Another season of Marbula 1 is rolling around the corner, and this season is getting more attention from the Marble Sports community after the huge success of Season 1. However, I had to know if the competitors felt any differently about Marbula 1 this year than last year, and how the newcomers felt about their invitation. So I hopped on some planes and flew out to see what they all were thinking, as well as have some good old fashioned fun.
The Snowballs may have hit a low by not qualifying for Marble League ‘21 but no one can deny that Snowy’s performance in Marbula 1 was unbelievable, getting a medal in 3 of the 4 races they competed in. To compensate for Snowflake’s lack of racing skill, they’ve brought in their alternate Snowstorm to help Snowy in their pursuit for the overall title.
“In Marbula 1’s first season, you grabbed an incredible 3 medals in 4 events Snowy, how’d you do it?”
Snowy: “Honestly, I just race pretty aggressively. I guess that tends to help me quite a bit in Marbula 1, but it can cost me in other instances, like when I accidentally injured Snow in practice once.”
“Did Snow give you the cold shoulder after that incident?”
Snowy: “No not really, we were still on go- oh my goodness, I see what you did! I’ll give you a cold reception for that one! GAH! Now I’m doing it!”
“Hahahahaha, Snowstorm, what’s it like for you being the newcomer?”
Snowstorm: “Haha, It’s fun honestly. I don’t have the expectations Snowy does, but that only means I can surprise everyone.”
“Aside from you guys, who’s got the best shot at winning Marbula 1?”
Snowy: “The Speeders, they’re the reigning champs, so probably them.”
“What’s the pressure like from the fans?”
Snowstorm: “It’s pretty high after what we’ve done recently. Failing to qualify for Marble League ‘21 doesn’t help, but we know we can do well in this competition. It’s all a matter of putting our best on the track.”
“Is Marbula 1 how you plan to get your Marble League goals back on ‘Track’?”
Snowstorm: “STOP! I’m not here to play icebreakers.”
Snowy: “Icebreakers? We’re the snowballs?”
Snowstorm: “Whose side are you on Snowy?”
Team Primary was the subject of far too many jokes, and many forgot the effort Prim had left on the track. They single-handedly carried Primary to 7th place, and finished 4th overall in the individual standings to show for it. Primary made the move to replace fan-favorite Mary with Rima for this season, and now they are ready to roll.
“Prim, what’s it like knowing your performance last year was lost in the storm of jokes that targeted your sibling?”
Prim: “It makes me mad, not at Mary, but at the fans of all the other teams. They don’t know what Mary has gone through trying to field all of the negative questions from reporters. It’s only got me motivated to go out and absolutely destroy everyone on the track, just so they can see us for more than poor performances.”
“Rima, being a newcomer, how does it feel knowing that you’re racing as teammates with one of the best racers in marble sports?”
Rima: “I’m not even worried about comparing with Prim. My goal is to go out and race my heart out for every one of our fans. And don’t ask me anything about Momary, I’m over all of that nonsense! I’m going to be racing for Team Primary. End. Of. Story.
“Aside from you guys, who’s got the best chance to win Marbula 1?”
Prim: “Um, Snowballs. Snowy’s one of the best there is and we’ve heard some great things about Snowstorm.”
“What’s the pressure like from the fans?”
Rima: “We don’t care about that, we know what we can do and we’re going to do it.”
“Are you guys frustrated with social media users basically making fun of and in a way, publicly shaming Mary for their results last season?”
Prim: “(sigh) Yeah, we are, I know they didn’t have their best performances in Marbula 1 last season, but I don’t think anyone honestly understands how hard it is to do this. Mary did everything they could last season… I just want people to know how hard they tried.”
Rima: Yeah, Mary’s performance last year wasn’t the primary focus of our season, so it shouldn’t be the primary focus from social media either.”
“ ‘Primary’ focus?”
Rima: “DARN IT! (sigh, chuckle)”
To say that the theme around Balls of Chaos is just an aesthetic is flat out wrong. Their results are as chaotic as their image. They had one of the most dominant performances on the Momotorway, beating out their rival Primary by less than a second. Yet, they mesped…uh, messed…up just enough times to give Primary enough room to beat them overall, despite Primary never winning any races. Clutter was a bright spot with the aforementioned win on the Momotorway, but Anarchy’s lack of results caused them to forfeit their spot, and pass it on to BOC’s Speedster, Tumult.
