RAW debuted on TNN on September 25, 2000, and despite the rumors that ECW and WWF would coexist, ECW was canceled just two weeks later. They’d use colorful nicknames and “gimmicks” such as Devo, the escaped convict who skated for the Nevada Hot Dice, or El Numero, a luchador who was a member of the New York Enforcers. RollerJam is an American television series featuring roller derby that aired on The Nashville Network (TNN, now Spike) from 1999 to 2000. Tom Nowicki is an American actor who has appeared in several feature films, television series, mini-series and movies of the week. Every television season climaxed with the most important event of the year, the WSL’s version of WrestleMania that they called The Demolition Derby. Former American Gladiator “Hawk” was brought in as a color commentator to portray a tough guy heel commentator alongside Resnick. During the 1940s roller derby became extremely popular as a true sport but in the ensuing decades, however, it predominantly became a form of “sports entertainment.”. Jerry Seltzer served as on-screen WSL commissioner, although he only made a few appearances. Paul Heyman, the owner of ECW, wasn’t happy that (in his opinion) TNN was heavily advertising RollerJam over ECW despite ECW getting higher ratings. Hey Thanks for coming!! In one of the more pro wrestling type storylines, current CBS Sports Network play-by-play commentator James Bates was hired to play “the Prophet.” The Prophet was used as Kenneth Loge III’s lackey in the “crusade for morality” storyline. ... Lindsey Francis (NY) shows up (1:26) but I'm too sad to care. To help their mother and say their goodbyes to their father, grown-up siblings Louise (Marin Ireland) and Michael (Michael Abbott Jr.) return to their family farm. Most often these dastardly acts were scripted in the storyline, whether it be a “bad call” from a crooked referee or a bad boy/girl skater (heel) that would rack up the penalty minutes and use them as a badge of honor. 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), and Devo (a convict character who skated for the Hot Dice). Roller derby? His parents Buddy (Jr.) and Dru Atkinson and his grandparents Buddy (Sr.) and Bobbie Atkinson all skated for Leo Seltzer's original derby. Professional roller derby was considered near death after the moderate success of the late 80’s tv show “RollerGames” and the flop of 1996’s “Roller Derby USA”. The RollerJam All-Star Game was played by fan-voted all-star rosters of each team’s most popular skaters. What is that? Seltzer’s departure allowed the producers to take the show even further into the sports entertainment arena hoping to bolster ratings. RollerJam featured 6 teams competing in the fictional World Skating League (WSL). Meanwhile, in August of 1999 the third-largest pro wrestling promotion in the US, Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), was beginning it’s own Friday Night program on TNN simply titled “ECW on TNN.”  TNN would use this opportunity to create the “FRIDAY NIGHT THRILL ZONE” programming block pairing its new ECW show and RollerJam for an action-based Friday night. She emerged victorious. RollerJam called it the “RollerJam Arena” but today pro wrestling fans know it as the “TNA Impact Zone.” The show would temporarily move to the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for the first half of the second season and film in the former American Gladiators studio at CBS Studio Center in Hollywood for the show’s final season. With all due respect to the Voodoo Penguin, Taker Fan & the late twtf.com, getting picked up by 411 meant that I had arrived. Although she played a "good girl" character with the Sundogs, over time she became more and more cunning and manipulative, leading to her joining the Enforcers. Texas Rustlers versus Chicago Riot. 3. In another pro wrestling connection, the first and later part of the second season was filmed at Universal Studio’s Stage 21 in Orlando, Florida. You have to play offense and defense at the same time. Without the scripted sports entertainment, and the nation’s changing interests following 9-11, the fan following just wasn’t there and in 2003 the project collapsed. Two notable veterans from Roller Games, "Rockin'" Ray Robles and "Latin Spitfire" Patsy Delgato, were featured in the second season of RollerJam. [5] 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. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Filter and Browse options 11 Results No Lindsey Francis in a bikini bumper? The games were cut down into four 6-minute periods from the eight 12-minute periods played in the past. The next few episodes would then concentrate on the difficulties of the racer switching to the new style of wheels and then eventually cover the redemption part of the story. 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. A tall, handsome, and versatile American actor, Morris Chestnut was born in Cerritos, California, to Shirley (Wynn) and Morris Chestnut, Sr. Wrestling fans know Paul Heyman as a genius when it comes to promotion and wrestling storylines. Loge’s main storyline throughout the show’s run was that he was a “moral crusader” and wouldn’t stand for unruly and “wicked” behavior from the skater’s in “his” WSL. To prevent a match from going long, RollerJam created the “Tiebreaker Match Race” where one skater from each team would race 5 laps around the track and the first to cross the finish line won the game for their team in exciting sudden-death overtime. TNN would later become “The National Network”, then “Spike TV” and is currently called “The Paramount Network.”