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Post by calbears4ever on Jul 31, 2021 13:28:21 GMT -5
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Post by Riviera Minestrone on Jul 31, 2021 14:25:32 GMT -5
Three of my elders went to Berkeley (I went to the archenemy down the Peninsula). I hope Da Bears return to relevancy, but mid-Pac12 will be their highest ceiling.
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Post by calbears4ever on Jul 31, 2021 16:27:38 GMT -5
Roster breakdown: Key Returners: Mirkovic, Pantovic, Lilomaiava, Grote, Bergmark, DeSa, Jensen Losses: Potter and Houghton to graduation, Meyer to transfer Newcomers: Schmidt (Utah transfer), Hamm, Mehrten, Maeder, Schrag
The absence of Mirkovic to play beach was a huge catalyst on the bears’ poor 2020 (spring 2021) season performance, and various injuries on the team, including Potter’s hand injury did not help their cause either. Thankfully this season Bears get Mirkovic back, along with Katie Smoot, who also opted out of the spring 2021 season to play beach. Hopefully this will help them gain a spot in the NCAA tourney, even if they don’t get the automatic bid, as their talent pool depth is immense, which will make them a tough team to face no matter what
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Post by commar2013 on Jul 31, 2021 16:29:03 GMT -5
That non-conference schedule doesn't scream confidence
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Post by Riviera Minestrone on Jul 31, 2021 16:33:00 GMT -5
Roster breakdown: Key Returners: Mirkovic, Pantovic, Lilomaiava, Grote, Bergmark, DeSa, Jensen Losses: Potter and Houghton to graduation, Meyer to transfer Newcomers: Schmidt (Utah transfer), Hamm, Mehrten, Maeder, Schrag The absence of Mirkovic to play beach was a huge catalyst on the bears’ poor 2020 (spring 2021) season performance, and various injuries on the team, including Potter’s hand injury did not help their cause either. Thankfully this season Bears get Mirkovic back, along with Katie Smoot, who also opted out of the spring 2021 season to play beach. Hopefully this will help them gain a spot in the NCAA tourney, even if they don’t get the automatic bid, as their talent pool depth is immense, which will make them a tough team to face no matter what Wanna mention that I feel Sam Crosson is the-right-coach-at-the-right-time for UC. I think he overachieved at Poly, which makes him a good candidate for a revival.
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Cal 2021
Jul 31, 2021 16:33:05 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2021 16:33:05 GMT -5
Roster breakdown: Key Returners: Mirkovic, Pantovic, Lilomaiava, Grote, Bergmark, DeSa, Jensen Losses: Potter and Houghton to graduation, Meyer to transfer Newcomers: Schmidt (Utah transfer), Hamm, Mehrten, Maeder, Schrag The absence of Mirkovic to play beach was a huge catalyst on the bears’ poor 2020 (spring 2021) season performance, and various injuries on the team, including Potter’s hand injury did not help their cause either. Thankfully this season Bears get Mirkovic back, along with Katie Smoot, who also opted out of the spring 2021 season to play beach. Hopefully this will help them gain a spot in the NCAA tourney, even if they don’t get the automatic bid, as their talent pool depth is immense, which will make them a tough team to face no matter what Gruszczynski would have started at libero all spring without the concussion.
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Cal 2021
Jul 31, 2021 16:33:54 GMT -5
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Post by calbears4ever on Jul 31, 2021 16:33:54 GMT -5
That non-conference schedule doesn't scream confidence Last season, as you know, was a conference-only schedule. In 2019, Cal went undefeated in non-conference play (won all 10 of them). This season, they have 11, and I can see them beating everybody easily (except maybe Butler)
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Post by calbears4ever on Jul 31, 2021 21:19:47 GMT -5
Roster breakdown: Key Returners: Mirkovic, Pantovic, Lilomaiava, Grote, Bergmark, DeSa, Jensen Losses: Potter and Houghton to graduation, Meyer to transfer Newcomers: Schmidt (Utah transfer), Hamm, Mehrten, Maeder, Schrag The absence of Mirkovic to play beach was a huge catalyst on the bears’ poor 2020 (spring 2021) season performance, and various injuries on the team, including Potter’s hand injury did not help their cause either. Thankfully this season Bears get Mirkovic back, along with Katie Smoot, who also opted out of the spring 2021 season to play beach. Hopefully this will help them gain a spot in the NCAA tourney, even if they don’t get the automatic bid, as their talent pool depth is immense, which will make them a tough team to face no matter what Gruszczynski would have started at libero all spring without the concussion. Gruszczynski was a good libero, but DeSa was better IMO
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Jul 31, 2021 21:27:23 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2021 21:27:23 GMT -5
Gruszczynski would have started at libero all spring without the concussion. Gruszczynski was a good libero, but DeSa was better IMO Gruszczynski won the job and only lost it because of the concussion. Gruszczynski had better passing numbers than DeSa on the year (which is why she won the job) and losing her hurt the offense. I'm not saying DeSa can't win the job this fall but she was only playing libero because Gruszczynski was hurt and the staff clearly didn't feel DeSa was better in the spring.