“What’s it like being the newcomer to Marbula 1, Tumult?”
Tumult: “OH, It’s going to be INSANELY fun! I’ve raced against some of the fastest on the short track, now let’s see if they can handle the ABSOLUTE CHAOS I will cause on the track as I explode on the scene like a firework!”
“Clutter, after your relative success in Marbula 1, what’s it like to carry those expectations into this season?”
Clutter: “I don’t carry any expectations! All I carry is CHAOS! I’m not worried about the expectations! I’m gonna do WHATEVER IT TAKES to win, and the best way I know to do that is to cause CHAOS!”
“Um… a-aside from you guys, who has the best shot to win Marbula 1?”
Clutter: “We don’t even KNOW! There’s going to be so much CHAOS we can’t even predict it!”
“C-Can I have an answer please…? Just name a random team.”
Tumult: “Savage Speeders.”
“What’s the expectations for you guys from your fa- Never mind, I think I know the answer to that question.”
It’s an understatement to say that the Limers have been a joke among the fans of marble sports for a while now. They’ve been in the basement for a while, and rumors have circulated that they only made Marbula 1 the first year because the Oceanics refused the invitation. While unconfirmed, it’s rumors like these that have haunted the Limers for a long time. They bounced back slightly with the help of their reserve Limelime who got a pair 4th place finishes to get in the top half of the racers championship, and this year, they’ve brought on Lemonlime to try to help their star reserve.
“Limelime. In spite of the lack of top-half finishes in recent history, you got two 4th place finishes for your team last time around. What does that do to your confidence this time around?”
Limelime: “It boosts my confidence for sure, I mean it’s fun racing almost all of the teams out there, but knowing I’ve finished in the top ¼ twice among them, it’s a huge confidence booster.”
“You say most of the teams, are you indirectly calling out the Rasp-”
Lemonlime and Limeline:“No comment.”
“Lemonlime, being a newcomer to Marbula 1, does it add pressure to perform well?”
Lemonlime: “Not any more pressure than my teammates can give me. I don’t care about the fans’ reaction too much, not because I don’t like them because trust me, I love them, but mainly because they don’t fully know how hard it is to do this you know? Many kids grow up with the dream of doing what we get to do, but it’s so difficult to get here, only one out of every 500 who want to do this will make it.”
“Aside from you guys, who do you think has the best chance to win Marbula 1?
Limelime: “O’rangers, simply because of how much they’ve improved since the Fruit Circuit days.”
“What’s the pressure from your fans like?”
Lemonlime: “Basically, it’s not that much. I think they’re just excited to see us compete, even just one medal will be enough to validate for them that we’re still elite. We know we can do it!”
“So you guys think you can remain in the limelight of marble sports?”
Limelime: “Come on, do I look green when it comes to jokes?”
Lemonlime: “Now you’re the one making sour puns Lim-ugh! Now I’m doing it too!”
Minty Maniacs qualifying for Marble League ‘20? No one would’ve mocked you for that prediction, but saying they’d win 4 gold medals and auto-qualify for Marble League ‘21? You’d have been laughed out of the room. But the Maniacs did it anyway! They may be newcomers, but they are by no means a huge underdog in this competition. In fact, Minty Fresh and Minty Drizzel are some of the favorites.
“To say that your success in Marble League 20’ was unbelievable is an understatement, what was the reaction like when you guys were announced for Marbula 1?”
Minty Drizzel: “I think we all saw it coming to an extent after Marble League 2020’, mainly because we won the marathon and took the fanbase by storm. And to be considered a front runner pre-season only a year after coming out of retirement? That’s unreal.”
“Minty Fresh, you set the Andromodome on fire by beating the Speeders, Hazers, and Mellow Yellow, three teams who are known to dominate racing events, not once, but twice in racing events. Does it make you nervous to know that you’re a front runner for the racers championship this preseason?”
Minty Fresh: “Not at all, in fact, I feel better than ever knowing that we’re a favorite. I know what I’m capable of, and we know that we can beat the Speeders and whoever else we need to.”
