Spotlight: DDG’s Newest Team is Ready for Season Two

Posted on December 15, 2011

Detroit Derby Girls’ newest kid on the block, the Grand Prix Madonnas, are back at it with their sophomore season in purple and checkers. Although they are still a young team with only one season under their belts, GPMs don’t want you to underestimate them. GPM Captain Spanish Ass’assin and Co-Captain Mean Josie Greene took a few sweaty minutes to sit down with Spotlight to answer some questions before their first bout of the 2011-2012 season against the Pistolwhippers.

What are you looking forward to most this season?
Spanish Ass’assin: Upping our GPM game! Last year we had almost a whole team full of newbies so we were sticking to the basics and focusing on learning the sport. The skaters did amazing and now we’re ready to really dive into the advanced strategy.

Mean Josie Greene: GPMs are just starting our second year in the league. Last year’s bright-eyed rookies are now grizzled vets looking to throw down and take some names. I think we caught everyone a bit by surprise last year by taking third place with a brand new team. This year is all about building on that success and turning GPM into a derby powerhouse for years to come.

Tell us about your rookies this year.
SA: We actually have five new skaters with a wide variety of skating/derby backgrounds this year. We have some definite jammer hopefuls and skaters that are already good on their skates so I was very pleased with the draft outcome. Plus they are so excited to be playing with us that I know they are going to excel quickly. I’m very eager to see what they bring to the bout table.

MJG: We’ve got a fantastic group of rookies this year. We picked up Yoko Razy, a transfer skater from Traverse City, who has got great derby instincts and quick moves. Ash Hole is a strong blocker who is going to help make our walls even stronger.  Lilli Monster is a scrappy jammer/blocker who I think is really going to surprise people this year. We’re expecting aNOMaly’s quick feet to find holes in opposing defenses and rack up the points.  ShamWow is a really smart skater who we’re expecting her to be effective at a number of positions.  They’ve all been working really hard and I know they are all excited for their debut this Saturday.

What makes the GPM different than the rest of the DDG teams?
SA: The team in itself is very young with it being only our second season this year.  I believe that to be a positive aspect over the other teams because we are not set in any specific ways.  We are still learning and developing as a team and I feel as though we look at all options of play style.  We’re definitely the eager puppy looking to learn new tricks and I think that is what other older teams should be afraid of.

MJG: Um… well obviously GPM is the best!!!  Since we are such a new team, I think GPM skaters are really dedicated and hungry to improve.  We have a team-first mentality.  We know that we need to play as a unit to win, and everyone is on board with doing whatever it takes to help the team.  It’s a great group of girls to be around.

You’re first game of the 2012 season is this Saturday, December 17th against the Pistolwhippers. What can we expect?
SA: Well it’s the rematch for the fight for 3rd place from last year but the Pistolwhippers are really a new team this year.  You can expect that the Grand Prix Madonnas will be fighting like it’s the same team that beat us at our first bout ever though.  We’ve got really talented skaters on the team and I fully intend to unleash their competitive natures 

MJG: GPM vs PW is turning into a great rivalry.  In our very first game as a team in December of last year, the Pistolwhippers trounced us pretty well.  That gave us plenty of incentive to come back and beat them in the 2011 Grudge Match.  So the December 17th bout is going to be a great matchup, no matter what.  I think one of the major things people commented on last year is the size difference between the two teams.  Grand Prix is a big, physical blocking team that likes to swarm opposing jammers.  While the Whippers certainly have some great hitters, they tend to be a bit smaller overall.  The Whippers have some great jammers on their side, but let’s face it – I certainly wouldn’t want to be a jammer coming up on a wall of purple & checkered!  And of course, we’ve got Racer McChaseHer – who just came back from the Derby World Cup and Team USA– always amazing to watch in action.  It’s going to be a hard-hitting, rough & tumble bout and one that’s sure to be fun to watch.

What’s it like playing at the Masonic Temple?
SA: It’s like coming home for the holidays!  A lot of us played at the Masonic Temple for years before we went to the COBO Center.  Even though we could fit more people in the bigger venue, the Masonic will always have that comfortable home vibe to it.  It was an easy transition back and I didn’t realize how much I missed the closeness of the crowd. When you look up from the track, all of the fans are right there!  I can see my family and friends cheering up close no matter where they are sitting, and they like to be able to see the fun and sassy facial expressions I make while I’m playing.  It’s a win-win really.

