There was certainly a meeching given out in Long Beach but it wasn't Phil and I giving it. Instead we were on the receiving end.
The tourney started off well for Phil and I as we received a bye and then downed Baxter and Prosser fairly handily. We played well the whole time. Sided out and scored points consistantly and I think the scores were around 15 each game. In our last match on Friday we played Matt and Casey. The first game was tight and they actually served Phil for the first 2/3's of the match. It was all tied up at 14 when they switched to me. They scored a point off of me but then we got it back and Phil went on a mini serving run. At 20-18 they scored another point but then Casey missed his serve and we won 21-19. In the second we started off fast and never looked back. I think the score was 14 or so.
On Saturday we played Wong and Olsen at 8am in the morning. They too started out on Phil and got a couple of points. We got some points though too so it was pretty much even. They switched to me and then we started scoring even more points. We played well in both games and the scores were around 17 and 15. In the semis we played Sean and Nick. We started off really strong but then I got in a funk. Hit several balls out with no one up and allowed them back into the game. Nick and Sean lost their first round game so had to grovel through the losers bracket. They were clearly both a little beaten up. We pulled out the first game 23-21. In the second we pulled ahead and kept rolling. I think the final score of that one was 21-15.
In the finals we played Jake and Rosy and as I said before, we got meeched. For those of you that have not figured out what that means, essentially it means we got crushed, worked, destroyed and were utterly beaten down. We started off well by going ahead 7-4 but it was all downhill from there. Usually one of us plays well even if the other is not so hot. In this game we both were terrible. I would be willing to guess that our combined hitting percentage was right around .100. That is tragic. They played steady ball. Didn't do anything over the top but were steady. We earned a few points but they didn't give us any and we would have needed some serious charity if we were going to take that match. Hopefully it will be the Beijing final but of course I would like to switch the winner and loser. :)
All in all it was a decent weekend. The loss was tempered by a great weekend with my daughter Hannah. She came down with me to on Thursday night and we stayed in the Queen Mary Hotel which happens to be the Queen Mary ship. She was really excited about that. We cruised through the ship and looked for spooky ghosts on Friday evening. Plus she sat in our box and "coached" us. Very positive coach I must say. Love that little girl.
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9 comments:
A lot of people around here wanted the Patriots to lose a regular season game so the Super Bowl woulndt have the added pressure of the perfect season. Well we saw what happened there as they fell apart at the wrong time. So maybe this loss will become a positive for you guys and maybe even a little motivating. Glad to hear you got some quality time with your daughter. That is great for both of you. So keep us up to date with what is going on pre-Olympics. Have a great week...Scott from Cape Cod
Hi Todd,
I was in LB yesterday and got a chance to watch you play Nick and Sean, plus the finals.
The thing that I've been impressed with during the matches I've seen you play this year, is you've been crushing teams even when you're not playing flawless ball. Like with Nick and Sean you guys each made a number of uncharacteristic errors, and still won handily.
Yesterday it looked to me like a combo of you and Phil making way more errors than normal, and also I thought Jake and Rosie played out of their heads. They missed a couple of shots, but other than that they were completely on fire. Jake just normally doesn't block as well as that, and Rosie doesn't normally play as error-free as he did yesterday. I watched the end of their semifinal match against Dax and Strickland, which was a close 3 game match. On the winning point Rosie made an absolutely unbelievable, sick dig followed by an absolutely amazing Earthshaking hit. One of the most incredible plays I've seen this year. It was like they took that momentum and level of play and carried it into the finals. If you and Phil were at your normally high level of play I believe that finals would have been epic and one for the annals.
I'm so proud of you guys representing America and us vball fans at the Olympics. I'm looking forward to watching every match I can. A friend of mine, Christine, will be there in Beijing catching your matches - look for a 6'2" light-brown haired gal. She used to play at SD State.
Hey Todd,
We noticed your daughter in the box. She is so cute, and very good at keeping herself entertained, while also being attentive to what's happening on the court. I think we also saw her at a tournament or two last year. Does your son ever get to spend a day at work in the "office" with dad? Also, it looked like Rosie's Raiders were heckling and making Hannah upset, there's a line, and they definitely crossed it on Saturday.
Hi Todd! Keep up the good work, I'm excited for you! I don't know that we've met, but we are related (I am the daughter of your cousin Diane Baas, her maiden name is Gugeler) We are all very proud of you and excited for you!
Amanda Wiley
Todd,
I had the time of the final wrong so I missed the telecast. Sounds like it wasn't you all's best performance. Do you think the loss will make you hungrier for a win in San Diego?
Dave
As a member (also the President!) of the NYC Chapter of Todd's Troops & Dalhausser's Dawgs (to combat Rosie's Raiders!), that was a little hard to watch. You kept hoping that after a couple of the great points that you won in the second game, that would swing the momentum your way. But then as the broadcast went on and NBC wasn't skipping points, it was pretty clear that this wasn't going to go three games. But good to get the stinker out of the way and time to start a new streak either in San Diego or Beijing.
Garret
Todd,
I'm really glad that you posted your insights on the Long Beach tourney. I attended Friday's session and watched the finals on TV.
As a spectator, I love the Long Beach venue (the 4 main outside courts). How do the players regard Long Beach? It's kind of a Hollywood setting and not really a beach that people would go to. The water stinks and there's no surf!
It was great to see your old buddy, Dax play well. I saw him take down Sean/Nick (Team Complainers)in a really good match. Dax sided out about every time he got the ball. I wish that the two of you could play again in a game without bigs.
Good luck at the Olympics!
Steve
Scott- That is what many people have said. It is a wake up call to do things right before you play and make sure you are ready to go regardless of what is going on. Still pissed we lost though and would much rather have won.
Drew- Good to hear from you. Phil and I have been very consistant but sometimes it happens that way and it becomes a meeching when the other team plays well. Tell your friend to say hello if she gets a chance.
Anonymous- Hannah is great at the tourneys and really enjoys the action as well as hanging out with all the other players. Nate was going to go this weekend down to San Diego but obviously that will not be happening now. We were going to go to some Padres games and have a good time with his cousin and uncle but will have to wait for some other time. Hannah was about to cry because the Raiders were being there usual selves and then threw a beer on Phil, Hannah, and I. I will say that next time I have my daughter there I would ask them to hang behind Jake and Rosy's box or just switch boxes with them. Phil and I don't care and can tune them out but Hannah is to young to do that or to understand why they are saying the things they are saying.
Amanda- Thanks. Don't think we have met but obviously I know Diane.
Dave- It did make me hungrier for a win in SD but that is a moot point now. Have to wait until Beijing I guess.
Garret- Hopefully the bad one is out and everything else will be good ones from here on out.
Steve- Long Beach is nice expecially since there is no flight involved. Was stoked for Dax and I hope they can carry that momentum into this weekend.
Todd
Todd,
I knew Rosie's Raiders were dedicated but...it's one thing to root for your team but another to throw beer on your daughter and I can only imagine the things they were saying when heckling you and Phil(reminds me of the incident that happened with Twins fans yesterday at the Sox/Twins game @ the MetroDome). Definitely a different class of people rooting for Rosie/Gibb than Rogers/Dalhausser.
Garret
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