I have fond memories of Muskegon from years pasts. Great weather and even won an event there in 2000 I think with Dax. After this weekend, there are more to add to the fond memory store. Although I will say that the weather wasn't as I remembered it. Friday was howling windy as in 30 MPH sustained winds or so with gusts even greater. Saturday was less wind, 15-20 MPH, but showers dropped every 20 minutes it seemed like. Sunday started out a bit overcast but ended up being a beautiful day with a touch of wind in the finals.
In the windstorm on Friday we played local hometown heroes Pete Goers and Stevo Vanderwerp. Stevo's dad, Scott has been a big fan of beach volleyball over the years and helped put the tourney on this year. They played very well and gave Phil and I all we could handle. In the first game we were down most of the game by a point or two. We pulled it out at the end to win 21-19. In the second it was again neck and neck until about 15-13. Then we pulled away with several points and won 21-16. In our second game we played Larry Witt and Jeff Carlucci. We won in 3 games. We smoked them in the first. Then they were smoking us in the second but we came back and made it close to fall 21-19. In the third we ended up smoking them after a tough call went against them and for us to make it 3-2 us. Final score was like 15-8.
On Saturday we played Pedro Brazao and Matt Prosser. They came out bombing serves and took the first game. We were down 7-1 to start the game mostly on Matt crushing jump serves and making things difficult for us. In the second we played better and won. In the third we were down 9-5 I think but came back with some clutch plays to win 15-13 in the third. In our second match we played Nick and Brad. They played well in the first and won the first game. We changed our strategy a bit and took the second and third games fairly easily.
On Sunday we played Jeff Nygaard and John Mayer in the semis. Phil pretty much put on a serving clinic. He was crushing the ball from both sides. I really didn't do anything as he went on huge serving runs. In the first game I didn't even serve from one side for the entire game. I think the scores were 14 and 12. In the finals we played Nick and Brad who beat John and Sean in the semis. I struggled to sideout in the first game. Wasn't getting many clean sideouts to the sand. We scored a couple of points on a block by Phil and dig by me to get back to even. We were down game point at 20-19 but I sided out. Nick argued that Phil had chucked the ball but I didn't think it was even close. The next ball Phil blocked Brad to go up the game point. The next play I dug Brad but Nick dug me back. The ball was tight so Brad tried to go over on 2 but I blocked him for game to get my lone block for the tourney. In the second they came out really flat making errors and what not. We ended up winning that game 21-10 to win the title.
We have been on a good run of late winning the last 5 tourneys we have played in. It's been fun and hopefully we can continue to have fun in Chicago. It is going to be a quick 30 hour tourney for the men so hopefully it won't be Chicago hot and humid. If it is, guys might be dropping like flies.
23 comments:
todd, great win in Muskegon! congratulations to you both! My wife and I are flying to chicago early friday morning, and we should be there my noon.........I am so stoked about it I am having trouble sleeping. I will catch up with you after a match. I will be tagging along with Ty's (Loomis) mom. Also hope that you will bring some extra fitted red bull hats...see you soon....alan beverly/birmingham, al
Hey Todd,
Nice work this past weekend. Good luck in Chi-town and at getting #6 in row this upcoming weekend.
Arsenal 12
Hi Todd,
Hats off to you guys for continuing to roll! Hey - nice running Kong block on Brad to finish off the game. I especially liked how you just kept running after the block without breaking stride, under the net and to your seat. Stylish! That was an amazing long rally in Game 2, where there were at least 3 digs on each side. That seemed like a pivotal point that took some wind out Brad and Nick's sails.
Thanks for sharing the insight you got when driving back from MB. You mentioned 'having fun' is the key to sports, and I agree, and it's also key for life in general. Somehow, though, it's easy to fall into the 'serious' trap. Thanks for the great reminder to have fun at work, on the vball court, and elsewhere.
Good luck in Chi-Town!
Cheers,
Drew
Todd,
Although the weather didn't cooperate, we appreciated you coming to Muskegon and a BIG thanks to you and Phil for taking time out of your busy schedules to have a little meet and greet with our 13's and 15's teams from Michigan Volleyball Academy. Good luck in Chicago!
Brian
Todd,
Congrats on Muskegon and starting a new winning streak. Phil's streak is intact...you & Shaq lost to M&K in Hermosa!! Was fun to watch, had Shaq set you maybe 10 more times instead of going over on two, maybe you would have had a chance. Bad job of coaching by Phil!!! Hah! Nice to hit on a womens' net eh? Good luck in continuing your streak in Chi town!
Garret
There was the Sinjin-Stoklos Dynasty, Kirlay-Steffes Dynasty and now the Phil-Rogers Dynasty. That is rarefied air. It is difficult to dominate your local softball beer league year after year so dominating a professional sport with millions of dollars of prize and endorsement money on the line is EXTRAORDINARY. The National Media needs to get Todd and Phil's story out there....they deserve it.
I saw a Red Bull commercial that featured a break dancer. I didnt even know that was a sport. Hope to see one with the Gold Medalists soon. Have a good weekend everyone....Scott from Cape Cod
ANY THOUGHTS ON KESSY/ROSS AKERS/TURNER "THROW" IN HAGUE TO EARN PARTICIPATION QUOTAS AND STILL COMPETE IN CHI TOWN
NOT A BAD STRATEGY
J
Hi Todd,
After going to a few tourneys, I started wondering what happened to some of the old mainstays. The AVP did a great job of honoring Dax when he retired, and of course made a big deal of Karch retiring. Others just have seemingly vaporized without a word, at least from the fans' perspective, and I'm wondering if they're recovering from injuries or they hung up the trunks too?
I'd love any insights on:
- Lambo?
- Steino?
- Souza?
- Ring?
- Jose?
