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Blog posts by David Eduardo

Classic City Rollergirls Off-Season Update

Blog: Culture Briefs

Photo Credit: Bill Ruhsam/Flickr

It has been a busy off-season for the Classic City Rollergirls. The team has elected a new captain (Louis Strongarm) and once again endured attrition, losing important members of the 2014 squad to retirement (Amy T. Ville) and the Division I league in Atlanta (Human Missile Crisis and High Jinxx). Those are tough skates to fill.

By David Eduardo | November 24, 2014
Classic City Rollergirls vs. Greenville Recap

Blog: Culture Briefs

If you missed Saturday night’s matchup between our Classic City Rollergirls and the visiting Greenville Derby Dames, you’ll have to wait until next year to catch women’s flat track roller derby at the Classic Center. The 2014 season came to an end in front of a nearly sold-out crowd that witnessed some pretty memorable jamming, and an impressive yoga demo at halftime.

By David Eduardo | August 25, 2014
Classic City Rollergirls vs. Bowling Green Recap

Blog: Culture Briefs

By David Eduardo | July 23, 2014
Classic City Rollergirls vs. Dixie Derby Girls Recap

Blog: Culture Briefs

Photo Credit: Gene Rabin

Last Saturday morning, the Classic City Rollergirls caravanned through the North Georgia hills and Cumberland Plateau, over more than 230 rural highway miles, to face the heavily favored Dixie Derby Girls in Huntsville, AL. CCRG lost by five points in a heartbreaker to Dixie last season in Athens. When the team took the concrete track shortly after 6 p.m. at the National Speleological Society Conference Center, they showed no signs of being road-weary—or the least bit intimidated.

Both squads went scoreless in the evening’s first jam, setting the tone for the entire bout. These were defensive-minded, physical skaters, unafraid to mix it up in the pack. Classic City quickly acclimated themselves to the opposition and track conditions. High Jinxxx scored seven hard-earned points during her second jam, followed by an impressive 14-point scoring effort by pivot Elizabeth Impaler after jammer Louis Strongarm had the presence of mind to pass the scoring star to her teammate.

By David Eduardo | June 10, 2014
Classic City Rollergirls Doubleheader Recap

Blog: Culture Briefs

Photo Credit: T.O. Lawrence

Saturday night, if you had picked the right entrance at the Classic Center, you’d be rewarded with the chance to crash a small, hopeful wedding before dodging a large contingent of tandem bicycle enthusiasts from around the world attending a mixer in the hallway. Evidently these narrow, two walled spaces can be leased. For your next awkward event.

Finally, in a ballroom that wasn’t hosting a high school graduation ceremony, there was roller derby.

By David Eduardo | June 2, 2014
Classic City Rollergirls Doubleheader Preview

Blog: Culture Briefs

The 2014 season is officially in full swing for our hometown Classic City Rollergirls. Since we last checked in with the ladies in green and black, they’ve played three exciting bouts far away from the friendly confines of the Classic Center.

CCRG’s road trip began May 3 at the Columbia County Exhibition Center just outside of Augusta, where they participated in the six-team Low Down Throw Down tournament. The team had the unenviable task of getting fired up for a 10 a.m. bout against the hostess Soul City Sirens. Maybe they should schedule all their bouts just after breakfast. CCRG, led by the MVP-jamming of Louis Strongarm and an impressive performance from newcomer Phat Amy, dispatched of Augusta 170-116, in an amazing, come-from-behind victory. The team trailed by as many as 38 points early in the bout but refused to quit.

Unfortunately the ladies tasted not only the thrill of victory but also the agony of defeat in Augusta. Birmingham-based Tragic City Rollers, led by stand-out jammer (and maybe total psycho) Mad Villain along with some bulldozing, lane-opening blocking from Eiffel Power, defeated Classic City 96-75 in a grinding, defensive battle. Being the second half of a double-header, fatigue was obviously a factor for both teams.

More after the jump.

By David Eduardo | May 30, 2014
Classic City Rollergirls vs. Chattanooga Recap

Blog: Culture Briefs

Photo Credit: Caleb Joiner

It was a tale of two halves at the Classic Center Saturday. Fueled by a seemingly never-ending stream of power jams, the visiting team from Chattanooga jumped out to a comfortable first-half lead. The Classic City Rollergirls collected too many penalties, while their opponent’s strong three jammer rotation of Rocket Kitty, Drop Dead Gorgeous and Gisele Bludgeon took advantage of the unforced errors en route to a 64-15 lead before CCRG made strategic adjustments.

Enter Super Smash Fro. Earlier in the week, the standout skater, who spent most of 2013 benched with injuries, was named to the prestigious 2014 Team Georgia squad. With the match slipping away from CCRG, she lined up in the jammer position and plowed her way to the hometown team’s first ten point jam of the evening, narrowing the gap to 67-25, advantage Chattanooga. The crowd went nuts. Unfortunately, CCRG was unable to sustain the momentum and went into halftime down 97-52.

The second half started with High Jinxxx picking up lead jammer status and four quick points before smartly calling off the jam. A few minutes into the half, Louis Strongarm, later named MVP Jammer, had the strongest jam of any Classic City skater, picking up 15 hard-earned points. Fans furiously stomped the bleachers. The bars sold more Pabst. Chattanooga’s big lead was evaporating.

Unfortunately, it was another episode of too little, too late with the furious rally from our hometown team falling just short, with the final score Chattanooga 170, Classic City 139.

CCRG will participate in the six-team Low Down Throw Down Saturday May 3rd in Augusta, GA.

By David Eduardo | April 22, 2014
Classic City Rollergirls vs. Chattanooga Roller Girls Preview

Blog: Culture Briefs

A CCRG billboard looms over West Broad Street.

Saturday night, the hometown Classic City Rollergirls are set to battle their counterparts from Chattanooga, and for familiar reasons, they have their work cut out for them.

Chattanooga bested Classic City last season, 128-107. This season the Tennessee team is off to a 1-1 start, having split a home-and-home series with the Bowling Green, KY-based Vette City Vixens. Led by standout blocker Tasty Murder and a pair of high-powered jammers, Gisselle Bludgeon and (recent Knoxville transfer) Drop Dead Gorgeous, the road team looks to improve their record and, at the very least, preserve their No. 122 WFTDA (Women’s Flat Track Derby Association) ranking.

More after the jump.

By David Eduardo | April 18, 2014