I first saw the Outlaws in Santa Cruz three years ago, playing the Santa Cruz Roller Girl Allstars at the Santa Cruz Civic.
Two of my favorite skaters from that bout were Grr Lee Burley and Taxi Scab. (Am I allowed to have favorite skaters on the opposing team? Well, allowed or not, I do!)
Grrr Lee Burly (Burly Bot) is a favorite mostly because she skates fast!
The following year, she changed her name to Burly Bot and she retired after play last year (sigh).
And then, there's Taxi Scab. B.A.D.Girls recently announced she is retiring and apparently she has a reputation for putting the bad in B.A.D.Girls (https://www.facebook.com/bayareaderbygirls/posts/10150776659910045).
Three years ago, I was taking photos between the jammer and pivots lines.
I believe it was the very first jam, Taxi Scab got a major penalty. I don't know what for, or even if it was deserved or not. What I remember is a rolling ball of flailing arms and very loud expletives I could easily hear from the opposite side of the track as she made her way to the penalty box.
I stared at her drop-jawed as she sat down in the penalty box, thinking,
"oh!
oh my!
Now, there's a girl that's comfortable with anger!"
Now, Bay Area fans probably know their history better than I do... but I should probably try to put this in historical context. This bout occurred a few months before the national tournament held in Portland, Oregon (the Northwest Knockdown), where Bay Area launched a "We're Nice" campaign, an attempt at self-reform and to convince the world that they weren't really that bad by wearing gold and black bandanas saying, "We're nice!"
Since then the "We're Nice" campaign has slightly evolved to "We're Nice, but not to you (no, really)" at last year's Western Regional Tournament.
Anyway, here's my little roast/toast to Taxi Scab I left on the Bay Area facebook announcement.
This photograph documents an important moment for Santa Cruz roller derby and for its fans. Santa Cruz had defeated all comers in the last 5 bouts at the Civic. But on that day, the 31st anniversary of Elvis' death, Santa Cruz had their ass handed to them by the Outlaws. And Taxi Scab's raised middle finger provided the exclamation point to Santa Cruz fans' hard lesson. The Santa Cruz Roller (Derby) Girls are just one little bright star in a big big derby universe.
So, let's all raise a glass of PBR with a shot of Maker's Mark on Taxi Scab's retirement!
(and just a few more photos from that bout three years ago)
oh, and hey! Are you going to tomorrow's bout? It's super-heroes and girls on skates! It's going to be effin' awesome!
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