Shunt has spoken in several decades. No one knows why.

"They say his entire family was killed in the Shadow Wars," one teammate said privately. "After that, he just quit talking."

"I heard he angered a witch and she put a spell on him. Took away his voice," star orc passer Lew Twista told us (after several drinks).

"I think he just went monk on us," a Poison Oak fan speculated, "you know, when someone just decides to go quiet and search for deeper meaning. He strikes me as a guy that might do that. Kind of all dark and brooding."

Even though Shunt doesn't say anything, his blood bowl play speaks volumes. Known for bone-jarring hits and skull shattering blocks, Shunt roams the field making big play after big play.

"He sets the tone on defense," Maar BadMushrooms said flatly. "As goes Shunt, so goes the team."

Shunt facts:

In a season game against the Hanged Men, Shunt seriously hurt the beastman known as "Coogan."

Shunt had a clutch interception against the human team Whiskey Jars.

With one wicked hit, Shunt seriously injured the star werewolf catcher known as "Ipstitch." The hit was so powerful, that Ipstitch developed a niggling injury.

Shunt is the first player in Poison Oak history to record a stat in every category (completion, TD, interception, casuality, and mvp).

Shunt threw a beautiful long pass against the dwarven team Strange Brew XXX. The pass was caught by the Iron Judge, who subsequently scored the game clinching TD.

Maar is a "ball hawk." No matter where he is on the pitch, Maar finds a way to get to the ball. Fans point out that Maar spent his youth searching for Est'aalar Mushrooms....rare little stalks that are used in potion making....and that perhaps this explains his ability to zero in on the pigskin.

When asked for a comment, Maar had this to say:
"Defense...offense....these things don't mean much to mean. In blood bowl, there is a ball and everybody is trying to get it. If you get it, then you typically win."

Maar facts:

In the beginning, Maar ran the entire Poison Oak offense. Eventually, Poison Oak found several elves with passing experience and that allowed Maar to move on to other things.

Maar scored two TDs against the norse team Sullied Snakes.

Maar seriously hurt Amazon Blitzer Jackie in a play-in game of the 08 Stunty Jug.

Maar threw a clutch TD against the Gunky Toads in a semi-final victory in the 08 Stunty Jug.

When he was born, 357 years ago, mystics said that Kit was destined to die in flight. Terrified by this prophecy, Kit's parents never allowed him to attend formal education (for fear that he would be exposed to eagles or griffins in the classrooms...the only way they could forsee a death in flight). The only time Kit was allowed to socialize with other elves was during blood bowl season. Kit's parents let him play in junior blood bowl and he quickly fell in love with the game.

Though Kit loved blood bowl, his teammates didn't know what to make of him. He lacked social skills and seemed to completely misunderstand the way that blood bowl was meant to be played. Kit's first coach had this to say of his play: "He refused to run set plays and often threw himself headfirst into opposing players. I'm surprised to hear he is still alive."

The only thing harder than playing with Kit was trying to play against him. Kit's maniac playing style...jumping, dodging, crashing into other players...made it nigh impossible for opposing coaches to gameplan against him. Kit managed to break almost every wood elf junior blood bowl league scoring record during his youth.

As with most wood elves, Kit then spent the next several hundred years serving his kindred as a forest guardian. Kit's blood bowl skills translated well to battle. Before long, the lightning fast wood elf was being referred to by another name: the Velvet Hammer. A dying skaven warlord acknowledged how fitting the nickname was: "He.....slid threw the lines....smooth...and then put his hurt on us...."

After his days serving elfkind were done, Kit returned to the pitch. His goal: To score more TDs than any other player alive. His parents remain concerned though....as his playing style seems to have him airborn quite a bit.

Kit facts:

Kit has scored double digit star player points in three different games.

Kit is currently the fastest player in the Sticky Cake League.

The Velvet Hammer badly hurt star thrower Rummy Hawkeye in a crucial game three against Strange Brew XXX.

Kit ran for three TDs (including two "instant touchdowns") and threw for two more in a 08 Stunty Jug semi-final victory over the Gunky Toads.

The Velvet Hammer's new slogan is: "None smoother."

Hunter facts:

Hunter pushed the infamous dwarf blitzer Shackle D'Whiskey out of bounds...seriously injuring the dwarf (-1 strength)! When asked for a comment, Hunter said, "He had it coming. That stunty was a cold blooded killer."

Hunter has become somewhat unreliable (due to his injury), but he remains the best deep passer in the game. He is sometimes referred to as "the King of the Long Bomb." Note: He gave himself this knickname.

Even as a young sapling, Thombraead'allbush was drawn to blood bowl. At the young age of 74 years, he planted his roots at the edge of the dark woods (which just happened to be less than 20 yards from the a blood bowl pitch). From there he watched the children species (for that is what the trees call humans, orcs, and the like) pummel each other in the name of victory.

20 winters after laying his roots, a great thunderstorm roared over the woods. Many trees lost their lives as lightning split trunk and branch. Thombraead'allbush suffered his own injuries: A javelin of electricity spiked straight through his body. Thombraead'allbush's inner core was damaged by the lightning blast; a wound that guaranteed a slow, but steady death.

In the days that followed, Thombraead'allbush staggered from the woods and collapsed just beside the bleachers. His roots found soil and slowly he begin to drink the sun again. He would never heal, but his sense were partially returning. Unlike the ancients, Thombraead'allbush knew he would have to live a full life in a short time. He would never know the pleasure of slow growth over several centuries.

Before his roots could take deep hold again, Thombraead'allbush started to move again. If he only had limited time left, then he knew how he wanted to spend it. Thombraead'allbush would enjoy a hot summer of blood bowl glory before the long winter of death.

Thombraead'allbush, called "Thom Bush" by those who cannot pronounce his true name, is currently playing for a newly formed wood elf blood bowl team that has taken up residence in the Sticky Cake League. Thom Bush's lightning burned bark gives him the appearance of a much older tree; hence, many of the elves (hundreds of years his senior) have taken to calling him "Old" Thom Bush. Most estimate his age at well over 3,000 years.

Thombraead'allbush facts:

Thom as injured 5 players to date, including seriously injurying the terrible monster known as "Pale Rider."

"You will be judged.
On the second day of the tenth month.
You will be judged.
At dawn in the year of blood.
You will be judged.
In the last turn of the second half.
You will be judged."

From the Late Spring Scrolls written by the Wood Elf ancients. This passage is carved into the back of Baam's helmet.

Baam facts:

The Iron Judge hates dwarves. He has scored 4 TDs in 2 games against Strange Brew XXX.

All Baam does is score TDs. He hasn't recorded any other stats so far in his career.

Venim has a real mean streak. The Aspstrangler family is known for this demeanor and, as a result, many have enjoyed highly successful blood bowl careers.

Venim facts:

In a game against the dwarven team Strange Brew XXX, Venim killed the dwarf known as "Winelo Briggs."

Venim is a true lineman. In almost every game of his career, he has lined up beside the treeman "Old" Thom Bush. Playing in the trenches, Venim has earned a reputation as a wicked hitter. He also seems to have a knack for batting down or intercepting passes. In a game against the chaos team Hanged Men, Venim picked off a pass.

Venim is the second player in Poison Oak history to record a stat in all categories (comp, TD, int, cas, and MVP).