I skate in the Memphis Roller Derby, and this has to be one of the most poorly written articles I have read in a long time. Firstly, if you are going to write about anything perhaps you should get your facts straight. This is not some "free for all" where women go out dressed like hookers and beat each other up. Second, there are a huge set of rules, and regulations to this sport. You write "This often leads to punching, kicking, tripping", well it doesn't. Any of these three things would put you in the penalty box or throw you out of the game. Your attempt to demean something you didn't even bother to properly research only hows off your lack of professional skill. It would be almost the equivalent of writing an article about baseball and saying "well they have all these bats, they must beat the tar out of each other with them" Third, you state about derby's history "then was briefly popular in the ’70s fading into obscurity as pro wrestling was making a comeback" this is also totally inaccurate. Roller Derby was so popular in the 70's three motion pictures were based on it, one starring Raquel Welch. (not to mention pro wrestling's comeback happened in the early 80's, not in the 70's) There were also several national television shows based on roller derby in the 80's and 90's... remember "Rollergames"? Finally the thing that sickens me the most about this article is it's totally judgmental attitude about a sport the author obviously has prejudged and never really cared for in the first place. (I wonder if he even talked to a single person involved in it) What you deem as some sort of violence for the masses is in reality a huge family of hard working women who give countless hours for the love of the sport. It's a privilege to skate with these women week after week. And if you still don't think it's a sport, lets see you strap on a par of skates and beat someone around the track like Suzy Hotrod, Irene Business, or Akilles Wheel.
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cassandrachiles writes:
I skate in the Memphis Roller Derby, and this has to be one of the most poorly written articles I have read in a long time. Firstly, if you are going to write about anything perhaps you should get your facts straight. This is not some "free for all" where women go out dressed like hookers and beat each other up. Second, there are a huge set of rules, and regulations to this sport. You write "This often leads to punching, kicking, tripping", well it doesn't. Any of these three things would put you in the penalty box or throw you out of the game. Your attempt to demean something you didn't even bother to properly research only hows off your lack of professional skill. It would be almost the equivalent of writing an article about baseball and saying "well they have all these bats, they must beat the tar out of each other with them" Third, you state about derby's history "then was briefly popular in the ’70s fading into obscurity as pro wrestling was making a comeback" this is also totally inaccurate. Roller Derby was so popular in the 70's three motion pictures were based on it, one starring Raquel Welch. (not to mention pro wrestling's comeback happened in the early 80's, not in the 70's) There were also several national television shows based on roller derby in the 80's and 90's... remember "Rollergames"? Finally the thing that sickens me the most about this article is it's totally judgmental attitude about a sport the author obviously has prejudged and never really cared for in the first place. (I wonder if he even talked to a single person involved in it) What you deem as some sort of violence for the masses is in reality a huge family of hard working women who give countless hours for the love of the sport. It's a privilege to skate with these women week after week. And if you still don't think it's a sport, lets see you strap on a par of skates and beat someone around the track like Suzy Hotrod, Irene Business, or Akilles Wheel.
Share your thoughts
Comments are the sole responsibility of the person posting them. You agree not to post comments that are off topic, defamatory, obscene, abusive, threatening or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be banned. Click here for our full user agreement.