Reid Priddy

I have been MIA this week but am online and on the road again. We just arrived in Kazan and play them on Saturday. Lloy and Clay play for Kazan and we look forward to hooking up with them. On Sunday we’ll be in Moscow for a free day and will hook up with Hansen and Rooney and their ladies for a nice Mexican meal downtown. Then on Monday we head to Tenerife, Spain for our first CEV Euro match. So a much needed change of pace with lots of friendly faces! Should be a fun week!!

Back in Novosibirsk, we play against Iskra today at 6pm local time (3pm Moscow) and I am told it will be LIVE on sportbox.ru.

Score! A rare treat at a Mall in Moscow…remember, when traveling its the small things from home that can make a day.  Heading to the match now against Dinamo.  To watch online at 7pm Moscow time click THIS LINK.

We are flying to Moscow this evening.  Since the last game my training has been limited due to muscle spasms but I am seeing progress daily. The week to week injuries are frustrating but I am trying to push through it.  We will play Dinamo and as I mention in a previous entry (from the help of inside-volley.com’s Justyna) it will be shown live on www.sportbox.ru.  Now, you’ll have to do some decrypting of your own if you don’t read Russian, but the match will air at 7pm Moscow time on October the 22nd (8am PST).  This is going to kick off a series of very difficult matches that will lead us into the CEV European Tournament where our first match will be in Tenerife, Spain.  Can’t wait to get some relief from the cold.  It’ll be a nice change of climate.  I have to go pack.  All the best! <><

The above picture on the right was taken from the English version of lokovolley.ru which is our team homepage and the picture on the left is from my homepage which is directly linked to the Russian League site. The widget on my homepage will be updated real time however, the team names are in Russian.  The Lokomotive site is typically a few days behind.  You can use this picture comparison as a key for future results.

We got our first win under our belt. Relatively speaking, we started the league off with 3 teams that aren’t super tough and its disappointing to only have 5 points after two 5-game losses.   However the good news is that this season will have a legitimate 8-team playoff for the championship.  So our focus, especially since we are staring down the barrel of some of the the leagues toughest teams over the next few weeks, is to constantly be improving day by day. To not fixate on wins and losses but to make sure we are in a position at the end of the regular season to be in the playoffs and playing our best volleyball.  To push ourselves and those around us to get better as a team everyday and be in a position at the end to win it all.  We have far to go and it we need to start with simple on-court communication.  I sense that the guys are in for the challenge and there is no doubt that it is going to take a total group effort.  This season features more good volleyball teams all around than the previous year. That coupled with our involvement in European competition has our work cut out for us.

Personally, I have been battling some aches and pains since my arrival.  Its been a long and grueling 23 months of travel and volleyball both physically and emotionally.  I am feeling the mileage more than ever.  It comes with the job I guess.  It is definitely frustrating to not be able to jog without pain.  But I am trying to rest as much as possible off the court. There is so much work that needs to be done on the court with the team though so I am praying for recovery and strength to keep going.

It is great to be here with Picky and his family again.  We spend a lot of time with them and our wives have each other to help cope socially here being so far from home.  It is also good to be back with the same guys on the team.  We have history together and that is an asset when it comes to professional athletics.  As I said, a lot of work ahead to build on our progress from last season. On Monday we head off to Moscow to play the league Champs from last year Dinamo (think Russian National Team and insert Brazilian outside Dante).  The match will be televised online at sportbox.ru.  More information to come. Peace<><

Some of those close to me questioned why I would go to meet with Marquis NetJets in North San Diego if I wasn’t able to pay $800G a year on airfare…well, its kinda like premium denim, once you cross over, you can’t go back (right Erik?!;).  I don’t know how, but I am determined to find a way!  This is how we travel with team here in Russia and it would be great if USAV can take some notes;) 

Our first matches in the Cup were a highlight, qualifying us for the Final Four which will be held at the end of November.  But now we are 0-2 in the regular season, dropping both matches in 5.  However disappointing it may be, I know that we have 20 matches remaining and the important thing is for us to focus on reaching our team potential.  We had a lot of success last season and typically that only raising the expectation level of the club and administration (which it should).  Luckily for us, we have a great, down-to-earth GM who recognizes that it is a long season and is not panicking.  Nonetheless, time to refocus and get back on track.  The schedule is only going to get tougher and more demanding.

