Looking at statistics is like reading a different version of your favorite story. Or, its like watching your favorite movie again and again and noticing something that you didn't notice the last time you watched it. After looking at the stats from the Scrappers v. Bombshells bout, I have to say that there are some things that we're gonna have to work on to get better, and there are other areas where I see we succeeded and will continue to build on. But I wouldn't have known it from my memory of the bout, or from watching tape repetitively, or even from other people's recounts of the bout. I learned by looking at the numbers. Now, its simple to say that this bout was divided into two different games. There was the game in the 1st half where the Bombshells ran the show, and there was another game in the 2nd half that was dominated by the Scrappers.
It was like two different teams each time. In the 1st half, the Bombshells came out swinging hard playing a type of defense that the Scrappers hadn't seen this season. When I looked at the score every now and then, I wondered, "Is this the same Scrappers team, or are we just that good?" They came out flat and their high scoring offense that was averaging 69 points per half was held to 32. The Bombshells were able to hold them scoreless in 13 out of 21 jams in the first half; 60pct. of the time, we held them scoreless EVERYTIME! (I love Anchorman, and I love lamp). The Bombshells were able to split the lead jam counts in the 1st half, 10 for each team, which is worth noting because the Scrappers aren't used to sharing the lead jam like that. They've had much success acquiring it convincingly in their previous two bouts. When the half was over, the Bombshells were averaging 2.04 ppj. to the Scrappers 1.52 ppj. That half belonged to us. We finished the 1st quarter with a 30 to 18 lead and when time had expired for that half we were enjoying an 11 point lead with the score at 43 to 32. That's where our success ended. We went into the locker room at half time satisfied because we were leading a team that hadn't faced a deficit all season. Big, BIG mistake.
We never came out of the locker room after that. The Scrappers owned the 2nd half from start to finish and I wondered where my skaters went that were out there an hour earlier. It was like a completely different crew of Bombshells, and like the real Scrapper team had finally shown up to the Coliseum and sent those impostors that stood in for them packing. First, lets talk about their offense. They scored 53 points in the 2nd half for an average of 2.3 ppj. They acquired the lead jam 73pct. of the time. Their 4th quarter was much like our 1st quarter scoring 30 points to our 12. Now, lets talk about their defense. Oh man, lets talk about their defense. The Scrappers held the Bombshells scoreless in 15 out of the 23 jams in the 2nd half. We only scored in 8 of the jams in the entire half. Again, 65pct. of the time, they held us scoreless EVERYTIME! There was a 6 jam stretch in the 3rd quarter where they shut us out in consecutive jams and they posted 11 unanswered points in that stretch. There was another 5 jam stretch in the 4th quarter where they did the same thing and put up 17 unanswered points. That's where the game got away from us. That's when they took it. Before that stretch the score was 63 to 66; anyone's game. They made it theirs. They held us to a 1 ppj. average in the 2nd half. Ridiculous!
This bout truly was a tale of two halves, and if you asked me who I'd rather be, I'd rather be the one who writes the story of the 2nd Half. We need to become a better 2nd half team. We came out strong against the Beauties and the Scrappers, but in both bouts our offensive scoring goes down while our defense gives up more points as the bout progresses. Both halves aside, the big picture tells me 2 things. First and foremost, we need to work on our offense. We need to start scoring more points. I have to take some responsibility for that as coach because I stress DEFENSE first and I don't do a lot of Jammer specific drills. That's gonna change. Secondly, I think we did our job against the Scrappers defensively, and that was our game plan going in. We were not going to allow them to run up the score; limit the amount of points they score. Take away all the points they're used to scoring, and we'll have a good shot at winning the bout. Only thing was, we didn't score enough points to beat them. They're a well balanced team. Scoring when necessary and playing defense at the same time.
But there was something positive to take from this bout and I have to brag a little bit about what The Bombshells accomplished against this high scoring team. As I said before, the Scrappers hadn't seen a pack like ours before and the numbers tell me where we did things right, and where we did things wrong. I took the stats from the Scrappers first two bouts against the Beauties and the Brides and averaged them out. Then I compared them to their performance against the Bombshells. Here's what I found:
As a team, the Scrappers were averaging 139.5 ppb. (points per bout). The Bombshells held them to 85 points. We shaved roughly 55 points off of what they're used to scoring. Also, the Scrappers were averaging 2 Power Jams per bout and a killer average of 5.5 ppPj (points per Power jam). They had 2 Power Jams in this bout and the Bombshells held their average to 2.5 ppPj and held them scoreless in one of them.
Going in our number one target was Goody Goody Blooddrop, who I believe is the top Jammer in the league. She does what she's supposed to do and she does it very well: she scores. We weren't gonna let her do that. Our plan was to take away all the points she was used to scoring and we did just that. Coming into our bout Goody was averaging 40 ppb., 5 ppj., and she acquired the lead jam 93pct. of the time. In 16 tries over the previous two bouts, she acquired the lead jam 15 times. Only once did she not break the pack first. Wow. Against the Bombshells defense we held her to 25 points, she only averaged 1.9 ppj, and acquired the lead jam 69pct. of the time. We took more than 3 points off her average. That's a significant decline. Our second objective was to neutralize Vanessa Velocity. We anticipated she would be jamming a lot in this bout due to the uncertainty of Mizz Nashty's knee and her capability to Jam. Coming in, VV was averaging 3.09 ppj. and was acquiring the lead jam 81pct. of the time. Against the Bombshells she only averaged 1.45 ppj. and acquired the lead jam only 42pct. of the time. Since I'm defensive minded, my proudest moment of that bout was to watch my pack of skaters hold VV scoreless on a Power Jam. And, they didn't just hold her scoreless, she never even broke the pack. These stats are significant to me because these two Jammers are major threats, deadly scorers, and we did what we planned to do, we shut them down and took them out of the game that they were used to playing. We weren't gonna let these two Jammers beat us, and they didn't. But I'll tell you who did:
Jenna Talls and Nurse Ratchet.
Its simple: we underestimated them. We worked so hard to perfect our game plan in defending Goody and VV that we gave little attention to these two ladies. And they made us pay. I hope everyone in the league can learn from the mistake we made. These two skaters made an example of us and what happens when you underestimate someone: they burn you. Jenna and Ratchet were consistent in some areas while they stepped up their game in others. Jenna was the Scrappers MVP and no one comes to mind that deserved it more. She had a rough game against the Brides and she bounced back against us with a vengeance. Coming into our bout she was averaging 3.07 ppj. She stayed consistent with that averaging 2.7 ppj. (the highest average of the night) against the Bombshells. What jumped out at me was her lead jam percentages. Prior to meeting the Bombshells, she was acquiring the lead jam 57pct. of the time. Against the Bombshells she acquired the lead jam 71 pct. of the time. That's a major improvement. Ratchet's stats tell a similar story. Coming in her average ppj. was 2.5. Against the Bombshells she averaged 2.4 points per jam. Consistent. There's much to say about consistency. Knowing you can depend on a skater to deliver the same performance each bout is a comforting feeling. Its less frustrating than having a skater who has a killer bout one night, and a crappy one on another. Ratchet's lead jam percentages were the highest of the night. Prior to this bout she was acquiring the lead jam 61pct. of the time. Against the Bombshells she broke the pack first a whopping 80pct. of the time. These two ladies stepped up for their team and played an awesome bout. Without them, the outcome could have been a lot different.
Again, I point out these stats to accent the defensive performance the Bombshell had against the high scoring Scrappers and two of the league's best Jammers. I also point them out to accent the fact that we need to be better at looking at the whole picture when preparing, vis a vis Jenna and Ratchet.
In the near future I plan on developing some stat categories for blockers, with the help from a few people. None of the stats mentioned above would be possible without the blockers and I say it over and over again: Blockers win games, Jammers get the glory. And I perpetuate that concept in my blogs while on the other hand I stress the importance of blocker efficiency in practice. I need to change that and start giving more credit where credit is due, to the blockers. I have some categories in mind so that way we can all start seeing who the best blockers are in this league statistically. But I'm gonna need more eyes to help me get them off the ground because while there's only 2 Jammers to spot in each jam, there are at most 8 blockers on the track each time. And I'm not the best at multi-tasking.
In closing, I've got a little bit of good news as it pertains to the Coach's Derblog. Spike, Jammer ref with the Regulators, has helped me in designing a sleeker, better looking website for this blog with its own domain name. Thanks to all of you that are reading, the popularity of this blog has taken off and he's given me the nudge I needed to expand it and provide you more and better content. It will also give me more independence. I'll be able to post more picture, links, and even video. I want to make this the best blog I can make it for all of you, and Spike is helping me do that. So, much love and thanks to him for the time and effort he's spent in helping me provide you with all the AZDD content you love. Its coming soon...
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Checkmate
What a bout. I've been having difficulty over the last few days figuring out how to capture and quantify what happened at the Coliseum on Saturday night. It still blows my mind. The first thing I can say is that I am proud; I am proud to be a part of the Arizona Derby Dames; I am proud to be the coach of the Bombshells; and I am proud of the performance, determination, and heart my skaters left out on that track. Much credit to the Schoolyard Scrappers, the victors of the spectacle that took place on that battlefield of steal and masonite. But this bout was more than just about the hard hits, fast action, and derby girls who, for a moment, grew wings. There was something more than that going on underneath what everyone saw.
I come from a very competitive family of shit-talkers. One of the most beneficial moments in my development as a punk-ass kid was when my Dad taught me how to play chess. And I don't mean when my dad taught me that white moves first, or that you must protect your king, or that the knight moves in an "L" shape direction. I mean, when my dad REALLY taught me how to PLAY chess. The lessons he gave me about the strategy of this ancient game still reside in the way I live life today:
-play by the rules;
-use your mind to defeat your opponent;
-figure out what they're doing before you plan your attack;
-always plan three moves ahead;
-never concede, force them to beat you;
-be gracious in victory and defeat.
When I reflect on the night, it reminded me of the many intense chess matches I would get into with my little brother Miguel when we were younger. There was a battle of the mind taking place on the board, but there was also an external skirmish of egos between Miguel and I. We would talk so much shit to each other before the game ("Hey bro, you wanna get whipped up on the chess board or are you scared?"), during the game ("Dude, I got you on the ropes. Your knights are already gonners, I dare you to move that bishop, and your queen, pfft, just hand her over now so we can get this over with, please."), and after the game ("Hey, next time bring your A-Game bro, 'cause its just not fun for me to beat you like that"). It was fun and funny. We played this gentleman's game with the mentality of a couple of street ballers from Rucker Park. And whether we won or lost (and boy did we hate to lose to one another) we always looked forward to the next match.
The bout on Saturday gave me a flashback to those moments. Everyone in the building that night saw the external battle that went on between the Bombshells and the Schoolyard Scrappers in the form of vicious shoulder and hip checks, but I venture to guess that very few were able to see the chess match that was going on underneath. Saturday's game was a very intelligently played bout by both teams. Minor adjustments were made on the fly, major adjustments were made during half-time, strategies had to be altered based on the moves made by the opponent, and personnel had to be moved around accordingly. This bout played out like a chess match. Like pieces on a chess board, these ladies moved on the track like they only had one thing in mind: Checkmate. But it wasn't gonna come easily. The best chess matches have mentally strong and highly skilled players who won't allow you to win in a few moves. Some of the best matches take hours and you usually don't know who's gonna win until its over. Such was the case on the banked track last Saturday night.
In this man's mind, the Queen of the track is always Lady Lawless. Regardless of my personal bias and forget the fact that she's the team's captain, when you think of Lawless in terms of skaters, she's the most powerful piece on the board. She bears the abilities of all the other pieces in that she can play all positions and can move in any direction. She was used to defend the Scrappers' assault with her annoying booty-blocking and crowd arousing hits. Or, she was the tip of the spear of the Bombshells' offensive attack on the Scrappers to score points with her physical jamming style. When she was ready to score points she directed her teammates and sliced through the pack. When she was stifled by The Plaid Curtain, she fell back to help defend her pack.
Then you have the supporting cast of pieces. The Rooks, Bishops, and Knights.
The Rooks are our rookies, Dottie Danger, Elizabitch Taylor, HollyHood, and Sweet Revenge. These ladies are still new to our system but they can hold their own. Right now they see the game on a linear plane and are still learning how to be creative on the track with their skills. Mentally, they're still in a spot where they see the game as moving in only a few directions: forward, and left and right. The game doesn't move in their heads like it does with some of the senior skaters so they don't see all the angles and turns of this game like our bishops and knights. That's something that they'll acquire from experience. That's one of the advantages the Scrappers had over us: experience. They got nice a core of veteran skaters that skate so well with one another. Once these rooks get a few bouts under their belts they'll skate with so much more confidence and their vision of the game will become 3-Dimensional. I haven't completely crunched all the numbers but just from what I remember at the bout, the Bombshells performance of the night came from a rook, HollyHood. She even surprised me. However, I wasn't surprised by the skill we all know she has. I was more surprised and impressed by the heart she skated with. I saw a side of her that I could have never caught a glimpse of during practice drills or scrimmage. She played with emotion and when you mix uncanny skill with heart, the last thing you want to hand a person like that is defeat, because it makes them stronger. She was ready to get back to the drawing board as soon as the bout was over. She did it all on Saturday night. She put a 10 point jam up on the board and laid more than a few Scrappers down on the track.
Our Bishops are Prima Donna and Samba Slugger. They're quiet, calm and patient. They're not as aggressive as the knights, but what makes these two skaters such an important part of our team is the manner in which they choose their moments to attack. They really level out the personality of this team with calculated moves that often frustrate me because I would rather they get in their and bust shit up! But it took me a while to realize they balance out our team effectively. It wouldn't be a great thing to have a bunch of skaters who are like bulls in a china shop. We need skaters like these that can play a cerebral game. Watching them skate on Saturday night, I can tell when they're planning their next move deliberately, they wait, and when the moment is right, they locate the angle to attack.
Our knights are our fiercest skaters. Veterans of the game who are battle tested and command respect on the track from their teammates and their opponents. Our knights are Sho'Nuff, Ruff Ryder, Hellcat Maggie, and Celeste. These ladies have been around the track more than a few times and their is very little they haven't seen on the field of battle. These ladies understand the game and how to play it. Their skill and experience allows them to move in just about ever direction on that chess board of a banked track, be it physically or mentally. Sho'Nuff is really starting to own her position on the track. The timing of her hits is coming close to perfect and once she gains the ability to move laterally up and down the track, people are going to be afraid to skate on the low side of the track when she's on it. She taunted the Scrappers' Jammers to try and take that inside pipe, and on a few occasions she made them pay by sending them into the infield. She faced some tough blockers and always kept her head on despite how they overwhelmed us in the second half. Hellcat Maggie has taken her play to another level on this banked track. Her communication on the track is crucial and her line-ups consistently do well because of the way she directs her pack with authority. Her voice pierces the ears of both her teammates and her opponents. To us, its music to our ears. To them, its like that annoying beeeeeeeeep that'll come on TV from the Emergency Broadcasting System from time to time.
