Sunday, January 21, 2007

What Happens in Vegas...

What could be greater than a confrontation of vice vs. vice? On January 12th, The Big Easy Rollergirls descended on Las Vegas, making roller derby history for New Orleans, when they embarked on their first inter league play against the Sin City Rollergirls as members of the Women's Flat Track Derby League.

The roster included:
Captain: Cherry Pi
Co-Captain: Bessie Smithereens
Team Manager: CHEAP THR!LL
Team: Crusty McKnuckle
Jaws
Little Mascara
Mace M. Dixon
Marquee de Squad
Trixie la Femme
Sophie Nuke ‘Em
Victoria Von Doom
Ibeatya Amber
Wit Vicious
Shay Bay
Refs: Henry Roll-ins & Beatrix sKiddo
Announcers: Nutty McGillacuddy & Right Reverande Psych Ward
Merch/PR: SmasHer


Buck Wild, who was unable to attend because of a family emergency, was greatly missed. The Big Easy Rollergirls and crew send her their warmest wishes.

With their skate bags in one hand, and airline tickets in the other, The Big Easy Rollergirls generated interest before their flight even took off. By the time the plane landed, the rollergirls had a whole new legion of fans. But, a lot of that can be contributed to the irresistible charm of Trixie la Femme and the interest peaked by McGillacuddy’s top hat.

After an unusually long wait for their luggage and the mysterious disappearance of their rental vans (the delays only made them homesick) BERG met up with the Sin City Rollergirls at a local bar for pizza.



Despite a crowded flight, numerous delays, freezing cold weather AND being in a sports bar, all of BERG abstained from drinking (albeit the announcers and PR, who were not under the same stringent training regime).


Once at their hotel, Fitzgerald’s, Bessie and Mascara kicked off their inaugural trip by gambling, and winning! Taking this as a sign of their guaranteed victory, the girls trekked to their rooms amidst miles of flashing lights and ringing bells and settled in for the night.


Mascara celebrates!



Bessie blows for good luck


The next morning, these Southern Belle Bombshells, not used to the cold, went on a desperate search for warmer clothes. Vegas’s cold front was an anomaly and most stores were sold out of gloves, hats and scarves. Crusty, the glove goddess, sought out and found gloves for almost the entire team.

Meanwhile, Marquee, Wit, Shay, SmasHer, Sophie, Jaws and Henry Roll-ins went to captains, Ivanna S. Pankin and Trish the Dish’s house for spagetthi breakfast (yes, you read correctly, spaghetti for breakfast) and for a possible shake down of inside information (which, sadly did not happen, but they did get to admire all of their cool derby posters). Afterward, these lucky rollergirls got to experience what only most rollergirls dream of- the backroom of a skate shop. Ivanna and Trish, co-owners of Sin City Skates, opened up their store for BERG, to which BERG took full advantage.





Beatrix finds a new friend




Marquee in a state of bliss



Shay can't believe her good fortune





Jaws and her glorious booty


Later that day, in the 30-degree temperature, Big Easy and Sin City gathered at the outdoor track, Flamingo Banks, for their skate showdown.




von Doom



Marquee gets ready to talk some trash



Mace


A small but faithful crowd of fans gathered. Big Easy had an impressive turnout. Wit had fans from New Orleans, Cherry Pi and Crusty from Los Angeles, Trixie from San Diego (her cousin, a fellow roller derby babe, Atom Eve from The San Diego Derby Dolls – must run in the family). Other derby girls from Reno came out to see BERG play.











Crusty's mom & friend!








The Las Vegas team played three periods of twenty minutes. Cherry Pi was injured in the first period and had to sit out the rest of the game. Ibeatya Amber was injured in the third period and had to sit out the remainder. Sophie Nuke ‘Em took some really hard blows and kept on playing. Little Mascara stepped up and subbed for Cherry and Ibeatya, with Mace, von Doom and Shay filling in as well. Bessie delivered some hard hits that sent some of Sin City’s finest into the crowds. Shay did a superlative job of controlling the pack. Wit, as usual, skated “in the zone” and Mace earned new fans with the crowd chanting, “She blocks, she hits, she jams; is there nothing Mace can’t do?”




