WFTDA Releases Minor Rules Update
The Women's Flat Track Derby Association today released an update to its ruleset; while the changes in it are very minor and have no direct effect on gameplay, it does represent a change from the historical method of releasing rule revisions by version number. Previous rulesets were numbered 1.0, 2.1, 2.1.1, 3.0, 3.1 and 4.0 -- with this release, WFTDA rulesets will be identified by release date rather than by version number. This version will be known as WFTDA Rules December 1, 2009.
With the exception of some strictly cosmetic tweaks (for example, parenthetically inserting the digit whenever referring to a number), the only change comes in a narrowing of legally permissible uniform numbers in section 3.7.
From wftda.com:
The new rules release incorporates the skater numbering rule changes that were voted in earlier in 2009, but were voted to take effect on December 1, 2009, after the conclusion of the 2009 WFTDA Tournament season. Highlighting those changes, WFTDA Rules December 1, 2009 states that the uniform numbers of officially rostered WFTDA skaters must contain at least one number and may contain letters, and the combination of numbers and/or letters on a uniform may not exceed four digits. For example, XIX is no longer allowed, but X1X is.
In other words: Eva Lucien, you are SOL. (Or, in those exact words: Angela Death, you are specifically SOL.)
The rule update takes place immediately, so all sanctioned WFTDA bouts must be played under this ruleset as of today. The exact text of the new section on legal numbers is here; the full December 1, 2009 ruleset can be downloaded here.
Comments
And the announcers gave a mighty cheer...
...because now they don't have to figure out how to pronounce mathematical formulas and greek letters on the fly.
(That Darwin fish is really cool, though.)
Not off the hook
You still need to learn how to pronounce skater names correctly.
The stats table as well.
'...what the hell is THAT on her back?'
That said...Eva Lucien's Darwinfish? Absolute gold.
Favorite observation from ECE 2008
The Radisson (back before they disowned derby) had just installed fancy-schmancy Select Comfort beds throughout. Someone - I think it was Ian Fluenza? - pointed out later that they main lesson he took away from the event was that his sleep number is "a fish on skates."
t'was ian
one of the best things i've ever read on dnn.
fish on skates
'...what the hell is THAT on her back?'
That said...Eva Lucien's Darwinfish? Absolute gold.
She's going by F15H now ;)
well, actually...
To spare myself the headache of having to explain things to refs all the time, the F and H will be only 2 inches tall on my jersey. So my official number is just 15.
WHAT??? IT'S AN OUTRAGE I
WHAT??? IT'S AN OUTRAGE I TELL YOU!!!
Outrage, Reverend?
This is good! Now you don't have to rattle off Avogadro's Number every time that player scores points.
Yes, but what about my dream
Yes, but what about my dream derby number of "Ø"? Is my dream of wearing an empty set forever dashed upon the ruthless crags of efficiency??? What about fractions? What if the Mad Hatter joins a team, are you telling me he can't have "10/6" as a number? And what about poor Anne Persand? This ruins her whole schtick! ABANDON HOPE, OCTO THORPE!!! YOU'LL NEVER MAKE IT IN THIS LEAGUE!!!
I think Garden State had a
I think Garden State had a player a couple of years back who used the Avogadro Constant as her number. Her name was Skarzipan. I think she switched to "10-blade" for communication's sake.
I think the sport needs more
I think the sport needs more liter-atmospheres per mole-degree Kelvin references as jersey numbers. Well, really, ALL sports do.
Um, have you tried rattling
Um, have you tried rattling off *my* number? (which, for all who don't know, is the sum from n=1 to infinity of (1/2)^n)... for the non-math inclined, that can be written out as 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/8 + 1/16 + 1/32 + 1/64 + .... and so on, forever.
-Xena
Rusty Math
That's 0.9 with a vinculum over the nine, right? That's a legal number.
