FYeah, Roller Derby Zebra

Updates when I can--which is to say, my goal is three times week.   The derby zebra is an elusive beast, travelling in packs of 7, or more, munching on meat, vegetables, and the tears and profanity of the derby skaters that employ them.   • Facebook • Twitter • Twitter   Want to see other roller derby memes?   Roller Derby Otter Fresh Meat Otter What would Suzy Hotrod do? Roller Derby Dictionary FYeah Roller Derby NSO (Thank you to the other memes that link here!)   Want to submit your own FYRDZ? Submit here.

[cobrakaiderbycoach-deactivated2]

I haven’t posted a mass confusion shenanigan like this in a while. This is perfectly legal as long as there’s only one jammer behind the line with a cover on when the whistle blows. A variation would be to have everyone do the same thing in Pivot covers. Four step forward and keep the covers on (there is no penalty for too many Pivots, three will be asked to remove them) while the 5th steps back and removes her Pivot cover, revealing a Jammer cover. Before you comment: I don’t want to hear it about throwing the covers. They could just as easily put them in their pockets.

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

This is fantastic and I love it. Legal, completely harmless shenanigans? Oh, so good.

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

This is still legit. I wanna see it.

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

This didn’t stop being a thing, did it? Not for me it didn’t. 

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

this dank meme, modified from my original submitted by jay raw

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

The Zebra| By Kerry Fraser

Mistakes will be made. Calls will be missed. Players will do dumb things. No matters what happens out there, when it’s all said and done, the players line up and look one another in the eye. You shake the hand of the man who was trying to kill you for seven games.

"I think the biggest misconception people have about refs is that they don’t have empathy for the players. But I really believe in my heart that it’s the exact opposite. Are we generally control freaks by nature? Of course. There’s an element of that. But I think the reason we dedicate our lives to this profession is because we have a tremendous amount of empathy for what the players put their bodies through night after night."

And--"I had to make a decision. In referee school, they hammer it into you: Call what you see. Don’t guess. The honest to God truth is, I didn’t see it. I had to eat it. I said, 'No penalty.'"

This article gives me feels. I don't need feels right now, so, I'm putting it on the Tumblr feelz machine like the internet-based dope I am. Read the whole thing--totally worth it. Very true for derby officiating, and I'm sure most of my cohorts will agree. h/t Thistle B Painful

[derbyref]

When I’m scorekeeping and focusing on my jammer ref

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

As a referee of many years and an NSO of many more prior to that--I’d like to say a profound and heartfelt thing to my fellows in pink, blue, and miscellaneous (depending on game and crew):

THANK YOU.

I don’t think as many people believe the NSOs do as much as the referees because they’re not out front-and-center, and I’d like to dispel that rumor. Yes, they’re doing a focused job that isn’t as flashy as what we do in stripes but my GOD yes. Good NSOs are worth their weight in platinum-pressed rare earth metals because we couldn’t do it without you. The leagues that are hoping for their sanctioned games couldn’t do it without you. The referees? Well, without you, what we do doesn’t matter--because your jobs are what make everything actually official. So. Just. Yes.

Keep being awesome, NSOs. We love you.

[cobrakaiderbycoach-deactivated2]

It’s time.

I have a confession to make. My real name is Bob Smithington. I’m a human just like you. I have arms and legs. The only scales on my body are really skinny long ones that stick out of my head and I spend all day pushing them into shapes with my hands.

[cobrakaiderbycoach-deactivated2]

Hahahaha! Got you all so good! April Fools! I’m a snake.

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

oh my ggod thank zebus (the zebra jesus fyi) i was really worried all day

[cobrakaiderbycoach-deactivated2]

It’s time.

I have a confession to make. My real name is Bob Smithington. I’m a human just like you. I have arms and legs. The only scales on my body are really skinny long ones that stick out of my head and I spend all day pushing them into shapes with my hands.

