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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2014 22:00:15 GMT -5
I thought the women's final was quite good until the 2nd set....Whitney and her partner were touching everything. Thought that they might take that 1st set off of Kerri & April for a few minutes there. Congrats to the AVP, the players and all involved for a great 2014 season!!
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Post by volleyballjim on Sept 22, 2014 2:17:31 GMT -5
Just flew back to SJC from Huntington and these thoughts on the tourney:
- New scoreboards! Fantastic. Live score on web, UNBELIEVABLE! Wasn't till late Saturday that I could believe it was as good as it was! Told Jeff Conover they need an app to pull it up on the fly (a little easier than a web site), but it was working "within seconds of real time". - Whitney: Uh, read prior posts: Real DEAL! Who's picking her up next year. She moved herself into the VERY top tier with Huntington. - Waves: Wow, they were breaking quite steadily out there, nice view from the stands too! - Donald Sun: As cordial and and enthusiastic as ever and always willing to talk to a fan and make them feel like they are part of the tourney. - Kerri: See the '16 Rio Media Guide (LOL) - April and she will run that venue out of town... - Geeter: Don't do the TV! We need you LIVE! Dusty was great, but there is, in fact, only one "Geeter"....ARE YOU READY? I thought he trademarked that....my bad! - Team Gysin/Moore: Uh, what companies are missing out on THIS duo for endorsements! - Adrian: "Adrian" (circa "Rocky")...If you want some personality, how about the entire AVP field x 6! Anyone for a handset over on 1 to "keep it real"? I didn't think so! Well, the crowd did! - Casey: If anyone doesn't "like" you, have 'em call me! You're becoming the soul of the AVP! Huntington 2014: Yes!
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Post by guest2 on Sept 22, 2014 10:36:59 GMT -5
Interesting note, Ryan/Nick are 0-6 against Casey/Jake this year. With one three game exception, and an FIVB two setter that was close, all of those matches have been embarrasing beatings.
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Post by JB Southpaw on Sept 22, 2014 14:30:11 GMT -5
I got to watch a bunch of the streaming, and the CBS broadcast this weekend. it was a good stream.
Glad to see Hudson and McKenzie make it to a 5th. They seem to mesh well.
1st time I got to see Montgomery play, he didn't look very good. Must be a pretty good dude, because He has pulled partners above his play (IMO). I'd chose McKenzie or Ty over him in a heartbeat. Good to see Budinger back out, looked in decent shape. Tri seemed to lose it a bit in the 3rd set, those missed serves in the 1st set from the good side really hurt them. Then he did it again in the 3rd! Jake in the 3rd at the net one-upped Tri's 2nd set performance. Casey's serve was on. Slick and Adrian take another solid 3rd. It seems like a forgone conclusion that they will split based on Slick's Int'l playing. Loved watching Whit & Hughes! Great energy and athleticism, some of those plays in the finals were incredible, even when they lost the point. Whitney looked like a different player than earlier in the year.
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Post by guest2 on Sept 22, 2014 15:36:05 GMT -5
Third is a great finish for Adrian/Stafford, but it was also a blown chance. They were right there in Game 2 and played well, but that loss also cost them Game 3. In Game 3 they just came out beaten and put up no fight. I doubt they would have won it, but they could have done much more than they did.
Ive seen Montgomery a couple times this year and just isnt that good. I have started to think of him as the West Coast Adam Roberts. In that match to get to fifth, Casebeer was clearly the best player out there, and Will was just as definitively the worst. I like Hudson and Dave switching off, but I think they were doing it mostly because Hudson was gassed. Also weird to see Dave being so aggressive on free balls, almost like an Anjinho/Loiola pairing. That match was one of the best I have seen in a long time. Not particularly well played but intense, close, and with tons of twists and turns. Hope those guys run it back next year.
I can't figure out Doherty/Lucena. Half the time Nick seems pissed at Ryan, but as far as I can tell when they are losing a lot of the time its Nick's fault. Ryan has become an amazing blocker, and I dont know that Nick is doing a good job playing behind him. I wouldnt say its exactly the same but it reminds me a little of when Todd used to have Phil funneling balls to him as opposed to going for stuffs and it drove me insane to watch. I think Ryan should be blocking ball on every play and let Nick use that speed to chase down everything else.
