BYU wins 3-1

[VBCrusin]

Conrats to the Cougars...they're awesome.

They beat Penn...
Penn 30 27 20 23
BYU 27 30 30 30

The MPSF is really strong, isn't it? ;D

[Anonymous Beachman]

Tell us something that we don't already know! DUH?

[VBCrusin]

Hey Anonymous Beachman,

I was being factitious ...I would love for the EIVA & MIVA to show stronger, and maybe they will in the future, BUT for now, I have to agree with the many posts that state the MPSF dominance. West Coast rules!

[International man of Mistery]

I will tell you something that you don't already know. The MPSF is the best conference and it SHOULD be. Most of the big schools there have a college program and the california club and high school programs are the best in the country. California is where most all the talent is, is where most of the funding is so quit bragging about the MPSF being the best conference. Now I will tell you something that you dont already know.

Even tough the MPSF is the best conference in the USA it does not mean anything because the level of volleyball played is not that great. American volleyball players, for the most part are not very good all around players and that is why they dont succeed in the international game. It is a WEAK level of play.

But you can sit there on your couch and tell me how the MPSF is so great and how the level of play is awesome - those are all givens, instead of doing that you guys should support other parts of the country to develop a strong volleyball community so maybe in the future you guys can MAYBE compete at the international level and not get wooped by little countries like Spain portugal or France.

Get a clue and look outside the box ok ?

[VBCrusin]

Is that International man of misery?

Are you knowledgeable about the international volleyball level or are you a disgruntled Easterner or MidWesterner?

I wish the USA Volleyball team was better supported in monies by the government or private foundations...do you know if other countries support their athletes or are they on their own? Do international players serve in the armies to get paid while they train? I'm not certain on how international athletes survive.

I spoke to a USA volleyballer a while ago, and he told me that the USA team almost had to close their doors for lack of money in the Colorado Training Center. This big name player was struggling to make ends meet, so he was unable to spend the time and money it takes to compete internationally on a full time basis.

Care to enlighten us all?

[Internationan Man of Mistery]

Ask around for kids from brazil or Europe. The secret is on a Nation Wide volleyball league. Sure the MPSF has a lot of talent, but obviously not enough. Ther should be kids from everywhere, from seatle to florida playing vball.
A professional league is also in great need. That is how kids get interested, is in making money and being an idol ando role model to somebody else. Look at Brazil -has a strong nation wide pro ball league- or Italy -1st and 2nd division pro ball- even japan greece, spain portugal or France. The US struggles exactly because of the lack of a pro league. Players would not have to make much money, a simply 20 grand/season would be good. Private money would have to be involved because the only team that i know that survives w/o it is the Cuban National team
Either we do that or the NCAA should disregard (SP) the whole professional thing so foreigners could come up and play for 4 years earn an education and make the US kids better. Bitching and complaining about how old Gustavo Mayer or Fabiano from lewis are does not make me or you better, by simply playing against them you have to raise your level of play, and the more often you do that be better you get right?

Any thing else?

[International Man of Mistery]

and by the way I am a Midwestern and a foreigner at the same time

[Psychopotamus]

I find it interesting that the women's pro league happened before a men's one. While there are much more women's programs it seems, talent wise, there is a whole lot more parity as far as the talent of the men go. Add the fact that men's pro sports naturally do better, the women's fan market is fairly untapped, and the majority of college players end up playing somewhere and you would think a men's league would be a natural progression. Was there ever one?

[mvbdad]

And the women's pro league is now defunct. They ran out of money ,looking for new sponsors.

[sweetieVBfan]

VBcruisin,

i'm actually VERY worried about your BYU team. it's a lock that pepperdine will be in the mpsf finals. and it's also a lock that the mpsf runner-up will be the at-large bid to the final four. i'm just worried that BYU will beat hawaii, which they're very capable of doing, in the semi-finals, because i anticipate that hawaii and byu will be the #2 and #3 seeds (not necessarily in that order).

i was wondering what made you pick that hawaii would make the mpsf finals and the final four over your beloved cougars? i'm so scared of them!

[VBCrusin]

Thanks, International Man, for your international views...I can always depend on Not Richee & mvbdad for their insight as well.

I agree that the United States should support a professional volleyball team on all levels (men, women, and kids), so that there is an neverending supply of fantastic players. Interest in volleyball would definitely be there provided that there was a "life after college volleyball" to make money in the sport (besides going overseas). I feel the average U.S. citizen's perception of volleyball is somewhat limited since they are flooded with T.V. ads & publicity for football, basketball and baseball. Ask the majority of sports fan, and they'll tell you that they love watching their favorite pro team on television. It's only natural when kids are growing up, they want to be in the pros. Volleyball is never thought of, or mentioned.

The NCAA frowns on pros playing in the college ranks, let alone the high school level. The Olympic Committee was also in agreement, until a few years ago. My opinion? I feel we should abolish the "anti pro thing" and field our best players, no matter where they are in life. Anyone and everyone gets 4 years college eligibility...period.

