E6: Nectarine Mix-Ups, Volleyball Greats, and NCAA Predictions

Ever found yourself chuckling over a case of mistaken fruit identity or debating the merits of volleyball tournaments with friends? That's exactly where we landed in our latest episode, kicking things off with a humorous mix-up involving nectarines—yes, those juicy summer gems—and a timely correction from our ever-reliable virtual sidekick. The laughs didn't end there, as we spun yarns about Costco adventures and a memorable sweatshirt design gone awry, setting the stage for a deeper volley into the world of volleyball events. As I staunchly defended the Olympic Games as the zenith of volleyball dreams, Jan presented a compelling argument for the V&L and World Championships, sparking a lively debate on the essence of the sport and what truly crowns a competition as the best.

Nostalgia hit us hard as we sauntered through the gallery of volleyball greats who've left their mark on the game and our hearts. From Dana Burkholder's exceptional setting skills to Misty May-Treanor's unmatched prowess on the sand, these legends shaped our love for volleyball. Jan brought the energy with tales of Brazilian sensation Giba, painting a vivid picture of his influence on a whole generation of players. We didn't forget to shine a spotlight on today's trailblazers like TJ DeFalco and Uroš Kovačević, wondering aloud who the youth on the courts today idolize as they dream of their own athletic futures.

Wrapping up our gameplay, we turned the heat on the NCAA, baking up predictions and seasoning our conversation with a dash of insider sports analysis humor. We volleyed opinions on teams with potential, like Grand Canyon and UCLA, while jesting about biases and the thrill of flying solo as a podcast host. It's a full-court press of laughter, insights, and a shared passion for the spikes, digs, and serves of volleyball. So, pull up a chair and join us for an episode that sets up the perfect spike of entertainment and reflection on the game we all adore.

Transcript

Volleyball Event Preferences and Nectarine Season

Chad Gordon 0:00

We're going to get nowhere tonight.

Matt Houlihan 0:02

Productivity is at an all time low.

Producer Bob 0:04

When is nectarine season?

Arielle Houlihan 0:07

That's a great question.

Producer Bob 0:09

Those are good.

Arielle Houlihan 0:10

Summer I got those at Costco, and I got to think that nectarines are a winter fruit.

Chad Gordon 0:17

I don't know if nectarines are a winter fruit.

Arielle Houlihan 0:19

Hey Siri, when are nectarines in season?

Chad Gordon 0:23

The summer season brings a bounty of fresh stone fruit notably peaches, nectarines and apricots.

Arielle Houlihan 0:29

I should have known that this is from allrecipescom. Okay, thank you.

Chad Gordon 0:33

You got to know that Everybody knows peaches in the summer.

Arielle Houlihan 0:34

I should have known that, because stone fruits are at Andy's orchard.

Producer Bob 0:36

That's super interesting they said nectarines and apricots, but not peaches.

Matt Houlihan 0:40

They let off the peaches. This is literally the first thing they said Been drinking. They said peaches, nectarines and apricots.

Producer Bob 0:47

Oh my god, I'm at Bob.

Chad Gordon 0:49

I'm not a big stone fruit guy. I'm at.

Matt Houlihan 0:51

Bob to hold it together. Wait, isn't this the NFL on Fox?

Producer Bob 1:21

He has beach club upside down on his sweatshirt.

Arielle Houlihan 1:25

I didn't design that either, obviously.

Matt Houlihan 1:28

I did.

Arielle Houlihan 1:28

It's not for everybody, and I stand by I can't tell you how many times we've done like a beta, beta thing and Matt's just like completely flipped it and I've been like do you know, do you have a link for like dark web beta, beta gear.

Matt Houlihan 1:41

No, you have to get the Paul Ryan Smith and you need to.

Arielle Houlihan 1:43

Yeah, he need to Sour the store. That's why Ryan Smith shows up at tournaments with random apparel items.

Producer Bob 1:51

That's, that's that's.

Chad Gordon 1:54

That's here we are. Episode six of the coaches group chat. Yeah, it's episode six.

Matt Houlihan 2:00

We've survived six recording episodes and we've got six recordings and we've got six recordings. Yeah, it's episode six. We've survived six recording episodes and we're here of drinking together, just with microphones on. That's right.

Arielle Houlihan 2:15

Stop laughing, bob, you, bob.

Producer Bob 2:18

Bob like that.

Arielle Houlihan 2:22

You're on my team, bob, you are on my team.

Matt Houlihan 2:27

Cut it all, keep it going. He puts the Riz no computer. Bob producer. You have to step in After two weeks off. Back with a vengeance. Producer Bob.

Arielle Houlihan 2:42

Yeah, I need to drink so much.

Producer Bob 2:44

This guy, this is off to a horrible start. I think you might have to restart.

Matt Houlihan 2:48

You gotta kind of keep things Loops.

