berra bet $5,000 to see who would have the better result at the Tampa Pro.

This time, Dyrdek had Boykin and an MTV film crew tag along.

"I thought Big and I could have some fun with this," Dyrdek said.

After years of being harassed by cops wherever he skated, Dyrdek hired Boykin, 35, as his personal bodyguard in 2002. From that point, this unusual twosome became instant buddies.

"Life with him is an all-day comedy," Dyrdek said of Boykin. "I always thought about a show that would let everyone see what a rolling good time we have."

Dyrdek pitched his idea to MTV, which decided to run the show. It is produced by Jeff Tremaine, one of the creators of Jackass.

"This was a great opportunity to give our sport some exposure," Dyrdek said. "I wanted to make sure we showed some actual street skating in each episode. My big fear was that MTV would cheese us out. I didn't want it to become something like The Hills.

"After a while, they decided to just let us completely go."

The show was an instant hit, reaching more than 70-million viewers and becoming the top-ranked cable show in its time slot 10:30-11p.m. Thursdays in the 12-34 age group.

"We knew MTV makes stars out of people," Boykin said. "But we never thought it would reach this magnitude. Everybody loves the show. It's become a cult favorite."

That was evident the moment Dyrdek and Boykin arrived at Skatepark of Tampa. They were besieged by a mass of autograph seekers.

"I heard a rumor Rob and Big would be coming here," said Cameron Hunt, 13. "I didn't really believe it until I saw them. It was cool. They're funny, and I TiVo the show all the time."

Dyrdek finished ahead of Berra and received $5,000, all in $1 bills.

He didn't keep the money for long.

Dyrdek gave $500 to 16-year-old Nick Baril for running through a ditch and beating other young skateboarders in a race.

Soon after, Dyrdek climbed on top of a half-pipe, emptied the rest of the money into a bucket and threw it into the crowd.

"Skateboarding has done so much for me," Dyrdek said. "I just try to find ways to give back to the sport."

Bob Putnam can be reached at putnam@sptimes or at (727) 445-4169.

[Last modified April 13, 2007, 23:47:18]