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Post by Mac on May 15, 2009 12:59:09 GMT -5
if men's volleyball is ever gonna get beyond a California-centric sport the distribution of talent will need to be more national. Don't think it will ever happen. If the sport is going to grow outside of California, the Eiva and Miva participants could start encouraging their D1 conference schools to convert their stellar club programs to bona fide D1 programs. The Big X for example could have their own conference if their clubs stepped up. The bigger schools can fund programs and maybe you'd keep your talent at home. Illinois for one is rumored to have not one but two excellent club teams. The West has held the door open for you for years to allow a conference winner an automatic bid to the FF even though they may be ranked #8 or worse. The '05 FF is a prime example. Pepperdine deserved it this year. But those outside of the West have to start getting others into the sport and let them see the benefits of installing a program. What's happening with the U of Buffalo anyway? Look at UCI. Before they won their first championship did anyone outside of the Los Angeles basin know much about them? No disrespect but the awareness has skyrocketed for UCI. Do you think their alumni who live back East are reaping a benefit today? Absolutely. They're taking advantage of their new fame nationally. Their administration is overjoyed at this new fame. They've gotten more publicity for their school than anything because of their Men's Volleyball program, and it's put them on the map. With what, 22 D1 programs the odds of a school winning a national championship are certainly far better than say winning it in basketball, baseball or any other sport where a school is competing against hundreds of other schools across the country. Look at UCSD. Even they're stepping it up to find ways to compete and make a name for themselves. And if this sport would get serious about marketing, the teams will be revenue producers instead of full expense sports to propel its success with its administrators. Find a way to get around Title IX.
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Post by Word on May 15, 2009 13:07:54 GMT -5
Penn State's recruiting class: Matt Anderson and Max Holt. Not too shabby a class there...
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Post by setaone on May 15, 2009 13:44:24 GMT -5
I have to agree that the Fab 50 is misconstrued. It's interesting that the same magazine also has a list called "25 Underclassmen to Watch" or something similar. That's almost a better list because it is suggesting that these particular kids have talent and may blossom but let's watch and see. I'll have to do a comparison of that list with this class as well. Maybe the Fab 50 should be more of a "here's a list of 50 seniors we think might blossom in college. Let's watch and see!" It's still a shame to see so many talented players languish on the bench of overstocked teams out west when so many non-west coast teams have no depth. Obviously southern California is just a little more attractive than the midwest in January which influences a lot of decisions. It also seems that most of the non-West Coast vball schools are small, not as well known institutions. And there's always that desire to try to play where the best competition exists. But if men's volleyball is ever gonna get beyond a California-centric sport the distribution of talent will need to be more national. Don't think it will ever happen. Shaqtastic: yes, the Fab 50 is misconstrued, but I think it's still worth preserving. It recognizes a huge accomplishment in the careers of prep players -- commitment to a D-1 or other high profile volleyball program. That is a major milestone of achievement for these players and gives them much earned bragging rights. Like any other merit award, however, making the Fab 50 does not guarantee success. It's like the Boy Scouts -- no amount of merit awards will ever determine if a kid makes it to Eagle Scout. Making it to the top, as in D-1 volleyball, takes a tremendous amount of skill, determination and tenacity.
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Post by 2much2handle on May 15, 2009 14:02:37 GMT -5
UH could be a place where they can disappear too. Lord knows we need help. I think we have a great start for next season with Metzger and Umlauft.
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Post by Mac on May 15, 2009 14:20:26 GMT -5
The Fab 50 is Volleyball Magazine's attempt to publicize high school's top players. It is not a projection of who will develop or who will do well in college The difference in high school and D1 is the same as in any sport.... HUGE. Some have hit their peak performance in high school and that's it for them. It's especially so in high school where a decent player is a big fish in a little pond. What decent player on a D1 team wasn't a high school star? I had a parent come up to me after a match once and lament, "Why isn't my son getting playing time? He was such a great All Star in high school." I replied, "They ALL were." He was an average player and got the playing time he deserved given the level of talent on the team.
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Post by Deleted on May 15, 2009 14:47:03 GMT -5
50 is just way too much , they need to trim it down to fab 25. I have to ask, who is that in your avatar? Lionsarm is correct its Arik Metzger, Hopefully the warriors next great setter.
