..By PAUL MOSER Special to AllAroundPhilly.com

Getz is in high demand for his skating talents, which have brought fame beyond anything he imagined. The 27-year-old performs nearly half the year on the road in front of adoring fans all over the country. He has even skated with the sport’s biggest icon, Tony Hawk, on his ESPN tour.

With that being said, Getz is wanted inside the city limits for a completely different reason — particularly by the Philadelphia Police Department.

You see, the reigning ESPN Summer X Games gold medallist is action sports’ answer to Smokey and the Bandit. Getz will tell you without hesitation his share of scrapes with the “boys in blue” for skating illegally in Philadelphia skating Mecca, LOVE Park. Much to the chagrin of many city skaters, today’s X Games street and street best trick competitions will be the only time Getz is not on the lookout while riding his board around City Hall.

"I never have gotten caught," admitted Getz. "I’ve seen people get clotheslined, grabbed around the neck and thrown to the ground though.

"The one story of (my experiences) that sticks out in my head is when an undercover officer came up toward me and reached to grab me. I got away from him but he chased me through LOVE Park to the center of the highway for two blocks. I thought that was a pretty dangerous thing to do just for skateboarding."

One would assume it goes with the territory for arguably the greatest street skater in the world. Getz doesn’t quite see it that way, though, and is not happy with the city’s acceptance of street skating on the one day it’s profitable. 

"I’m pretty bummed," Getz said. "A lot of people are upset and don’t want to even see the X Games happen. I don’t want to not skate, though, I want to do something good for the sport. It’s a shame that Mayor Street can’t announce, ‘Hey, we’re going to do something for our kids.’ They have to give us a couple of skateparks, not just one."

The city has promised to build a new skate park to appease those skaters who made LOVE Park a landmark. So far, nothing is definitive though.

All that is constructed is a temporary spot in a parking lot on 13th and Arch Streets. The small gesture is not enough for the skaters.

"That little stupid skate park isn’t anything," Getz stormed. "It’s terrible. I heard all about it."

Despite the hurt feelings, the Lehighton native is still Philly’s greatest action sports ambassador with his fame on a skateboard and nationally renowned shop Nocturnal on South Street.

After capturing X Games gold last year in the street competition, silver in the street best trick and silver in the park competition, not to mention ESPN’s Athlete of the Games award, Getz’s fame has doubled.

"From being around here and living in Philly and doing so well in the contest I knew the attention would come," Getz said. "I’m psyched on it that it helps my career."

Which, by the way, is going much better than expected.

Without any hesitation Getz can be mentioned in the same breath as street legend Eric Koston. Last week in Cleveland for the Gravity Games – the second biggest skating competition of the year – Getz was upset in the final round by his rival and settled for bronze.

Though Getz plans to put the disappointment in the past, the motivation is always there to do well.

With his desire to retire from skating some day — years removed from making chump change as a laborer in a yogurt factory outside of Allentown — Getz is driven to make the most out of his career. He never will settle for second best. He cannot afford anything less.

"I have a financial adviser who puts money away for me every month," Getz explained. "Hopefully I can retire from skating, if not I have the skateshop to fall back on."

Perhaps motivating him just as much, though, is the desire to avoid his notorious temper.

"I get so angry at myself when I lose," Getz said. "I get real angry. I have a temper if I don’t do well and I’m so hard on myself about it."

To avoid a flare up, Getz will have to best some of the best names in the business. Along with co-favorite Koston, Getz will need to watch his back for fellow Philly guy Ricky Oyola, Rick McCrank, Kyle Beard and Chris Senn.

Getz knows what is expected of him. He knows all eyes will be on his 5-foot-10-inch, 125-pound frame. He knows he will be disappointed with anything less than gold.

"I feel a little more pressure," Getz allowed. "I need to do good again since I did well last year."

Even if he doesn’t, Getz knows he still has Nocturnal, a flourishing career and his favorite places to skate – even if he does have to go incognito.
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