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

this has been the world’s worst april folls because i don’t know if this is true or not and if so it has ruined my sspension of disbelief

[derbyref]

When the player doesn’t know they’re in the box for 2 penalties and tries to stand up after 20 seconds

[cobrakaiderbycoach-deactivated2]

Nope. Silently stop their clock. Wait for them to figure it out and sit back down. Then start timing them again.

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

WFTDA Officiating Standard Practices:

“If not timing a penalty for any reason (Skater is not sitting, Skater entered the Penalty Box from the wrong direction, etc.), the Penalty Box Official must communicate this to the Skater.” Generally heard around my region: “Black 123, your timing has stopped.” Though it would be really funny to be silent in cases like that. “WHAT IS GOING ON WHY AREN’T I RELEASED YET”

[zebraskew]

Or, if we use the official verbal cues: VERBAL CUE: “TIMING STOPPED FOR TEAM COLOR, SKATER NUMBER” Description: The Penalty Box Officials will instruct a Skater that they have stopped their penalty time by stating “Timing Stopped” followed by the Skater’s team color and then charter number.

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

Ah yeah, fair. Only looked at the practices document. It’s been a while since I penalty box’d. Looking forward to it at an event later this year. :)

Edit: Looking at it, it’s weird that the ONLY cue that the box has that has the cue and then the skater color and and number in this order is this one. Wonder what the rationale behind that was. Probably another “don’t confuse the skaters” strategy.

[derbyref]

When the player doesn’t know they’re in the box for 2 penalties and tries to stand up after 20 seconds

[cobrakaiderbycoach-deactivated2]

Nope. Silently stop their clock. Wait for them to figure it out and sit back down. Then start timing them again.

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

WFTDA Officiating Standard Practices:

“If not timing a penalty for any reason (Skater is not sitting, Skater entered the Penalty Box from the wrong direction, etc.), the Penalty Box Official must communicate this to the Skater.” Generally heard around my region: “Black 123, your timing has stopped.” Though it would be really funny to be silent in cases like that. “WHAT IS GOING ON WHY AREN’T I RELEASED YET”

[cobrakaiderbycoach-deactivated2]

Point Of No Return change

Point Of No Return change

In classic WFTDA fashion, they tried to fix one thing and ended up breaking a different thing. Then took a year to fix it. According to the folks at one of my favorite ref forums, this is an official rules clarification from WFTDA, announced yesterday: “Rules Committee statement on Point of No Return: The 2015 revision to 6.1.1.1, when paired with 6.2.2.1.1, created an unintended application of the Point of No Return. The 2015 revision to 6.1.1.1 was in respect to scoring points and not the Point of No Return. Therefore, 6.2.2.1.1 should now read as: 6.2.2.1.1 If, after receiving the appropriate hand signal and verbal cue, all parts of a penalized Skater have passed beyond the Point of No Return (see Glossary), the Skater must skate all the way around the track in order to enter the box from the appropriate counter-clockwise direction.” http://www.zebrahuddle.com/index.php?topic=1723.15 What does this mean to you?  Last season whether or not you’d passed the point of no return was based on where you were when the penalty happened. Now it’s based on where you are when the ref finishes announcing the penalty.

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

Late on the conversation here. Anyway--yeah, it’s one of those things where I don’t think any official I work with cares one way or another, and let it be decided by Theory, which is kind of their jobs. So. Yeah.  The question: “At what point should the skater be told to skate around when on the track, regarding the Point of No Return?” The rules as written without context: “Where the penalty occurred.” as per 6.1.1.1.1.1.1.1 and 6.2.2.1.1. Which seemed to make sense. The rules as written with this context: “The penalty and ‘off the track’ were only supposed to be for point-scoring--so, whenever they get the cue.” Oh, ok. Well, that makes sense too. I dunno, I’m pretty ambivalent on this stuff--I just want to make sure I’m doing it correctly as per the flow of the game as decided by people above me. I just want to make sure it’s consistent. And now it’s consistent as per Theory. 