Actually i don't think it is
Actually i don't think it is because 0.9 with a vinculum over the nine = 1
let x = 0.999999999999999999999999 etc., assume all really long stings of 9's are infinite here
10*x = 10 * 0.9999999999999999 ((ten times each side))
10x = 9.999999999999999999
10x (- x) = 9.999999999999999 (- x) ((subtract x from each side))
9x = 9.999999999999999 (- 0.9999999999999)
9x = 9 ((because point-nine-with-a-vinculum minus point-nine-with-a-vinculum = 0, so nine point nine-with-a-vinculum minus point-nine-with-a-vinculum just leaves the 9))
9x/9 = 9/9 ((divide both sides by 9))
x = 1
...whereas the xeno's paradox thingie tends to a limit which is < 1 ((as far as i can tell)).
Limits
Consider again Zeno's Paradox. As originally stated, the paradox is that to travel all the way to a destination, one must first travel halfway there; but before that, one must travel halfway to halfway; but before that one must travel halfway to halfway to halfway, et cetera, so one can never get there. (The way out is that each successive halfway trip takes half the time as well.) So, the summation of all those halves is self-evidently 1.
Zeno != Xena
Zeno's paradox claims that you never reach 1, but the expression as written on Xena's jersey is in fact equivalent to 1 by the same logic you expressed.
Math ahead!
In fact, if you write out her expression in base two, then you have 1/2+1/4+1/8+1/16+... = 0.1+0.01+0.001+0.0001+... (because you have 0.1=2^-1 and 0.01=2^-2 and 0.001=2^-3 instead of base ten which has 0.1=10^-1 and 0.01=10^-2, etc.). This gives you 0.1111... and then you can multiply this whole thing by two (which is written as 10 in this system) and get 1.1111... and preform the same thing as above to get that it still equals 1.
Calling Lady Quebeaum
Where is she when we need her?
Ah! Point well taken. You
Ah! Point well taken. You know, i was really thinking that i should have written that out in base two before i said anything; i'm not sure why i didn't, really.
Remind me to tell you about how
my brother has the absolute worst job in the world someday.
Sure.
"One."
Unfortunate side effect
This ruins a long held dream of mine, which was to organize a challenge game of refs playing under assumed names like "Out of Play," "Major Penalty" and "Tripping" while also using names of different penalties as their numbers. It would have been the most awesome game ever played.
Announcer: "Black blockers 20 Feet and Out of Play are walling up on White's jammer Cutting Track, and it looks like Block Out of Bounds, number Penalty Box, is headed to the penalty box for a major trip on Major Penalty, number Illegal Procedure..."
Even more fun for the actual refs in that game.
I don't know
Even more fun for the actual refs in that game.
I don't know.
Third base!
Now you'll just have to have
Now you'll just have to have the name of the penalty, and confuse everyone with the rule number of a completely different penalty.
Actually you can ask AK about
Actually you can ask AK about the recent merriment which ensued when he tried to send Fox Cityz Foxz jammer Woman O' War -- number U -- to the penalty box. "TRACK CUTTING MAJOR! U!" "Me???" "NO, U!!!" "Me???" etc. etc. etc.
An announcer's dream
Announcer: "Black blockers 20 Feet and Out of Play are walling up on White's jammer Cutting Track, and it looks like Block Out of Bounds, number Penalty Box, is headed to the penalty box for a major trip on Major Penalty, number Illegal Procedure..."
An announcer's DREAM! Awesome.
In retrospect, I missed a gimme
The teams would not be called "White" and "Black." They would be called "Under the Current Ruleset" and "Under the Previous Ruleset."
A true announcer's dream
A true announcer's dream would require a jammer called "I Spoke Too Soon, She Is NOT Your Lead Jammer" and an afterparty at a venue called "The Captain's Fishnets."
the dream is dead
Roger, roger...and don't call me Shirley.
Well, you all can just go and
Well, you all can just go and forget about The Artist Formerly Known As Prince joining a team any time soon!
Hmmm...i wonder if Eva Lucien's jersey number will henceforth be referred to as "the jersey number formerly known as the evolution fish?"
damn...
you're making me want to change my name, JFM. i should change my name to major out of play and my number could be 20ft (still remaining within the guidelines!) hahah. but i'm not that big of a jerk.
Another number that's still legal...
4th minor.
It's "fish". One syllable, & I don't go to the box much anyhow.
I must say, it'll be nice to fall into obscurity from the ref boards after this effing rules change!