“Aside from you guys, who has the best shot at winning Marbula 1?”
Minty Drizzel: “We think the Hazers, they’re the one team you can never prepare for, and they are capable of beating anyone when they race well.”
“What’s the pressure like from the fans coming into Marbula 1?”
Minty Fresh: “They’re holding us to some pretty high expectations no doubt, but we know we’re capable of exceeding their expectations, and we’re ready to put on a show.”
“What convinced you guys to come out of retirement?”
Minty Drizzel: “In a way, it was the failure of the Hubelino tournament, after it failed, we missed the thrill of competing in it, and we trained like crazy to make sure we could get back there… and we did and look at what we became. We got a fresh start.”
“Fresh start?”
Minty Fresh: “Please stop befor-Hahahaha, DARN IT!”
Minty Drizzel: “You never can resist a good pun can you Fresh? I know what I said.”
The Cat’s Eyes might not be the fastest team in marble sports, but they consistently place high in the standings in racing events. And to say they’re fanbase isn’t dedicated to them? Well, the JMRC’s most controversial exemption from Season 1 consideration was arguably the Cat’s Eyes. But this year, they get their chance to prove that they have belonged here the whole time.
“Red Eye, after getting word of hosting Marble League ‘21 and being invited to Marbula 1, what have the fans been like?”
Red Eye: “They’ve been ecstatic! They’re expecting us to put on a show for them this year, and I’ll be darned if we have any intention of letting them down.”
“Aside from you guys, who has the best chance of winning Marbula 1?”
Yellow Eye: “Team Galactic, they’re done with getting 5th place all the time, and we think it might be their time to shine.”
“What’s the pressure like from the fans going into Marbula 1?”
Red Eye:“It’s not big, it’s massive. They know that we can win this and we’re well aware that’s what they expect, so our plan is simple, win.”
How would you fans describe the way you guys race on a track like we see in Marbula 1?”
Yellow Eye: “I’m likely a little more conservative, and Red Eye over here is a little more… reckless, at times it works out fine for them, but at the same time, it’s allowed me to beat them quite a few times during practices!
Red Eye: “Hey! I’ve beaten you more times than you’ve beaten me!”
The Kobalts are not new to marble sports, but for them to make Marbula 1? Not many anticipated that. Their last showing was in the Showdown where they won, but did anyone see them making it to Marbula 1? If so, I wasn’t one of them, but Azure and Cerulean both have a history of being excellent in races.
“Azure, Cerulean, congrats on making Marbula 1, what was your reaction when you got the invitation?”
Cerulean: “We were ecstatic, neither Azure nor I could believe it, but it was real. We are excited to have a chance to prove that we can compete with the best teams in the world before the 2021 Marble League Qualifiers, so this is something we’re so ready for.”
“Aside from you guys, who has the best chance to win Marbula 1?”
Azure: “The O’rangers, they’re coming off a third place in Marbula 1 and a second place in Marble League, so now, time for them to get a first place maybe. If we don’t, that is.”
“What’s the pressure like from the fans going into Marbula 1?”
Cerulean: “Honestly, I don’t know if there is any. I think they’re just going to want to see us finish the races, so that’s what we’ll do.”
“Who’s the more aggressive racer between you two?”
Azure: “Likely me, but we both tend play a strategic race, I guess that’s just in our nature but still, we’re not going to be the team who’s jumping to an early lead, we’ll be the team drafting and waiting for the right moment to pounce, and that should leave our competitors feeling quite blue.”
“Aren’t the Oceanics and Thunderbolts blue anyways?”
Azure: “Well…they’ll be more blue? I don’t know, you get my point!”
The Bumblebees are known primarily for their results in the Hubelino Tournament, but the year after that went down, they joined the Marble League, only to be met with their chief rival from the Bug Circuit, the Hornets. While both teams enjoyed getting to compete against one another, they both finished in the bottom two spots, but not before the ’Bees gained quite a fanbase. They were announced to M1, but the Hornets weren’t, causing rumors that the Bees replaced the Hornets. Neither team will comment, but for now, we’ll assume it wasn’t planned that way. Bumble and Honey wanted to compete against the Hornets, even if just for old time’s sake.