It was a well fought game by all the skaters. Each piece played the role they were supposed to, and though we came up short to an excellent team, there is much that we took away from this. And just like Miguel and I, as soon as that bout was over, we were already excited and ready for the next one. Ready to fix all the mistakes we made to let that bout slip away from us. In fact, I don't think its even fair for me to discount what the Scrappers did by phrasing it that way. We did let it slip away, but more than that, the Scrappers took it. They got on that track in the second half and to me their skating said, "We're going to take this from you." I admire that killer instinct and its something that I aspire for our team to have. It will come with experience. We learned a lot playing the Scrappers. We learned a lot about the game and we learned a lot about their skaters. The Matrix Reloaded is my favorite movie of all time and a quote from that movie came to mind when I reflect on the bout. Seraph, the protector of the Oracle (ok, I just officially entered geek-mode) said: "You don't truly know someone until you fight them." And I've never thought more about that quote than I did after this bout. I have much respect for the girls on that team. They exposed their hearts, their strengths, and their vulnerabilities. The Bombshells exposed a side of them that I don't think ANYONE has seen this season. We challenged them and pushed them to their limits. I think everyone that night saw the Scrappers at their very best, and it was a little scary to watch how good that team was.
There's only a single complaint I have after such an epic bout. Both teams played their hearts out and its seemed both teams would leave the track respecting one another like two MMA fighters who hug one another in respect after beating the shit out of each other. But Kat Von Double D's had to leave a bad taste in our mouths for her team after such a delicious bout. She is such a great blocker on the track and she has a lot of experience on skates. In my eyes, she's a knight on that board but her attitude reduces her down to a pawn. In the last few moments of the final jam of the bout and shortly there after, we all got to see an unfortunate display of horrible sportswomanship. She had just gotten handled and sent into the infield by one of our blockers, slow to get up the pack went on and she ended up about 40 feet behind it. That's when she eyed Celeste coming around turn 2 and decided she was going to try and take her out well outside the engagement zone when her team was up by 20 points and the bout was practically over. That's not only illegal in this sport, its dirty and its dangerous. Most of all, it was pointless. The rules state that you're not allowed to engage a Jammer if you are 20 feet outside the pack. She took it a step further by doubling that distance and tried to take out our best Jammer when it didn't even matter. Classy. And when that was over and the Scrappers took their much deserved victory lap, every single Scrapper slapped hands with a Bombshell to show respect for a good bout, except Kat. She skipped our entire line to wave at the crowd and flash her ass. Very classy. Even in victory you should be gracious to your opponents, to not be is worse than being a sore loser. But like Seraph said, "You don't truly know someone until you fight them." She showed her true colors that night and it was disappointing because I think she would have so much more respect from people as a skater and a person if she cleaned up her act. The reason this entire sequence disappoints me is because the move she pulled was negligent. Since the first demo bout at least one skater has gotten hurt at every bout. Dolly de Los Muertos, one of my favorite human beings, had to hang her skates up after the Demo bout because of a concussion. Angela Darkeness, a phenomenal jammer, is no longer on skates with the league because of shoulder injury she suffered in her first bout. Mia Pow Wow and Venus Vendetta also suffer from shoulder injuries. One of the Bombshells former skaters, Juana Band-Aid, had to hang her skates up for a while as well because she separated her shoulder during banked track training. Its almost guaranteed that at least 1 skater will get injured at every bout. Shoulder and knee injuries are becoming all to common in this sport and after the move that Kat pulled on Celeste, the Bombshells now have a jammer with an ailing shoulder. And for what? So that everyone could see her in all her attention-begging glory. Everyone is here to have a great time playing derby and sometime rules are broken on the track during the heat of the game and they're usually unintentional, but her display was calculated and deliberate. The proof is in the video I possess. Its despicable to watch. No one is here to get hurt and with the judgment she exercised in that last few moments of a memorable bout she's fortunate that things didn't turn out worse. I'm happy there wasn't a serious injury to Celeste to weigh on her conscience. I would feel like shit if I pulled something like that and hurt another skater when it didn't even have to happen. Phenomenal skater and blocker, horrible representation of her team.
But you know who rocked that track on Saturday night, Cruella DeMille. If I had to pick a Queen piece on that team, she would be it. She owned her position more than anyone on her team. She's a blocking specialist and her team uses her so well. And if you know me, effective blocking is more important and impressive than fast jamming. She frustrated the hell out of me because she's so good at what she does. She was movin' and layin' Bombshells down on the track all night long. We had very few answers for her. I'm glad Mizz Nashty was on the track Saturday night. She showed a lot of heart getting out there with her ailing knee. Her team needed her leadership and I for one was hopeful that she would be on the track Jamming for the Scrappers. If we were going to beat them, we wanted to beat them with their full squad on the track, and her with the star on her helmet. And finally, we got to see a great game out of Vanessa Velocity. Her finger prints were all over this bout. We got to see her jam against Lady Lawless in the first half and it was an entertaining jam. Lawless got out the pack first but VV was right behind her with the help of only two blockers on the track. It looked like she had no skates on the way she ran after Lawless and caught up to her. She saved her team a lot of point because the Bombshells had 4 blockers to the their 2. Lawless was forced to call the jam off and skate off with 0 points. So frustrating for us, but mad props to her for not giving up and saving the Scrappers some serious points. After the first half the Scrappers reduced her Jamming frequency and dropped her to the back of the pack to be a power blocker against our Jammer. And it worked. She's skilled and you would never expect the brutal hits she delivers to come from the frame she has. We had difficulty dealing with her as a blocker.
This was a very defensive chess match between these two teams. In the Scrappers first two bouts they were able to put well over a 130 points by themselves. There were only 150 points scored in this bout altogether. Chess isn't always about the offensive attack. Most often its about how you defend your pieces. It was a neck and neck game through the first few jams of the 4th quarter. The Scrappers made a move, then the Bombshells made a move. It went back and forth, making for an exciting game. I had several people come up to the skaters and I and tell us that it was the best derby bout they had ever seen. That made me proud. Proud to be a part of it. Proud to be on the team that made a Scrappers bout interesting rather than a blow out. Proud to stand across the infield from fierce, challenging and worthy opponents. The fans are oh so important to the Bombshells so to put up on a good show in a losing effort was more than satisfying. In my mind, the skaters are #1, the fans are #2. I think both groups walked away from the bout on Saturday night with something they'll never forget. In the end, the Scrappers poured it on in the 4th quarter and it was they who yelled "CHECKMATE." Well done, Scrappers. Its my intentions to make sure our teams get another chance to sit at the chess board again during the playoffs.
My next blog is gonna be about the stats that came from this gritty bout. So though I didn't give you any on this post, be assured I'll be breaking down the numbers in the next one.
In the meantime, I'd like to invoke a little reader participation and I want to hear what was your favorite moment of this bout. Which skater blew your mind? Leave a comment below and share the moment from this bout you wont forget. Thanks readers!
I come from a very competitive family of shit-talkers. One of the most beneficial moments in my development as a punk-ass kid was when my Dad taught me how to play chess. And I don't mean when my dad taught me that white moves first, or that you must protect your king, or that the knight moves in an "L" shape direction. I mean, when my dad REALLY taught me how to PLAY chess. The lessons he gave me about the strategy of this ancient game still reside in the way I live life today:
-play by the rules;
-use your mind to defeat your opponent;
-figure out what they're doing before you plan your attack;
-always plan three moves ahead;
-never concede, force them to beat you;
-be gracious in victory and defeat.
When I reflect on the night, it reminded me of the many intense chess matches I would get into with my little brother Miguel when we were younger. There was a battle of the mind taking place on the board, but there was also an external skirmish of egos between Miguel and I. We would talk so much shit to each other before the game ("Hey bro, you wanna get whipped up on the chess board or are you scared?"), during the game ("Dude, I got you on the ropes. Your knights are already gonners, I dare you to move that bishop, and your queen, pfft, just hand her over now so we can get this over with, please."), and after the game ("Hey, next time bring your A-Game bro, 'cause its just not fun for me to beat you like that"). It was fun and funny. We played this gentleman's game with the mentality of a couple of street ballers from Rucker Park. And whether we won or lost (and boy did we hate to lose to one another) we always looked forward to the next match.
The bout on Saturday gave me a flashback to those moments. Everyone in the building that night saw the external battle that went on between the Bombshells and the Schoolyard Scrappers in the form of vicious shoulder and hip checks, but I venture to guess that very few were able to see the chess match that was going on underneath. Saturday's game was a very intelligently played bout by both teams. Minor adjustments were made on the fly, major adjustments were made during half-time, strategies had to be altered based on the moves made by the opponent, and personnel had to be moved around accordingly. This bout played out like a chess match. Like pieces on a chess board, these ladies moved on the track like they only had one thing in mind: Checkmate. But it wasn't gonna come easily. The best chess matches have mentally strong and highly skilled players who won't allow you to win in a few moves. Some of the best matches take hours and you usually don't know who's gonna win until its over. Such was the case on the banked track last Saturday night.
In this man's mind, the Queen of the track is always Lady Lawless. Regardless of my personal bias and forget the fact that she's the team's captain, when you think of Lawless in terms of skaters, she's the most powerful piece on the board. She bears the abilities of all the other pieces in that she can play all positions and can move in any direction. She was used to defend the Scrappers' assault with her annoying booty-blocking and crowd arousing hits. Or, she was the tip of the spear of the Bombshells' offensive attack on the Scrappers to score points with her physical jamming style. When she was ready to score points she directed her teammates and sliced through the pack. When she was stifled by The Plaid Curtain, she fell back to help defend her pack.
Then you have the supporting cast of pieces. The Rooks, Bishops, and Knights.
The Rooks are our rookies, Dottie Danger, Elizabitch Taylor, HollyHood, and Sweet Revenge. These ladies are still new to our system but they can hold their own. Right now they see the game on a linear plane and are still learning how to be creative on the track with their skills. Mentally, they're still in a spot where they see the game as moving in only a few directions: forward, and left and right. The game doesn't move in their heads like it does with some of the senior skaters so they don't see all the angles and turns of this game like our bishops and knights. That's something that they'll acquire from experience. That's one of the advantages the Scrappers had over us: experience. They got nice a core of veteran skaters that skate so well with one another. Once these rooks get a few bouts under their belts they'll skate with so much more confidence and their vision of the game will become 3-Dimensional. I haven't completely crunched all the numbers but just from what I remember at the bout, the Bombshells performance of the night came from a rook, HollyHood. She even surprised me. However, I wasn't surprised by the skill we all know she has. I was more surprised and impressed by the heart she skated with. I saw a side of her that I could have never caught a glimpse of during practice drills or scrimmage. She played with emotion and when you mix uncanny skill with heart, the last thing you want to hand a person like that is defeat, because it makes them stronger. She was ready to get back to the drawing board as soon as the bout was over. She did it all on Saturday night. She put a 10 point jam up on the board and laid more than a few Scrappers down on the track.
Our Bishops are Prima Donna and Samba Slugger. They're quiet, calm and patient. They're not as aggressive as the knights, but what makes these two skaters such an important part of our team is the manner in which they choose their moments to attack. They really level out the personality of this team with calculated moves that often frustrate me because I would rather they get in their and bust shit up! But it took me a while to realize they balance out our team effectively. It wouldn't be a great thing to have a bunch of skaters who are like bulls in a china shop. We need skaters like these that can play a cerebral game. Watching them skate on Saturday night, I can tell when they're planning their next move deliberately, they wait, and when the moment is right, they locate the angle to attack.
Our knights are our fiercest skaters. Veterans of the game who are battle tested and command respect on the track from their teammates and their opponents. Our knights are Sho'Nuff, Ruff Ryder, Hellcat Maggie, and Celeste. These ladies have been around the track more than a few times and their is very little they haven't seen on the field of battle. These ladies understand the game and how to play it. Their skill and experience allows them to move in just about ever direction on that chess board of a banked track, be it physically or mentally. Sho'Nuff is really starting to own her position on the track. The timing of her hits is coming close to perfect and once she gains the ability to move laterally up and down the track, people are going to be afraid to skate on the low side of the track when she's on it. She taunted the Scrappers' Jammers to try and take that inside pipe, and on a few occasions she made them pay by sending them into the infield. She faced some tough blockers and always kept her head on despite how they overwhelmed us in the second half. Hellcat Maggie has taken her play to another level on this banked track. Her communication on the track is crucial and her line-ups consistently do well because of the way she directs her pack with authority. Her voice pierces the ears of both her teammates and her opponents. To us, its music to our ears. To them, its like that annoying beeeeeeeeep that'll come on TV from the Emergency Broadcasting System from time to time.
It was a well fought game by all the skaters. Each piece played the role they were supposed to, and though we came up short to an excellent team, there is much that we took away from this. And just like Miguel and I, as soon as that bout was over, we were already excited and ready for the next one. Ready to fix all the mistakes we made to let that bout slip away from us. In fact, I don't think its even fair for me to discount what the Scrappers did by phrasing it that way. We did let it slip away, but more than that, the Scrappers took it. They got on that track in the second half and to me their skating said, "We're going to take this from you." I admire that killer instinct and its something that I aspire for our team to have. It will come with experience. We learned a lot playing the Scrappers. We learned a lot about the game and we learned a lot about their skaters. The Matrix Reloaded is my favorite movie of all time and a quote from that movie came to mind when I reflect on the bout. Seraph, the protector of the Oracle (ok, I just officially entered geek-mode) said: "You don't truly know someone until you fight them." And I've never thought more about that quote than I did after this bout. I have much respect for the girls on that team. They exposed their hearts, their strengths, and their vulnerabilities. The Bombshells exposed a side of them that I don't think ANYONE has seen this season. We challenged them and pushed them to their limits. I think everyone that night saw the Scrappers at their very best, and it was a little scary to watch how good that team was.
