GODS to GHOSTS Volleyball

Kathy Discusses:

- Her start in the sport as a teenager, including the impact her older brothers that she adored,  Bill and Bob, had on her, playing in a mixed open on the beach with Alika "The Panther" Smith when she was 14 years old and how his fiery personality and dialogue that tournament made an impact on her for the rest of her life, playing indoors at Santa Monica Community College back then as a teenager with the likes of Dave Bordwell and Dane Holtzman, including playing Dane Holtzman in a game of horse and one on one in basketball and BEATING him, the players from that era when she was starting out on the beach that made an impact on her at such a young age, what the beach lifestyle was like during that golden era of the sport, her 3 favorite partners she ever played with on the beach and why, her 3 favorite tournament wins and why, and her recollection of some of the players from that era and what she remembers about what made them SO SPECIAL in their own way in the history of the game, including  (Jean Brunicadri, Gene Selznick, Miki McFadden, Johnette Latreille, Ron Lang, Ron Von Hagen, Nancy Cohen, Dave Bordwell, Steno Brunicardi, and Wilt Chamberlin).

Support the show

Buzz Discusses:

- His thoughts on the rule changes to the short court and rally scoring, how he would do competing against a modern day dominant team like Dalhausser & Rogers playing them under the old school rules ( including his strategy and partner he'd pick to battle them), the 5 best men's beach players he ever saw ( including an amazing story about seeing a 15 year old Karch Kiraly playing with his dad Las at the Santa Barbara Open),  his answers to fan questions ( including how his legendary south bay surfer dad Hoppy had a significant  role in professional surfing that not many people know about, how Buzz was the catalyst  in getting the volleyball courts built at Hermosa Beach in the 70' (even though he is too humble and nice to ever take credit for it!), what he misses most about his days competing in the sport, what he is most proud of from his career as a player, how he would like to be remembered, and what he is up to now days after retiring from the Fire Department as a Captain,  and enjoying life with his beautiful family.

Support the show

Buzz Discusses:

-  His start in the sport as a volleyball player in his youth growing up as surfing legend Hoppy Swarts' son (including the role Vietnam Vet and and fellow South Bay player Mitch Malpee played in it), plus  the other established South Bay players he looked up to:  Mike Bright, Mike O'Hara, and John Gonzalez,  working his way up through A, AA, and AAA , and the partners he played with to climb that ladder, being sponsored by Perry's Pizza  (Which in those days didn't mean $, but rather ALL the FREE Pizza and Cokes he could ingest)  :)    the amazing LIFESTYLE of the 70's, the South Bay Studs who ruled the court at Marine Street back then (Malpee, Gonzalez, Bobby Jackson, Mike Carey, and Dennis Hare), how amazing it was to win the '72 Manhattan Beach Open alongside long time friend, and LBSU teammate, Matt Gage against LEGENDS  Larry Rundle and Bob Clem ( who they beat TWICE in the tournament), the keys to being a talented shot maker (including the infamous COBRA),  his 3 favorite wins over his career, how blocking over affected the game, his recollection of some of the established players from that era, who the most talented women's players were,  who his favorite partner was he ever played with an why,  the BEST hitters he saw, the BEST diggers he saw, and the BEST teams from that era.....

Support the show

Matt Gage Discusses:

- How he would do competing against a modern day dominant  team like Dalhausser & Rogers playing old school rules,  some of his most memorable moments as the AVP Tournament Director ( including a classic OB story when OB mouthed off, Sinjin taking a stand, a tussle in Muskegon, Michigan between Brian Lewis and Kent Steffes he had to break up in the food tent, and Pat Powers swinging a milk jug filled with water at Randy Stoklos during the heat of the battle in Wildwood, New Jersey), what he's most proud of from his career as player and tournament director, what his nephew Scott "The Bomber" Ayakatubby is up to now days,  what Matt's doing these days in retirement down in Carlsbad, CA living the good life, and how proud he is to be a LBSU 49'er alum, and Wall of Fame member..