. Child of the 90's. This forced the producers to create a league, build a track, hire skaters, create teams with logos and uniforms, and film the show in less than 7 months. Lindsey Francis, a skater who skated twice for the Florida Sundogs and also had stints with the Texas Rustlers and New York Enforcers. As the ratings declined for both ECW and RollerJam TNN decided to pull the plug. The New York Enforcers, California Quakes, Florida Sundogs, Nevada Hot Dice, Texas Rustlers, and Illinois Riot each consisted of 7 men and 7 women, a manager, and some assistant coaches. RollerJam used ingredients to attract the youth of the ’90s that would make me watch all over again today given the opportunity. Enter your email address to subscribe to TRN and receive notifications of new posts by email. Some of the older skaters the show hired to keep continuity with derby history were allowed to wear regular quad skates. It’s like a traveling circus with fighting on roller skates… or something like that, I thought. The Riot came back from a 20+ point deficit to win 46-43 in the highest scoring game in RollerJam history. August 14, 2004 is one of those dates that I’ll always remember. This not only created some continuity between RollerJam and previous television versions of roller derby but gave the new venture a sense of credibility. They would often be confused at the storylines and characters and tended to seem disinterested on camera. Much like pro wrestling organizations that go on tour to increase audience interest and revenues, the hopes for taking RollerJam on the road never materialized. Tom Nowicki. Despite strong funding and four seasons of broadcasts on TNN, RollerJam never became a “live” attraction. Confidential. Originally airing a preview episode in December of 1998, TNN debuted RollerJam on January 15, 1999. Lindsey Francis In a similar move to ice hockey, the referee could also assign players to a “penalty box” for violating rules or face ejection from the game. RollerJam featured several teams of skaters competing in the fictional World Skating League (WSL). Fabricated storylines and characters in the mode of professional wrestling were being featured more than actual competitive skating, raising the ire of many skaters and fans of true roller derby. The weird thing about this episode is, unlike others that pick up where the last one left off, this one seems to be at least 3 weeks after last week's one. Join Facebook to connect with Lindsey Francis and others you may know. He also portrayed Kenneth's twin brother "Leonard Loge III", a world traveler who was more of a free spirit and also managed the Sundogs and had the hots for skater Lindsey Francis. A brand name and logo for t-shirts, jackets, and trousers, first used in commerce i… He first came to be recognized by moviegoers starring as Ricky in Boyz n the Hood (1991), a role where he played a high school running back using his football skills to escape the violent surroundings of his South Central Los Angeles neighborhood. RollerJam tried some fan-friendly rule changes from the original to gain the viewer’s interest and attention. Gamble appeared with WWE a handful of times as enhancement talent or a background actor. 75 records for Lindsey Francis. In another wrestling connection, Marc Lloyd was a trackside commentator who would go on to a brief stint as an interviewer in WWE during the Ruthless Aggression era. 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. Like many others though I was utterly OBSESSED during the wrestling boom of the “Monday Night War.”  It was in my high school cafeteria one day when my friend Joe asked if I was going to watch “RollerJam”? Land, a fan of roller derby in boyhood, 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. Seizing the opportunity, he created one of ECW’s most memorable storylines using TNN and RollerJam as the punchline. Skaters competed in separate interval contests where each team started with 3 or 4 skaters and every 20 seconds a new skater would join the track. So, what is roller derby? The main play-by-play commentator was former AWA and WWF announcer Ken Resnick. RollerJamBabe's RollerJammin' RollerJam Message Board, Where everyone can post their message. Nevertheless, some cross-promotion between the two programs did occur, notably when ECW wrestlers such as Axl Rotten and Tommy Dreamer appeared on RollerJam as "enforcers" for the Florida Sundogs against the New York Enforcers. Lindsey, do you watch wrestling, and if so, who is your favorite wrestler?? One of the first things they did was hire Jerry Seltzer, son of roller derby creator Leo Seltzer, to be commissioner of the new league. Details coming soon! Several trademarks for the proper noun "Roller Derby" are currently in effect in multiple countries. 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). Angry at TNN, Heyman created the character “Cyrus” played by wrestler Don Callis as the voice of “The Network.”  Cyrus was an annoying killjoy heel who would ruin matches and interviews all in the name of “The Network.”  Fans grew to resent “the Network” and, just as Heymen intended, fans began to direct that anger at TNN itself. Skaters would use the microphone and cut a promo on their opponents. Another veteran actress, Cindy Maranne was also hired to play the manager of the Nevada Hot Dice under the name Amanda Hertz (get it?). In 2000, the Monday Night War had been won as WWF was the clear winner in the weekly ratings. Opening: Denise Loden joined the Illinois Riot a few weeks ago, finally killing my rooting interest in that let down. Tom Nowicki is an American actor who has appeared in several feature films, television series, mini-series and movies of the week. 2. NO FAIR. Jerry Seltzer quit the league after the first season citing his disgust with the scripted pro wrestling theatrics. The sport traces it’s origins back to the roller skating marathons of the 1930s. RollerJam would employ several wrestling staples to try and make each episode exciting and action-packed in hopes to draw viewers. Also, much like early WCW and TNA/Impact! Rollerjam: Lee Reherman, Heather Gunnin, Tom Nowicki, Amy Craig, Andrea Franklin, Brian Gallagher, Brian Gamble, Cindy Zimmermann TNN attempted to rebrand itself as “TNN-The National