Came across this promo video for this weekend’s Roller Derby Match in L.A., with The Sirens taking on the Varsity Brawlers. The Derby Shezilla animation is pretty high-end, check it out…

Pretty soon there going to have to hold Hell on Wheels at The Staples Center in L.A.

Thinking along those lines, if Nicholson is your resident courtsider for Lakers games, who would make a better permanent Hollywood fixture at L.A. Roller Derby bouts?

Joaquin Phoenix

…or BIlly Bob Thornton

Go ahead and cast your votes, or your write-in votes, in the comments. If you’re in the L.A. area this week and want more info (or want to track down Long Island Lolita for a roller skating jaunt on the Boardwalk) go to derbydolls.com.

Some cool hell on wheels news of the International persuasion, women’s flat-track squads from Birmingham (UK) and Stuttgart (Deutschland) will face off at the end of the month in Germany. The teams met in the first ever European cross-border battle in November ’08, with Birmingham giving Stuttgart the business, edging out a victory 81-75. They’ll rematch on Jan. 31 in the New Year’s Massacre.

Check out the Birmingham Blitz Derby Dames and Stuttgart Valley Roller Girlz team sites for more info

…Now, on to a plethora of what’s happening…

Border Wars: College Football Recruiting Battles (MoonDog Sports)
BAR IS SOMEWHAT ATTRACTIVE (What Would Tyler Durden Do)
UK Rugger Gets His License Suspended for Three Years for Drunk Driving (Telegraph)
Will Yankees Luxury Suite Controversy Topple Bloomberg Administration? (Deadspin)
Aziz Ansari, Comedian (Gothamist)
Top 10: Music Blogs to Read in 2009!… Including one of my personal favorites Earfarm (via Pop Candy)
Danny Granger’s Three at the Buzzer: ‘You’ve Got to Be Kidding Me’ (Fanhouse)
Lil Wayne on ESPN’s 1st and 10… The Whole 22 Minutes! (Phil Knows Best)
Unlike Josh Hamilton, Chris Andersen Is Comfortable In His Inky Skin (Tirico Suave)
Who will score down under? Australian Open women’s odds (Cuzoogle)
Jon Stewart on Gaza (NY Hoosier)
NFL Year In Review (Intentional Foul)
Bored? Let Diamond Dave get you through the day (9 to Fried)
Noelia’s got some serious backside (on205th)
CHEERLEADER CAPTION CONTEST: WIN A OKLAHOMA SOONERS GREATEST GAMES DVD (The World of Isaac)

Meet Devil Dan. The Syd Barrett of Roller Derby.

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I’ll admit, I didn’t love it when I initially learned that all roller girls competed under the guise of nicknames. It breaks a cardinal rule of sports integrity: don’t unnecessarily associate yourself with pro wrestling.

That was before I read any of them however. I believe it was Spinal Tap who said it best when they said, “there’s such a fine line between stupid and clever.” These are clever, in the 80′s porn star and metal groupy (two professions that survive – if not, thrive – today) sense. It’d be an appropriate time to mention that this poll is co-presented by Rafer Alston (formerly Skip 2 My Lu, from And1 Mix-Tape) and Brock Lesner.

I’ve nominated eight fierce, cleverly monikered, Hell on Wheels competitors below for you vote on, one from each of the teams that competed at last week’s WFTDA Roller Derby National Championship. Feel free to write-in other votes in the comments below – whether you’re a roller derby girl, or have a flair for low-brow creativity.

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Shared with everyone earlier in the week that The Women’s Flat Track Roller Derby Association National Championships are happening this weekend in Portland. (Also known as the Northwest Knockdown!)

If you are at all intrigued, I suggest you log-on to Derby News Network, who will be streaming live tournament action. The bouts kick-off tomorrow, at 6:30 p.m. EST.

Now, here’s a photo preview of what to look out for during Hell on Wheels culminating event of the year….

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The Roller Derby Revival gets cooler everyday. And if you don’t agree with me, I assure you I’m correct.

Just last weekend, a team from New York City called the Gotham Girls All-Stars competed in the Eastern Regional Championships at the Derby in Dairyland, in Madison, WI. Not only have they embraced Batman’s nom de guerre for NYC, but they won the tournament, so apparently they’re dirty.

This weekend, the 2008 WFTDA season stampedes into the capital city of the derby revival – Austin, TX – for the TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls Calvello Cup Championship.

Giving it its due recognition, COEDMagazine.com pieced together a photo album that shows the softer side of hell on wheels. Here are some of the goodies…

…and, Yikes!

Check out more here.

Links:
Coed Magazine – Ridiculously Rad Rollergirls
MySpace – Gotham Girls Roller Derby
TXRD Lonestar Rollergirls

A major event of the WFTDA season takes place this weekend, with 12 of the top derby squads on the East Coast meeting in Wisconsin for the annual Derby in Dairyland. A shot at the Nationals in November at stake.

True to form, this tournament plans to offer more than just fine Hell on Wheels competition, with live music, dancing, and coerced trips to roughhouse saloons i’m sure being offered. So, if you’re in the Madison area – go gallivant. (I would!)

Host and notoriously charitable team, the Mad Rollin’ Dolls, will be auctioning off plastered busts of several of the team members’ chests during the weekend as well. The proceeds go to benefit breast cancer awareness. Here’s the model of the Mad Rollins’ Chop Suzzy.

More info on Derby in Dairyland can be had at www.derbyindairyland.com. Check out this video of the Mad Rollin’ Dolls giving a tour of the city of Madison below…

Links:

Derby in Dairyland rolls art and music into flat track festival (The Daily Page)
Photos – Derby Team Plasters Cancer

Just because the track is no longer slanted, does not mean the semantics of competition can’t be. For example, instead of conventional cheerleaders hell on wheels has….jeerleaders!

OR, even better, fearleaders!

These diabolical pep mavens are sort of a cross between the Knicks City Dancers (if they were all tatted up) and the creatures that comprise the Raiders fan base.

No better way to get acquainted with them than watching a dance off! Here are LA Derby Dolls Fearleaders facing off against the Gotham City Jeerleaders at last year’s RollerCon…

WWE’s Mickie James on Psych

Hell on wheels hits cable tonight, as this week’s episode of Psych features show star Maggie Lawson and WWE Diva Mickie James playing roller girls.

The apropos titled ep Talk Derby to Me also features a couple of the L.A. Derby Dolls, and had the Vancouver Derby squad on-set to consult on the action.

In a recent interview, James told TheDeadbolt.com,

I have a newfound respect for [derby girls] because, like I said before, the Vancouver roller-derby team was there with us showing us different stuff…I didn’t realize that they were as tough and that; they get out there and they pretty much beat each other up a little bit. I respect that being an athlete myself and getting beat up and beating people up all of the time.

Yeah, she’s crazy. Love it.

All I cared to know about Psych before this was that Dorn is on it. But I can’t pass up roller derby’s first return to the small screen since Charlie’s Angels! I’ll tivo. Look for my reaction on twitter around 10 a.m. tomorrow, while I’m enjoying this with a bloody mary and a breakfast of bacon.

The new episode of Pysch premieres tonight on USA at 10 p.m. ET.

Link:

Roller Skating into Psych with WWE Diva Mickie James
Charlie’s Angels “Death on Wheels”