Feb07th
M-80s USE MULTIPLE ATTACKS TO TOP SMASHIES
Black Market Baby and Veterans Pace Ladies In Red To 87-71 Win
by The Grand Poobah
(ST. LOUIS, MO) In a night where numerous pre-bout roster changes involving veteran skaters were made, it was a first-year sparkplug that made the definitive impact on the outcome.
Paced by a personal best of 25 points, rookie Black Market Baby led the charge of the M-80s in their 87-71 win over the Smashinistas in interleague action Saturday night at the All-American Sports Mall in front of 1,000 people.
In late-breaking pre-bout news last week, both teams added firepower to their arsenal. The Smashinistas acquired Texan MVP Downtown Dallis to compliment their roster, while the ARRG Board of Directors allowed the M-80s to "unretire" the recently retired The Siege for one bout due to a depleted roster.
But even with these pre-bout bombshells, the rookie in red served as the catalyst for the M-80s, who improved their record to 1-1.
"We worked really hard together (tonight) and played a solid bout," said Black Market Baby after the battle. "It's what we had to do."
And perhaps BMB's last sentence crystallized the philosophy of the M-80s heading into Saturday's match-up. It's not what they wanted to do, it's what they HAD to do.
Going into the second bout of the season, the M-80s couldn't afford another loss after a season opening defeat to reigning league champion the Stunt Devils. And with the absence of Keligula, Enya Nightmare and Madam Moonstruck in their line-up, an "L" in the column would have put the firecrackers on quads behind the proverbial 8-ball in 2010.
But it didn't take long for the legacy team of ARRG to show their dominance, as four consecutive lead jams by the M-80s set the template for an early first half lead.
After a 6-point jam by veteran by Joanie Rollmoan, the M-80s thumped the unsuspecting Smashies, thanks to a 14-point jam by Joltin' Josie, which gave the firecrackers a 20-0 lead five minutes into the bout.
A quick 4-point punch by M-80s co-captain Nikki Vixxen - which upped the score to 24-0 - was followed by the jam that rookies dream of.
With 21:30 left in the first half, Black Market Baby barrelled her way to the lead jammer position, and with help from blockers Ana Warpath and the Siege, posted a 14-point jam to extend the M-80s lead to 38-4.
The credit for the rookie's big score? "My f****ng blockers!" said BMB, referring to the girls upfront.
The dominance continued for the M-80s in the first half, who posted 12 lead jams in comparison to the Smashies five. Rollmoan's nine point jam with 2:15 remaining in the first half, followed by four-point jams by BMB and Josie gave the M-80s a lopsided 63-32 halftime lead.
The Smashies, licking their wounds during the intermission, needed to refocus and regroup in the locker room. Strategies were discussed and skates were altered to better suit the surface of the All-American Sports Mall.
"We had a big group hug and a team-bonding chat," said Smashinistas co-captain Punches Pileup. "We came back out and were ready to bring it back."
Yet to the dismay of the Smashie contingent, the beginning of the second half bared resemblance to the sluggish start, as a 10-point score from the M-80s by first-time jammer Ana Warpath extended the lead to 73-32 with 26:15 remaining.
And some critics would have dismissed the bout right there.....yet something amazing happened - as things often do in ARRG - as the second half progressed.
With 17:00 remaining, three consecutive lead jams by the Smashies - a seven-point score by Pileup and back-to-back eight-point tallies by The Educator and Downtown Dallis - began the comeback that the M-80s, and most of those in attendance, were not expecting.
In fact, there was very little, if any scoring, for the remainder of the game for the M-80s. And a huge shift of momentum swung the way to the girls clad in cammo.
Another eight-point jam by The Educator and a trifecta of five-pointers by Dallis, Pileup and Educator cut the gap to 87-67 with 7:14 remaining.
A jam by the M-80s Vixxen - which resulted in no points for the ladies in red - was followed by another Pileup lead jam. The bespectacled pretty princess' four-pointer cut the gap to 87-71.
Then came the drama...
The Smashies' Dallis, who had been held at bay in the first half by the M-80 veteran blockers, zoomed out to the lead jammer position with under two minutes remaining. And it appeared that the Texan MVP would round out a historical comeback with a double-digit jam. However, a tangle of the quads with the opposition sent the blonde bomber tumbling to the track...and dashed the hopes of a Smashinista bout two victory.
