New Jersey & Answer to Emails

Seaside Heights, New Jersey coming this weekend. Good to be back home on the AVP with flights that are not 10 hours long.

I checked out the weather and it looks like it will actually be pretty good. Considering that we have played in the rain in the last 5 events, I am pretty stoked. Should be interesting to see how the teams that have been travelling to FIVB events do in this tourney. Everyone else has had a nice break while we have been playing and lots of travel too. The flip side is that the FIVB has a higher level of competition and therefore it will be easier. Take your pick. I think both are true so you get a wash.

Wanted to answer some folks emails since I have been blogging and answer some questions.

Scott in Manhattan Beach - The Euro's ect... have become very good beach volleyball players particularly in the last 7 years. Before that, the americans and brasilians dominated utterly with only a handful of other teams being in the mix. Now that you have all the rule changes from 2001, you are seeing an influx of very good and very big indoor players. The learning curve of this "new game" is very short. Players can come out who have a good indoor background and be effective in a year or so. These guys are good athletes and very good indoor volleyball players. The transition used to be you had to bomb jump serves/pass those serves/set those tough passes/drop and play defense a ton. Now it is: bomb jump serve(miss a ton) and then make it an easier serve so better pass/easy set/block block block and pretty much never drop off the net. Might be confusing there but you get the jist.
The AVP is not currently letting these players play on the AVP tour. Most of the AVP players agree with this stance and would freak if it was changed. Essentially, the thinking is that if the foreign players played over in the AVP, they would take a lot of money from american players and make it tougher for young up and comers to crack in.

German Torres - Thank you for your support. It would be very fun to come to your country and play in an exhibition or something like that as well as do a clinic. It would have to be sometime when the AVP and FIVB do not have tournaments. Usually in April the AVP has tourneys. I suspect next year they may even start in March because of the Olympics. Contact me and we can discuss it more.

Ryan Reeder - Thank you. I like to think that I have put a lot of time and effort into being a good beach volleyball player. I consider myself a good athlete but certainly not a dominating one and therefore have to do all the little things well to be able to compete with the better athletes. I will take care of your request but please be patient and send me a reminder after Austria.

Diane Pernicone - Thank you for your compliments. Phil and I will be going to Austria. We have signed up and have full intentions on playing in the GS there. It is too important of a tourney for the Olympics to miss it. I am bummed I am missing Chicago as it is my favorite AVP stop outside of California. We are contractually supposed to play in all of the AVP events although there are some discrepancies in the contract depending on who you talk to. It is a confusing topic and one that is still ongoing. I apologize to you and any fans that were planning on going to Chicago to see me play. I am sure it will still be a great tourney as always.

Tyler - I agree fully with you regarding parking lots vs. beach sites. Let us hope the AVP comes to the same conclusion.

JT- Thanks. I hear you on your loyalties and would like to see team USA take Gold and Silver on both sides.

Drew in Santa Cruz - Thanks. I do my best and will continue to do so on the court as well as keeping people informed as to what is happening with Phil and I.