GODS to GHOSTS Volleyball

Mike discusses:  His coaching career, including time at Santa Monica Community College and an epic comeback against Orange Coast Community College and how instrumental all -time LEGEND  Randy Stoklos was,  some of the heaviest hitters he ever saw,  how he developed indoors as a player at places like John Adams Middle School, Pierce College, etc...  Playing with Dave Schaeffer indoors, and classic...

Stormin' Normand discusses:   The brilliance of   UCLA Coach Al Scates,   the infamous "CIRCLE DRILL",  "The Blue Curtain",    CURL OFF in UCLA weight room against Trevor Schirman...   His beach volleyball career, including epic 3rd place finish with the only guy with a mustache better than him, the LATE Rick "Bear Dog""  at the '77 State Beach World Ch...

Stormin' Normand discusses:    His youth as a kid,  his time as a Green Beret in Vietnam,  how he became interested in the sport, and his time at UCLA in '73 and '74.    Support the show

Digger Discusses:  -  Some additional memories from his time as a player at San Diego State, including his recollection of how talented Duncan McFarland was, not to mention his other talented teammates he is honored to have played alongside with,  how he transitioned from his playing career to the real world as a High School Teacher and Coach , including coaching volleyball for the girls program a...

Jay Discusses: -  The '84 player strike at the Jose Cuervo World Championships in Redondo Beach when he and Andy Fishburn crossed the picket line to win the tournament,  WHY they did so, the repercussions they faced on multiple levels for years to follow,  how he and Andy could have handled it better in hindsight,  getting back in the good graces of their peers later on,  the talent level of...

Digger discusses: -  Reflections on relationships and friends from Manhattan Beach (Mike Cook, John Gonzalez, Mitch Malpee to name a few), competing indoors in the USVBA  for Players Liquor and a fun "trip" competing in Mexico , relocating to San Diego  and living on Mission Blvd, competing on the men's indoor volleyball team for San Diego State in '71 & '72,  starting...

Art Discusses: -  Being an influence on fellow lefty Al Scates, growing up in Los Angeles and competing in basketball at Los Angeles high school, being a member of the UCLA Bruins basketball team for legendary coach John Wooden from '48-'51, and what it was like playing for him, learning the sport of volleyball at Sorrento Beach, competing for the prestigious Hollywood YMCA Stars team fr...

Digger discusses: - Growing up in Manhattan Beach in the 60's,  some of his fellow volleyball players he got his start with in the sport, the humbling and exhilarating road of playing in his first  tournament at Muscle Beach in '68, to ascending the ranking system from his B to AAA ranking over the coming summers, some of the highlights of his beach playing career, including a 2nd place...

Jay Discusses: -  His time at Pacific Palisades High School competing in volleyball and basketball  as a Dolphin -  '68-'70, and the amazing athletes that were there at the time,  going to Sorrento Beach and seeing legends like Ron Von Hagen & Ron Lang play beach volleyball, and how BIG of an influence they had on him and the other young volleyball players coming up at the time,  his...

Alan Discusses:  -  A  memorable story from the  '64 Laguna Beach Open where he witnessed what he considers to be one of , if not the greatest matches he's ever seen (Dave Bordwell & Nate Parrish vs. Ernie Suwara & Keith Erickson),  a classic story of Chester Goss,  his recollection of the best players at each beach up and down the coast from San Diego to Santa Cruz, a story abou...

Alan Discusses: - Growing up as a kid in the 50's in South Mission Beach, San Diego,  and becoming a part of the surf and volleyball culture there, including hanging out with surfers like Mike Hynson (from the Bruce Brown film "The Endless Summer", and Skip Frye), the Mission Beach volleyball crew consisting of Nate Parrish, George Stepanof, Jack Henn, Chester and Stevie Goss, Bob M...

Butch Discusses: -  Some of the better known women's players on the beach from years passed, including Connie Keller, Jean Brunicardi, Patti Steere, Johnette Latreille, Edie Conrad, Eileen Clancy, Kathy Gregory, Nina Gruenwinkel-Matthies,  and Nancy Cohen to name a few,  what made the mixed game so amazing, including some of the best men's mixed players over the decades, and some fun sto...

