Gotham’s Greatest Rivals Meet in Home Opener on Saturday

With the Gotham Girls Roller Derby league kicking off its second decade this Saturday at John Jay College in Manhattan, you would assume that it’s imperative to get things off to a memorable start.

Well, the Manhattan Mayhem and Brooklyn Bombshells have a history of doing just that.

“These are the two perfect teams to be playing against each other in the season opener,” Brooklyn veteran Raggedy Animal said. “It could not have been better picked.”

“Both teams have this very strong bond, very strong identities and a commitment to each other that shows on the track,” Manhattan’s Roxy Dallas adds. “Brooklyn is happy to be around each other; Manhattan, we’re happy to be around each other. And when you’re feeling that support and are thrilled to be doing this thing together, it elevates everybody. On top of that, there’s so much talent on these two squads. It’s always such a physical game and the intensity is so high.”

Physical. Intense. Evenly matched. Sounds like a recipe for an epic opener, but that’s no surprise when these two squads get together. The last two bouts between the Mayhem and the Bombshells have been decided by a combined eight points, and with rare exception, the result of each bout hasn’t been determined until deep into the game. So what’s the secret?

“We bring out the best in each other, but why us?” Animal asks. “I don’t have an answer. (laughs) But I know that they’re brutal, hard, down-to-the-wire games.”

It may just be that given the close bonds among the two veteran squads, the idea of letting down your teammates is unfathomable. That kind of closeness doesn’t come overnight, but as far as the Mayhem is concerned, it goes back to a conscious decision to not necessarily draft strictly for talent, but for something more important.

“I talked to some of the people that have been with the team for years and they said that when they [Manhattan] were in the perpetual rebuilding years, where Manhattan was taking on five, six, seven new skaters in every season and finding it hard to get any continuity going, that they stopped picking just for skill and they started picking for personality and for character, and building the team as a culture,” Roxy said. “Obviously that’s not going to win you games immediately, but it really paid dividends for us in the long run.”

That “long run” has produced league titles in 2012 and 2014, and talk that Manhattan may just be the next great GGRD dynasty, following the Bronx Gridlock and Queens of Pain teams that dominated the early years of the league.

“We are very interested in dynasties in Gotham,” Roxy laughs. “Our All-Stars set the tone, and when you look back at those championship banners, there’s a lot of yellow and a lot of black and there’s a very little bit of blue and orange, and we would love to see more orange up on those banners.”

Mayhem orange tore through the league in 2014, but en route to an unbeaten season and another title, they were pushed to the limit by Brooklyn, who lost to Manhattan 170–169 in a July classic. So while some skaters don’t prefer to get the first bout of the season, the Bombshells are just fine with it.

“We want it,” Animal said. “We want the first game. I love that our last game was against them and our first game is against them. It doesn’t feel like we’re at a disadvantage. It’s the right thing for us.”

That confidence is well-placed, considering that Brooklyn returns to the track with a seasoned roster bolstered by the return of former skaters Hela Skelter (also back on this year’s All-Stars) and B-Zerk.

“Even though Hela and B-Zerk weren’t technically on the track last year, they were a huge presence for the team,” Animal said. “B-Zerk was at Sunday practice on her due date. She was with us and just checked out to have a baby real quick. (laughs) So she never really left and she contributed a lot during her pregnancy. Hela was managing us, so even though they weren’t on the track, they were a huge presence on the team and contributed a lot.”

Owners of a 0–3 slate in 2014, Brooklyn’s record was deceiving and they know it. More importantly, the Mayhem know it as well, and they’re not taking anything for granted, especially since they went life-and-death with the Bombshells last year. But Mayhem are skating with a trio of All-Stars (Roxy, Bonita Apple Bomb and Violet Knockout) as well as a philosophy that any skater can fill any role.

“We put a huge emphasis on training and a huge emphasis on what we call ‘Everybody Jams,’” says Roxy. “Nobody on our team is not a jammer. We have our starting jammers, our core jammers whom we truly rely upon to score points, but everybody is working to be a triple threat. Everybody is working to fill in whatever role they need to. We don’t have a really high high-end and a very low low-end. Everybody really pulls their weight.”

Animal agrees in reference to her Bombshells.

“When I sit down in a lineup, it doesn’t matter who is in my lineup with me. I feel completely confident with anyone I’m in with. I also know their strengths and they know my strengths and my weaknesses and we implicitly trust each other. There’s not a weak link there.”

You could call Manhattan and Brooklyn mirror images of each other, making it clear why their rivalry is one for the GGRD history books. But at the moment, it isn’t about history; it’s about getting the win. On Saturday, nothing else matters.

