Local volleyball pros capture the AVP Long Beach Open in both the Men’s and Women’s bracket, with Sean Rosenthal (Gibb/Rosenthal) and Misty May (May/Walsh) winning in front of raucous crowds. Click here to read about the Men’s Final on Saturday, and see J.J. Fiddler’s article below for more on the Women’s Final yesterday.
AVP In Long Beach Sets Tone For Olympics
The Association of Volleyball Professionals took over the sand near Shoreline Drive this weekend. Well, to be honest, Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh took over on Sunday afternoon, blocking their way to another AVP tournament victory. So if you’re counting, that’s 101 consecutive wins, 18 consecutive titles, and just 10 losses in 114 sets this year on the AVP tour.
Their win over Jen Boss and April Ross in Sunday’s final was the last time May and Walsh will step between the lines until they do so in Beijing for the 29th Summer Olympic Games. In the stands on Sunday, the patrons roared at the slightest mention of these summer games, while May and Walsh played like they’re ready for them.
It was obvious which team had the crowd’s support. All weekend, there was a buzz surrounding each point played by the hometown girl and her partner. The crowd was even cheering when the big screen showed pre-recorded greetings from May and Walsh.
The AVP has not ignored the natural excitement surrounding this game and its loyal following.
Chris “Geeter” McGee has been with the AVP for 11 years. His job, put simply, is to a nnounce the game to the crowd. Somewhere between that and the Jose Cuervo musical chairs, Geeter is conducting the best introductions in sports. In those three or four minutes before the first serve, Geeter, all board shorts and sunglasses, patrols the stadium with mic in hand. A human tunnel, not unlike the popular youth soccer tradition, is formed in the corner and they turn up the volume as the AVP goes live on NBC.
Beats bump with thunder sticks in unison as Geeter points toward the players awaiting introduction and rattles off stats and personal histories like a wrestling announcer who memorized the press guide. The crowd goes wild and the players embrace the unique energy.
Okay, timeout. We’re talking about an Olympic sport. These things are stately and pressure packed. They’re serious. But we’re also talking about a fringe sport with limitless potential. The place where the cute girl in the bikini sings the National Anthem, and nails it.
In front of her hometown fans, Misty May-Treanor entered the arena on Sunday with a Snoop Dogg beat and her own version of a Snoop Dog dance. She pulled it off, much to the delight of the fans and Geeter, who called the performance “Phenomenal!”
Did people shake their heads muttering about the sanctity of the game and how sports should be all substance instead of flash? It’s things like pre-game pyrotechnics, Chad Johnson, and Manny being Manny that force you to choose a camp. You think Manny’s funny, or he doesn’t respect the game. You’re a purist, or you’re not sure what a purist is. You want the names read in iambic pentameter as they run, head down, to their positions, or you like the bells and whistles.
I suppose it all depends on the venue. But to be honest, none of the noise really matters. It’s just fun.
May-Treanor finished her dance, hugged Geeter, and did a courtside interview with the NBC reporter. But when she turned to play, the glasses dropped off her head and onto her nose like a helmet. A switch was flipped. What followed was domination.
In Beijing in a few weeks, when May-Treanor and Walsh are introduced, the way they walk or dance onto the sand won’t dictate quality of play. It seems the people in charge are paying attention, because guess who’s going to introduce the dynamic duo at the Summer Games? Geeter plans on making his Olympic debut.
I say get that crowd clapping and stomping, Geeter. Here’s hoping Misty and Kerri dance all over the competition.
