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Post by swim4life107 on Aug 27, 2016 18:17:05 GMT -5
Yep. Sponsors just saw April dominate alongside Kerri for 2 full weeks in primetime. It's an easy sell to sponsors if they know they are going to be getting the same thing in 4 years. The time to financially gain off on an Olympics tends to lag behind by 1 cycle IMO. Her hard work with Kerri over the last 3-4 years is going to pay dividends in the next 4 years (and really only if they keep the carrot in front of the rabbit..aka her partnering with Kerri for Tokyo). I mean I was totally in the camp that it was Gold or bust for Kerri/April. Bronze doesn't matter. However, after seeing it all play out, I've totally had a change of heart. I mean obviously Gold would have been better, but winning the Bronze was almost just as good from a sponsors/narrative perspective. They got to lose, and then be redeemed 24 hours later by winning the Bronze over the #1 team. Their Olympic story got to end on a high and be tied up in a nice neat package of success and redemption. I'm not sure it would have been so rosy if they made the Gold medal match and lost. The Silver medal in sports with tournament play is very cruel that way. Even though you have to win your way to the Silver. The world sees it as you losing Gold, and even moreso if you were the favorite and lost.
Kerri has made around 2.5 million in prize money. I mean that's kinda crazy when you realize how much she has dominated and for how long. Serena Williams has been dominant over a nearly identical time period and has won over 80 *million*. I'm guessing with sponsors, Kerri has EASILY doubled her prize earnings (maybe even tripled?). April is probably financially set for life if she sticks with Kerri for the next 4 years.
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Post by tree on Aug 27, 2016 19:53:13 GMT -5
If I were in Kerri's shoes I would not do another Olympics. What for? She is already the most decorated player in Beach Volleyball history. I would leave on top. She has a volleyball line of clothing with Asics. She doesn't need the money and she has three kids. The time she spends away from them chasing medals she cannot get back.As a fan yes we would like to see our favorites play forever but for her family I hope she retires from the Olympics.Holly handed the torch to Misty, Misty to Kerri and now Kerri to April. That is how sports goes. April will be fine. If Kerri wants to keep playing play domestic with a partner. Just my opinion.
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Post by downtheline on Aug 27, 2016 20:26:13 GMT -5
KW seems to be at the peak of her marketing so I don't see her stepping aside but actually growing her influence in the game and with new sponsors.
As a team the two are getting better and April is playing lights out in all categories. She can prolong her partners career.
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Post by guest2 on Aug 27, 2016 20:52:18 GMT -5
If I were in Kerri's shoes I would not do another Olympics. What for? She is already the most decorated player in Beach Volleyball history. I would leave on top. She has a volleyball line of clothing with Asics. She doesn't need the money and she has three kids. The time she spends away from them chasing medals she cannot get back.As a fan yes we would like to see our favorites play forever but for her family I hope she retires from the Olympics.Holly handed the torch to Misty, Misty to Kerri and now Kerri to April. That is how sports goes. April will be fine. If Kerri wants to keep playing play domestic with a partner. Just my opinion. She doesnt need the money now, but conversely, now is when she has earning power. If Kerri retires, she will still have some earning power over the next few years, but it will go away. What do you think Misty's current appearance fee is versus Kerri's? I dont think the Olympics are a necessity but just continuing to play makes her a ton of money and, again, this isn't money that will always be there for her. She has made a ton on court, and I imagine much more off court, but she isn't Lebron James, and many athletes, even ostensibly smart ones, have lost a lot more. If Kerri could make another Olympics, and I doubt she could if the process were fair but given the drawn out qualification maybe she can, she would be one of the biggest stories, even moreso than this year. Just imagine the sickening "She's a 42 year old mother of 8 and look at that body, she is an inspiration to women everywhere" type stories. As to the time with kids argument, her current job probably allows her substantially more time with them than your average working mom. In particular in the October to April period her workout schedule, especially at her age, is her schedule really that packed?
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Post by guest2 on Aug 27, 2016 23:06:25 GMT -5
Lot of the US matches are up on youtube. Watching Claes v Larissa now
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2016 23:45:32 GMT -5
Chris Marlow said on the Friday Telecast that he asked Sarah Hughes in the players tent if Kerri called her And said let's go to Tokyo, what does Sarah do? Responds she would in a second...Interesting....I think Kerri & April both try & qualify with younger partners....Kerri just makes everyone she plays with better....You have seen it again with April...April was good before, but never this good!! That's a credit to Kerri....
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Post by Deleted on Aug 27, 2016 23:52:48 GMT -5
I'm also very surprised Leonard didn't fork over appearance fees to Misty May this weekend.....I thought being in Long Beach she would have been on site....Just curious....
