Derby lovers and sports fans, I am happy to announce that I am now blogging to fanster.com. You will be able to find my blog there at fanster.com/michichan. As we go forward, the content that will go to fanster will be more geared towards the general interest sports fan but at the same time, the news feed from michichan.com will be available on that site. Score and stats data for the leagues will remain at michichan.com.
I feel that there are many sports fans out there who have never had a chance to see a live flat-track roller derby bout here in Arizona. Perhaps you have seen the rollergirls on the morning news shows or read an article in the New Times or Tucson Citizen about the sport. I don’t think I would overstep my boundaries with the leagues I cover by personally inviting you to come out and see a bout. There are several events coming up based on your location as well as your taste in derby.
On Friday, February 20, 2009, the Renegade Rollergirls will have a bout. The Renegade Rollergirls play a “no-rules” game where there are no penalties. Tripping, fighting and scratching are totally allowed. Just be prepared to take back what you dish out. The Renegades play at the 5th & Madison Event Center in Downtown Phoenix (right next to the 4th Avenue Jail). The doors open for the bout at 7:30PM and the bout starts at 8:00PM. For more information, you can visit their website at www.therenegaderollergirls.com.
On Saturday night, March 7, 2009, Tucson Roller Derby will have their second bout of the season. After each team has played a round-robin of “mini-bouts”, the 3-0 VICE Squad will take on the 0-3 Furious Truckstop Waitresses. This takes place at Bladeworld, 1065 W. Grant Rd, Tucson. Tucson plays by the rules of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), which is a national body of 69 member leagues. Unlike the Renegades, WFTDA leagues play under a specific set of rules that displays the sports aspect of roller derby. Doors open at 6:30PM and the bout starts at 7:00PM. For more information, visit www.tucsonrollerderby.com.
2025 editor's note. The new URL for TRD is tucsonrollerderby.net
Then back to Phoenix on March 14 for Arizona Roller Derby’s next bout between the 1-1 Brawlarinas and the 1-0 Bad News Beaters. This bout will take place at the Castle Sports Club located on Peoria, just north of Peoria in Phoenxi. The doors will open at 6:30PM and the bout starts at 7:00PM. AZRD also plays by the WFTDA rules. Admission is $12 at the door or $10 in advance. For more information, viist www.azrollerderby.com
Hopefully, many of you who have never seen roller derby or think that the sport is still the same one that was on TV that had the WWE style choreographed moves will come out to one of these games and discover one of Arizona’s best kept sports secrets. Bring the family!
Let’s take a look around the leagues:
Arizona Roller Derby (AZRD)
I was very impressed by the last AZRD bout between the 0-2 Surly Gurlies and the 1- 0 Bruisers. The Bru-crew beat the Surlys by 30 points (I predicted a Bruiser win 30-50 on this one). As I reported on fanster, AZRD is about to say goodbye to Bruiser Shirley Demise. Shirley is moving to Las Vegas but she will give AZRD one more at the upcoming Four Corner Feud. Again, good luck to Shirley Demise in your future.
Arizona Derby Dames (AZDD)
As I talked about last week on this blog, the Dames managed to bring in about 1,300 fans in what was, for one week, the largest currently used venue for roller derby (Veteran’s Memorial Coliseum). This past week, Rat City Rollergirls was able to bring in over 3,000 fans to the Key Arena in Seattle. One big difference between the bouts, Rat Cy used the house lights and the house scorebaord in the arena. The Dames set-up looks like a M*A*S*H unit compared to Ray City’s. This is an Arizona league that supposedly has a lot of money. I will have a picture of the Key Arena in “derby mode” on the next episode of Michi-chan REAL Derby.
Speaking of money, the wank-factor is about to increase a little. While many people are freting over increases in the local bus fare, the Dames snuck up their ticket prices to $12 for general admission (was $8 for advance and $10 at the door) and the VIP from $15 to $20. Throw in the parking, and what was called by an ex-owner of a competing as “discount derby” is now the most expensive game in town.
Although I won’t want to see it happen, I feel like the Dames have gotten themselves in too deep with the Coliseum. I still think it’s too much venue. With the exception of the late 2007 Scrapper fundraiser at Amazing Jakes, I have yet to see a serious failure of an event by the Dames. The Dames definitely have the show-biz part of this down to a science.
Renegade Rollergirls
My heart and thoughts continue to go out to Afro Kitty from Southern California and Rusty Needle from Bend, OR. Both of these skaters received injuries during the last Arizona vs. Oregon bout. As mentioned, the Renegades will play again a week from Friday. In March, there will be no bout and in April, the Arizona girls go to Tucson to give them more of what they gave Bend last month when they were here.
Tucson Roller Derby
Unfortunately, I had to miss the round-robin mini-bouts at Bladeworld last weekend. But with that, I have to give a big congratulations to the Iron Curtain for their first “on the record” win in the 6-year history of the league when they beat the Furious Truckstop Waitresses in one of the 6 mini-bouts. The Iron Curtain’s last win was in late 2007 when they played an exhibition bout against the Orange County Roller Girls. We will see the IC in their first full-length 2009 bout on March 28 at Bladeworld. Results and standings are at michichan.com.
Tucson Derby Brats
My Derby Brats definitely gave a great showing against the Los Angeles Junior Dolls with their 163-11 massacre victory over the L.A. Dolls. Again, I am sorry I could not make it but I am very glad to hear the results. I am always proud of my Brats. The Tucson Derby Brats is a roller derby league with female skaters between 10-17 years old. They play by a modified set of rules which allows most of the fundementals of the game but does not allow hitting. This is a great way for young girls to develop their skills and eventually “graduate” to an adult league like Tucson Roller Derby. I wholeheartedly support junior roller derby and I hope you give them a look some day. Hopefully, we will get them to Phoenix some time soon.
Well, that was your look around the leagues here in Arizona. For more information on this crazy sport, please visit michichan.com. Keep watching this blog for more in the future!
