It’s a sad day in Hermosa Beach. The AVP have found a way to get around the all “beaches are free” rule and are now ratcheting up the ticket prices to a hefty $20 a day to attend. Last year, when they started charging for the Huntington Beach Open, I commented “This may play in “the OC” but when it’s time for Hermosa and Manhattan, there will be a backlash.”

And there was.

Gone was the festive atmosphere, overnight it had become strangely... adult.

Going to the AVP is always a good day. If you are in Huntington Beach, a little less so.

Last year, I walked away from last year’s HB open-- cold. This year the experience wasn’t, ya know, bad it was just flaccid. Last year’s shock cover charge of $20 a day I was prepared for. What I didn’t know was that they had changed the format. Friday was all prelims, the best part of the tournament. By the time I had pilgrimaged from Hollywood and arrived at 9:30…pretty much the tourney was over. The under-ranked had gone home.

I was told they would wrap up the tourney on Saturday and the final four would then re-play with on Sunday. I spoke to several AVP staff members but it didn’t seem to make sense to them either.

The Derby Dolls take and shove it  for one more spin May 3 for the Championship of the world.  Don’t miss it.  Bring Cash (no debit cards).

The LA Sports scene leaves something to be desired.

Kobe Bryant is a spoiled crybaby. Nomar phones it in.  Joe Torre has yet to impress me. I can’t name a single Kings player. I  DO seem to remember something about the Anaheim Ducks winning something.  Oh and there hasn’t been a football team for a decade and a half. If we didn’t have the AVP, I’d have to move.

Dull, complacent, limp-- that’s the LA Sports Scene. Until now.

Leave it to a bunch of gals to bring some ball bearings into this struggling sports town. Ladies and Gentlemen, I present the LA DERBY DOLLS.

Jen Boss

Last weekend’s Miami AVP Open offered few surprises in the upper ranks. Team TerrorMisty May and Kerri Walsh reigned supreme. There were a couple of chinks in their lycra armor dropping one to EY and Nicole, but they held steady.

Rachel Wacholder and Tyra Turner got knocked out in the semifinals as did Team Crackpot (Jen Ross and April Boss formerly known as Team Spoiler ). It's  just the first tourney folks are still getting warm. This weekend in Dallas will be a much different story.