By Michael Takeuchi
*On September 17, 2012, the Associated Press reported that pro beach volleyball players Phil Dalhausser and longtime partner Todd Rogers, who together won numerous tournaments including an Olympic gold medal in 2008 , would not be playing together next year. According to the AP story, Dalhausser would partner with Sean Rosenthal next year. Six days earlier in the Santa Barbara News-Press, this journalist reported that this would most likely happen.
Below, while largely using the same quotes, I wrote a personalized account of the impending parting of ways that was updated to reflect the change.
"This is the end my beautiful friend. This is the end, my only friend. The end of our elaborate plans. The end of ev'rything that stands. The end." Jim Morrison and the Doors
When it comes to beach volleyball, the late Morrison's words couldn't be more apropos when referring to the accomplished beach volleyball tandem of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser. Because it was recently reported that the "ToddandPhil", who won an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, five AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) titles from 2007 to '11 and countless other titles, are done, fini, awarimashita.
I wish it ain't so, but unfortunately it is thus.
On September 8 at the AVP Championships in Santa Barbara, shortly after losing a playoff match to eventual champions Rosenthal and Jake Gibb (after which Rosenthal, who along with two of his "Rosie's Raiders" compadres trash talked him from across the beach as both players headed to the ocean to cool off), Dalhausser was noncommittal. But at the time, his pause in speech and careful choice of words had me wondering if even he was doubting what he was saying.
"For this year yeah because we kind of had a rough year this year, (so) I haven't really put too much thought into it," Dalhausser said as he walked towards the water on the balmy afternoon. "I am sure we'll sit down and talk about it and make a decision but right now I'm just getting my bearings after the Olympics and dealing with moving."
When pressed, he did admit that he was considering teaming up with Rosenthal or his former partner Nick Lucena but that his only thoughts for the moment were to "enjoy a football game and have a beer".
Rogers, however was convinced at the time of this interview that after a disappointing year that included a loss in the round of 16 at the London Olympics, he was ready to move on.
"We had our run, it's been fun, but it's just the end of a good run," the Solvang resident said. "I highly doubt we'll be playing next year (together). We didn't have very much fun this year. There was a lot of on-court and off court that's gone on that made changes in our chemistry.
"Phil's a good guy don't get me wrong and I'm a good guy as well. I think we just set the bar so high and it's frustrating when you don't attain that bar now. You can make excuses with injuries or personal problems or changes in your life or whatever, the reality is for Phil and I to be successful we need a minimum four, five or six wins irrespective of (all that). We've had injuries in the past but still hit those numbers it's just the way that we look at it. "
"Since everything was centered on the Olympics, maybe if we won a gold medal this year, we would be thinking about playing together next year," Rogers said. "There's some sadness because a great run is over. But since it was successful run I can't have any regrets on it. "
I was strangely affected by Todd's words because being a sportswriter for the last 13 years has often taken the emotion and sometimes the romance out of watching sports. For example, when I look at the cancer beating Lance Armstrong, I now see Lyle Alzado, the late Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns defensive lineman who succumbed to a brain tumor that he admitted was at least partially caused by steroid abuse. I honestly wonder if the seven-time Tour de France winner had gone the same route.
Preposterous? Perhaps, but I confess those thoughts do pop into my head more often than naught. When it comes to a profession that I am part of but not wholly invested in (FYI I'm also the production manager for a mid-major (think WAC or MAC if you're a sports fan) film festival that caters to Oscar nominees), I am as cynical as they come, snickering in the press box at places like Dodger Stadium when an exaggerated attendance figure is announced or when a Beyonce wanna-be falsettos their way through a too-long National Anthem.
Through this all, I haven't become that hard-ass bitter man who hates the world like a former colleague of mine has. In fact movies like THE BICYCLE THIEF, things that are even more make believe than sports get to me frequently. On the other side of the reality spectrum, speaking publicly about losing loved ones to a terminal illness makes me bawl like a baby every time. Just ask certain members of the UCSB sports teams when I spoke to them. One athlete jokingly gave me a bottle of Johnson's Baby Shampoo (motto "No More Tears") after speaking.