You're right, Mistery Man, without a U.S. professional league, the international players will always have an edge over the best U.S. players. We've had our share of great players presently and in the past, but they are lost to make a living out of volleyball after their collegiate careers...check out the exciting beach volleyball league and see the pitiful money awarded there as compared to other pro sports. Face it...volleyball doesn't share the same fan (or athlete)interest than the other sports. It is a shame.

Until volleyball gets the same respect (and pro salaries) as in other sports, I suppose we're destined to take pride in our strong MPSF division and the ever-increasing strength of the EIVA and MIVA counterparts. Would I like to see my favorite past & present volleyball players on television? You bet. I miss seeing the likes of big George Romaine, Blaine Danton, the Wong brothers, Nygaard, Ball, etc. (not to mention the many women players as well). Until then, let's enjoy this very competitive season we're having, and our pride in our respective divisions. ;D

And by the way, I am a West Coast Dude, who happened to be born in the Netherlands.

[VBCrusin]

Hi SweetieVBfan...always good to hear from you.

Why did I pick Hawaii over my BYU in the MPSF representation (with Pep) for the Final 4? As loyal as I am to the Y (and any other team for that matter), I choose the team I feel is the better one. BYU is a very talented team, and as we all know, ANY team can beat anyone on a good night...However, as I look at Hawaii, they are still the "mighty little mutts/bulldogs" in the league. Sure they lost a few games (like last year), but they're getting hungrier now that the tournament is in sight. Don't take their bone away.

Could BYU beat Hawaii in the tournament? Yes they could, but I have a feeling that they won't. It seems that Costas, Ching, Kimo, Thomas, Zimet, etc. are building their season-ending momentum right now.

Pep vs UH? I favor my quiet assassins over Hawaii by ONE point, either way (naturally you need two to win). It's that close, but if Pep fires on all cylinders, I feel Pepperdine will prevail in the end...both in the MPSF & NCAA. These matches will be a FANTASTIC spectator event. I can't wait...win or lose, it'll be GREAT!

All the MPSF matches will be memorable...I plan to see as many as I can. I'm a volleyball-junkie. ;D

Worried about your Hawaii, Sweetie? Don't be. The BEST volleyball is yet to come. Enjoy!

[International Man of Mistery]

I guess we agree on a lot of things. We both want the betterment (betterment?) of the volleyball in the US. However i still think that it is not going to happen for another 20 years.
AVCA is too conservative and the NCAA is even more, and like you said, volleyball looses space to Football, basketball baseball and even hockey...
Hopefully the more people get aware that we need better level of volleyball the more prone the NCAA is to abolish (like you said) all these rules and help the overall vball in the country

[Beachy]

Jumping into the fray.....living in So Cal the so-called mecca of volleyball, I struggle to find the scores of the college games in my local paper. I turn to the LA Times and again, many times the scores are not reported. The fault may lie with the newspaper or the with the schools SID, to me, it doesn't matter because I don't get my score , therefore , I don't follow the game as tightly as I want. We should have a pro league but we need several things to happen first. The press needs to recognize volleyball as a viable sport to write about. Attendance at local college games needs to improve. Otherwise no wise investor will make the financial commitment to jump start a pro league. On the womens' side of the game, the attendance at the games is generally good but still no press! Thus, the womens' pro league is gone. Call all your newspapers and demand volleyball info. It is not an instant solution but it's a start.

[VBCrusin]

I agree with you, Beachy...I never find volleyball scores in any newspapers. Volleyball gets no respect. The general public doesn't appreciate volleyball yet. Maybe we should introduce more VIOLENCE in the game? Take hockey for instance.

I still can't understand hockey...sure I relaize trying to get goals, but the body-crunching is confusing...when is it alright and when is it a penalty? What is "icing?" Why do the players bodycheck many times, stick others, and only once in a while two guys duke it out for what? Fans like the violence, especially the fights, which explains Pro wrestling...the public wants to be entertained with violent action. I have an idea.

In all future volleyball games, when an OH attacks for a thunderous kill, he should then follow-through to attack his opponent with a vicious headbutt or kick to the groin while screaming like a crazy man...but don't stop there, continue your attack into the stands and throw some fans off the bleachers. Instead of timeouts, both teams should square off and fight each other...I think Keenan can take Thomas, and Ching will fight a whole team by myself, and Coach Dunphy can wrestle Coach Wilton to the ground. Makes for great family viewing, right?

Look what Tiger Woods has done for golf...now every little kid wants to be like Tiger and win all those tournaments and millions...little kids want to play pro football, basketball, baseball to be a star and get paid millions...why would any kid want to play volleyball when there is NO big money ticket in the end? When was the last time a kid said he or she wanted to be Pro Volleyball player? Get the message here...money.

Sorry to go off here, but we NEED a Men's & Women's Pro Volleyball League here in the U.S.A. There are too many great volleyball players who leave college that I'd like to see play again (besides beach, olympic). Any ideas what we fans can do?