There's only a single complaint I have after such an epic bout. Both teams played their hearts out and its seemed both teams would leave the track respecting one another like two MMA fighters who hug one another in respect after beating the shit out of each other. But Kat Von Double D's had to leave a bad taste in our mouths for her team after such a delicious bout. She is such a great blocker on the track and she has a lot of experience on skates. In my eyes, she's a knight on that board but her attitude reduces her down to a pawn. In the last few moments of the final jam of the bout and shortly there after, we all got to see an unfortunate display of horrible sportswomanship. She had just gotten handled and sent into the infield by one of our blockers, slow to get up the pack went on and she ended up about 40 feet behind it. That's when she eyed Celeste coming around turn 2 and decided she was going to try and take her out well outside the engagement zone when her team was up by 20 points and the bout was practically over. That's not only illegal in this sport, its dirty and its dangerous. Most of all, it was pointless. The rules state that you're not allowed to engage a Jammer if you are 20 feet outside the pack. She took it a step further by doubling that distance and tried to take out our best Jammer when it didn't even matter. Classy. And when that was over and the Scrappers took their much deserved victory lap, every single Scrapper slapped hands with a Bombshell to show respect for a good bout, except Kat. She skipped our entire line to wave at the crowd and flash her ass. Very classy. Even in victory you should be gracious to your opponents, to not be is worse than being a sore loser. But like Seraph said, "You don't truly know someone until you fight them." She showed her true colors that night and it was disappointing because I think she would have so much more respect from people as a skater and a person if she cleaned up her act. The reason this entire sequence disappoints me is because the move she pulled was negligent. Since the first demo bout at least one skater has gotten hurt at every bout. Dolly de Los Muertos, one of my favorite human beings, had to hang her skates up after the Demo bout because of a concussion. Angela Darkeness, a phenomenal jammer, is no longer on skates with the league because of shoulder injury she suffered in her first bout. Mia Pow Wow and Venus Vendetta also suffer from shoulder injuries. One of the Bombshells former skaters, Juana Band-Aid, had to hang her skates up for a while as well because she separated her shoulder during banked track training. Its almost guaranteed that at least 1 skater will get injured at every bout. Shoulder and knee injuries are becoming all to common in this sport and after the move that Kat pulled on Celeste, the Bombshells now have a jammer with an ailing shoulder. And for what? So that everyone could see her in all her attention-begging glory. Everyone is here to have a great time playing derby and sometime rules are broken on the track during the heat of the game and they're usually unintentional, but her display was calculated and deliberate. The proof is in the video I possess. Its despicable to watch. No one is here to get hurt and with the judgment she exercised in that last few moments of a memorable bout she's fortunate that things didn't turn out worse. I'm happy there wasn't a serious injury to Celeste to weigh on her conscience. I would feel like shit if I pulled something like that and hurt another skater when it didn't even have to happen. Phenomenal skater and blocker, horrible representation of her team.
But you know who rocked that track on Saturday night, Cruella DeMille. If I had to pick a Queen piece on that team, she would be it. She owned her position more than anyone on her team. She's a blocking specialist and her team uses her so well. And if you know me, effective blocking is more important and impressive than fast jamming. She frustrated the hell out of me because she's so good at what she does. She was movin' and layin' Bombshells down on the track all night long. We had very few answers for her. I'm glad Mizz Nashty was on the track Saturday night. She showed a lot of heart getting out there with her ailing knee. Her team needed her leadership and I for one was hopeful that she would be on the track Jamming for the Scrappers. If we were going to beat them, we wanted to beat them with their full squad on the track, and her with the star on her helmet. And finally, we got to see a great game out of Vanessa Velocity. Her finger prints were all over this bout. We got to see her jam against Lady Lawless in the first half and it was an entertaining jam. Lawless got out the pack first but VV was right behind her with the help of only two blockers on the track. It looked like she had no skates on the way she ran after Lawless and caught up to her. She saved her team a lot of point because the Bombshells had 4 blockers to the their 2. Lawless was forced to call the jam off and skate off with 0 points. So frustrating for us, but mad props to her for not giving up and saving the Scrappers some serious points. After the first half the Scrappers reduced her Jamming frequency and dropped her to the back of the pack to be a power blocker against our Jammer. And it worked. She's skilled and you would never expect the brutal hits she delivers to come from the frame she has. We had difficulty dealing with her as a blocker.
This was a very defensive chess match between these two teams. In the Scrappers first two bouts they were able to put well over a 130 points by themselves. There were only 150 points scored in this bout altogether. Chess isn't always about the offensive attack. Most often its about how you defend your pieces. It was a neck and neck game through the first few jams of the 4th quarter. The Scrappers made a move, then the Bombshells made a move. It went back and forth, making for an exciting game. I had several people come up to the skaters and I and tell us that it was the best derby bout they had ever seen. That made me proud. Proud to be a part of it. Proud to be on the team that made a Scrappers bout interesting rather than a blow out. Proud to stand across the infield from fierce, challenging and worthy opponents. The fans are oh so important to the Bombshells so to put up on a good show in a losing effort was more than satisfying. In my mind, the skaters are #1, the fans are #2. I think both groups walked away from the bout on Saturday night with something they'll never forget. In the end, the Scrappers poured it on in the 4th quarter and it was they who yelled "CHECKMATE." Well done, Scrappers. Its my intentions to make sure our teams get another chance to sit at the chess board again during the playoffs.
My next blog is gonna be about the stats that came from this gritty bout. So though I didn't give you any on this post, be assured I'll be breaking down the numbers in the next one.
In the meantime, I'd like to invoke a little reader participation and I want to hear what was your favorite moment of this bout. Which skater blew your mind? Leave a comment below and share the moment from this bout you wont forget. Thanks readers!
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Look Ma! No Skates!
The Arizona Derby Dames took time off the banked track this last Saturday evening to swing laps around a different kind of track. You wouldn't have found them on skates either because they were whippin' around this track for something greater than lead jam and points. Most significantly, there weren't just Bombshells, Coffin Draggers, Scrappers, Brides, or Beauties out there doin' work; it was Dames, all working as one on the same team towards the same cause.
The Arizona Derby Dames don't exists just to skate for themselves. As I witnessed first hand this last weekend, the Dames do great things to support local charities and the community. Last Saturday evening AZDD teamed up and got their sneakers dirty in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life to raise funds for cancer research. A nice handful of skaters in the league were actively seeking pledges over the last few months to support this cause. This is the third year the Dames participated in the event. Their involvement was initiated by former Runaway Brides captain and current Regulator, Ann Thrash, in memory of her mother whom she lost to cancer 18 years ago. A number of other skaters who participated also had loved ones who fought this battle. The way it works is teams of people camped out at a school in Paradise Valley and they took turns walking around a track. Each team has a person representing them on the track at all times while the event is going on. The cool twist on this event was that it took place over night from 6pm to 6am, during normal sleeping hours, to represent that cancer never sleeps, thus the fight against it shouldn't sleep either.
There was a calm and welcoming vibe in the air that came from a mixture of reverence, mourning, and celebration. Some folks were there to remember a loved one they lost to cancer; others were there to celebrate their or a loved one's victory over it; all were there to support the fight against it. As I walked down to the soccer field where it all went down I was blown away by the sight of the track and the way it was lit up by the bordering of side-by-side luminarias. From far away I absorbed the soothing effect candle light often gives off. There were thousands of them which created a very large but soft and steady glow around the soccer field. That feeling was amplified upon coming closer and discovering the details within these luminarias. Each one was decorated to memorialize a person's battle with cancer, whether won or lost. As I walked through them it really created a sobering picture of just how many people around me are affected by cancer.
This event was an awesome experience for me personally and I had a ton of fun spending time and getting to know skaters outside the Bombshells a little better. It was refreshing to put away the team camaraderies for a night and gain a greater understanding for the person that exists inside each of these roller derby girls. It was nice to be introduced to husbands, boyfriends, kids, and friends and to come back in contact with those I don't get to see as often as the skaters. We ate together, laughed and told stories together, and even played some games together. It really felt like I was hanging with family. I was only there for a short while but a majority of the skaters that participated stayed for the over-night long haul. Props to them!
Though final numbers haven't been calculated, the Dames raised over $2,300 in online pledges for this amazing event. I have a lot of respect and admiration for the abilities the Dames exhibit on the track that make them great skaters. On this particular night I was able to see beyond the hard derby girl shell and catch a glimpse of what makes these skaters special people. The track was made of dirt and grass, rather than the wood and steel they're used to, and it made no difference that there weren't a single pair of skates within reach. The Dames supported a great cause and still whipped around it like it meant something to them. These ladies don't need skates to show they can do great things.
The Arizona Derby Dames don't exists just to skate for themselves. As I witnessed first hand this last weekend, the Dames do great things to support local charities and the community. Last Saturday evening AZDD teamed up and got their sneakers dirty in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life to raise funds for cancer research. A nice handful of skaters in the league were actively seeking pledges over the last few months to support this cause. This is the third year the Dames participated in the event. Their involvement was initiated by former Runaway Brides captain and current Regulator, Ann Thrash, in memory of her mother whom she lost to cancer 18 years ago. A number of other skaters who participated also had loved ones who fought this battle. The way it works is teams of people camped out at a school in Paradise Valley and they took turns walking around a track. Each team has a person representing them on the track at all times while the event is going on. The cool twist on this event was that it took place over night from 6pm to 6am, during normal sleeping hours, to represent that cancer never sleeps, thus the fight against it shouldn't sleep either.
There was a calm and welcoming vibe in the air that came from a mixture of reverence, mourning, and celebration. Some folks were there to remember a loved one they lost to cancer; others were there to celebrate their or a loved one's victory over it; all were there to support the fight against it. As I walked down to the soccer field where it all went down I was blown away by the sight of the track and the way it was lit up by the bordering of side-by-side luminarias. From far away I absorbed the soothing effect candle light often gives off. There were thousands of them which created a very large but soft and steady glow around the soccer field. That feeling was amplified upon coming closer and discovering the details within these luminarias. Each one was decorated to memorialize a person's battle with cancer, whether won or lost. As I walked through them it really created a sobering picture of just how many people around me are affected by cancer.
This event was an awesome experience for me personally and I had a ton of fun spending time and getting to know skaters outside the Bombshells a little better. It was refreshing to put away the team camaraderies for a night and gain a greater understanding for the person that exists inside each of these roller derby girls. It was nice to be introduced to husbands, boyfriends, kids, and friends and to come back in contact with those I don't get to see as often as the skaters. We ate together, laughed and told stories together, and even played some games together. It really felt like I was hanging with family. I was only there for a short while but a majority of the skaters that participated stayed for the over-night long haul. Props to them!
Though final numbers haven't been calculated, the Dames raised over $2,300 in online pledges for this amazing event. I have a lot of respect and admiration for the abilities the Dames exhibit on the track that make them great skaters. On this particular night I was able to see beyond the hard derby girl shell and catch a glimpse of what makes these skaters special people. The track was made of dirt and grass, rather than the wood and steel they're used to, and it made no difference that there weren't a single pair of skates within reach. The Dames supported a great cause and still whipped around it like it meant something to them. These ladies don't need skates to show they can do great things.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Finally...Let It Rain
For some time now the Bombshells have been on their hands and knees crawling around the derby desert in this Arizona heat. Defeated, delirious and dying of dehydration they've begged for something to quench their thirst; something, anything to give them just a little more life to keep fighting a little longer. They've seen the oasis of victory at times lying far, far out of reach only to find its a mirage as they try their hardest to inch closer and closer to it. But no more. The winning drought the Bombshells have had to endure over the last 2+ years has come to an end. Finally, the rain has come for this team, and finally, we bathe in the waters of victory.
Out of the 12 girls we have on our roster, only two of them have ever known the feeling of winning a derby bout. Prima Donna is the O.G. Bombshell and being one of the founders of this great league, she was around during the Bombshells early winning days of Season 1. Celeste came to Bombshells this season after 4 very successful years with the Brutal Beauties dynasty. Other than these two ladies, not a single skater on this team has ever taken a victory lap. Most significantly the Bombshells 2nd most senior skater, Alkaline Trina, has never skated to victory. When we got the news that this would be her last bout with us before she moved back to Texas, the entire team's focus shifted from just winning the bout, to wanting to win the bout for Trina. It was our desire to send off our beloved jammer with a win under her belt after 3 seasons.
Alkaline Trina has always held a very special place in my heart. When I first started coaching this team there was one skater that always stood out to me, and it was her. She was the smallest skater on the team, but what she lacked in size she made up with speed, desire, and good ole' fashioned hard work. At practice, when some skaters would waffle, I could always expect that Trina would bring it every time for every drill. She stood out to me because the athlete that lives in her is almost a mirror image of the athlete that lives in me. I wasn't the biggest or the strongest, no matter what sport I played. But I was jam packed full of desire, speed, and a hunger to learn the game so that I could use my mind more than my body when I play. Just like Trina. I looked to my leaders for guidance and took seriously what they gave me. Trina does that. I took that same advice and passed it on when it was my time to lead. Trina does that too. She put on a great performance for her farewell bout putting up 24 points and averaging 3.4 ppj (points per jam). She controlled most of her jams acquiring the lead jam 6 out of 7 times. She will be missed. Not just by this team, but by the lives of the people that she became a part of during her time here. I'm going to miss her so much I had to show her somehow, so I wore a special edition T-Shirt in her honor.
Did anyone happen to catch a glimpse of Celeste on the track? I think the only instances where I was able to get her in focus was when she was on the bench resting and when she went wheels-over-heals in the air in the beginning of the 4th quarter. I swear, it was like I was watching that moment in slow motion thinking like Ricky Bobby, "Oh man, she's flying through the air. That ain't good." Other than that, the girl was in constant motion rotating around the track racking up points. She brings a much needed killer instinct to this team. She wants to dominate and destroy opponents and she did just that. She stepped in as our jammer 9 times and logged 50 points. Yes, you read that right. But I'll repeat it just in case. She scored 50 of the Bombshells' 121 points, in 9 jams. She logged jams of 7, 8, 8 and a mind blowing 10 point power jam. Her performance earned her the admiration of her team which voted her the game's MVP. Well deserved.
We executed our game plan well against the Beauties, which was to neutralize their power blockers who like to hang out in the back of the pack. I understand it was the first bout of the season, however, we didn't play at the level of derby excellence we strive for. There is much we need to do to get to that level. One thing we really need to work on is our awareness on the track. The ladies did a great job in containing the Beauties' jammers for a majority of the bout, but there were too many instances where their jammers were coasting by a Bombshell blocker and they didn't even realize it until they saw the star shoot by. Its easy to tell when they know they've missed her because I can see that look on the Bombshell's faces the moment it happens like, "Aw sh*t! There she goes. Dammit!" We played a clean bout for the most part only logging 8 major penalties a couple of which came by way of accumulation of minors. I say that because I honestly thought we would have more for our first live action banked-track bout. We had a bit of scare in the first quarter when our power blocker, Ruff Ryder, picked up a major penalty in each of the first three jams she skated in. We weren't half way through the 1st quarter and we still had 3 whole quarters to play and I had already watched our strongest blocker sit in the box three times. Two more majors and she was a gonner. It was like she was hyping herself up before the bout with some Ludacris the way she was throwin' them 'bows. And as I said before, and I'll say it again, elbows are the number one killer of all the penalties in this game. Fortunately, Ruff Ryder was able to regroup and get her head back on because after that she didn't log a single penalty for the rest of the bout.
