SB Nation User Blog: matto619

San Diego Derby Dolls Bout!

matto619 — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 02:58:28 -0000

Last week, SD Steve and I were at the Tilted Kilt for an event with 619 Sports. In addition to the San Diego Sockers Indoor Soccer team being in attendance, the local roller derby team was there -- The San Diego Derby Dolls. Lucky for Steve and I, the girls were nice enough to give us free tickets to attend their next bout (yes, they really call it a bout) at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

And with that, we have the following report, complete with blurry action pics and some video!

For those who aren't familiar with it or who didn't see Drew Barrymore's Whip It, roller derby is an awesome sport where girls race around a track on skates and beat the crap out of each other while doing it. Seriously, it rules. Speaking of rules, you can view the rules of the game here at the Derby Dolls website. They do a much better job of explaining it than I ever could.

The event itself was very well-attended, with people supporting both teams sitting at floor level or in VIP bleachers. There was never a dull moment with some sweet music pumping coupled with the nonstop action of girls skating and getting all kinds of nasty with each other. Very un-ladylike. Below are the blurry pics I promised.

Warming up before the craziness begins

via lh4.ggpht.com

A view of the hot buttery action from the floor

via lh5.ggpht.com

Late in the bout, the Derby Dolls came back from a double-digit deficit. This really got the crowd going and the Dolls were able to capitalize on that energy and secure the victory over the visiting team from Silicon Valley. Here's the last jam in video form, it's a fun 2 minutes:

When it was over, members of both teams mingled and shook hands, showing off the camaraderie that comes with such an intense sport. Here's a pic of both teams looking sweaty, scary, and sexy all at the same time:

via lh6.ggpht.com

I also was able to finagle a pic with one of the combatants, a very nice Derby Doll named Slamurai. She is best-known for her butt block, according to her bio. If that doesn't get you excited to go see roller derby in person, I don't know what will.

I'm now Slamurai's #1 fan

via lh6.ggpht.com

The next bout for the Derby Dolls is January 23rd against Arizona, again in Del Mar. Buy some tickets or I'll sick Slamurai on you and she'll butt-block you to death (not kidding).

Attention: Do NOT buy this shirt

matto619 — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:14:13 -0000

Attention: Do NOT buy this shirt

Unless it's for an ironic Halloween costume, then it's OK

Goodbye Clinton Hart

matto619 — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:57:28 -0000

Goodbye Clinton Hart

Clinton Hart has been released -- ka via SDUTChargers on Twitter

Cletis Gordon cut

matto619 — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:46:26 -0000

Cletis Gordon cut

Cletis Gordon has been cut by the Chargers, sources said.

It is unclear what the team's plan is for their fourth corner spot. Gordon got a second-round tender in the spring, meaning he was to have earned $1.545 million in 2009.

Kerry Rhodes on Twitter and social media - from Shutdown Corner

matto619 — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:29:50 -0000

Kerry Rhodes on Twitter and social media - from Shutdown Corner

Good read. He mentions the playful jabbering Ocho and Merriman do.

Response to Jay Posner's 7/31 Media Article

matto619 — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 18:18:25 -0000

Note: this is also posted at Gaslamp Ball.

OK, so today's rant by me, a Gaslamp Baller since inception (almost), is in regards to this article in the UT by Jay Posner about new media. I know only about 1,000 very old people read it in print, but I'm irked about it anyway. This weekly article, normally dedicated to a local TV and radio roundup, decided to have its main focus on the new career paths of Craig Elsten and Chris Ello, two failed (I will use some form of this word frequently, by the way) San Diego radio sportscasters/drive time hosts/failures.

Posner used to cover these two failures who, ahem, "dominated" the AM radio airwaves in San Diego offering their scorching opinions on San Diego sports before getting canned earlier this year. Naturally, these failures, like Posner and anybody even remotely connected to an old media job, have turned to this newfangled internet thing to connect with their intended consumer. That is all well and good, and should absolutely be commended for its truly innovative thinking, no matter how many years (bordering on decades) late they are to the game.

The article mentions that the failures believe this is "where the media business is headed." Oh really, ya think?

Gaslamp Ball, a site that has been around since 2005 (way longer than the super cleverly-titled 619sports by those failures mentioned above), is the ultimate and predominant site on the internet for all things Padres, as all of you know. What the tag team of Craig and Chris think they're doing and making waves at, Dexter Bustarde and Jonathan Box [pseudonym] have already been doing for almost 5 years.

In addition to blogging about everything from game recaps to their favorite players to poor coaching and front office decisions, they've even managed to score some great interviews with the likes of Paul DePodesta, and left field bleachers icon "Harry the Heckler."

And it's not like they were the first ones to write their opinions about a sports team on the internet, either. Mr. Jay Posner, this absolutely is not groundbreaking stuff here! Just because two radio failures start some crappy website and figured out how to do a podcast is NOT news!

You should already be aware that the fans of this generation are migrating to more on demand and creative needs. Aren't you in charge of Kevin Acee, the incredibly brilliant San Diego Chargers beat writer? I mean, you must have noticed all the sweet new exclusive video content he's been posting, his willingness to connect with readers via the mailbag, and especially his kickass haircut?

Speaking of the Chargers, they've also got a dedicated site on the same network as Gaslamp Ball. How about that? Bolts from the Blue, which has also been around longer than the site of the failures, gives its own fresh take on the Bolts with instantaneous reactions and analysis from some extraordinarily smart individuals. They even landed an interview with the newly-drafted Louis Vasquez. Pretty cool, right? Give it a read sometime, Jay.

So Jay, when you talk about San Diego sports and new media, you might want to consider that this is something that has already been going on for many years now and it'd definitely behoove you to make note of it.

Regards,

Matt

Response to Jay Posner's 7/31 media article

matto619 — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 18:10:35 -0000

OK, so today's rant by me, a Gaslamp Baller since inception (almost), is in regards to this article in the UT by Jay Posner about new media. I know only about 1,000 very old people read it in print, but I'm irked about it anyway. This weekly article, normally dedicated to a local TV and radio roundup, decided to have its main focus on the new career paths of Chris Elsten and Craig Ello, two failed (I will use some form of this word frequently, by the way) San Diego radio sportscasters/drivetime hosts/failures.

The article mentions that the failures believe this is "where the media business is headed." Oh really, ya think?

Regards,

Matt

Harry the Heckler's going to go to town on Manny

matto619 — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 02:38:28 -0000

Harry the Heckler's going to go to town on Manny

"Oh, it’s going to be a lot of fun"

Shawne Merriman might literally kill somebody on the field this year

matto619 — Fri, 01 May 2009 06:49:27 -0000

Shawne Merriman might literally kill somebody on the field this year

"This year is literally going to be about unleashing," Shawne Merriman said. "Unleashing so much I've got pent up in me."

Chargers release Dejaun Tribble and Scott Chandler

matto619 — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:36:02 -0000