Biggest loser of the week is Billy Allen. In a somewhat depleted field, with some big upsets right off the bat, they finished last. When Trevor starts getting calls, if he isnt already, that 13th is going to be a selling point. I dont know if anything short of a top 3 could have kept them together, but now I think there isnt much chance.
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Post by stevek on Sept 22, 2014 16:03:08 GMT -5
I agree with you guest2. Adrian/Stafford should have had game 2 and I felt like they did up until stafford made the poor decision to hand set while falling backwards. That said, two 3rds in a row to end the season is a good way to end the season. I hope they stay together because they are a fun team to watch. Adrian is for sure divisive - some don't like his attitude, but most people I was with loved it. After watching him once or twice on Saturday, everyone in my group made it a point to not miss an Adrian/Stafford match. He's fun to watch and his skill set and how he sees the court is crazy. We need more players like that for sure. I don't know if it streamed, but they also had a great match against Todd/Theo early Sunday. Theo kept getting his hands called and Todd went ballistic twice - getting a red card to end game one. Of course, that was the only time he showed any emotion. At the end of the match, he bailed without shaking Adrian/Stafford's hands or saying a word to Theo. I wonder if that will be his last match. He certainly didn't look like he was having much fun. I didn't mention Heather and Whitney before, but that was a tournament. Whitney was moving around picking up everything and then transitioning. Reminded me of her time with Kropp when they couldn't be beat domestically. Even more impressive was that they didn't have an easy road to the finals, they took out the #2, #3 and #4 seeds before they lost in the finals.
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Post by ronnielott on Sept 22, 2014 18:36:30 GMT -5
Theo kept getting his hands called and Todd went ballistic twice - getting a red card to end game one. Of course, that was the only time he showed any emotion. At the end of the match, he bailed without shaking Adrian/Stafford's hands or saying a word to Theo. I wonder if that will be his last match. He certainly didn't look like he was having much fun. Shocking, Rogey being Rogey.....please retire and retire us from your pathetic behavior that does nothing for the sport, thank you.
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Post by bigfan on Sept 22, 2014 19:37:59 GMT -5
Ross is a better player than I ever thought she would be coming out of Southern Cal.
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Post by rex1080 on Sept 22, 2014 20:47:39 GMT -5
I honestly think that Montgomery still has a lot of time to develop into a great defender. He's only 24 and his second year playing on the tour consistently, and is putting up respectable finishes. Once he gets a solid big man partner and gets into the main draw, I believe he could be contending to win opens. Its too early to compare him with Adam Roberts, who is significantly older than Will. There is too much time in between Monty's peak growth years to be saying that.
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Post by guest2 on Sept 22, 2014 21:13:10 GMT -5
I honestly think that Montgomery still has a lot of time to develop into a great defender. He's only 24 and his second year playing on the tour consistently, and is putting up respectable finishes. Once he gets a solid big man partner and gets into the main draw, I believe he could be contending to win opens. Its too early to compare him with Adam Roberts, who is significantly older than Will. There is too much time in between Monty's peak growth years to be saying that. He gets partners at a level he doesn't merit and is physically limited. Thats why I thought of Adam Roberts I think his defense is fine, but I doubt his ability to put the ball away. He seems small and physically average. At the moment I dont see a significant difference between him and someone like Mark Burik, or the better Bomgren brother
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Post by Semp12 on Sept 23, 2014 10:54:50 GMT -5
