AWVP

I picked a helluva year to try to make a positive personal health decision (first time for everything) and play limited minutes.

Because, reading the last AAR, I agree with LJ. While it's always been true that trigger time is important, you have to learn fast, and mistakes are a killer, from what I've heard regarding who is playing and how they're playing this year, it's doubly true now.

When you only come out once a month, many things can change...

The state of the AWVP is strong. And thank you all for the opportunity to play today.

Roster in no particular order: Tbone, Alex, Scully, Walrus, Taz, Dan, Monkey, Grizzle, Kent, Marcelo, Navy, Dub, Kenny, Wescott, Shimmy, and yours truly.

With many of the tall trees missing, today was more of a small ball day. That is not to denigrate the hitting power of the bigs: Walrus, Dub, Dan. But I think Taz very much enjoys small ball, as he gets to be the hitter a whole lot. If memory serves, smaller teams were the ones that went dynasty today, of which we had 2.

Things I've notice since I've been away: New Alex's game has improved. Kenny Rogers post surgery arm is a force to be reckoned with. Shimmy is starting to come into his own with serves, spikes, placement.

So lookie there, you let "new" players play, and they get better. And, geriatric vets can occasionally do good things if you're patient with them. Navy had a helluva day. After going 0-3 (at one point, with a good team up 9-1, we lost), I did manage to stop sucking as much and help my team dynasty, and then win last game to 21. Last 2 game points were mine. But let's talk about that: they were on high and tight passes to the net where I'm supposed to set but I'm having to "jump" (any vertical attempted by me is in " " just like "blocking" because it's hard to tell if I ever even left the launchpad) to try to get there. What am I doing wrong on those plays beyond being old and short?

I know that fetishizing Dallas is currently en vogue, so this won't be an entirely popular opinion. But I'm not exactly a fan of the Dallas rules. Having played since approximately 1776, wally ball is something of an anathema: sure, Dallas says there's less arguing that way. All that's on top. You want to know what's underneath? Advantaging the offense even more. I watched servers today and spikers successfully aim for and hit walls. What this really means is that servers and spikers can put defenders into walls, and make them defend more ground on a deep shot in an already long pool, while being less accurate than was previously required while doing so. While an old dog is grudgingly willing to learn new tricks, it does sadden my heart to see hitting the wall celebrated.

In terms of Dallas rules that should be adopted, the AWVP should have its own mansion. However, be careful what you wish for, because that appears to mean that playing at a public pool, even one as esteemed as the Riata exclusive resort community is slumming, and nobody under the age of 40 is allowed to start at the mansion.

I don't think that's a good idea, because I'd like to see this league grow and go on, even beyond my ability to start, as it is now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpK36FZmTFY

Well done, Pandas! Well done...

_________________
Chief

Death from above! Fire down below!