{"id":1460,"date":"2009-04-16T07:54:48","date_gmt":"2009-04-16T11:54:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=1460"},"modified":"2019-07-18T09:55:29","modified_gmt":"2019-07-18T13:55:29","slug":"no-sweat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/no-sweat\/","title":{"rendered":"No Sweat"},"content":{"rendered":"
To cowering opponents \u2014 and most of the sports-loving world for that matter \u2014 Phil Dalhausser is one of the most intimidating players ever to stomp the sand. At 6-foot-9 inches, with the build of a well toned ball point pen, he\u2019s known as the Thin Beast. A freak of nature. The bald-headed bullet.<\/p>\n
To those closest to him, like teammate Todd \u201cThe Professor\u201d Rogers, he is quite the opposite. Laid back. Rarely serious. And kind of dorky.<\/p>\n
Guess he\u2019s not so eminent when he\u2019s standing on your side of the net.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s the perfect partnership \u2014 offensive juggernaut and skillful teacher \u2014that catapulted the dynamic pair to Olympic victory this summer in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. In case you weren\u2019t part of the wild, 12,000-person crowd (think Brazilians in green and yellow wigs mixed with American flags and a guy sporting an Evel Knievel jumpsuit) or the 4 million fans cheering from their couches, here\u2019s a quick replay.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a sticky, sunny morning at Chaoyang Park. More than 10,000 tons of silky gold and white sand surround Dalhausser\u2019s monster-size feet.<\/p>\n
The battle begins.<\/p>\n
Pitted against Brazilians Marcio Araujo and Fabio \u201cJaws\u201d Magalhaes the Olympic rookies win the first set 23-21. The second set goes to the Brazilians at 17-21. A nail-bitter, indeed. The sportscasters keep the mood light, however, with their nonchalant banter: \u201c\u2026unfortunately, the Thin Beast isn\u2019t getting many serves\u2026\u201d \u201c\u2026Jaws is just getting harpooned by the Thin Beast\u2026\u201d \u201c\u2026what do we think the Professor just said to Jaws up at the net?\u201d And possibly the best comment of the game: \u201cJaws is upset.\u201d<\/p>\n
As he should be. In the final set Jaws is shut down repeatedly by Dalhausser\u2019s power blocks. By point 14 \u2014 game point \u2014 the sun is beating down, and Dalhausser is hotter than a twice-baked potato. Rogers serves the ball. The Brazilians return it. Dalhausser leaps near the net, pounds the sweat-drenched ball hitting Jaws on the way down. It\u2019s over. The Brazilians are left with clenched fists and utter indignation.<\/p>\n
Long-limbed Dalhausser barrels toward Rogers. The perfectly golden tanned duo crashes to the ground in an enthusiastic man-hug as Dalhausser lets loose a beastly yell. The jarring cheers that rocked the stands, he will never forget. The years of painstaking work have paid off.<\/p>\n
Time to relax. Time to soak it in. Time to chow down a giant hamburger.<\/p>\n
Or not.<\/p>\n
Whisked away, Dalhausser and Rogers star in a smattering of interviews before they don their patriotic podium gear, flash their pearlies and show off the six grams of gold they worked so hard for.<\/p>\n
Shuffled into a special room, the two are immediately yanked from cloud nine. Momentarily. They are drug tested. Scrutinized by anti-doping agents. All clear.<\/p>\n
Whirlwind of Attention<\/strong><\/p>\n Soon after, they are back at their hotel for a quick bite to eat before cameos on the Today Show and MTV News. Suddenly in the spotlight and hearing reporters dub him the world\u2019s best player, you\u2019d think Dalhausser would have an ego of epic proportions. Not the case.<\/p>\n \u201cI just kind of chuckle,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m not really one to pat myself on the back. It\u2019s pretty cool I guess. It\u2019s always nice to get respect from your colleagues.\u201d<\/p>\n As the guy with the killer 55 mph serve explains the biggest day of his life he is true to his style \u2014 easygoing. That\u2019s part of what makes him so appealing. No sports snobbery here. He\u2019s still the regular, fun-loving Phil he was back on the UCF sand courts.<\/p>\n Just busier.<\/p>\n The day after winning gold, he zips back to his home in Santa Barbara for a few days to decompress before an AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) tournament in Cincinnati. For Dalhausser that\u2019s plenty of time to master his favorite video game du jour, Call of Duty 4, and time for a Fantasy Football draft, which he plays while sporting his new golden luck charm.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the zinger though: after the draft, he tucks the medal away in his closet. \u201cI don\u2019t know what to do with it,\u201d he says. \u201cI\u2019m supposed to take it with me to all the events, but I\u2019m too scared I\u2019ll lose it.\u201d<\/p>\n After much debate, he takes the medal to the Oprah Show season premiere taping later that week and to a Santa Barbara elementary school. But, as he finishes up the stellar year with tournaments in Manhattan Beach, San Francisco, Dubai and China, the gold medal \u2014 the symbol that sums up his electrifying career thus far \u2014 will likely remain on the shelf, in the closet, among other international trophies and medals, including the 2007 AVP\u2019s Most Valuable Player award and the 2007 FIVB (Federation of International Volleyball) World Championships award.<\/p>\n The Pre-Beast Years<\/strong><\/p>\n Just five years ago, those impressive titles were merely a pipe dream. Dalhausser was playing club volleyball at UCF<\/a> on the sand courts (next to where the UCF Recreation and Wellness Center<\/a> now stands). \u201cVolleyball was my hobby,\u201d he says. In fact he didn\u2019t start playing until his senior year at Mainland High School in Daytona Beach. Compared to his 34-year-old teammate Rogers, who began competing at 14, it was a late start.<\/p>\n