Support the show

Matt Gage Discusses:

- His recollection of some of the talented players who played the sport during his era between 1970 and 1983 hat I asked him about as a competitor  ( Ron Lang​, Ron Von Hagen, Jim Menges, Chris Marlowe, Gary Hooper​, Steve Obradovich, and Greg Lee), the best hitters he saw over his entire career as a player and tournament director, the best diggers he saw, the 3 best teams he witnessed over his career as a player and tournament director, and his thoughts on the rule changes to the short court in the early 2000's.   .   

Support the show

Matt Gage Discusses:

-  His start in the sport (playing collegiality at LBSU with Buzz Swarts, and Bill "Blowfish" Imwalle , playing with Patti Bright, and friend and LBSU teammate Bill Imwalle), working his way through the ranking system on the beach from A, AA, and AAA,  the players he looked up to on the beach when he was coming up, including his IDOL, Larry "RAGS" Rundle, and how talented he was, his recollection of the epic 1968 Manhattan Beach Open witnessing Ron Lang & Ron Von Hagen battle Larry Rundle & Henry Bergmann in the winners bracket final that lasted 3 hours and how awe struck  he was by the otherworldly level of sideout volleyball played by those 4 legends when it took 30 minutes before one of them earned a point at times , how amazing the sport was during that golden era when players played for the love of the game and the lifestyle of the sport, the budding rivalry between the North Bay and South Bay players, his 3 favorite wins and what made them so special, and what it was like beating his idol, Larry Rundle in the '72 Manhattan Beach Open along side his good friend, and LBSU teammate Buzz Swarts, when he ran around the court in elation like he was walking on air..... 

Support the show

After listening to Bob Vogelsang's recent parts 3 & 4 podcast interview, Lang was compelled to call Vogie out on some of his comments and lack of facts...  :) 

Support the show

John Taylor discusses:      

His start in the sport as a youth at the Santa Monica Beach Club, meeting a fellow young volleyball player there by the name of Dennis "The Condor" Duggan, and how the two of them were inspired to pursue the sport to the highest level by Doc Burroughs, playing in the State Beach Open at the age of 17, and beating LEGENDS Gene Selznick & Ron Lang in the first round, hitchhiking to Hollywood to play indoors on the second Hollywood team (the Comets) against the first team (the Stars), and what a thrill it was competing against players like Mike Bright, Gene Selznick, Mike O'Hara, etc.., his thoughts on Coach Harry Wilson, how he made the '64 US Men's Indoor Olympic team even though the coach, Harry Wilson, didn't want him on the team, and how "politics" led to some of our best players being left off the team (Gene Selznick, Al Scates, Walt Schiller, Rolf Engen, etc), in favor of lesser skilled players, and his thoughts on some of the great players he competed against and knew over his career.....

Support the show

Bob Vogelsang  Discusses:

- His thoughts on the new beach rules,  how he would do playing against a team like Phil Dalhausser & NickLucena under the old rules, what he's most proud of about his career and how he would like to be remembered, what he misses the most about the old days and competing in the sport, his answers to  fan questions ( playing basketball against the Harlem Globetrotters and the time he went off script and stole the ball from Meadow Lark Lemmon and dunked!, amazing Wilt Chamberlin stories ( including WHO cheated more at cards),  the time he popped a ball with a pear knife, the most beer he ever drank in a tournament, the IVA, and traveling to El Paso with fellow legend Eileen Clancy to an IVA tournament in El Paso where he jump served a ball into the face of Mary Jo Peppler, the time he lived with Captain Jack and rearranged the furniture while Captain Jack was at work, what he's up to now days, and the best players from every era.....

Support the show

Bob Vogelsang discusses:     -   Some of the other legendary players he competed with and against, including, Doug Dunlap, Jim Menges, Randy Niles, Wilt Chamberlin, Greg Lee, Gene Pflueger, Steno Brunicardi, Mike Stormin' Normand, Kathy Gregory, the Best Hitters he ever saw, the best diggers ( including Manny Saenz).....

Support the show