Post by Nutter on Jul 22, 2005 9:39:43 GMT -5
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www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/summer/2005-07-20-volleyball-teammates_x.htm
Vet Kiraly, 44, still a factor
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — One of the beach volleyball contenders to watch during this weekend's Hermosa Beach Open can certainly count experience on his side.
He played in his first final at Hermosa 27 years ago.
Twenty-seven years.
Karch Kiraly is now 44. The three-time Olympic gold medalist (1984 and '88 indoors, '96 beach) is the all-time winningest beach pro, with 147 tournament titles.
He won three times last year — at the age of 43, another record.
He struggled early this year recovering from shoulder surgery and, after three tournaments, was dumped by partner Mike Lambert.
But with new partner Adam Jewell, Kiraly has finished fifth twice, including two victories against Lambert.
So, could he win No. 148, and his seventh Hermosa title, this weekend?
"I wouldn't count him out," tour star Dax Holdren says. "Karch is Karch."
Kiraly's first big beach breakthrough came at Hermosa in 1978. As a 17-year-old who had just graduated from high school, he shocked Hermosa onlookers by reaching the final, where he and Marco Ortega lost to then-dominant Jim Menges and Greg Lee.
After the final, as was the custom, everyone adjourned to the Poop Deck, a landmark watering hole.
Kiraly says he had two Cokes.
For most of the next 28 years, Kiraly has been the biggest story in volleyball. But now the big news on the sand is the women's team of Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor, the reigning Olympic gold medalists.
Walsh and May-Treanor are so hot that NBC, for the first time in its history of telecasting the sport, will move the men's final from Sunday to Saturday. The women's final, traditionally shown Saturday, takes the prime Sunday spot.
Kiraly wonders how Hermosa's hard-core fans will take to no men's play Sunday.
"The men can't be upset, not the way they performed at Athens (fifth and 19th)," says Kiraly, who will be doing commentary for NBC this weekend (unless, of course, he's in Saturday's final). "Misty and Kerri are the big attraction now."
By David Leon Moore
www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/summer/2005-07-20-volleyball-teammates_x.htm
Vet Kiraly, 44, still a factor
HERMOSA BEACH, Calif. — One of the beach volleyball contenders to watch during this weekend's Hermosa Beach Open can certainly count experience on his side.
He played in his first final at Hermosa 27 years ago.
Twenty-seven years.
Karch Kiraly is now 44. The three-time Olympic gold medalist (1984 and '88 indoors, '96 beach) is the all-time winningest beach pro, with 147 tournament titles.
He won three times last year — at the age of 43, another record.
He struggled early this year recovering from shoulder surgery and, after three tournaments, was dumped by partner Mike Lambert.
But with new partner Adam Jewell, Kiraly has finished fifth twice, including two victories against Lambert.
So, could he win No. 148, and his seventh Hermosa title, this weekend?
"I wouldn't count him out," tour star Dax Holdren says. "Karch is Karch."
Kiraly's first big beach breakthrough came at Hermosa in 1978. As a 17-year-old who had just graduated from high school, he shocked Hermosa onlookers by reaching the final, where he and Marco Ortega lost to then-dominant Jim Menges and Greg Lee.
After the final, as was the custom, everyone adjourned to the Poop Deck, a landmark watering hole.
Kiraly says he had two Cokes.
For most of the next 28 years, Kiraly has been the biggest story in volleyball. But now the big news on the sand is the women's team of Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor, the reigning Olympic gold medalists.
Walsh and May-Treanor are so hot that NBC, for the first time in its history of telecasting the sport, will move the men's final from Sunday to Saturday. The women's final, traditionally shown Saturday, takes the prime Sunday spot.
Kiraly wonders how Hermosa's hard-core fans will take to no men's play Sunday.
"The men can't be upset, not the way they performed at Athens (fifth and 19th)," says Kiraly, who will be doing commentary for NBC this weekend (unless, of course, he's in Saturday's final). "Misty and Kerri are the big attraction now."
By David Leon Moore