The Motorball Course

Drawn entirely from memory in 2001

MotorBall Association

Motorball: Exhilaration goeth before a Fall

Flight
speed across smooth cement
reaching up to hold and kiss you
wind
resisting the slice of your body through the night
the grip of the sphere in your conquering hand
almost there
legs pump
smooth strides toward victory
imagination sparks
laughter calls
Exhilaration goeth before a fall

I sigh and mark another takedown.

- Chris Glass "The Motorball Oracle"

Chronicles of the Blade: April13th, 2001

There is a whole grundel of excuses, reasons, and obstacles that are racking our circle. Deteriorating not only our system of recreation but loosening our grip on our mortal coils. Some of these excuses are absolute and unresolvable, eliminating members of our clan indefinitely. Other reasons are more temporary, like finals and other scholastic pursuits. The semester is coming to a close and the pressure is on. It is not a time for distractions. It is a time of focus. A time of thinking. Therefore things will be put on hold (or at least slowed down quite a bit) until the semester is over and summer starts proper. There will still be updates, there will still be posts and Emails. There will be less Hockey/Motorball games announced. In this "down" time, I think it would behoove us to think about this. On the third of this month a new Chronicler Question poll was created, and it asked, "What Should the Future of Motorball Be?" Below are the options and the results as of today.

Chronicle Question What Should the Future of Motorball Be?
Total abandonment with a decree to never speak of it again. (0) 0.00%
Retire the sport, reference it daily, exaggerate it greatly. (8) 32.00%
It hurts and therefore is evil and should be avoided. (0) 0.00%
Once a month or less. (1) 4.00%
Twice a month or more. (1) 4.00%
It should be played and played often-P.S. I won't be there (0) 0.00%
I am not allowed/able to play, so I really don't care. (2) 8.00%
New stats! New armor! New blood! Bring it On! Tonight!!!! (4) 16.00%
A video game substitute should be found. (2) 8.00%
Detachable cybernetic bodies in a post-apocalyptic world. (7) 28.00%
25 Total Votes

You did have the option to vote for more than one selection to best represent how you felt, and thus the larger number of votes. As you can see the highest reaping selection was, "Retire the sport, reference it daily, exaggerate it greatly." with 32.00% of the vote. In truth, this surprised me. Of course there was a strong Pro-Motorball turn out but the persistent Anti-Motorball presence, got me thinking. This poll was sent out to test the waters, to see if Motorball should be retained in our itinerary, but because of the mixed response, it is time to shed the anonymity and discuss this as a Forum. To be totally fair, I will be moderating the posts for flaming or trash talk, before they are sent to the Forum, so that we can maintain the discussion where everyone can express their views without fear of criticism for having an opposing view. It is time to use the forum like a forum. I want to get everyone's input, and I want everyone to argue their opinion. Your participation will be greatly appreciated.

-The Chronicler

P.S. For those who haven't figured it out, the Florianopolis Intro Gif is a parody of the over-used missionary farwell hit, "I Will Find you My Friend" and the equally over-used story that inspired it.

Chronicles of the Blade: April 3rd, 2001

Pablo Picasso once said, "Every act of creation is first of all an act of destruction." The question that enters my mind is, "What has to be destroyed to make a baby?" Of course that might be a very personal question that varies with each set of parents. But regardless of what has been destroyed the babies have come. The once "little unnamed Boyle" will be known as "Charlie" in the eyes of God. I, however, have decided to call him "Algernon" and I will try to persuade others to follow suit. Jake and his Al pal had their kid, naming him "Tate", opening the door for such gems as "Tater-Tot", "Tater sauce","Tate Crimes","Tatred","The Ol' Tate and Switch","David B. Tate", "The Tatekeeper" "Tater Control Crest" and so forth.
For those who do not know, Motorball was not held this weekend. There is no information on the reason at this time, but I will keep you up to date on any late breaking news. There was a drop in voter turn out for our last poll, "Motorball Vs. Hockey," with an even 30% attendance. But regardless of this it was evident that Hockey is predominantly more popular than Motorball. I think this is very interesting. I belive Hockey is based more on skill and therefore has more of an art to it than Motorball which seems steeped in endurance and brute force. Motorball on the other hand is an adaptation of a comic, and there fore totally unique to our circles. It also holds an enthralling mystique with the numbers, shirts, symbols, stats, lingo, and armor. Something we have yet applied to Hockey. Playing Hockey "well" is based on how one skates, steels, scores, and handles the ball. Playing Motorball "well" is based on how one suppresses the instinct of self-preservation. Where Hockey is a surgeon's scalpel, Motorball is a baseball bat. After Hockey I feel like I have been sharpened and honed, after Motorball I feel like a Survivor. Motorball brings on a paradigm shift, as if a freeing of the soul comes from the destruction of the body. One feels beaten and so very alive. Maybe that is what Picasso was talking about. I think Hockey and Motorball has a yin yang effect. The one providing where the other lacks. I believe it would be a mistake if we were to abandon one or both. Of course, these are my thoughts and opinions, and I welcome any and all who have opposing or supporting opinions that you want to share. Please send them to me and I will post them on this page, or you can post them on the forum. It is up to you.

-The Chronicler

Chronicles of the Blade: Feruary 16th, 2001

Bladerunners
The first week of Chronicles of the Blade is behind us and as of Wednesday there have been three posts . . . all from me. The voting poll was used a little more than the Forum was. There were 13 votes, which means that there were at least eight people who went to the web site (5 of the votes were mine). I guess even forums are subject to inertia. I want to take this time to declare that Chronicles of the Blade is not solely for the announcement of Motorball and Hockey games. It is for the expression of views, opinions, thoughts, questions, ideas and discoveries. A place where the love of Motorball and Hockey is the common bond but not always the subject. For example it was recently pointed out that there is an up coming movie called "Rollerball" which has an uncanny resemblance to our very own Motorball. The trailer can be viewed at
http://www.rollerball.com/trailer.html
Now that is something isn't it? Did Hollywood executives finally discover Battle Angel Alita but failed to get the rights? Or is Rollerball's similarities to Motorball only a facade? Which individual will sacrifice time, money and possibly intelligence to satisfy the curiosity of the group? Things to think about. Things that could be posted on Chronicles of the Blade by one who is not me. There will be Hockey, Friday the 16th 8:30pm at Emerson Elementary and we hope to have a good turnout since A) the planning process was held democratically and B) Friday night games tend to not want for the lack of players. See you there.

-The Chronicler

Chronicles of the Blade: Feruary 9th, 2001

Chronicles of the Blade Members

Welcome. Chronicles of the Blade is the official Street Hockey and Mothball E-mail forum of Craab, replacing the Never-Forsake-Hockey forum. In the introductory message there appeared a phrase that said, "Prepare for the Second Phase of the Craab based blade sport renaissance." For some time now there have been movements and efforts to renew Craab's devotion to movement and adventure. This forum is yet another step in the crusade against rigor mortis. You are invited to visit the Forum's group page at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Chronicles-of-the-Blade
Once there, you might notice that there are many options that can be put into use. Options like the archives, polls, chatting and so forth. We are working to have those options integrated into the forum by the end of Neveruary*. Until then go get your skates on! The knee pad has landed!

The Chronicler

*Due to the fact that Yahoo is run by the last vestige of chronologically preserved Third Reich generals from the basement of a European castle with a large map, Chronicles of the Blade will not be using the "Group Options," beyond posting E-mails.