I have to give much credit to our blockers. I've spent much time developing our blocking schemes that at times I think the Jammers feel like they don't get enough individualized attention during practice. I don't do a lot of Jammer-specific drills. The bout on Saturday made a good case as to why. We put 120 points up on the score board and the lion's share of the credit goes to our blockers. Hellcat Maggie, Sho'Nuff, Samba Slugger, and Ruff Ryder and the rest of our blocking crew are the reasons we were able to put those kinds of points up. They created lanes and allowed the inherent agility and speed of our jammers to do the rest. Blockers win games, Jammers get the glory. We won that game in large part due to how these skaters executed our strategy.
The Brutal Beauties rookies stole the show on Saturday night. Their team as a whole showed a lot of great improvements with the addition of these new skaters. The break-out performance of the night goes to Kimber Slice. The announcers had a little difficulty with her name but I don't think any of us will forget it again the way she ripped the Bombshells apart. We were able to contain her on a few jams but what impressed me was how smart she played after breaking the pack. She completely owned the track the three times she had lead jam. The three times she acquired lead jam she had jams of 4, 4, and 5 points. These jams were devastating to us because she blazed through our pack, scored her points, called off the jam, and the Bombshells jammer had to skate off the track with 0 points, EACH TIME. She put up 13 unanswered points for her team. If she can find more support from her blockers to help her get out of the pack first, she's going to be a Beauty to be reckoned with in bouts to come. In this case, I don't think its fair to say, "Welcome to derby, Kimber Slice." I think its more appropriate to say, "Welcome to Kimber Slice, derby!"
The Beauties top point scorer was also a rookie. The "LAP" Dancer sits at the top of the point totals with 25 points averaging 2.5 ppj. She jammed for her team the most, putting that star on her helmet 10 times during the bout. Also, I would upgrade Pint-Sized Punch to a Quart-Sized Punch after the improvements I saw in her jamming game from last month. Her point totals and averages went up while the frequency of her jamming went down. Last month she jammed 13 times for 15 points and an average of 1.1 points per jam. Saturday night she jammed 8 times for 18 points and an average of 2.25 ppj. That's a nice jump. This in itself shows how much of an impact the rookies are having on this team. They picked up at least two rookies that could fill in at the Jammer spot right out of Fresh Meat. They just didn't have enough jammers last month and I think that made all the difference this month because they put up more points against us than they did in the last bout. And speaking of Jammers, where was Tabby T-Bag all night? We didn't see her jam till the 4th quarter. I found that a bit curious considering she was the Beauties' top point scorer in last month's bout, scoring half of her team's points. Each team thinks and does things differently, but if it was me managing I wouldn't have waited till the 4th quarter to put in the jammer that has already shown she can get lead jam, score points and call off jams. Overall, the Beauties were a much better looking team this month. Not only do I think so, but the numbers say so too.
I gotta give it up to the captains and leaders of the Bombshells and Brutal Beauties, Lady Lawless and Red Rocker, respectively. Lady Lawless was the spark plug that not only got her team going, but she had the fans going as well. She played a big part in leading and directing the blocking schemes on the track which translated to easy pickins for our jammers. She hyped up the crowd and sent the Bombshells into half time with a boat-load of momentum with her 10 point power jam at the end of the 2nd quarter. She didn't wear the star very much on the night but she was efficient when she did. She put up 18 unanswered points. She had 3 jams, owned 'em all from start to finish, doing her part to shut out the opposing jammer each time. She had two jams of 4 points to the Beauties 0 and had the highest average of the night with 6 ppj. I really enjoy watching Red Rocker skate. She's fierce and she has no quit in her. When I see her skate up to the high side of the track, I know only one thing is to follow: DEVASTATION TO ALL BELOW. She laid some great hits on every corner of the track and almost sent one of our jammers out of the track between the guard rail and the kick rail. She's consistently exhibits great sportswomanship. When she stepped off the track, she was ready to have a good time and even took a few moment to razz it up with Lawless and I at the after party. I had fun watching the two of them bounce off of each other repeatedly during a jam in the 2nd half. It was like watching a bee trapped inside the house that's trying to get out but doesn't realize it keeps flying into a window....bzzzzzzzzz......DOINK......bzzzzzzzzz......DOINK......bzzzzzzzz....DOINK!
The win was a great experience and it took a little while for it to actually sink in. When I was asked to step in as coach last season, my goal was to help these skaters get a win. Ideally it would have happened last season, but the bright side was that we got better after each loss and learned something different that we took into the next bout. We became more and more hungry for that win after each loss. Last season a lot of the skaters were brand new and didn't know much about this game and the way it's played and they were being led by a guy who didn't know the first thing about derby, much less how to strategize for it. After a year of losing and lot of hard work during the off season we have all finally reached our goal of grabbing a win. Everyone played a role in this achievement, from the captains and coaches to the rookies and team managers. The Bombshells rained down on the Coliseum last Saturday night and the fans responded with flattering praise. I love to see them all stand up and cheer for my skaters because they work so hard and they deserve that type of recognition. Part of me believes they were as anxious to see us win as we were. I'm grateful the fans stuck with us from our losing flat track days and it paid off for them as we were able to quench their thirst for a Bombshells' win at the well of the banked track. We've achieved that goal, and now its time to move on to the next one. Obviously we want to keep winning, but the next concrete goal on my mind is to get into the playoffs and make a run for the trophy.
We finally ended the drought and we did it in convincing fashion. The crowd was speckled with red and their thunderous cheers gave me a very cold rush. We're still in the Arizona desert, but things aren't so hot anymore. The Bombshells brought a red storm into the Coliseum. Better bring your rain coats next month; 'cause the way the skies look now, this storm ain't lettin' up any time soon.
Out of the 12 girls we have on our roster, only two of them have ever known the feeling of winning a derby bout. Prima Donna is the O.G. Bombshell and being one of the founders of this great league, she was around during the Bombshells early winning days of Season 1. Celeste came to Bombshells this season after 4 very successful years with the Brutal Beauties dynasty. Other than these two ladies, not a single skater on this team has ever taken a victory lap. Most significantly the Bombshells 2nd most senior skater, Alkaline Trina, has never skated to victory. When we got the news that this would be her last bout with us before she moved back to Texas, the entire team's focus shifted from just winning the bout, to wanting to win the bout for Trina. It was our desire to send off our beloved jammer with a win under her belt after 3 seasons.
Alkaline Trina has always held a very special place in my heart. When I first started coaching this team there was one skater that always stood out to me, and it was her. She was the smallest skater on the team, but what she lacked in size she made up with speed, desire, and good ole' fashioned hard work. At practice, when some skaters would waffle, I could always expect that Trina would bring it every time for every drill. She stood out to me because the athlete that lives in her is almost a mirror image of the athlete that lives in me. I wasn't the biggest or the strongest, no matter what sport I played. But I was jam packed full of desire, speed, and a hunger to learn the game so that I could use my mind more than my body when I play. Just like Trina. I looked to my leaders for guidance and took seriously what they gave me. Trina does that. I took that same advice and passed it on when it was my time to lead. Trina does that too. She put on a great performance for her farewell bout putting up 24 points and averaging 3.4 ppj (points per jam). She controlled most of her jams acquiring the lead jam 6 out of 7 times. She will be missed. Not just by this team, but by the lives of the people that she became a part of during her time here. I'm going to miss her so much I had to show her somehow, so I wore a special edition T-Shirt in her honor.
Did anyone happen to catch a glimpse of Celeste on the track? I think the only instances where I was able to get her in focus was when she was on the bench resting and when she went wheels-over-heals in the air in the beginning of the 4th quarter. I swear, it was like I was watching that moment in slow motion thinking like Ricky Bobby, "Oh man, she's flying through the air. That ain't good." Other than that, the girl was in constant motion rotating around the track racking up points. She brings a much needed killer instinct to this team. She wants to dominate and destroy opponents and she did just that. She stepped in as our jammer 9 times and logged 50 points. Yes, you read that right. But I'll repeat it just in case. She scored 50 of the Bombshells' 121 points, in 9 jams. She logged jams of 7, 8, 8 and a mind blowing 10 point power jam. Her performance earned her the admiration of her team which voted her the game's MVP. Well deserved.
We executed our game plan well against the Beauties, which was to neutralize their power blockers who like to hang out in the back of the pack. I understand it was the first bout of the season, however, we didn't play at the level of derby excellence we strive for. There is much we need to do to get to that level. One thing we really need to work on is our awareness on the track. The ladies did a great job in containing the Beauties' jammers for a majority of the bout, but there were too many instances where their jammers were coasting by a Bombshell blocker and they didn't even realize it until they saw the star shoot by. Its easy to tell when they know they've missed her because I can see that look on the Bombshell's faces the moment it happens like, "Aw sh*t! There she goes. Dammit!" We played a clean bout for the most part only logging 8 major penalties a couple of which came by way of accumulation of minors. I say that because I honestly thought we would have more for our first live action banked-track bout. We had a bit of scare in the first quarter when our power blocker, Ruff Ryder, picked up a major penalty in each of the first three jams she skated in. We weren't half way through the 1st quarter and we still had 3 whole quarters to play and I had already watched our strongest blocker sit in the box three times. Two more majors and she was a gonner. It was like she was hyping herself up before the bout with some Ludacris the way she was throwin' them 'bows. And as I said before, and I'll say it again, elbows are the number one killer of all the penalties in this game. Fortunately, Ruff Ryder was able to regroup and get her head back on because after that she didn't log a single penalty for the rest of the bout.
I have to give much credit to our blockers. I've spent much time developing our blocking schemes that at times I think the Jammers feel like they don't get enough individualized attention during practice. I don't do a lot of Jammer-specific drills. The bout on Saturday made a good case as to why. We put 120 points up on the score board and the lion's share of the credit goes to our blockers. Hellcat Maggie, Sho'Nuff, Samba Slugger, and Ruff Ryder and the rest of our blocking crew are the reasons we were able to put those kinds of points up. They created lanes and allowed the inherent agility and speed of our jammers to do the rest. Blockers win games, Jammers get the glory. We won that game in large part due to how these skaters executed our strategy.
The Brutal Beauties rookies stole the show on Saturday night. Their team as a whole showed a lot of great improvements with the addition of these new skaters. The break-out performance of the night goes to Kimber Slice. The announcers had a little difficulty with her name but I don't think any of us will forget it again the way she ripped the Bombshells apart. We were able to contain her on a few jams but what impressed me was how smart she played after breaking the pack. She completely owned the track the three times she had lead jam. The three times she acquired lead jam she had jams of 4, 4, and 5 points. These jams were devastating to us because she blazed through our pack, scored her points, called off the jam, and the Bombshells jammer had to skate off the track with 0 points, EACH TIME. She put up 13 unanswered points for her team. If she can find more support from her blockers to help her get out of the pack first, she's going to be a Beauty to be reckoned with in bouts to come. In this case, I don't think its fair to say, "Welcome to derby, Kimber Slice." I think its more appropriate to say, "Welcome to Kimber Slice, derby!"
The Beauties top point scorer was also a rookie. The "LAP" Dancer sits at the top of the point totals with 25 points averaging 2.5 ppj. She jammed for her team the most, putting that star on her helmet 10 times during the bout. Also, I would upgrade Pint-Sized Punch to a Quart-Sized Punch after the improvements I saw in her jamming game from last month. Her point totals and averages went up while the frequency of her jamming went down. Last month she jammed 13 times for 15 points and an average of 1.1 points per jam. Saturday night she jammed 8 times for 18 points and an average of 2.25 ppj. That's a nice jump. This in itself shows how much of an impact the rookies are having on this team. They picked up at least two rookies that could fill in at the Jammer spot right out of Fresh Meat. They just didn't have enough jammers last month and I think that made all the difference this month because they put up more points against us than they did in the last bout. And speaking of Jammers, where was Tabby T-Bag all night? We didn't see her jam till the 4th quarter. I found that a bit curious considering she was the Beauties' top point scorer in last month's bout, scoring half of her team's points. Each team thinks and does things differently, but if it was me managing I wouldn't have waited till the 4th quarter to put in the jammer that has already shown she can get lead jam, score points and call off jams. Overall, the Beauties were a much better looking team this month. Not only do I think so, but the numbers say so too.
I gotta give it up to the captains and leaders of the Bombshells and Brutal Beauties, Lady Lawless and Red Rocker, respectively. Lady Lawless was the spark plug that not only got her team going, but she had the fans going as well. She played a big part in leading and directing the blocking schemes on the track which translated to easy pickins for our jammers. She hyped up the crowd and sent the Bombshells into half time with a boat-load of momentum with her 10 point power jam at the end of the 2nd quarter. She didn't wear the star very much on the night but she was efficient when she did. She put up 18 unanswered points. She had 3 jams, owned 'em all from start to finish, doing her part to shut out the opposing jammer each time. She had two jams of 4 points to the Beauties 0 and had the highest average of the night with 6 ppj. I really enjoy watching Red Rocker skate. She's fierce and she has no quit in her. When I see her skate up to the high side of the track, I know only one thing is to follow: DEVASTATION TO ALL BELOW. She laid some great hits on every corner of the track and almost sent one of our jammers out of the track between the guard rail and the kick rail. She's consistently exhibits great sportswomanship. When she stepped off the track, she was ready to have a good time and even took a few moment to razz it up with Lawless and I at the after party. I had fun watching the two of them bounce off of each other repeatedly during a jam in the 2nd half. It was like watching a bee trapped inside the house that's trying to get out but doesn't realize it keeps flying into a window....bzzzzzzzzz......DOINK......bzzzzzzzzz......DOINK......bzzzzzzzz....DOINK!
The win was a great experience and it took a little while for it to actually sink in. When I was asked to step in as coach last season, my goal was to help these skaters get a win. Ideally it would have happened last season, but the bright side was that we got better after each loss and learned something different that we took into the next bout. We became more and more hungry for that win after each loss. Last season a lot of the skaters were brand new and didn't know much about this game and the way it's played and they were being led by a guy who didn't know the first thing about derby, much less how to strategize for it. After a year of losing and lot of hard work during the off season we have all finally reached our goal of grabbing a win. Everyone played a role in this achievement, from the captains and coaches to the rookies and team managers. The Bombshells rained down on the Coliseum last Saturday night and the fans responded with flattering praise. I love to see them all stand up and cheer for my skaters because they work so hard and they deserve that type of recognition. Part of me believes they were as anxious to see us win as we were. I'm grateful the fans stuck with us from our losing flat track days and it paid off for them as we were able to quench their thirst for a Bombshells' win at the well of the banked track. We've achieved that goal, and now its time to move on to the next one. Obviously we want to keep winning, but the next concrete goal on my mind is to get into the playoffs and make a run for the trophy.
