Field Theory by Hadyn Green

It's a shame that it seems Richter City is actively trying to discourage individualism with their new uniforms - everyone dressing exactly the same, so it's much harder to tell who's who. I say boo to that.

Richter City Rulz!

It’s worth noting that in a World Cup year, no rugby player won any award.

I have a feeling that the RWC is the worst ever thing to happen to rugby in New Zealand.
We have gone from the focus of the game being a rural pastime and focal point of many communities to just another business run buy faceless men in suits selling concessions to Big Alcohol. I will be leaving town for the duration.
And, yeah. Roller Derby is way cool.
Oh and Joanna, the point of a uniform is in its uniformity. ;-)

And now the only competition that means anything is the RWC. And if we didn't/don't win it we're failures!

& Harry Musgrave -

I do not like team sports. Never have done BUT-
for those of my family & friends who did ,
they used to be fun! And community oriented! And a fairly harmless way for most people to demonstrate tribalism. Annnnd a way that helped connect both Maori & Pakeha - especially in decades/centuries gone by.

The commercialisation of almost anything wrecks ordinary citizens' pleasure in the thing/activity/whatever.

Back to Quotesville

Take for example FIFA, which has effectively taken charge of South Africa for the World Cup. Along with the International Olympic Committee, FIFA is sport’s Wall Street and Pentagon combined. They have this power because host politicians believe the “international prestige” of their visitation will bring economic and promotional benefits, especially to themselves. I was reminded of this watching a documentary by the South African director Craig Tanner, Fahrenheit 2010. His film is not opposed to the World Cup, but reveals how ordinary South Africans, whose game is football, have been shoved aside, dispossessed and further impoverished so that a giant TV façade can be erected in their country.

Pilger again.

Oh and Joanna, the point of a uniform is in its uniformity.

Which is exactly the OPPOSITE of what Roller Derby was when it started in Wellington. It used to be oh yeah, so you're not exactly sporty - maybe you're fat, maybe you've never played team sports before, maybe you're of a sexual orientation you've been discriminated against for before - well whatever, you're in derby now.

It seemed to me that individuality was an essential part of the piece - from the first skater's "Pageant" sash that fell off on the track and caused a hazard to Suffer Jet show-boating to a fall on her ass, because that's the way derby was played. There was no question that derby was a serious sport once you heard about their training schedules and everything. But seriously, if derby becomes all about THE TEAM TOGETHER AND NOTHING BUT THE TEAM you are going to lose the very crowd of weirdos, misfits and hipsters that the sport appealed to in the first place. Good luck filling the TSB area after they're gone.

But then you get skaters like Kate Baker (formerly Thigh Voltage). Taking her own name, and in full support of the more "athletic-style" uniforms. Individualism can happen inside of the team structure, as long as they are allowed to stand out (and that will require a small shift for the league).

No one misses Skandal Lass or Miss Savage or Princess Slayer or Suffer Jet on the track, simply because of the way they play rather than what they wear (Jet notably has never been much of a costume wearer other than the stripe of "war paint" across her eyes). Whereas players like Tuff Bikkies and, to a lesser extent, Braxton Kicks are doing some great work with little recognition from the crowd, because they choose to be a little more anonymous.

To be honest, I don't see the hipsters or rockers or punks, that were at the first bouts, at the recent ones. Too popular now for them maybe? Not worth being seen at the derby anymore? And if they were just there to see crazy costumes skating around, maybe they weren't ever really the target.

And as the teams themselves have slightly toned down the crowd has risen to the occasion. But we'd like more. We are constantly trying to encourage fans to come along in costumes, outfits, and bring signs (we give you prizes!).

No one misses Skandal Lass or Miss Savage or Princess Slayer or Suffer Jet on the track, simply because of the way they play rather than what they wear (Jet notably has never been much of a costume wearer other than the stripe of “war paint” across her eyes). Whereas players like Tuff Bikkies and, to a lesser extent, Braxton Kicks are doing some great work with little recognition from the crowd, because they choose to be a little more anonymous.

No one misses Skandal Lass or Princess Slayer because they're both about 7 feet tall in skates (plus fine skaters, it's fair to say). They don't need costumes to stand out from the crowd because they do.

Suffer Jet has never done costumes? Have you already forgotten the 'Suffer' flash?, the shiny, shiny helmet?

Don't know that I disagree with your conclusion, but question some of your working.

PS. Tuff Bikkies get bags of recognition, don't let me hear you say otherwise.

I would like to watch Roller Derby sometime. And I have seen a sign-written car around Whangarei which suggests there is a team from here but never heard anything about it otherwise so I don't know whether they play here or travel to Auckland to play. Guess I should google it.

1981 again? How much to obtain a heli licence?