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Post by darian on Apr 20, 2014 12:16:48 GMT -5
Sorry for such a large bump, but I would love to see this conversation continue. Who will set for team USA in 2016? I'm thinking Christenson or Shaw, but does that mean Shoji won't be competing?
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Post by akbar on Apr 20, 2014 13:30:17 GMT -5
Sorry for such a large bump, but I would love to see this conversation continue. Who will set for team USA in 2016? I'm thinking Christenson or Shaw, but does that mean Shoji won't be competing? I don't see either Shoji's making that 2016 squad.
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Post by Gorflorg Orshforg on Apr 20, 2014 13:44:08 GMT -5
Sorry for such a large bump, but I would love to see this conversation continue. Who will set for team USA in 2016? I'm thinking Christenson or Shaw, but does that mean Shoji won't be competing? I don't see either Shoji's making that 2016 squad. So who is the libero going to be then? Not the guy who's arguably top five in the world?
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Post by Gorflorg Orshforg on Apr 20, 2014 13:55:11 GMT -5
I like Micah Christenson, Matt West, James Shaw, and Steve O'Dell right now; and Christy Blough, and Micah Maaa in a few years. USAV's problem is that there has not been a blow-away player produced since Matt Anderson in 2008. There is a lot of depth at every position and perhaps more players than ever are earning good livings professionally overseas, but this trend does not bode well for future Olympics. But also I think the Olympics don't matter much - they're only once every 4 years. id add jonah seif because he turned UCSB from mediocre to great this past year. Yes they had the addition of hanley but he is a huge part of their recent success. another is bj boldog. great delivery, high contact and not to mention his all american standing the past years. Also, maa might be good now but his delivery is sub par. Slow out of his hands and sometimes carries ball. Great overall player but doubt he will become national team setter. Kid is a natural on the court and im sure he can find a way onto the national team by playing another position. Well, I think it's a little early to talk about Ma'a on the NT, I mean who looked better when CDM played Punahou, Ma'a or Ryan Moss? Way too soon to project those guys past college. If they'd switched setters things might have looked different, but if I had to bet on one of those two making the NT one day it would be on the 6' 7" guy. Who was the last outside with Ma'a's size to play OH on the NT? IF anyone's going to do it it'll be him or Tuileta, but it's far from a sure thing. Let's see how they do in the MPSF first.
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Post by akbar on Apr 20, 2014 13:55:41 GMT -5
I don't see either Shoji's making that 2016 squad. So who is the libero going to be then? Not the guy who's arguably top five in the world? And you are leading that argument?
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Post by bAnthony on Apr 20, 2014 13:55:41 GMT -5
There is still a lot of time between now and then, but I would think Shaw and Christenson would be at the top of the list. World League will be a good chance to see how they have developed since NORCECA. They also have World Championships this year of they qualify. Last summer was a waste at the S position since we had to sit by and watch Thornton and Caldwell. What I do like about Shoji for the WL and WC is he has been getting actual experience playing at a high level of volleyball. Hopefully someone in Europe will see Chistenson at the WL or WC and throw a lot of money at him to leave USC early.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2014 14:00:22 GMT -5
K shoji is out of the picture. He proved this past summer that he can't keep up with the level of play, and he couldn't set Matt Anderson to save his life. Doesn't matter if you can dig or how athletic you are, if you can't connect with Matt, you're done. Micah killed it this past summer with the team, so it's his spot to lose at this point. As for playing with USC, he's over it. He tries to be as competitive as possible, but for a crummy blocking team, and a Libero that can only dig, and one hitter that can put the ball away but is still a freshman, you have to disregard his college play in this conversation. Matt west is the next guy as far as setting, he is able to do get good location on his sets, has a mean jump serve when he's healthy, and makes great decision. He just has to hit the weight room like none other if he wants any chance because his blocking is a huge liability. He has the height, but is too weak on most of the college hard swings, let alone international. Shaw is the dark horse. He can block, he can attack on the 2 contact, and makes his passers way better than they are by saving over passes. The only problem is that he is pretty bad when the ball is more than 5 feet off the net. Stanford has proven to be legit in system, but subpar when off the net in any capacity. In international, a pass 8 ft off the net is an awesome pass, so shaw is basically useless at this point unless he can fix this. He also isn't going to get any years abroad before rio, so unless he leaves early, he's out for this one. Seif is also in the conversation because of his size, but he doesn't seem into it enough to compete and actually take the spot, he also is too young to get any play overseas, so maybe next time around if he is still playing.