But perhaps from my experiences with them, and watching and yes, (silently) rooting for Todd and Phill it is different. Because like the Dodgers 1970's infield of Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Ron Cey one almost expected them to be together forever. Of course reality partially caused by age and different goals intervene.
While I haven't known Phil very long, I think I first met him when he threw out the first pitch at Dodger Stadium in 2008, I have known Todd for a number of years starting when he played for an old friend Dave Cruz-someone who had the sweetest setting hands in volleyball and a coach Rogers credits to this day for his early development.
I will never forget a match where his San Marcos High team played an epic five game (for us old-timers, they're still called game) match with Santa Barbara High in the Royals suffocating quonset hut of a gym nicknamed the Thunderhut. It was a match where you could count on one hand the time Rogers, who was the setter, put the ball up to a hitter with a double block.
From then he enjoyed a solid career at UCSB and after an assistant coaching stint with the Gauchos, a stellar partnership with fellow local Dax Holdren. Before Todd and Phil, it was Todd and Dax.
Once Todd and Phil united, the team became the tandem to beat on the beach winning AVP as well as Olympic qualifying FIVB events regularly enough to warrant attention from fans and others who recognized their potential. One such "incident" of this occurred at Santa Barbara's East Beach Pavilion.
While using the facilities at the historic building, this writer heard two men speaking to each other in a nearby stall. Because of a notorious reputation of elicit activity in a bathroom of a nearby park, upon hearing the voices I immediately thought of a hilarious scene from the underrated movie starring Robin Williams MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON, where Williams' character, a Russian immigrant in the U.S. confronted a man following him by demanding if he was CIA or KGB and the man responded by saying "No, G-A-Y."
While I was getting ready to get the heck out of Dodge, out pops Rogers followed by another man who happened to be a USADA officer taking the players urine sample for a PED testing that he of course, passed.
"Hi Mike," he said without a hint of embarrassment.
"Hi Todd," I answered blushing with more than a smidgeon of such.
Since then, it was through frequent conversations and meetings including a chill session on the field at Dodger Stadium with a relaxed but tired duo at Chavez Ravine that a fondness grew.
That is just the opposite of most athletes I covered-the more you get to know them, the less the mystique about them and hence, usually the less they are liked. Reality almost always spoils idealism. But in this case not so much-they were (are) two of the good ones, which is why I felt the need to go back and talk to Rogers a while after the first interview to verify if his feelings were unchanged.
After he finished signing autographs and posing for pictures from a still-adoring crowd, I started asking a question that he thankfully finished, sadness overcame me and he had to (correctly) guess that I wanted to ask about being disappointed in not pulling off a win in front of the Santa Barbara crowd.
"It's nice to be home always nice to be able to play in front of these fans, but everyone here has come to expect us to win everything," Rogers said. "It's time."
Volleyball players change partners like the wind. Just look at Karch Kiraly and Sinjin Smith parting ways in the early 80's, while the former became a two-time indoor gold medalist, the latter formed an unbeatable partnership on the beach with Randy Stoklos Even the three-time Olympic gold medalists Misty May Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings, who while one or the other took time away from the game, volleyed Nicole Branagh as a partner. With May Treanor retired, Walsh Jennings paired with Branagh at an FIVB event and then the AVP Cincinnati Open and AVP Championships-losing to April Ross and Jen Kessy in the finals of the latter two. And now, Walsh Jennings was quoted in a publication as having thoughts of Ross as a possible partner.
Sooner rather than later, it will be time for Rogers and Dalhausser to part ways. Although neither will retire (Rogers indicated he would like to play with a young player he could mentor), for me it was almost like reliving the breakup of Garvey, Cey, Russell, and Lopes all over again.
It is too soon and they are too young to be called legends, only time and opinion can decide that. But regardless of how they will be judged in the future, it can be said that they were at least very good together and both can (and will) still play.
In addition, the one thing this reporter can say is that win or lose, Rogers and Dalhausser were stand-up guys along with being great players. For volleyball fans like me, that is more than enough.
Thanks Todd and Phil. It was a privilege.
