Hans' Bloghttp://www.volleyball.com/blogs/Hans/BlogRSS.aspVolleyball.com BlogsengabLibrary RSS Component v1.0Sun, 11 May 2008 19:07:48 GMTNext up....Louisvillehttp://www.volleyball.com/blogs/Hans/default.aspx?mode=blog&id=81&yearnum=2008&monthnum=5dan@headquarters.com (HansStolfus)
photo by Ken Delgado
 
I just woke up here in Charleston and realized it’s once again time to start looking for a job. Don’t worry, it’s usual practice for me. Anytime I lose more matches in a tournament than I win, even if I still finish in the top ten, I generally head straight for the laptop and start think about “what I’ve always wanted to do,” and, of course, how I’ll be able to start doing it. Only this time, when I sat down and looked at my blank screen, I figured I would do the one thing, other than volleyball, that makes me happy… write.

And if you’re one of the few that actually reads my blog, you’re probably saying, “Finally,” right about now, considering I haven’t posted anything in considerable time. But before I continue, in my defense, I have been working on a piece for DiG Magazine titled, “The Mission Statement,” and it has taken up all of my extensive writing time. Or, at least that’s what I tell myself.  Granted, the publication won’t print it quite yet, due to its controversial topic, but I am convinced the volleyball population needs to learn what kind of state our tour is currently in and how close we are to folding if something isn’t done about it immediately.

 
So, for the moment, back to the hallowed sport of beach volleyball; or on the AVP, that’s Miami, Dallas, Huntington Beach and now, Charleston. For me, those tournaments equate out to mediocre finishes across the board… 7th here, 9th there… I just haven’t been able to break over the hump this season. Lot’s of close matches, unfortunately no real big wins in any of them. Hence, the never-ending job search off the sand.

 
On a side note, Outside Magazine has a very cool issue out this month, describing the “50 Best Jobs” around today. I’ve read it cover to cover, probably around twenty times, and I think I’ve finally found some work places worth contacting. I mean, that is if they’re interested in a guy who has spent the last five years of his life valiantly learning how to block more than one ball a match? I’ll probably have to re-organize my search to include “entry level” positions…

So Todd and Phil have won everything, well, almost everything. They lost in the Cuervo Triple Crown event last Sunday but won the tournament the day before, so I don’t think anyone really noticed. And on the women’s side, Misty and Kerri have pretty much cruised through all of their matches, going undefeated until they forfeited the final last Sunday in Huntington. Once again, I don’t think anyone noticed.

This week, however, Misty and Kerri are not here. Kerri’s surgically repaired shoulder kept her from making the trip and who knows when we’ll see her again. Their only goal is to repeat, podium style, at the Olympics, so the AVP will have to take a backseat for the moment until she is healthy and ready to get back after it. As far as the men’s side is concerned, Jake and Rosie are in Prague, with Casey and Matt, doing their best to earn one of two spots in that same Olympic Games come August in Beijing. Todd and Phil were also meant to be there but the AVP managed to find a way to have them hang around and crush people down in Charleston.

I have a question for you; we were throwing this around in the tent yesterday… Could Todd and Phil win a match, two vs. three? Honestly? Myself, Ty Loomis and say, Mike Morrison as our primary blocker? Would Todd and Phil still beat us down? I asked Todd and Phil this exact question because, quite frankly, that’s what I do, and Todd replied with, “That’s ridiculous, we’d get crushed.” And Phil responded with, “Is the third guy a blocker or defender?” And to Phil I said thank you, for acknowledging my stupidity and kindly responding in hand. Brilliant. Back to the question; Morrison blocking, Ty and I camped in both the line and the angle. My best guess is… Todd and Phil still win, in three tight sets. Phil swing blocks and still gets seven stuffs. I’m man enough to admit it.

Two weeks from now is Louisville, Kentucky. I’ll be spending my free time in Lexington looking at the horse pastures and marveling at the green grass and screened in porches. There’s also a chance I might be drinking my fair share of sweet tea.