MJG: The Masonic is everything that derby should be – classy and a little bit gritty.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?
SA: The team always gets together the night before the bout for a pre-bout dinner.  It’s a fun evening full of carbs, bout footage and just hanging out together as a team to prepare to play as a team the next day.  And GPM’s love to eat so dinner is always yummy!!

MJG: I harness my inner Mean.  Then I chug a Coke.

Any words for your fans?
SA: I would like to thank the fans for welcoming our new team so amazingly well last year.  Home teams always have dedicated fans that follow them over the years but when our new team came around, there was absolutely no lack of love from the crowd.  Our team t-shirts sold faster than we could put them on the racks and it wasn’t long before GPM love was being blasted all over the internet.  It’s such a cool feeling!

MJG: Pick up some purple and checkered and come out Saturday to cheer the GPMs on to victory!  Good times and a great bout guaranteed. If you need more GPM in your lives, “Like” us on our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/GrandPrixMadonnas

 

You can see GPM Vs. Pistolwhippers action this weekend on Saturday, December 17th at the Masonic Temple. Doors open at 6pm. Wheels roll at 7pm. Need tickets? No problemo. Get them on BrownPaperTickets.com

Spotlight: Diesel Doll & Lazer Beam Crack That Whip

Posted on December 12, 2011

You’ve got to whip it. Whip it good. And the Pistolwhippers are more than ready to CRACK THAT WHIP this weekend against the purple and checkered Grand Prix Madonnas. The Pistolwhippers’ Captain, Lazer Beam, and Co-Captain, Diesel Doll, agreed to take a few minutes from practicing johnny crashes and outside whips to sit down with Spotlight and answer a few questions about their upcoming bout.

What are you looking forward to most this season?

Lazer Beam: I am looking forward to a fun and successful season for my team. We have lots of new faces and we want to make this year fun. We all know winning is FUN! I am just happy to be back on skates and get to skate with my team again.

Diesel Doll: I’m very excited to see how our team has gelled in such a short time. This season is definitely a rebuilding season for the Pistolwhippers and we have a lot of amazing new talent on our team. Del Bomber is stepping back from skating this year to manage our team, and as an original veteran and former Detroit Derby Girls Allstars skater, she brings a great deal of derby knowledge and strategy to our bench. She and Coach Cliff are going to be a management force to be reckoned with. All of this is a combination for success on the track.

Tell us about your rookies this year?

LB: We have a lot of them: six rookies, two transfers and a trade. They are all fantastic. Meli Ali is super fast and agile. Rock’em Shock’em is tough as they come. Sam-I-Slam has an unreal knowledge of the game. Scizzor Bangz she has style on and off the track. Travis Blocker snapped her leg in half, so you may not get to see her in action this season other than cheering on her teammates. Uhura Belle Death as a killer plow stop and knows how to use it. We also got Genniferal from The Windy City Rollers and Vera Toss from B.ay A.rea D.erby Girls – both are great players who have brought new ideas for us to use here in the D! We also got boo d. livers in a trade. It’s much better to have her playing with you than against you.

DD:  I want the derby world and its fans to know I am extremely proud to be playing with the following new Pistolwhippers and expect a lot of focused and controlled mayhem coming from them this season:  Meli Ali, Sam-I-Slam, Scizzor Bangs, Uhura Belle Death, Rock’em Shock’em and our beloved Travis Blocker. They are locked and loaded, ready for battle.

What makes the Pistolwhippers different than the rest of the DDG teams?

LB: I am not real sure. I just know we are different.

DD: We have more fresh blood on our team than any other, in transfers, rookies and trades.  With all the new skaters and Whippers management comes new strategies and enthusiasm that has spread throughout the team.  Also, we have a unique family dynamic consisting of Coach Cliff and his two demure daughters boo d.livers and Cool Whip. To add two cherries to this sundae we have transfer players from two highly ranked derby leagues: Vera Toss and Genniferal.

You’re first game of the 2012 season is this Saturday, December 17th against the Grand Prix Madonnas. What can we expect?

LB: You are going to see lots of heart and giving it 110% in true Whipper fashion.