By Michael Takeuchi
*On September 17, 2012, the Associated Press wrote that pro beach volleyball players Phil Dalhausser and longtime partner Todd Rogers, who together won numerous tournaments including an Olympic gold medal in 2008 , would not be playing together next year. According to the AP story, Dalhausser would partner with Sean Rosenthal next year. Six days earlier in the Santa Barbara News-Press, this journalist reported that this would most likely happen.
Below, while largely using the same quotes, I wrote a personalized account of the impending parting of ways that was updated to reflect the change.
THE END
"This is the end my beautiful friend. This is the end, my only friend. The end of our elaborate plans. The end of ev'rything that stands. The end." Jim Morrison and the Doors
When it comes to beach volleyball, the late Morrison's words couldn't be more apropos when referring to the accomplished beach volleyball tandem of Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser. Because it was recently reported that the "ToddandPhil", who won an Olympic gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, five AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) titles from 2007 to '11 and countless other titles, are done, fini, awarimashita.
I wish it ain't so, but unfortunately it is thus.
On September 8 at the AVP Championships in Santa Barbara, shortly after losing a playoff match to eventual champions Rosenthal and Jake Gibb (after which Rosenthal, who along with two of his "Rosie's Raiders" compadres trash talked him from across the beach as both players headed to the ocean to cool off), Dalhausser was noncommittal. But at the time, his pause in speech and careful choice of words had me wondering if even he was doubting what he was saying.
"For this year yeah because we kind of had a rough year this year, (so) I haven't really put too much thought into it," Dalhausser said as he walked towards the water on the balmy afternoon. "I am sure we'll sit down and talk about it and make a decision but right now I'm just getting my bearings after the Olympics and dealing with moving."
When pressed, he did admit that he was considering teaming up with Rosenthal or his former partner Nick Lucena but that his only thoughts for the moment were to "enjoy a football game and have a beer".
Rogers, however was convinced at the time of this interview that after a disappointing year that included a loss in the round of 16 at the London Olympics, he was ready to move on.
"We had our run, it's been fun, but it's just the end of a good run," the Solvang resident said. "I highly doubt we'll be playing next year (together). We didn't have very much fun this year. There was a lot of on-court and off court that's gone on that made changes in our chemistry.
"Phil's a good guy don't get me wrong and I'm a good guy as well. I think we just set the bar so high and it's frustrating when you don't attain that bar now. You can make excuses with injuries or personal problems or changes in your life or whatever, the reality is for Phil and I to be successful we need a minimum four, five or six wins irrespective of (all that). We've had injuries in the past but still hit those numbers it's just the way that we look at it. "
"Since everything was centered on the Olympics, maybe if we won a gold medal this year, we would be thinking about playing together next year," Rogers said. "There's some sadness because a great run is over. But since it was successful run I can't have any regrets on it. "
I was strangely affected by Todd's words because being a sportswriter for the last 13 years has often taken the emotion and sometimes the romance out of watching sports. For example, when I look at the cancer beating Lance Armstrong, I now see Lyle Alzado, the late Oakland Raiders and Cleveland Browns defensive lineman who succumbed to a brain tumor that he admitted was at least partially caused by steroid abuse. I honestly wonder if the seven-time Tour de France winner had gone the same route.
Preposterous? Perhaps, but I confess those thoughts do pop into my head more often than naught. When it comes to a profession that I am part of but not wholly invested in (FYI I'm also the production manager for a mid-major (think WAC or MAC if you're a sports fan) film festival that caters to Oscar nominees), I am as cynical as they come, snickering in the press box at places like Dodger Stadium when an exaggerated attendance figure is announced or when a Beyonce wanna-be falsettos their way through a too-long National Anthem.
Through this all, I haven't become that hard-ass bitter man who hates the world like a former colleague of mine has. In fact movies like THE BICYCLE THIEF, things that are even more make believe than sports get to me frequently. On the other side of the reality spectrum, speaking publicly about losing loved ones to a terminal illness makes me bawl like a baby every time. Just ask certain members of the UCSB sports teams when I spoke to them. One athlete jokingly gave me a bottle of Johnson's Baby Shampoo (motto "No More Tears") after speaking.
