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Post by volleyballjim on Jul 19, 2019 12:53:58 GMT -5
Can anyone shed light, after the recent defeat this week, on this once-very-recently-formidable team? I see the scores of close games, but haven't watched much live (or re-plays), so, Whas up?
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Post by donnyb on Jul 19, 2019 12:59:43 GMT -5
I think this falls on nick and Phil. There side out game hasn’t really changed much. Nick still gives up points like he has the last 10 years but they are not making the other plays they use to make. When they won before it was because Phil roofed people off the court and if he didn’t block it nick dig it! That’s not happening right now. I really think it has nothing to do with offense which I think a lot of people thinks it does.
They are very much a Kerri Brooke team! When they win it’s because Kerri blocked really well and Brooke bigs balls!! When that don’t happen they struggle because Brooke is going to give up points like she has for years against elite teams.
So when both teams are firing defensively they win!
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Post by haze on Jul 19, 2019 13:02:02 GMT -5
I don't really think it's anything out of the ordinary. Phil was dominant day in and day with Todd Rodgers. He had some injuries with Rosie, and it's just been a slowly decline with Nick. Sure he has had his moments, but he peaked with Rodgers. Nothing to be ashamed about. The guy can still win on a great day, but he has no more margin or error for not playing his best. 39 years old will do that to some players.
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Post by volleyballjim on Jul 19, 2019 13:24:49 GMT -5
Just watched ONE PLAY on FB, where Nick had to block for a game point by Russia, I believe, and watching Phil in the backcourt, (it was the last play of game 2 (they lost game 1)) and Phil looked awkward in the backcourt, hands, in defense, at his side a bit and he was out of the dig almost before the hit came down...One play, so not sure that says anything, but looked bad for match point...
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Post by tamz on Jul 19, 2019 16:38:24 GMT -5
I think this falls on nick and Phil. There side out game hasn’t really changed much. Nick still gives up points like he has the last 10 years but they are not making the other plays they use to make. When they won before it was because Phil roofed people off the court and if he didn’t block it nick dig it! That’s not happening right now. I really think it has nothing to do with offense which I think a lot of people thinks it does. They are very much a Kerri Brooke team! When they win it’s because Kerri blocked really well and Brooke bigs balls!! When that don’t happen they struggle because Brooke is going to give up points like she has for years against elite teams. So when both teams are firing defensively they win! This year is becoming a mirror of last year. Start off on fire, then slowly die down, except this year is even worst with 25ths. At least last year they got 9ths. They really need to figure out something soon because we’re now halfway through Olympics qualifications and they just lost 400 entry points as a team because they’ve dropped the Doha 2nd place finish and replaced it with a 25th. What’s only holding them together is the 5th at World Champs and the 9th in Gstaad, in terms of points. Also, they haven’t beat a top team since Doha? They’ve now lost to Thole/Wickler twice this year (once for forfeit) and Brouwer/Meeuwsen also twice. |
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Post by guest008 on Jul 19, 2019 21:11:21 GMT -5
Could Phil have that nagging ab strain slowing him down? These guys aren't spring chickens and they're in a stretch of playing a lot more than they are used to.
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Post by tamz on Jul 19, 2019 21:30:40 GMT -5
Could Phil have that nagging ab strain slowing him down? These guys aren't spring chickens and they're in a stretch of playing a lot more than they are used to. I don’t know anymore. As of today, I can no longer make excuses for them not knowing if there’s an injury or not... |
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Post by ebes1099 on Jul 19, 2019 21:35:52 GMT -5
Could Phil have that nagging ab strain slowing him down? These guys aren't spring chickens and they're in a stretch of playing a lot more than they are used to. I don’t think that’s it. He was ripping some big jump serves today against Taylor and Jake. I think if his ab was hurting he wouldn’t be doing that. |
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Post by volleyballjim on Aug 19, 2019 22:13:01 GMT -5
Not sure the Manhattan shed any contrary light to this topic . . . :-(
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Post by gr8hands on Aug 20, 2019 6:16:37 GMT -5
They serve way too easy. 39 year olds can still jump serve. They're not putting any pressure on teams and when the block and dig game is off then they aren't scoring any real points. They look tired physically and mentally. They need to find some fire to motivate them. I would love to see them talk more smack and show more emotion. Phil is arguably the best beach volleyball of all time and he's letting people beat him like he doesn't care. To me it's more mental than physical.