We finally ended the drought and we did it in convincing fashion. The crowd was speckled with red and their thunderous cheers gave me a very cold rush. We're still in the Arizona desert, but things aren't so hot anymore. The Bombshells brought a red storm into the Coliseum. Better bring your rain coats next month; 'cause the way the skies look now, this storm ain't lettin' up any time soon.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Fresh Off the Grill
Its been an exciting weekend filled with anticipation. The Arizona Derby Dames held their draft to distribute the Fresh Meat amongst the league's teams. The Bombshells' roster got a much needed shot in the arm that increased its size by 50%. That's gonna make a big difference for us as the season progresses. Our team Captains, Lady Lawless and Sho'Nuff, did an excellent job in drafting some great skaters to the team. This Fresh Meat class had a ton of talent and I imagine there a rookies being introduced to their teams this week that are going to give the veterans a run for their money. From a coach's perspective, there are two reason why this draft is going to make our team better.
First, not since we started skating on the banked track have I seen my skaters so enthused about coming to practice and skating. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that my skaters aren't enthused as it is. It was just that the energy, intensity and enthusiasm for the game was through that rusty warehouse roof last night at practice. The most telling thing about it was that the Bombshells were on the track, laced and strapped up, ready to go at 10 minutes till practice! Usually I'm blowing my whistle at the start of practice and there are still few of 'em putting their skates on. The rookie Bombshells, as well as all the other rookies in the league, are playing an important roll on the team right off the Fresh Meat grill. When I saw how excited both the vets and the rookies were to skate with one another, I realized it: These rookies are reminding the vets of what it was like back when they were standing in their rookie skates; of the things they felt back when they stepped on to the track for the first time with their new team. The rookies gave the vets a much needed flashback of all the reasons they decided to join roller derby in the first place. I see it with Lawless and I deal with it myself on occasion, but after some time in the league, you become slightly jaded. After a while the excitement of doing something new kinda fades. You become comfortable in your groove, often turned off by the drama that comes with derby, and taking for granted all the little things that used to pump you up about the sport. But when the rookies took their first strides as Bombshells, they re-lit the charcoal briquettes that used to burn vigorously under the vets when they were rookies. There's a new energy on this team, and just from the first practice I can tell that these rookies are going to make the team better physically, but more importantly, mentally.
The other reason I believe the rookies are going to make the team better is because it increases our roster size and creates an element of intra-team competition. I believe its healthy to have competition within the team. It keeps each individual skater on the up and up, which makes the whole much better. You see, when we only had nine skaters, all of them had to skate out of necessity and they were likely all going to get equal playing time, regardless of their attendance at practice and their attitude and effort at practice. Now that we have more bodies on the team, there are less spots available when we write out line-ups for the bout. If its me out there, and there's a chance that I could lose my spot to a rookie, I'm gonna raise my game to make sure that doesn't happen. I know that rookie is coming for my spot and for my playing time, so my effort at practice is going to take a positive leap. No player on this team is guaranteed playing time, regardless of skill and/or seniority. How much you give at practice determines how much you play. The rookies on our team are very talented. As such, I think they're going to raise the bar for the vets. In the end, it makes the entire team better.
As I mentioned, Lady Lawless and Sho'Nuff conducted a successful draft for the Bombshells. They struck the perfect balance between blockers and jammers, each of them showing last night that they can crossover into other assignments. I want to welcome each of them to the team and share my first impressions.
Sweet Revenge #140 has an excellent awareness of what's going on on the track and is excellent at taking direction. She keeps her head on a constant swivel. That awareness makes for an excellent foundation on which to build a solid blocker. She's exhibiting a very reassuring desire to learn about the mental part of the game as well as the physical part of it. She asks tons of questions, which I absolutely love because I can tell when she's sure about something that confused her before. Like the saying goes: She who asks a question is only a fool for a few minutes; She who does not remains a fool forever.
Dotti Danger #357 is a tenacious little skater with a lot of speed. She's as agile as anyone on the team and her recovery after taking a fall is impressive and lightning quick. That's such a necessary skill for a skater of her size. Like most smaller skaters, she's going to get bullied a lot by the larger skaters but nothing discourages a bigger blocker more than when they take a smaller skater off her skates and the little one is back up and in hot pursuit before the big one has finished reveling in her short-lived achievement. What stood out to me the most was her vocal timing. She's constantly communicating with her teammates during drills, and she's attentive and quiet in between. But she spoke up and addressed her team on a couple occasions when the timing was perfect.
Elizabitch Taylor #11582 is going to be a nightmare for other teams. Some of you might know a blocker on our team that goes by Ruff Ryder. She would cause opposing jammers and blockers to lose sleep before and after a bout. Well, I think she has a new protege in this rookie which should have everyone really worried. She's got a great handle on her skates and knows how to lay a great block and throw a vicious hit. Whats more, she has aspirations of being a jammer. As a coach, its ALWAYS nice to know you have people on your team who WANT to be a triple threat. Visible goals always facilitate more effort; you're consciously working towards something. We're gonna do our part to help her reach that goal.
Holly Hood #623 has scores of talent. She has triple threat written all over her right off the grill. I saw something in this skater in January that most people in the league didn't see till late March, so I took pleasure in working with her when ever she had the opportunity. She's skilled, determined, and quite simply, just wants to work. The rhythm skating skills she possessed before entering derby translate well into this game. She's confident and has swagger on her skates. That kind of confidence can be felt by other skaters. What I like about her most is that she wants to know the who, what, when, where, and why of derby. She wants to learn and know ev-ry-thing. She's got the physical part of the game in a tight grip with a lot of room for improvement. She's going to become exponentially dangerous when she gets the mental game under wraps.
I imagine its a proud feeling to shake that tag of Fresh Meat and become a full-fledged skater in the league. I pledged a fraternity in undergrad and one of my proudest moments was when I finished that 10 week pledge program, shook the "pledge" tag, and was able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the guys that trained me to be a brother of Omega Delta Phi. I think that's no different than the experience these rookies are having now addressing the skaters that once trained them as "teammates." Its a great achievement and they should all be proud. But now, the REAL work starts.
Out of the frying pan, and into the fire.
First, not since we started skating on the banked track have I seen my skaters so enthused about coming to practice and skating. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting that my skaters aren't enthused as it is. It was just that the energy, intensity and enthusiasm for the game was through that rusty warehouse roof last night at practice. The most telling thing about it was that the Bombshells were on the track, laced and strapped up, ready to go at 10 minutes till practice! Usually I'm blowing my whistle at the start of practice and there are still few of 'em putting their skates on. The rookie Bombshells, as well as all the other rookies in the league, are playing an important roll on the team right off the Fresh Meat grill. When I saw how excited both the vets and the rookies were to skate with one another, I realized it: These rookies are reminding the vets of what it was like back when they were standing in their rookie skates; of the things they felt back when they stepped on to the track for the first time with their new team. The rookies gave the vets a much needed flashback of all the reasons they decided to join roller derby in the first place. I see it with Lawless and I deal with it myself on occasion, but after some time in the league, you become slightly jaded. After a while the excitement of doing something new kinda fades. You become comfortable in your groove, often turned off by the drama that comes with derby, and taking for granted all the little things that used to pump you up about the sport. But when the rookies took their first strides as Bombshells, they re-lit the charcoal briquettes that used to burn vigorously under the vets when they were rookies. There's a new energy on this team, and just from the first practice I can tell that these rookies are going to make the team better physically, but more importantly, mentally.
The other reason I believe the rookies are going to make the team better is because it increases our roster size and creates an element of intra-team competition. I believe its healthy to have competition within the team. It keeps each individual skater on the up and up, which makes the whole much better. You see, when we only had nine skaters, all of them had to skate out of necessity and they were likely all going to get equal playing time, regardless of their attendance at practice and their attitude and effort at practice. Now that we have more bodies on the team, there are less spots available when we write out line-ups for the bout. If its me out there, and there's a chance that I could lose my spot to a rookie, I'm gonna raise my game to make sure that doesn't happen. I know that rookie is coming for my spot and for my playing time, so my effort at practice is going to take a positive leap. No player on this team is guaranteed playing time, regardless of skill and/or seniority. How much you give at practice determines how much you play. The rookies on our team are very talented. As such, I think they're going to raise the bar for the vets. In the end, it makes the entire team better.
As I mentioned, Lady Lawless and Sho'Nuff conducted a successful draft for the Bombshells. They struck the perfect balance between blockers and jammers, each of them showing last night that they can crossover into other assignments. I want to welcome each of them to the team and share my first impressions.
Sweet Revenge #140 has an excellent awareness of what's going on on the track and is excellent at taking direction. She keeps her head on a constant swivel. That awareness makes for an excellent foundation on which to build a solid blocker. She's exhibiting a very reassuring desire to learn about the mental part of the game as well as the physical part of it. She asks tons of questions, which I absolutely love because I can tell when she's sure about something that confused her before. Like the saying goes: She who asks a question is only a fool for a few minutes; She who does not remains a fool forever.
Dotti Danger #357 is a tenacious little skater with a lot of speed. She's as agile as anyone on the team and her recovery after taking a fall is impressive and lightning quick. That's such a necessary skill for a skater of her size. Like most smaller skaters, she's going to get bullied a lot by the larger skaters but nothing discourages a bigger blocker more than when they take a smaller skater off her skates and the little one is back up and in hot pursuit before the big one has finished reveling in her short-lived achievement. What stood out to me the most was her vocal timing. She's constantly communicating with her teammates during drills, and she's attentive and quiet in between. But she spoke up and addressed her team on a couple occasions when the timing was perfect.
Elizabitch Taylor #11582 is going to be a nightmare for other teams. Some of you might know a blocker on our team that goes by Ruff Ryder. She would cause opposing jammers and blockers to lose sleep before and after a bout. Well, I think she has a new protege in this rookie which should have everyone really worried. She's got a great handle on her skates and knows how to lay a great block and throw a vicious hit. Whats more, she has aspirations of being a jammer. As a coach, its ALWAYS nice to know you have people on your team who WANT to be a triple threat. Visible goals always facilitate more effort; you're consciously working towards something. We're gonna do our part to help her reach that goal.
Holly Hood #623 has scores of talent. She has triple threat written all over her right off the grill. I saw something in this skater in January that most people in the league didn't see till late March, so I took pleasure in working with her when ever she had the opportunity. She's skilled, determined, and quite simply, just wants to work. The rhythm skating skills she possessed before entering derby translate well into this game. She's confident and has swagger on her skates. That kind of confidence can be felt by other skaters. What I like about her most is that she wants to know the who, what, when, where, and why of derby. She wants to learn and know ev-ry-thing. She's got the physical part of the game in a tight grip with a lot of room for improvement. She's going to become exponentially dangerous when she gets the mental game under wraps.
I imagine its a proud feeling to shake that tag of Fresh Meat and become a full-fledged skater in the league. I pledged a fraternity in undergrad and one of my proudest moments was when I finished that 10 week pledge program, shook the "pledge" tag, and was able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the guys that trained me to be a brother of Omega Delta Phi. I think that's no different than the experience these rookies are having now addressing the skaters that once trained them as "teammates." Its a great achievement and they should all be proud. But now, the REAL work starts.
Out of the frying pan, and into the fire.
Friday, April 9, 2010
The Numbers Don't Lie
I started taking bout statistics for roller derby last season after the Bombshells played the Runaway Brides. Of the three bouts that I coached the Bombshells through that season, that bout was my favorite by far. The Bombshells were really starting to gel as a team right about that time. The Brides were an extremely technical team, armed with blinding speed. They put up a boat load of points against us, but the Bombshells scored more points in that bout than they had scored in any bout over the last 2 seasons. I was curious to see how the numbers broke down. I wanted to see where the holes were in our game, which line-ups were strong in keeping the other team from scoring points, and which of our jammers were more dependable in scoring points than the others. So I started watching tape from the bouts and keeping track. These stats also give me a great insight into the tendencies of our opponents. Not only do they tell a story of the bout, but they also help me prepare for the next one.
The league keeps their own stats, those are the official AZDD stats. The stats that I take and that I'm about to share with you are not official and are only for my own reference. However, be sure that I keep them as accurate as they can be. I've crunched some numbers from the bout between the Beauties and the Scrappers and they tell quite the story. In fact, they tell a slightly different story than the one I told just a few weeks ago.
The Scrappers went on a scoring binge in their debut bout logging 148 total points. That's a solid average of 37 points per quarter. When the bout was all said and done, the teams had skated 37 jams. That means the Scrappers were averaging 4 points per jam. 4 POINTS PER JAM! Impressive. The ladies in blue plaid also dominated the lead jam position. Out of the 37 jams the Scrappers were able to acquire the Lead Jam 25 times and didn't lose it once. In addition to that, the Scrappers had 4 different jammers that stole the lead jam from a Beauties' jammer on 4 different occasions. The Scrappers have their offensive scheme down getting their jammer out of the pack first 67pct. of the time. Further, on the flip side of that coin the Scrapper had a curtain of plaid out there on the track that kept the Beauties' jammers from seeing daylight for more than half the bout. They shut out the Beauties in 21 of the 37 jams. That's some solid defense. I'd like to dub their blockers with this moniker: The Plaid Curtain. One of the more astounding facts I learned from looking at the stats was that the Scrappers had 14 different skaters step in at the jammer position. I think they only have 15 skaters on their roster so by my observation the only Scrapper that didn't jam was their MVP, Cruella DeMille. Almost everyone got a chance to Jam. How fun is that?
When we talk about individual performances the skater whose numbers stuck out the most were Mizz Nashty's. She jammed 6 times for her team, more than any other Scrapper, and was perfect in acquiring the Lead Jam all 6 times. She racked up some major points on a few of those jams logging jams of 9, 10, and 6 points. In the end she's credited with scoring 32 of her teams points with a killer average of 5.3 points per jam. Mizz Nashty is no joke. I can't go without mentioning the performances by Jenna Talls and Goody Goody Blooddrop. They did a great job in complimenting the success that Nashty was enjoying, showing that there's more than one jammer on this team that we're all going to have to worry about. Jenna Talls was also perfect in acquiring the lead jam on each of her 4 chances at the jammer spot. She racked up 20 point in all and when you think of how many times she showed the crowd they had NO CHANCE while she was jamming, you have to be pretty impressed with a 5 point per jam average. Goody had the highest scoring average of the bout with 6.5 points per jam, only taking 4 turns with the star on her helmet. Nice job, ladies!