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Cal 2021
Jul 31, 2021 21:41:29 GMT -5
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Post by calbears4ever on Jul 31, 2021 21:41:29 GMT -5
Gruszczynski was a good libero, but DeSa was better IMO Gruszczynski won the job and only lost it because of the concussion. Gruszczynski had better passing numbers than DeSa on the year (which is why she won the job) and losing her hurt the offense. I'm not saying DeSa can't win the job this fall but she was only playing libero because Gruszczynski was hurt and the staff clearly didn't feel DeSa was better in the spring. Maybe you’re right. If Gruszczynski was healthy the whole time, who knows what she could’ve done. Yet if you look at the season highs in digs in a single game, Gruszczynski had a season-high 14 digs (vs UCLA) and DeSa had a season-high 17 (vs Arizona). And season totals? DeSa had 122 digs, the 4th best on the team, while Grusczczynski had 36 (but that was because she was hurt)
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Jul 31, 2021 21:56:26 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jul 31, 2021 21:56:26 GMT -5
Gruszczynski won the job and only lost it because of the concussion. Gruszczynski had better passing numbers than DeSa on the year (which is why she won the job) and losing her hurt the offense. I'm not saying DeSa can't win the job this fall but she was only playing libero because Gruszczynski was hurt and the staff clearly didn't feel DeSa was better in the spring. Maybe you’re right. If Gruszczynski was healthy the whole time, who knows what she could’ve done. Yet if you look at the season highs in digs in a single game, Gruszczynski had a season-high 14 digs (vs UCLA) and DeSa had a season-high 17 (vs Arizona). And season totals? DeSa had 122 digs, the 4th best on the team, while Grusczczynski had 36 (but that was because she was hurt) Dig totals mean very little when the blocking is as bad as Cal's was this spring. Most coaches (Crosson included) will take the better passer. Gruszczynski passed a 2.15 in the spring. DeSa passed a 2.05. That supports what I was told by a source about why Gruszczynski started the season at libero. If DeSa wants to win the job, she will need to pass better.
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Cal 2021
Jul 31, 2021 22:24:21 GMT -5
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Post by calbears4ever on Jul 31, 2021 22:24:21 GMT -5
Got that right
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Post by Riviera Minestrone on Jul 31, 2021 22:45:57 GMT -5
That non-conference schedule doesn't scream confidence Last season, as you know, was a conference-only schedule. In 2019, Cal went undefeated in non-conference play (won all 10 of them). This season, they have 11, and I can see them beating everybody easily (except maybe Butler) Just about everyone on VT felt UC Berkeley got jobbed out of an NCAA Tourney berth in 2019. Illinois had an RPI of 50; WSU 49; Iowa State 46; the Bears were 45. The Illini was the highest RPI at-large team that year. UC was 4th up from that nadir. Clearly B1G favoritism, and UI's trip to the Final Four in 2018, made it happen.
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Post by calbears4ever on Jul 31, 2021 23:01:39 GMT -5
Last season, as you know, was a conference-only schedule. In 2019, Cal went undefeated in non-conference play (won all 10 of them). This season, they have 11, and I can see them beating everybody easily (except maybe Butler) Just about everybody here on VT felt UC Berkeley got jobbed of an NCAA Tourney berth in 2019. Illinois had an RPI of 50; WSU 49; Iowa St. 46; the Bears were 45. The Illini was the highest RPI at-large team that year. UC was fourth from that bottom. Clearly B1G favoritism, and UI's trip to the Final Four in '18, made it happen. If Mirkovic hadn’t gotten hurt vs UCLA in Haas that year, the six game losing streak wouldn’t have happened and Cal would’ve made it
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Post by sanseibear on Aug 1, 2021 18:09:53 GMT -5
Gruszczynski was a good libero, but DeSa was better IMO Gruszczynski won the job and only lost it because of the concussion. Gruszczynski had better passing numbers than DeSa on the year (which is why she won the job) and losing her hurt the offense. I'm not saying DeSa can't win the job this fall but she was only playing libero because Gruszczynski was hurt and the staff clearly didn't feel DeSa was better in the spring. Make the 2nd best passer the defensive specialist when one is used.
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