The last match was extra disappointing. Not only was it one of my worst matches in recent memory, but I landed on the middle-blockers foot while jumping trying to save a set gone awry.  So I am trying to rest it now and get the swelling out.  I have rolled both ankles so many times that the tendons are like rubber-bands…but this time, even with ankle protection, I still seemed to tramatize the tendons and ligaments to cause significant bruising and swelling. Onwards!  

Jerseys are on the way!  I have been in close contact with USA Volleyball on this issue and am told that we will have them at the latest December 1.  It is my understanding also that they will be sold through the apparel store of USA Volleyball online at http://usavolleyball2008.com/store.  The timing conflict is a result of licensing issues that appear to be resolved and the jerseys ordered.  Thanks again for your interest and as I know more, you’ll know more!

We had a close match against Yaroslav on Saturday night but lost 2-3.  It was a shame because we squandered lots of point opportunities. It is a long season but as always, we must take what we can from this match and learn from it.  Today we head to Niznavartos who played Lloy and Clays team on Saturday night.  Niz. lost badly to the guys.  We hope to improve from Saturday night…especially in defense and offensive balance and distribution.  A lot of hard work ahead!  Also to note, Kevin Hansen and Sean Rooney are playing for the same team named Fakel and beat UFA in 3 which is where Gabe Gardner plays this season.  A lot of derby’s…its gonna be a fun season! 

http://www.sportsfeatures.com/index.php?section=pp&action=show&id=47709

7 pieces of checked luggage, all averaging 60 pounds each and 4 carry-ons!!!  Yes, thats right…11 bags.  Every season the baggage seems to grow.  With the current airline crisis you might be interested in how much we had to pay in overweight luggage.  The surprise actually is not in how much it was but the fact that we were propositioned twice, once in LA and then again in Moscow.  The offer was that it was one price if we paid “officially”, yet another price if we would graciously place cash in our passports.  This is no joke.  Lindsay and I flipped out!  It felt like the old days….or what thought they might have been.  With the current conditions around the airline industry, regulations and whatnot, there is no way this kind of thing happens today right?  Wrong.  We passed, not because we refuse good deals but because there are no travel reimbursements for cash.

So the next question might be, “What could you possibly be taking that would fill 11 pieces of luggage.” Since you asked, about 20% of the luggage contains clothing while the other 80% was perishable items.  Food, food and more food!  When traveling for a long period of time and especially to a place that doesn’t have our diet staples, you have to be prepared.  Now I am enjoying Trader Joe’s pancakes in the morning with maple syrup.  We have tons of energy bars, snacks, cooking spray, soaps, seasonings, etc…all things we love that we can’t get here in Siberia. But above all, my favorite thing that we packed (with the help of a friend) was a cooler packed with dry ice and a 60 day supply of Sambazon’s Acai.  I wasn’t sure it would make it through customs but it did!  I am trying to pace myself but to no avail. Since, I have been enjoying an Acai bowl daily with the fresh homemade granola we brought as well.  Life is good!!

Its often the little things that we take for granted.   

Just when I thought I have played long enough to avoid strange examinations and weird tests, that my word of a solid bill of health would be enough…I spent the entire day hopping from one office to the next fullfilling a “Physical Examination Requirement” that the team prepaid for.  It was a bad sign when the team doctor showed up an hour late to begin with!  His tardiness was exceptionally discomforting due the the fact that the first stop was a blood and urine test that required an empty stomach and a full bladder…what a delightful hour of waiting that was.  To add to it (without getting too graphic), they gave me a small jelly jar with no lid to pee in!!!???  I mean, are we in the 21st century??  The jar was clearly not new and had a sticky residue where apparently some other patron’s label had once rested….nice touch.  Blood and urine then to the nose, ear and throat doctor and then I find myself strapped into a chair with electrodes all over my body.  Can you tell by the photo that I am happy to be there?

It was an all day affair that ended at an MRI facility where the people in the hall were opting to wait as far as they could from the room where the MRI’s where being shot due to radiation…very comforting.   All in a days work I guess.  Yes, there were times where I felt that I was putting myself more in harms way than in a place that was supposed to be designed for healing and recovery.  I’ll end my ranting with a quick snapshot that sums up the day.  It was blood draw time and the gal, who was wearing latex gloves, graciously washed her hands before performing the draw, with her gloves still on, then proceeding to find the vein!