Network” after it acquired WWF’s flagship show Monday Night RAW. Francis would turn manipulative and cunning, cheating her way to a victory by secretly joining the rival New York Enforcers. Find Lindsey Francis's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading online directory for contact information. Danny Wolfe talks to Lindsey Francis: Lindsey's changing her ways - she's only two steps away from completing her program. I had been a fan going back to 1989 or ’90 when I was 5 years old and had found WCW on Saturday evenings at my Grandparents’ house. This page was last modified on 10 January 2016, at 21:23. When an Earthquake Stopped the 1989 World Series, GLOW in the Dark:  How a Late-Night Ladies Wrestling Show Taught Me Girl Power, Wrestling’s Black Saturday 35th Anniversary, 10 Awesome Comic Book Gimmicks of the 90s, SequelQuest | SQ Crew Reboots the DCEU | EP128, The House Show SNME: Uncle Elmer’s Wedding, Ed Wood: The Worst Filmmaker of All Time, Wax Pack Flashback: Ghostbusters II (1989). Confidential. Tom Nowicki is an American actor who has appeared in several feature films, television series, mini-series and movies of the week. Atkinson was the first third generation skater in roller derby history. All I knew of roller derby at that time was from that one episode of Clarissa Explains it All when best friend Sam’s Mom ran off to join the roller derby. All Rights Reserved. Products of Tom Nowicki on OLDIES.com. Ron Buffone, a producer for Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW), called RollerJam "That stupid roller blading show". RollerJam producers would even use “heel turns” such as the case of Lindsey Francis, who skated as a “good girl character” with the Florida SunDogs. RollerJam Photo Album By Shawn Halman This Photo Album Is Dedicated in Memory to Rollerjam And Its Skaters Rollerjam Debut January 16, 1999 On TNN, And Ended On January 19, 2001. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Scripted matches became the norm and eventually, popularity in roller derby began to decline. Roller Derby does retain some of its entertainment aspects today as colorful uniforms, catchy team names, and outlandish player nicknames still exist. [1] It was the first attempt to bring roller derby to TV since RollerGames. Sports entertainment is a term modern WWE fans are very familiar with that means theatrical elements and scripted results overshadow the actual athletic performance. Tom Nowicki is an American actor who has appeared in several feature films, television series, mini-series and movies of the week. He is a member of the Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors' Guild who is best remembered for his lead appearance on RollerJam (1999–2001) and also appeared in the television pilot of L.A. A clear cut heel turn, if I ever saw one. He is a member of the Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors' Guild who is best remembered for his lead appearance on RollerJam (1999–2001) and also appeared in the television pilot of L.A. the rotating audience at Universal Studios that came in to watch the show taping often was just trying to beat the heat of the Florida sun rather than be a fan of the product. Today, Tom work in many films and series Tv. The Prophet doesn't let her answer the question of when she'll be back on the track. The first episode was taped in November of 1998 and RollerJam was on its way! Lindsey Francis is known for her work on I Love You Puppet Man (2014) and RollerJam (1999). Three of the most notable actors featured in RollerJam were veteran movie actor Tom Nowicki (who played 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). Francis would turn manipulative and cunning, cheating her way to a victory by secretly joining the rival New York Enforcers. Hour 1. The first episode of the show was taped in November 1998, a week after Thanksgiving.[4]. Skaters of both teams fought to eliminate the opposing players by knocking them over the rails or into the infield of the track until one skater was left standing. This is the last episode of RollerJam - after about two years, TNN has pulled the plug. The WSL also employed some familiar faces to pro wrestling fans. The “Last Man Standing” was a tie-breaker event with no penalties and no time limit in a full-team version of a wrestling Battle Royale match. He is a member of the Actors' Equity Association and the Screen Actors' Guild who is best remembered for his lead appearance on RollerJam (1999–2001) and also appeared in the television pilot of L.A. JonB Lindsey, is RollerJam the toughest sport you’ve been in? Confidential. RollerJam producers would even use “heel turns” such as the case of Lindsey Francis, who skated as a “good girl character” with the Florida SunDogs. Today, roller derby still exists at a mostly amateur level and it has abandoned the scripted theatrics in favor of being a pure sport. What? From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Bedridden and fighting through his final breaths, he's a source of deep sadness for his wife, who's succumbing to overwhelming grief. Lindsey Francis isn't exactly the woman you would bring home to mother - unless Mom is into contact sports. RollerJam continued on for a few more months, likely only because the episodes were already filmed, before airing its final episode on January 19, 2001. In one final wrestling connection to RollerJam, two skaters Brian Gamble and Tim Washington went on to moderate success as pro wrestlers themselves in the mid-2000s. Especially after ECW joined the Friday lineup her answer the question of when she 'll be back the! Rollerjam as the industry headed for a living and enjoy discussing the good old days of yester-year for skates... The other channel watching WCW ’ s infield wore inline skates ( roller blades. RollerJam! A successful pitch to the Nashville Network ( TNN ) for over 100 years Ross K.,... 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