A closer look: Rogers/Dalhausser the best team ever

A typical practice on the beach generally begins with some light stretching and a quick warm-up. Hamstrings, quads, hip flexors, glutes, lower back, upper back, and shoulders. A steady progression up the body, culminating in baseball-like throws back and forth between partners with a game ball, in an effort to simulate the motion associated with an overhead spike.

More often than not, these throws turn into a nostalgic depository of childhood pitching dreams; ending in curve balls, sliders and knuckleballs, or pitches that commonly do more harm than good. I'd be the first to say my pre-volley slider is damn near untouchable, and you'd be hard-pressed to find an argument over the sheer brilliance of Sean Rosenthal's knuckler -- it makes Tim Wakefield's look amateur.

But not everybody attempts to strike out their partner just minutes before hitting lines. E.g., Señor Todd Rogers. Not that he lacks the creativity to generate a monstrous litter of pre-practice "specialty" pitches, he just chooses not to use any in his somewhat robotic warm-up. Or any unnecessary movements at all, for that matter.

Todd's warm-up, like his game, is all business. Calculated and executed down to the last throw... release ball at maximum height and extension, follow through across body. When throws turn into practice swings, the checklist continues... high line, cut shot, cross-body, away from body, center of ball, left side, right side, repeat. Every motion focused on mechanics and activating small, specific muscle groups to aid in performance and protect from injury.

I warmed up with him last year at a Hot Winter Nights stop in Cedar Falls, Iowa, and trust me, I took notes. I simply could not believe how precise and deliberate he was with every motion. Especially at an exhibition "tournament" that meant nothing, in a sport characteristically filled with 'Ace' games and 'Sunday fun-days,' rather than exercises to activate the levator scapulae.

But Rogers' warm-up is barely the tip of the iceberg when pontificating over the finer points of what separates he and partner Phil Dalhausser from the rest of the world in the sport of beach volleyball.

Rogers has the looks
For the casual beach player -- the guy warming up using Greg Maddux's full repertoire of milky magic -- having vision of the opposing defense on the court is somewhat an anomaly. He may take an accidental glance at the court immediately following the pass, but once his approach is in motion, the only thing he's focused on is finding the ball and creating solid contact.

For indoor guys, who make their way to the sand in the summer offseason, clear peripheral vision is the most important tool in their belts, as they elect to play the blocker at the net rather than the defender in the backcourt. Highly skilled players from both genres have the ability to take a look right after the pass, just before they jump, and try to catch the blocker's movement out of the corner of their eye. Believe me when I say these kinds of players are few and far between.

And then there's Rogers. He not only looks at the opposing defense immediately following his 994th consecutive perfect pass, but also as he approaches in ultra slow motion, just before he launches into the air, and as he's attacking -- using his old UCSB peripherals to gain intel on the blocker. Yes, four looks. Not humanly possible, right? Well, at least not for the average man with only a Bachelor's degree. But Todd has a Doctorate in Volley.

And to think, up until this past offseason, Rogers was nothing more than a mere mortal, taking just three looks. Why the change? Why the hassle when you're already one of the best sideout players in the world? For Todd the question isn't why, it's why not? After all, the offseason isn't only about drinking red wine and polishing gold medals.

Phil's juicy sets
In order to accomplish such a task, Rogers knew two things were necessary: a perfect pass and a consistently perfect set. A set so consistent it rises to the same apex every time it leaves big Phil's hands -- all the way to 22 feet, or twice as high as the antenna. Fortunately for Rogers, he's the best passer ever and he's got the best setter on earth delivering the juiciest juicenessness our fine blue planet has ever seen.

FYI: these numbers -- four (looks) and 22 (feet) -- are so outlandish, they're almost laughable. I've played an entire match where I passed okay, never received a set in the same spot twice, and failed to take a look at the court even once as I consistently prayed during each swing. And won.

When asked to confirm whether the info I obtained was legit, Rogers' response rivaled one I may have produced back in the day. "Not sure what you're talking about, Hans. I don't look at all. I just bang high and hard heat."

Staying on the down-low
I can almost see the goatee-filled grin every time I reread that quote, adding the final element to his team's other-worldliness: clandestine-level secrecy. Every fan has witnessed the impact Dalhausser makes on the court. Oftentimes, it's the only thing visible at all. But what we don't see is the fine-tuned precision of the master puppeteer directing the show. Rogers receives nearly every serve in every single match. His physical preparation and mental intuition allow him to continue getting it done, even at the ripe age of 36. And yet, at no time has he been compelled to spill the beans as to how they've become the most dominant team in beach history.

Just a hunch, but I can't foresee anything changing in 2011. Dalhausser and Rogers will break their own record of nine FIVB gold medals in a season and win 10, and I'll put my word on it. Because my guess is this offseason, Todd goes for look number five... and gets it.

Hans Stolfus was an eight-year pro on the AVP Tour.