truebluefan

Santa Barbara, Calif

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UFC 112: Invincible

truebluefan

Back in the early days of California settlement, several Franciscan friars built missions that dotted the coast of the state. Mission Santa Barbara was the 10th mission to be built but was regarded as one of the most beautiful. Today, people call it the "Queen of the Missions" because of its large size and beauty.

This brief history lesson is nothing new to current Santa Barbara local, Todd Rogers, who got a degree in Religious Studies at UC Santa Barbara.

But, it is a different sort of mission that Rogers will have in mind when he returns to his hometown for this weekend's tournament. He and partner, Phil Dalhausser, will be on a mission to continue their streak of dominance.



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UFC 112: Invincible

truebluefan

The good news for Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor is that they won their first three matches Saturday at the AVP Crocs Tour Santa Barbara Open and will play Sunday in the semifinals.

The even better news? Their semifinal doesn't begin until 12:15 p.m. PT Sunday afternoon.

The Golden Girls, it seems, are in need of some Golden Slumbers.

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UFC 112: Invincible

truebluefan

There are several reasons why people go to watch a beach volleyball match. Some like to see professional players at the top of their game, some like to enjoy the beach-party atmosphere while catching a little sun, and there are also many who enjoy watching the shirtless men score a huge ace and the bikini-clad women diving in the sand.

I definitely enjoy the first two aspects -- ok, watching the tan, muscular men of the AVP isn't so bad either. And...without sounding too weird, I have to admit that I really enjoy watching beach volleyball legend Holly McPeak play.

McPeak is impressive, not only because she's a 20-year-veteran and three-time Olympian, but also because she is such a hard worker and one of the most toned, in-shape women I know.

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UFC 112: Invincible

truebluefan

Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser had a very thin margin of error in the third game of the men's final at the AVP Crocs Tour Santa Barbara Open, so it's a good thing they also had a Thin Beast.

Dalhausser, nicknamed the "Thin Beast," almost single-handedly rescued the reigning gold medalists from the clutches of upset by turning in a third-game display that turned Sunday's final match into one of the all-time AVP classics when Rogers and Dalhausser completed a come-from-behind 16-21, 21-19, 20-18 victory over Brad Keenan and John Hyden.

Rogers and Dalhausser trailed, 14-9, in the third game, but staved off five consecutive match points -- almost unheard of in rally scoring -- to tie it at 14-14, before capping it with -- what else? -- a Dalhausser block that gave the team their AVP-best 10th victory this season.

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UFC 112: Invincible

truebluefan

At some point, the AVP Crocs Tour is going to have to learn about life without Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh.

The tour's most popular players -- in large part to their consecutive Olympic gold medals -- plan on having children in the near future and would have to miss significant playing time.

So consider the final at the Santa Barbara Open Sunday a dress rehearsal.

For only the third time since joining the tour full time in 2003, May-Treanor and Walsh were knocked out of the tournament before the championship match as Jennifer Boss and April Ross upended the Golden Girls, 21-18, 15-21, 20-18 in the semifinals.

Boss and Ross went on to lose in the final, dropping a 21-16, 24-22 decision to Jenny Johnson Jordan and Annett Davis, but the buzz of the tournament was the shocking loss of May-Treanor and Walsh.

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UFC 112: Invincible