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RollerJam | |
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Created by |
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Presented by | Ken Resnick |
Original release | |
Network | The Nashville Network |
Release | 1999 – 2001 |
RollerJam is an American television series featuring roller derby that aired on The Nashville Network (TNN, now Paramount Network) from 1999 to 2001. [1] It was the first attempt to bring roller derby to TV since RollerGames .
RollerJam was derived from the original roller derby, but newer skaters used inline skates to modernize the sport (several skaters, mostly older ones, used the traditional quad skates). The program was taped at Universal Studios Stage 21 in Orlando, Florida, known as RollerJam Arena and now the Impact Wrestling Zone, for the first and second seasons (1999 and 2000) and the former American Gladiators arena in the show's final season. The first few weeks of the show's second season, which ran from August to October 1999, were taped at the MGM Grand Las Vegas.
RollerJam was the brainchild of Knoxville, Tennessee-based television writers Ross K. Bagwell Sr. and Stephen Land. Land, a boyhood fan of roller derby, was inspired to bring the sport back to television by an obituary for roller derby legend Joan Weston that he had read in The New York Times in May 1997, and shared his idea with Bagwell, his mentor, who gave him a positive response. [2] Between January 1999 and January 2001, [3] Bagwell and Land, under the name Pageboy Entertainment, collaborated with CBS to stage this new televised revival of roller derby.
In May 1998, Bagwell and Land pitched their idea to The Nashville Network (TNN). The network agreed to air the show but wanted it ready by the new year, forcing Bagwell and Land to create a league, recruit skaters, build a track, design logos and uniforms, hire a television crew, and record the program all in a span of about seven months. In an attempt to build continuity between RollerJam and previous roller derby incarnations, Bagwell and Land hired Jerry Seltzer, the son of roller derby creator Leo Seltzer, to be commissioner of their new league. The first episode of the show was taped in November 1998, a week after Thanksgiving. [2]
RollerJam featured several teams of skaters competing in the fictional World Skating League (WSL). Jerry Seltzer served as on-screen WSL commissioner, although he only made a few appearances. The initial teams, each consisting of seven men and seven women, were the New York Enforcers, California Quakes, Florida Sundogs, Nevada Hot Dice, Texas Rustlers, and Illinois Riot (the original names of the latter three teams were the Las Vegas High Rollers, Texas Twisters, and Illinois Inferno; their names were changed prior to the start of the first season). Two notable veterans from Roller Games, "Rockin'" Ray Robles and "Latin Spitfire" Patsy Delgato, were featured in the second season of RollerJam. Despite strong funding and four seasons of broadcasts on TNN, the venture never became a "live" attraction. Fabricated storylines and characters in the mode of professional wrestling were being featured more than actual competitive skating around season 3 and 4, raising the ire of many skaters and fans of legitimate roller derby.
Games were played in four 7-minute periods with as many 60-second jams as possible; women skated odd numbered periods, and the men skated the even-numbered periods. (In traditional roller derby, the game has eight 12-minute periods, again with 60-second jams.) Jams began and ended on the referee's whistle, and a buzzer sounded to reinforce this.
Whereas traditional derby employs a pivot skater, RollerJam did not use one. Instead, each team had three blockers, each wearing a white helmet, and two jammers, each wearing a black helmet with red stripes. In-line skates were legalized in an attempt to modernize the sport, but certain skaters opted still to use the quad skates.
In seasons 1-2, the game was played like traditional derby in that the first jam began from the black start/finish line, while the skaters had to continuously skate until a time-out was called or the period ended. In seasons 3-4, this changed to every single jam starting from a standstill start from the black line. In either case, jammers had to start from the back of the pack (the whole group) and work their way through, with the first jammer to break out winning the status of lead jammer. The skaters then got one point for every opponent they successfully lapped. The lead jammer could cut off the jam early by placing their hands on their hips.
The last jam of the last period always went the full minute regardless of what the period clock showed.
At the referee's discretion, skaters would sit in a penalty box for violating the rules for various reasons (such as fighting), from 1-2 jams, or face immediate disqualification (ejection) from the game. Skaters frequently racked up these penalties and were willing to take it if they felt it would bring them a moral victory.