In looking at the stats for the Beauties, I see one overriding concern. And I know I'm being Captain Obvious here, but they need more jammers. They ran a three jammer rotation with Tabby T. Bag, Pint Sized Punch, and Nasty Nelly. The Beauties played with a short roster for this bout and the effects of that really started to show in the last quarter. You can see that fatigue had finally gotten to the Beauties jammers in the 4th quarter as they were able to log points in only 3 of the 9 jams that quarter, 9 points in all.
Tabby T. Bag carried her team that night; a well deserved MVP. She carried much of the jamming load, jamming 13 times for the Beauties. She acquired the lead jam in 5 instances and though she had it taken from her twice she had the highest point total and scoring average for her team with 23 points and 1.7 points per jam, respectively. As the season goes forward I can only expect that she's going to get better and continue to play a big roll in scoring points for her team.
The numbers don't lie. The Scrappers are a well balanced team. They played solid defense and their jammers played their positions well. A 4 point per jam average screams EFFICIENCY. Almost everyone on their team had a chance to put points on the board. But I'll say it again, jammers are nothing without their blockers, and the Plaid Curtain has proven they're more than ready to scrap.
The league keeps their own stats, those are the official AZDD stats. The stats that I take and that I'm about to share with you are not official and are only for my own reference. However, be sure that I keep them as accurate as they can be. I've crunched some numbers from the bout between the Beauties and the Scrappers and they tell quite the story. In fact, they tell a slightly different story than the one I told just a few weeks ago.
The Scrappers went on a scoring binge in their debut bout logging 148 total points. That's a solid average of 37 points per quarter. When the bout was all said and done, the teams had skated 37 jams. That means the Scrappers were averaging 4 points per jam. 4 POINTS PER JAM! Impressive. The ladies in blue plaid also dominated the lead jam position. Out of the 37 jams the Scrappers were able to acquire the Lead Jam 25 times and didn't lose it once. In addition to that, the Scrappers had 4 different jammers that stole the lead jam from a Beauties' jammer on 4 different occasions. The Scrappers have their offensive scheme down getting their jammer out of the pack first 67pct. of the time. Further, on the flip side of that coin the Scrapper had a curtain of plaid out there on the track that kept the Beauties' jammers from seeing daylight for more than half the bout. They shut out the Beauties in 21 of the 37 jams. That's some solid defense. I'd like to dub their blockers with this moniker: The Plaid Curtain. One of the more astounding facts I learned from looking at the stats was that the Scrappers had 14 different skaters step in at the jammer position. I think they only have 15 skaters on their roster so by my observation the only Scrapper that didn't jam was their MVP, Cruella DeMille. Almost everyone got a chance to Jam. How fun is that?
When we talk about individual performances the skater whose numbers stuck out the most were Mizz Nashty's. She jammed 6 times for her team, more than any other Scrapper, and was perfect in acquiring the Lead Jam all 6 times. She racked up some major points on a few of those jams logging jams of 9, 10, and 6 points. In the end she's credited with scoring 32 of her teams points with a killer average of 5.3 points per jam. Mizz Nashty is no joke. I can't go without mentioning the performances by Jenna Talls and Goody Goody Blooddrop. They did a great job in complimenting the success that Nashty was enjoying, showing that there's more than one jammer on this team that we're all going to have to worry about. Jenna Talls was also perfect in acquiring the lead jam on each of her 4 chances at the jammer spot. She racked up 20 point in all and when you think of how many times she showed the crowd they had NO CHANCE while she was jamming, you have to be pretty impressed with a 5 point per jam average. Goody had the highest scoring average of the bout with 6.5 points per jam, only taking 4 turns with the star on her helmet. Nice job, ladies!
In looking at the stats for the Beauties, I see one overriding concern. And I know I'm being Captain Obvious here, but they need more jammers. They ran a three jammer rotation with Tabby T. Bag, Pint Sized Punch, and Nasty Nelly. The Beauties played with a short roster for this bout and the effects of that really started to show in the last quarter. You can see that fatigue had finally gotten to the Beauties jammers in the 4th quarter as they were able to log points in only 3 of the 9 jams that quarter, 9 points in all.
Tabby T. Bag carried her team that night; a well deserved MVP. She carried much of the jamming load, jamming 13 times for the Beauties. She acquired the lead jam in 5 instances and though she had it taken from her twice she had the highest point total and scoring average for her team with 23 points and 1.7 points per jam, respectively. As the season goes forward I can only expect that she's going to get better and continue to play a big roll in scoring points for her team.
The numbers don't lie. The Scrappers are a well balanced team. They played solid defense and their jammers played their positions well. A 4 point per jam average screams EFFICIENCY. Almost everyone on their team had a chance to put points on the board. But I'll say it again, jammers are nothing without their blockers, and the Plaid Curtain has proven they're more than ready to scrap.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Joy & Pain, Sunshine & Rain
I live for sports. I eat, sleep, drink, breathe for sports. I've always been a sponge for knowledge, ready to learn all about the next thing that puts my interest in a choke-hold. But when it comes to sports, I have a tendency to start acting like a possessed Venus fly trap in a little shop of horror; FEED ME! FEED ME! I've sampled a lot of sports in my day, but mostly the major ones. I played baseball from the time I was pushing 3 feet in height till I was in high school. I got my first taste of tackle football my freshman year in high school and I stuck with it through graduation. Basketball is my favorite recreational sport and I play it regularly to this day. I'll admit, I don't do hockey. I'm not a cold weather brotha. I was born and raised in this dry heat and most significantly, have you seen my skin? I'm Mexican! My people are tropical folk who weren't built for cold weather. So, to play a sport where you have to wear a "sweater" just doesn't sound appealing to me. Nothing against it, cause who doesn't like a sport where they let you fight, it just ain't my cup of tea. As time and age has forced me to progressively move toward watching more sports than actually playing them, I've developed an eye for learning more about the games themselves. One thing that has never ever changed in sports is that there's always a winner and loser. At one point or another we have all experienced that intoxicating thrill of victory and that agonizing crash of defeat; weather its in playing on a team or cheering for your favorite team. In sports there's joy and pain, sunshine and rain.
I've been really enjoying my time as a derby blogger over the last few weeks. I've got a few solid posts under my belt and by this point I hope that my readers understand my M.O. I got my first taste of backlash on a few posts I've written over the last week. I've gotten a lot of pats on the back for what I have created here and there were a number of people who may not have liked what I had to say. Both positions are understandable. So in case you're not quite sure what it is I'm trying to do here, lemme break it down for you.
The number one reason I started this derby blog was because I love to talk derby. I love it. As humans we learn so much through conversation and when I write these blogs, I write them in a conversational tone. Those of you who know me well can tell that I write almost exactly the way I speak. So this is where I get the chance to let all the things in my head out and share the way I think about this sport. Four years of undergraduate study and three years of law school have probably made me more analytical than I want to be, but that time as equipped me with ability to see things from each side of the fence. I analyze EVERYTHING and often times it makes me (and Lady Lawless) crazy, so to speak on it not only gives others the opportunity to learn how I think but it's also a form of therapy for me. My head is just bursting with derby and I have to get it out before it explodes. And quite frankly, I would much rather click to this blog and read my thoughts at my own leisure than to get caught up in a conversation with myself, because even I can admit that I can go on and on and on, and on.
The other reason I started this blog was because I wanted the fans to see the sport from a unique point of view. I think I can bring that. I have a lovely lady who's involved heavily with the sport and plays it like a boss. I coach one of AZDD's teams and at the moment there is no one else that stands in the same position that I'm in. Most importantly, I'm a man involved in a sport for women and I bear a slight influence on how the game is played, at least on my team. Though there are parts of the game that can be seen the same way by man or woman, I see this sport from a much different angle than almost anyone else involved.
Finally, I wanted to give my readers an uninhibited view of the game, maybe one that no one else has tried to provide before. In any type of sports commentary, which is what I'd like to consider this blog, there are going to be times when you get the thumbs up, and there will be other times when you get the thumbs down. This rings true for both the athlete's performance and the writer who comments. I know what it feels like now to be praised for the things I say on this blog, but more importantly I know what it feels like to be called the bad guy for saying what everyone else was probably thinking. I got into a great dialogue with one of my closet derby family members and I'll share with you what I expressed to that person.
Its regrettable that the things I say on this blog may make people feel bad, but I'm just giving my honest opinion, be it good or bad, welcomed or rejected. I can appreciate anyone that challenges my statements and I'll give you mad respect for speaking up. There's a little comment box at the bottom of every post I leave so if you don't like something I said, I would love to hear why. Sincerely. Give me your side of the story. These are just my opinions that I share so if you'd like to share yours with my readers as well, comment your heart out at the bottom of every post. Let them hear what YOU think. Shit, I would love to think that my commentary can start conversation, but even I don't give myself that much credit. I'm just a guy talking on a blog that I made myself. I'm really no different than that guy on Mill Ave that stands on a milk crate and makes crazy talk through a bullhorn because he's been standing in the sun too long in his black trench coat. My blog site is my milk crate and this keyboard I'm typing on is my bullhorn. Am I an authority on roller derby? Pffft! Uh, hell no! A majority of the skaters in this league could school my ass on that track. I'm still learning about the fundamentals and the intricacies of this sport every single day. Even I think what I'm saying here isn't all that important in the grand scheme of life but I like to put it out there, I'm having fun doing it, and by all appearances people are reading it. That's a choice that all of you make. If you really really don't like or care for my opinions, then you don't HAVE to read it. It won't hurt my feelings. Click here if you'd rather read something warm and fuzzy. But I love and appreciate that you're reading my words, whether you agree with them or not.
I don't show up to watch girls in fishnets and booty shorts wrestle with each other on roller skates. I enjoy watching the sport of derby and dissecting it. As a coach, I enjoy empowering my skaters with strategy and confidence in their skills. I don't see derby girls out there anymore, I see athletes. I like to share my thoughts in a manner that may lead others to view this as I do, as a serious sport, not just a game for girls. And I like to do it with some humor so its at least a little interesting. As such, I think its fair, if not an obligation, for me to analyze both sides of the coin and I accept that feelings may get hurt. But its not my intention to make anyone feel bad or to degrade anyone's abilities. I want all the fans out there who read this to respect the athletes and their sport the same way I do. Sure, I could write all day things like, "Oh man, and did you see those Scrappers out there on Saturday flashing the crowd their asses after every rotation of the track? I'd sure like to pay for some time on one of those asses! Wink*wink." But that's not what I'm here for. I'm here to write about the sport and to explain what about Ellie Mayhem, Vanessa Velocity, Lady Lawless, Lora Stabbs, and Red Rocker makes them great athletes in this game; about how and why things happen the way they do on the track. On that same coin, I'm also here to talk about derby from a critical point of view. I won't deny that for a moment. I'm not here to spew hate all over my derby family, I'm just here to be honest about them. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
So lets recap:
1. I love to talk derby.
2. I offer a unique point of view.
3. I want to expose derby to readers in a honest and balanced way, offering both praise and criticism.
4. If you don't like it, that's cool and please tell me why.
5. This is a serious sport with injuries and all, I want my readers to appreciate it and the athletes the way I do.
6. I like to crack jokes and have fun while I'm doing it.
One thing I've learned in the last week is that controversy breeds interest. I had a skater solicit opinions from friends about something I wrote about her. Within that 24 hour time span I had more traffic on this blog than I had on all of my blog posts combined. The statement I made was taken out of context, but that kind of data could be enough to tempt me into a tone of cynicism, ridicule, and down right nastiness if I was only interested in the number of readers to my blog, not the quality of the content I provide. I want to give my readers something interesting to read and sometimes those that I write about may have to endure some rain, but for the most part, I'm here to shine a different ray of sunshine over this sport that may help people see it a little differently than they used to. I love this game and the people involved. Loving something isn't all about the warm and fuzzy, sometimes a little tough love is involved. And like sports, love is no exception to the concepts of joy and pain.
I've been really enjoying my time as a derby blogger over the last few weeks. I've got a few solid posts under my belt and by this point I hope that my readers understand my M.O. I got my first taste of backlash on a few posts I've written over the last week. I've gotten a lot of pats on the back for what I have created here and there were a number of people who may not have liked what I had to say. Both positions are understandable. So in case you're not quite sure what it is I'm trying to do here, lemme break it down for you.
The number one reason I started this derby blog was because I love to talk derby. I love it. As humans we learn so much through conversation and when I write these blogs, I write them in a conversational tone. Those of you who know me well can tell that I write almost exactly the way I speak. So this is where I get the chance to let all the things in my head out and share the way I think about this sport. Four years of undergraduate study and three years of law school have probably made me more analytical than I want to be, but that time as equipped me with ability to see things from each side of the fence. I analyze EVERYTHING and often times it makes me (and Lady Lawless) crazy, so to speak on it not only gives others the opportunity to learn how I think but it's also a form of therapy for me. My head is just bursting with derby and I have to get it out before it explodes. And quite frankly, I would much rather click to this blog and read my thoughts at my own leisure than to get caught up in a conversation with myself, because even I can admit that I can go on and on and on, and on.
The other reason I started this blog was because I wanted the fans to see the sport from a unique point of view. I think I can bring that. I have a lovely lady who's involved heavily with the sport and plays it like a boss. I coach one of AZDD's teams and at the moment there is no one else that stands in the same position that I'm in. Most importantly, I'm a man involved in a sport for women and I bear a slight influence on how the game is played, at least on my team. Though there are parts of the game that can be seen the same way by man or woman, I see this sport from a much different angle than almost anyone else involved.
Finally, I wanted to give my readers an uninhibited view of the game, maybe one that no one else has tried to provide before. In any type of sports commentary, which is what I'd like to consider this blog, there are going to be times when you get the thumbs up, and there will be other times when you get the thumbs down. This rings true for both the athlete's performance and the writer who comments. I know what it feels like now to be praised for the things I say on this blog, but more importantly I know what it feels like to be called the bad guy for saying what everyone else was probably thinking. I got into a great dialogue with one of my closet derby family members and I'll share with you what I expressed to that person.
