Top Ten Things I Learned at Eastern Playoffs

10. DC Rollergirls won their games entirely as a team. They were presented with opportunities to show their strength and they really took advantage of them.

9. Sadly, there are fans who did not get enough attention as children and want to make it about them and not about the sport.

8. There are athletes who step up when a heavy workload is put upon them. One of those is I.M. Pain of Charm City Roller Girls.

7. Bonnie Thunders showed a gear I'm not sure I have ever seen before. I don't want to lend this post to hyperbole, but it really is like watching Wayne Gretzky at his peak (who also had other amazingly talented skaters around him like Mark Messier, Grant Fuhr, and a whole host of others in Edmonton.)

6. I've never had to endure so many flies indoors.

5. London Rollergirls... not enough can be said about their character and their play. They may have lost out to Philly Roller Girls and Charm, but another time, another place - both those games could have had different outcomes.

4. People who complain about the speed of the game should watch that Gotham/Philly bout. Three jams in particular were all about blazing speed and incredible endurance.

3. I never noticed how many awesome skaters were named "Ginger". (including Ginger Clobbers, Ginger Vitis, not to mention, Ginger Snap and of course, compatriot Ginger Ail.)

2. It is the perfect after-party that both has music blaring - but just quietly enough that you can converse with friends and make some new ones.

1. Fortune favors the prepared. Gotham Girls Roller Derby looks very, very prepared.