Third is a great finish for Adrian/Stafford, but it was also a blown chance. They were right there in Game 2 and played well, but that loss also cost them Game 3. In Game 3 they just came out beaten and put up no fight. I doubt they would have won it, but they could have done much more than they did. Ive seen Montgomery a couple times this year and just isnt that good. I have started to think of him as the West Coast Adam Roberts. In that match to get to fifth, Casebeer was clearly the best player out there, and Will was just as definitively the worst. I like Hudson and Dave switching off, but I think they were doing it mostly because Hudson was gassed. Also weird to see Dave being so aggressive on free balls, almost like an Anjinho/Loiola pairing. That match was one of the best I have seen in a long time. Not particularly well played but intense, close, and with tons of twists and turns. Hope those guys run it back next year. I can't figure out Doherty/Lucena. Half the time Nick seems pissed at Ryan, but as far as I can tell when they are losing a lot of the time its Nick's fault. Ryan has become an amazing blocker, and I dont know that Nick is doing a good job playing behind him. I wouldnt say its exactly the same but it reminds me a little of when Todd used to have Phil funneling balls to him as opposed to going for stuffs and it drove me insane to watch. I think Ryan should be blocking ball on every play and let Nick use that speed to chase down everything else. Biggest loser of the week is Billy Allen. In a somewhat depleted field, with some big upsets right off the bat, they finished last. When Trevor starts getting calls, if he isnt already, that 13th is going to be a selling point. I dont know if anything short of a top 3 could have kept them together, but now I think there isnt much chance. A guy like Hudson will benefit immensely from not having to play the extra 3 qualifier matches on Thursday. He is always giving 100% and is clearly not the body type of a tank vs. long distance runner. Will be looking forward to what he can do next year and hope he can be a straight main draw athlete with whoever he plays with. We have proven that here in the US, prime for men's beach volleyball is over 30. Anyone under 25 is certainly not being judged in my point at all. Montgomery has time to still develop court awareness to help him put the ball away in other ways. Not sure I would call it a depleted weekend, but more along the lines of a big upset weekend. Losing 1st round probably put Billy in a more favorable loser bracket (not on the Keenan/Mayer or Adrian/Slick side). They didn't take advantage. Not sure how serious Billy was on the training side this year.
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Post by guest2 on Sept 23, 2014 12:40:35 GMT -5
I agree about Hudson, and I always root for those guys, but there is no excuse for wearing down that fast in the modern game. He could probably stand to drop a little muscle for the sake of endurance.
Thats what I meany by depleted, basically that they didnt have to play any top teams.
To your point about BVB athletes being at their best in their 30s, I think its around 25-32 historically, but some weird things have combined to make it look different now. Historically most of the top guys have started getting noticeably worse around 32-34, Stoklos, Hovland, Karch, Lambert, Metzger, Blanton, Fonoi, etc. There are guys now sort of challenging that rule, but a lot of that is governed by outside factors, or height dependent.
I do agree that 25 is probably a little early to say for sure, but at 25 the athleticism or height would already be there. The only guy finishing well right now who is not either 6'6 or above or a superior natural athlete to Montgomery, based on what I have seen is Adrian.
For a guy that small who doesnt have Lucena athleticism to succeed would be extremely unusual.
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Post by haze on Sept 23, 2014 16:05:39 GMT -5
Who's the better player SLick or Carambula? Is that person top 10/15/20 in the US at the moment? I would be curious to hear everyones thoughs on a US ranking of individual players.
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Post by Semp12 on Sept 24, 2014 10:02:49 GMT -5
Who's the better player SLick or Carambula? Is that person top 10/15/20 in the US at the moment? I would be curious to hear everyones thoughs on a US ranking of individual players. Someone was kind enough to tape several matches and put them on youtube (edited, high resolution, pretty awesome actually to watch a complete 3 set matches in 20-ish minutes). I know guest2 said that Casebeer was clearly the best player in his match vs. Dave/Hudson, he clearly was. The Slick/Adrian team were very impressive in their game vs. Meyer/Keenan. In my opinion, Adrian was the best player out there and his ability to vary the tempo of the sets helped Slick be as consistent as he was. The talk of who is the better player, Adrian vs. Slick.. in that match Adrian. In the fact that there are more blockers vs. defenders, that also gives Adrian the edge. Supposedly Adrian is considering some international opportunities in beach volleyball and may not be back next year. That would be too bad, as I enjoy watching him play.
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Post by JB Southpaw on Sept 30, 2014 10:11:54 GMT -5
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