Chad Gordon 2:50

People like yeah, like hearing here, it was different ways.

Matt Houlihan 2:56

All right, but we're on the AG's agenda here, that's just a agenda just talked about this.

Arielle Houlihan 3:04

I made an agenda in 25 seconds, so today the theme of the day will be all things that I thought of in 25 seconds. First, the greatest volleyball events on earth. Have we thought about it?

Matt Houlihan 3:23

I've thought about it. I have my answer. You do yes, mine's very obvious.

Arielle Houlihan 3:28

Six man.

Matt Houlihan 3:30

That's a great answer, but it's not my answer. It's my answer, the grass man.

Arielle Houlihan 3:34

The grass man.

Chad Gordon 3:37

I like your answer. No, it's not my answer. I'm answering for you. No, your big self-promotion guy.

Matt Houlihan 3:41

No wrong, I'm not talking my own book on the grass man, grass man, great event, but not the best, the world's greatest, no the world's greatest event.

Arielle Houlihan 3:47

Matt can go first.

Matt Houlihan 3:48

Easy the Olympics. No yes, the volleyball event, the Olymp, the volleyball Olympics, is the greatest event. They play volleyball every four years.

Chad Gordon 4:01

You want something that's purely only.

Arielle Houlihan 4:03

It's a volleyball event. Sure, pick the Olympics. That's very on brand for me, can?

Matt Houlihan 4:07

I give you the reason, reason why I would love to know. Every four years volleyball takes a stage Beach volleyball, indoor volleyball, women's volleyball, men's volleyball Actually is put on a pedestal and gets TV recognition on the national level. Specifically, if we're good, right In 2008, beijing, when we would say we won gold huge bump in the amount of players playing volleyball after that. So every year we see a huge increase in the number of players that play volleyball after another big year because they've seen it on TV and they want to check it out. So, without a doubt, in my mind, the greatest event and the greatest competition. Like, if you're asked any men's volleyball player, what tournament do you want to win, they're gonna say the Olympics. They want to be, they want to be the gold medalist for their country, and that's where you see the greatest volleyball played consistently over the course of every four years. Easy answer for me.

Arielle Houlihan 5:04

Great.

Matt Houlihan 5:07

Jan, what do you think?

Chad Gordon 5:09

I don't think it's where you see the best volleyball.

Matt Houlihan 5:12

You think the pro level is better?

Chad Gordon 5:14

No, it's not even the, it's all of the, it's V&L and World Champs and stuff like that. That's just better volleyball, because yeah, yeah, producer All right nice.

Matt Houlihan 5:22

Get an agreement.

Chad Gordon 5:23

That's great. Why do you think that is Because the difficulty in qualifying for the Olympics is just crazy, right, Like it's so hard to earn one of those slots. But I mean, you have even just like European championships or stuff like that, where it's like wait, hold on, like it's France and Italy and it's like some of the best teams in the world and they battle it out, and then you're going to send one team that wins it. They get that slot right and you have to then qualify other way. It's just so competitive that they end up having to exclude really strong teams. So I think some of the best. I mean, I've haven't been to the Olympics, so I'll give you that caveat.

Arielle Houlihan 6:01

But this is a public service announcement that anybody that wants to pay for us to go to the Olympics, we will go.

Chad Gordon 6:07

We haven't been so.

Arielle Houlihan 6:09

Twist my arm, we'll go. Okay, keep going.

Chad Gordon 6:11

All right, yeah, I agree, but like some of the best volleyball I have, I have watched live in person, like has been in Poland over the last couple of years at World Champs and then V&L.

Matt Houlihan 6:20

But is that? Is that just for you personally, because you haven't been to the Olympics, or you think that that level is better than the Olympics?

Chad Gordon 6:26

I think because those tournaments are harder to win in a lot of ways. Right, it's just different question though.

Matt Houlihan 6:31

So you think those terms are just harder to win because the competition level is higher across the board? Like you don't get the like automatic qualifier team that gets in.

Chad Gordon 6:40

Yes, I mean, yeah, there's a travel component to things like V&L and craziness like that, but like the world championships or something like along those lines, that is, it's got to be harder than winning the Olympics. I mean, I get, it's a different stage for sure, and I know there must be an added pressure with it. Hey man, this is the Olympics. It only happens.

Chad Gordon 6:59

This is what we've been training for, but in terms of like greatest volleyball events, I would probably rather go watch volleyball. If I was going to pull something up, I'd rather watch volleyball from World Champs than would watch something from the Olympics.

Producer Bob 7:11

I'd rather probably watch the.

Chad Gordon 7:12

Olympics live in person though.

Matt Houlihan 7:14

Right, I would use that. And that's where, when I hear the question of world's greatest volleyball event, I'm like I'm there.

Arielle Houlihan 7:20

I'm at that event.