Butch Discusses: - Mike O'Hara and his memories of him from the Hollywood YMCA and what made him an impressive indoor player,  the time O'Hara asked Butch to play with him at Corona Del Mar in Butch's FIRST open tournament, including some memorable moments from that weekend in '65,  Mike Bright and his memories of him, including Mike's paddle boarding prowess, and the impa...

Butch Discusses: - His two men's Open Wins with Rudy Suwara, and Dane Holtzman in Santa Cruz,   and his recollection of both of them and what made them great players,  his recollection of the '68 Manhattan Beach Open he played in with Mike Bright where they finished 3rd , and how amazing Rundle and Bergmann & Lang & Von Hagen played that weekend,  including the legendary story of...

Butch Discusses: - The Mixed game,  Eileen Clancy and seeing how talented she was as a young 10 year old  kid playing with Jack Jensen, and the fact that she could drink a beer like no one's business, and asked her to play, a classic Butch and Barbara May Marine street mixed open story when they decided to forfeit when they weren't getting along, much to the chagrin of tournament directo...

Butch Discusses: - The 2020 Olympics, including his take on the USA women's indoor team thus far, the USA men's indoor team and where they need to improve moving forward,  and which indoor teams he thinks are the favorites to medal.   He then touches on the beach volleyball games, what went wrong from Sponcil & Claes, and Dalhausser & Lucena, and who the favorites are to medal. ...

Butch Discusses: -  MUSCLE BEACH.   The players that played there over the years he was there, the eclectic group of people from ALL walks of life that hung out there ( body builders, gymnasts,  mobsters,  pro sport athletes, war heroes, successful business owners, you name it),  the CHARACTERS like Steven "TheMatsa" Cahn,  the infamous card games played there with Wilt Chamberlin, Bob V...

Butch Discusses: -  More details on the '64 Olympic Team, including the FLAWED selection process, how talented Gene Selznick and Keith Erickson were, his recollection as a young beach player trying to "break in" at Muscle, Sorrento, and State Beach,  and some CLASSIC stories of "who was who" at each beach, and the HOOPS he had to jump through to make a name for himself at...

Butch Discusses: - The patriotic story of how  he got his nick name "BUTCH" while still in the womb,  his start in the sport as a high school kid  growing up in Hawaii, and seeing the talented players at the Outrigger, and Hawaiian Village, including an epic story of sneaking in the Outrigger and taking a hit to the face from future '68 Olympic teammate, Tommy Haine, his infamous &q...

Ron Von Hagen shares his recollection of the infamous 1968 Manhattan Beach Open where he and Ron Lang  BATTLED Larry Rundle & Henry Bergmann for 7 plus hours between the Winners bracket finals, and FINALS, where they were dead even until it got dark and Lang  couldn't see the ball.   Amazing.... Support the show

Dennis Discusses: -  How he made a living after his volleyball career concluded,  running beach volleyball clinics, and selling his amazing art work while living out of his van,  how grateful he is for his amazing wife Barbara, and some of his dearest friends:  Digger Graybill, and  the late George Stepanof and his wife Arlene. Support the show

Tom Discusses: -  Some great stories after his volleyball career working as a bar tender here in downtown, Milwaukee Wisconsin at The Rock Bottom, and Miller Time Pub including , including  meeting SO many of his former teammates,  peers, and volleyball people he met over the years!,  his transition into Coaching as an Assistant Coach at Ottawa University in Kansas for the men's and women&apo...

Tom Discusses: - His transition after graduating from Pepperdine to trying out and making  the USA Men's National team as a Starter,  memories from his time playing on the USA Men's National team, including the HIGHS and LOWS over those years from '93 though '00,  his recollections of the '96 Olympiad in Atlanta  when he competed on the USA Men's Olympic team,  includ...

Tom Discusses: -  His youth growing up in Racine, Wisconsin, and his start in the sport playing at Racine Case high school for his cousin/COACH  Gary Sorensen, the talented Wisconsin players he looked up to in his youth,  the MOMENT he realized he was capable of playing division 1 collegiate volleyball when he attended a "TOP OF YOUR CLASS" volleyball camp at UCSB before his senior year...

Jan Discusses: -  The BEST diggers he faced on the FIVB tour, BEST BLOCKERS,  all around BEST PLAYERS he faced, and the MOST SPECTACULAR  players he competed against that he loved to watch,  his view from an international player's perspective of the GOOD things that came from the FIVB,  what he is most proud of from his career as a competitor, and how he would like to be remembered, his take...