Really, I'm in favor of not allowing symbols as numbers in derby. Sure, the sentimental side of me is sad to put constraints on derby girls' creativity, but I understand the difficulty of having to work with a "number" that has no intuitive pronunciation. When I picked my own number in 2006, it was long before I had aspirations of playing interleague derby.
But let me say that this rules change doesn't really resolve a lot of problems with numbers. Jerks like me with symbol-numbers aren't all that common in interleague derby anymore. (I'm only talking about interleague here because I'm guessing that many leagues will choose to allow "fun" numbers in intraleague play.) So, the few of us symbol-dorks aside, is it really any easier to yell out "ex-one-ex" than it is to say "ex-I-ex", in the case of my partner-in-crime-per-JFM Angela Death? Is it any easier to write X1X for the stats folks? Is it easier to hand sign?
The point is, it's still difficult to effectively communicate four-alphanumeric-characters-including-at-least-one-digit. I can think of endless examples of numbers that are accepted under the current rules change that are hard to say (77WW [10 syllables]) and/or hard to distinguish (1800 [with zeros] vs. 18OO [with ohs]). And nevermind that this rules update doesn't address potential confusion when 1111 skates with 111 on the track.
If we were shooting for clarity, why allow four characters and a mixture of digits and letters at all? Is "80 TONS" really harder to work with than "80TO"? Is "F15H" really easier to call out than "fish"? I understand the practicality of making numbers a little easier to work with, but someone please explain to me how this rules change is an improvement.
Bipedally yours,
Eva Lucien
Burning River Roller Girls
Baby steps Eva,
You have to quash creativity with a slow, deliberate, government-funded succession of policy and procedure.
It's still better than trying to clarify between 99 cent symbol, and 99 at the same time, and don't forget 2.0 and 2 cent in the same game on the same team at a national tournament...
Oh, there are so many to love, I mean -miss-
I lost my # so now I am just a jerk wearing 1.
I feel you.
Would this stop things like there being an "A18" and an "18 ft" on the same team?
And are decimal points considered symbols or part of a number? I hope the rules referred to "numerals" rather than "numbers," as if they did the latter a rules lawyer could effectively allow for things like - or , or . and so forth. Pi is indeed a number. Not a very rational one.
As a stats geek I love this change. Complicated numbers have oft been my undoing. I love creativity. For what it's worth, this really doesn't solve all the weird issues numbers can cause in spreadsheets. We tend to have to format the sheets with the numbers as text (which annoys Excel), lest leading zeros get stripped off and the like.
*~[
Hole in your logic.
If we were shooting for clarity, why allow four characters and a mixture of digits and letters at all? Is "80 TONS" really harder to work with than "80TO"? Is "F15H" really easier to call out than "fish"? I understand the practicality of making numbers a little easier to work with, but someone please explain to me how this rules change is an improvement.
Your number would not actually look like F15H, as the F and the H could not be 4 inches high. In other words, those would not be significant "digits" in your number. The refs would not call you as "eff fifteen aitch (sp?)" they'd call you "15."
no, she had it right
Read it again, Poobah :)
And then
you have jerks like me who will change from a single character 'number' V to a multi-character 'number' 5NOV because I like it to work with my name. Take that refs and NSOs I just made yr job more difficult, lol
Cheers
Girl Fawkes
CTRG/CTDQ
I love it!
See subject line
Fractions
If Major League Baseball could allow "1/8" as a jersey number for one game in 1951...
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/eddie_gaedel_photo_gallery.shtml
...i think fractions should still be legal.
Lucky they didn't switch to database ids
Angela Death is 72ad5576-30c6-102c-b213-fefd4312ba92 in derbymatic
why...
... would this have to become a rule? Derby is about expression and individualism and fun revolved around competitive athletics... I think this sucks to be honest. The fans love the unique 'numbers' the skaters wear, putting restrictions on it seems contrary to the spirit of derby. My adored SDDD and, beloved sisters to the north, LADD are not WFTDA so it doesn't effect them, thankfully. Splint Her gets to continue to be 'irrational' and that's the way we like her =)
Go Swarm!!! Saturday you make history and turn the Doll Factory into the Bee Hive!!! This one is for the ages! 2009 has been an amazing year =) You make your friends, fans and family very proud...
So is the square root of -1 a number?
