Blog Postings
Hi Roger, good questions. And yes, I was in that photo fromthe preview yesterday. 😎 They use some of my photos but also have students that take photos for them so they tend to use those a bit more as I think they pay them.
And yes it was a VERY rough game.
Rankings are based on record but usually have a strength of schedule (SOS) factor involved too.
Carthage has played a tougher schedule than we have so that goes a long way to determine ranking in most of these various sites. Here are a few different ones:
https://masseyratings.com/cmvol/ncaa-d3/ratings
https://frogjumpvolleyball.com/2024/04/07/last-t100-for-2024-regular-season/
https://insidehitter.com/2024/04/07/updated-ranking-4-8/
https://www.avca.org/polls-awards/polls/?_divisions=division-iii-men
The Frog Jump site does some interesting analysis.
Here's the summary of where we are:
1) We finished the regular season on Sunday (18-6; best record in program history)
2) We are the #3 seed in the 4-team conference tourney (the 5th/6th place teams to not participate)
3) We play at Carthage again on Wednesday. If we lose the season is over. If we win we play again Saturday.
4) If we win both then we go to the 16-team national championship bracket.
On the Augie website preview* of yesterday's game with Carthage (a rough day at the office from what I saw) it says the no.7 Firebirds were 16-5 for the season, whilst Augie were 18-5. Given this implies the Vikings are having a better season, why is it Carthage are the ranked team? I presume there's some clever algorithm in the background that only Steve, John and Kevin would understand.
* I noted that although the photo on the website had some volleyball players in the foreground, the composition was clearly focused on the handsome gentleman in the bleachers with his camera...
Unfortunately I couldn't watch the game as the link from the website went to YouTube but not the game. I just had to watch Live Score and curse Aiden Bolan in the second set at all his attack errors at set point.
Thanks for watching Steve.
Below is a link to a second set play that Max had. Essentially he played it off his shoulder, it hit the big ceiling scoreboard, stayed on our side and our MB platform set the ball to our RS for a kill. Whatever it takes. 😎
https://www.youtube.com/live/DFaPPp96lTU?si=OJMBID84dLcywx0g&t=2030
For those that don't follow the Augie team website:
In Thursday Augie won their 10th game in a row to go 13-1 on the season. Their previous highest number of wins in a season was 12 and there's 10 games to go.
Tonight at 9 PM (I think) they play their first Conference game - I'm guessing this is going to be more of a test.
Thanks Allan for your explanation. I didn't realise it was below the entry of the recruitings.
Recruiting Tie
We had the scenario happen in TMVL this week where two teams finished with the same RP Bid:
You can see that it led to some questions.
Tiebreaker
In TMVL we use this tiebreaker for these types of ties (see recruiting page and entry tab and look down to NOTES section:
Why?
Anything that I have to deal with manually has a chance of not happening correctly (or more likely to be forgotten...by me). So I try to automate everything I possibly can. For this one we go with the team that is less strong in terms of results (current season). The setup is similar to MSWL where I need to automate a winner as well.
Rules Help
If anyone would like to help me manage the rules (this should probably go in the main set of rules) by making documentation updates, I would appreciate it. Please drop me an email if you have time to make occasional updates.
Match has just finished - I couldn't find it on YouTube livestream so watched what looked like the TMVL Viewer. I won't spoil the result but I have a question: two or possibly three players who haven't played before today came on as substitutes. Were these tactical to get a "better" server or the coach giving other players playing time?
Just caught the last few minutes of the Vikings' 3rd set.
Great diving save from Max for the 20th point - full length dive and setting up the ball beautifully for the point
Three sweeps.
I can honestly say I don't understand the game any better after watching the match but it doesn't really matter when you're cheering for one side and one player in particular. And what a player Max is - I lost count of the amount of times I heard the commentators say "...and that's a great dig by Sellers". Pumping up the rest of the team is clearly a speciality too!
It was also a lot of fun to play Where's Wally/Waldo and try and spot where Al had got to to get the best camera angles. If you could wear a red and white striped jumper next time it would make my day...😎
GREAT observations Steve and thank you for watching!
