How did Matt Anderson’s baseball career progress from high school to college. What were Matt Anderson’s key achievements and statistics during his time at Georgia Southern University. How did Matt Anderson contribute to the Eagles’ baseball program as a catcher and hitter.
Matt Anderson’s High School Baseball Career
Matt Anderson’s baseball journey began at Evans High School in Evans, Georgia, where he played under head coach Ricky Beale. During his high school career, Anderson demonstrated exceptional skills both offensively and defensively:
- Hit an impressive .424 batting average as a senior
- Recorded five home runs in his final high school season
- Named to the All-Region team four times
- Selected for the All-State team three times
These accomplishments set the stage for Anderson’s transition to collegiate baseball, showcasing his potential as a valuable asset to any college program.
Freshman Year at Georgia Southern University
In 2016, Matt Anderson began his college baseball career at Georgia Southern University. His freshman year statistics provide insight into his early development as a collegiate athlete:
- Played in 35 games
- Started 28 games as catcher
- Batting line: .208/.236/.305 in 82 plate appearances
- Recorded 15 hits in 73 at-bats
- Scored 9 runs and drove in 8 RBIs
- Hit doubles against College of Charleston (3/1) and Savannah State (4/6)
- Season-high 3 RBIs vs. Savannah State (4/6)
Despite modest offensive numbers, Anderson’s defensive skills and game management as a catcher were valuable to the Eagles. His academic performance was also noteworthy, as he was named to the Sun Belt Commissioner’s List.
Overcoming Adversity: Redshirt Sophomore Year
Anderson’s sophomore year in 2017 presented a significant challenge. Due to an injury, he was forced to redshirt for the season. However, this setback did not deter his commitment to the team:
- Served as the team’s bullpen catcher during rehabilitation
- Continued to contribute to the program despite being unable to play
- Used the time to recover and prepare for a strong return
This experience likely helped Anderson develop mental toughness and a deeper understanding of the game, which would prove beneficial in future seasons.
Breakout Performance: Redshirt Sophomore Season
After recovering from his injury, Matt Anderson returned to action in 2018 for his redshirt sophomore season. This year marked a significant increase in playing time and production:
- Appeared in 45 games with 44 starts
- Started 43 games as catcher and 1 as designated hitter
- Batting line: .224/.306/.333 in 147 at-bats
- Recorded 33 hits, including 10 doubles and 2 home runs
- Drove in 14 runs, drew 14 walks, and scored 14 runs
- Showcased defensive prowess by throwing out 20 of 45 stolen base attempts
- Picked off 6 runners, demonstrating excellent awareness behind the plate
Anderson’s performance this season established him as a key player for the Eagles, particularly in his defensive role as catcher.
Continued Growth: Redshirt Junior Year
In 2019, Matt Anderson’s redshirt junior season saw him further solidify his role on the team:
- Started all 28 games he played in
- Batting average of .235 in 102 at-bats
- Highlight game against UL-Monroe: 2-for-4 with a home run and 2 RBIs in a 9-8 victory
- Ranked second on the team with 246 putouts
- Led the team by throwing out 15 stolen base attempts
- Contributed to 26 double plays, second-most on the team
- Successfully executed 5 sacrifice bunts
Anderson’s defensive skills continued to be a major asset for Georgia Southern, while his offensive contributions helped secure important wins.
Adapting to Challenges: Redshirt Senior Season
The 2020 season, Anderson’s redshirt senior year, was impacted by external factors, likely including the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the shortened season, he made the most of his opportunities:
- Appeared in 15 of the team’s 16 games, starting 10
- Posted a strong .333 batting average in 30 at-bats
- Recorded 10 hits, scored 6 runs, and drove in 5 RBIs
- Led the team with 98 putouts
- Drew 4 walks, showing improved plate discipline
- Maintained defensive excellence, throwing out 6 of 7 attempted base stealers
Anderson’s performance in this abbreviated season demonstrated his ability to produce under unusual circumstances and maintain a high level of play.
Finishing Strong: Graduate Season
In 2021, Matt Anderson returned for his graduate season, capping off his collegiate career with another solid performance:
- Appeared in 37 games, starting 28
- Recorded 8 doubles and drove in 10 RBIs
- Showed improved plate discipline with 12 walks and 2 hit-by-pitches
- Excelled defensively with a .993 fielding percentage
This final season showcased Anderson’s growth as a player and his consistent contribution to the Georgia Southern baseball program.
Academic Achievements
Throughout his college career, Matt Anderson demonstrated a commitment to excellence both on the field and in the classroom:
- Named to the Sun Belt Honor Roll (2016-17)
- Included on the Sun Belt Commissioner’s List (2015-16)
- Graduated with honors from Evans High School
These academic achievements highlight Anderson’s dedication to being a true student-athlete, balancing the demands of collegiate sports with academic rigor.
Impact on Georgia Southern Baseball
Matt Anderson’s career at Georgia Southern University spanned several years and saw him overcome significant challenges. His contributions to the Eagles’ baseball program were multifaceted:
- Defensive anchor behind the plate, consistently throwing out would-be base stealers
- Steady offensive contributor, particularly in his later seasons
- Leader by example, returning from injury to play a key role on the team
- Versatile player, occasionally filling in as a designated hitter
- Academic role model, maintaining high standards in the classroom
Anderson’s journey from a promising high school player to a reliable collegiate catcher demonstrates the growth and development possible in a college baseball program.
