|
Post by uhvb on Sept 7, 2004 13:53:36 GMT -5
Metcalf is the Libero? Ohhh My. If she is the best passer they have they are in a ton of trouble. I've seen her served off the court before, many times. I hope you are incorrect on that for the sake of the Cougars.
The problem BYU experiences is that the experienced players don't just take hold of their positions and tell the young kids to sit down and wait their turn. It's a cycle that has been present for years at BYU. Fortunately the talent is there to win matches, I don't think the mentallity is there to win championships.
|
|
|
Post by cougarize on Sept 7, 2004 14:16:19 GMT -5
The problem BYU experiences is that the experienced players don't just take hold of their positions and tell the young kids to sit down and wait their turn. It's a cycle that has been present for years at BYU. Fortunately the talent is there to win matches, I don't think the mentallity is there to win championships. No that's not the problem. BYU has a long line of AA's that have taken charge in their respective positions. In the past the lineup has esentially been set early, heading into the season and that's how BYU has seen success. The position swapping is something that's more recent, and while it isn't constructive to cohesiveness, they are doing it to get the best players on the court. Not to say I agree with that, but that's my opinion. Agreed, Metcalf isn't the prototypical libero and has had her problems in the past with service reception. Against Penn State that was the team's downfall. Tied 1-1, and get blown off the court? The service and reception game went down the tubes. The current OH's Kim Wilson and April Varner are not very good, although Varner is alot better than Wilson. That's where Chelsea Goodman can make a real difference. She's a stud OH that can do everything, and has fire...which the other girls lack. Metcalf will do fine as she slides into her position, though. Now that she's entrenched, the focus will be different and she'll improve. The thing with her was, shoulder surgery jacked her shoulder up so bad, all she worked on was hitting and going through hitting drills. Now that burden has been lifted, look for her to shine. She's a grade A competitor and I'm glad she's there.
|
|
|
Post by uhvb on Sept 7, 2004 14:34:05 GMT -5
You would think that on her way back from shoulder surgery she would have spent a lot of time passing, wouldn't you? Obviously, can't serve, can't hit? Go get some passing reps. That is just poor practice and player management if that was the case. I hope Metcalf settles into her new role but it doesn't say much when the best blocker on the squad is your libero. As for Goodman...best recruit they got! Unfortunately, I don't think she has enough fire to take this team to the promised land. As for players holding onto their spots, the last AA was Nina Puikkonen in 2000, that's 4 years ago. There are no players of that caliber on this squad.
|
|
|
Post by cougarize on Sept 7, 2004 14:44:49 GMT -5
I guess I figured you knew when Metcalf had her shoulder surgery. It wasn't this past offseason! If you knew the story, you wouldn't pipe off about just anything.
Metcalf had her shoulder surgery right after her senior year in high school. That was years ago, but she's continued to experience the residual effects of it. She had been improving. Her arm swing wasn't great last year, but it was loads better than the previous year. And each year she had improved it. At the beginning she worked on everything that didn't involve an arm swing, until she got strength back in it. Obviously as an OH the first priority is getting the ball down, that's why she's focused on that. If you see her on the court, she's had her problems on the back row, but she is far from the incompetent mess you're making her out to be.
And you mentioned that experienced players don't take hold of their positions ... it's a cycle that has been present at BYU for years. That's several years. You sounded like you were alluding to more than that my friend. And if you knew the history that is far from being the case. That's all.
|
|
|
Post by Barefoot In Kailua on Sept 7, 2004 15:02:58 GMT -5
Never really seem to go anywhere? What is the NCAA Tournament considered? Getting to the tournament is one thing, doing something once they get there is another. Next debate....... Beachman vs Cougarize in a battle of "excuses".