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Post by geddyleeridesagain on Aug 28, 2016 0:19:24 GMT -5
If Kerri goes to Tokyo, it will be working for NBC.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2016 8:20:10 GMT -5
If Kerri goes to Tokyo, it will be working for NBC. She would make a very good announcer.....I agree that we see her in Tokyo in some capacity.....I think if anyone can still play at a very high level @ 42, it would be her. I just don't see Long Beach today as her last international match..I also see a lot more endorsements coming her way if she hangs on for 4 more years. Being a huge Kerri fan, I am just so torn which way I'd like to see her go....I do think if she attempts a 6th Olympics, it won't be with April....Kerri has had a huge hand in exposing April to the world and April will be fine as Tree said....Kerri will only go to Tokyo with someone she feels she can win with....A HEALTHY Brooke Sweat maybe?
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Post by crawdaddy on Aug 28, 2016 9:43:55 GMT -5
Hard to see that shoulder lasting four more seasons - and can't imagine she wants to face another surgery and rehab.
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Post by guest2 on Aug 28, 2016 10:24:14 GMT -5
If Kerri goes to Tokyo, it will be working for NBC. She would make a very good announcer.....I agree that we see her in Tokyo in some capacity.....I think if anyone can still play at a very high level @ 42, it would be her. I just don't see Long Beach today as her last international match..I also see a lot more endorsements coming her way if she hangs on for 4 more years. Being a huge Kerri fan, I am just so torn which way I'd like to see her go....I do think if she attempts a 6th Olympics, it won't be with April....Kerri has had a huge hand in exposing April to the world and April will be fine as Tree said....Kerri will only go to Tokyo with someone she feels she can win with....A HEALTHY Brooke Sweat maybe? A 28 year old Randy Stoklos couldnt win with Brooke, healthy or not. The only player, including April, that Kerri could conceivably win with in 4 years is Sara Hughes. April is not showing visible decline the way Kerri is but she is also in the twilight of her career. In Tokyo she would be 38, and speed is already Walross' most glaring weakness (and ball control). I think April's best route to a gold at this point, to the extent its even a possibility now, is to either split block, or block full time. She is not exactly Pavan, but she has plenty of size. After watching Claes/Hughes play Larissa (at least the first game) its hard to imagine that isnt the US' no. 1 team within a year or two. Kelly hit some fabulous swings and Sara is just so fast. Once they get accustomed to top competition and get rid of the immature mistakes, they are going to be very, very hard to beat.
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Post by johnbar on Aug 28, 2016 10:53:01 GMT -5
I don't see Kerri retiring now, but I also don't see her going to Tokyo (as a competitor), for the reasons other have mentioned.
She and April can keep playing together through 2017 without saying what their long-term plans are. Perhaps in 2018 April decides who she will partner with for another Olympic run, assuming that is what she wants to do.
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Post by haze on Aug 28, 2016 11:30:03 GMT -5
When does the qualifying cycle start? 2 year cycle - 2019?
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Post by downtheline on Aug 28, 2016 11:40:21 GMT -5
Does a player like Alex Klineman change the discussion if she returns to the beach game?
What about Ross / Klineman?
Hughes & K?
Hughes & Summer?
Summer & Ross. Amazing setting for Ross.
Claes & Ross?
Is this new quad too early for K Plummer? It is with the current qualifying process.
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Post by guest2 on Aug 28, 2016 12:05:30 GMT -5
Does a player like Alex Klineman change the discussion if she returns to the beach game? What about Ross / Klineman? Hughes & K? Hughes & Summer? Summer & Ross. Amazing setting for Ross. Claes & Ross? Is this new quad too early for K Plummer? It is with the current qualifying process. One thing that Claes/Hughes have made clear to me is that Summer is never going to be an elite FIVB player. (I already thought that but its crystal clear now) She may win one here and there, but she isn't a good enough athlete to get to the level of the top teams. At least 3-5 times a match both Sara and Kelly do something that Summer is physically incapable of doing and will never be able to do. There is too much Cammy Ciarelli in her. Kerri's dominance, and a lot of other factors, really created a world where players who are very skilled, but not particularly big or great athletes, cant compete anymore. If Holly came up now, I doubt she wins half as many events as she did. Look at the top 3 teams now. All those players are either good athletes with unbelievable skills (Larissa) or dominant athletes. (Kerri, Laura etc.) Its a shame because this year I think Summer has made all the right improvements and is playing with a much better attitude and more confidence. No longer does she seem like a kid becoming a pro, she plays with confidence now, at least in the times i have seen her. Summer just can't hang with those players on a physical level.
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