During her Schmoedown career, Taylor “Made” Robinson competed in the Innergeekdom division. Drafted by Tom Dagnino in the 2021 Schmoedown draft, she was a member of the Finstock Exchange during Season 8: War. Here are her reflections on the show that we all love, in her own words.
Looking back on the Schmoedown, what is the most memorable moment that you were personally involved in?
Getting to walk on stage with (most of) the Finstock Exchange at the most recent Schmoedown Spectacular. I had never been part of a live show like that before and even though I wasn’t competing, it was really cool to be able to be there as part of a faction. Being a member of the Exchange is something I’ll never forget and I’ll be forever grateful that there was one manager out there who believed in me enough to bring me into that special group.
What is the most memorable moment that you were not involved in?
I suppose it depends on your definition of “involved” but I would definitely say Jacob’s XXX5X at Free4All 4. I was so happy that he got the chance to be in Free4All because I believed he could really show what he was capable of… but I was not expecting him to clear the damn table. I was watching on the stream from the other room trying not to make any noise and I was absolutely losing my mind. I’ll never forget how shellshocked he was at what he had just done. It was a really special moment to witness.
Which of your matches would you say is the best you played?
I didn’t get the opportunity to compete a lot, but I’d say my best performance was probably the last match I was in against Alba.
Which match that didn’t involve you would you say is the best you ever saw?
That’s a tough one. I’ve seen a lot of great matches over the years, and honestly, I’m going to cheat on this question and just say the entirety of Schmoedown Spectacular 2. [Part 1, Part 2, Part 3] That was the first time I ever went to the studios to watch live matches and it was such an incredible variety of matches.
How would you describe the Schmoedown’s impact on you?
I am not exaggerating at all when I say the Schmoedown literally changed my life in ways I never could have imagined. I have formed so many friendships I will cherish for years to come, and being part of the show lead me to meeting my fiancé – who viewers of the show will know as “The Aussie” Jacob Blunden. It led me to getting to live in Australia and experience a new country that I never may have otherwise. It helped me on my own personal journey of figuring out who I am, what I love and what I want out of life.
What will you miss most about the Schmoedown?
There are a lot of things I will miss about the Schmoedown. It was part of my life for 5 years and as a result it has been with me through a lot of big changes in my life. I love movies and trivia a lot and watching matches live is an experience unlike anything else. However, the thing I will miss the most are the hangouts afterwards – whether that was at the bar across the street or a kickback the night before when everyone was just getting into town. It brought so many of us from all over the country – and even all over the world – together. It created a community of people I always looked forward to making trips to California to see. That is what I will miss the most.
Taylor Robinson can be found on Twitter @finelytaylored.