Statistical Highlights and Career Progression
To better understand Matt Anderson’s development over his college career, let’s examine some key statistical trends:
- Batting Average: Improved from .208 as a freshman to .333 in his redshirt senior year
- Games Played: Increased from 35 in his freshman year to a career-high 45 in his redshirt sophomore season
- Defensive Prowess: Consistently threw out a high percentage of base stealers, peaking at 85.7% (6 of 7) in his shortened redshirt senior season
- Extra-Base Hits: Showed power development, hitting 10 doubles and 2 home runs in his redshirt sophomore year
These statistics reflect Anderson’s growth as a player, particularly in his offensive contributions and his ability to control the running game from behind the plate.
Legacy at Georgia Southern
Matt Anderson’s career at Georgia Southern University leaves a lasting impact on the baseball program:
- Demonstrated resilience by overcoming injury and returning to play at a high level
- Provided consistency behind the plate, anchoring the Eagles’ defense
- Showed steady improvement in offensive production throughout his career
- Set an example for balancing athletic and academic commitments
- Contributed to the team’s success through both individual performance and leadership
Future Georgia Southern baseball players can look to Anderson’s career as an example of perseverance, dedication, and gradual improvement over time.
Conclusion
Matt Anderson’s baseball journey from Evans High School to Georgia Southern University is a testament to the power of dedication, resilience, and continuous improvement. His progression from a promising high school player to a reliable collegiate catcher demonstrates the potential for growth within a college baseball program. Anderson’s ability to overcome injury, improve his offensive output, and maintain defensive excellence throughout his career serves as an inspiration to aspiring college athletes. His academic achievements further underscore the importance of balancing athletic pursuits with educational goals. As Matt Anderson’s collegiate career comes to a close, he leaves behind a legacy of hard work, leadership, and consistent contribution to the Georgia Southern Eagles baseball program.
Top #chytryplanVitala Twitter Memes (Even Matt Anderson Got Recruited)
The internet volleyball community can sometimes be a wonderful place. During this year’s WCH, it has had the opportunity to really shine, but maybe its biggest hour so far has been the viral hashtag created prior to Poland’s game against Serbia, in which the Poles would have to go all out in order to guarantee a spot in the tournament’s Final 6, which it did.
A background: Poland is the current World Champions and won all of its Round 1 games. However, its Round 2 was nothing short of a disaster, after it lost games to Argentina and France. That meant that for Poland to advance, it would have to beat the mighty Serbian squad. The official Polish Volleyball Federation posted a tweet prior to the game that the team’s coach, Vital Heynen, had a “cunning plan” to do so, and so the #chytryplanVitala was born.
Polish fans tried to guess just what this “cunning” plan would be. Would Heynen surprisingly have Team USA’s Matt Anderson in the starting line up? Would he bring out the 2014 World Champion team, mainly Mariusz Wlazły and Paweł Zagumny, to play? Better yet, would he surprise fans with Wilfredo Leon ready to play for the team? Some fans even wrote songs with the hashtag. We show you the best memes:
#chytryplanVitala pic.twitter.com/eemjM7bz97
— Michał Wolanin (@MichaWolanin87) September 23, 2018
Just @vitalheynen things. #chytryplanVitala #FIVBMensWCH #POLSRB pic.twitter.com/emoJ7H5VyR
— Cezary Makarewicz (@Cezarystoteles) September 23, 2018
Matt Anderson zgłaszający się by pomóc reprezentacji Polski. Koloryzowane. 2018#chytryplanVitala pic.twitter.com/imrFkSEF50
— szmaterlok (@m4r_g0) September 23, 2018
Wszystkie ręce na pokład!#chytryplanVitala pic.twitter.com/g74lpAbgZH
— Miśka 19:28 ?? ?? (@10mona17) September 23, 2018
On wiedział #chytryplanVitala pic. twitter.com/XC5fgLqEND
— biało-czerwony zawał?? (@ponadniebo) September 23, 2018
Na Serbie powrót i debiut #chytryplanVitala pic.twitter.com/PVetnlveKu
— Paweł (@PaulBaum22) September 23, 2018
#chytryplanVitala pic.twitter.com/WjSL8CgIDx
— Artur Skrzypczyński (@ASkrzypczynski) September 23, 2018
Do składu na mecz z Serbią dołączy Zygmunt Chajzer#chytryplanVitala pic.twitter.com/nQ2DcuNRaM
— Miśka 19:28 ?? ?? (@10mona17) September 22, 2018
Znamy część składu na dzisiejszy mecz z Serbią, same znane twarze #chytryplanVitala pic.twitter.com/0hIaA6unHS
— Mrs Chanandler Bong (@Karolina_Fabi) September 23, 2018
z piosenką przez siatkówkę odcinek kolejny!#chytryplanVitala
ogólnie jestem chora więc musicie bardziej docenić pic. twitter.com/z5UBz2SUtU— aguś (@agusialke) September 23, 2018
Matt Anderson – Baseball – Georgia Southern University Athletics
Sun Belt Honor Roll (2016-17)
Sun Belt Commissioner’s List (2015-16)
GRADUATE (2021): Started 28 of the 37 games he appeared in this season… Tallied eight doubles and drove in 10 RBIs… Drew 12 walks and was hit by two pitches… Posted a .993 fielding percentage in 2021…
REDSHIRT SENIOR (2020): Appeared in 15 of the 16 games this season, starting 10… Hit .333 on the year with 30 at bats… Anderson tallied six runs, on 10 hits and drove in five RBIs… Led the team in putouts with 98 and drew four walks… Threw out six of seven runners attempting to steal…
REDSHIRT JUNIOR (2019): Played and started 28 games…Hit .235 on year with 102 at bats…Against UL-Monroe, Anderson went 2-4 from the plate including a home run and two RBIs in a 9-8 Eagles win. ..Was second on the team in putouts with 246…Led the team throwing out 15 stolen base attempts.Was second on the team with 26 double plays…Had five successful sacrifice bunts.
REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE (2018): Played in 45 games with 44 starts… Started 43 games behind the plate and one at designated hitter… Hit .224/.306/.333 in 147 at bats… Posted 33 hits with 10 doubles and two home runs… Drove in 14 runs with 14 walks and 14 runs scored… Threw out 20 of 45 stolen base attempts while picking off six runners.
SOPHOMORE (2017): Redshirted while rehabbing an injury, serving as the team’s bullpen catcher.
FRESHMAN (2016): Played in 35 games… All 28 starts were as catcher… Hit .208/.236/.305 in 82 plate appearances… Tallied 15 hits in 73 AB, scoring nine runs and eight RBI… Hit doubles vs. College of Charleston (3/1) and Savannah State (4/6)… Season-high three RBI vs. Savannah State (4/6)… Named to Sun Belt Commissioner’s List.
PREP: Played for head coach Ricky Beale at Evans High School. .. Hit .424 as a senior with five home runs… Named All-Region four times and picked All-State three times… Graduated with honors from Evans High School.
PERSONAL: Born Matthew James Anderson on August 17, 1996 in Evans, Ga… Son of Steve and Elizabeth Anderson… Has two brothers, Kyle and Clay… His twin brother Kyle pitched at South Carolina before transferring to Georgia Southern in the fall of 2017… Has three family members who played college sports: Aunt Ashlee Odum, softball at Augusta State – Cousin Caroline Edmunds, soccer at Francis Marion – Cousin Kody Belcher, baseball at USC Aiken.
MAJOR: Exercise Science
Matt Anderson – Head Men’s & Women’s Water Polo Coach – Staff Directory
Matt Anderson, who has been recognized as the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) Division III National Coach of the Year, recently completed his seventh season as the head coach of the men’s and women’s water polo teams at Connecticut College in 2020-21.
Anderson has made an immediate impact on both programs and has brought them to new heights. The women’s team has advanced to the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) championship match three times, capturing the league crown twice in 2015 and 2017, while the men’s program has set school records for most wins in a four-year span three consecutive times. The Class of 2018 won 24 matches, and the two succeeding classes registered 26 and 30 victories, respectively, in their careers, respectively. The women’s program also boasted the second-highest GPA in the nation for all NCAA divisions in 2015.
Furthermore, Anderson has mentored a combined eight women’s ACWPC All-Americans and 11 All-America Honorable Mention selections over the last six years. Kelsey Millward ’16 most notably made ACWPC All-America First Team as well as the CoSIDA Academic All-America Women’s At-Large Third Team during her senior year. Meanwhile, the men’s program has produced two All-America selections and an additional seven All-America Honorable Mention winners.
Prior to his arrival at Connecticut College, Anderson served as the head coach of the women’s water polo program at the University of Michigan for 12 years. He led the Wolverines to four NCAA Tournament appearances and was named the CWPA Western Division Coach of the Year six times. The program also racked up 332 wins and 10 division titles while producing 27 All-Americans, including USA Olympic goalie Betsy Armstrong, during his tenure.
Anderson’s success as a coach, which included stints at his alma mater, San Jose State, and Indiana University, extends beyond the college level. His experiences include 11 years of coaching high school programs in California. On the scholastic level, he was the head coach of boys and girls water polo and swimming at Santa Clara High School, Newbury Park High School, and Los Gatos High School. At the national level, Anderson was an assistant coach for United States Men’s Water Polo for the national junior, youth, and cadet team between 1999 and 2009. In addition, he won a silver medal at the 2011 World University Games as the head coach of the United States Women’s Senior National B Team. The veteran mentor served as the head coach of the United States Women’s National B Team from 2010-12.
Anderson has also been heavily involved with the sport at the national administrative level and is currently the chair of the NCAA Water Polo Rules Committee. He is also chairing the NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championship Committee beginning in the 2018-19 academic year after previous serving as the chair of the NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championship Committee. Anderson is the only person to have served as the chair for all three of the NCAA’s water polo committees.
A 1991 graduate of San Jose State and native of San Diego, Anderson also teaches physical education classes at Connecticut College. He currently resides in the area with his wife, Tara, son, Everett, and daughter, Eden.