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Post by swift on Aug 20, 2019 8:26:41 GMT -5
They serve way too easy. 39 year olds can still jump serve. They're not putting any pressure on teams and when the block and dig game is off then they aren't scoring any real points. They look tired physically and mentally. They need to find some fire to motivate them. I would love to see them talk more smack and show more emotion. Phil is arguably the best beach volleyball of all time and he's letting people beat him like he doesn't care. To me it's more mental than physical. maybe it is more mental than physical. Phil has won everything so he's probably not that hungry for success anymore. But you also can't deny the fact that both aren't the athlets/jumpers anymore that they used to be. That hurts Nick's sidout game and Phil's blocking. The other day someone posted a picture of a young phil jumping to the moon. That made me realize how high he used to jump. Those days are definitely gone. I mean he's 39 years old so that's understandable. |
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Post by Winbabywin on Aug 20, 2019 8:47:58 GMT -5
It is definitely a combination of age and complacency, for both. The best thing Phil ever did, was drop Nick for Todd; Todd made Phil be a professional (i.e. training physically, preparing mentally, work ethic, etc). I knew Nick personally when he was a student at FSU, and played with and against him when he was coming up pre-Phil. He was a non-stop worker, working out like a mad-man, training, doing anything he could to be successful, which obviously worked.
They make no secret about going home to their separate homes in FL, not training together, basically showing up to tournaments and playing. It's hard to be a professional athlete, especially to maintain that physicality into your late 30's & 40's.
I think they are doing what they can to hopefully play in Tokyo, and then ride off into the sunset to play video games, smoke weed, and hangout with the fams in FL. Doesn't seem like they care as much as they used to, at least off the court...everyone cares when it's game time.
Just to clarify, this is not a knock on either one of them; I cheer for them to win against everyone they play, but time does take a toll on your body and motivation, happens to us all.
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Post by rainmaker on Aug 20, 2019 13:27:17 GMT -5
Good summation winbabywin, that's spot on..
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Post by dunninla3 on Aug 20, 2019 14:26:18 GMT -5
It is definitely a combination of age and complacency, for both. The best thing Phil ever did, was drop Nick for Todd; Todd made Phil be a professional (i.e. training physically, preparing mentally, work ethic, etc). I knew Nick personally when he was a student at FSU, and played with and against him when he was coming up pre-Phil. He was a non-stop worker, working out like a mad-man, training, doing anything he could to be successful, which obviously worked. They make no secret about going home to their separate homes in FL, not training together, basically showing up to tournaments and playing. It's hard to be a professional athlete, especially to maintain that physicality into your late 30's & 40's. I think they are doing what they can to hopefully play in Tokyo, and then ride off into the sunset to play video games, smoke weed, and hangout with the fams in FL. Doesn't seem like they care as much as they used to, at least off the court...everyone cares when it's game time. Just to clarify, this is not a knock on either one of them; I cheer for them to win against everyone they play, but time does take a toll on your body and motivation, happens to us all. Phil's gut told him it was time to hang it up at the end of last year. He should have listened to his gut. Honestly I think Phil is trying to press the pedal to the metal, but his heart is no longer in it. You can't force yourself to get into something you just aren't into any more. He's doing it on the advice of his wife, who reminded him he is the GOAT and he should keep doing it. He's probably also doing it for Nick, to get him to Tokyo. Doing it on your wife's advice, and doing it for Nick, both fail to account for a complete loss of internal drive and passion. It doesn't matter how good you are or were, if your heart isn't into it, you're not going to keep the focus you need to compete except in brief spurts. Given his physical decline, he is no longer good enough to win FIVB events with brief spurts/ and now even AVP is a huge challenge. I'm sure he told himself he could get his heart back into it. But the heart knows no master. It's tough to see him go out this way, that is, not REALLY on his own terms. |
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Post by socalplayer on Aug 21, 2019 18:14:21 GMT -5
It is definitely a combination of age and complacency, for both. The best thing Phil ever did, was drop Nick for Todd; Todd made Phil be a professional (i.e. training physically, preparing mentally, work ethic, etc). I knew Nick personally when he was a student at FSU, and played with and against him when he was coming up pre-Phil. He was a non-stop worker, working out like a mad-man, training, doing anything he could to be successful, which obviously worked. They make no secret about going home to their separate homes in FL, not training together, basically showing up to tournaments and playing. It's hard to be a professional athlete, especially to maintain that physicality into your late 30's & 40's. I think they are doing what they can to hopefully play in Tokyo, and then ride off into the sunset to play video games, smoke weed, and hangout with the fams in FL. Doesn't seem like they care as much as they used to, at least off the court...everyone cares when it's game time. Just to clarify, this is not a knock on either one of them; I cheer for them to win against everyone they play, but time does take a toll on your body and motivation, happens to us all. Except if your name starts with Reid and ends with Priddy |
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