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Post by Gorflorg Orshforg on Apr 20, 2014 14:02:12 GMT -5
So who is the libero going to be then? Not the guy who's arguably top five in the world? And you are leading that argument? Leading digger at the WGCC. Who's better? Mario, Verbov, Serginho, Ignaczak and...?
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Post by Deleted on Apr 20, 2014 14:42:14 GMT -5
And you are leading that argument? Leading digger at the WGCC. Who's better? Mario, Verbov, Serginho, Ignaczak and...? He's saying nobody was talking libero's or about little Shoji till you suggested he might not play... Moot point, no need for support. --- As for setters... Micah and West are who I see in the future. I haven't seen Shaw enough to know what sets him apart from other tall setters in recent years (Caldwell, Ammerman..).
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Post by akbar on Apr 20, 2014 14:48:38 GMT -5
And you are leading that argument? Leading digger at the WGCC. Who's better? Mario, Verbov, Serginho, Ignaczak and...? There a number of positions still in question for the '16 squad. IMO setter and libero are not locked in. Perhaps you are right and USA vb can focus their energies on the other positions. Hopefully that is the case.
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Post by Gorflorg Orshforg on Apr 20, 2014 14:49:54 GMT -5
Leading digger at the WGCC. Who's better? Mario, Verbov, Serginho, Ignaczak and...? He's saying nobody was talking libero's or about little Shoji till you suggested he might not play... Moot point, no need for support. --- As for setters... Micah and West are who I see in the future. I haven't seen Shaw enough to know what sets him apart from other tall setters in recent years (Caldwell, Ammerman..). Wait, are you talking to me or akbar? As for Shaw, rest assured he is better than the two you mentioned, and I think he'll be better than West in a year or two (For now they're about neck in neck), but I'm not sold on him being in Rio...He'd definitely have to leave school early, and no way that's happening. Stanford might be down next year, but they should be top five when he's a senior, and I don't he'd leave no matter how bad they were, considering who his dad is and all. He's got a good shot at 2020, but 2016 seems like a pipe dream (Rhyme not intended). Christenson being as good as he is as young as he is really exceptional, so let's not get all caught up in thinking every good college setter is going be seeing time in WL or in Poland for the WC.
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Post by Gorflorg Orshforg on Apr 20, 2014 14:53:50 GMT -5
Leading digger at the WGCC. Who's better? Mario, Verbov, Serginho, Ignaczak and...? There a number of positions still in question for the '16 squad. IMO setter and libero are not locked in. Perhaps you are right and USA vb can focus their energies on the other positions. Hopefully that is the case. I think libero is pretty well locked down for at least 2016, and probably well past that. Shoji is a pretty incredible talent, even if he wasn't as good as he is I don't think there is anyone to challenge him. Not gonna be Watten and no one else playing pro right now is good enough to challenge. Remember the guy was a four time first team All-American, he was wayyyy better than Delgado/Sato/Brinkley/Cassiday are now when he was at Stanford.
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Post by kokyu on Apr 20, 2014 15:08:25 GMT -5
Here's what I see in Rio:
S - Christenson starts with Shaw as back-up OH1 - Anderson OH2 - Sander (pending how he deals with international serve receive) OPP - no idea MB1 - Holt? MB2 - Tavana? L - Shoji with Brinkley as back-up
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Post by simonsun on Apr 20, 2014 15:23:47 GMT -5
With Anderson at OH1, OH2 will have to be a great serve receiver. If Troy and Clark can't play at OPP, perhaps Sander could give it a try.
IMHO the OH2 position will be the biggest problem. Setting with Christenson/Shaw and L with Shoji are just fine.
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Post by kokyu on Apr 20, 2014 15:47:26 GMT -5
I've never seen Sander hit a D ball but I can see him at opp as a possible solution. He moves about the same speed as Clark but can jump and hit higher.
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