Pro skateboarder Mike V started skateboarding at 14 and has racked up a long list of accomplishments and talents since then as a musician, actor, television personality, stuntman, professional wrestler and FHL hockey player.

Fast forward to today where he has now launched his new skateboard brand, Elephant Brand Skateboards.

Check out more at his website HERE.



Check out more at his website HERE.

On Monday Mike Vallely announced via Twitter that he has left Element and will be starting his own deck company By The Sword Skateboards. Well, today he wrote, and boy did he write his thoughts on what went into the decision. Without further ado a piece by Mike V:

"Quitting Element was a tough decision in many ways because of the personal relationships I had and have there. Johnny Schillereff (Element's founder and president) has always been a great supporter of mine, even when no one else was, and I won't ever forget it. When I got on Element in 2003, I just wanted to not have to worry about the business of skateboarding. I wanted to be able to put my head down and get to work just being me and doing what I do and he and Element facilitated that quite well. I was very happy and proud to be associated with the brand. I was on the front lines in skateboarding, right where I wanted to be and really I felt that I and the brand could do no wrong. I saw my sponsors as a means to an end. They allowed me to continue doing what I love most, traveling the world riding a skateboard, who could be bummed at that?"

"Today I feel differently about things. You see, I still love Element and the people who I worked closely with there but unfortunately those people are ultimately powerless to steer the ship that is the conglomerate that owns Element. And it has become clearer and clearer to me that the parent company of Element is only looking to build their business and improve their bottom line on the backs of people like me. They can buy admiration but they can't buy achievement. They can own skateboard companies but they'll never be skaters. And this really bothers me. It bothers me so much that I can no longer give one ounce of my energy or another second of my time to their cause. Thus, I've started my own thing because I simply can't and won't be apart of their thing anymore."

"By The Sword has actually been a project in my head and in the works for sometime but things really started to heat up and take shape when at the end of 2009 Element's parent company decided to no longer make good on a footwear deal I had signed with them. Somehow my contract was suddenly no longer being honored. This really put me in a tough spot and left a really bad taste in mouth. Wait, you can just tear up a contract? Then why the hell did I sign one in the first place? Beyond that, since the day I started riding for Element until the day I quit, I was always made to feel that I somehow had to prove myself on a daily basis and earn my keep. Prove myself and answer to some shadowy entity of sales people, sales reps, message board lurkers and some board of directors I have never met. I have been doing this for 26 years, 23 professionally. I've never quit, I've never walked away and I've always given skateboarding my all -- what do I have to prove? The bottom line is I'm just not about to be at the mercy or the whims of sponsors or the skate industry as a whole anymore. I helped pave this road, I've given my blood and sweat to make skateboarding what it is today but I'm left now to sometimes feel like a World War II Veteran watching a bunch of ingrates run rampant on the skateboarding landscape with no regard for who and what made their moronic short sighted actions even possible. They may still continue to do what they're going to do but I won't endorse it and I won't play some lame PC game of "It's all good" because it's not all good."

"By The Sword is an act of necessity. I'm going into the garage and I'm doing it my way and I'm not asking for anyone's permission. Corporate Skateboarding sucks. It sucks because it's soulless. See, I still love and value skateboarding and know it to be a profound and sacred experience. I've always been about this as a professional skateboarder but I've also always had to navigate my way through sponsorship deals that haven't always lined up with who I am and what I represent. Those days are over. Win, lose or draw I'm doing what I'm doing for fun, so really, I can't lose."

- Mike V

From www.mikevallely.com

Straight from the Sh-tter, I mean Twitter, Mike V tweated, or twit, or whatever were calling it that he has left Element to start his own "independent" skateboard company, By The Sword Skateboards. This comes just weeks after he announced he is going to try out professional hockey, so I guess he's also going to try out the business world as well. This guy has his hands in everything; he's in a band, he's a professional skateboarder, a professional hockey player, a motivational speaker, and by the way I went to one of his spoken words things when I was like 12. Does anyone remember those? He used to talk of "dookie in the eye," and that's what made him good at skateboarding, or something. Anyway, and now he owns a company.

It's funny, because my boss told me the other day that I have to start doing the Twitter thing because stories are broke there now. Sure enough, I guess he was right, so if you want to follow me on Twitter click here and search for MORINformed.

PS, I'm just getting started and I don't have that many followers so don't judge me, even Jesus didn't have that many followers when he started doing his thing, and now look at him.

PPS, I swear I won't brainwash you to kill any actresses or anything.

In some odd news skate legend, Mike Vallely, has announced he will take a leap into professional hockey as a member of the Danbury (CT) Whalers. As far as off the skateboard activities go, Mike has been all over the place lately. He was in the hit movie the Hangover, he is the guy that tosses the hungover crew their tuxes from the van at the end. He was also one of the bad guys in the movie Paul Blart Mall Cop.

