Aint No Party Like a 6-Man Party!

Aint No Party Like a 6-Man Party!

By Rudy Tomarchio

For the last 361 days, I have been marking an “X” on my calendar, counting down to the greatest weekend of the year. As Geena Urango, (our VOLLEYWOOD colleague without a “y” chromosome) said in her preview, it’s hard to explain this event to anyone who hasn’t been there.

Here is how I explain it to my friends…

“Imagine Halloween, Mardis Gras, Spring Break and Memorial Day thrown into one weekend. Got it? Now add beach volleyball.” The Manhattan Beach Six-Man (officially known as the International Surf Festival/Charlie Saikley Six-Man Volleyball Tournament) is a two-day party/tournament like no other.

Living on East Coast, I first learned of “The Sixer” from KindaGood in 2008, when Youtube sensation “Danny Kinda” came barnstorming with swarm of lookalikes armed with bandannys and NECTAR to take second place.

2009

I was broke and had just graduated last fall from the University of Miami (Go ‘CANES!) I was a few months into my first job: working the overnight shift as an associate producer at a local news station. Desperately in need of a vacation, I emailed Danny Kinda. I couldn’t believe they said yes, it was ON!

Saturday was unreal.

There were costumes galore, hundreds of stereos blasting, and a sea of people.

Headlined by the KG trinity of Danny, Billy Allen and AJ Mihalic, our roster was a laundry list of craziness. Andrew Fuller, our 6’8 opposite hitter was too good to play in a normal costume, so he blasted opposing players in the face while wearing a bear suit. Former national team star and now “The Net Live” host Kevin Barnett had a cameo. Wild child Dana Camacho hit a skyball that aced 2000 Olympic gold medalist Eric Fonoimoana in the Sunday morning knockout round. Rocking our megaphone with cocktail in hand was NBC Universal beach volleyball analyst Hans Stolfus. Our marquee player for the tournament though without a doubt was 2008 Olympic gold medalist Reid Priddy.

We lost in the finals to team Smack, aka “Team Magnum“. They dressed like Tom Selleck’s iconic 80’s character “Thomas Magnum,” and play the Magnum P.I. the song on loop. Magnum has won the last 3 six-man’s in a row. Their roster included NVL founder Albert “Al-B” Hanneman, USA national team member Donald Suxho, former National Team player David McKienzie and beach stars Austin Rester and Ed Ratledge.

2010

We were without both AJ and Reid Priddy, and somehow got stuck in the hardest pool of the tournament. Our first team in pool play was headed by TNL co-host and volleyball personality Chris “Geeter” McGee. On his team were beach legend Mike Lambert, gold medalist and the best middle blocker in the world David Lee, and then NBA stars Jordan Farmar, Richard Jefferson and Luke Walton. Fuller’s bear suit was back, and we added a pizza slice mascot suit from one of our sponsors, Fresh Brothers Pizza.

We took second in pool play, but got bounced out of the first round by a team of college players from USC and Stanford posing as golfers. So we got eliminated early, that just means we got a head start to Hermosa beach for some ACE.

2010 was an interesting year for The Sixer.

The city of Manhattan Beach really started to crack down on the drinking, banning all stereos on Saturday and non-sealed bottles. So instead of people drinking at the event, people just got up earlier and started pregaming with the sunrise. During the tournament, the drinking moved just a few steps east to the bars. When the sun goes down each night, the party heads south to Hermosa where Sangria, Waterman’s and Sharkeez are all at capacity. Many of the people inside just stumbled in from playing. As the saying goes, “Don’t get drunk at 6-man, STAY drunk at 6-Man.”

An even further crackdown for 2011 along with a hike in team fees and conflicting events led to the city almost cancelling the event this year. What a shame is that the event gets a bad name with the city council because of the drunken hooligans that aren’t directly related with the players on the beach.

Plus, last year’s demise of the AVP has led to several other beach tours scheduling events that conflict with Six-Man. A Corona Light Wide Open tour stop is scheduled for Chicago this same weekend, and the FIVB has a men’s event in Poland.

Regardless, I’m just as excited for the 2011 Sixer as I was for my first, and will continue to be for every pilgrimage to beach volleyball’s holy land. Take a walk down the pier, and you’ll find the names of those who have won the Manhattan Open, the granddaddy of them all.

As an outsider, I feel like I get a little more out of Six-Man since its something that:

a) you can’t find anywhere else

b) would never happen anywhere else (Sorry San Diego).

What other volleyball tournament attracts so many people that it would fill a football stadium? Where else can you play where EVERYONE on your team, dressed in outrageous costumes can rush the court to celebrate a point? That’s right, you can’t.

So if it’s too late for you to come down to Manhattan Beach this year to catch the action, mark your calendars.

I’ll see you in about 369 days.

Rudy T.