Honey: “We really wanted the Hornets in Marbula 1, alas, it’s not meant to be., To compete against them in a way similar to the Bug Circuit would’ve been fun as heck!”
“How does it feel to be in Marbula 1?”
Bumble: “It feels amazing to be honest, we love getting to compete against the best teams in marble sports, it’s stuff like this that proves who you are, because to be the best, you have to compete against the best!”
“Aside from you guys, who has the best chance to win Marbula 1?”
Honey: “Team Galactic, both of their marbles won a race last year, and they’re more than capable of winning it all this year.”
“What’s the pressure like from your fans?”
Bumble: “They’re buzzing in excitement… (crickets.mp3) Okay fine that was bad, but they’re very excited to be able to watch us compete in this competition, getting some hardware to bring home would only make it better!”
Honey: “Yeah that pun kinda stung Bumble.”
Bumble: “Yours isn’t any better!”
The Jungle Jumpers have never been a team known for competing for gold medals, but they’ve had some great moments in the Marble League. They medaled in back to back events in Marble League 2017, and they’ve got a very passionate fanbase. Hop and Skip are both well aware of how much the Jumpers fans have wanted to taste the glory that fans of the Speeders, O’rangers, and even the Raspberry Racers have claimed, and they both believe that this could be their year.
Skip: “We’re both feeling really good about this year, Hop and I both know we can race really well and in reality, it’s a matter of us putting our best on the track. If we do that, we both know we’re capable of going all the way.”
“Aside from you guys, who do you think has the best chance of winning Marbula 1?”
Hop: “The Maniacs. They’ve emerged from retirement looking like the next dynasty, I’d be very surprised if they don’t finish top 3.”
“What’s the pressure like from your fans to do well in Marbula 1?”
Skip: “It’s big, mainly because it’s been heartache for them watching us not perform as well as we could be, this time, our focus is on performing to the best of our ability.”
“So are your best performances just a hop, skip, and a jump away from now?”
Hop and Skip: “(Groan) Really?”
“Hee hee hee.”
The Oceanics had been infamous for bad performances in water events. Yet in Marble League 2020, they pulled off the greatest upset in marble sports history: they beat the O’rangers, who at the time were dominating the standings, in a water event. There are many out there who say that had the Oceanics not won, the O’rangers would have won the 2020 Marble League. Now, Sea and Ocean are looking to remind everyone why they were a favorite in 2019; because they are an elite team.
“What was the feeling when you beat the O’rangers in the Aquathlon?”
Ocean: “We were ecstatic, we knew we could perform well in water events and being able to win against a team who had dominated the competition to that point was even more validation for us.”
“What does that do for you guys coming into Marbula 1?”
Sea: “It boosts our confidence for sure, and remember we did very well in Marble League ‘18 so we know we can compete with everyone else.”
“Aside from you guys, who has the best chance to win Marbula 1?”
Ocean: “The Speeders, they’re the defending champs and clearly they’re not going any slower.”
“What’s the pressure like from the fans coming into this?”
Sea: “It’s huge, especially because we’re looking more and more like the team we once were, we know we’re able to win this competition, and that’s what the fans are expecting. So that’s what they will get to sea.”
Ocean: “You’ve been waiting all interview to use that pun, haven’t you?”
Sea: “Maybe I have… maybe I haven’t. You shore don’t know.”
“Hahahaha, I harbor no resentment for those puns.”
Ocean and Sea: “(groan) Are you serious?”
Another season of Marbula 1 is rolling around the corner, and this season is getting more attention from the Marble Sports community after the huge success of Season 1. However, I had to know if the competitors felt
Link to Part 1: https://jellesmarbleruns.com/2020/10/30/offseason-moments-ml2020-part-1/ As we in the JMRC were enjoying the 2020 offseason, we sent Stynth on a world tour during the first few weeks to interview every team that competed in the 2020 Marble League.
Link to Part 2: https://jellesmarbleruns.com/2020/10/30/offseason-moments-ml2020-part-2/ As we in the JMRC were enjoying the 2020 offseason, we sent Stynth on a world tour during the first few weeks to interview every team that competed in the 2020 Marble League.