Marketing Archives – mattanderson.orgmattanderson.
org
I’ve compiled a list of marketing superstars that I follow on Twitter. Follow these people to stay current on marketing in 2013!
1. Pam Moore @PamMktgNut 50% mktg 50% geek, CEO entrepreneur social business strategist, speaker, author, lover of God Family Friends Beach & Life! Forbes TOP 10 Social Media Influencer · Orlando, FL · http://www.pammarketingnut.com
2. Shelly Kramer @ShellyKramer Marketing/brand strategist, idea generator, digital content magician, scribbler, information junkie. Luv MilkDuds+Beer. Member of Oversharers Anonymous. · Kansas City, MO · http://www.v3im.com
3. Kerry O’Shea Gorgone @KerryGorgone JD/MBA. Marketing Professor @fullsail. Speaker. Writer: @MarketingProfs, @smxplorer, {grow} blog, @HuffingtonPost, @entmagazine, @B2Community & more · Orlando, FL · huffingtonpost.com/kerry-oshea-gorgone
4. Ann Tran @AnnTran_ Social media consultant & travel & tech writer. Lover of nature & wine. Forbes Top10 Social Media Influencer. Verizon® #VZWBuzz
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ann-tran/ · Washington, D.C. · http://ann-tran.com/
5. CIO White Papers @CIOWhitePapers Free Industry White Papers and Reports in Cloud Computing, Business Intelligence, Social Media, CRM, ERP and Enterprise Marketing Technologies. · Los Angeles · http://ciowhitepapers.com
6. Rick Bakas @RickBakas Husband » Former NIKE brand guy » VP Mktg at Mobile Payments co. @PressPay » Sommelier » Founder of @BakasMedia » Obsessed w/ wine & food » Connector · Sonoma, CA · rickbakas.com/about-2
7. Brooke Griffin @BrookeGriffin_
#Business
#Marketing
#Inspiration Social Media Producer. Brand Strategist. Speaker | Music | Health | Fitness Fanatic | ‘Do What You Love~Excel at that.’ · San Diego + Los Angeles, CA · http://brookehgriffin.com/
8. Lori Taylor @lorirtaylor REV Media Marketing llc, You Bring The Rain, We Make It Pour. Mother of 5 & URL Junkie! #CEO
#Author
#SocialMedia
#Video
#Facebook
#Twitter Tips. · OH, NYC, CA · http://www.lorirtaylor.com
9. Michael R.H. Stewart @jerichotech Marketing futurist and Internet executive with over 21 years of broad experience in all aspects of online business, Social Media, and company management. · Scottsdale Arizona · http://www.jerichotechnology.com
10. Mike Allton @mike_allton Social Media and Internet Marketing consultant for small to medium businesses. Specialties include #SocialMedia, #Blogging, #SEO and #minestrone soup. · St. Louis, MO · http://www.TheSocialMediaHat.com
11. Ian Huckabee @WeejeeMedia Social strategist and technologist specializing in social media, learning and training. I’m a writer. As you feel your way along, feel good. · Chapel Hill / New York · http://weejeemedia.com
12. Rebekah Radice @RebekahRadice Social Media Marketing, Strategist, Branding, Blogger, Speaker, Trainer @BHGRealEstate | Coffee addict, sunshine lover & nuts about my 2 pups! ♥ · Los Angeles, CA · http://rebekahradice. com
13. Laura E. Pence @SocialSavvyGeek RVA Online Marketing Company specializing in Social Media! Conversation online. Savvy? · Richmond, VA, USA #RVA · http://SocialSavvyGeek.com
14. April Dunford @aprildunford Co-founder of RocketScope http://rocketscope.com a marketing accelerator and analyst firm. Startup marketing blogger at RocketWatcher. · Toronto · http://rocketwatcher.com
15. Peter Collins @Peter_Collins_ | Years of IT as Techie and Management | Marketing and Communication | International Sportsman | Cooking and wine | fan of Keith Floyd | not Pink · United Kingdom · http://socialmediamarketeers.imrtl.com/
16. Megan Leap @MeganLeap Marketing Director @OMInstitute. Love tech, marketing, good food, great wine, running marathons, and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. · South Florida/San Francisco · meganleap.com
17. Ann Handley @MarketingProfs Head of Content here at ‘Profs. People seem to like my writing: http://www.contentrulesbook.com
http://www. annhandley.com · Boston, Massachusetts · http://www.marketingprofs.com
18. William J. Ward @DR4WARD Social Media Professor in @NewhouseSU at @SyracuseU – Digital, Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, Journalism, Higher Ed, Innovation, Creativity, Design · Syracuse, New York · http://www.DR4WARD.com
19. Dennis Shiao @dshiao Director, Product Marketing at @INXPO and #Author of a lead generation book (http://amzn.to/cqadOu ). Sharing (hopefully) useful info, one tweet at a time. · San Mateo, CA · http://allvirtual.me
20. Giles Farrow @SmartSoftMarket Helping Software Companies and Startups improve their Marketing. Tweets on #ProdMktg
#Startup
#Software
#Marketing. http://smartsoftwaremarketing.co.uk/ · West Sussex, UK · http://smartsoftwaremarketing.co.uk/
21. Carol Phillips @carol_phillips Notre Dame Marketing professor; Brand strategist; President independent market research & consulting firm, Brand Amplitude; #Millennials are my passion. · Michigan · http://www.brandamplitude.com
