First things first, how old are ya and where ya from?

I’m 19 and from Belmar, NJ. It’s a guido infested town with a few really fun jetties. Most visitors also remember it for it’s large amount of less than reputable girls….

Other than all the guidos, you must love going home to all those less than reputable girls right?

It’s always good to go home and go out with all my friends, and all those less than reputable girls make it all the better…. Let’s just leave it at that hahaha.

Sounds good enough for me. What about all the traveling you’ve been up to this year? You want to say thanks to any of your sponsors for helping you out?

All my sponsors(Ergo, AJW surfboards, Freak Traction, Smith, Sanuk, and West) have been really cool and supportive, and I’d like to to thank them all. Ergo has had my back since day 1, so I can’t really thank them enough. The legendary AJW has been shaping me some sick boards, I’d like to thank that weirdo.

Speaking of AJW. I picked up a huge box of guns that he had sent me in Hawaii and you had a shortboard sent over with them. I remember driving to town twice to pick them up, then I got taxed with a huge shipping fee…So when you came to pick-up your board, I hit you up for 50 bones (which now when I think about it was a little much!). I just remember you not really being to amped on the losing the cash. Do you remember that?

Your kinda calling yourself out for ripping me off… I like that!

Haha, yeah I remember not really expecting to pay 50 bucks, but if you think about it, paying the shipping and splitting gas for those 2 trips probably wasn’t too far off from 50. You definitely enjoyed a complimentary dinner at the shrimp bus from it though, so you’re welcome Rob.

Uncle Buck, far away from girls and guidos. Photo: Ryan Miller

Yeah I owe you one no doubt about it. Anyways I’ve always known you can rip the shit out of small surf, but this year in Hawaii you really stepped it up when we invited you to go tow some outer reefs with us. Is this something you’ve been wanting to show people? Kind of like “hey, I can do more than just airs and turns. I also got a set of balls and want to catch some big waves.”

Yeah, well I think bigger waves are really fun. I’m not that kind of person that would be OK with watching everybody else surf, and be fine with myself not being out there. I’d just be mad at myself, and feel like I’m blowing it. That goes for big waves and small waves, but I think bigger waves really magnify that feeling of being mad at myself, cause it adds the whole being a pussy factor into it. But, I do really like bigger waves, and can’t wait to get some bigger ones in the future. And, I definitely do not want anyone to think I’m a pussy.

Speaking of having some balls. You came over to the house in Hawaii this year and drank some beer with some of us Rednecks. That’s definitely ballsy considering your a Yankee.

Who could resist a cold one with some rednecks? Even though I’m a Yankee, you boys made me feel really welcome. We got pretty loose and took out some air mattresses at Ke Iki shorebreak. I had a blast, drunken southern hospitality, to the fullest extent!

Man I forgot all about the Ke Iki air mattress drink off! I think I threw up in the shorebreak that night for at least ten minutes. Did you throw up because I remember a few of us swallowing too much salt water and puking everywhere?

Well we had a little bbq that night, and right after we had finished eating, we were all pretty loose and pretty much just in the zone, so we charged out there. It was fully dark out, so we were pretty much just blindly jumping onto the mattresses, not having a clue when the wave was gonna come and pound us. I must have swallowed about a gallon of salt water. I didn’t throw up, but I did get slammed into Rich McMullin, who was shooting the drunken chaos. My shoulder hurt for a few days after that hahaha.

Brendan and Rob getting smashed...by shore break. Photo Rich McMullin

Yeah, I think we were all hurting for a few days. How about coming up as an East Coaster who are the older or younger guys that influenced you the most?

As a grom, I would always look up to the main guys, like Slater, the Hobgoods, the Lopezes… those kinda guys. I’ve also grown up looking up to all the main Jersey guys, like Sam Hammer, Dean Randazzo, and Mike Gleason. I’m just influenced by whoever I think is pushing it. I also have a ton of respect for guys who just don’t give a fuck, charge big waves, and drink beer… like your crazy ass!

Damn man for you to consider me as one of your influences is scary, but cool so thank you. Anyways, there is no doubt that NJ has always produced unreal surfers. Those guys (Gleason, Randazzo, Hammer) have always influenced people along the entire East Coast, but if you were to name off a few of Jersey’s future who would they be?

Rob Kelly and Zach Humphreys have both been doing pretty well lately, and I definitely see them as Jersey’s future. Behind them, there’s a bunch of shit groms like PJ Raia and Pat Schmidt who have been killing it.

Well Mr. Buckley thanks for taking the time to speak with me. Is there anything you want to say before we end this thing?

I’d just like to thank you for picking me to do this. Next time I have a round with brown, it better be beer instead!

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