Thanks,
Drew
Go says to tell you & Phil "to have the bestest time ever" in Chicago!
Bestest- is that a word?
Yo Todd. Me and the homies are kickin it watchin you play this year bo. Wee is startin to play a little out at the local park spot. Any words of advice for me and the homies? I mean we is gettin pretty good out here and going to save a little green to possibly sign up for an AvP open next year. We thought it wood be kickin if we had a homie team. Yu know we play in our bandana's and stuff, maybe flash some gang signs in between the breaks, on our breaks maybe graffitii the avp trucks or sompin. How can me and the homies break into this sand sport? Do they gots a gun check in? Hope to play you and Beastie next year at a open tounrny. We be getting ready.
Homies out.
Todd,
You know we love the AVP here in West Michigan! Fantastic to get the tour back after 8 long years. Sorry the weather didn't cooperate. Props to the fans here as attendance was still strong even in cool/wet/gloomy cirumstances. Unfortunately, looks like you're in for more of the same this weekend in Chicago.
Good luck to you and Phil the rest of the season and hope to see you back in Muskegon next year.
- Ken in Grand Haven
Lambo - Done. Hung up the Trunks and now watches.
Steino - Done but sticking in there like the goo on the shelves of your refrigerator.
Souza - I love that Tequilla! Oh he is still playing a little but you never see his name anymore.
Ring - Done. Is doing well on the outside.
Jose - He still gets around and sometimes is allowed out on weekends.
Given that Todd has not written in his BLOG in a while he is probably out searching for why he is losing again. Funny when he loses he digs deep to find out why he is playing Volleyball again. But when he is winning he doesn't worry about it.
Funny because he has won so much and so consistently in the past...he must be getting used to winning if he loses one and then has all these life questions.
Usually people lose and move on...Todd loses and has to search for the drive again.
Could he be nearing the end of a career in thinking this way?
Time will tell...
Dude - who are you? Nothing better to do than heckle? Todd's a class act, and so are MOST of the people who post here.
8th street meat?
What kind of a dude would worry about Todd’s motivation enough to post? Sounds like envy. Dude has obviously never accomplished a phenomenal feat of any kind and therefore doesn’t understand the decision making process that has to happen when considering committing the time, effort and the impact on others, to repeat the accomplishment.
How does dude know that he doesn’t worry about it when he’s winning, and that he has to search for the drive again? Does dude know something we don’t? Lots of clues here. Losing again? He just lost one match. Dude just misses Todd’s postings! (I think dude is a chick.)
Just my opinion, but I think Todd is probably working out a fine business plan for his future as he knows he won’t play forever. I can imagine a thing or two that would keep him in the highs of comfort in the years to come. And, Todd seems like the kind of guy that needs to feel that he is contributing to the betterment of the world. He is an entertainer (in a sense of the word), but he is a great role model and that is quite obvious. We need that in today’s times more than we need anything else. Todd, of all the goals you’ve accomplished, that is the one that I most admire!
Dude thinks time will tell- dude hasn’t looked at the clock lately. Dude is late.
Todd will have a good laugh over dude…
Hey DOODY...
Well lets see?
Todd didn't lose just one...this is the 3rd final this year he has lost.
So catch up DOODY...
Yes he lost again...for the 3rd final this year.
Obviously DOODY is not a REAL fan or he would know this is the 3rd Final AVP loss this year...not just one.
Well, 3:39, you missed 3:10’s whole point. Worse, your point was off point (no puns intended).
I think 3:10 was referring to Todd’s most recent victory history, after a streak of five straight AVP/FIVB championships. What would you have 3:10 do, recount Todd’s entire volleyball career? Would you also criticize 3:10 for omitting Todd’s team’s 3rd place finish in the Lake Woebegone Invitational of ’87? (Please pardon the hypothetical tournament example, added for dramatic emphasis.)
If I were TR, I wouldn’t quickly give evidence that I had read tripe like yours. He has a life, unlike some of our assemblage. . .
Pleasure getting the chance to visit Chicago for the first time and watch you and Phil play in the tournament. Best of luck in Cincinnati...
DUDE DUDE DUDE...now its 2 matches in a ROW again. Woo Hoo. Okay Todd time to think about why your playing the game again right? For Fun? Fame? Money?
Think. Think. Think.
You have all off season to think about why the last 2 losses happened.
At least you won't have to face John and Sean Internationally...YET.
Alan- Sorry couldn't chat longer. Good to see you in Chicago though. Owe you a RB hat.
Arsenal- Thanks.
Drew- Thanks.
Brian- Glad to meet with them. I do wish the weather had been better but oh well.
Garret- The Shaq thing was great and he was a great guy. Biggest man I ever met.
Scott- I appreciate that. Although Sinjy and Stokey dominated for a long time.
J- If they threw those games than it is only the FIVB's fault. Having to play in 12 events or something like that to get Bonus Pool is ridiculous. The FIVB is going about it all wrong from my point of view.
Drewfr- Lambo is in Italy with the wife. I think he wasn't healthy enough to come back this year. Not sure what his plans are for next year or beyond though. Stein is enjoying life in Hawaii with his wife. Fred did the Misty thing with his achilles and was out for the year. Not sure next year. Ring is a contractor and doing well with it. Played a bit this year but had a lot on his plate and couldn't devote that much time to it. Jose played in the beginning of this year and then dropped off the map. Not sure on that one.
Ken- Thanks. I agree the fans were great for braving the weather as they did.
Margo- Need to learn to hit the quick set to the outside. Once you get it down it is easy to sideout on as you have at most 1 or 1.5 blockers and a lot of hands to tool.
Steve- Thanks.
For everyone defending me I appreciate it. No longer worth my time to post to someone like that though. Not worth any of yours either.
Todd
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