We've seen him act, now we'll be able to see how he handles on the ice. Not only will he be the professional skateboarder to become a professional hockey player, he is also believed to be the oldest rookie in professional hockey ever. I actually sat in on a conference call today between Mike and the coach and CEO of the Whalers. It was pretty interesting here's some of the things that were discussed:

Here's some more info:

WHO: Mike Vallely, professional skateboarder and action sports star, has signed on to play professional hockey for the Danbury (CT) Whalers. The team plays in the new Federal Hockey League (FHL). An accomplished skater who competed in the National Hockey League's Celebrity All-Star Game at The Staples Center in 2002, Vallely is the first professional board sport athlete to pursue a traditional team sport on a competitive level. He is also believed to be the oldest rookie, at age 40, to seek a roster spot in professional hockey.

What role did hockey play in your life growing up?

Well I Grew up in New Jersey and I grew up a New York Rangers fan I would go to the games at Madison Square Garden with my father and it was just a great time to be a hockey fan great time to be a kid. I always wanted to play hockey. I loved watching it on TV and I loved going to the games. I remember the only piece of hockey equipment I had was a Brian Trottier street hockey stick. It seems like our family couldn't afford anything more then that. Ice hockey was out of the question when I was a youngster. And so going to the games and seeing some of my favorite players like Ron Duguay, Barry Beck, Nick Fotiu, these guys were my favorites when I was a kid. But the thing that really sparked my intrest when I was a kid was when the US won the gold medal... in 1980. That was probably the biggest thing. I've followed hockey my whole life. I started skateboarding when I was 14 and that was definitely a life-changing experience and set me on a different path, but hockey is something I always followed.

When I moved out to California in the late 80's my interest in hockey was reborn with Wayne Greztky coming to town and playing for the Kings. I got season tickets at the time at the Great Western Forum.Then, at the age of 19 or 20 I finally could afford a pair of skates, ice time and my own equipment. I started playing ice hockey at that time.

What was your commitment level to hockey in the past?

It's kind of comes in waves. It has never been as consistent as I would have liked because, obviously, skateboarding is what I do as a career. Its very consuming. I mean, I travel the world year after year after year.

Do you feel any pressure playing professional hockey now?

Yea. I'm going to feel the pressure. I feel it now. I mean, I want to come in and I want to earn my keep and I want to earn the respect of my teammates. I don't plan on just walking into the room and having some guarantee. It's not guaranteed. I have been around the hockey world enough to know what the locker room environment is like and what it's like to be a part of a team. I am just going to do my best to earn my keep. As far as my level of hockey, I make the time for it. I have the luxury of creating my own schedule and my own itinerary because my skateboard career is not one that follows a tour. I am not much of a competitive skater. I don't go to the X Games and these types of events, so I have the luxury during the hockey season to decide when I want to travel and where I want to be.

Do you see yourself as an enforcer?

Well I don't know about the word "enforcer." Like I said, I plan on earning my keep. Hockey is an intense, aggressive, physical sport and we know that fighting is a part of it. I don't plan on going to camp and getting into a bunch of fights. I am going to defer to my coach and do what I have to do and what's required of me from moment to moment. I plan on being a team player and doing whatever is required.

Will you talk about the Anaheim Ducks incident?

At the time, the actions I took were a moral imperative. Beyond that, It is what it is. I was excited the city dropped the charges. It was not something I wanted to be a part of or that Scott (Niedermayer) wanted to be a part of. It kind of sucks that we are connected in that way but I don't know that I would have done anything different. I make no apologies for what I did.

When does training camp start and do you think this will be enough time to really push hard before arriving?

Training camp starts in late October. Yes, I think that gives me enough time to prepare. I will be totally focused with on and off ice training from mid-August until I arrive in Danbury for camp. It will be an intense and all-consuming period of time but I absolutely plan on showing up in great shape - ready to go - and to prove that I can hang in that environment.

Have you received any pre-camp advice from friends up in the pros?

George Parros and Luc Robitaille both emailed me wishing me well. My childhood hero, Nick Fotiu, called me up a few weeks back and did the same. I will definitely be working with and getting advice from friends in pro hockey as this thing moves along. But I also realize it all really just comes down to me and my level of commitment and dedication and how hard I'm willing to work to make this a reality.

The first two battles, of the second installment, of The Battle At The Berrics, just went down this past weekend. The matchups both featured a veteran, who can really remember the old days, vs a new generation, switchfoot master, who's old days are now.

In the first matchup the rules were bent for Mike Vallely, who needs to be able to do no-complys and handplants, lets face it, if it wasn't for those moves he wouldn't have a career. So, to make it a little more fair Chris Cole agreed to a rule change, and The Battle At The Berrics went back to the 80s. Plus, it was funny to watch Cole learn the moves of the Reagan years, on the spot.

Vallely was almost a dick, and about to give Chris Cole the boot when he blew a ho-ho, a move he can do in his sleep. Cole stepped up and showed grandpa what you can do when you start your trick with an ollie, and moved on to the next round.

In the second battle Jamie Thomas, one of my favorite skaters ever, took on Dennis Busenitz, also one of my favorite skaters, I just love how fast he skates. From the start, it was obvious it was going to be an up hill battle for The Chief. Jamie's more newschool than Mike V, but Dennis is in his prime and films sections, while Jamie reviews invoices at Black Box (the distribution company he owns). Needless to say Dennis skated a shutout.

Click here to check out the videos of the battles.