Its regrettable that the things I say on this blog may make people feel bad, but I'm just giving my honest opinion, be it good or bad, welcomed or rejected. I can appreciate anyone that challenges my statements and I'll give you mad respect for speaking up. There's a little comment box at the bottom of every post I leave so if you don't like something I said, I would love to hear why. Sincerely. Give me your side of the story. These are just my opinions that I share so if you'd like to share yours with my readers as well, comment your heart out at the bottom of every post. Let them hear what YOU think. Shit, I would love to think that my commentary can start conversation, but even I don't give myself that much credit. I'm just a guy talking on a blog that I made myself. I'm really no different than that guy on Mill Ave that stands on a milk crate and makes crazy talk through a bullhorn because he's been standing in the sun too long in his black trench coat. My blog site is my milk crate and this keyboard I'm typing on is my bullhorn. Am I an authority on roller derby? Pffft! Uh, hell no! A majority of the skaters in this league could school my ass on that track. I'm still learning about the fundamentals and the intricacies of this sport every single day. Even I think what I'm saying here isn't all that important in the grand scheme of life but I like to put it out there, I'm having fun doing it, and by all appearances people are reading it. That's a choice that all of you make. If you really really don't like or care for my opinions, then you don't HAVE to read it. It won't hurt my feelings. Click here if you'd rather read something warm and fuzzy. But I love and appreciate that you're reading my words, whether you agree with them or not.
I don't show up to watch girls in fishnets and booty shorts wrestle with each other on roller skates. I enjoy watching the sport of derby and dissecting it. As a coach, I enjoy empowering my skaters with strategy and confidence in their skills. I don't see derby girls out there anymore, I see athletes. I like to share my thoughts in a manner that may lead others to view this as I do, as a serious sport, not just a game for girls. And I like to do it with some humor so its at least a little interesting. As such, I think its fair, if not an obligation, for me to analyze both sides of the coin and I accept that feelings may get hurt. But its not my intention to make anyone feel bad or to degrade anyone's abilities. I want all the fans out there who read this to respect the athletes and their sport the same way I do. Sure, I could write all day things like, "Oh man, and did you see those Scrappers out there on Saturday flashing the crowd their asses after every rotation of the track? I'd sure like to pay for some time on one of those asses! Wink*wink." But that's not what I'm here for. I'm here to write about the sport and to explain what about Ellie Mayhem, Vanessa Velocity, Lady Lawless, Lora Stabbs, and Red Rocker makes them great athletes in this game; about how and why things happen the way they do on the track. On that same coin, I'm also here to talk about derby from a critical point of view. I won't deny that for a moment. I'm not here to spew hate all over my derby family, I'm just here to be honest about them. The good, the bad, and the ugly.
So lets recap:
1. I love to talk derby.
2. I offer a unique point of view.
3. I want to expose derby to readers in a honest and balanced way, offering both praise and criticism.
4. If you don't like it, that's cool and please tell me why.
5. This is a serious sport with injuries and all, I want my readers to appreciate it and the athletes the way I do.
6. I like to crack jokes and have fun while I'm doing it.
One thing I've learned in the last week is that controversy breeds interest. I had a skater solicit opinions from friends about something I wrote about her. Within that 24 hour time span I had more traffic on this blog than I had on all of my blog posts combined. The statement I made was taken out of context, but that kind of data could be enough to tempt me into a tone of cynicism, ridicule, and down right nastiness if I was only interested in the number of readers to my blog, not the quality of the content I provide. I want to give my readers something interesting to read and sometimes those that I write about may have to endure some rain, but for the most part, I'm here to shine a different ray of sunshine over this sport that may help people see it a little differently than they used to. I love this game and the people involved. Loving something isn't all about the warm and fuzzy, sometimes a little tough love is involved. And like sports, love is no exception to the concepts of joy and pain.
Sunday, March 28, 2010
If You Build It, They Will Come Vol. II
My adrenaline was running sky high. My head was spinning and static, like on a non-working tv channel, was piercing my ears. I was indoors but strangely there was a breeze that kept running by that eventually elevated itself to what felt like a small tornado and I found myself right in the middle of it. Despite all this activity going on around me, I felt right at home. Don't be fooled; I'm not talking about that twister I was chasin' on my last trip to Kansas ('cause I've never actually been to Kansas). What I'm describing is what it feels like to be sitting in the infield of the banked track while a roller derby bout is happening. That's the vantage point on which I was able to witness the Runaway Brides take on the Coffin Draggers at AZDD's debut bout. Lady Lawless and I had the fortunate circumstance of being asked by the Brides to be their team managers during the bout since the Bombshells had the night off. To say the least, its intense in there and watching a game right in the middle of the action is WAY different than watching it from the stands. You would assume there is a big difference, but you don't actually understand it until you're right there. I was constantly rotating 360 degrees to follow the pack and the action around the track. All eyes and noise from the crowd are directed right at you that it can be deafening. You can even feel the athletes skating by. All senses are involved when you're watching banked track roller derby from the belly of that beast of a track. I threw on my Karate Kid bandana which only signifies one thing: GAME TIME!
The posture of this bout was similar to that of the Beauties v. Scrappers bout. The Draggers had the edge in both roster size and experience. The Brides have experienced skaters that date back to their championship back in Season 3, but a good chunk of their team is a lot of anxious, new blood. Going in, my prediction was that the Coffin Draggers would take this bout, but I believed the Brides would make it a competitive bout. Right out of the first jam it looked like what I assumed may come to be true. Ellie Mayhem cut up the Draggers pack and took the lead jam with a healthy lead and it looked like we all might be in for a good fight. But once the Draggers got comfortable and set into their scheme it was the like the Brides were a guest in the Draggers graveyard.
The Draggers were able to keep the Brides' score low with their impenetrable defense. They owned the front of the pack with the triangle formation they were running and not only were the Brides' jammers having difficulty getting through it, but their blockers were having difficulty dealing with it as well. The Draggers jumped out to an early lead and they didn't look back. They lost a couple of key players to injuries in the first half of the bout. Mia Pow Wow and Angela Darkness, both Dragger jammers, appeared to have gone down with shoulder injuries. It was a shame to see these two go down because they're exciting players to watch. With these two players out, I thought the Brides might have a better chance to get back into it after every jam, but the Draggers had a few skaters step up and they just kept pouring it on.
I've already said enough about Cannibelle Corpse, but she did not disappoint and more importantly she didn't make me look like a fool for all the things I said about her in a previous blog. She delivered exactly what I would have expected from her. I wish that I could bottle the focused intensity that she plays with and feed it to my skaters. You don't get to many jammers out there who are willing to deliver a hit while they're trying to score points and that's one of the reasons I like her style of play so much. It doesn't matter to her that she's wearing a star on her helmet (when she actually puts it on ;-) hehehe), she will still try to punish you with a hit as she's skating by.My standout performer of the night would most definitely go to Dr. Mary Lu Botomy. She did a clutch job at the jammer spot and I remember watching her routinely call off jams. On a number of those occasions I saw her take the lead jam away from a Bride jammer in the thick of the pack. She showed everyone in the building why having the lead jam is so advantageous. When you possess it, it can be a tool for total domination, or for sour demoralization. On one instance I saw Phenomenon approaching the pack with lead jam and DMLB was about 10 feet behind her. Phenomenon got caught in the pack and somehow DMLB found a lane right by her and her lace laden teammates to score 4 points, take lead jam, then call it off. I can only imagine what Phenomenon felt like at that moment. You just busted your ass all the way around the track several times, leading the whole way, and at the last moment you lose the lead jam and 4 points are scored on you while you skate off the track with none. What a demoralizer. That jam was a great display at a high level by DMLB of the physical and mental aspects of banked track roller derby. And lets face it, she's absolutely charming in that Go-Daddy commercial. I just want to put her in my pocket and bring her home and have her do advertising pitches for all the products I have in my refrigerator.
Don't ride off the Brides after this bout. If anything, if you saw what I was seeing, you have keep them on your radar. Not only do they have one of the league's superstars, but they've got some great blockers and their talent shows when they work together. Nothing evidenced that more than the first two jams of the second half. This was the only time I really saw the Draggers shook because the Brides were skating nice and tight and as one. They were able to get the lead jam on each of those jams and capitalized by scoring some points. Additionally, their pack did a great job defending the Draggers' jammer. Throughout the bout Iron Swede was doin' a bang up job as a Bride blocker. She didn't need to do anything amazing to stand out. You could tell that she was focused on executing the fundamentals of blocking. She stayed low and kept placing herself in the right place at the right time when the Draggers' jammer approached the pack. When it comes to blocking, the simplest and most effective technique is to just get in the way, and she did that well and with purpose. Defense is a huge part of this game now and to down-play it would be to undermine a majority of the athletes involved in this sport. From where I was standing, one of the most exciting defensive sequences of the bout was when Phenomenon defended Craven A. Cadaver, who was the jammer at the time, single-handedly for almost a complete rotation of the track. The make-up Craven was rocking was sick, but it had little effect in intimidating Phenomenon. I don't know if I was just hearing myself cheer, but it sounded like the crowd roared at the booty-blocking clinic that Phenomenon was putting on. Watching scorers accumulate points is fun, but its solid, aggresive defense that always impresses me and makes me stand up. These instances of defensive brilliance showed me that the Brides have the tools, they just need some more time to learn how to use them effectively.As expected, the Coffin Draggers skated off victorious with a final score of 112-44. To be quite honest, while I was down there in the middle of the track the score was the last thing on my mind. Even though I was a part of all the action and activity that the outer rails on the track encompassed, there was a part of me that was in awe and I had to keep reminding myself that for this bout I wasn't a spectator. Its an awesome feeling to look into the eyes of the skaters and interact with them during the heat of battle. Its a humbling feeling to look up into the crowd and see all the faces looking toward you. One of the collateral effects of helping the Brides out for this bout was that it gave Lawless and I a dry run at how things go down on the bench. Its a comforting feeling to know that when I step out on to that infield next month to coach my Bombshells through there first bout of the season, it wont be my first time. I'll know how to respond to certain game situations and how to approach the refs when I feel I need to call their attention to something. I have to thank the Runaway Brides for giving me the opportunity to help out because not only did I have one of the best seats in the house, they gave me an opportunity to learn some new things about this game. The Brides were very gracious in thanking Lawless and I for what we did for their team, but I don't think they quite understand what they did for our team that night. We'll be better prepared come next month. So, thanks a million Brides!
The first bouts of the season had ended. As we started to tear down the track and I looked up at all the empty seats I began reflecting on the part of the evening that had just passed. I witnessed this league evolve. The bout production was clean and seamless. The crowds were bigger than any AZDD had seen in the past. The game was faster and more demanding of the athletes. When the Dames decided that they were going to move from flat track derby to banked track derby I knew their would be an evolutionary leap, I just didn't think it would be this drastic. The flat track days of last season are gone and though we still reside in the home we call the Coliseum, the debut of this banked track to the masses has proven one thing: We're not in Kansas anymore.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
If You Build It, They Will Come Vol. I
We built it, and like the old adage promises, they came. And that's an understatement. Just like Kevin Costner tripped on those dead baseball players that stepped out of the cornfields, I was taken aback by the sight of all the people who stepped out last Saturday night to the see the Dames debut their banked track. I had no idea what was transpiring outside till about 7:30 P.M. when I got a text from my cousin that read, "Dude holy Fu**king sh*t. I've never seen this many people for derby. Three separate lines each touching the parking lot wow wow." He wasn't lying. The Arizona Derby Dames rocked the Coliseum last Saturday night with the Season 5 Opener and the official Banked Track debut. There is no more appropriate place for the Dames to call home than the Mad House on McDowell, because that's exactly what they made of it. It was a MAD HOUSE. By about 7:45 the first half of the first bout was almost over and after Rowdy Roulette jumped on the mic to stall for a bit the Dames decided to just let the whole mob in. Suddenly the seats filled up and the crowd got louder. It was electric.
This months double-header featured The Schoolyard Scrappers vs. The Brutal Beauties and The Runaway Brides vs. The Coffin Draggers. I got to see each of these bouts from different perspectives. One more intense that the other. The bout between The Brutal Beauties and The Schoolyard Scrappers was over before it even started. The shear numbers of the Schoolyard Scrapper intimidated ME and I wasn't even on the track. I was sitting way up in the nose bleeds! I prefer it up there because it gives me an eagle-eye view of the track and the action. You can see everything that's going on all across the track and no need to swivel your head back and forth and back and forth and back and forth as the action speeds by. It also gives me a great vantage point to analyze what scheme's each of the teams are implementing. Coach is always watching. The Scrappers owned the track from start to finish. It was a difficult game to watch and quite frankly, it didn't keep my interest long enough for me to even watch the final quarter. The Beauties did have a few bright spots that should be nurtured as the season moves forward. First and foremost, gotta give it up to Pint Sized Punch, the Beauties skater who I believe is their brightest jammer. Her name is oh so appropriate and this was a breakout bout for her. She doesn't even reach 5 feet so she disappears when she's in the pack, but once she breaks through, her name is all the description you need. She's got a great handle on the track that attributes to her quickness and she has such a smooth and rhythmic stride. She looked like a gerbil on a wheel out there. Running, running, and running to get back to the pack. Keep your eye on this skater. She's gonna score a lot of points for her team this season.
Another surprise came from Tabby T. Bag (which is slowly becoming one my new favorite skater names; you can't help but grin a little every time you say it; its reminiscent of Heidi Salami; that name still makes me chuckle; I'm chuckling right now as I write this). I was impressed by how many times she was able to break the pack first and grab onto that lead jammer status, but unfortunately that's about as far as it went. Maybe its just her stride but just observing I get the feeling she hasn't completely gotten her skates under her on this new track. If she can refine that skill I think she'll have to worry less about opposing jammers catching up and taking lead jam away from her, which is what happened more often than not. What these two skaters showed us lends to the assertion that I made in a previous blog. In this new format, advantage goes to the smaller skaters. They can hit those holes in the pack much easier.
What further lends to that same assertion is how much trouble skaters like Brickhouse were having out on the track. She was a penalty magnet and that primarily has to do with her size. Elbows are a killer in this game. Illegal use of elbows is the penalty that stands out the most and will likely be called the most by The Regulators. Brickhouse's elbows stand above everyone so not only are they more visible, they're freakin huge! She could do some damage with those bad boys. I wouldn't want to be on the business end of one of her elbows cause when I stand next to her they're generally around the vicinity of my head. Shots to the head will score you some serious time in the penalty box and as we saw, enough penalties could earn you a trip to the dressing room for the rest of the night while your team bouts on without you. The Beauties had to send two skaters home early which put their already short roster in a world of hurt. My favorite jam of the bout was Red Rocker v. The Scrappers. Multiple teammates had to sit in the box that jam so it was her surrounded by plaid. It was entertaining to watch because what her skating in this jam said to me was, "Aw F**k it, I'm just gonna hit all you motherf**kers. You're stuck with ME for this next minute so come get some!" It was awesome.