|
|
|
Post by uhvb on Sept 7, 2004 15:20:23 GMT -5
Cougarize... You sound like you are getting offended with my points. There is no offense intended. Believe it or not my friend, I want BYU to succeed. I'm not a hater. But there are points that can be made and this is the forum in which to do it just as you do. Metcalf is a senior, you can't use her high school shoulder injury as reason for her not being as proficient a passer now. If you are a friend of Metcalf, I appologize if you take offense. My analysis is based on her skills and has nothing to do with her as a person. Actually, to balance the positive and the negative out here, I think she is a pretty good left back defensive player, not great, but I have seen her dig some pretty good shots that should have been down. And, she is a huge blocker. Because of her training as a high jumper (see... I do know a little about her) she gets up and has great body control in the air. At the risk of sounding somewhat sexist, she blocks like a guy. Okay, I think I gave you 2 positives for my one negative, from what I understand, that is supposed to be pretty good. As for the "several years" , 4 years is years any way you slice it. I guess when you have the same Head Coach for 40 years it's easy to lose track of time. Time moves a lot faster at most other programs around the country. You sound like you have been a cougar fan for a while, you have to admit that you have been very disappointed with the lack of achievement by the BYU squads given the talent they have had. Even with Nina, some of those seasons ended long before they should have. Back to the present. I want someone on this team to step up this year and take charge. I don't think outside hitter by committee will cut it.
|
|
|
Post by PukaPants on Sept 7, 2004 16:38:26 GMT -5
I have to agree with the development of BYU players, something I have always criticized. With BYU's recruitment depth of recent years, they should be churning out AA's, several FF appearances, maybe even the elusive title.
Let me give you a prime example....SUNNY TONGA. She came to BYU as a decorated HS player, left BYU with what?
I followed her every year she played...
1999, her freshman year...she rotted on the bench the first half, playing 2nd sting RS (and it wasn't due to lack of skills, she was just a victim of notorious BYU favoritism).....eventually the coaches got wise and worked her into the rotation the last half of the season, she made immediate impact and broke several BYU records along the way....playing only half season she was nonetheless MWC Freshman of the Year and a landed a slot on the VB Magazine All American Freshman Team.
2000, she was a starter (!) immediately made an impact, had a spectacular match against LBSU going head to head with Haneef, Hochevar, Weaver, with BYU winning in 5, set more BYU records, named to several All Tournament teams, blah blah blah..
2001 - Sunny was good, but I noticed she had not developed as a player, playing at the same level as the previous season. Not only that, but her competition got better....this was something the coaching staff should have noticed pre-season and made adjustments...I remember Sunny doing a very awkward step out that year......at first, it was effective, but I think she was uncomfortable with it and went back to old way of hitting. As the season progressed, the MWC had already figured out how to shut Sunny Tonga down and I know for a fact she didn't end the season the way she wanted to.
Add that to the fact that she had to play under Puikkonen's shadow.....and as sweet as Sunny is, her sister is not (hahaha) and we had a particular conversation about how everything in BYU's offense revolved around their star MB...not to take away from Puikkonen's accomplishments because she was spectacular......but look what the BYU coaching staff did to her.....they failed to recognize that all that constant sliding (cause she had a hard time connecting w/ her sister in the middle) caused the eventual injury that would put an end to her volleyball career. It wasn't until she went to the USOC that she learned from Toshi that there are better ways to execute the slide which minimize damage to the shins, yet it is still lethal and effective. A lesson learned a little too late.
2002 - Sunny got married, redshirted due to pregnancy.
2003 - Sunny moved to PA to be with husband who plays (or something like that) for the Philly Eagles, left BYU with no AVCA AA honors her whole BYU career. And look at that, due to injuries, Puikkonen is not even on any of the AVCA AA lists.
Anyhow.....I don't believe BYU will ever get a title in my lifetime and according to this meter, I still have a good 50 years to go (knock on wood!)
|
|
|
Post by cougarize on Sept 8, 2004 0:00:19 GMT -5
Cougarize... You sound like you are getting offended with my points. Believe me I'm not taking offense. I have pretty thick skin to start with, but it hasn't even gotten to that point. You are not just some fly-by-night poster and so it's good to have healthy debate and I like to clarify where I can. I'd like to think that I know my two cents about BYU volleyball and can spout off about it. And no, Metcalf isn't a personal friend of mine. I've just seen how hard she's worked to improve her arm swing. It's been painful to watch, because there have been some dead ducks come off her hand. I'm not using her HS injury as an excuse, but what I have said and maintain is that because of the shoulder surgery her focus, and rightly so, has been on the arm swing. If I ever said she's a poor passer because of all this, I take it back. But NOW she has the opportunity to work on it. And knowing Metcalf she will improve as a passer as the season goes on. That's the point that I always wanted to make. She wasn't always the first choice to be the starting libero, but it's the way it is, at least for now. With her competitiveness I'd want to see her on the court and this way she's there. As far as the past. BYU has been a successful program. Everybody plays to win championships, but only one is given out per year. So considering that, BYU has made 21 of 23 NCAA Tournaments and with 27 wins in the NCAA Tournament, BYU ranks No. 8 all time. With 926 wins, BYU is the third winningest team in NCAA Division I history. Sure I'm 'disappointed' that BYU hasn't won a championship, but the team has been successful otherwise and has built a tradition of winning. As far as the Nina years. She had great talent, but she wasn't a leader or a take-charge type player. In her last couple of years that could've been said about all the players on the team. Nice person on and off the court. Unfortunately you need a whole lot of attitude with talent to back it up on it. If BYU ever had a bulldog like Stacy Gordon on the outside it would catapult the team. BYU always seems to be able to find height and middles, just not the prototypical masher.