Chad Gordon 7:21

I'd rather go to six man.

Arielle Houlihan 7:22

Okay, well, I made the docket and I'm talking about all around volleyball experience.

Matt Houlihan 7:29

Great, and so your answer is six man. Give it to us. What's the experience?

Arielle Houlihan 7:34

in the 90s.

Matt Houlihan 7:37

No rules, no rules, six man.

Arielle Houlihan 7:38

No rules. Six man Like I want burying kegs in the sand the night before and like the full million people on the beach. No rules at all Party costumes 100% Like I want, like everything that volleyball culture in the United States is based off of, I think is the best version of volleyball. It's party culture.

Chad Gordon 8:04

So like old school AVP, like even like the four man tour and like stuff like that.

Matt Houlihan 8:10

Back when Jose Cuervo was the lead sponsor 100% Santa Cruz, california.

Chad Gordon 8:13

Baby, I'm in fun now.

Arielle Houlihan 8:15

I think it's the best party culture sporting event ever in any sport I think.

Chad Gordon 8:22

What happened? Why don't we have that?

Arielle Houlihan 8:26

Actually, this is a really interesting question because I had a conversation this past weekend about what happened to volleyball. No-transcript. Honestly, cell phones happened to volleyball and they were recording.

Chad Gordon 8:42

All these people do.

Arielle Houlihan 8:43

You can get in trouble now you can get in trouble now and so before like you couldn't get in trouble and so you could just go out and do kind of whatever you wanted. And then once it was everybody's being recorded all the time now, like people have accountability on what they're doing and especially in, especially in the women's game, like accountability, like everybody has this, like standard of being held to in the highest level, like you can't get in trouble anymore, and so it's kind of a problem for the party culture sport.

Chad Gordon 9:16

Well, and especially for those probably the strong word, but yes. But like for those athletes that are looking for sponsorships or looking for whatever right, hey, I'm trying to you know be promotable on social media. Or, you know, get bigger, be a bigger presence within USA volleyball on the beach or, yeah, you know video of you from a thousand people of you doing a keg stand or whatever like like the most ideal look, it's not maybe what advertisers are looking to.

Chad Gordon 9:40

Well, I will say we're starting to go back to it like you're looking for original people right, who are authentic and and can bring energy and excitement. Yes, because that's what the youth want and that's probably where the money is an advertising.

Arielle Houlihan 9:56

I think that everybody everybody's sick of cancel culture. So all people are looking for now is what's real. And and I think that that is what I think that will be actually very good for volleyball is like getting back to a place of like real people doing real things. Um, I do think that volleyball events need to stop with the cancel culture mentality.

Chad Gordon 10:17

Well, that's. I mean we talked about a little bit last week right of people in volleyball are Typically so genuine, right? I mean, like you have a lot of great characters in the sport and probably a lot of that is like I don't know, at the end of the day, like it's volleyball, like this isn't the NBA, this isn't the Olympics, like this is like exactly you know, not that many people are paying attention, so everybody can kind of just be themselves and be creative and and do all that.

Chad Gordon 10:41

But yeah, I wonder, you know, if it gets bigger and all, all of the things that come with More eyeballs on you, right, are we? Gonna be in the same, I mean I just think that it's it.

Arielle Houlihan 10:53

Volleyball has something that all of these other sports don't, and what volleyball used to be in the 80s, in early 90s, was like this place where you could be on the beach in the sun and Drinking and hanging out with people, and it was this culture of it was a party culture that I do think that we need to get back to a little bit of like. It's a. I think it's a very attractive thing and For tv, I think having it be an attractive thing is a good thing.

Matt Houlihan 11:27

I think a lot of it is like lifestyle too, like when, even like what you're saying, chat of, you know there's not that many eyeballs on you. So so many people are just being their authentic cells and they just love the sport, but they're doing it because they absolutely love the game and some of the top tier are able to make, you know, a good living off of it. Not even you know, not a massive, massive, not like any other pro sport.

Matt Houlihan 11:51

No yeah it's not any other pro sport in terms of the development of how much money's being brought in or being captured, but there is certainly a Huge group of people that live the lifestyle that A lot of people aspire to, right there at the beach every day. They're physically active, they're fit Right, they they have a certain style, certain kind of appeal to them as people that a lot of people connect with and relate to, with or without the game or playing the game at a high level, and so there's lots of cool things that the sport of beach volleyball in particular and then you know by, you know by just by association, also indoor volleyball has a lot of that same character as well. Um, just more of a. You know, the players that are playing at the top level aren't, you know, state side on the beach. They're International, in Poland, in Russia and Brazil, so on and so forth beach volleyball Relates.

Arielle Houlihan 12:45

Beach volleyball and volleyball in general relate a ton to skate and surf culture.

