When winning is not enough…Explode! Bro!

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-Dan, Aj, Billy

Here is a test we did for an introduction to the never to be made series.

Friday the AVP shut down operations for 2010. On Monday CBVA was chosen to host the 2010 Manhattan Beach Open. In a shocking twist of events, tournament director J Parker Saikley convinced the Manhattan Beach City Council to play the event under “old-school” rules, against the advice of CBVA president Chris Brown. “Old-school” rules include the larger court (30′x30′), no antennas, and an all-leather Wilson ball. This is an open letter to AVP players urging them to play the Open despite their personal beliefs.

Dear Players:

This past week has been historical and one we hope to never revisit: The AVP closing its doors and the crown jewel of beach volleyball, the Manhattan Open, scrambling in just a few short days to put together an event. We understand the accumulative frustration you’re experiencing, the end of the 2010 Tour and a change in guidelines for the Manhattan Open. While your frustration is warranted, we as fans and ambassadors of this great sport would like to ask each of you to please support this tournament. We’re not advocating any kind of rule change, only to support the Manhattan Open for this one weekend. Beach Volleyball is in a tough spot and the last thing we need is player division for this event.

With all eyes on the MB Open, the extensive media coverage, potential sponsors and investors watching, the volleyball community needs to come together and rally around this tournament. we need solidarity and a great weekend to give this sport a big shot in the arm.

Please support the Wimbledon of Beach Volleyball.

Tim Hovland, 5 Time Manhattan Open Winner
Mike Dodd, 5 Time Manhattan Open Winner and Olympic Silver Medalist
Eric Fonoimoana, Manhattan Open Winner and Olympic Gold Medalist
Brent Frohoff, Manhattan Open Winner
Scott Ayakatubby, AVP Tour Winner
David Swatik, Manhattan Open Winner
Kevin Cleary, AVP Tour Winner and 1st President of the AVP
Chris Brown, Current CBVA President

On Friday the AVP shut down operations and went bankrupt. On Monday CBVA was chosen to host the 2010 Manhattan Beach Open. In a shocking twist of events, tournament director J Parker Saikley convinced the Manhattan Beach City Council to play the event under “old-school” rules, against the advice of CBVA president Chris Brown. “Old-school” rules include the larger court (30′x30′), no antennas, and an all-leather Wilson ball. This is the City’s letter written to fans regarding their decision to revert to old-school rules for the Open.

Thank you for your input regarding the format of the Manhattan Beach Open – 50th Anniversary. A few of you might know that the Manhattan Beach Open was originally a city event that began in 1960 by a man named Alex Bolianas who worked for the Manhattan Beach Recreation Department. In 1962, in the tourney’s second year, Charlie Saikley (who also worked for the city of M.B. Rec.Dept.) took the reins and successfully directed and grew the Manhattan Beach Open into the most prestigious volleyball tournament in the world. It is during these years of Side Out Scoring and long court that the MBO gained recognition and earned its nicknames like the Crown Jewel of beach volleyball, the Granddaddy of beach volleyball tournaments, or the Wimbledon of beach volleyball.

As the game evolved and the Olympics picked up beach volleyball, there was a need for a shortened game time for television purposes. This ruling to change the game to rally scoring and the short court was decided upon by the FIVB and was not the traditional game of volleyball in the USA. Although different, the new rules have helped the sport grow and find its way into the main stream media. For that, we are all grateful and hope that the sport continues to grow.

This year’s Manhattan Beach Open is unique in the sense that you cannot earn AVP or International points and there is no television contract. It will be an opportunity to honor the legacy of Charlie Saikley and the history of the sport of beach volleyball in Manhattan Beach. In addition, this format will allow spectators to enjoy long, hard fought games which exemplify the competitive spirit of the game of volleyball.

We are moving forward with the traditional style of play and hope that you will be a part of this great tournament, to play for your fans, tradition, the love of the game and having a permanent plaque on the Pier in remembrance of this historic 50th Anniversary Manhattan Beach Open.

See you at the beach,

J Parker Saikley, Manhattan Beach Open CBVA Tournament Director
Mark Leyman, Sports and Aquatics Manager for the City of Manhattan Beach
Richard Gill, Parks and Recreation Director for the City of Manhattan Beach

On Friday the AVP shut down operations and went bankrupt. On Monday CBVA was chosen to host the 2010 Manhattan Beach Open. In a shocking twist of events, tournament director J Parker Saikley convinced the Manhattan Beach City Council to play the event under “old-school” rules, against the advice of CBVA president Chris Brown. “Old-school” rules include the larger court (30′x30′), no antennas, and an all-leather Wilson ball. These are Dodd’s thoughts as addressed to Mark Leyman of the Manhattan Beach City Council.

Dear Mark,

I am writing today not as the former commissioner of the AVP but as a resident of Manhattan Beach for 53 years and someone who loved Charlie Saikley and loves the Manhattan Open.

I believe the size of a court or the rules from a particular era do not define a mans legacy.  Charlie Saikley’s legacy is one of honor, integrity, toughness and above all fairness.  Those words define Charlie Saikley, not only as a Tournament director and shepard of the greatest Open there is but as a loyal employee of Manhattan Beach, a man, a husband and a father.

The legacy of the Manhattan Open is that it is the ultimate test, to determine the best players in the sport of Beach Volleyball.  The Tournament and Mr. Saikley in each and every era submitted to the prevailing rules of the day because (for whatever reason, be it cultural or institutional) those were the rules under which the best players were training and preparing.