Written by: Thomas Gerbasi

Gotham Girls at the 2014 Roller Derby World Cup

Starting today and running through Sunday, Dallas, Texas hosts the 2014 Roller Derby World Cup. With 30 nations represented, this second such tournament proves that derby has indeed become an international phenomenon. And the Gotham Girls Roller Derby league is well represented this week, with Arson Tina (Argentina), Pippi Strongsocking and Cork Rebel (Ireland), Swede Hurt (Sweden), and OMG WTF, Donna Matrix, Fisti Cuffs, Bonnie Thunders, Suzy Hotrod, Mick Swagger and Sexy Slaydie (USA) all taking to the track for their respective nations. Read on for the thoughts of Team USA’s Suzy Hotrod on this historic event.

★★★

In 2011, the first Roller Derby World Cup could best be described as a step in the right direction in terms of globalizing the sport, but as far as the action on the track, it was Team USA’s show from start to finish. This week, the second World Cup takes place in Dallas, Texas, and while the gals in the stars and stripes will be heavily favored to repeat as world champions, one of the team’s veteran standouts, Gotham’s own Suzy Hotrod, believes that the tournament won’t necessarily be as one-sided as it was the first time.

“Now that it (the World Cup) is more established, there’s definitely more of a competitive nature to it, whereas I feel like the first one had a really landmark warmth to it and more of a celebration of togetherness,” she said. “It still does, but there’s so many more people competing in it, and there’s been a really present amount of information telling us that the other teams are working really hard. I think in the first World Cup I think they kind of threw together whoever could get on a plane, and this time, I think all the other countries had tryouts and had multiple occasions throughout the year where they’ve practiced together, and it may be at the point where the other teams are more cohesive, and that’s kind of cool. It’s game on.”

Growing from 13 to 30 countries, this year’s edition of the World Cup promises to show how far the sport has grown, not just from the flat track revival in the early part of the millennium, but from 2011 to 2014. Three years can be a lifetime in derby years, and as skaters like those on Team USA and from Gotham and other leagues have gone abroad to spread the derby gospel, other countries have not just embraced the sport, but they’re getting pretty damn good at it. Competing in this year’s WFTDA playoffs were teams from England, Canada, Australia and Germany, and with several America-based players joining their native countries on the track, the national teams competing in the World Cup starting Thursday will likely perform on a higher level than three years ago.

“I’m pretty excited to watch the other countries play each other, because there are a lot of teams I’m really unfamiliar with, and there’s always up and coming stars on each of those teams, and it’s really cool,” Suzy said.

And experience isn’t just the key for these teams’ improvement, though that certainly helps. What has been an important element of these squads getting better is that they’ve had more track time together, and not just over the last three years, but in the lead-up to the tournament. It’s a luxury Team USA hasn’t necessarily had.

“It’s definitely a challenge, but I do think the chemistry on this team is pretty good,” Suzy said. “It feels more comfortable and familiar. A lot of us did play on the first team, and with Team USA, we actually know each other pretty well, either from going around and coaching or playing in the WFTDA tournaments. So there’s a good chemistry. We might not have track time under our belts together, but we do know each other pretty well, and there is a bit of auto-pilot and instinct that does definitely help. So the answer is, track time is what’s going to make a team really great, but I think that the experience of the individual players lends itself to making it work when we get together.”

In a pool with newcomers Puerto Rico and The Netherlands, Team USA (which sports Gotham skaters Suzy, Bonnie Thunders, Mick Swagger, Fisti Cuffs, Sexy Slaydie, OMG WTF, and Donna Matrix) is expected to make it unscathed into the elimination round, where the real fun begins on Saturday, and Suzy and company are keeping their eye on several hungry contenders for the crown.

“We always keep our eye on Canada and England, Sweden’s no slouch either, and it’s really tough to say (who the top threats are) because I haven’t seen a lot of the European teams and I think we’re going to get a lot of good play out of Europe,” she said. “I’m excited to see some of the up and coming nations as well. Everybody’s been working hard, and I keep half an eye open on social media and there have been a few teams that have been really, really active in promoting and talking about it, so I think there will be people that are going to surprise us. There are people that are excited that this is their first time there, and the competitive aspect is much higher than the first event. Everything’s going to be bigger.”

Who would have thought that would have been the case back when Suzy first laced up her skates for the Gotham Girls in 2004? Not her.