|
|
|
Post by cougarize on Sept 8, 2004 0:06:56 GMT -5
Let me give you a prime example....SUNNY TONGA. She came to BYU as a decorated HS player, left BYU with what? I'm sure Sunny could have been handled better, but it all came down to motivation in her last couple of years. She had so much talent and was so versatile, she could've been the team's setter. When she was on, she was awesome to watch, and I maintained from the beginning that she had National POY potential written all over her. In the end, though, she lacked the inner fire and motivation to be the best. In 2001 when BYU lost to Utah State in five close games in the first round of the NCAAs, Sunny could've taken the game over, but she kept tipping and tipping and tipping. Everytime she tipped, she could've terminated the ball, and she didn't. If I was a coach I would've pulled her aside and said don't tip, but that didn't happen, Sunny shied away from kiling it and BYU lost. I agree it was disappointing to see how she ended her career. It's easy to point at the coaching staff, and they should shoulder some blame, but in the end Sunny just decided she was happy with a certain level. And that was her choice. When you get married, have a kid, etc, your priorities change even more and in her case it did.
|
|
|
Post by uhvb on Sept 8, 2004 1:09:55 GMT -5
You are not just some fly-by-night poster I don't know, my profile still says freshman, one star. But hey, I'm working on it, probably more than I should.
|
|
|
Post by cbrown1709 on Sept 8, 2004 2:22:36 GMT -5
I'm just surprised at how many girls on their roster! 21??
|
|
|
Post by IdahoBoy on Sept 8, 2004 3:43:40 GMT -5
Every time I see this thread "Pimpernel" sp? comes into my mind. Then, since I don't really know what that is, I think of "pumpernickel" sp? break... since I don't really know what that is, I think of "Fruitcake" which brings me right back to what the BYU ladies will likely be baking about NCAA second round time.
|
|
|
Post by PukaPants on Sept 8, 2004 9:13:38 GMT -5
Cougarize, I completely disagree with you.
In 2001, take a look at BYU's offense. Set distribution was most likely like this: 60% to the middle (Puikkonen/Bundy), 30% to RS (Sunny), 10% to OH (forget who they were, obviously they didn't make an impression).
You cannot have a winning season when you bunch up all the sets in 1/3 of the court. And I say 1/3 because all the sets were either slides or to the RS.
That same year however, look at the diversified Colorado State offense. They had that firecracker OH (Courtney?), Angela Knopf at MB, Sorya Santos on the RS, those three ladies were a thorn on all MWC team's sides. CSU went on to have a stellar season, while BYU failed to live up to expectations.
I agree with one thing...Sunny did tip alot in 2001....I suspect it had more to do with the failure of BYU coaching to diversify their offense. By that season, EVERYONE and their dogs knew exactly where to place their diggers to stop not only Sunny, but also where to place their blockers to slow down the MB's. Bundy and Puikkonen saw many balls come back that season. That is what happens when you run a predictable offense.
Sunny came to BYU with the motivation, the fire, the determination.......the BYU coaching staff kinda threw the water on it.
When Karen Lamb took over, she knew that nothing would change. I know for a fact many of the players that year were dying for change.
|
|
|
Post by vbtown on Sept 8, 2004 10:20:16 GMT -5
tipping drills at practice is what killed them.
|
|
|
Post by Bookumdanoaloha on Sept 8, 2004 12:58:05 GMT -5
Don't knock my Scarlet Knights. My daugther started all four years there. Great school and they love to recruit So Cal Players. It was great to see the Scarlet Knights give the Cougars a run for their money. GO BIG EAST VOLLEYBALL. Bookumdanoaloha.
|
|