Time still remained on the bout clock for one final jam, but Vixxen's sprint to the front of the pack to become lead jammer sealed the victory for the M-80s, who evened their 2010 record in the must-win scenario.
"The last few weeks have been some of the most tumultuous in my M-80s career,"said Vixxen afterwards. "I am so proud of every one of my players tonight. We all came together. This feels really good."
The feeling was especially memorable for the M-80 rookies that experienced their first taste of flat-track victory in 2010.
"Oh my god, it feels really awesome," said Black Market Baby. "Amazing, it's really amazing. I can't believe this happened."
"We've got a lot of new girls this year and they are so excited to be playing," added M-80s veteran Ana Warpath. "The victory proves that they can do it - and nothing will stop them."
That same rookie excitement was also found in the six Smashie newcomers. Playing in front of a large crowd in a competitive battle brought out career experiences normally not found in practice.
"Our rookies really shined bright tonight,"said Smashinistas co-captain Punches Pileup, who led all scorers on the evening with 28 points. "They've been working their a**es off. So we were pleased with the way they played tonight."
And in the end, one has to respect the resiliency of the Smashies to make the bout close down the stretch, considering they were being outscored by a ratio of 2-1 at the halftime break.
"Next time we're gonna be more prepared and take the bull by the horns in the first half," said Pileup. "We really hit our stride in the second half, so were just going to have to get our engines revved a little bit earlier."
Interleague play continues for ARRG on Saturday, March 20 as the Smashinistas (0-1) battle defending league champion The Stunt Devils (1-0) at the All-American Sports Mall (11133 Lindbergh Business Court, St. Louis, MO).
UNOFFICIAL SCORING: M-80s - Black Market Baby 25, Joanie Rollmoan 24, Ana Warpath 18, Nikki Vixxen 9, Joltin' Josie 9, Cherry Chernobyl 4 Smashinistas - Punches Pileup 28, The Educator 25, Downtown Dallis 22, Eli Wallop 4
Saturday notes from the Poobah:
- Another fantastic crowd of 1,000 came to watch bout two of the ARRG 2010 season. Pre-bout online tickets sales were three times the amount the league normally gets and an informal poll prior to the bout suggested that we had a record number of first-timers in attendance. On behalf of ARRG Nation, I want to thank each and every one of you for your continued patronage and support.
- We once again thank our media affiliates for continuing to spread the good word of ARRG to the masses in February, including KTVI-TV, KSDK-TV, KFNS-AM and Metromix. Your help is greatly appreciated!
- Another huge raffle drawing took place at halftime. As noted at derby bouts, ARRG is working in conjunction with Youth In Need during the 2010 season in an effort to raise $3,500 for the St. Charles-based non-for-profit. Also, don't forget that ARRG is assembling walkers and donations for the upcoming Walk for Wishes charity walk on Saturday, February 20. Find out more about ARRG's team, and it's quest to raise $1,500 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, right here!
- Scratches for bout two included Keligula (physician's orders), Madam Moonstruck (physician's orders) and Enya Nightmare (game suspension) for the M-80s.
2010 ARRG ALL-STARS DEBUT IN MEMPHO THIS SATURDAY!
Memphis, Tennessee is famous (and rightly so) for its barbecue (Rendezvous & Corky's), its placement in the lexicon of music history (Sun Records & Stax Records) and its world-renowned tourist attractions (Graceland & The National Civil Rights Museum).
But outside of professional wrestler Jerry "The King" Lawler and the AAA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, there's not much history to Memphis athletics....(sorry Memphians, your NBA franchise was a hand-me-down from Vancouver and don't get me started on the XFL).
However, a group of 40 Memphis skaters have been working hard the last four years to re-write that history.
[caption id="attachment_759" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Memphis' Hustlin' Rollers"][/caption]
In January 2006, a trio of women through grass-roots efforts launched Memphis Roller Derby, which in short time has blossomed to a three-team league complete with a travelling all-star team that made it to its first-ever WFTDA post-season tournament in 2009 (sound familiar, ARRG fans?)
And it only seems apropos that ARRG's All Stars (sixth at the WFTDA North Central Regionals in 2009) would begin its 2010 campaign on Valentine's eve facing a league that has travelled down a similar journey.