The Scrappers were technically sound and they played an excellent bout. They stayed focused and implemented their system continuously and systematically. Their individual skaters practically disappeared out there because they were playing as one unit, like all of them were on a single pair of skates. They were able to dominate the high side of the track and create lanes for their jammers to get through. I admire so much the patience that Mizz Nashty shows when she's jamming. She's not an aggressive jammer in the pack but she waits for the right moments to move to the front. She utilizes her blockers intelligently and once she's made it through the pack, this former speed skater turns it on. My only complaint is that I kinda missed how she would slide her left hand along the floor to help her maintain balance and maneuver around the turns nice and low during the flat track days. It was vintage Nashty. She's had to ditch the Apolo Ohno impersonation for the banked track but its not hurting her at all. I remember a couple of jams where she was able to get through pack twice in the same jam; a double grand slam.As I said, by the end of the second quarter the score resembled those of the Bombshells' bouts back in Season 3 at the Castle, so I stopped watching to attend to some other duties. Everyone in the building knew this game was over and even the Scrappers made that obvious when they put everyone's favorite bra-buster, Kat Von Double-Ds, out there behind the jammer line. Then I started to notice other skaters who don't normally jam put that star on their head. I can appreciate what the Scrappers were doing at that point. They had the game in the bag so I have to assume they were thinking several things: 1) Let's get our normal jammers off the track to eliminate the risk of injury to them. Why risk it when this game is already won; 2) There's no need to keep our top skilled players out there to run up the score on the Beauties, this game is out of reach; 3) Let's get some skaters out there to get their feet wet jamming in a bout. Never know when you might need someone to step up in that position so why not give them the exposure in real time; or 4) We put in the work early to make sure we win this bout, and now that we've handled business lets go out there and have some fun and give the fans something fun to watch. Any and all of these would have ran through my mind if I was in their position. They have the numbers to sit their better players and give those that don't get as many reps some more time in the bout. If this is the stance they took, I think its pretty admirable. The final score was 148-53.
The last jam of the bout paid homage to All the Way Mae, an AZDD founder who's been running the league. She announced that this would be her last bout and it caught a lot of league members off guard. I certainly never saw it coming. This banked track dream was something she worked towards for years and now that it was finally a reality, she's decided to hang up her skates. "Dream achieved, and I'm out this piece!" If I were in her position I would have stuck around for at least a little while longer to relish in the reality of the dream and watch it flourish. But who knows, maybe she has other, bigger plans. You can't doubt whatever her intentions are as she moves away from the game because look what she has created here. What we all experienced on Saturday was the manifestation of an idea that was in the minds of AZDD founders All the Way Mae, Prima Donna, and the two other absent founders. It was a pretty special night. ATWM knew all along that "If you build it, they will come." What we didn't know was that if we built it, we would have to watch her leave. Best of luck to her!
In my next entry you'll get to hear about my experience with the Coffin Draggers v. Runaway Brides bout where I got to witness the action from right in the middle of the track. Stay tuned derby fans, and thanks for reading!
Friday, March 19, 2010
Tick, Tick, Tick, Tenacity
If anyone out their can correct me on this, please do so, but there isn't anyone in this league that has more experience in this sport and on a banked track than Celeste. I think the words Celeste and Tenacity are synonymous. She's on a new team this season and as the Coach I can say that she is and will be an important piece to the Bombshells success this season. This skater used to OWN a banked track. Yes, she had her own banked track. I was joking with a Fresh Meat about this and she joked, "Yeah, I wonder what the tour of her house was like: here's the kitchen, this is my living room, this is the study, that's a banked track, and this is my bedroom." LOL. I'll be the first to admit that I was reserved about bringing her onto the Bombshells, but whatever doubts I had back then are gone now. She's proven her dedication to this team and we embrace her as if she's been on it forever. Of the three Bombshells that participated in the demo-bout, Celeste was the only one that got to get in there and jam. She had a few impressive runs as a jammer, especially one in which she fell out of the pack second to Dolly de los Muertos, but was able to pass her and attain the lead jammer position. We can all expect her to be a high scoring jammer. She's small, quick, and most of all, she's tough. If you've got streamers in your face, its because she's passing you.
The team's new Captain, Lady Lawless, has been steppin' up her game since last season ended. And I don't just mean after the Championship bout, I mean after the regular season when the Bombshells were eliminated from playoff contention. Most players and teams took a bit of an "Off" season, but not this skater. As soon as last season was over, she was already looking to next season because she was tired of losing. I know this because I was skating right next to her and often acted as a human hitting pad. We can all expect that same ferocity out of her that we were introduced to last season, and like I mentioned previously, she gave the crowd a little taste with that hit she put on Mighty Menace at the demo bout. She's a nagging blocker who causes trouble for opposing jammers and blockers. More often than not I hear the phrase, "GET LAWLESS OFF OF ME!" come from opposing jammers when she's on the track. She loves the contact. She craves it.
Look for Alkaline Trina to shine this season as well. She was bullied by just about every blocker out there last season. I remember countless times where she would get knocked to the floor at least three or four times a jam but was up and back in hot pursuit of the pack before anyone knew she fell. She never EVER gives up. She has NO quit in her. None, zero, nada, zilch. This new format makes her greatest strengths, speed and determination, exponentially dangerous.
With these three veterans, the Bombshells are gonna be a force this season. Be there when they explode.
*Tick*Tick*Tick*Tick*Tick*Tick*Tick.......
The team's new Captain, Lady Lawless, has been steppin' up her game since last season ended. And I don't just mean after the Championship bout, I mean after the regular season when the Bombshells were eliminated from playoff contention. Most players and teams took a bit of an "Off" season, but not this skater. As soon as last season was over, she was already looking to next season because she was tired of losing. I know this because I was skating right next to her and often acted as a human hitting pad. We can all expect that same ferocity out of her that we were introduced to last season, and like I mentioned previously, she gave the crowd a little taste with that hit she put on Mighty Menace at the demo bout. She's a nagging blocker who causes trouble for opposing jammers and blockers. More often than not I hear the phrase, "GET LAWLESS OFF OF ME!" come from opposing jammers when she's on the track. She loves the contact. She craves it.
Look for Alkaline Trina to shine this season as well. She was bullied by just about every blocker out there last season. I remember countless times where she would get knocked to the floor at least three or four times a jam but was up and back in hot pursuit of the pack before anyone knew she fell. She never EVER gives up. She has NO quit in her. None, zero, nada, zilch. This new format makes her greatest strengths, speed and determination, exponentially dangerous.
With these three veterans, the Bombshells are gonna be a force this season. Be there when they explode.
*Tick*Tick*Tick*Tick*Tick*Tick*Tick.......
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
A Stab in the Darkness
AZDD's got brides with cold feet, pin-ups on roller skates, beauty queens with anger management issues, and school girls that get into playground fights. But the ones I'm really afraid of are the zombies with, well...being a zombie is a problem in itself. The Coffin Draggers are by far the best themed team and the skaters on this team capitalize on it very well. They're the most colorful group of dead people. Aside from the blood these girls have running over their faces and seeping from their eyes, some like Ginger Mortis rock some pretty mean make-up designs. If you asked them to stand next to each other you'd see hair color from pretty much ever part of the spectrum. Its pretty dope!
Lora Stabs the Dragger's Captain is one of my league favorites. She's a BOSS on the track and a cool-ass female off the track. A majority of this league has her to thank for the skills set they have. She's one of the league's head trainers so you know she's got the skill. She's a killer blocker with great form and can do some damage to other teams when she's wearing that star on her helmet. I didn't catch her as a jammer to many times at the demo bout, if at all, but I get the feeling she'll be filling in at that position as well. As of this point, there are few other skaters in the league who have had more time on the track than her, so I would expect that to show through this season.
Angela Darkness is a machine. That's what I think when I watch her skate. When she breaks away from the pack she consistently skates the banked track exactly how it should be skated every time. EVERY TIME. High on the straight-aways, Low on the turns. EVERY TIME! Consistent and methodical. Like a machine. Machine's also don't feel any pain and I imagine I would have been whining like a little girl if I had the kinda rash on my leg that she had on hers. No signs of that from her. And I've experience mild versions of rink/road rash myself. It sucks. No thank you.
One of the most physically impressive plays I've seen in this league was at the State Fair Demo Bout in November. The Draggers were playing the Brides and they were in the midst of a jam when I saw one of the Brides' jammers in stride away from the pack. Next thing I realize, I see a Dragger with a star on her helmet come from behind and with perfect timing lined herself up next to the Brides' jammer and plowed her body right into her legal hitting zone. And all in one stride she sent that jammer to the floor and kept on chasing after the pack. Everyone in the Coliseum stood up and cheered. I stood up and cheered. As a fan you had to acknowledge that. The hit was laid by Cannibelle Corpse and it was like she skated by and gave that Bride some kind of zombie bite that sent her writhing in pain to the polished cement. She impressed me just as equally at the demo bout. She has the skills and frame to be solid triple threat. Most of all, when I watch the way she plays I have to assume that she's more that just an athlete, she's a very smart player. She knows the game. With a very impressive move in the last few seconds of the final jam, she scored some crucial points for the Teal team to seal the victory. I think that shows she has the ability to be a clutch player when the heat turns up in bouts to come.
I look forward to this bout. They got a great bunch girls on their team that have always shown with humility a willingness to work with the Bombshells. I know we'll have to work hard to fend off blockers like Venus Vendetta, Wendy O. Killems and Ginger Mortis, but I'll make sure my skaters know and do one thing to neutralize these killer zombies:
Always remember to double tap.
Lora Stabs the Dragger's Captain is one of my league favorites. She's a BOSS on the track and a cool-ass female off the track. A majority of this league has her to thank for the skills set they have. She's one of the league's head trainers so you know she's got the skill. She's a killer blocker with great form and can do some damage to other teams when she's wearing that star on her helmet. I didn't catch her as a jammer to many times at the demo bout, if at all, but I get the feeling she'll be filling in at that position as well. As of this point, there are few other skaters in the league who have had more time on the track than her, so I would expect that to show through this season.
Angela Darkness is a machine. That's what I think when I watch her skate. When she breaks away from the pack she consistently skates the banked track exactly how it should be skated every time. EVERY TIME. High on the straight-aways, Low on the turns. EVERY TIME! Consistent and methodical. Like a machine. Machine's also don't feel any pain and I imagine I would have been whining like a little girl if I had the kinda rash on my leg that she had on hers. No signs of that from her. And I've experience mild versions of rink/road rash myself. It sucks. No thank you.
One of the most physically impressive plays I've seen in this league was at the State Fair Demo Bout in November. The Draggers were playing the Brides and they were in the midst of a jam when I saw one of the Brides' jammers in stride away from the pack. Next thing I realize, I see a Dragger with a star on her helmet come from behind and with perfect timing lined herself up next to the Brides' jammer and plowed her body right into her legal hitting zone. And all in one stride she sent that jammer to the floor and kept on chasing after the pack. Everyone in the Coliseum stood up and cheered. I stood up and cheered. As a fan you had to acknowledge that. The hit was laid by Cannibelle Corpse and it was like she skated by and gave that Bride some kind of zombie bite that sent her writhing in pain to the polished cement. She impressed me just as equally at the demo bout. She has the skills and frame to be solid triple threat. Most of all, when I watch the way she plays I have to assume that she's more that just an athlete, she's a very smart player. She knows the game. With a very impressive move in the last few seconds of the final jam, she scored some crucial points for the Teal team to seal the victory. I think that shows she has the ability to be a clutch player when the heat turns up in bouts to come.
I look forward to this bout. They got a great bunch girls on their team that have always shown with humility a willingness to work with the Bombshells. I know we'll have to work hard to fend off blockers like Venus Vendetta, Wendy O. Killems and Ginger Mortis, but I'll make sure my skaters know and do one thing to neutralize these killer zombies:
Always remember to double tap.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
GANAS
You wanna know what the derby equivalent of 0-60 in 3.6 second looks likes? Well good luck! One of the newest additions to the Schoolyard Scrappers is Vanessa Velocity. She'll be that blur of blue plaid you'll see circling the track. She's been in the league for a while and won a Championship with the Runaway Brides in Season 3. She was one of the few skaters that impressed me and whose name I remembered after the first derby bout I ever walked out of back when they were played at the Castle. After watching her skate at the March 6th Demo bout, she is definitely going to shine even more than she did before under this new format. She has explosive power in the thick of the pack and unmatched speed and aggressive handling when she's circling the track. Her legs are like Ferrari pistons. They give her that quick burst when she's trying to get around defenders and once she's in the open they start moving faster, Faster, and FASTER. When I watch her skate, one word comes to my mind: GANAS. Ganas is Spanish for DESIRE and my Abuelita (grandmother) would always tell me to do everything I do "con ganas." It appears VV has the same mentality when she's on the track. I was surprised to see Mizz Nashty, who’s got mad skills herself, get out in front of her in a jam by almost half the track, but once VV made it out of the pack she caught up so quickly. Mizz Nashty had the awareness to call off the jam before either of them reached the pack the second time only a few feet apart. She's a blaze. No doubt the Schoolyard Scrappers are gonna be a force with the likes of her, Goody Goody Blooddrop, Mizz Nashty, and Jenna Talls starting behind the jammer line. These ladies are gonna have great support from Cruella DeMille who was doing an awesome job blocking at the demo bout. She has a wide stance that proves difficult to get around and when she lays her body on you, you're gettin' moved. So, don't fight it.
Much love to Rowdy Roulette, the Scrappers Captain. In my mind, no one in this league embodies the word "leader" more than she. She is a leader on her team and and within the league overall. She's a hell of a competitor and it shows through the team she has and the manner in which her skaters look up to her. I look up to her. She played an enormous part in making the banked track dream a reality and she deserves recognition. She's alway been kind to me and Lady Lawless and has played a big part in "raising" us in this derby family, whether she knows it or not. As a coach, I will NEVER admit this, but as a derby fan (which I am above all) I have to say that the way the Scrappers are stacked right now, they have the personnel to make a serious run at the trophy. As a coach, there will be at least one game where I can make that as difficult for them as I possibly can. Hehehehehehe..... I love competition!
Much love to Rowdy Roulette, the Scrappers Captain. In my mind, no one in this league embodies the word "leader" more than she. She is a leader on her team and and within the league overall. She's a hell of a competitor and it shows through the team she has and the manner in which her skaters look up to her. I look up to her. She played an enormous part in making the banked track dream a reality and she deserves recognition. She's alway been kind to me and Lady Lawless and has played a big part in "raising" us in this derby family, whether she knows it or not. As a coach, I will NEVER admit this, but as a derby fan (which I am above all) I have to say that the way the Scrappers are stacked right now, they have the personnel to make a serious run at the trophy. As a coach, there will be at least one game where I can make that as difficult for them as I possibly can. Hehehehehehe..... I love competition!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