DD: Pistolwhippers are coming out with guns a’blazing!  While we are not underestimating the talent of the GPM’s we are ready to CRACK THAT WHIP!

What’s it like playing at the Masonic Temple?

LB: I have only played at Masonic Temple in my Fresh Meat Faceoff last season. But I loved it. I love the wood floor. Must be the speed skater in me. I know the fans seems to love it and that is all that really matters.

DD: We are proud to continue our DDG legacy at a venue that is more unique than any other in the derby world. It’s a privilege to be a part of a historic building that has had such an important role in Detroit’s heritage. The sound of skating wheels on the wood floor is second to none.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

LB: I play on Facebook all day until it’s time to leave. Then once I would get to Cobo Center (DDG’s previous bout venue) I would get sick. I get so nervous. Tuna, last year’s manager of the Grand Prix Madonnas, told me it just means I care.

DD: Nothing gets the blood flowing like going to the gun range and shooting off 100 rounds of ammo.  That, and coconut water.

Any words for you fans?

LB: Yes! I have lots to say to the fans. Thank you so much for all the love, support and encouragement the last eight months. It meant a lot to me knowing you guys wanted me back on skates as bad as I wanted to be. Also, thank you for voting me Fan Favorite last season. I was truly shocked. I would also like to say thank you to our sponsor Dr. Burns and his staff of Nudoc Physical Therapy for all the help they have given me. Without them I would not be able to do what I love. PLAY ROLLER DERBY!

DD: Thanks for voting us Fan Favorite Team of 2011!  We promise to deliver another exciting year to the spectators and hard knocks to our derby sisters. Thank you for making Detroit Derby Girls what it is today.  Stop by our Facebook Page and  shoot us message! http://tinyurl.com/83abwmq

You can crack that whip with the Pistolwhippers on Saturday, December 17th at the Masonic Temple in Detroit, MI. Doors open at 6, wheels roll at 7. Tickets are available online at BrownPaperTickets.com.

 

Spotlight: Kraken Whips & Cookie Rumble Are Super Pist and Want Burritos

Posted on November 18, 2011

Their team motto is GET PIST! and that’s just want they want their fans to do.

Detroit Pistoff co-captain Kraken Whips and DDG OG Cookie Rumble took a few minutes from practice this week to sit down with Spotlight to discuss their upcoming battle against the D-Funk Allstars in this weekend’s Detroit Derby Girls 2012 Season Opener.

 

What are you looking forward to most this season?

Kraken Whips: This season the Pistoffs are looking forward to trying new plays and building up our skill levels as a team. Over the summer we lost Effin Money and Maim West to their real lives, which was heartbreaking but, on the flip side we collected several rookies and Deadly Dose has found her way back home to the Pistoffs as well.

Cookie Rumble: I’m looking forward to playing with our newest teammates and having a rollicking good time.

Tell us about your rookies this year.

KW: We have six new rookies this year. U.S.S. DentHerPrize, who is probably the most crafty girl on skates I’ve ever met. Wham!tramck is a rookie that could most likely do a bout skating backward the entire time. Belle Isle Hurtya is a NSO turned skater so she has really good knowledge of the game. Princess Die is very sweet off the track but gets super intense in game play. VeroniKILL is a very hard worker and has put in a ton of effort to get where she is. Kai’ outi Krash is as tall as Devil Kitty so between the two of them, they’ll be running a monoply on track real estate. Then of course I mentioned we have Deadly Dose back on the team after taking a couple seasons off, she’s still as fast as when she left.

CR: They are all amazing and smell of rich mahogany. They have many leather-bound books.

What makes the Pistoffs different than the rest of the DDG teams?

KW: We do things a little different on the Detroit Pistoffs, we like to dance while we’re waiting to get on the track, we like to dance when we’re on the track and we really like to dance at the afterparty. There are a lot of funny girls within the league but, by far the Pistoffs are the funniest!

CR: We have the fanciest mustaches and tiny shiny pants.

You’re first game is this Saturday, November 19th against D-Funk. What can we expect?

KW: We can expect the same intense action you saw at the 2010-2011 Championships back in June. I think D-funk is ready and really looking forward to trying to get a win on us, so we are working very hard to make sure that doesn’t happen for them. There will be hard hitting, fast jamming, confusing penalties, all in all it’ll be Detroit Derby at it’s finest.