And is that easier than saying "i"? That was my dad's number, and Splinter was his nickname. I'd hate to lose either! :(
But no worries for this Saturday! Time to toss some Cookies!
xox
splintHer
actually...
... if I read the rule revision right, you can use the square root character over the negative one because it does, indeed, have a number, right?
Every time someone says your number is 'i' we feel obligated to show our nerdiness and correct them, btw =)
It don't matter because the WFTDA wont take you hybrid badass rebels anyway...
Never give up your dad's nickname or number! Have the "i" tattooed on your bicep! Better than a Sharpee =)
And we wanted to make a "Toss Them Cookies" sign but we are having a hard time with a design that is not super gross... got time before Saturday, though... wheels turning... we plan on being super vocal and right on that jammer line, per usual, can't miss us!
2009.... Year of the Bee!!!!!!!!!!!!
Go Swarm!!!!!!!!!!!
point 2
I will be soo sad if I have to give up my decimal.
26.2 miles is a crazy, whacked out distance for a road race, but that's what it is. My number is basically meaningless without the decimal.
Kendra "running her 28th marathon this weekend" Blood #26.2
Denver Roller Dolls
Something to be outraged about.
Unofficial analysis of the rule changes:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AnYFGNJXBKMLdGRxR3N3NUZudnZTRGVa...
Seems like the term "Grand Slam" is being deprecated in favor of "Jammer Lap Point."
This makes me sad. When I announced for Lehigh Valley, I jumped at the chance to say "Scary Clam grand slam jam," or the dream of one day calling a "Clam Jammer grand slam jam" for Pioneer Valley.
"Jammer Lap Point" doesn't seem to have many playful possibilities for an announcer.
Prove me wrong.
Grand Slam vs Jammer Lap Point
Technically, the rule is more correct to say Jammer Lap Point, since it's talking about the single point for lapping the jammer. However, there's nothing stopping announcers from declaring a five-point scoring pass to be a Grand Slam.
Not to worry
Some of us announcers have already discussed it and see nothing wrong with saying "Angela Death picks up the Jammer Lap Point for a grand slam!" I doubt the words "grand slam" appear in the Major League Baseball rulebook, after all.
Here's why.
Seems like the term "Grand Slam" is being deprecated in favor of "Jammer Lap Point."
"Grand Slam" suggests a full five points. Or a greasy white trash breakfast at Dennys.
If a jammer gets only three points for her pack pass because she back blocked one of the blockers, it's a four point grand slam. Or more accurately now, a three point pass with a jammer lap point.
That rule is referring to that one point for lapping the jammer. Grand slam tends to suggest getting the five full points. I think announcers will continue calling it as they always have. Just like they continue referencing a "20 foot rule" that isn't listed in the rules that way any more.
Jammer Lap Point = point
Jammer Lap Point = point earned for lapping the opposing jammer.
Grand Slam = earn all possible points on scoring pass, i.e. 4 for the blockers and Jammer Lap Point, a "perfect" scoring pass.
I don't see one as a substitute for the other...a jammer who passes one of the blockers out of bounds can earn a Jammer Lap Point and not a Grand Slam.
This announcer doesn't like it.
If you're a good announcer, you do your due diligence and research a team before you call them. That's how you know Sparkle Ninja's "1111" should be announced "eleven eleven", Vuedoo Prodigy's "LXIX" is "sixty-nine", etc.
I wanted to have "LXIX" as my
I wanted to have "LXIX" as my license plate number but said plate number is FORBIDDEN in Wisconsin!
END THIS OFFSEASON!
Dear WFTDA teams,
Please stop offseasoning and start playing games again. I can't believe I read this entire boring discussion because I'm so starved for derby news. Please start playing games again so I can read about those instead.
Love your biggest fan,
Dahmernatrix
Us Northerners are playing!
North Stars have a bout this weekend, Minnesota has an IL bout (against Sioux Falls) on the 19th, then begins their home team season two weeks later on Jan 2!
We just like having something to do indoors during the winter.
Agreed
Off-season is for the birds ( ~v~ ).
The most recent/current/new ruleset sucks, because there's no track-cutting or any-pass kinds of stuff to argue about. Let's argue about the title of this blog: "Minor Rules Update" could be misconstrued as a change to minor penalties... it's an outrage! Am I right? Who's comin' with me?
