NO CLEAR-CUT FAVORITE HEADING INTO PLAYOFF ROUND!
by Magilla Guerilla, ARRG Bout Co-Announcer Photos by Bob Dunnell (mrmcwheely.com)
I think that it might be possible I am telling time by the passing of derby events.
We really can’t be in 2012 now and already finished with the local derby regular season, can we?
Maybe it is just me, but I felt like the four teams just played their first bout and now it’s time to talk about the post-season.
I feel like I might need to take some advice from one Ferris Bueller (please donate generously to save Ferris, I heard he needs a new kidney) and stop to look around once in a while before I miss something.
I should start things out by quickly apologizing to the skaters from the M-80s and the Stunt Devils. While I will reflect a bit back to the January bouts, I am looking ahead to the playoff round and I will be initially focusing on Rebel Skate Alliance and the Smashinistas a bit. The numbers and the results are in; the top two seeds have looked good all season long and are the favorites.
On paper, the playoffs look like a rematch of December’s scintillating M-80/Stunt Devil tilt for April’s Championship at Chaifetz Arena.
They don’t play bouts on paper though.
My time out of the cage will be about our #3 and #4 seeds and why I think they could find themselves in the Championships instead of the favorites. We shall title the headline of my column: “Underdogs and Such!” Fine, so that wasn’t very catchy and didn’t deserve any build up. I will work on it for future build ups.
Now, I am not saying that there will be upsets, but what I am saying is that there is evidence that these playoff bouts (rematches of course) could go the opposite way they went in the regular season. Besides, writing about the favorites isn’t as much fun and I have always been a sucker for the underdog.
So how will the Rebel Stake Alliance beat the undefeated Stunt Devils? They will score more points than the Stunts, that’s how! (Insert rimshot here) In all honesty, if you look at their first meeting, it was a pretty close affair until the end and that was before the ladies in RSA made some roster adjustments since and learned a few things about themselves.
Stabby McCutcha looks to lead RSA in the post-season!
In their first bout, RSA did not use Stabby McCutcha as a jammer. Her ability to adapt to this role and to also work as a blocker has been the boost this team has needed. They used two jammers - Party Foul and Pink Diamond - for 31 of their 37 jams in their first meeting with the Stunts. I got tired just writing about using two jammers, much less jamming with two jammers.
This is going to be a wrinkle the Stunt Devils will have to handle and with Smarty McFly’s return (I talked to her briefly after the bout and I believe “giddy” would be the best way to describe how she felt after being out there and then getting to play), they are looking at some pack stability once again.
When RSA has their full team on the track, they match up very well with the rest of the league. It really was only a rough 10-minute penalty-filled stretch of the second half that ended their comeback run against the M-80s. They get their strength from strong blocking and they will need to play clean to retain this strength. This isn’t uncommon to derby teams all over as playing clean is always the plan. However, it just seems that this RSA squad really suffers more than others when they don’t have a full (or equal) set of blockers.
The X-factor will be Diamond’s availability as a jammer. Of course, I would predict their jammer rotation if she returns (Will McFly return as a jammer?), but that would just make me look foolish. I swear I heard them ask Grand Poobah if he wanted to jam last weekend, but I might have been mistaken. It is safe to assume we won’t know who is jamming for RSA until we actually see it in person.
The Smashinistas (more on their defensive teamwork in a moment) showed that some of the Stunts’ jammers can be slowed down; they just couldn’t hold back Mighty Mighty Boston and Artemischief all night. Both skaters seem to thrive on that scrum, tight to the jammer line start. They only need an inch of daylight and they are gone.
With little to no forward defensive help to stop them, their speed dominates the jam. If RSA can slow down both high flying jammers and keep the scoring low, they have a great chance. A scoring shoot out does not favor the Rebels.
Can the Smashinistas do the same against the M-80s? Of course they can, that is the point of my ramblings!
One of the top scorers of the Smashies looks to educate in the playoff round!
Without a doubt, the Smashinistas implemented their best blocking discipline and pack teamwork of this season, even as they suffered their worst loss. That sounds like an oxymoron, but they played a really good team and their defense wasn’t enough alone to get the win.
