CNBC asked Tony Hawk about esports for some reason

Pretending I’m an esports man

Eighteen years ago, Tony Hawk landed the first-ever 900 on a skateboard. The two-and-a-half aerial rotations ascended Hawk far past the vertical walls of a half-pipe. From that moment onward, Hawk was no longer a hero whose name was whispered by misfits and skate rats; he was a veritable pop culture icon.

Since the Hawk’s first 900, his name and digital likeness got attached to some of the most beloved console games of all time. He influenced entire generations of skateboarders to push around shopping centers and mall parking lots. And now, at the ripe age of 49, the Birdman finds himself on CNBC where he’s asked about NCAA basketball and esports. 

According to a post on SB Nation, Hawk was invited on a CNBC segment to discuss, perplexingly, the state of college basketball following recent reports of bribery. As expected, Hawk doesn’t have much to say, waffling around much like anyone who is asked to talk about something they know next to nothing about — while on television — would do. It’s kind of silly, sure, but it hardly holds a candle to the CNBC anchor’s attempt to find some common ground. Hawk’s asked about esports, and his response is as follows.

“I can’t pretend to understand it enough to really be passionate about supporting a team,” Hawk said, clearly doing his best to act like the question he’s responding to isn’t dumb. “I wish I got paid to play Missile Command when I was a kid.”

There you have it, folks. Tony can still spin 900s, but just like your parents, he doesn’t get Dota 2 either.

CNBC asking Tony Hawk about the NCAA scandal was radically pointless [SB Nation]