Hello.
My name is Flip. I work on the stats team for the Minnesota RollerGirls. Welcome to my blog. I'm not sure what this place will be just yet. I assume I'll have a lot to say about various roller derby topics. Still, you can probably expect this blog to be updated infrequently. I'm sure there will be long stretches of time where inspiration won't strike. When it does, though, I'm thinking you can expect posts on the following topics at least:
1. Roller Derby Statistics. The reason I got involved with roller derby is because I wanted to understand it better. More precisely, I wondered what statistics can teach me (and others) about the sport. The book of derby stats remains unwritten, thus there is a lot of room for experimentation.
I am fascinated by how much you can learn from statistical analysis in baseball. I am a definite fan of sabermetrics (the obvious inspiration for the name of this blog), and I want to apply the same sort of scientific experimentation to derby stats. As a result, I am always trying to think of new stats to track and what they can teach us about roller derby. Stats are not perfect, but they do take a slice of the sport and provide you an impartial view. As a result, I think they can challenge your preconceived notions and help you achieve a deeper understanding of the sport.
2. The Present and Future of Derby. I am somewhat obsessed with the phenomenon that is the modern roller derby resurgence. It's pretty amazing that in just over a decade, derby has gone from a dead-and-buried sport to one whose existence is now common knowledge. Where the heck is this thing going? It could end up being the next big team sport, or it could fizzle out over the next 10 years.
To get a feel for where the sport is and where it could be headed, I seek out mentions of derby in the media. I search for news articles on roller derby multiple times each week, looking for interesting stories and new takes on the sport from those outside of it. I am especially interested in articles that report on derby as any other sport. You can expect me to occasionally link to articles that I find interesting. I will probably theorize about the future some as well.
3. The Competition. I like to follow the WFTDA action just like everyone else. Admittedly, I tend to focus on the North Central Region, but I like to keep informed on as many travel teams as I can. Sometimes I'll have something to say about it.
4. Strategy and Rules. Obviously, derby is evolving very quickly. There are constantly new strategies being dreamed up. The rules are still being refined. Everyone likes to talk about it.
There's probably more I'll end up posting as well. I could see myself posting stories about my own personal experiences at some point. -But this is a good overview of what I think this blog will be for now.