]]>http://www.volleyball.com/blogs/Hans/default.aspx?mode=blog&id=81&yearnum=2008&monthnum=5Sun, 11 May 2008 00:00:00 GMTThe AVP Schedule is FINALLY Releasedhttp://www.volleyball.com/blogs/Hans/default.aspx?mode=blog&id=57&yearnum=2008&monthnum=3dan@headquarters.com (HansStolfus)

It’s only fitting that this information would be released days after I finally break down and complain. Regardless, it’s here. And it’s crazier than even I imagined. Basically, to sum it all up, we’re all over the place. Single elimination one weekend, double elimination the next. Qualifier here, no qualifier there. And all my worst fears came true about Manhattan Beach. The biggest tournament of the year, on the entire globe, just became a 16 team circus sideshow, with 8 teams already in from 3 designated "Shootout" events, and 8 teams from the gnarliest qualifier in beach volleyball history. That thing is going to be insane.
 
Here is the layout of the upcoming season: /CuteEditor_Uploads/45/08AVP.pdf
]]>http://www.volleyball.com/blogs/Hans/default.aspx?mode=blog&id=57&yearnum=2008&monthnum=3Sat, 15 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMTA Quick Storyhttp://www.volleyball.com/blogs/Hans/default.aspx?mode=blog&id=54&yearnum=2008&monthnum=3dan@headquarters.com (HansStolfus)
I drove out to California from Minneapolis in early February; white knuckled through most of Colorado and Utah. Awesome. Then went on a rapid, Orange County wide, search for a place to live while temporarily residing on Ty Loomis and Sean Rosenthal’s couch in Corona Del Mar. Then flew to Hawaii for twelve days on Feb 17th to hang out, retrieve even an ounce of color I previously had in my skin, and eat as many Acai Bowls at the Health Bar on Monsarrat as I possibly could – all while practicing a little volley at the Outrigger Canoe Club, of course. Then I flew back to California, sitting next to the saxophone and harmonica players from the band, WAR, (unreal conversation) and proceeded to move in to my new, shoebox sized, apartment in glorious and picturesque Irvine, CA. Meanwhile, through all of this, (I didn’t have a power cord for my laptop because I left it plugged into the wall in Minnie. Genius.) all I wanted to check was the AVP website to see if the 2008 schedule had finally been released. That’s it. Granted, I found a few periodic computers to use -- I love going to the gym and using the computer in the lobby instead of working out, it looks fantastic -- so I was able to at least see that no changes had been made to the AVP site in weeks. But now, as I sit in Starbucks, using my T-Mobile Wireless account, and my new power cord, I can see with my very own eyes that in almost a month and a half, nothing has changed, nor has any additional information been delivered to either the folks looking to compete this summer or the fans planning their vacation travels to beaches across our great nation.

Does this bother anybody but me? Seriously! What in the heck is going on in that office that they think it is okay to release the schedule for a professional sports tour three weeks, or less, before the first event? More importantly, speculation abounds as to what the tour is even going to be like this year. 16 teams? 24 teams? 32 teams? Qualifier? No qualifier? Qualifying tour? Single elimination? Double elimination after the first round? Crocs Shoot-Out for the last four tournaments resulting in an 8-team format for Manhattan Beach, or what’s supposed to be the biggest tournament in the world? Yeah, you read that correctly. It’s being discussed. Trust me, I could keep going. That’s how much speculation there is floating around about this summer’s AVP Tour. What I can say with full conviction is, it won’t be anything like the last couple of years, not if the AVP has anything to do with it. And who knows how much power our player committee really has to negotiate when all is said and done? And who’s really fighting for whom?

My answer to all if this… it’s been a great run. Time to take the GRE and bribe my way into UCLA. And, of course, enjoy this year like I’ve never enjoyed a year of volleyball in my life. Anybody who has ever played even one single point on the beach knows, there isn’t another game like it. And hey, what a great example… that’s how good it is, it’s worth putting up with all of this. 

Can’t wait to discuss what ends up going down. If anybody has an opinion about what the tour should look like and where we should play, feel free to fire away. I’d love to get some feedback and open up an email grab bag. I can be reached at:

hans@hansstolfus.com

 ]]>http://www.volleyball.com/blogs/Hans/default.aspx?mode=blog&id=54&yearnum=2008&monthnum=3Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT