247.3 (Yup…)

There is no real easy way to put it.  I am overweight.  By how much varies by who you ask and what system you use.  First, lets start with where I am at:

Age: 37
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 247
BMI: 30.1

Ok, so we have that all out in the open.  At my heaviest weight I was 256 pounds.  This was right after I herniated my L4 & L5 discs last August.  I have gotten it back down to pre-herniated back levels, but it is obvious that my weight is what is causing the issue.  So I really do need to do something.  Not just for me, but for my family and the kids I coach.  I mean, how can they take a coach seriously who is not fit and able to do all the drills and conditioning that is ask of them.

So where do I go from here?  Basically I just want to put this out here.  I DO NOT CARE about BMI or Body Fat percentage.  I am not trying to win a contest or anything, so I do not care what those levels are at.  First, let’s look at what some of the “scales” say.

First is the “People’s Choice” scale.  This is basically just an opinion poll of like 2,000 people who say what they think the ideal weight for a specific height is.  According to them, I should be: 216 pounds.

Next is the “Medical Opinion” scale.  This is basically what a bunch of doctors, who have nothing better to do think.  The ideal weight according to them is: 200 pounds.

Last is the “Devine” scale.  This is a pretty funny one.  Basically it was a scale created in 1974 for medication dosage, but has since been used for ideal weight things.  According to the Devine scale, I should be: 186 pounds.

So where does this leave me?  Pretty much where I started.  I want to be where I feel healthy and have energy.  So here it is…

My big “number”: 220 pounds this year and walking around at 200 pounds by this time next year.

Now, here is the catch.  I have tried it all.  It all boils down to the following; I have no motivation.  So instead of doing it all cold turkey and all gung-ho like normal, I am going to ease in to it.  Here are my phases:

Phase #1 (Now – Oct, 2011)
1.  No meals after 8 pm (maybe some snacks, but nothing large).
2.  Breakfast every day
3.  3 meals a day plus 3 snack periods
4.  No change in where I eat, just portion size
5.  2 “Cheat Days” (remember I said I am not doing this cold turkey??!?!)
6.  Volleyball and gym the same as it is now (whenever, no schedule)

Phase #2 (Oct – Feb, 2012)

1.  All that is in Phase 1 plus these changes
2. 1 Cheat day (Getting there)
3. Weight room 3 times a week
4.  Cardio program

Phase #3 (Feb – May, 2012)

1.  All that is in Phase 1 plus these changes
2. 0 Cheat days (hopefully)
3. Weight room 3 times a week
4.  Volleyball skill training 2 times a week
5.  Jump program

There you have it.  I am hoping that easing in to it will help me.  Who knows.  But I have nothing to lose, but a huge gut.

Dear AVP…Please Don’t

We don’t need the AVP.  We need a Federation.

I am going to be honest here.  I have written this post at least 5 times now, and keep deleting it.  There are so many thoughts and ways to go on the topic, that I felt like what I really wanted to say was getting lost.  The recent update the AVP website (www.avp.com) started all these thoughts in motion.  I want to be very clear (and it may seem harsh) on my thoughts.  I do NOT want to see the AVP come back to life.  The easiest way I can relate it is to compare it to Brett Favre.  Both were amazing and a huge part of their specific cultures years ago.  When you thought they were down and out, they made one good (maybe great) push to be relevant again.  Neither knew/know when it is time to walk away.  Let us live with the good memories and times we have in our minds.

I want to ask a very simple question.  What had the AVP done in the last decade that was “great” for the sport?  What did they do that 50 years from now, people will say “remember when the AVP did…”?  I am not saying this to rip on the AVP, I am saying it to be honest.  The AVP as a brand has not done anything relevant in years.  I would think that all the memorable matches that people are thinking of right now, would have happened with or without the AVP.  Sure, the AVP provided the courts for the battles, but who is to say CVBA or USAV could not have provided the same thing?