CR: Expect the unexpected; or seeing as how we’ve played against each other many times before….expect the expected.

What’s it like playing at the Masonic Temple?

KW: I’m really excited to be playing at the Masonic Temple this season. I think with the drill hall being much smaller than Cobo Arena, we can get back to that intimate feeling with the fans. The floor is pretty fun to skate and the fans sound much louder in the drill hall, and who doesn’t like that?

CR: It feels like home.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

KW: The Pistoffs like to slap on some black eyes and munch on Redvines while we get ready for battle. As for myself, my only rituals are to make sure my toe stops are properly secured and my helmet fits, because I always seem to have a problem with those.

CR: Two words. Manhattan sammich.

Any words for you fans?

KW: Fans should check out our Detroit Pistoff Facebook page to get all the info on the Rookies we picked up, and to tell us what kinds of things they’d like to see out of us this season, and of course all our fans should….GET PIST!!!

CR: I love you and if you give me burritos, I will love you more.

You can catch the Pistoffs in action this Saturday, November 19th at the Masonic Temple. Doors open at 6. Whistle blows at 7. Tickets are available online at BrownPaperTickets.com.

 

Spotlight: Fatal Femme & The Mad Hatcher Talk Guts, Glitter and Glory

Posted on November 16, 2011

It’s the final countdown to the Detroit Derby Girls 2012 Season Opener as we approach Saturday, November 19th. In just three short days you’ll see the D-Funk Allstars battle against 2011 Champions the Detroit Pistoffs.

We asked D-Funk captains, Fatal Femme and The Mad Hatcher, to take a breather from practice to answer a few questions for Spotlight.

 

What are you looking forward to most this season?

Fatal Femme: I’m looking forward to having fun this season! D-Funk is going to play hard, and enjoy every minute on and off the track. Fans, don’t you worry we will be bringing it! Also, I am so excited to have Hatcher as my assistant captain. I can’t wait to see her and the team excel this season! D-Funk would also like to welcome our new managers Eric of Ferndale and Luigi O’Rolly to the team!

The Mad Hatcher: Last year was kind of a tough season for us.  Any team that has taken home the championship trophy knows how hard it can be to live up to the pressure of winning.  This year, we’re focusing on having a good time on the track and giving our fans a great show.

Tell us about your rookies this year.

FF: Our rookies this year are going to kick butt! We got so lucky with the draft. Ally Sin Shoverland and Meryl Slaughterburgh are going to kill it this year. And not to mention we got Bytch Ryder from the Pistolwhippers in the draft, we are so happy to have the chance to have her on our team. Don’t be fooled by her pink helmet, she now bleeds green!

TMH: Fatal and I were jumping up and down and fist-pumping after this season’s draft because we got such amazing rookies on our team this year. Meryl is our quiet weapon. She is agile, persistent, and determined. Ally wore D-Funk green, zebra-striped hot pants for the draft party bout, so we knew we had made the right choice!  I am excited to have another skater on my team with an Alice in Wonderland-themed derby name, especially one so fearless and hardworking.
…And she’s no rookie, but we also got the tenacious veteran Bytch Ryder this year from the Pistolwhippers during season trades.  That gal looked pretty good in burgundy, but she is stunning in green.

What makes D-Funk different than the rest of the DDG teams?

FF: What makes D-Funk different from any other team is that we are Family! We would do anything for each other. I LOVE MY TEAM!

TMH: D-Funk’s motto is “All guts, all glitter.”  You may see us in the locker room before bouts listening to George Clinton and painting glittery stars on each others’ faces, but when the first whistle blows, we execute some of the hardest hits in the league.

You’re first game is this Saturday, November 19th against the Pistoffs. What can we expect?

FF: Our friends and fans are going to see D-Funk coming out swinging! We want it and were ready!

TMH: I’m so excited for this rematch.  Both D-Funk and the Pistoffs lost two great jammers this year (D-Funk’s Boo D. Livers went to the Pistolwhippers, and Pistoff’s Effin’ Money is no longer skating on a home team, putting her focus into the Detroit Derby Girls Allstars national travel team).  And we both got some great new rookies.  D-Funk has some serious underdog momentum, though, so the Pistoff’s better be ready to fight.

