Nov 8 2022
Chapter 12: Chasing Maddy
In November 1987, Jamaican sprinter Derice Bannock trains to qualify for the 100 metre in the 1988 Summer Olympics. He fails to qualify when fellow runner Junior Bevil accidentally stumbles, not only falling over himself, but knocking down Derice, and another competitor named Yul Brenner.Derice petitions for a re-heat, but committee leader Barrington Coolidge, though he pities Derice, refuses. He invites Derice to try again in four years' time, or to try out for one of the only two other sports Jamaica competes in; boxing and cycling. Derice spots a photograph in Coolidge’s office, featuring his late father Ben, standing next to a fellow Olympic gold medal winner. Coolidge identifies the man as disgraced American bobsled medallist Irving Blitzer, who was disqualified for cheating in the 1972 Winter Olympics, and now works as a bookie, fortunately not far from where Derice lives. Derice realizes he could participate in the 1988 Winter Olympics by forming a bobsled team, recruiting his friend Sanka Coffie, a pushcart derby champion.Derice and Sanka track down Blitzer, who at first refuses to help Derice, until learning he is Ben Bannock’s son. He reluctantly agrees to coach the team. A recruitment drive fails miserably. Blitzer shows a film about bobsledding on a slide projector, but is heckled, and when the lights come on, only Derice and Sanker are still present. Fortunately, Junior Bevil and Yul Brenner arrive late to the meeting, making the required four-man team. Junior, like Derice, can't wait another four years to enter the Olympics, and Yul Brenner just wants to get off the island. The team train with Blitzer, though Coolidge refuses to fund the $20,000 needed to participate in the Olympics, believing the team's inexperience will bring shame to Jamaica. Derice's attempts to find another sponsor fail miserably. The team are forced to find other ways to earn the money- Sanker tries his hand at busking, with no success. Yul Brenner holds arm-wrestling contests, and Derice even sets up a kissing booth- these ventures meet with moderate success, but they still haven't anywhere near enough money. In the end, Junior sells his car to finance the trip.In Calgary, Blitzer registers the team, receiving an old bobsled from his former teammate Roger. The Jamaicans struggle to drive the bobsled and adapt to the cold, though exercise and hard work eventually pays off. Derice begins to copy the techniques of the very efficient East German team. The East German team, and their captain, Josef Groole- the current bobsled world record holder- constantly heckle the team during try-outs. Eventually, all the members of the team except Derice get into a bar fight with the East Germans. Derice reprimands them severely.After weeks of training, the team successfully qualifies for the finals, only to be disqualified by the Olympic committee, but this is only where their story begins...::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::THIS SHOW IS NSFW AND NSFK (Not safe for kids. sorry kids!)Our DM is Dalton Rusher-RiddleOur Players are Andrew Gehrlein, Michael Adair & Alissa AdairSound effects from Zapsplat and PixabayBackground music by PixabayTheme song (both old and new!!) by Dustin Hook (so talentSupport the show