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

If Adele sang about Derby

Hello, it’s me You were wondering if after all these jams I’d like to tweet To rebuke all these things They say that weren't a penalty But I’m done with arguing Hello, can you hear me? I’m on the outside of the track seeing your calamity You’d like to hit folks and be free But the rules say otherwise, and now the onus is on me There’s such a difference between us And a million rules Hello from the Outside, I must’ve called a thousand times, To tell you to, leave the, track ‘cause you cut All the pack and you ignore me, just get off. Hello from the Outside, Your cursing and your loud cries, But those rules are, static, and I don’t really care But it don’t matter, it’s clearly, worded in the rules read ‘em more. Hello, how are you? It’s so typical of you to talk back to me I’m sorry I hope that you’re well You won’t make it outta that box, because insubordination. It’s no secret that that the both of us Will go back and forth all game. So, hello from the Outside, I must’ve called a thousand times, To tell you to, leave the, track ‘cause you cut All the pack and you ignore me, just get off. Hello from the Outside, Your cursing and your loud cries, But those rules are, static, and I don’t really care But it don’t matter, it’s clearly, worded in the rules read ‘em more. Ooooohhhh, read ‘em more. Ooooohhhh, read ‘em more. Ooooohhhh, read ‘em more. Read ‘em more. Hello from the Outside, I must’ve called a thousand times, To tell you to, leave the, track ‘cause you cut All the pack and you ignore me, just get off. Hello from the Outside, Your cursing and your loud cries, But those rules are, static, and I don’t really care But it don’t matter, it’s clearly, worded in the rules read ‘em more. Original Song by Adele/etc. Parody by FYRDZ

[noxblogs]

[thewhip]

Marvel plays Roller Derby.

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

I don’t know what to do with this but it’s obviously hilarious. So I thought you’d want it.

[ria-wtf]

I guess all I want to do is make the world a better place by letting you--yes you--know that you’re worth a damn and that I give a shit about your health and well-being. That’s all. Carry on, and have a great day.

<3

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

Taking a break for just a slight moment to boost this because larger audiences. 

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

This as all happened before, and it’ll all happen again.

So say we all.

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

Now that champs season is over, and we have a chance to reflect--I know that there is not going to be a new rules revision, but, yeah. Clarification season is upon us--where everyone gets talkative about the rules and their enforcement and we get concise wording about what’s going on.

WHO ELSE IS EXCITED FOR SANTA TO BRING US A SACK OF CLARIFICATIONS?

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

An update for this zebra, since, you know, the penalty section went from section six to section five like, a year and a half ago. Whoops! 

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

Because I hate reblogging things a ton of times, around 24-25 minutes left in the second period of the Kansas City game, the jammer did replace the helmet cover on her head before calling it off. It's amazing how bored I do get in between games.

Well, then that answers that!Nevermind, then! Thanks for the correction!

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

Helmet Covers vis-a-vis Call-offs

Wanted to discuss an OR that happened today in 2015 Champs.

What happened:

OR Challenge: The lead jammer did not have their helmet cover on when the call-off happened. Therefore it should be an illegal call-off and that jammer should get a penalty pursuant to 5.13.14.

OR Result: The lead jammer lost her helmet cover due to gameplay and not an intentional removal of the helmet cover. The no-call stands. OR lost.

Givens:

I am not at this game (only listening on WFTDA.tv and watching the stats on repo-stats.wftda.com).

The HR of the game has a more intimate understanding of the rules than I do currently (as per the WFTDA certification process).

I am not working this game so in-the-moment decisions should be upheld explicitly. This means I’m not arguing the finding/result for the game, I’m just discussing the rules as written.

Discussion:

Rule 2.4.7 (s2): “If the helmet cover is removed by an opponent’s action or in the course of natural game play, the Jammer may replace the helmet cover and regain Lead Jammer status.”