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Post by prouddad on May 15, 2009 14:49:48 GMT -5
I have come up with a decent team of pretty decent players omitted from the Fab 50 from the class of 2005. I believe this list to be accurate but wouldn't guarantee it.
Theo Edwards CSUN OPP Kevin McNiff CSUN MB Ali'i Keohoher CSUN L Brent Schripa PEPP OH JD Schleppenbach PEPP OH Brent Asuka UCI L Bryan Simmonds UCI MB Gerald Houseman UCSD MB Eric Leserman UCSD L Matt Werle Juniata S
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Post by notsocal2 on May 17, 2009 8:18:34 GMT -5
Happened to have come across the 2004 Fab 50 - and some noteables include:
ammerman - uci chen-byerly - pacific diefenbach - ucla ker - ucla killian - usc mathews - osu mccarthy - bsu runkle - ucsb spittle - uci spurlock - osu stellar - uci vance - csun wilson - uci winder - pepp
I guess a few did OK and had some impact in D1
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Post by cyberVBmidwest on May 17, 2009 10:34:34 GMT -5
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Post by ciscokeed on May 17, 2009 15:14:25 GMT -5
I have been too long removed from the MPSF. I hate to believe that AL and Rof have lost their magic, but on the few matches I have seen on TV UCLA does not seem to have its mojo anymore... Can someone tell me what has happened Thanks...
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Post by notsocal2 on May 17, 2009 17:44:46 GMT -5
thanks cybervb for the post of the recent years lists. I looked at the 2007 list just for the heck of it and about 20 of the kids are playing regularly, so that year had a pretty good representation as well.
in the end no guarantee if fab 50, then d1, as many who have posted here have already said. But clearly and indicator of some degree. I'd say making the usa teams are the better indicator - almost all of those kids are playing somewhere for look at that same group example - troy, shoji, crider, lawson, clark, etc...
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Post by shaqtastic on May 17, 2009 22:38:15 GMT -5
Happened to have come across the 2004 Fab 50 - and some noteables include: ammerman - uci chen-byerly - pacific diefenbach - ucla ker - ucla killian - usc mathews - osu mccarthy - bsu runkle - ucsb spittle - uci spurlock - osu stellar - uci vance - csun wilson - uci winder - pepp I guess a few did OK and had some impact in D1 Speaking of Ammerman's class, I came across the list of "25 Underclassmen to Watch" when Ammerman was a HS junior (2003), and a lot of those guys were on it. It seems that the "25 Underclassmen to Watch" may be a little more objective. It appears to be less influenced by college coaches or based on who has committed to the top programs. I think the USAV may have had the influence based on the HP programs but not sure: Ryan Ammerman Jr. Fletcher Anderson Jr. Nathan Bouza Jr. Matt Ceran Jr. Simon Chen-Byerley Jr. James Clar Jr. Daniel Cromwell Jr. James Diefenbach Jr. Anthony Gagliarducci Jr. Joe Guntli Soph. Alex Holford Jr. Michael Iandolo Soph. Christopher Jones Jr. Tony Kerr Jr. Jimmy Killian Jr. Daniel Matthews Jr. Sean O'Malley Soph. Eric Palumbo Jr. Nathan Sederberg Jr. Chris Shellenberg Soph. Ben Spurlock Jr. DJ Stromath Jr. Adam Tuifago Jr. Greg Vollmer Jr. Jon Winder Jr.
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Post by Semp12 on May 20, 2009 21:38:43 GMT -5
I have come up with a decent team of pretty decent players omitted from the Fab 50 from the class of 2005. I believe this list to be accurate but wouldn't guarantee it. Theo Edwards CSUN OPP Kevin McNiff CSUN MB Ali'i Keohoher CSUN L Brent Schripa PEPP OH JD Schleppenbach PEPP OH Brent Asuka UCI L Bryan Simmonds UCI MB Gerald Houseman UCSD MB Eric Leserman UCSD L Matt Werle Juniata S I'd say William Price, George Mason/Penn State is another one who was left off the Fab 50 but definitly would be on it if it was made now.
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