OU @Nebraska

[bucky415]

I don't think Nebraska is as dominant on the block as they were last season. Obviously, the loss of the national block leader doesn't help in that regard. They are still solid there, though. I think they also don't have quite as much firepower with Houghtelling out with the injury. Still, they are better in two regards. I think their back row defense is pretty good and improved over last year, and Holloway is an upgrade at setter. She is pretty impressive. The only question I have is whether they have faced anyone who is at or close to their level of talent, like they will have to in order to be national champions, which is I am sure is their goal. I have to be impressed with how they have done this season without three top level starters from last year, though. Cook has done a very good job with them.

[Chance]

highflyer said:

I find it amazing. If all of us, who are not volleyball gurus such as John Cook can see that the sets are too low, then why can't he. And, if he does, why doesn't he fix it before its too late. Baffling.

Certainly there is some truth behind the idea that a successful coach is an expert and that a common fan might be less of an expert. But even great coaches are not correct 100% of the time...

I'm not saying cook is or isnt right, im just saying the idea that the poster must be wrong just because he is a poster and not john cook is goofy...

[OverAndUnder]

I love to razz Nebraska as much as anyone, but I have to admit they have done better than I expected. I had already figured they would be down a lot after losing Saleaumua's defense and Elmer's blocking, but then when Houghtelling's situation was announced, I thought they would struggle all season to find cohesion and lose two, maybe three Big 12 matches. The fact that they remain undefeated and have only had one 5-gamer thus far indicates something really good is going on. Whether it's the players as a group or the coach as a leader is up for debate, but in any case I have to give the entire program credit for what they've done considering how things looked in August.

[VolleyTX]

The sad thing for Nebraska is that they are in the Big 12. I'm pretty sure they have only played 1 top 10 team all year (texas).

Compare this to Stanford, UCLA, Washington, USC.... all top 6 teams who have to play each other twice during the season. Many times they have a weekend where they have to play a top 6 team back to back. It is like they have a final four weekend a couple times during the season.

Unfortunately, Nebraska just doesn't have this constant pressure to perform at their best. I'll be shocked if a non-PAC-10 team wins this year.

[Deleted]

volleytx said:

The sad thing for Nebraska is that they are in the Big 12. I'm pretty sure they have only played 1 top 10 team all year (texas).

Compare this to Stanford, UCLA, Washington, USC.... all top 6 teams who have to play each other twice during the season. Many times they have a weekend where they have to play a top 6 team back to back. It is like they have a final four weekend a couple times during the season.

Unfortunately, Nebraska just doesn't have this constant pressure to perform at their best. I'll be shocked if a non-PAC-10 team wins this year.

I don't disagree with your thoughts about the caliber of play week in and week out within the conference. Having watched the Pac 10 teams on tv play each other, Nebraska can play with and beat these teams. I'm not sure I would've said that a month ago and for sure not in August. No doubt the big match experience favors the pac 10 teams. If Nebraska gets to Omaha I really like our chances.

[beachman]

I still take the position that until someone beats them, they are and will remain #1......having said that, their rather unchallenging schedule could be their achilles heal.....having said that, if they get out of the Texas Regional, where they are likely to be sent, they have it easy playing in front of a crowd that will no doubt be comprised of 90% Nebraska fans.....having said that, if the NCAA has the balls to send one of the top PAC-10 schools to Texas, things could really get messy on the road to the dance! The PAC-10 schedule is their biggest allie and the intensity of their play each and every week could make for an interesting tournament....if they broke up the PAC and sent their top 4 team into 4 different regionals it is conceivable that you could have and all PAC-10 Final Four! Now wouldn't that just piss off the NCAA pogues! ;D

[gobigred]

Nice thought Beachman, but I have a feeling that the NCAA won't allow that to happen. I'm thinking Washington will have to defeat one of its conference rivals to get to Omaha. But there certainly could be 3 Pac-10 teams. I'm really getting anxious to see where they would send an undefeated #1 ranked Nebraska team. I don't think they would send us to Texas. Florida might have to deal with us for the second year in a row. Then again, this is the NCAA selection committee we're talking about, so NOTHING would surprise me.

Actually, a tiny part of me wants to see us get sent to Seattle. Revenge baby, revenge!

