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Post by SakiBomb25 on Nov 28, 2006 3:13:58 GMT -5
COY: I understand the reward to Coach Moore, but do have reservations about how they improved so rapidly with the recruiting of foreign players who clearly had big careers in Europe. Clearly had big careers in Europe? Where's the proof?
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Post by ay2013 on Nov 28, 2006 3:36:52 GMT -5
COY: I understand the reward to Coach Moore, but do have reservations about how they improved so rapidly with the recruiting of foreign players who clearly had big careers in Europe. Clearly had big careers in Europe? Where's the proof? During the UW-Oregon match @ UW, the announcer was talking about Mira Drujic's serve and how she was voted best server in Europe or something like that. She has probably the most powerful, but erratic, arm in the Pac-10, and probably the country. With a decent pass and a great set, I would get out of her way if she was taking a swing at the ball (Christal Morrison didn't get the memo in one of the games... she got hit in the face). I'm sure Drujic was a big-time player before she came to America .
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Post by ay2013 on Nov 28, 2006 4:20:24 GMT -5
FOY: Sonja----> you are the best!! Many skilled setters could have set that USC team, but Sonja made Oregon the contender they are. I agree. I know that most have said there isn't just one difference maker in the Oregon team, but Sonja really puts the spark here. She is called the "eraser" in there because she erases the mistakes that the team makes. I really am feeling like a couple other freshman got shafted. Taylor Carico might have a lot of assists, but when you have the most talented digger/passer in the Pac-10 (Seillhammer) getting you the balls and one of the most talented hitters in the Pac-10 (Kazcor) terminating the balls, the assists will naturally rack up. Carico is leagues behind Thompson and Spicer... I credit Siellhammer and Kazcor for Carico's success, not the other way around :/
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Post by tsunami on Nov 28, 2006 5:21:00 GMT -5
Morrison is deserving of the PYO honor.
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Post by VolleyTX on Nov 28, 2006 10:03:56 GMT -5
What are you smoking? When was the last time that a middle blocker in the NCAA's hit for .460, had OVER 4 kills per game, while also having almost as many attempts as the best outside hitters in the league? Oh... by the way.... she averaged almost 2 blocks per game.
I really can't think of another middle blocker who has ever put up the kind of numbers that Nana has put up this season. It just goes to show you that the NCAA's will never again pick a middle blocker for POY. No respect for Middle Blockers anymore.
Love Morrison..... but the award should have gone to Nana. Nana scored almost as many points per game as Morrison with only 1/2 the number of rotations.
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Post by vbking on Nov 28, 2006 10:15:35 GMT -5
Nana was flat out robbed. Morrison isn't even the best player on her team, that would be CT. No one was robbed or ripped off or screwed or anthing. The coaches, the people that have to prepare game plans to defend against these players, decided that Morrison was far more of a factor in games than Merriweather. Merriweather's offense is totally dependant on her passers and her setter. Without a good pass and a great setter she would be a non-offensive factor in games. If POY were selected based on blocking stats, then Melissa Elmer would have been POY 2 years running. Furthermore, Merriweather doesn't even serve for her team, let alone play defense or pass. She may be, arguably, the best middle in the country, but she is definitely not the POY. Is Christal Morrison the best player in the PAC 10? Obviously, the coaches that face her every night believe that she is. Enough said.
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Post by volleysean27 on Nov 28, 2006 10:21:32 GMT -5
If you have watched most of UCLA's games even with a pass behind the 10 foot line Spicer would still set Nana and she still would terminate the ball. believe me its hard to hit the ball when its coming from behind you
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Post by VolleyTX on Nov 28, 2006 11:09:26 GMT -5
All of this is true for ANY middle blocker. You have only proven my point..... a middle blocker will never get POY. Why don't they just take middle blockers out of the equation.
BTW... Elmer was great, but she didn't have nearly the number of attempts, kills, or hitting percentage of Nana.
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Post by dishdaball on Nov 28, 2006 11:12:24 GMT -5
Show me a middle blocker that plays back row and they'll be in contention. Morrison did it all for her team. Nana is the top middle blocker in the league but doesn't contribute from the back row. Her drama is sometimes a little distracting too. If she played at a more even level emotionally I'd bet she 'd be an even better player.
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Post by LanaiBoy on Nov 28, 2006 11:52:35 GMT -5
Hawaii had two: Angela Lundquist and Heather Bown. Lundquist, POY for 1996 and 4-time All-American, led the team in blocks, hitting percentage, digs, kills, and service aces. Greatest all around middle ever. She is in the top ten in ten career categories. Great passer and she had wicked jump serve. Bown averaged 2.25 blocks per game and was one of the hardest hitters ever to wear a Hawaii uniform. The only one comparable to her in smashing the ball was Kim Willoughby.
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Post by dishdaball on Nov 28, 2006 11:54:22 GMT -5
Thanks - you've made my point exactly!
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Post by VolleyTX on Nov 28, 2006 12:18:07 GMT -5
First off, Nana's teammates asked her to show more emotion.... to celebrate with them. She was always quite reserved. Her "drama" on the court is a product of her teammates request for a bit more emotion out of her. Let's not fault her for that.
Secondly, name me 3 middle blockers who are currently playing Div 1 or even International volleyball who play all the way around. The Libero rule has complete changed the role of the middle blocker. I stand by my comment..... if "doing it all" for your team is a prerequisite for POY.... then take Middle Blockers out of the running, because they will never win.
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Post by USAFAN on Nov 28, 2006 12:27:13 GMT -5
I definitely think Nana Meriwether got robbed as well. People are using this lack of all around game as an excuse but the fact of the matter is that MB's are playing only in the front row due to the implementation of the libero. If a MB is producing stellar #'s like Nana has in comparison to good numbers for an OH but nothing astronomical in the case of Christal Morrison, I think you need to give the honor to Meriwether. It looks like with the libero rule we may never see a MB POY be it at the conference or AVCA level.
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Post by dishdaball on Nov 28, 2006 12:42:14 GMT -5
I was unaware that Nana's team asked her to slide to her knees after every block. I doubt that was Andy's idea. When a team has irratic emotional highs they will also have the lows. This takes nothing away from the fact she is a stellar middle blocker as I posted earlier...
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Post by Cubicle No More ... on Nov 28, 2006 12:45:03 GMT -5
If you have watched most of UCLA's games even with a pass behind the 10 foot line Spicer would still set Nana and she still would terminate the ball. believe me its hard to hit the ball when its coming from behind you it's also damn hard to set a ball like that ... this speaks volumes of spicer's abilities just as much as meriwether's. perhaps if coaches were looking at a UCLA player to vote for as POY, they just couldn't decide between the two. and the vote simply split b/w them. but think about this... look at what meriwether did this year, her ridiculous stats for hitting and blocking. and it still wasn't enough to earn POY. so imagine what MBs down the road would have to do actually get it....
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