Cherry & Ivanna







von Doom shoulders a hit from Trish



Ms. Kitt Fisto



Marquee



Mace sprints ahead



Cherry lends a hand to Ibeatya







Trixie



Sophie breaks from the pack!







Wit & Bessie block



Trixie flies away



Wit goes after Kitt



Crusty & Pirate bump shoulders





Shay keeps them back



Bessie & Wit share the penalty box







Beatrix keeps her eye on the game







Bruce Killie & Mascara battle it out



von Doom works the pack


The announcers did a fabulous job of keeping the crowd informed and in stitches. Evidently, it is a rarity in Vegas to see a man in a top hat and another in a linen suit tossing beads (you would think that wouldn’t be that rare).





The Reverande


Team Manager, CHEAP TR!LL stated it was a beautiful show of derby sister love when Trixie used her teeth to tear open Mascara’s leggings to examine her rink rash.
CHEAP calls the plays




Despite BERG’s valiant effort, Sin City’s lethal combination of incredibly hard hits from Pirate, impressive booty blocking from Go Go Distrukito, pivoting from Trish and Ivanna, and killer jamming from Bruce Killis, Kit Fisto and Pearly Gates, Sin City spanked the vice out of the Big Easy Girl 192-63. Yet, with Sin City’s infinite knowledge, they had the foresight to award Trixie la Femme MVP for her uncanny ability to disappear into a pack and emerge from the other side.



BERG & Sin City Share the Love!





After the game, despite being bruised and barely thawed, they had a brief interlude at a local bar and then The Big Easy Rollergirls' main mission was to cheer on their home team, the Saints.


Henry Roll-ins



Ibeatya



Shane & Wit



CHEAP helps out Bruce Killis



CHEAP obliges a fan



Bessie & Beatrix



Trish, Ivana, Captain Cherry & MVP Trixie


Cherry, Jaws, Beatrix, Bessie, Ibeatya, Trixie, Mascara, Bessie, McGillacuddy & the Reverande descended upon Caesar’s Palace. After the Saints victory, the crew second-lined out of Caesar’s to the tune of “Oh when the Saints (when the Saints) Go marching in (go marching in).” They accomplished two impressive feats: 1. Leaving the Philly fans speechless. 2. Shutting down the card games. The dealers were so terrified of our rowdy rollergirls that they actually held their cards.





Meanwhile, Mace, von Doom, Sophie, SmasHer & Henry caught the game at The Golden Nugget, equally silencing the fans with their already hoarse voices and unbridled vivacity.


The 4 Queens: Sophie, von Doom, Mace, SmasHer



Mace celebrates





Afterward, The Big Easy Girls and Sin City Girls met up at Hogs & Heifers for a celebration consisting of drinking and dancing ( in and on unusual places). Unfortunately, due to the Big Easy Rollergirls strict PG-13 rating, none of these photos are eligible for posting. (Many of the Big Easy Rollegirls are breathing easier because of this policy).

The next morning, BERG took advantage of their few hours left in the city of lights. Ibeatya, Beatrix, SmasHer, Reverande, Henry, von Doom & CHEAP took in the 2,000 hand-blown glass flowers – the Flori di Como- by Dale Chihuly and lovely promenade at The Bellagio and then enjoyed a walk on the strip to The Bodies Exhibition at the Tropicana.


Henry saves valuable time by shaving on The Strip





CHEAP & Ibeatya catch some zen



Ibeatya, Beatrix, Reverande, von Doom, Henry

CHEAP


Other BERG members took this time to socialize with Sin City girls or catch the football game.

While the Big Easy Rollergirls thoroughly enjoyed their visit to Las Vegas and were grateful for the hospitality of The Sin City Rollergirls, they were happy to be home and back in training for the rematch on their home turf, Saturday, May 19th.

Watch out Vegas, your luck will soon run out!

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