[gobigred]

Now that I think about it, would the NCAA send us to Florida, since we played them last year in the Regional Final? Is there any precendence to this? Has there ever been 2 teams that have had to play each other in back-to-back regional finals?

[beachman]

I certainly believe that Nebraska will either go to Florida or to Texas....where you don't go, PSU will go! I expect that all 6 PAC-10 teams(that's how many will get a tournament bid I think) will be sent to the Seattle and Hawaii regionals......Hawaii will probably be shipped to Seattle as well, or perhaps to Texas....this is why I don't expect UH to be in their own regional, but for one reason and that is that the NCAA folks may fear a significant gate loss if UH isn't at least in their own regional......Hawaii fans don't turn out for women's VB when their own team ain't playing......I have seen that one first hand! I would expect to see Stanford going to Hawaii along with either U$C or UCLA.....if they send either of these two schools East, they risk the possibility of seeing 3 teams from the PAC in Omaha, and I am betting that the NCAA doesn't want any part of that scenario!

[Deleted]

The Pac 10 has been at a disadvantage ever since the NCAA went to more regional like seeding. Having said that lower seeded teams in the Pac 10 haven't had any trouble making the final four. I thought the official word was that unless the teams in the Pac 10 were #1, #2 in the country there was no promise of them not being in the same region. Does that make for the most exciting vb?? No.

I don't see Hawaii not playing at home in their region. They may travel the first weekend. I wonder if Nebraska will get sent on the road the first weekend like Washington did last year. I don't see Nebraska getting sent to Texas, I really think the Huskers will be in Florida. I don't want Nebraska to play at Washington, a court where losses just don't happen much! I think PSU will go to Texas.

When does the next NCAA RPI come out???

[bigtenfred]

I hope PSU goes to Texas they played great there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[beachman]

eov said:

The Pac 10 has been at a disadvantage ever since the NCAA went to more regional like seeding. Having said that lower seeded teams in the Pac 10 haven't had any trouble making the final four. I thought the official word was that unless the teams in the Pac 10 were #1, #2 in the country there was no promise of them not being in the same region. Does that make for the most exciting vb?? No.

I don't see Hawaii not playing at home in their region. They may travel the first weekend. I wonder if Nebraska will get sent on the road the first weekend like Washington did last year. I don't see Nebraska getting sent to Texas, I really think the Huskers will be in Florida. I don't want Nebraska to play at Washington, a court where losses just don't happen much! I think PSU will go to Texas.

When does the next NCAA RPI come out???

Everything you said could be the way it works out.....gonna be interesting for sure. If Hawaii travels the first weekend, the question of interest will be where do they send them? I pretty much expect UCLA and USC to host the opening weekend along with San Diego....don't see any other California teams hosting except perhaps California.....could send them to another state like Utah or to NMSU....that would be interesting, rematch with NMSU.....that would be a surprise!

[OverAndUnder]

I said on a hunch a couple weeks ago that Nebraska would go to Florida, and PSU to Texas. That looks even more likely now than it did then. I also think at least one Pac-10 team will be sent east, probably to the Texas bracket. Look at the TAMU regional last year.

I'm getting annoyed with all this recent griping about west coast teams being screwed over by the committee. If anything, the committee spreads them around far more than would be implied by "regionalization". Again, look at last year's significant matchups:



NEBRASKA
--------
UCLA
Long Beach St.
UC San Diego

STANFORD
--------
Santa Clara
Pepperdine
UCSB
USC
Arizona

TAMU
----------
Cal
Washington

PENN STATE
----------
St. Mary's
Hawai'i

[Keystonekid]

Nice to see John get a little credit. They lost the POY and essentially two all-americans. This team is starting as little talent, player for player than they have in along time, and are still maintaining a high level. Cook, to me is more deserved as COY of the year this year, than the two times he has won it prior.

[beachman]

keystonekid said:

Nice to see John get a little credit. They lost the POY and essentially two all-americans. This team is starting as little talent, player for player than they have in along time, and are still maintaining a high level. Cook, to me is more deserved as COY of the year this year, than the two times he has won it prior.

Seems to me that Jim Moore has accomplished a whole lot more, with a whole lot less than has Mr. Cook!