ARRG (0-0) faces Memphis (1-1) in travel team action this Saturday, February 13 at Funquest (440 Highway 72, Collierville, TN). The ARRG/Rollers match-up is part of a two-bout doubleheader. The other bout features Memphis Roller Derby interleague play as the Angles of Death face the Women of Mass Destruction. Doors open at 5 pm. Bouts start at 6 pm.
ARRG All Star Co-Captains South City Shiner and Keligua return to the fold in the jammer position, alongside returnees Starry Starry Fight, Artemischief and Enya Nightmare. Eli Wallop, Grave Danger, Joanie Rollmoan return to the blocker spots, while Mayor Francis Slayer returns at pivot. Added depth to the ARRG All-Stars comes in the form of Danika Doom, The Educator, Smarty McFly, Nikki Vixxen, Domme E Nation, Punches Pileup and Jack U Up.
[caption id="attachment_755" align="alignright" width="73" caption="Memphis' Tenacious B"][/caption]
The Hustlin' Rollers have already competed in two high-scoring bouts in 2010, each with varying results. MRD notched a 170-126 road win over the NWA Killbillies on January 23, but stumbled in an 151-35 pummeling by Naptown (Indianapolis) this past Saturday. Saturday's match-up vs. ARRG will be Memphis' second consecutive weekend of travel team action. The ladies in maroon, yellow and black have a multi-dimensional attack, fueled by jammers Tenacious B and Lil' Cinner, with help from fellow powderkegs Brooken Bones and Cat Claus.
A solid road win for the ladies in black and pink will set the stage for a competitive 2010, which will see ARRG battle the Brew City Bruisers from Milwaukee on Saturday, February 20 at the All-American Sports Mall.
Helpful Travel Hints from ARRG's mascot, Archie - fresh off a spin in a Corvette at the 2010 St. Louis Auto Show. Click on the picture of WMC-TV's Chief Meteorologist (and longtime Memphis Rasslin' Announcer!) Dave Brown for your Memphis Pinpoint Weather Forecast.
The Grand Poobah and Hells LaBelle are bout announcers for the 2010 Season of the Arch Rival Roller Girls. Check back in this section on Mondays for the latest ARRG news, information.....and out-of-town weather forecasts.
by The Grand Poobah
(ST. LOUIS, MO) In a night where numerous pre-bout roster changes involving veteran skaters were made, it was a first-year sparkplug that made the definitive impact on the outcome.
Paced by a personal best of 25 points, rookie Black Market Baby led the charge of the M-80s in their 87-71 win over the Smashinistas in interleague action Saturday night at the All-American Sports Mall in front of 1,000 people.
In late-breaking pre-bout news last week, both teams added firepower to their arsenal. The Smashinistas acquired Texan MVP Downtown Dallis to compliment their roster, while the ARRG Board of Directors allowed the M-80s to "unretire" the recently retired The Siege for one bout due to a depleted roster.
But even with these pre-bout bombshells, the rookie in red served as the catalyst for the M-80s, who improved their record to 1-1.
"We worked really hard together (tonight) and played a solid bout," said Black Market Baby after the battle. "It's what we had to do."
And perhaps BMB's last sentence crystallized the philosophy of the M-80s heading into Saturday's match-up. It's not what they wanted to do, it's what they HAD to do.
Going into the second bout of the season, the M-80s couldn't afford another loss after a season opening defeat to reigning league champion the Stunt Devils. And with the absence of Keligula, Enya Nightmare and Madam Moonstruck in their line-up, an "L" in the column would have put the firecrackers on quads behind the proverbial 8-ball in 2010.
But it didn't take long for the legacy team of ARRG to show their dominance, as four consecutive lead jams by the M-80s set the template for an early first half lead.
After a 6-point jam by veteran by Joanie Rollmoan, the M-80s thumped the unsuspecting Smashies, thanks to a 14-point jam by Joltin' Josie, which gave the firecrackers a 20-0 lead five minutes into the bout.
A quick 4-point punch by M-80s co-captain Nikki Vixxen - which upped the score to 24-0 - was followed by the jam that rookies dream of.
With 21:30 left in the first half, Black Market Baby barrelled her way to the lead jammer position, and with help from blockers Ana Warpath and the Siege, posted a 14-point jam to extend the M-80s lead to 38-4.
The credit for the rookie's big score? "My f****ng blockers!" said BMB, referring to the girls upfront.