I also want to come right out and say forget the “business model” argument.  I am not sure there is a correct business model for this sport. I think the problem is we are in a sport that is divided amongst their own.  Old School vs New School, Leather vs Composite, Pool play vs Bracket play.  The list goes on and on.  This is why I think maybe the AVP should just stay in the sunset and not return.  As a tour at least.  I do not have the answer as to what is next.  I do have some thoughts.  Some are good.  Some are on a whim.  Some need some research.  I guess it is time to present my thoughts on a federation:

Create a federation.  Take all the regional tours (NVL, USAV, GAV, CVBA, EEVB, Toyota Pro Beach, etc) and have them come to some sort of joint agreement.  These are the rules we are going to use.  This is the format we are going to play with.  This is the seeding process.  I am not talking about prize money and such.  Just the formats.  That way there is some unity with all the tours.  Players would join the federation for a minimal fee ($50 a year).  You take those fees and create a point series with the money.  So you would get points bases on size of event and your finish.  The local tours would still set entry fees and prizes.  At the end of the season the top players would be paid.  If a sponsor is added, then you can add more to the hopper.  You can also take the average points of the two players and seed them for a year end event or even a step for the Olympic Qualifying process.  The federation would be open to any players of any nation.  If a local tour/promoter does not follow the uniform guidelines, they are removed from the federation.  They no longer would have access to the network for sponsors, money, point system, etc.  For a player, being the point leader at a local tour could help you get automatic bids in certain events.  For example, the point leader of the Toyota tour could get a main draw spot for the Manhattan Open.  Any event that is large enough for a qualifier, could set aside a number of spots for automatic draws from the local level.

As part of the federation agreement, you could ask the local tours to contribute to other things such as lover level courts (AA/A/BB) and maybe require the youth clinics are available.  I am not saying every tour needs to run youth clinics, but they should have the option if someone wants to run them.  I think where the AVP lost its touch is with the fans.  Sure you can do suites and free shirts, but what people want are experiences, not just swag.  How many people do you think would come to a pro event if there was some sort of Pro-Am event Maybe once the elimination round is over on Saturday, you can offer some of those players to play in a Pro-Am event on Sunday with some fans.  The one thing I think the regional tours have right, is that they know their region.  They know how to make a big event a destination event.  We need to get kids to force their parents in to making their family vacations based around volleyball events.  Youth camp Mon – Thurs, Pro-Am on Sunday, play all weekend.  Maybe even run junior events on the outer courts at the same venue.

Again, I know these are all random thoughts.  There is a lot more thinking and tweaking that would be done.  I think people like the NVL and USAV are started in the right direction.  My fear is that they are so bent on making it “right” for the players, that they are going to forget the fans.  If we forget the fans any more than we have in the past, we will not grow this sport past the recreational level it is at in most of the country.

My Vanity…

I guess maybe I am getting older or maybe I am just tired of “the game”.  I recently had a bout with insomnia (those of you who know me, know that I had clinical insomnia years ago) and instead of the usual thought pondering about work, money, and health; my attentions were turned towards life in general.  For years I have had Mickulz.com (since 1994 to be exact).  I have always tried to keep it updated with my resumes, photos, video, all that fun stuff.  Then last night it occurred to me: “Why”?  Why was I going through all this trouble so that I would have a presence on the Internet?  Do I really care if people see pictures of my dogs or kids?  Don’t get me wrong.  I want to share all these things with my friends and family, but does it matter to me if some stranger from across the globe now knows who I am.  Oh, I used to.  Make no mistake about it.  I used to like that people would “Google” me and get pointed to my site.  Now, I just do not care.

Make no mistake about it.  This is not a privacy or safety issue for me.  It is just simply the fact that I have spent hours (more like days) constantly updating these things and trying to be on the cutting edge.  All I really needed (or need now) is a forum to discuss my thoughts and post some of my writings.  That is why you will notice my new scaled down site.  Mickulz.com is simply a repository for my rants, ramblings, and writings now.  If I need to show pictures to people, I will send them to my Shutterfly or Picasa site.  If you want my resume, I will mail it to you.  I just think that it is time for me to disconnect a bit and remove myself a little more from “The Matrix” and go off the grid a bit.  Don’t worry.  I will still be blogging about all the things I have in the past.  I mean, I do have Mickulz.com paid for up to 2018, so I might as well use it.

Sudden Reflections of Life

Sometimes we wake up to a different life
Nothing seems constant anymore
The more we try to get things together
The more we see things fall apart

To have everything in life would leave us dull
There would be no challenge to go on
No new music would be sung and no art would be made
There would be no dreams to try to make real

You can never have it all and you should never want it all
Through history of man we have seen ‘wants’ destruction
From the lust of money in our hands to the holy grail
Stop and think what would have happened if we would have it all

It is at this moment in time when you see things clear
You can not have it all but yet you are happy
You have a life to live and the means to live it
Do not ever wish it was easy or different

You serve a purpose on this planet and in your role
No matter how big or small it may seem to be
You influence hundreds of people around you
You need to always move toward your goals and never back

It is when you reach these sudden reflections of life
That you realize the biggest goal and prize is to live
Your life is something no one else can have
So treasure it like you should and never let it go.