There has been something a little mercurial about this team, until this last bout. At times, they were just stifling on defense. There were two jams when the Smashinista jammer did not get lead jam, but the blockers were able to hold back the Stunt Devil jammer long enough to allow a natural grand slam. Folks, that is some sweet, sweet defensive derby right there.
What the Smashinistas did well as a defensive pack, they just couldn’t translate to offense. In my eyes, this is the most complicated and challenging part of derby tactics. Trying to find the sweet spot between defense and offense effectively for an hour, while the other team is trying the same is headache inducing. If you have an understanding of your teammate’s tendencies and most importantly that trust that they will do their part, you can add offense to the mix.
The Smashinistas had “it” at times earlier this month and woe to the opposition if they continue to harness it for their offense. Let’s not forget that the Smashinistas currently have two of the top scorers this regular season in Downtown Dallis and The Educator, so this team is well equipped to score.
If you look back at the first M-80/Smashinista bout last November, penalties were a huge factor. The Smashinistas logged 29 penalty minutes as a team (only 24 for their opponent) and had one of their players actually foul out. Add the honor of logging the most minors of any team this regular season (73) and well, penalties were a factor. The final score was only a difference of 26 points, so you have to think the ladies in camo want another crack at the firecrackers. The good news is that the Smashinistas have reduced their penalties every bout since, so sustaining this against the M-80s will be necessary for their success.
Black Market Baby scored 82 for the M-80s earlier this month!
To my eyes, it looks like the M-80s want you to run with them. They want things to be open and high-flying. They have speed and lateral movement in bunches up and down their roster, so a speed skating display is fine with them.
In their first meeting, the Smashinistas obliged and they lost. By clogging up the track with disciplined defense, they can not only slow down the M-80 charge, but also start forcing those frustration penalties that arise as a physical bout wears on.
There is too much talent distributed on all of these teams for the playoffs to be anything less than an exciting and tightly contested event regardless of the final scores. However, an RSA team that is getting healthier and the Smashinistas growing penalty and defensive discipline might be setting things up for some upsets.
Hang onto your hats and get ready for the post-season folks; it is going to be a doozy! (Checks off using doozy in a sentence from his Bucket List!)
Thanks for reading and I hope to see everyone pack the house at the Midwest Sports Complex in Queeny Park on Saturday, February 4!
ANNUAL ARRG TRIVIA NIGHT ANNOUNCED!
One of the most popular - and most educational - ARRG fundraisers returns in February! The annual ARRG Trivia Night is set for Friday, February 24 in St. Louis.
The fourth annual event will take place at a new location, but for those have competed in the past, expect the usual night of fun and knowledge that helps benefit the operational costs associated with ARRG.
You can either organize a table of ten players or you can join a table when you arrive that evening. A silent auction and a 50/50 raffle will also be held. Last year, one lucky 50/50 winner took home a prize of nearly $1,000.
Here are the details….
WHAT: 4th Annual ARRG Trivia Night
WHEN: Friday, February 24 at 7 pm (Doors open/registration at 6 pm)
WHERE: The German Cultural Society, 3652 South Jefferson, St. Louis, MO
COST: $20 per person (includes free beer, wine, soda and light snacks - no outside alcohol, please.)
Information for pre-registration of tables will be released shortly.
Mark your calendars now for a fun night of competitive trivia action that feeds your brain…and helps ARRG.
OTHER WEEKEND DERBY ACTION FEATURING ARRG
The ARRG Rookie Rivals fell to MO-KAN 155-84 Sunday afternoon in a scrimmage at the Skatium in St. Louis.
Featuring four ARRG All-Stars, Midwest MegaTeam - a scrimmage squad of North Central skaters - fell to the Naptown Tornado Sirens 131-41 Saturday night in Indianapolis. Justice Feelgood Marshall’s bout recap at Derby News Network can be found here.
NEXT WEEK IN THE ARRG NEWSCENTER: The mad scramble to reach April’s title bout at Chaifetz is on! It’s “erase and rewind” as all four teams start with a clean slate. A pair of playoff bouts will determine who reaches the main event of the local championships later this year. We’ll have a full preview of the Saturday, February 4 event.
Magilla Guerilla and the Grand Poobah are bout co-announcers for the Arch Rival Roller Girls. Check back in this section on Mondays for the latest in ARRG news and information.