That is awesome that Jacob was asking questions and had some interest. YES, the Chihuahuas have a great logo! 😎
And yes, Max does wear the Viking helmet in the Pre-match "ceremony" to get the team fired up. Like this from yesterday:
YES, you found all of us in the bleachers too Steve. I move around a lot but Amy (yellow sweatshirt) and Kelsey are here:
YES, our Saturday opponent was picked to finish 4th in their conference. I thought we had a 50/50 chance and our team won in 3 sets. The teams below them in their conference that play:
- We play the 5th, MSOE, next Saturday
- the 7th Illinois Tech in a few weeks
- the 8th was Concordia Chicago that we beat on Thursday
- the 9th we play in Green Bay in 2 weeks
- the 10th we play on Thursday
- the 12th we play later in the season
So if "whomever" said yesterday's team was the 4th best that means if we continue to play well we will have some success.
Max - Passing. Yes, Max had a good game. The announcers are college kids who were new to volleyball (I watched a little while I categorized/compiled my 2500 photos from the game today). So they did things like called passes digs and didn't understand a lot, but they were excited to do it. The announcer kept calling it a "Roooof" when Augustana made a big block.
YES - Aidan Bolan is a great server! He does a jump topspin serve. I saw the "Aces" thread Roger has and YES it is on Max and my list to add a serving "tactic" tweak at some point. More over the next year on that.
Basically a power serve does this:
- It gets you more aces
- It ALSO gets you more service errors
- It puts the opponent in TOUGH situations to make a good pass/set/attack (and this is the common, effective outcome)
YES, you have the right analysis on the MB/L swap in match. Liberos can't serve in college for NCAA Div 1, 2, or 3. (they can serve in NAIA). For the women's game liberos CAN serve at all levels. It makes no sense. We play an NAIA team in 3 matches I think, so hoping Max can serve then in a couple of them.
SUBS - YES you are correct. In TMVL we did not set it up for subs (just the MB/L swap which is not officially a sub). Subs "could be" a future enhancement but it would take a lot of thought.
Essentially Augustana (and many teams; 30%?) play 2 setters. So the sub scenario is that when a setter would move to the front row, a RS comes in for them. At the same time when a RS moves to back row, a S comes in for them. I think it was Degnan/Schaefer as Steve notes and then the RS were McNelis and Carlson.
This means the Setter (S) is always in the back row and can set 3 players in the front row: OH, MB, RS. In TMVL when the setter is in the front row he can only set the OH and MB. I think the strategy here is that we want the Setters in the back row (and they can only serve as back row players) which means the RS players in this scenario don't serve.
The stats from Saturday show you that the 2 setter approach yielded (in this case) an equal number of assists for both setters. Also Max had 4 as the Libero.
YES, I try to get into different spots each match to get some different angles and backgrounds. I have 2 cameras and 3 lenses I use and I move around a bit...
I've just watched the game against Concordia Wisconsin Falcons: a few points I picked up.
The Falcons were stronger than Augie's previous opponents - it didn't matter, the Vikings were hot.
Max had some great defensive plays, one great dig was from a tough serve that Max controlled leading to winning the point and the second set. Aiden Bolen's serves - wow!
Substitutions: I noticed two patterns, the first is like TMVL. Augie's MBs were (I believe) Ty Heater and Ben Schultz. Liberos don't serve here so when Heater served Max was off court. When Augie lost the point Max replaced Heater. Over the next service changes Max moves from I to VI to V. When he's to move to IV he goes off, Heater comes back on and Schultz serves. Max replaces Schultz when his serve results in a losing point.
The other was a double substitution. Augie have 2 setters, Degnan and Schaefer. It seemed to me that Degnan and Carlson always came on together to replace Schaefer and possibly Moreano. Degnan always came on in the #1 spot to serve immediately. I'm guessing he replaced Moreano (a poor server?) He didn't replace Schaefer as he served. I never really noticed when Schaefer and presumably Moreano came on but it didn't seem to be to serve.