Arielle Houlihan 12:50

Where it's this outdoor active action, sport, lifestyle and skate and surf culture Is such an effortlessly cool thing that there are so many other facets of everything fashion and lifestyle and, uh, like all of these different artistic things that take from Skate and surf culture and volleyball is in that, and so I think that it is such an inspiring artistic thing that we have gone away from and gone away from portraying, and if we as a sport can get back to some of that, I think that it will be really, really good for pushing the sport forward, for making it cool for kids to do. Um, it's not just in california california, yes, it's easy, it's not as difficult in southern california and northern california for kids to go and play volleyball, but for kids all over the country. I think that that making it a cool thing Surf and skate will always be a cool thing, and many kids don't have access to the surf. Many kids don't have access to a lot of the things that that make this sport, I guess, accessible.

Favorite Volleyball Players Through Generations

Arielle Houlihan 14:02

But I do think that we keep making it cool and yeah, there's a degree of counterculture to volleyball as well 100 percent for sure, and that's where surface skate comes from spirals into lots of different thoughts about what's the best volleyball event on earth. But yeah, six man is my pick, 1000 percent really good conversation.

Producer Bob 14:21

However, I'm really curious about your guys's favorite volleyball player ever.

Arielle Houlihan 14:26

Yes, volleyball player ever.

Matt Houlihan 14:28

I think you need to lead off with this one, because I have mine. I think mine might be a little niche, but mine might be niche too.

Arielle Houlihan 14:35

Okay, the reason I asked this question, who comes to my mind first, is like who had an impact on me as a kid when I was watching?

Matt Houlihan 14:44

sure, that's kind of where I went to.

Arielle Houlihan 14:45

Okay, um, because obviously carches don't say anything.

Chad Gordon 14:49

Carches the easiest answer to this question in the united states Is the answer to think of a woman hit you? No, not you.

Arielle Houlihan 14:57

Carches, like the easy answer in the united states of like favorite volleyball player Carchkari. And misty also is an easy answer to that too. I'm looking at you guys. I was like.

Chad Gordon 15:11

I'm digesting.

Arielle Houlihan 15:12

Okay, so my answer is going to be Dana Burkholder. Does anybody know who that is?

Matt Houlihan 15:18

tell us more. No clue. Please let us know.

Arielle Houlihan 15:20

Okay, dana, do you know the name? Dana Burkholder? You should know this, actually, because Dana Burkholder was the setter For university of arizona, where our good pal bob went to school. What in 90, I'm gonna say 98, maybe 99. Yeah, unimportant.

Arielle Houlihan 15:49

Okay, so the reason I'm saying this, though, is because when I was a little kid, I would go to the final four every year, and Dana Burkholder was the setter for u of a when they went to the final four, and for some reason, the way that she played volleyball like made me want to play volleyball, and like I remember it, specifically sitting at the final four and watching her play and was like, man, I want to look like that when I play volleyball. And I was a little kid and that was a I remember it being like a moment in my career Career. I was like eight, when when I just was like I think I want to look like that when I play volleyball.

Matt Houlihan 16:35

Can you? What does she look like? The?

Arielle Houlihan 16:36

reason honestly, and if you ever, if anybody, can dig up photos of me playing volleyball when I was a kid, she would set a ball and would like kick her legs out when she set a ball.

Matt Houlihan 16:49

I have most certainly seen a photo of you as a kid doing that.

Arielle Houlihan 16:52

She would kick like there was like a trend of setters that would kick their legs out when they set, when they would jump set and Do we need to bring it back?

Chad Gordon 17:01

Is that what you're applying?

Arielle Houlihan 17:02

No, I'm not saying that we need to bring it back.

Matt Houlihan 17:04

It's like bell bottoms, everything comes back and, honestly, Misty, Misty was.

Arielle Houlihan 17:08

May was also a like big person. In the whole kick set like, flare your legs out while you jump and set a ball to make it fast and make it quicker, and so obviously Misty was a huge volleyball player for any girl playing when I was growing up but Style and flare wise. I mean Style and flare wise, but Dana Burkholder would be the niche volleyball player for me as a little kid.

Matt Houlihan 17:40

Shout out to Dana. That is definitely niche. How do you do the bear down, by the way?

Arielle Houlihan 17:45

WZB Like this Wild cat I went to U of A volleyball camp and I was 14 years old as well, sick. It was just very hot, I don't know. Yeah, sure I was sick.

Chad Gordon 17:57

Bob Bob asking the tough questions.

Producer Bob 18:02

You got a gentle bands.

Arielle Houlihan 18:04

I didn't go to whatever local bar that you would. I'm guessing that was a local bar. Yeah, yeah, I did not. As a 14 year old, you have a sketchy move. No, I did not.

Matt Houlihan 18:15

Along the same lines. Mine was kind of it's someone that I like watched and tried to model my game after as a kid. Now, mind you, I'm a kid growing up in like the birth of YouTube. So it is like YouTube volleyball search bar, like best volleyball spikes. We're not talking about like do you know where I'm going?

