After our hour of sleep, I'm sitting in the El Paso airport putting together the post-Pan American Cup thoughts.

The USA team put on a clinic last night. The team almost played a flawless match and crushed Cuba 3 0. It was a different team that we saw tonight. Hugh did a great job of changing the mindset of the team after the Dominican Republic match. He talked to them several times throughout the day about the changes they would need to make. It worked. The team was relaxed, confident and imposed its will on Cuba.

Hugh also started Nancy Metcalf at opposite and she dominated. The tempo of the sets to Nancy was very fast and Cuba had no answer. Great win for USA and it takes home the bronze medal and Cuba takes home the tin. Cuba beat the USA a couple of weeks ago in Montreux. One can see why Hugh is a gold medal coach.

The Pan Am Cup was a big deal for the city of Juarez. They are trying to establish a community pride by hosting the Pan Am Cup. Their commitment to the event was reflected in the closing ceremonies. Packed gym, dancers, music and big speeches by leaders in the community helped the people of Juarez forget about the violence that has impacted their city.

During matches I sat next to Jamie Morrison who runs the computer and scouting. He is one of the world's best at inputing live game stats for the coaches on the bench. Hugh has a tablet that has the stats he uses to make decisions throughout the match that comes from Jamie's computer.They are also connected with a phone system so all the coaches can communicate during the match. If you see them on the sideline or bench, you will notice the ear pieces that keeps them communicating.

Jamie works from the end zone along with all of the other team's cameras and computers. It is a high-tech world with black boxes and cables all over the place. They plug in, share cables and have a unique bond with the other scout guys and girls.

Hugh's final message to the team was see you at practice Monday am. After 10 straight days and a travel day back the USA team will start preparing for the World Grand Prix. You have to be special to play and coach at this level. The competitive level is off the charts. There is a sense of urgency as the qualifications for the Olympics will start at the FIVB World Cup, but we have to qualify for the World Cup. Lots of big matches to be played.

Brazil won the gold medal. They are fun to watch and make the game look easy. What separates Brazil is its skill level. They know how to play the game.

Our club system is not set up to help our national team because our players specialize. The substitution rules promote this. Internationally, the sub rules are different. Only six subs so more players play all six rotations. I beleive the USA could win gold medals if we played by the same rules as the rest of the world. Our men play by these rules and win gold medals, why not the women? Club and college need to change so there is less front or back-row only players and the USA can develop more all around players. If I could make one change in our game that would be first on the list.

It was an honor to be a part of the USA team. The staff and players are world-class and the best kept secret in the sports world in the USA. The team won a bronze medal against some of the best teams in the world and I'm sure they will not be mentioned on Sports Center or in USA Today newspaper on Monday.

On a final note, Karch is still a rock star in international volleyball, just ask the Brazil players and coaches who asked to have their pictures taken with him!

Adios. John