The dominance continued for the M-80s in the first half, who posted 12 lead jams in comparison to the Smashies five. Rollmoan's nine point jam with 2:15 remaining in the first half, followed by four-point jams by BMB and Josie gave the M-80s a lopsided 63-32 halftime lead.
The Smashies, licking their wounds during the intermission, needed to refocus and regroup in the locker room. Strategies were discussed and skates were altered to better suit the surface of the All-American Sports Mall.
"We had a big group hug and a team-bonding chat," said Smashinistas co-captain Punches Pileup. "We came back out and were ready to bring it back."
Yet to the dismay of the Smashie contingent, the beginning of the second half bared resemblance to the sluggish start, as a 10-point score from the M-80s by first-time jammer Ana Warpath extended the lead to 73-32 with 26:15 remaining.
And some critics would have dismissed the bout right there.....yet something amazing happened - as things often do in ARRG - as the second half progressed.
With 17:00 remaining, three consecutive lead jams by the Smashies - a seven-point score by Pileup and back-to-back eight-point tallies by The Educator and Downtown Dallis - began the comeback that the M-80s, and most of those in attendance, were not expecting.
In fact, there was very little, if any scoring, for the remainder of the game for the M-80s. And a huge shift of momentum swung the way to the girls clad in cammo.
Another eight-point jam by The Educator and a trifecta of five-pointers by Dallis, Pileup and Educator cut the gap to 87-67 with 7:14 remaining.
A jam by the M-80s Vixxen - which resulted in no points for the ladies in red - was followed by another Pileup lead jam. The bespectacled pretty princess' four-pointer cut the gap to 87-71.
Then came the drama...
The Smashies' Dallis, who had been held at bay in the first half by the M-80 veteran blockers, zoomed out to the lead jammer position with under two minutes remaining. And it appeared that the Texan MVP would round out a historical comeback with a double-digit jam. However, a tangle of the quads with the opposition sent the blonde bomber tumbling to the track...and dashed the hopes of a Smashinista bout two victory.
Time still remained on the bout clock for one final jam, but Vixxen's sprint to the front of the pack to become lead jammer sealed the victory for the M-80s, who evened their 2010 record in the must-win scenario.
"The last few weeks have been some of the most tumultuous in my M-80s career,"said Vixxen afterwards. "I am so proud of every one of my players tonight. We all came together. This feels really good."
The feeling was especially memorable for the M-80 rookies that experienced their first taste of flat-track victory in 2010.
"Oh my god, it feels really awesome," said Black Market Baby. "Amazing, it's really amazing. I can't believe this happened."
"We've got a lot of new girls this year and they are so excited to be playing," added M-80s veteran Ana Warpath. "The victory proves that they can do it - and nothing will stop them."
That same rookie excitement was also found in the six Smashie newcomers. Playing in front of a large crowd in a competitive battle brought out career experiences normally not found in practice.
"Our rookies really shined bright tonight,"said Smashinistas co-captain Punches Pileup, who led all scorers on the evening with 28 points. "They've been working their a**es off. So we were pleased with the way they played tonight."
And in the end, one has to respect the resiliency of the Smashies to make the bout close down the stretch, considering they were being outscored by a ratio of 2-1 at the halftime break.
"Next time we're gonna be more prepared and take the bull by the horns in the first half," said Pileup. "We really hit our stride in the second half, so were just going to have to get our engines revved a little bit earlier."
Interleague play continues for ARRG on Saturday, March 20 as the Smashinistas (0-1) battle defending league champion The Stunt Devils (1-0) at the All-American Sports Mall (11133 Lindbergh Business Court, St. Louis, MO).
UNOFFICIAL SCORING: M-80s - Black Market Baby 25, Joanie Rollmoan 24, Ana Warpath 18, Nikki Vixxen 9, Joltin' Josie 9, Cherry Chernobyl 4 Smashinistas - Punches Pileup 28, The Educator 25, Downtown Dallis 22, Eli Wallop 4
Saturday notes from the Poobah:
- Another fantastic crowd of 1,000 came to watch bout two of the ARRG 2010 season. Pre-bout online tickets sales were three times the amount the league normally gets and an informal poll prior to the bout suggested that we had a record number of first-timers in attendance. On behalf of ARRG Nation, I want to thank each and every one of you for your continued patronage and support.
