Travel Day

The Weekly Wrap-Up is normally today but in real-life this is a travel day as my wife and I head back to the states. It’s possible that the wrap-up will happen but, if not, it will be done tomorrow. I may use this post to update some thoughts if I happen to obtain WiFi somewhere.

One of the more awesome things in our life is that our daughter works for an airline, which means her loving parents receive flight benefits. It’s these flight benefits that we are using in our attempt to get back to the states. You see, the flight benefits are awesome but there is a catch as we are a lower priority than most of the living world. Not a complaint in any way but just a fact that we have to deal with as we look for flights that have empty seats. We have a plan but stuff happens that can cause any number of problems for us. With that said, my first priority is to be in an American city today. My second priority is to be in DFW today. My current plan sacrifices my first priority slightly in order to achieve my second priority, unless you think Miami isn’t an American city. I leave that for you to debate.

One thought I do have as I sit in my hotel is that the West Region is just a muddy mess right now. Colorado College losses to Trinity who has losses nationally as well as to UT-Dallas. It would have been a lot cleaner for Colorado College to just have won that match. One problem they have looking at the West Region rankings is that their SOS isn’t very good. Now with a Trinity loss, could we see Colorado College somewhere in the middle of the first West Region RAC rankings? It didn’t help that Pacific Lutheran loss to Whitworth as that allows the RAC to move PLU down with Colorado College. (The main problem with this thinking is that every West Region team has warts.)

The one team with the least amount of warts would be CMS. Their losses are to national powerhouses so no real problem there. The issue with CMS is that their winning margins have been razor thin. They have played in eight 5-set matches going 7-1. What if they were 4-4 instead? You have to praise the Athenas for these wins and overcoming their injuries but you also have to worry moving forward.

Outside of Whittier, Cal Lutheran doesn’t really have a good West Region win under their belt. Their JWU (RI) win put them on the national map but that won’t matter without more wins against the west. They won’t appear on the West RAC rankings.

Whitworth’s win over Pacific Lutheran was unexpected although I did have it as my upset special. Makes the Whitworth’s loss to Puget Sound the night before even more costly but the Pirates are still your NWC leaders. It was also a sweep so for tiebreaker purposes, it was a great win. Remember that the NWC doesn’t play a conference tournament so two NWC NCAA teams is currently a real possibility.

Update (1:11 Central)

The states are looking far away at this point. Out flight is overbooked.

Update (2:19 Central)

Priority 1 is in sight but it’s Miami. Sigh. Priority 2 looks bleak. Of course, that means a Wrap-up may happen tonight.

Update (7:43 Central)

We will make it to Texas but not DFW. So close. Wrap-up looking bleak now.

Update (Late)

Wrap-up tomorrow. In Houston. As an unrelated item did you know that a $40 car rental in Houston jumps to $200 if you drop the car off at DFW?

Update (Early)

Almost home. Short plane ride and then rush hour. I already need a nap. A number of posts will be done this afternoon (Monday).