Just goes to show you don't know...This past weekend the Jet City Bombers when down to Centrailia's (exactly between Portland and the Washington capital of Olympia) Rainy City Rollergirls. Ms. Unshine and her husband (Ray of Unshine) picked me up and we headed to West Seattle where I turned in a picture to be framed and we enjoyed some delicious food from the Bakery Nouveau - which always has a line out the door (and for very good reasons!) We picked up Arson and somehow traffic was abse
nt around Tacoma/Fort Lewis (which usually adds at least 45 minutes to your commute) and we ended up in Centrailia an hour earlier than we expected. And what a cute little sleep town it was. And sad. More than half of the storefronts were empty. There was a sense that you were in your aunt trunk in the attic. It was quaint and charming but musty and forgotten at the same time. We found a tchotchke shop that sold espresso (for $.50 a shot! So cheap! She forgot to charge for the cup and water!) We walked around. Had our coffee and headed to the bout.
nt around Tacoma/Fort Lewis (which usually adds at least 45 minutes to your commute) and we ended up in Centrailia an hour earlier than we expected. And what a cute little sleep town it was. And sad. More than half of the storefronts were empty. There was a sense that you were in your aunt trunk in the attic. It was quaint and charming but musty and forgotten at the same time. We found a tchotchke shop that sold espresso (for $.50 a shot! So cheap! She forgot to charge for the cup and water!) We walked around. Had our coffee and headed to the bout.It was a strange bout - nothing like we expected. I mean honestly I figured we would clobber them. Not that it wouldn't be a tough bout - I'm not that egotistic but I had no idea how badly they wanted it (though our coaches had an idea.) The bout was tough and intense but it was more frustrating and strange was the skaters were horrible sportswomen. They brought a lot of antagonism. They played dirty -like laying out our jammer after the 4th whistle blew (which ends play) or hitting people illegally. Their captain tried to start a fight with our captain on the sidelines (WHAT?!). This kind of play just got us amped up and we lowered our play to their level. We were angry. We were distracted. We didn't play our game.
Not that we didn't try to clean it up and gain control the game. And we started the second half in control. They also closed the point gap and started to distract us again. It was just so antagonistic. I was glad the game was over (thought I played a great game). I was glad we won and it was done. We all went out as a team for burgers and beers and most of us went home not wanting to go to their after party. But one skater - Precious & Metal - did go to the after party (after dinner) and of course was the good ambassador that you're suppose to be in derby. And she learned a lot. She learned that this team played like this to make it interesting for their fans. They knew we were going to clobber them so they put out all they could. We both had the same discussions at halftime. We both wanted to play a cleaner game. They wanted to be respected. They wanted to be friends as the end of the day. And truly, it was a couple of rotten apples who ruined it for most of us. But they expected us to be at the after party - and leave it out on the track.
And we should have. Because that's what derby is all about... playing hard. Leaving it on the track. Having beers afterwards.
The sisterhood.
You shouldn't forget that.
A write up about the bout:
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