Like Mr. Saikley, the legacy of the Manhattan Open is not defined by the size of a court or the rules in effect from one particular era. The first tournament I remember (early sixties) they played the winners bracket matches 2 out of 3 to 11 side-out scoring, there was no blocking over the net, and no one jump served.  Will blocking over the net and jump serving be banned from this years tournament as well to “honor the legacy”?

In less than a month, you will have Karch Kiraly and his Wide Open Tour on the sands of Manhattan Beach.  That Tour is wonderful, and it celebrates the rules and style of play from a bygone era.  The tour is made up of everyone from grassroots players to AVP players enjoying the challenges and unique skill set to succeed under those rules.  You don’t need two of the same thing!

Let the very best players in the world play the game under the rules and format that for the better part of a decade they have been training for and perfecting.  It’s just my opinion and regardless I will encourage all players to participate. 

I wish you all the best,
Mike Dodd

On Friday the AVP shut down operations and went bankrupt. On Monday CBVA was chosen to host the 2010 Manhattan Beach Open. In a shocking twist of events, tournament director J Parker Saikley convinced the Manhattan Beach City Council to play the event under “old-school” rules, against the advice of CBVA president Chris Brown. “Old-school” rules include the larger court (30′x30′), no antennas, and an all-leather Wilson ball. These are my thoughts on the whole thing.

This all seems so comical. It’s funny to me that there is always this wide disconnect between volleyball players and event coordinators, neither realizing that things are that way because they allow them to be. I hope sooner than later the players, the directors, and even the critics of either will take some personal responsibility and do what they can to create something symbiotic and sustainable.

2010 is going Old-School, which includes the mantra: "If you want a seat, you'd better bring one!"

To me, concluding that the rules contributed to AVP’s failure is a ridiculous assumption. Previously, rule changes were considered the very solution to volleyball’s woes. While it turned out that rule changes are not THE solution, the natural inclination of some to claim the old rules are now volleyball’s boon seems to point to the very problem itself. Namely, short-sightedness. Too many people fail to look any further than rules. It should simply be noted that every successful professional tour in the entire world has changed to the modern rules and every successful league in other sports has adapted its rules.

For those that believe volleyball needs old culture, I would also note that international success doesn’t necessarily rely on any elusive “cool” factor. Perhaps international culture is a bit more honest and relies on sex-appeal and the sport action itself. Whatever it is I’m not entirely sure, but I think trying to create an exclusive culture that inspires a large following is a daunting, undefinable task, like defeating terrorism. OK, maybe it’s not so intangible as that, but to think of creating such a phenomenon on an international scale and in an international environment seems rather unlikely to me. I do think that world-wide appeal should be a major goal of any sports business endeavor in this age.

I think when rebuilding Pro Beach Volleyball it’s probably a wise idea to look at the existing successful models of professional sports, especially volleyball, and borrow those things that lend themselves most easily to volleyball. I think this needs to be done in a cohesive way, blending player needs with sponsor needs into fan friendly events. That is the service that the AVP should be attempting to provide.

This attempt to snatch up an event of the failing AVP and stamp nostalgic “old-guys rules” onto the game seems like it’s just a new source of division. Like I said, it seems comical. Then again, maybe they’ll run a 1990s style event and it will be the catalyst that inspires the creation of a sustainable tour.

In one respect, I’m glad the AVP ceased operation. The AVP as it is currently operating should collapse. It’s much better than enabling a broken model to continue operation despite its inability to support itself, e.g. the US Auto Industry. With this death, there is now the space and opportunity for something new to be erected in its place.

I think Dan made a great point when he pointed out that embracing the internet will be the savior of any struggling business attempting to survive on advertising through traditional media outlets. This is probably true of non struggling businesses in this genre too. All right, it’s universal. Being ahead of everyone else as far as direct access on our mobile phones and computers is going to catapult your success regardless of how crappy your business model may be. No business in the foreseeable future will be able to compete with a rival business that has a stronger web presence.

So what’s gonna happen?

I don’t think the Corona Wide Open is going to be able to fill in the role of the AVP. Perhaps the FIVB will surface in the US. Maybe BVA. Maybe AVP restructures and resurrects itself. I’m not sure, but I have a hard time seeing no tour at all next year. However, I don’t see anyone stepping to the plate.

Gregan, Billy, Beuks, and Nils

We’ve got video of the event to show, but for now, the ridiculous photos will have to do…We’ve got Nils in his black nurse shoes, Gregan showing that he’s still got it going on even though he’s a dad, and Wankner crushing the workout while breathing through his nose.

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What’s not pictured is the most excellent Fresh Brothers Pizza we eat after every workout (we swear!). Mmmmmm, deep-dish. But what’s definitely noticeable are our spankin’ new Oakley Holbrooks which we wore just to make sure we looked our awesomest. Let’s see…Any more plugs? Oh yeah! Visit the Crossfit South Bay website!

The Workout
50lb Bag Run, 80 meters
25lb Slam Balls
20lb Wall Balls
24″ Box Jumps

Do as many reps as possible in 20 minutes with a partner: One partner runs while the other does an exercise. Switch. Then do the same thing with the next exercise. Continue.

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Johnny Mayer, Hermosa Beach AVP Finalist

We do things for the love of the game. And when we see our friend trusting KG with his life in an AVP final, it makes us tear up a bit. Good work, Johnny Granola! And to Pross (Proth), we kinda like you too

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