Chad Gordon 18:34

here, chad. I have an idea, jeeba.

Matt Houlihan 18:37

Yeah, there you go. Jeeba was absolutely, is absolutely, my favorite volleyball player of all time. I think I've probably watched days worth of Jeeba highlights of him just diving in the back row.

Chad Gordon 18:51

The one, the one-handed, one-handed scoop to the left, One-handed scoop to the right Goes over the thing plays it Jumps the barrier.

Matt Houlihan 18:59

I don't think this is that niche. I know what you're talking about.

Chad Gordon 19:02

Well, he's one of the most famous players of all time. I don't. Yeah, it's like picking MJ, or something I don't think any of.

Matt Houlihan 19:07

like the kids that we coach would have any clue of who Jeeba is.

Chad Gordon 19:11

To be completely fair.

Arielle Houlihan 19:12

Okay, that's for sure.

Chad Gordon 19:14

Yeah, that's a thing.

Arielle Houlihan 19:16

Some of them would.

Chad Gordon 19:17

Yeah, even in Poland. Wukasz asked me. It was like, hey, you know who that is right there? And it was Jeeba, because he was gonna be like commentating on the match but he's, I've never seen him like, not in like gear. Yellow and blue he's got like a nice like white like dress shirt tucked in with a pants. I'm like it took me 10 seconds. I was like that's a guy from the fricking thing. Yeah like I mean it's, but it's not our generation, right.

Matt Houlihan 19:42

So of course it's. That's why I say it's niche.

Arielle Houlihan 19:45

Who do they, who do the kids now know TJ Defalco and?

Matt Houlihan 19:49

Mike Echrishinson, and I mean my current one has gotta be the Serbian outside hitter, not Serbia. Our favorite lefty outside has the yeah, you're talking about Serbia, is it Serbia? I'm blanking on his name right now. Oh man, no, I want to say. Gerbic, but it's not Gerbic, it's a I was gonna kill us. Me and Bob are out, that's fine.

Chad Gordon 20:12

Kovacic.

Arielle Houlihan 20:12

Yes.

Matt Houlihan 20:14

And I don't even know that's how you say it Kovacic. Yeah, it's euros. Kovacic, kovacic.

Chad Gordon 20:18

Kovacic, I'm not sure.

Matt Houlihan 20:20

Sorry for butchering it. I've DM'd him and he responded back to me one time. I don't know. So shout out to him What'd you do?

Arielle Houlihan 20:28

Well, we like we did a film review on him.

Matt Houlihan 20:29

Chad.

Producer Bob 20:30

I clipped it, he like carved up I don't know who they were playing like.

Chad Gordon 20:33

Bulgaria or somebody. And it's like man, is he hurt Like you're? He's just like off speed, off speed, two hand jam. It's like the third set. They finally like pull against him and everybody drops their hands and he's like F this, it just yaw, sees one ball. Yeah, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like, I'm like what's this? It just yaw, sees one ball, and then like everyone's like looking at each other like, oh man, like what he's not doing?

Matt Houlihan 21:01

Yeah, and I mean he must have hit like seven 800, something and something just crazy On like literally. He tipped every single ball except for one.

Arielle Houlihan 21:10

He hit one ball at a 20 and Chad's talking about it. He's like I don't know if he's hurt. What did you DM him?

Matt Houlihan 21:14

I DM him. I was like where you hurt?

Chad Gordon 21:17

And he's like my shoulder was falling off.

Matt Houlihan 21:19

Yeah, he's like I, but we needed to win and yeah, I mean, I think he's got to be one of the main people that has pushed the boundary of like what we see nowadays. I'm like the two handed, like the outside hitters, jamming, wiping, throwing, literally throwing the ball.

Chad Gordon 21:33

He was one of the first, if not the first, to kind of really yeah, I mean, when you're watching, like you were talking about Heno earlier, right, like yeah, I mean Heno didn't come up with this stuff, right. But, that's just how the game has played overseas. So Okay yeah.

Matt Houlihan 21:50

I was in my two Jeep for me as a kid, watching Jeeba yeah, 100%, just like I was. Like I'm going to, I'm going to dive everywhere, like I will hit the floor for everything, I'm going to run the BIC, like I'm going to do all these things because Jeeba does it.

Arielle Houlihan 22:02

Yep.

Matt Houlihan 22:03

And yeah, he's just a swaggy Brazilian dude.

Chad Gordon 22:05

So that's funny. I would have put you as more of like a Dante guy Love. I've watched plenty of Dante. I'm just saying you just got. You got the. He just was a little more of that build.