The verbiage “regain” Lead Jammer status can be construed as the Lead Jammer status is no longer active on the Jammer whose helmet cover is removed for the aforementioned reasons (opponent’s action, gameplay). One could interpret this ruling that while you could “regain” Lead Jammer status (and, as such, the Lead Jammer abilities in 2.4.1, namely call-offs) after the helmet cover is back on the helmet, but the status is no longer “gained” while it is off.

HOWEVER

In Rule 2.4.8 (s1): “Once a Jammer has been declared Lead Jammer, Lead Jammer status is retained for the duration of the jam unless the status is forfeited.” It goes on to state the opposite sorts of things from 2.4.7 would render a Lead Jammer status declaration forfeit (2.4.8.1-2.4.8.3).

So. One can be declared Lead Jammer, and that status stays “retained,” so… Is the verbiage in 2.4.7 rendered null? Or is the specificity of “regain”ing the status of Lead Jammer intentional and that no matter what the reason, a jammer may not call off the jam while the helmet cover is off their head for any reason? There is no statement about “inactive Lead Jammer status,” just “inactive jammer position.” So there’s a slight contradiction due to verbiage and explicit word usage between the rules.

I’d defer to the HR of that game due to the givens stated above and the fact that I generally try to look for reasons NOT to give a penalty if all things are equal, but I’d love to see a clarification on this one.

[cobrakaiderbycoach-deactivated2]

Oh, now this is interesting.

A literal reading of the rules looks to me like the jammer should not be allowed to call off the jam until she replaces the helmet cover, regardless of how it came off. Particularly this sentence (emphasis added): “2.4.7 - The Lead Jammer may call off the jam at any time after their position has been established unless the Jammer has been removed from the jam due to a penalty or their helmet cover has been removed.“ As you pointed out, the next sentence says they can put it back on and “regain” lead status. However, I would argue that it also shouldn’t be a penalty under 5.13.14 unless the jammer was aware the cover was off. It is easy for a helmet cover to fall off or be removed without the jammer noticing. Skaters are not automatically penalized for other equipment or uniform violations that occur unintentionally in the course of normal game play unless they fail to correct the violation when notified by a ref. So, the no-call on 5.13.14 could easily be legit, depending on what the ref saw. But, it appears to me that the ref made an error that impacted the game in calling off the jam for a non-helmet-cover-wearing jammer. Unfortunately, since time travel is not yet possible, there’s nothing they could do to fix that error.

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

Yeah, I find 5.13.14 to be one of those “aw shit we got an advantage we shouldn’t’ve gotten” penalties–not necessarily a “you’re playing the game wrong” or “you’re being against safety” penalty.

Though I couldn’t really compare the 5.13.14 penalty with others that one can rectify, for two reasons: (1) we penalize cutting as soon as it happens, at the point of establishment of position on the track (unless that gets rethought at some point in the future), so it’s not the only one, and (2) the difference being that the jam ends because of this, so nobody can score, so it has a LOT of impact if happening when it’s not supposed to. There’s no precedent in rules about a jam ending and restarting from the “called off in error” point.

I think it would be easy to fix the situation–just add more information about 2.4.7 clarifying what the explicit verbiage means. Or chop out that “regain” verbiage and explain what actions do not make a Lead Jammer status forfeit in the 2.4.8-realm.

[zebradazzle]

I would have to go back and rewatch the footage, but I’m pretty sure she put the cover back on before calling it off. I could be wrong, and I’m not bored enough/desperate enough to be right to go back and watch a game that I already watched today.

[fuckyeahrollerderbyzebra]

Well, then, that makes the particular OR null and void. Unfortunately without more information from the audio stream and the HR/Announcer’s information about the challenge/result of the OR, I didn’t have that info. They didn’t mention the helmet cover going back on the Lead Jammer’s helmet so... Anyway. :P

But it’s an interesting gap in the rules, if nothing else.