- We once again thank our media affiliates for continuing to spread the good word of ARRG to the masses in February, including KTVI-TV, KSDK-TV, KFNS-AM and Metromix. Your help is greatly appreciated!
- Another huge raffle drawing took place at halftime. As noted at derby bouts, ARRG is working in conjunction with Youth In Need during the 2010 season in an effort to raise $3,500 for the St. Charles-based non-for-profit. Also, don't forget that ARRG is assembling walkers and donations for the upcoming Walk for Wishes charity walk on Saturday, February 20. Find out more about ARRG's team, and it's quest to raise $1,500 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, right here!
- Scratches for bout two included Keligula (physician's orders), Madam Moonstruck (physician's orders) and Enya Nightmare (game suspension) for the M-80s.
2010 ARRG ALL-STARS DEBUT IN MEMPHO THIS SATURDAY!
Memphis, Tennessee is famous (and rightly so) for its barbecue (Rendezvous & Corky's), its placement in the lexicon of music history (Sun Records & Stax Records) and its world-renowned tourist attractions (Graceland & The National Civil Rights Museum).
But outside of professional wrestler Jerry "The King" Lawler and the AAA affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, there's not much history to Memphis athletics....(sorry Memphians, your NBA franchise was a hand-me-down from Vancouver and don't get me started on the XFL).
However, a group of 40 Memphis skaters have been working hard the last four years to re-write that history.
[caption id="attachment_759" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Memphis' Hustlin' Rollers"][/caption]
In January 2006, a trio of women through grass-roots efforts launched Memphis Roller Derby, which in short time has blossomed to a three-team league complete with a travelling all-star team that made it to its first-ever WFTDA post-season tournament in 2009 (sound familiar, ARRG fans?)
The Hustlin' Rollers, MRD's travelling team, finished 2009 with a ninth-place showing at the South Central Regionals in September.
And it only seems apropos that ARRG's All Stars (sixth at the WFTDA North Central Regionals in 2009) would begin its 2010 campaign on Valentine's eve facing a league that has travelled down a similar journey.
ARRG (0-0) faces Memphis (1-1) in travel team action this Saturday, February 13 at Funquest (440 Highway 72, Collierville, TN). The ARRG/Rollers match-up is part of a two-bout doubleheader. The other bout features Memphis Roller Derby interleague play as the Angles of Death face the Women of Mass Destruction. Doors open at 5 pm. Bouts start at 6 pm.
ARRG All Star Co-Captains South City Shiner and Keligua return to the fold in the jammer position, alongside returnees Starry Starry Fight, Artemischief and Enya Nightmare. Eli Wallop, Grave Danger, Joanie Rollmoan return to the blocker spots, while Mayor Francis Slayer returns at pivot. Added depth to the ARRG All-Stars comes in the form of Danika Doom, The Educator, Smarty McFly, Nikki Vixxen, Domme E Nation, Punches Pileup and Jack U Up.
[caption id="attachment_755" align="alignright" width="73" caption="Memphis' Tenacious B"][/caption]
The Hustlin' Rollers have already competed in two high-scoring bouts in 2010, each with varying results. MRD notched a 170-126 road win over the NWA Killbillies on January 23, but stumbled in an 151-35 pummeling by Naptown (Indianapolis) this past Saturday. Saturday's match-up vs. ARRG will be Memphis' second consecutive weekend of travel team action. The ladies in maroon, yellow and black have a multi-dimensional attack, fueled by jammers Tenacious B and Lil' Cinner, with help from fellow powderkegs Brooken Bones and Cat Claus.
A solid road win for the ladies in black and pink will set the stage for a competitive 2010, which will see ARRG battle the Brew City Bruisers from Milwaukee on Saturday, February 20 at the All-American Sports Mall.
Helpful Travel Hints from ARRG's mascot, Archie - fresh off a spin in a Corvette at the 2010 St. Louis Auto Show. Click on the picture of WMC-TV's Chief Meteorologist (and longtime Memphis Rasslin' Announcer!) Dave Brown for your Memphis Pinpoint Weather Forecast.
The Grand Poobah and Hells LaBelle are bout announcers for the 2010 Season of the Arch Rival Roller Girls. Check back in this section on Mondays for the latest ARRG news, information.....and out-of-town weather forecasts.