What’s it like playing at the historic Masonic Temple in Detroit?

Fatal: Playing at the Masonic Temple is like coming home after a long vacation. There are no words to explain the atmosphere, it is like no other venue I have ever seen.

Hatch: Dusty…but dang I love that place.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?

FF: My pre-game rituals are 1. Cleaning my wheels and equipment 2. I don’t go out the night before, I like to go to bed early and get to the Masonic early so iI can relax before I have to warm up. 3. I always talk to Roxanna Hardplace about what might happen, she is my voice of reason.

TMH: Whole-wheat apple pancakes, Best of Jay-Z on vinyl, and lime green glitter eye shadow

Any words for you fans?

FF: D-Funk fans please come out and support your Funkers and wear GREEN!

TMH: In our pre-season meeting, D-Funk committed to making this season all about our fans.  Thanks so much for all of the times you’ve come out to see us play.  If there is anything we can do to make the season better for you, please let us know!

Anything else you’d like to add?

FF:  I want to send a shout out to my mom and dad and to the Royal Oak American Legion Post #253. Thank you for all your support! Xoxo

Don’t miss the next rendition of Spotlight later this week featuring some of roller derby’s most “pist” women.

You can catch D-Funk Allstars’ guts, glitter and glory in action this Saturday, November 19th at the Masonic Temple. Doors open at 6. Whistle blows at 7. Tickets are available online at BrownPaperTickets.com.

 

Spotlight: Oi! Rish Talks Devil’s Night, Dames & 2012 Season

Posted on October 30, 2011

Tonight is Devil’s Night. So of course, we had to highlight a skater from the Devil’s Night Dames for our first Detroit Derby Girls “Spotlight” of the 2011-2012 season. We sat down with Oi! Rish #14, co-captain of the Dames, for a brief chat about roller derby, Devil’s Night and Detroit. We made sure not to bring up the English…

What are you looking forward to most this season?
This is my second season with the Dames and my first as co-captain, so I’m really looking forward to stepping into my new role with the team and working with all my teammates. We have two great coaches, Vicious Vixen and Dr. Rocktopus, who have a great wealth of information to give to the vets and the rookies. Many of the Dames spent the summer playing with Motor City Disassembly Line (MCDL) and we are ready to show the league what we can do.

Tell us about your rookies this year.
Our rookies are the best. We had our first team practice and I was utterly impressed by the rookies. I was so excited about this season’s draft because all of our Fresh Meat had such great attitudes and talent. The new Dames are fast, hard-hitting and smart skaters. They are Dames all the way. Terror Ettes is loud and powerful – a total badass. Daya the Dread is a ray of sunshine and is going to surprise people with some big hits. The Real Lousewife is little, fast, and witty. Sufferin’ SuckaBash is a super smart player and has mad skills. Doom Shakalaka is quiet but intense. She trains hard and it shows. We are crazy about our new derby sisters.

What makes the Devil’s Night Dames different that the rest of the DDG teams?
Can I just list off my roster?! These girls are oimazing! The Dames are a pretty young team, experience wise. I think this gives us an advantage because we have intensity and a fire. We are hungry. Also, the Dames are known for winning the after parties, especially when led by our amazing blocker and team secretary, Tess Tackles! She is the Martini Girl!

Your first game is Saturday, January 7th against D-Funk Allstars. What can we expect?
We are going to throw down.

Do you have any pre-game rituals?
The night before a bout, I make sure and eat some carb-y comfort food, something like pancakes, and I drink a lot of water. I try and sleep in and then grab lunch with my husband. I’m usually pretty geared up on bout day, so I need someone to keep me grounded. Yo-Yo usually calls me with a pep talk. She helps me get into game mode. I also have a terrible “Booty poppin’” playlist on my iPod that I like to listen to on the drive to the venue. I also have to wear my Irish flag derby skinz that Feta Sleeze had made for me  clean my wheels and I’m ready to go.

What do the Devil’s Night Dames do on Devil’s Night?
We do what we always do, create friendly mischief  

Any words for your fans?
Fire Up!

Anything else you’d like to add?
The Dames have lost one of our sisters this season. She is no longer skating with DDG. Betty Beretta, the Notorious B.E.T., is a warrior. We’ll miss you. The flat track won’t be the same without you.

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