Lewis / USC results

[Guest]

does anyone have the final scores? how did lewis look?

[guest]

i think that puts everything to rest, lewis, 4th in the country and a powerhouse in the east, lost the the 11th place team in the MPSF, can i ask, what conference should get the at large bid?

[Any doubt]

Can there really be any doubt as to which conference it should go to? Please.

We should have an 8 team tournament instead of jumping to the Final Four. Two teams each from the EIVA and MIVA and four teams from the MPSF. That would be much more fair.

[PeppVBDad]

The eight team tourney is a great idea.

1. Select a site where good attendance is a sure thing. Not Fort Wayne!!

2. Scrap the current ESPN2 announcers. Let the UCLA or Hawaii radio men handle it.

3 Play at a single Final Eight site on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

4 Don't use the Spalding marshmallow ball!

And the NCAA jumped over the moon.

'Nuff said.

[Tofu]

I think your proposed 8 team thing is bad. There is no way the EIVA should have 2 teams in the Final 8. It should be one EIVA, two MIVA, and the rest MPSF.

[PeppVBDad]

I understand your sentiments but I likewise see the need to restore and then enhance interest in the men's game. Allowing their top four teams in will surely make the MPSF happy.

We have seen strong teams from east of the Mississippi, including last year's BSU and PSU outfits, the 2000 OSU guys who beat our Waves, and so on. Taking two each from the MIVA and EIVA ought to satisfy them. PSU and somebody. BSU and somebody?

The eight team shindig would be a good one but only if it is seeded and played in front of a large crowd. The eastern teams would have to support this notion. Host the affair at Hawai'i, Long Beach, UCLA, Penn State, and Provo. Grow the men's game? First we need to keep the men's game alive! We can't be selfish in expecting the Final Four/Eight to be played in Fort Wayne, for example. The light turnout there in 2000 a disgrace. If IPFW cares about the game they will never push for another Finals.

Back to sideout scoring. Deflate the Spalding ball.

Back to work for me...

[VBCrusin]

I think an 8 Team Final is a great idea...also lose the Spalding ball...AND never have the court over ice again (Ft. Wayne). If anyone remembers, water was a constant problem coming up through the temporary volleyball rubberized court. Pretty ugly.

Maybe we all should write or email the NCAA gods? Do you think they would listen? Maybe if we send a couple of bucks with our letters.

[Heinrich Schliemann III]

This is a disappointing loss for Lewis, however, don't underestimate the difficulty of playing the first match two time zones away. Even within respective regions, home teams will win two out of three matches. Add in travel and starting matches at what feels like 9:00 or 10:00 at night, and it is a huge and undeniable advantage that west coast teams get to play 90% or the inter-region matches at home. The Mask of Agamemnon rests in my grandfathers den!

[vballmom]

Would AVCA be a good place to start a letter writing campaign? or the NCAA?

I know that the coaches themselves have discussed making Hawaii the permanent home of the tournament and having 8 teams in said tournament. The only problem with Hawaii is the expense to get there. California we could handle, Hawaii, maybe not. Continuing to rotate it is probably better, but limit who gets it to who will have good crowds and a nice venue.

You don't want to have less than 2 teams each from the MIVA and EIVA since you would have 4 from the MPSF. There are already cries of unfairness with having two from the MPSF in the current Final Four, even though it is obviously the strongest and deepest division. One downside to our son playing in the MPSF is that his chances of making the Final Four are lower than they would be if he played for one of the MIVA or EIVA schools that recruited him, but if/when his team does make it to the Final Four, their odds of winning it are much better because of the competition they have seen throughout the regular season.

[Capt Spalding]

Guest-Heinrich said:

This is a disappointing loss for Lewis, however, don't underestimate the difficulty of playing the first match two time zones away. Even within respective regions, home teams will win two out of three matches. Add in travel and starting matches at what feels like 9:00 or 10:00 at night, and it is a huge and undeniable advantage that west coast teams get to play 90% or the inter-region matches at home. The Mask of Agamemnon rests in my grandfathers den!

A good point, and don't forget the USC North Gym factor. It's bad enough for MPSF teams who know better. Can you imagine walking in there not knowing what to expect?
Don't be surprised to see Lewis win 1,2 or all 3 of their remaining matches on this trip. This squad is capable of beating any of the upcoming teams, as well as losing to any them. Sounds kinda like about 10 or 11 MPSF teams that I know of.

[vballmom]

You make some good points - traveling is hard (although traveling West is easier than the other way around). The North Gym is ridiculous and very loud. However, how many MPSF teams have lost to USC this season?

[midwestfan]

Does anyone know why Victor Bird didn't play for Lewis? Did he make the trip?

[mivaplayer]

i do not think victor bird is on the team anymore, or he is hurt. we just played lewis and he wasn't there, even on the bench. maybe he's having some family problems. our scouting report did not even have him in it as the tapes we watched did not include him either.

[SD Fan]

How's my boy, Jeff Bailey. I hear he was off the team for awhile, now I hear his back. Did he get an playing time.

[Ilike27yearoldcollegesetters]

The word from some of my PR buddies, is that Bird and DD got into it and the "Bird" flew the coop. Rumor has it that Deuser was taking Bird out against bad MIVA teams and leaving all of his middle age foreigners in. When Bird wanted to know why he was being taken out and no one else, DD told him he was padding their AA stats.