The team with the most points won the game. If the game was tied in regulation, originally the genders would continue to alternate in sudden death overtime periods until there was a clear winner. As this could go on for a considerable and indefinite period of time, it was soon replaced one skater from each team facing off in a "Tiebreaker Match Race", five laps around the track and whoever crossed the finish line first won the game for their team.
In addition, special features which were not directly part of the matches would occasionally pop up:
Another unique concept was that RollerJam held special games, races and competitions in certain episodes, such as:
Three of the most notable actors featured in RollerJam were veteran movie actor Tom Nowicki (who played the dual role of WSL general manager Kenneth Loge III and Sundogs manager Leonard Loge III), Cindy Maranne (who played Amanda Hertz, the manager of the Nevada Hot Dice), former ESPN and current CBS Sports Network play-by-play commentator James Bates (who played "The Prophet", a character in Season 4 only who would interrupt games to make speeches, and later managed the Sundogs), and stage actress and former Mouseketeer Lindsey Alley (who played Lisa Seltzer, the "granddaughter" of Leo Seltzer). Other characters included Julie Amazon (a bodybuilding skater in Season 4), Canine and Disable (minions of The Prophet who skated for the Sundogs, and "captured" Lindsay Francis during the first game of Season 4),Devo (a convict character who skated for the Hot Dice), Lil' Nasty (a "midget" who was a sidekick to Tim Washington) and El Numero (A masked luchador who skated for the Enforcers).
The most points ever scored in one jam was 28 in Period 3 of a game between the New York Enforcers and the Illinois Riot. The Riot came back from a 20+ point deficit to win 46-43 in the highest scoring game in RollerJam history. Roller Derby legend Ann Calvello, best known for her brutal feuds with Joan Weston, skated a match race with Kenneth Loge III in RollerJam's finale. She emerged victorious.
Ron Buffone, a producer for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), called RollerJam "That stupid roller blading show". [4] Buffone believed that TNN treated ECW on TNN , which aired prior to RollerJam on Friday nights, as a lead-in for RollerJam rather than a show in its own right, despite the fact that the ECW broadcast generated the network's highest ratings. Nevertheless, some cross-promotion between the two programs did occur, notably when ECW wrestlers such as Axl Rotten appeared on RollerJam as "enforcers" for the Florida Sundogs against the New York Enforcers.
A game based on the show was developed by BLAM! and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation The Rollerjam game made an appearance as an IGN preview. [8] according to Neoseekers, [9] the RollerJam video game was set for a release in the 2nd quarter of 2002, but contrary to IGN release date, as the game was supposed to be released on 2001. But no other trace of information came through about the game being released or canceled without a confirmation.
The video game itself became featured in Rollerjam as a feud, where the game was announced by EA's Steve Sims, around the halftime of the Nevada Hot Dice vs. New York Enforcers game on March 21, 2000, during Rollerjams 3rd season [10]
Roller derby is a roller skating contact sport played on an oval track by two teams of five skaters. It is played by approximately 1,250 amateur leagues worldwide, though it is most popular in the United States.
Ann Theresa Calvello was an American athlete and notable personality in the sport of roller derby.
Windy City Rollers is a women's flat-track roller derby league located in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by Juanna Rumbel and Sister Sledgehammer in 2004, Windy City is the first flat-track roller derby league established in Chicago, and is a founding member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).
Joan Weston or Joanie Weston, known as the "Blonde Bomber", "Blonde Amazon", "Golden Girl", and "Roller Derby Queen", was an American athlete and was the most famous personality in the original Roller Derby.
RollerGames is a U.S. television series that presented a theatrical version of the sport of roller derby, and featured a number of skaters who had been in the Roller Games league (1961–1975), as well as younger participants. It was broadcast for one season (1989–1990). The series came from the combination of Roller Games owner William Griffiths, Sr. and the television production team of David Sams and Michael Miller. Chet Forte served as the show's director for its entire run. Chuck Underwood served as play-by-play commentator while Sams provided the color commentary. Former TV reporter Shelly Jamison was trackside reporter and Hot Seat host and conservative commentator Wally George hosted halftime segments known as RollerSports Central.