Matt Houlihan 22:13

Dante was more Like I. Just I was like I can't do that, like he's so big. But she was like small. I'm like, yeah, jeeba makes it look like like I could do this. And so he was. He was the people's outside hitter. I was a big fan of Dante, big fan of Dante's skill, but I was a bigger fan of Jeeba on the whole because he made things look like I could do it there.

Arielle Houlihan 22:37

Chad's answer to this question.

Chad Gordon 22:42

Yeah, I think the the person I have the most fun watching is Maruf.

Arielle Houlihan 22:45

Yeah, I think Maruf is a good answer.

Chad Gordon 22:47

I think it's a pretty safe bet for me.

Arielle Houlihan 22:49

Yeah, I agree with that.

Chad Gordon 22:51

Um, now, you know, is he. If I was training a 14 year old setter, would it be like hey man, go watch Maruf.

Arielle Houlihan 22:57

I would not.

Chad Gordon 22:59

I might by accident, because I'd be excited about it.

Arielle Houlihan 23:01

Yeah, I get that.

Chad Gordon 23:02

Um, I get. Hey man, you, you just want to go set hittable balls, like go watch Gianelli, go watch Micah, like go watch these guys. Yeah, If you want to do like really cool shit go watch Maruf go watch the Checo Like. I mean, these guys are doing some crazy. The YouTube algorithm will help that kid find yeah.

Matt Houlihan 23:18

Yeah.

Chad Gordon 23:18

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, no, I mean I, he's no bigger than me. Yeah, um, he's got I don't know 20 years on me. I mean he's grain and all this stuff and he's just carving people up. Yeah, just jump, land set, jump, what? I mean just so much mastery technically of that, that position, that when you look at Maruf, right, I mean he probably wouldn't be as flashy as he is, right, if he was playing for a USA, poland, france, you know, brazil, like one of these kind of top teams, uh, every single year. But at the same time, right, I mean his, his creativity is based on, it sits on a foundation of, you know, mastery of the technical side. Right, his ability to manipulate the ball is is built on years of, you know, I mean the guy's 45. So I mean he's been training for like 30 years. But I mean like without, without the master of the technical piece, right, I mean it doesn't, it doesn't unlock the rest of it for for his game.

Chad Gordon 24:21

I think so that's, that's my piece on that one.

Volleyball March Madness

Matt Houlihan 24:24

Yeah, the story that I that I tell on this is the Colin McMillan story. So Colin McMillan coaches at Penn State and he was giving me a rundown on him talking to a setter and I steal this all the time now. But the general idea was he pulled the setter in, he's talking to him and kind of running through the way he's been training and playing the game, he goes do you know the difference between baking and cooking? And the kids are like, uh, no, I what? What are you talking about? And Colin goes baking is very specific, it's scientific, right, there's a specific set of instructions.

Matt Houlihan 24:58

Yeah, I do step one. I measure out one cup of this, I put it in the oven for this long at this temperature. You get the same answer this comes out, right. A cupcake comes out at the end. If I follow all these steps, cooking is you are taking the ingredients and you are going on the fly and figuring out what works where. Right. Oh, I need a little bit of this here. Uh, all right, this is. You know, while this is cooking, I'm going to make this and we get the sauce going. I'm going to get it all together and then I'm going to present it and we're going to put it together and it's going to be art, right?

Matt Houlihan 25:27

You're just on the fly, you're figuring out what is needed, when and where, and that's being a setter right. You have to be able to cook.

Arielle Houlihan 25:35

Maroof cooks.

Matt Houlihan 25:35

Maroof cooks. Maroof cooks. Right, you can't be out there baking because, guess what, when you get punched in the face while you're baking, things don't go according to plan you better be ready to cook.

Arielle Houlihan 25:44

Usually happens to me when I'm baking.

Matt Houlihan 25:46

That's what your opponent is going to do. They're going to punch you in the face and all of a sudden you thought I want to get my middles going and they're doing a double commit. You're like well, all right, what's next? Bad recipe Salt's not working.

Arielle Houlihan 25:56

Let's go pepper. You're going to go here. Don't put pepper in your stuff when you're baking, but yeah.

Matt Houlihan 26:01

Oh yeah, that's why we're cooking, not baking. Maroof cooks, maroof cooks. Moral of the story there.

Chad Gordon 26:07

Maroof, for me Maroof cooks.

Arielle Houlihan 26:09

No question, I like that so much fun. Cool NCAA predictions kind of. Matt is going to disappear into thin air.

Chad Gordon 26:18

Deuces. It's like insider trading or something it's like insider training Exactly, he'll get arrested.

Arielle Houlihan 26:22

If he does so, it's just me and you, chad.

Chad Gordon 26:25

Martha Stewart and Snoop over there would shut it.

Arielle Houlihan 26:28

We are Martha Stewart and Snoop. I'm Snoop. Obviously you're Martha Stewart.

Chad Gordon 26:32

I'm Snoop.

Arielle Houlihan 26:33

Are you kidding me?