22. SEO.com @seocom Want to rank better in Google? Check out our services. Follow us for the best information about SEO, SEM and inbound marketing. Tweets by @Bebabz · Utah · http://www.seo.com
23. Beverly Macy @BeverlyMacy
#SMMUCLA 310-860-4788; beverlymacy at gmail; Blog @HuffPo; Author: The Power of Real-Time Social Media Marketing; Business Meets the Power of Social Media · Los Angeles, CA 90210 · http://www.gravitysummit.com
24. Bri Clark @Bri_Clark
#realtimesocialghoster
#marketingstrategist, owner of @belleconsult, #speaker, #author, #sassoligist, #belletip, #socialmediamarketor
#blogger
#strategist · Boise ID · http://briclarkthebelleofboise.blogspot.com
25. You Brand @YouBrandInc You have business challenges, we have answers. We help you achieve business breakthroughs and amplify it with digital marketing. · Minneapolis · http://www.youbrandinc.com
26. Joshua Duncan @joshua_d Tech marketing, busy dad, most likely hungry. Director of Product Management and Marketing @NoesisEnergy. · Austin, TX · http://www.arandomjog.com/
27. Carol Lynn Rivera @CarolLynnRivera Editor of Web.Search.Social. Business owner, collector of interesting people. Let’s talk marketing, books, food, inspiration and other delicious things. · Holmdel, NJ · http://www.websearchsocial.com
28. Bethany Simpson @bethanysimpson LA marketing director and video host with equal interest in creativity and logic / http://imediaconnection.com · Los Angeles
29. Pamela Konstantakis @pamelakonst Marketer, social media enthusiast, fashionista, dog lover, PSU Alum · USA
30. Christian Wig @christianwig Business and technology strategies, innovation and entrepreneurship. Combining #entarch and #businessmodel to prepare a #bizarch for the unknown. · Oslo · http://christianwig.com/about.html
31. Andrea Moe @AndreaMoe ENTP, dog lover, iPhone & iPad addict, experimental cocktail mixer, football chick, mother of a teenager, OH! and I do a little product managing and marketing · Atlanta
32. Peter McCarthy @petermccarthy Founder and Principal Consultant, McCarthy Digital. Working at the intersection of publishing, technology, and marketing. · Croton-on-Hudson, NY · http://www.mccarthy-digital.com
33. Ubaid Saleem @Ubaid_Saleem Digital executive. Tweets abt Product Mgmt, Strategy, Customer Exp, Innovation, Leadership, Management & Marketing. Love tech, gadgets & SciFi. Opinions my own. · Northern Virginia
34. Jennifer Doctor @jidoctor Passionate experienced Product Marketing & Management leader … & lifelong Red Sox fan! (Views expressed are mine.) · Delray Beach, FL · http://www.outsideinview.com
35. Steve Rotter @sjrotter Entrepreneur, Evangelist, Author, Family Man, & VP Marketing @brightcove. Fascinated by great marketing, data visualization and building digital brands.
36. Sally Duda @SallyOutLoud Marketing Operations Manager; coffee lover; wannabe singer; thinks out loud. · Greater Philadelphia Area
37. Noelene Mostert @NoeleneMostert Marketing Manager @quirkagency, wine diva, rugby fanatic, baking enthusiast, closet tree hugger and digitally curious in general. Follow me! · Johannesburg
38. Keith Hamrick @keithremarks Product #Marketing Manager @SAP. Excited by the #extreme, fascinated by the #mysterious. Passionate about #technology. Avid #triathlete. Tweets are mine. · San Francisco
39. Mathieu Hannouz @repackaged Technology is good. Understanding customers is better. Specifying biz cases that drive value is best! This is what I do. Sr Product/Marketing Manager @neolane · Boston, MA · http://about.me/repackaged
40. Tom Evans @compellingpm Helping companies identify compelling market opportunities, create compelling products and define compelling go-to-market strategies. · Austin, TX · compellingpm.com
Who else should people follow? Leave a comment!
Matt Anderson – Football – University of Minnesota Morris Athletics
Choose a Player:
Abfalter, Chase
Anderson, Matt
Beranek, Evan
Chastan-Davis, Terrence
Checkal, Trevor
Cleare-Glover, Shannon
Combellick, Colter
Coromelas, Chris
DeAdder, Zack
Dower, Leandro
Evans, Luke
Fischer, Weston
Forstrom, Caleb
Foss, Brendon
Foss, Derrick
Friess, Steven
Garrigan, Dan
Gertken, Zach
Gramenz, Todd
Gramm, Tanner
Hansen, Curtis
Heickley, Andrew
Hickman, Cody
Hiltner, Josh
Hoffman, Ted
Irlbeck, Justin
Jensen, Adam
Johnson, Devon
Johnson, Shane
Kernan, Danny
Kettler, Ben
Kigner, Ross
Klaphake, Jordan
Kroells, Zach
Lozancich, Josh
Mathiowetz, Chad
Mensing, Garrett
Miller, Zeke
Molden, Bryce
Moore, Reed
Mork, Brandon
Nelson, Eric
Paine, William
Peterson, Chris
Peterson, Tyler
Roggenbuck, Tony
Schumacher, Geoffrey
Solberg, Nick
Spohn, Dustin
Sturtz, Gabe
Threadgill, Zak
Walters, Nathan
White, Anthony
Wirz, Jacob
Wollin, Peter
Zdrazil, Matt
Zimmer, Mitch
Go
-
- Class
- Senior
-
- Height
- 5-9
-
- Weight
- 235
-
- Position
- DL
-
- Hometown
- Hibbing, Minn.