Math is for suckers ( 0--- ).
If the devil is six (6), then Quad is seven (7).
"Grand Slam" means that one jammer lapped the other jammer and scored on her/him (which does not imply five (5) points).
We could also just start making up some news…
Derby News Enquirer
ROLLER DERBY KING CAUGHT CANOODLING KILLS TREE
December 3, 2009
DERBYLAND--Roller Derby luminary Justice Feelgood Marshall of Derby News Network and Harm City Homicide was rushed to the hospital this weekend with minor injuries relating to a single car accident outside his estate in Derbyland. Sources inside the Marshall enclave have denied allegations that he was caught snuggling with Dumptruck, or that Val Capone went ballistic and chased him out of the house with a golf club... no, a roller skate... or that this was the reason why he crashed his 2010 Cadillac CTS into a palm tree in the driveway. An official release from Marshall’s PR department stated: “There is no truth to the rumor that Justice was caught skating very, very slowly with the Tank.” Gnosis could not be located and Hurt Reynolds refused to make an official comment, although his personal assistant was overheard to say: "That guy is just nothing but trouble."
FANDANGLER IN FAKE INVITATION FRAUDULENT FIASCO
Asoociated Press: for immediate release:
CINCINNATI--... A mentally disturbed fandangler managed to get passed tight security and into the locker room of the Cincinnati Rollergirls claiming he had an official invite as Sadistic Sadie's personal tantric massage therapist. The alleged tresspasser has been identified as one B. Maximum from San Diego, Ca. who claims his life is now 'ruined' as a result of this controversy. When asked for comment, Mr. Maximum stated, "I had an official invite from her personal physician! Dr. Johnny Fever! Did I just dream that conversation? I do fall asleep with Nick at Night on the tv quite often... I have been taking a lot of cold medication..." When questioned as to why he was nude at the time of arrest he paused a moment, pointed to the corner of the room and yelled, "Holy shit, look at the size of that rat!" and then dashed out of the press conference when everyone's attention was unrealistically diverted. If you spot Mr. Maximum, please be advised that he is unarmed and completely harmless. Sadie could not be reached for comment but here is one that has clearly been fabricated: "Has anyone seen my tantric massage therapist? He was supposed to be here hours ago! Damn that Bare Maximum!!! Get me Doc Fever on the phone..."
your intrepid reporter,
B. Maximum (not related)
Saying good-bye to the pi.....sniff sniff
This sucks! I need some December power rankings to keep my mind off losing my number :(.
Perky Set (now ~3)
What kind of sport doesn't
What kind of sport doesn't let the participants wear number pi??? IT'S AN...oh never mind.
dude
Aw Perky that really sucks.
Lippy Wrongstockings
Tri City Roller Girls
Almost OK, but not quite
This sucks! I need some December power rankings to keep my mind off losing my number :(.
Perky Set (now ~3)
Hmmm isn't "~" a symbol?
]~*
~
"~" is totally allowed as long as it's <2 inches.
Thank you!!!!
For a second I thought I read the new rules wrong. Thanks for confirming that my new not so cool number is ok. Obviously on the charter I'd be 3 but you gotta give me something fun to play with in that number.
:)
maybe not pi but what about
<3
because you're all heart.
goodbye pi
dude, i totally hear you. ~3, 3, 314, they just don't do it for me the way "pi" does. guess i'll have to think of something else clever or, you know, regular.
and "pi" is a number people! it's not a symbol! logically, i could probably argue that it's allowed. or maybe not.
yep...
... she's right. It is a number. I teach Algebra, it is a specific character for a specific number, not a character representing any number of variables like x or y, while it might not be specifically numerical in appearance it is still a number and I don't think the rule is specific enough to eliminate it... if this went to court she would win even if it went through many appeals... fight the power...
Word.
TBM
What power?
By that same logic, "XIX" is a number too.
Pi was a letter before it was a number. Our modern Arabic numerals are not based on letters, so "3" is never a letter, whereas "π" is first at first a letter and then a number.
The problem is easily avoided. If you really don't want to give up your special number, just don't be on a WFTDA travel team. And make sure to beg your league not to enforce the rule locally.
Problem solved!