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Post by Saruman on May 7, 2004 9:20:17 GMT -5
Stating the obvious.
PSU was just too young and lacked the pop on the corners. Guys like Gutor and wetzel just don't have the overall experience of high level play.
I was hoping for a "small miracle" but reality quickly set in.
They are one to two years and one experienced Foreigner away from competing a Championship level.
LB is playing like a bunch of upperclassmen. Depth and experience.
Lewis was just flat out outclassed in every aspect of the game.
The MIVA was considerably weaker this year and it would not have made a difference who the rep was. Sorry but true.
It will be a very interesting Final. Hopefully the attendance will be better.
The best two teams are in the final...Duh!
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Post by midwestfan on May 7, 2004 10:56:42 GMT -5
PSU was just too young and lacked the pop on the corners. Guys like Gutor and wetzel just don't have the overall experience of high level play. I was hoping for a "small miracle" but reality quickly set in. They are one to two years and one experienced Foreigner away from competing a Championship level. Do you really think they need the foreign player? From what I saw on tv last night, they have all the eliments but are just lacking the experience. I say barring injury, 2006 is your year! |
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Post by doctordubya on May 7, 2004 11:08:14 GMT -5
Penn State could have won it in 2001, they had a real foreign stud in Carlos Guerra that year - plus that good Serbian leftie at the opposite, can't remember his name right now.
They threw the semifinal v BYU away by making too many service errors. If Pav had told just one of his jumpers to ease up and float the ball in, Penn State would have won the first two games and probably the match.
That year they had easily the best digger in the nation in Ricky Mattei, so why they felt they had to rip their jump serves all the time is beyond me.
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Post by loyola on May 7, 2004 11:16:55 GMT -5
Why hasn't Proper made more of an impact? His physical capabilities are off the charts, but that hasn't yet translated into dominating performance on the court.
This is year two for him, so he has some experience under the belt, at the college level, as well as on the World Univ. team.
Should be doing more
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Post by Saruman on May 7, 2004 11:31:51 GMT -5
I think that being at home in 2006 will be a major help and with guys like Odell,Proper and meerstein being Seniors but the element of I hate to say it ....international who brings that high level of experience element that is very difficult to get into the guys who play in the MIVA and EIVA who are local boys.
When I look at the PSU roster I see very few guys who are on our National teams or University games teams. Therefore these guys are relying on practicing each other and at best 10 matches each year against quality teams ususally outside of their league.
When a player is placed on USA teams ...even if they don't start they bring back such incredible experience, carry themselves differently. This transformation is seen throughout college volleyball. Evan Patak!
The psychological change is also dramatic.
When teams like LB for example get players to travel in the summer and play in the MPSF they are afforded the best of both worlds. Competition is the greatest teacher.
The Ukranian kid has been here for years and played his club ball for a Club division Boys team Addison. Certainly I like his spirit and live arm but he does not bring the foreign experience element that one would hope or that we see so evident from the players that Hawaii, Lewis, BYU for example have had or do have.
Hence the reason for players like Zelco, Gurerra, Jose etc. The guys would go home and play all summer for their country gaining invaluable experience.
Most of the players from PSU,OSU,BSU,George Mason etc. come home after May.....do some lifting.....help a little club ball....maybe practice with them.....come back to school ....work a few camps....play a little triples.....maybe play a sand / grass tourney or two and party. Nothing wrong with this but not much of this is geared towards becoming a better, more experienced, mature volleyball player.
Three things that I remember that benefited me so much was:
1. I used to work a Camp in middle of NY that ran for 4-5 weeks. Not only was it high level intense instruction that the camp directors demanded but every night we were required to have staff matches which included guys from France, Germany, Haiti, Domincan and even the Canadian Junior Nationals team did a training week there. The play was phenomenal.
2. I benefited for 4 years of the US Olympic Festival which allowed me to play with and against the top College and HS players in the Nation for 2 weeks.
3. My Freshman years the PSU team went over to Italy to play for almost 2 weeks.
It is just plain simple that if you don't have guys that are playing or have played at a very high level previously or in the offseason the ability for your team to go to the next level is seriously hindered. Or you have to find a way to get your players playing and training in the offseason.
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Post by midwestfan on May 7, 2004 11:37:59 GMT -5
Saruman: By any chance did you play with David Muir. I think he played in the early 90's. I really enjoyed watching him play.
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Post by Saruman on May 7, 2004 11:41:02 GMT -5
David was a great kid and certainly a physical specimen.....he only had 2 years at PSU. No I'm an oldtimer...still can dunk a ball though (notice I didn't say what ball)
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Post by midwestfan on May 7, 2004 11:45:12 GMT -5
Yeah, he really was a physical specimen!!!
Does it rally matter "what ball" you can dunk?!!!! ;D
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Post by Saruman on May 7, 2004 12:00:23 GMT -5
Look, getting back to your question...No PSU or any school does not have to have a experienced foreign player......in fact I am a huge advocate of getting as many young American boys into DI as possible. I 'm just coming from an observation point of view and one that has seen first hand the youth development programs and opportunities that players in Europe have that we need more of.
Certainly it comes down to money and I would never sit in my armchair and chastize USA Volleyball and its effort. Money and time would cure alot of this.
I vomit everytime I see that Ice Dancing is on ESPN for 1 hour or so like last night. Watching a Rudolf Nuriyev on Skates doing Quad jumps around his dark haired twin brother cranking out some Tchaikovsky on his Strat Violin with tones of large sponsors ringing the ice rink makes me ill.
So for the run-on....but that is what I warmed up to 5 minutes before I watch a 3/4 empty Stan Sheriff Arena for the NCAA Cahmpionships.
With all the volleyball enthusiast out there in America who love to play the game.....and then I think how many Americans Ice Dance.....and yet that sport gets 100 times more exposure and 1000 more money!!
But I digress!!!
Volleyball can be sold to TV.....I still think more letters need to be send to CSTV and Chris Bevilaqua (PSU grad and former All-American wrestler) to thank them and encourage them to broadcst more games.
Kids need to see the sport more on TV...that is the ticket!
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Post by StanfordFan on May 7, 2004 12:18:57 GMT -5
I can dunk a highball. Maybe even a mai tai or a screwdriver. Yeah, he really was a physical specimen!!! Does it rally matter "what ball" you can dunk?!!!! ;D |
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Post by midwestfan on May 7, 2004 12:29:13 GMT -5
Congratulations! You're parents must be proud! ;D
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Post by future on May 8, 2004 13:10:46 GMT -5
Saruman,
Hopefully these PSU boys will mature into a solid group by '06. There is a core of talent there but they need a blaster on the outside to emerge and sign on. They didn't pick up that type of player this year.
The expose' on ESPN or television and sports is so true and hard to figure out but it is it is really about getting lucky with some sponsors, a network taking a chance and delivering a solid product on the court.
My problem with some of the announcers are they are too critical.....we need some artificial pumping up of this sport and its players. That may sound shallow and "republican" (sorry BIK) but remember that primetime TV is written for a 6th grade level....absolutely true.....so the public can be "trained" and sold on a product but they need to be exposed to it numerous times.
Regardless I hope the crowd is full and rockin' tonight and the product on the floor unbelievable!
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Post by vb on May 8, 2004 20:40:37 GMT -5
I went to my favorite sports store at the local mall to buy a VB jersey tonight for the game. I hope the staff there has recovered from the near fatal laughing.
How embarrassing.
(I wonder if the VB jerseys weren't so boring...)
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