I enjoyed playing "Where's Al" who I spotted in 4 positions and there would be at least one more out of camera shot.
If you haven't watched a game and still don't get it, I'd recommend it. Augie's next game is Thursday 25th January. I believecthey are streamed live but this could be late for UK viewers. The games are on YouTube the day after anyway.
I'd just finished watching the Vikings' game on YouTube when my lad came into the room. Jacob asked why I was watching basketball and, after I corrected him, he asked if my team won. I said Max plays for the team and showed him TMVL again explaining that Max has the Scarecrows and his dad has Quincy, showing the logos. Jacob said, "I bet that's Max" pointing at the player wearing the helmet. I couldn't see Max so moved back on YouTube to where the teams exchanged handshakes and spotted Al, Amy and Kelsey. I showed Jacob their photos for confirmation and he said "I like the Chihuahuas the best."
I'd go with that idea, reckon the Panthers would take it easily. 😉
Seeing as how John and Steve "matched up" in a D+ v. D+ event this past weekend...I'm (not seriously, but hear me out) thinking of a new cup.
In high school me and I guess some weird friends would play giveaway chess at lunch. You won by LOSING all your pieces. If the opponent was able to take a chess piece they had to.
Fast forward 40 years to Columbia - Sheboygan...D+ v. D+. Sure John won the match, but SORRY JOHN you lost the point total.
Do we need a new comp where you advance by losing? Hey, my team is worse than yours? Tell me I'm crazy... 😎
Seems very unbalanced with 8 very strong teams (historically or currently) on the right hand side : Quincy, St Charles, Baton Rouge, Cincinnati, New Orleans, San Jose, Nashville and Pekin.
Happy New Year to All! I wish you all the best in 2024. If you need support or someone to lean on please feel free to reach out to me. I have some things to work through this year too and am hoping to make progress. None of us go through life undefeated...
Hopefully we will see Micki back soon. Maybe we need a letter writing campaign. Would that help Phil?
Oh and thanks for starting the naked mascot thing Phil. That call you are about to receive is from TMVL Human Resources...
Onto more important matters...I like to remind my friends who to focus on.
Below are your top T-7's for this coming week, also known as your Overlords...
#1 Portland - Paul has built a juggernaut.
#2 Pekin - Rockin' Roger is off to a slow start, but look out!
#3 Cinci - Meet the new boss, same as the old boss...
#4 Nashville - Welcome to the SEC...where all y'all are 3 games behind the Pandas in conference play
#5 Columbia - As they say, Steve Turner does not rebuild, he reloads. Another strong team and start for Los Crazies
Let me just say that I regret ever breaching this topic. It was not worth the 5 RP's it garnered. Please let it rest in peace.
we don´t want to imagine it at all................
and we miss her hats!
On the subject of nude mascots, our Sasquatch is only shown from the chest up, so you'll have to use your imagination. What kind of pants (trousers) is he wearing, if he's wearing any at all?
Perhaps she could return some time in the future. I miss her barbs.
Merry Christmas everybody.
...the banana's wardrobe is appealing.
Merry Christmas to all, but especially Steve Turner. Hang in there! Some of us don't have a CP/XP plan to lose! 🤪
Glad you weren't injured. Micki still talks about Steve as her favorite part of TMVL.
A lot of hyphens in that subject.
Sorry to hear about Steve's car situation and I'm glad he is okay.
Will coaches take advantage of Steve this weekend?
In the meantime here are your top 5 teams for effective T-7. Look at that BIG-8...Q-City is nowhere to be found (sigh)...
Last Friday my car was written off in an accident. I'm ok as it wasn't a hard hit but they're scrapping the car as too old to economically repair. We have a free hire car until a week after the insurance pays up. Unfortunately that looks like being very soon as the other party's insurance has agreed the price. We aren't rich and would like a nice car so my wife has putbinbfor extra hours to help pay a credit agreement. We have no idea what our budget is or if this car goes back during my holiday. Nightmare at the moment.