Chad Gordon 26:34

I like. I like Dustin's rankings right now. The nosey bucket stuff it's. It's been the same the last two weeks, but the more that I watch Grand Canyon I'm sold. It's senior lead and team you know, they're, they are gritty, they. They have this chip on their shoulder that they maybe haven't gotten the respect that they have deserved. And now it's. It's a lot of experience and they're, and they're going after it. Ucla has all the talent in the world. That puzzle is not quite coming together consistently for Sparrow yet.

Arielle Houlihan 27:02

Yeah, but they're, they're good.

Chad Gordon 27:03

They have. They have the best roster probably.

Arielle Houlihan 27:06

Yep.

Chad Gordon 27:07

Um, uh, I think is still untested, and so I'm really excited about the hour of your invitational Yep. Um, you know, hawaii, irvine, grand Canyon, lewis, uh, should be some really good matches this weekend. And then Long Beach I haven't watched as much of lately.

Arielle Houlihan 27:22

I'm going to the Long Beach game on Saturday, friday.

Chad Gordon 27:25

Friday Wait, you're going to be there.

Arielle Houlihan 27:27

I think I might.

Chad Gordon 27:29

Oh, I'm going to be there.

Arielle Houlihan 27:30

Oh yeah, you're going this weekend. Yeah, wait, what are you doing this weekend?

Chad Gordon 27:34

I'm floating.

Arielle Houlihan 27:34

You're going, you're floating, yeah.

Chad Gordon 27:37

I heard John Walls is going to be in town.

Arielle Houlihan 27:39

Wait why? Oh the playing. Yeah, come on now. I'm not, I'm not. It's a huge, it's a huge night. We're going, we're going. Um, I'm seeking the Sambar on Friday night.

Chad Gordon 27:48

Um, but no, I mean, I think um, you know, ohio State, penn State still in the top 10, Stanford still in the top 10.

Arielle Houlihan 27:59

I'm full Stanford.

Chad Gordon 28:01

We're all a little bit Stanford bias.

Arielle Houlihan 28:02

No, I'm very Stanford bias, I'm only medium plus medium plus.

Chad Gordon 28:06

Yeah, I'm not full.

Arielle Houlihan 28:08

I'm fully plus plus Stanford bias. It's a lot. I'm doing it, okay, that's great. Fully committing to the Stanford bias.

Chad Gordon 28:16

I'm with that.

Arielle Houlihan 28:17

Matt committed so hard that he recused himself. Yeah.

Chad Gordon 28:21

So it's a problem.

Producer Bob 28:23

We lost one third of our, of our host. Question for the volley dork.

Chad Gordon 28:27

I don't have any predictions for me. Absolutely Easy snoop.

Producer Bob 28:32

Yeah. Do you have a team outside of the top five that you consider the biggest problem for those that are inside the top five? Stanford, yeah.

Chad Gordon 28:48

I mean it's outside of the top five at Stanford or probably Ohio State. I was about to say.

Arielle Houlihan 28:52

Ohio.

Chad Gordon 28:53

State. Actually, you know, I know my dark horse, george Mason. I'm not as confident these days. Princeton, when they can pass, that's, that's an interesting team out of the Eva. I mean those guys can score. Loyola had a nice win this past weekend, no, but I don't know. I mean outside of outside of Ohio State. I'm not super hot on the media, eva, you're not hot on anything apparently. Nope, okay, great, just Stanford. This podcast is literally going to be me, just me sitting by myself.

Chad Gordon 29:30

You're never recused next week, it's just going to be me and Bob over here.

Arielle Houlihan 29:37

Who else do I like?

Chad Gordon 29:40

We're going to cut this whole segment.

Matt Houlihan 29:41

No, we might not have a quick Molly Dork, segment.

Producer Bob 29:43

Yeah, let Ariel tune out for a minute.

Matt Houlihan 29:46

This is where she falls asleep, gets a little reset. When do?

Producer Bob 29:50

I get to fall asleep. I have a question why aren't touches valued more on the block because you're ranking your little statistic chart? The other day made no to me. He does.

Matt Houlihan 29:59

He does account for blockers.

Arielle Houlihan 30:01

I am tuned in now talking about making this relatable.

Producer Bob 30:06

I DM do you?

Chad Gordon 30:08

Tell me, tell me more.

Producer Bob 30:13

I don't want to go into this now because it's something to exit out. Go on next to the next one cutting this segment away from your hands, help me out we've talked about this before.

Arielle Houlihan 30:27

We had December volleyball under the Chad, and I've been going on for years now.

Chad Gordon 30:32

January volleyball under became a thing a late addition to the to the and then I decided to make my entire life volleyball and February volleyball.

Arielle Houlihan 30:41

There became Hawaii to DC, to LA, to Phoenix, and now it's March. So what is March going to look like?

