Now that was some inspired volleyball
A few weeks ago, we were the special guests of the AVP in Santa Barbara and were looking forward to meeting the official AVP team of the Crackpot Press: Elaine Youngs and Rachel Wacholder. If you look very closely they manage to mouth the words "Crackpot Press" in just about every game and interview. Look VERY closely or you may miss it. If you Tivo it and play it backwards then you can see it sometimes. You may have to piece it together as the words are not always in order.
We were going to get the chance to meet them at their post game interview in Santa Barbara. However, our gals had a terrible game in Santa Barbara. They were in shock after the game. I have been following Rachel and EY for many years before their partnership. EY because she is fierce, fearless and tenatious. Rachel because she does her damndest to improve herself. Most importantly, they are scrappers and we respect that. At Crackpot Press we really admire folks who find their stride in their 30's. In sports it's unheard of. In the years I have been watching them, I had never seen them NOT put up a good fight.
But after the butt kicking they got in Santa Barbara, they were defeated, tired... even disoriented. We've all been there, regardless of what we do for a living. It was that day when you just weren't clicking, your normal magic wasn't there..
And I wasn't about to be the ass who said "Hi, wanna be on my C-List Website?"
And today, it was their turn to kick some ass. They took down Walsh May in what can only be described as inspired volleyball. They played with hammer on the floor, thirsty, blood under the fingernails passion. Took them out in two games.
In their past, their victories have had the stench of "excuses" around them. Misty has a strained ab. They have a following in Boulder.
Bullshit. Get used to it, they're that good.
Today they swept, EY was playing with injuries. When I saw EY at the SB open, she kept talking about about how Walsh/May made "crazy plays" that led to their defeat. EY has always made crazy plays. Today Rachel made them as well.
I watched RW/EY play Boss/Mason (pictures below) and I didn't think they had it today. I was wrong, I don't know what they had for lunch... but I want some of that. They came out wild, they came out weird, they came out inspired. They KILLED Kerri and Misty.
While Misty has always been a gracious loser (at least on TV) , Kerri... not so much.
I LIKE them both. One of the problems with the AVP (unlike most sports) is that there is no one to hate. They are all good folks, they work with the community. They live locally. They're pratically Canadians. Most of them have jobs during the season (the Linquidst sisters are school teachers) the players are good folks.
But as a guy from Berkeley I love to find fault with those from Stanford...
Kerri Walsh has that Stanford Mentality that drives me up the wall. I love Kerri Walsh.. she is that lanky geeky sexy tall girl that I really should have asked to the prom, but wouldn't go out with me now. She is a good person.As talented as she is, she doesn't understand that real people lose everyday. Her post game interview today was terrible. My guess is that she is so unaccustomed to losing that she doesn't know how to deal with it.
She called the game "B.S." which is Stanford person's rationale for "I blew it" She obviously doesn't understand "You win some, you lose some." You got an ass kicking.. it happens... it just always doesn't happen on National TV.
I really forward to Kerri growing up on this front.
EY and Rachel were dominant today taking it to them 21-19, 24-22. In the post game interviews on both sides you could tell there was a hornet's net buzzing in the greatest rivalry in women's sports. The Sacramento open next weekend is gonna be a war.
Here are some photos of early round action from Sunday. More to come!