Also Monday my phone looked like it was not going to charge so I prepared a spare phone to transfer essential apps. Then it was suddenly ok. Then last night as it was going flat I put the charger in only to find it wouldn't go in. So a couple of things I hadn't transferred were lost including my CP/XP plan. Yes I can redo them but Christmas is around the corner and spare time is at a premium.
So take advantage this weekend as I don't know how many games I need certain players to play.
And the Manatees are just showing off
It must be noted the vast majority of mascots in this league aren't wearing nothing at all, including a twister, and a mushroom, and a banana.
Well, fair, the banana is arguably wearing gloves, but the mushroom is fighting bare-knuckle.
It appears the PAC 8 mascots are all sans vestments. It's a West Coast nudie vibe thing, apparently. At least the chihuahua is wearing his collar. Then again, it appears the Big East is similarly non-clothed. Perhaps Phil should petition to move to the well-dressed Big 8 (St. C, Quincy, Portland) and request a new mascot.
Or not. Because that might open the door to conference realignment and the PAC 8 might be dissolved entirely within 2 seasons.
being all green they can still be mistaken for a Shrimp. ahhhh but they are pointless in PAC8. maybe not then.......
Maybe the chameleon is wearing pants but they're camouflaged to look like lizards legs
Or.some unscrupulous seller sold your mascot pants and claimed they were invisible
Other mascots have clothes, why can't I? Even the manatee gets a tank top, and he's just a fat fish. Mule has un ugly Christmas sweater, hound dog has pajamas, and even Bananaman has gloves. I want PANTS!
I'd like a Cup as well please, just for you know being me 😇
Thanks for noticing Al. I await the XP Audit Cup being added to my Team Awards 🥳
During my XP audit to make sure teams used them...
There was something I noticed this time around. The players with the MOST XPs were:
1) Tommy Ryerson (MB Pekin) 87
2-tied) Geordi La Forge (OH T-Town) and Bill Stearn (MB San Jose) 86
...the commish has created a new "pay for no kiss of death" promotion where the commissioner agrees NOT to advertise a team's win streaks (some call it the "Al Kiss of Death") should that manager provide a donation to support web hosting costs...
Again, this idea has not been discussed...
I was trying not to break the simulator in case it was using unsigned 16-bit integers to store its data...
There's a few comments on John's bid for Klein and I mention it today but it is likely to be lost .
65535 isn't as random as it looks as it is 2^16 - 1 or FFFF in hexadecimal.
I would always prioritise XP over winning unless it was something to play for, such as the Nationals or Conference title. I realised I might have a problem with Dave Dohm so played him twice last week and had the possibility of having to play him twice this week or next week. However I was fortunate to get enough sets played and won, and checked calculations on CP and find I don't need to play him again (though he will play today against Manitowoc)
I am always interested in this part of the season, where there's a struggle between getting XP where it needs to be for max effect after the season vs needing/wanting to win. I find myself looking to play some lower skilled players more than in prior weeks to get the extra sets and bump the XPs to where they need to be. Yet I want to win, haha. To quote Al in his famed paraphrasing of me...where is my stuff!?
I'll take them off your hands if they're any good Brian 😁
Is there an equivalent of non-league sales if you don't want to retain a players services?
Thanks for the heads up Steve. If only more coaches could be open and upfront about what side they're putting out this would be a much easier game to play 😁
Columbia have a 66.7% record. If we T7 and win every Conference game and every Nationals game and lose every TMVL Shield game then we still finish with a 66.7% record 26-13
However if we T7 and win the Conference and Shield games and throw the National game against Pekin we finish with the same 26 wins but only 10 losses for 72.2%.
So, if you're listening, Roger you can take it easy in our National game and concentrate on your Conference and TMVL games.
https://x.com/skillsleveI/status/1713877987488420044?s=20
I learned some new terms , pancake and joust !!
Don't worry about the Hounds.
We're still this bad that every walk-on helps.
At the midway point of the season I'm getting concerned about a Tax Man visit for certain colleges...
Here is why the bad session for Kentucky, distracted