Chad Gordon 30:54

I'm going to Long Beach this weekend. What?

Arielle Houlihan 30:56

are you doing? That's unreal. Okay, so that's where it starts on canny well we're kicking off.

Matt Houlihan 31:01

We've got yeah, we got soca cup. You 14 boys. This is interesting actually, because first time they've ever run a like a large wait really yeah. I thought they did this they soca socal does you 14 season during the spring, but not like they've never done a mirror event.

Arielle Houlihan 31:21

This is like what's it called? Called something outrageous the socal cup equinox yeah, that's outrageous cue the graphics.

Chad Gordon 31:30

Yeah, that's what's called equinox so interesting cool, but giving an event for these kids, right that they can. Hey, we're getting ready to go in March for this and we get to pair it with watching some men's volleyball at the collegiate level. I think it's, it's a super logical yep.

Matt Houlihan 31:48

So we get to go down to compete and on Friday we've invited all the boys to. We have a section at Long Beach State to go watch.

Chad Gordon 31:54

Long.

Matt Houlihan 31:54

Beach State versus UC Santa Barbara. Right, they get to see that event different venue, different look, but, and you know, you get to go travel like that's one of the best parts of club volleyball is getting to go travel only run to the pyramid six times something like that many times we've been to the pyramid Matt.

Chad Gordon 32:10

I didn't play D1 ball.

Matt Houlihan 32:11

Keep that in mind played in the pyramid four times. One zero times.

Arielle Houlihan 32:19

Shout out Pacific that was a good one.

Matt Houlihan 32:23

Bob tough crowd, cracking himself up over the crowd from you over there. I'm looking at my March right now. See what's in my bender.

Arielle Houlihan 32:31

Okay so we're going to Long Beach this weekend, the weekend after is your daughter's birthday we're gonna stay home for that we've gone every weekend. You know we have that weekend Bob's birthday true, bob's birthday also huge, you know.

Matt Houlihan 32:47

We do have that weekend, though that is a volley event. The Bay Area Dimes are hosting their inaugural tournament at Foothill College.

Arielle Houlihan 32:55

We've got 12 teams coming in to compete at foot I gotta ask this weekend wow, what is your when is your guys is VLA tournament it's next weekend and I was like I have no idea, yeah. I was like ask Matt, that is not a me question, but then the weekend after I'm thinking like we've got like a triple booked weekend, that weekend you're going to use CLA yes we have a. We have tickets to that.

Matt Houlihan 33:23

The BFC home opener shout out an inaugural season the new Bay Area NWSL team BFC kicking off their their home opener at PayPal Park on March 30th yeah.

Chad Gordon 33:39

I'm going to Poland, so in like two weeks we went through all of that.

Arielle Houlihan 33:49

You were like I'm going to Poland yeah, you're pretty bad. Poland, chad, because you want to happen in Poland Club Championship.

Chad Gordon 33:55

No, I mean nothing really. I mean I might have to like train down to like one of these other cities to go watch. So Taylor plays for war song but I think there are a way for the two matches that I would be in town for. So I may just go train, you know, in whatever two hours, see if I can go watch them. I think they played Zaksa, oh nice three days into my in my trip or something like that. Dave Smith still playing Zaksa?

Chad Gordon 34:20

yeah, I think, and show yeah, and then Shliefka, maybe Zaksa, I can't remember, I don't know. Yeah, I gotta go figure out who's playing where oh, let's go, friend of the pod.

Arielle Houlihan 34:38

A lot of hopes and dreams, and this can include anything, guys, anything. Any of your hopes, any of your dreams.

Matt Houlihan 34:54

I'm ready really yeah, so ready. Okay, here's my hopes and dreams. Chad already knows. Chad May 1st what do we got?

Chad Gordon 35:02

gosh, I can't wait to be training in a brand new bed-to-bed, state-of-the-art facility. Hopes and dreams.

Matt Houlihan 35:09

I want nothing more. Like I side note as a kid favorite this is a side note favorite channel to watch HGTV, house hunters and like the home design stuff my favorite things. You think we'd have a facility by now. You think we would watch more TV.

Arielle Houlihan 35:30

It's too expensive guys, beta Bay doesn't have a home here's what here's my hopes and dreams.

Matt Houlihan 35:35

I want to find a place that not only can host your hopes and dreams beta Bay volleyball club and my hopes and dreams. But just give me, give me a, give me a blank canvas. I don't think we can decide your hopes and dreams for you. Yeah, I want to be the best wife possible.

Chad Gordon 35:57

Call it and I want my husband to be.

Arielle Houlihan 36:04

I could not work on tyranny.

Chad Gordon 36:06

The tyranny of this podcast and podcast that was a weird one all right, that's episode six.

Arielle Houlihan 36:16

We're done because you guys, let me make the docket. I've made that in 20 seconds and that you, you, you you.