Kelkat: It was a tough game in terms of injuries (pre-existing and new ones) and our team didn’t let that get us down. We pulled it together, did our best and still gave them a damn good bout.
It was wonderful seeing our newest team members enjoy their first bout and hearing about their perception of it afterward. We’re lucky to have new and great talent.
Crusty McKnuckle: Fav moment of the bout… After the seeing ALL THE TOYS that people donated (I have the Sheriff’s hat that someone donated on right now). I can’t wait to bring them to Common Ground. I hope we’re able to make the holidays a little better for some kids. Out players and fans are very generous people!
I almost forgot… A close second was watching Cherry chase BeAtch through streets in front of the Old Point because she was smoking a cigarette. Good times!
CHEAP THR!LL: This bout was so much FUN! We were all in good spirits and enjoying ourselves. My favorite moment was the time Shay tried to slow me down on the line by booty-blocking me. I was right up on her and although I wasn’t actually touching her she kept yelling at me to get off her back. Hambone skated up and told her to watch her elbows! She was pissed! I laughed so hard…
It also meant a lot when Hambone came up to me and told me that I had really cleaned up my game, hardly getting any penalties. Ah, the hard work pays off!
I LOVED having Ginger Snap and Hambone back! They add so much.
Ginger Snap
HamboneDuring halftime we were strategizing in the back and I thought something was on fire because I could see smoke. It took me a minute to realize that it was steam!
Mel: Two small but big fans…
One little girl, named Beatrix, was looking for a picture of her favorite referee in the program and was very disappointed not to find her in the ref photos, until she discovered that Beatrix sKiddo has joined a team and would be skating as a Sleigher!
Two other girls were running and chasing each other after the bout, and as one passed the other, she shouted triumphantly shouted, “I’m Cherry Pi!”
Pontchartrain BeAtch: One of my favorite moments was when two of my players, who were seated in the team section, were “not” sassing the refs about a call, and Lionel skated by and seamlessly gave them penalties along with all the other penalties he was calling on the girls who were actually skating! It was sooo funny!
It is also a proud moment when you can land a good hit and knock someone down right in front of your mom. A nice little mommy present for Christmas.
Beatrix sKiddo: Do I have to pick one? I loved every minute of it!
One moment especially sticks in my mind. We were lining up on the track some time in the second half and I hear, for probably about the 3rd time, “Beatrix… Penalty Box!” I must have slumped my shoulders and hung my head as I went to the box because when I got there I got the most sympathetic look from The Countess! I miss you Zebras, but it’s so much fun being a rollergirl!
Diamond Grrrl: So many moments made this bout a great one.
Bout setup is getting faster so it was mellower morning than the usual and it permitted us time to gab at Pho Tau Bay before getting ready.
The outfit reveal is my favorite time… Scabby always has the best costumes!
Scabby, once again wins best costume!Working with Lionel and our newbie refs was a great time. Lionel has entered his role as a Jammer Ref seamlessly. He’s a total badass.
Seeing Power Snatch being rolled on a dolly cart to her car and her caring more about showing off the new bag she was given than whatever had happened to her ankle! That’s spirit!
The Countess: Favorite moments: Seeing our ex-Zebras (Lt. Dan and Beatrix sKiddo) doing us proud (and Ibeatya Amber, too). Congrats on losing your virginity, girls!
Teaching new Zebras!
All the TOUGH ladies we have the honor of refereeing! The whole bout, no one gave in, no one stayed down after a slamming fall, no one stopped working strategy, no one slowed up, no one hesitated to lie on a block… NO ONE can beat MY rollergirls. Vegas beware--- hell and high water have nothing on these women!!!
Marquee de Squad: I spent a little time at the party to a man the finer points of derby being simultaneously offensive and defensive. He gave me a grave look and said, “That Cherry Pi is a bad motherfu#@*%!” I agreed.
I anticipated a tough game. I knew The Sleighers would take The Tannenbombers to the mat, and I was not disappointed. It was rough stuff. I was proud of my league.
Bruise Springsteen: So many…
Finding out that I can push myself farther to do better and go faster than I ever thought possible.
Buck & Scabby’s jammer race. It was an incredible display of derby strategy. Way to go, Buck!
Hearing people yell, “BRUUUUUUUISE!!! during my intro.
Being told afterward that I yelled, “F@*k you!” at BeAtch during a jam. Oops!
Little Miss Ruffit: My favorite moment was the whole night! Maybe it’s just the season or something, but the camaraderie in the league was full on. And everyone was so damn cute. Getting a professional spinal adjustment during halftime was sweet, too.
My two proudest moments were when Bruise asked me to sub for her and Wit told me after the bout that I was impossible to get around.
Anti ‘Em: I knew it was going to be a fun bout when before the first period ever got going we had a referee race and Hambone kicked all our butts! Still, I’m convinced that I would have beat his Gotham butt if only my toe stop hadn’t slipped on the track! At least Henry gave him a run for his money.
It was a really good bout all around (although I hate seeing our ladies get hurt!) and it’s really satisfying to see how much the league improves every time they play. Skaters on both teams were hitting hard and skating better than ever. Look out, Vegas!
Power Snatch: I loved that so many of our fans came out on the weekend before Christmas to see our festive finery. Also, seeing and feeling the improvement of everyone was amazing. Wit was flying around the outside of the corners… which is wicked difficult to do and get in front of the pack. maSCARa hit like Charles Grant while looking like a petite flower.
maSCARa shows petite flowers aren't to be messed with!Bruise, Kelkat & Marquee fought through some bad knee falls to keep pushing for their teams. The defense of this bout was amazing, and the jammers ability to work through it was inspiring.
The ultimate favorites—
1. Finding the strength to crawl off the track when I was injured so the jam could keep going. We needed every second of playing time to try for the victory.
2. Seeing Blonde in the second period just put on her most serious determined face and skate the hell out of the track.
3. Skating with Ibeatya and Beatrix in their first bout and seeing them ROCK it, especially when they had to double time and skate their own positions and sub for me.
Beatrix sKiddo & Ibeatya Amber4. Hearing Ginger Snap tell us that she can’t believe we were the same league she saw in September because everything had improved so much! And her agreement that we have more than a chance to beat the socks off Sin City! Yeah, baby….
Illegally Blonde: My favorite moment was lining up on the wrong side of the track during the second period. I was standing there with my jammer panty on wondering where everyone was until Em came and got me.
Trixie la Femme: I always look forward to seeing what the white team is going to come up with for their intro. I dug their march on skates, all dressed in green camo (except Scabigail, of course!) to Pink Floyd. It looked so cool and made the fans happy. Their fancy footwork would be a great drill.
The Tannenbomber's EntranceThis was a terrific game and I had fun all night. Favorite game moment for me: Coming up behind Bessie who was sharking as a three or four blocker and doing a GREAT job of looking behind her. I couldn’t help grinning at her as we headed into a match of wits and timing, and I thought how much I love this game.
A lick instead of a hitHardest hit of the night came from Mace, who sent me flying into Tom, Jaw’s boyfriend, who was volunteering on the sidelines. He graciously offered me a hand up. Hey, is that allowed? ☺
I love the fact that we don’t have enough chairs for all our teammates to sit down. Yay, Ibeatya and Beatirx! It was wonderful looking over and seeing you guys in our pack!
Lt. Dan: Wow… I just can’t stop saying that…wow!
Fav moments… doing yoga before the bout with Bessie. Stretching, breathing, laughing our butts off at people would get quiet as they’d pass by us. Also, all the genuine compliments from my peers! I heart all of you soooo much!!!!! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
Henry Roll-ins: Watching my refs step up to the challenges of their new position and kick ass at them: Lionel was precise, accurate, and fast as a motherf’ckr as a jammer ref; Mel was so intently focused on watching the pack and communicating the penalties that he didn’t even realize he was skating better and faster than ever. Colonel Panic was an absolute meticulous badass as penalty keeper on his first day in stripes, and I’ve never been more confident in the accuracy of our scoring than I was with Diamond Grrrl and Countess and our new recruits backing them up.
Having Hambone around – he’s one of the best dam refs in the country, a great mentor and a super guy all around- it’s always an honor and a pleasure to work (and play) with him and ginger Snap.
Seeing Bruise and Snatch pull themselves off the track despite their injuries so that we didn’t have to stop the jam. Proud to work with you tough ladies.