“Even at the first World Cup I was amazed,” she said. “Everything has changed. The sport has changed and luckily I changed with it and that’s why I’m still here, but when I started, I matched it tit for tat. It was like scrappy drinkers club and it was kind of cool. (Laughs) I liked it like that and I’m still really good friends with the people who started it, but at the same time it’s totally insane what it turned into. I remember going to practices that were out on concrete in Chinatown with Modell’s skates that were 30 bucks, and I was like ‘oh, this is nothing, I’m just doing it because it’s a good way to exercise.’ I really didn’t ever think it was going to be anything big, but I’m glad I stuck around for it. It’s unbelievable how big it is.”

#FiveMind - Gotham Wins Fifth WFTDA World Title

This was it. The end of the dynasty.

The Gotham Girls Roller Derby All Stars had a great run: three consecutive WFTDA world titles (four overall), 55 straight wins without a loss, and a rightful place in derby annals as the best team to play the game.

But on Sunday night at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium in Tennessee, the Rose City Rollers' Wheels of Justice were about to wrap things up, shock the world, and take the Hydra trophy back to Portland.

As track officials reviewed a track cut call on Rose City's Scald Eagle, the scoreboard read 144-132 in favor of the Oregonians. 1:42 was left on the clock, and when you're talking 12 points with teams this good, it can be a matter of seconds for a lead to disappear or increase.

Fate seemed to be on Rose City's side though. After trailing for much of the first 30 minutes but staying close enough to give the New Yorkers a cause for concern, they took a lead late in the half and kept it through the intermission, only to see Bonnie Thunders rip through their defense for 29 points.

Bonnie maneuvers around formidable Rose City blockers. Phot by Tyler Shaw

Gotham was now up 87-64, and fans of the defending champs began to exhale, expecting the team what they normally do once ahead by 20 or more: pull away. They did it to Texas in Saturday's quarterfinals, breaking open a close 125-117 game to score the last 38 points of the bout. London was game but outmatched later that day in the semifinals, losing to GGRD by a score of 280-94.

Rose City was different though. Seen by most observers as the second best team in the sport to Gotham throughout 2014, it was fitting that the top two teams in derby met for the world championship. And as a legitimate challenger to the crown, Rose may have fallen behind by 23, and then 37 points, but behind tournament MVP Loren Mutch, they were about to roar back.

Four jams after Thunders' point barrage, Mutch outscored Suzy Hotrod 18-0 to pull her team within 20 again, and three jams later, a 10 point run made it 106-96 Gotham. The defenses went on to slug it out, not letting any point go without a fight, yet Rose City would chip away, eventually tying the game at 123 with a little over six minutes left.

Gotham couldn't lose, right? Not now. But what happens when a team tears through all opposition, getting tested every now and again, but not consistently enough to make dealing with adversity a habit? This is a team that hasn't lost a game since November of 2010. It's great being the hammer, but what happens when you're the nail?

Tournament MVP Loren Mutch slides between Slaydie and OMG. Photo by Manish Gosalia

Breaking back into the lead thanks to Suzy's four-point jam, Gotham found themselves behind the eight ball once again in the next jam, as Mutch put her team up 131-127 with 3:46 left.

Hard. Smart. Together.

#HiveMind.

Everything Gotham had worked on and worked for was going to be tested, but Rose City wouldn't wilt. Scald Eagle made it 144-132, and as the officials huddled and decided that the subsequent track cut call on Eagle would stand, Gotham strode out to their positions for one last chance.

Bonnie Thunders wore the jammer star, as you knew she would. In a matter of seconds, she had to not just break through the pack, but get lead jammer status and then score enough points to give her team a lead before Eagle returned from the box and began her own scoring pass.

Thunders and her blockers did their job. The 12-point deficit turned into a three-point lead. By the time Eagle got back on the track, it was too late. Thunders called off the jam. Gotham wins 147-144.

Five world titles, four consecutive championships, and a new hashtag for the New Yorkers.

#FiveMind

The All Stars bring home the Hydra. Photo by Sean Hale

Watch the incredible action archived on WFTDA.tv

GOTHAM vs. ROSE CITY STATS

 12F

Gotham5889147

Rose City6480144

Leading Gotham Scorers
Bonnie Thunders – 75 points (19 jams)
Vicious Van GoGo – 37 points (8 jams)
Suzy Hotrod – 30 points (12 jams)

Leading Gotham Blockers
Sexy Slaydie – 26 jams (+7)
OMG WTF – 25 jams (+9)
Mick Swagger – 25 jams (0)

Leading Rose City Scorers
Loren Mutch – 73 points (15 jams)
Scald Eagle – 48 points (16 jams)
Licker*N*Split – 23 points (11 jams)

Leading Rose City Blockers
Shaina Serelson – 26 jams (-1)
Jessica Rivas – 25 jams (-24)
Jessica Chestnut – 23 jams (-24)

Gotham Penalties
Minutes in Box: 42 Jammer Box Trips: 5

Rose City Penalties
Minutes in Box: 31 Jammer Box Trips: 5

Written by: Thomas Gerbasi

No Shortage of Motivation for GGRD in the Drive for Five

Jaded. Complacent. Bored. Three tags that could be placed on any team that has been dominant as the Gotham Girls Roller Derby All Stars have been over the years, as the New Yorkers have won three consecutive WFTDA world titles (four overall), 53 straight games, most by triple digits, and even one by 502 points last month.