But perhaps from my experiences with them, and watching and yes, (silently) rooting for Todd and Phill it is different. Because like the Dodgers 1970's infield of Steve Garvey, Davey Lopes, Bill Russell and Ron Cey one almost expected them to be together forever. Of course reality partially caused by age and different goals intervene.
While I haven't known Phil very long, I think I first met him when he threw out the first pitch at Dodger Stadium in 2008, I have known Todd for a number of years starting when he played for an old friend Dave Cruz-someone who had the sweetest setting hands in volleyball and a coach Rogers credits to this day for his early development.
I will never forget a match where his San Marcos High team played an epic five game (for us old-timers, they're still called game) match with Santa Barbara High in the Royals suffocating quonset hut of a gym nicknamed the Thunderhut. It was a match where you could count on one hand the time Rogers, who was the setter, put the ball up to a hitter with a double block.
From then he enjoyed a solid career at UCSB and after an assistant coaching stint with the Gauchos, a stellar partnership with fellow local Dax Holdren. Before Todd and Phil, it was Todd and Dax.
Once Todd and Phil united, the team became the tandem to beat on the beach winning AVP as well as Olympic qualifying FIVB events regularly enough to warrant attention from fans and others who recognized their potential. One such "incident" of this occurred at Santa Barbara's East Beach Pavilion.
While using the facilities at the historic building, this writer heard two men speaking to each other in a nearby stall. Because of a notorious reputation of elicit activity in a bathroom of a nearby park, upon hearing the voices I immediately thought of a hilarious scene from the underrated movie starring Robin Williams MOSCOW ON THE HUDSON, where Williams' character, a Russian immigrant in the U.S. confronted a man following him by demanding if he was CIA or KGB and the man responded by saying "No, G-A-Y."
While I was getting ready to get the heck out of Dodge, out pops Rogers followed by another man who happened to be a USADA officer taking the players urine sample for a PED testing that he of course, passed.
"Hi Mike," he said without a hint of embarrassment.
"Hi Todd," I answered blushing with more than a smidgeon of such.
Since then, it was through frequent conversations and meetings including a chill session on the field at Dodger Stadium with a relaxed but tired duo at Chavez Ravine that a fondness grew.
That is just the opposite of most athletes I covered-the more you get to know them, the less the mystique about them and hence, usually the less they are liked. Reality almost always spoils idealism. But in this case not so much-they were (are) two of the good ones, which is why I felt the need to go back and talk to Rogers a while after the first interview to verify if his feelings were unchanged.
After he finished signing autographs and posing for pictures from a still-adoring crowd, I started asking a question that he thankfully finished, sadness overcame me and he had to (correctly) guess that I wanted to ask about being disappointed in not pulling off a win in front of the Santa Barbara crowd.
"It's nice to be home always nice to be able to play in front of these fans, but everyone here has come to expect us to win everything," Rogers said. "It's time."
Volleyball players change partners like the wind. Just look at Karch Kiraly and Sinjin Smith parting ways in the early 80's, while the former became a two-time indoor gold medalist, the latter formed an unbeatable partnership on the beach with Randy Stoklos Even the three-time Olympic gold medalists Misty May Treanor and Kerri Walsh Jennings, who while one or the other took time away from the game, volleyed Nicole Branagh as a partner. With May Treanor retired, Walsh Jennings paired with Branagh at an FIVB event and then the AVP Cincinnati Open and AVP Championships-losing to April Ross and Jen Kessy in the finals of the latter two. And now, Walsh Jennings was quoted in a publication as having thoughts of Ross as a possible partner.
Sooner rather than later, it will be time for Rogers and Dalhausser to part ways. Although neither will retire (Rogers indicated he would like to play with a young player he could mentor), for me it was almost like reliving the breakup of Garvey, Cey, Russell, and Lopes all over again.
It is too soon and they are too young to be called legends, only time and opinion can decide that. But regardless of how they will be judged in the future, it can be said that they were at least very good together and both can (and will) still play.
In addition, the one thing this reporter can say is that win or lose, Rogers and Dalhausser were stand-up guys along with being great players. For volleyball fans like me, that is more than enough.
Thanks Todd and Phil. It was a privilege.
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