Watching our former referees, Lt. Dan and Beatrix, kick ass for both teams, where they belong – as rollergirls. Don’t look back, y’all!
Watching the best derby playing I’ve seen out of our teams yet! There packs were faster and tighter than ever, and the hardest, most stinging hits I saw all night were 100% legal. You guys rock!
Dynamite Dwalin’: My favorite moment was looking to the right of the penalty box to see VVD holding Snatch’s hand while she was bravely bearing a broken ankle. That embodied the whole spirit of the bout to me--- everyone did a great job of enjoying the vigorous competition, but came together when it was needed, whether it was comforting someone on the opposite team who was injured or taping cracks on the floor or giving directions to the “secret” bathroom. I think the league is quickly developing a really cool combination of being able to be fiercely competitive but reaming friends and camaraderies---- sweet!
Sophie Nuke ‘Em: Finding out that Ginger Snap and Hambone were going to be at the bout.
Ginger Snap & HamboneMy son, Alex getting on one of the announcer microphones, and cheering for The Sleighers. Now the other derby kids (Liam, Cassidy, Riley, Sean, Robyn, Jake, who am I forgetting?) need a turn!
Seeing how well the new skaters did—Dan, Ibeatya and Beatrix are, to quote Scabby, “the r0x0rz. Eleven!”
Victoria von Doom: I think December has been my favorite bout thus far. After the opening whistle on the first jam, my slightly stressful day melted away. Having recently watched the video from our early days of skating, I took a few moments to happily observe the league’s improvement.
Then came the after party: Frida Pancakes and her new Christmas tradition (Spank the Believer) SmasHer and her camera, Bessie and her mad hot dancing, and the shot of Jameson with some of my favorite derby people (No Irish Carbombs this time!)
von Doom with the creator of "Spank the Believer"
Bessie Smithereens: Anti Em’s pancakes…mmm. Not driving…mmm. Dancing…mmm. Watching Wit fly…mmm. Hard to choose.
Wit has wings!
Shay-Bay: My favorite part was realizing how much I love my team. We have fun working together. My second favorite part was winning. Sorry, but it’s true.
Wit Vicious: Having everyone play their hearts out for the whole game, including our new girls.
Jammer race.
Talking to one of the security guards and hearing how much his little son enjoyed all of this. Adorable!
Having such support both on and off the track.
My very minor “battle scars”… I feel so hardcore…though not nearly as hardcore as Snatch, Bruise, and Marquee… damn, ladies, y’all are tough!
Colonel Panic: The first beer after the bout.
Not that the bout was rough, but you always want a beer the most when you’re not supposed to have one.
SmasHer: Many favorite moments.
Seeing the skirt Dynamite Dwalin’ made for me. She’s the best and is always so good to me.
Flashing my “Get Shay” underwear at Shay for the first time and hear her exclaim, “No way!” Although I would have much rather preferred, “Golly, no fricking way. My goodness!” Maybe next time…
Setting up the track with Alex, Sophie Nuke ‘Em’s son, and have him constantly interrupt me to tell me how his mom was basically the best roller derby player in the world and how lucky we are to have her. It was very school yard, “My mom is better than your mom.” Also how he said that his mom said that I REALLY wanted him to speak on the microphone (Sophie, of course, was oblivious to all of this conversation) and as a favor to me he would consent to do it. So it was great to set it up with the announcers and hear him yell out, “Go Sleighers!” I also enjoyed listening to his roller derby conspiracy theories. He makes bout setup go much quicker.
Eating at Pho Tau Bay with about a dozen of us before the bout (I swear, Henry Roll-ins secretly digs his “guy only” status at many of these gatherings).
Watching Glenn’s face when we sang, “Happy Birthday” to him.
Having people from my work get up and scream my name when I skated by, although, I was slightly embarrassed because I still can’t compete yet. Wait until March!
My least favorite moments were:
The injuries from our BERG ladies.
Discovering that one of my dearest and oldest friends, Frida Pancakes, made up the new after-bout tradition game, “Spank the Believer” and I wasn’t even there to participate. That’s what I get for leaving early (?) AND for accidentally forgetting to drive Frida home. Sorry!
Frida Pancakes & SmasHer: the force is with them!