-
- Highschool
- Hibbing H.S.
Hot USA Volleyball Player Matt Anderson
Want to drive Matt’s car?
If you do and you have $27,000, then you might want to contact the 2014 World League Champion!
Per Matt:
So I bought this car back in March of 2012, at that time is was Carbon Black. Since the purchase I have done quite a few mods to it, including painting it Alpine White, over the past 3 years. All of the modding has taken place at LTMW up in El Monte. Since I am overseas for 7-9 months annually the car is stored at their shop. It is currently there as I am now in Russia until May. I am selling this car because Im looking to get into an Audi S8 come spring time. Ok enough chit chat here is the low down just off the top of my head. Im still getting all of the inquires from LTMW.
MODS (Modifications):
KW V2 coilovers
19×8.5 19×9.5 Forged1 split 7s (its terrible but I forget the actual widths)
wheels wrapped in Hankook Ventus V12s
M-tech F&R bumpers
Full Carbon CSL trunk
Tinted side markers
StopTech Brakes
Blacked out headlight units
LED angel eyes
3500 HID fogs
Volkommen Design CF front lip
RB turbos
Down Pipes
Cat-less Exhaust
Blow-off Valve
Charge Pipie
Cobb Tune
JB4 Tune
Oil Cooler
Front Mount Intercooler
Intake
Spark Plugs
Tinted windows all around (not sure of the % but its dark)
Interior LED kit
CF kidney grilles
CF B&W roundels
When I had the car painted (you can see in the pictures) I had them leave the roof and side mirrors Carbon Black. Also had them leave a strip on the tip of the CSL trunk CB as well. The interior is Saddle Brown and unfortunately I dont have any recent photos of it. In my opinion it is 10/10 though. For as much as I dont know about cars (Im sure you can tell by my wonderful attention to detail in the modding process) I do take great care of my cars. I had it handwashed weekly and annually all the fluids and filters were swapped/cleaned. I had the transfer box/case for the X-Drive replaced this past summer. The inquiry and warranty info are in the glove. It was replaced by Matt and Eric at Top-End motorwerks, it was a lot closer to my place than LTMW and they are great guys as well. The car has just over 72,000 miles on it. There are some exterior photos but sadly I dont have any recent interior pics. Once I get the rest of the information from LTMW I will add anything that Ive forgotten to list.
For fun, I added two 10in lightening audio subs with a custom trunk box. Installed by Tony at Wave Audio in Newport Beach.
Like I said, the car is located at LTMW up in El Monte. Long is sometimes hard to get ahold of but he knows everything about my car. Also Darren knows it pretty well too. I am asking $27,000 but I will entertain offers. However, not in a rush to sell the car. If it happens it does, if not it will most likely become a garage queen next to my E46 M3 and 67 Mustang!!!
Pictures:
If you decide to buy it, who knows you might also win a DATE with Matt.
JK!
Some of Matt’s cars…
A guy can never have too many cars. Welcome to the collect my #babyblue #e46 #LSB #M3 #LTMW pic.twitter.com/apngrScxqq
— Matt Anderson (@MattAnderson_1) April 9, 2014
@EMawhinney5 pic.twitter.com/sYvkh4dlym
— Matt Anderson (@MattAnderson_1) September 26, 2013
Click here to contact Matt.
AIG and Blackstone Close Transaction Relating to Life & Retirement Business
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Nov. 2, 2021– American International Group, Inc. (NYSE: AIG) and Blackstone (NYSE: BX) today announced that the previously disclosed transaction for Blackstone to acquire a 9.9% equity stake in AIG’s Life & Retirement business and for Blackstone to manage an initial $50 billion of Life & Retirement’s existing investment portfolio has closed.
About AIG
American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is a leading global insurance organization. AIG member companies provide a wide range of property casualty insurance, life insurance, retirement solutions, and other financial services to customers in approximately 80 countries and jurisdictions. These diverse offerings include products and services that help businesses and individuals protect their assets, manage risks and provide for retirement security. AIG common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
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About Blackstone
Blackstone is one of the world’s leading investment firms. We seek to create positive economic impact and long-term value for our investors, the companies we invest in, and the communities in which we work. We do this by using extraordinary people and flexible capital to help companies solve problems. Our $731 billion in assets under management include investment vehicles focused on private equity, real estate, public debt and equity, life sciences, growth equity, opportunistic, non-investment grade credit, real assets and secondary funds, all on a global basis. Further information is available at www.blackstone.com. Follow Blackstone on Twitter @Blackstone.
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AIG Contacts: Quentin McMillan (Investors): [email protected] Dana Ripley (Media): [email protected]
Blackstone Contacts: Weston Tucker (Investors): Weston. [email protected] Matt Anderson (Media): [email protected]
Source: American International Group, Inc. and Blackstone
90,000 Volleyball player Anderson: want to leave Brazil with an Olympic gold medal
– He’s only one player. An excellent player, I will not deny, but only one. Our team also has many excellent volleyball players. These are Wilfredo Leon, and Maxim Mikhailov, and other guys who can win the match for Zenit. And when we are all in shape, when we are given the game, watching Zenit is a pleasure. Everything happens as if by itself. It’s like trying to stop a tsunami: it’s coming at you, one wave after another.
– Do you like playing in Poland, where volleyball is much more popular than in Russia?
– The energy of the hall, of course, is simply incredible. At matches, 13-14 thousand fans gather, they drive you forward, and it doesn’t matter who the fans support. Even if you are tired, you want to find strength from within and play even better.
New tactics
– After the arrival of Alexander Butko, you began to attack much more and gain even more points than Wilfredo Leon.Is it a coincidence or has it really changed a lot?
– It’s hard not to give in to Leon, who is now one of the best strikers in the world. He won many matches for Zenit and this tactic worked. He brought us 80% of the points, but then other teams began to get used to the fact that Zenit was playing through Leon. Why bother with Mikhailov, Anderson and the blockers if Leon would have got the ball anyway? And then we started having problems. We won, but not so confidently. We didn’t show the game that we should have, that we wanted.Butko came, and the coaches explained to him that a balanced attack is much more dangerous than Leon alone.
Now our opponent has to guess who the ball will go to – me, Leon, Mikhailov or Andrey Ashchev, although before that it most often went to Wilfredo. This makes our game more dangerous.
– This tactic is clearly to your liking.
– Naturally, I’m more in the game. I feel like I’m doing more for the team than I did before, when I didn’t attack so often, but mostly accepted and passed.But for me it is not my own statistics that is more important, but the fact that Zenit has begun to play better.
Legionnaires in Russia
– After last year’s Final Four, you were going to play for Perugia, but in the end you gave up the transition. Why?
– I haven’t told yet, but before the Final Four in Berlin I seriously hurt my back. I had a spasm, it was hard to move, let alone play. It’s good that I managed to heal a little, but by speeding up the recovery, I further exacerbated the problem.And if I went to Perugia, I would have missed some time and would have been able to help the team only in the later stages of the playoffs. In this case, one of the players would have to give me a seat, although I was not with them throughout the season. Of course, it’s a pity that I let Nikola Grbiche, whom I promised to help, and I wanted to play in Italy, but that was the situation.
– After the “Final Four” -2015 you were not sure if you would return to Zenit. Why did you decide to sign a new contract?
– I wasn’t sure if I wanted to spend another season in Russia.I didn’t know how much one more year at Zenit would help to achieve my goal – to win the Olympic Games. But I was bribed by the professionalism of all employees of the Kazan club, its focus on the highest places and the ability to play for victory in every match, in every tournament. It’s a huge experience when every game is like a final for you. I decided that returning to Zenit would be the right step, and, fortunately, the club was also happy to see me.
– Leading volleyball players of the world, such as Bartosz Kurek, Ivan Zaitsev, Erwin Ngapet, spent from six months to two seasons in Russia without much success, and then returned to Europe. As a legionnaire, can you explain why not all stellar aliens take root in the Super League?
Anderson’s farewell interview – about money, girlfriend and seven years in Russia
The American has a few matches left for Zenit-Kazan.
On May 2 (18:30 Moscow time) and May 3 (17:30 Moscow time) Zenit-Kazan will start the final series of the Russian championship with their home matches against Kuzbass Kemerovo. For 32-year-old American winger Matthew Anderson these games can become farewell to the Kazan fans – next season he will continue his career in Italian Modena, from where he came to Zenit seven years ago.
In a big interview with “BUSINESS Online” Matthew spoke about his love for pilaf, “Game of Thrones” and vintage cars, confessed what habits he had in Russia and remembered how he ended up in Kazan.
Matthew Anderson / photo (hereinafter): Roman Kruchinin, zenit-kazan. com
“I had a contract in Italy, but I wanted to leave Modena,” Anderson says. – There was a little confusion in the team, which affected the results – the players with the coaches could not find a common ground.And Modena is not an easy place to play volleyball. As in Kazan, everyone there and always expects only victories. So, somewhere in late May – early June, my manager Luca Novi announced that he had an offer from Dynamo Moscow, and also talked about the situation with Juantorena and Zenit. Kazan also wanted to see me at home. But I was not sure what to choose, since I did not know anything about the Russian league. The money and contract duration were the same, so I asked Luka for advice. “Kazan has the best team in the world.There you will either become a player, or you will fail and you will be abandoned, ”he said. I decided that Kazan suits me.
“SO Couldn’t Understand RUSSIAN DRIVING AND MAIL”
– Matt, there were a lot of Americans at Zenit, but perhaps the hardest thing for you was to adapt to Russian culture. Why is that?