In short, if winning is a habit, the ladies of GGRD are full-blown addicts. But when the spectacular becomes routine, a team could be ripe for a fall if they don't have the same desire to go through three-hour practices and give up personal lives in search of another Hydra trophy.

So is 2014 the year of the fall? Not if you're judging by the recent reaction of All Star Violet Knockout to the reality that this weekend is tourney time in Nashville.

"I was on the phone with my mom and I was getting things from a hardware store to hang up pictures in my apartment," she recalls. "I was running around, I had just got off work, and my mom said something about Champs this weekend and I just stopped because I got butterflies in my stomach. I was so excited and it just hit me. We've been working for this all year and I'm so excited to be able to do this again."

VKO is not alone in her excitement, and what folks on the outside of the team's CrashPad practice facility in Brooklyn don't realize, is that all the drudgery of the regular season is for this. It's to get another Hydra, cement the team as the best in the world for another year, and continue what can only be described as a derby dynasty. And though it may be a loaded question to ask, the no nonsense Violet is the perfect one to ask: Is the best version of Gotham yet?

"Absolutely, of course," she said. "Gotham continues to build and grow every year. We shake ourselves down after every championship and then we build ourselves back up. I feel like every year we've been a better version of ourselves."

It would be hard to argue with her. 9-0 in sanctioned WFTDA bouts this year, the team has continued to dominate, and it's been against top-level competition each step of the way. If the team was going to get caught napping, this would have been the year, and while Violet admits that there have been some rough patches, winning was still the end result.

"Going up against really tough competitors and stacking your season really high is a big deal for us and I think that we've done that this year," she said. "Even though we've beat people by a hundred points, they still say 'oh, Gotham got rattled,' and it's because teams and spectators can see that we make mistakes... We got into some pretty severe penalty trouble this season in the playoffs, and sure, we get rattled for a second just like any other team gets rattled for a second. We're all human beings. It's the ability to shake it off and come back and continue to execute a consistently smooth game while everyone is staying calm – that's what Gotham is very, very good at."

Gotham All Stars after winning 2013 WFTDA Championship. Photo by Tyler Shaw

Last month in Sacramento, GGRD stamped their ticket to this weekend's WFTDA Championship tournament with three wins over Kansas City (519-17), Rat City (297-92), and Denver (193-89) to take the Division I playoffs, and they will open their quest for another world title on Saturday at 2pm Eastern against the winner of Friday's Angel City vs. Texas game. Either team will be a tough challenge for GGRD, a team that has to learn from the small adversities over the course of a season because the big ones – losses – just haven't been part of the deal.

"You definitely benefit from losses and that's a thing that we don't get, and I think that's a detriment to us," Violet admits. "We operate on an excellent and strong slow burn, but when it comes down to coming back from a loss, we don't get to rally and come back from that. But people like my manager Buster [Cheatin'] and my captain Bonnie [Thunders] are so incredible because they keep us maintained at that level. They don't allow us to think anything less of ourselves. They always make sure that we know that what we have can go away very, very quickly. And you get lost in that as a team if you win too much."

It's almost like what future boxing hall of famer Bernard Hopkins told me before his 2004 fight with Oscar De La Hoya: "Motivation can come in all shapes and forms with me. If I go outside and all my tires are slashed, that's motivation. When things run smoothly, somebody has to break a glass; somebody has to do something. Some people need bumps in the road to make things happen. It don't always have to be downright dirty, ignorant stuff; it just has to be some type of motivation."

So what gets Gotham up every morning?

"We know how much we have stacked against us," Violet said. "We believe that because we know every year that we win puts so much more pressure on us to continue to win. And every year we win, it makes everybody want to see us not win. And I completely understand that. I root for underdogs; I would probably not root for us if I was not on Gotham. (Laughs) But that's our job. Our job is to stay humble and maintain the mindset that this is not our trophy. Yes, this is our championship to win, but it's going to be a battle every single game, just like this entire season has been a battle."

Now it's time to win the war.

Written by: Thomas Gerbasi