Roller Games was the name of a sports entertainment spectacle created in the early 1960s in Los Angeles, California as a rival to the Jerry Seltzer-owned Roller Derby league, which had enjoyed a monopoly on the sport of roller derby — and its name — since its inception in 1935. Roller Games provided a mostly televised, increasingly theatrical version of the sport. Roller Games and its flagship team, the Los Angeles Thunderbirds (T-Birds) has endured several boom and bust cycles, including a roller derby attendance record in 1972, a major reorganization in 1975, appearances on ESPN in 1986, a TV series called RollerGames in 1989–1990, and a small number of untelevised exhibition matches in 1987, 1988, 1990, 1993, and the early and mid-2000s.
Roller Game was a variation of the sport of roller derby that was played in Japan by the Roller Game League, established in 1990. Roller Game was played on either a flat or banked track, and on either traditional (quad) roller skates or inline skates. Although its name is similar to that of the relatively theatrical Roller Games, Roller Game was, according to its promotional videos, inspired more by the original Roller Derby—it is a full-contact athletic competition with strictly enforced rules and no staged fighting.
Rat City Roller Derby is a women's flat-track roller derby league in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 2004 as Rat City Rollergirls, LLC, the league has incorporated alternative cultural influences, and has inspired and mentored other leagues. Rat City is a founding member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), and has achieved success on the WFTDA stage, qualifying for WFTDA Playoffs every season, including a second-place finish in the 2007 WFTDA Championships.
Leo A. Seltzer is generally credited as the creator of the sport of roller derby, and was the founder and head of the original Roller Derby league from 1935 until his son Jerry Seltzer took over the business in 1958.
The history of roller derby traces the evolution of roller skating races into a unique sport which underwent several boom-and-bust cycles throughout the 20th century. Although it was a form of sports entertainment for much of its existence, a grassroots, early 21st century revival spearheaded by women has restored an emphasis on athleticism.
Jacksonville Roller Derby is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Jacksonville, Florida, (USA). Originally formed as the First Coast Fatales, the league became Jacksonville RollerGirls in 2007, and changed to its current name in 2018. The league has been a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA) since December 2010.
Arizona Roller Derby is Arizona's first all female roller derby league. It was founded in 2003 making it one of the oldest resurgence roller derby leagues in America. Arizona Roller Derby, abbreviated as AZRD, is one of the founding members of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association.
Forest City Roller Derby is a women's flat-track roller derby league based in London, Ontario. Founded in April 2006, Forest City is one of the first flat-track roller derby leagues in Canada, and is a not for profit organization owned and operated by the skaters. Forest City is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).
Pasi Schalin is a Finnish actor, fitness model, personal trainer, retired professional ice hockey player and roller derby skater. He is best remembered as a key skater on TV's RollerJam known as "The Schalin Machine".
This annotated bibliography is intended to list both notable and not so notable works of English language, non-fiction and fiction related to the sport of roller derby listed by topic and format, and then year. Although 100% of any book listed is not necessarily devoted to roller derby, all these titles have significant roller skating and roller derby content. Included in this bibliography is a list of classic texts, roller derby history texts and roller derby local league created materials devoted to roller derby.
The International Women's Flat Track Derby Association Championships are the leading competition for roller derby leagues.
Leeds Roller Derby is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Leeds, England. Founded in 2007, the league has two travel teams which play against teams from other leagues across Europe. Leeds Roller Derby is a member of the United Kingdom Roller Derby Association (UKRDA) and the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).
Mo Sanders, known as Quadzilla L.K. or simply Quadzilla, is an American roller skater, who has competed at international level in roller derby and aggressive inline skating, and national level in jam skating.
The Cornfed Derby Dames (CFDD) is a women's flat track roller derby league based in Muncie, Indiana. Founded in 2010, Cornfed is a member of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA).
Halifax Bruising Banditas (HBB) are a flat track roller derby league based in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England. Established in 2011, they are the first roller derby league in the Calderdale and Kirklees area. They play to the ruleset of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), and have been members of the United Kingdom Roller Derby Association (UKRDA) since 2013.
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