– Yes, we are all Americans, but we have different characters. I’m more private. It is impossible for my profession not to accept the culture of another country.I cannot demand that everything be American. But I like to be more private, because people don’t need to know what I do every day.
This does not mean that I do not respect your culture and did not want to accept it. It was interesting for me to watch how different people behave in a given situation. For example, a few years ago we went with a team to play paintball, it was great. Once someone cooked a traditional Uzbek pilaf, and it was incredible. We went to the circus to look at tigers – this was the first time I was in such a place, and that was also impressive.
– Did you touch the tiger?
– Come on. I’m afraid of them. They are huge. I do not really like the circus, because I do not accept such an attitude towards animals, but I understand that in that place they are taken care of and treated with respect.
– Recently, the newcomer of Surgut, Machei Muzai, announced that the Russian Super League makes men out of boys. Do you agree with this?
– It is. This happens a lot. I’m not sure that I have spent the most years in Russia as a legionnaire, but I know for sure that the Super League is not an easy place to play volleyball.I’m not talking about the weather, other culture, and so on. Whether in Japan, in Italy or in Russia, our work remains the same. You need to get to the hall, practice and play. And it doesn’t matter how thick a hat or jacket you need to put on before you get into your car and arrive. But this is how my mind works, and many other legionnaires who did not stay in Russia think differently. But I’m better off. It’s easier to sign a new contract. But you need to understand that in Kazan, the attitude towards players is different from other clubs.They respect me here, and I cannot but respect Zenit. It took me a couple of years to understand how communication occurs within the team on the site and beyond, what Vladimir Alekno needs, and so on. I never learned Russian for normal communication, for which I am a little ashamed, but on the other hand it would not change me as a person, as a player.
– Is your Russian language generally bad?
– I know enough words to understand Alekno in training and when there is a video analysis of matches.In these situations, I understand 90 percent of everything they say. Slang is more difficult, but I can put the pieces of this puzzle together.
– What Russian habits have you acquired during your performances in Kazan?
– There is one. If someone steps on my foot, I must step on him. At the same time, I’m not particularly superstitious, but this thing hooked me. It was funny when, in the US team, I asked a couple of young guys to step on my foot when I stepped on them, and they were surprised.What are these Russian things in this Anderson’s head? I’m also used to everyone shaking hands when they meet, but we don’t do that in the USA.
– Many hockey players from North America, after spending several years in Russia, then say bad things about the KHL and our country. Will you also tell scary tales about bears and balalaikas?
– I don’t think so. I also had unpleasant stories in Russia, but this happened very rarely and in general could have happened in another country.For example, it pisses me off when there are no queues at Russian airports. People, like horses with blinders in their eyes, do not see anything around, although here I am, a two-meter man, standing in front of them. But you get used to it. It is clear that such things are still frustrating, but you go to the airport and understand that this can happen, so you take a deep breath and endure. I cannot change the culture of behavior of these people, so there is no need to dwell on this. But I can’t say anything bad about the culture in the club, the team and the whole league.
– Many of the foreigners are not happy with food in Russia . ..
– I don’t understand everything either. I grew up in the USA, everything is different there. For example, before games, I cannot eat chocolates, and this is exactly what we are given for an afternoon snack – banana, chocolate, coffee. Ate – go play. But I know about it and therefore I take with me what I like. Protein bars, something else. The chocolates are delicious, but I can’t eat them before matches. Now what to complain? Borscht is a cool thing. And also cabbage soup, noodles, other soups.But pilaf is the best.
– What can you not understand in Russia even after seven years of playing in Kazan?
– The way cars are driven here. This is very difficult to get used to, but again I tell myself that people should not drive cars the way I do, and I try to calm myself down. It’s hard though. And also – the work of the mail. You pay extra for fast shipping, but it still takes three weeks. How so ?! In America, you get used to the fact that Amazon delivers everything in 12 hours right to your doorstep, but here you wait for several weeks.
“JACKIE SUPPORTS ME LIKE ANYONE ELSE”
– I can roughly imagine what your first day in Russia was like, and what impressions your girlfriend Jackie had …
– Difficult (laughs) . She loves to travel, has visited many places, but, like me, she had to get used to a lot. People’s behavior at airports, weather. It can be frosty outside, and it can be hot in the room, like in a sauna. The food here is different, it is difficult to cook what she is used to.For example, she lacks fresh vegetables. She lived in California, which is full of farms where you can buy vegetables from the garden all year round, but there is no such thing. Several times we went for a walk in different parks, but again, it was so cold outside that we had enough for an hour. Bauman Street is very beautiful, there are many interesting buildings, but we cannot walk along it and take pictures of mosques every day, and this had to be done in winter. In Italy, she will be more comfortable.
– Still, you are leaving Kazan because of her?
– No, of course not.When I made the decision to leave Zenit, the first thing I thought about was my career. But my career is not only what I do on the site, but also the people who surround me. If they feel good, then I will be happy too. I want my family to be happy, and my girlfriend is part of the family. And I want to prepare for the 2020 Olympics in such a way as to win gold. In Modena I will play with two Americans, and one of them is the main setter for the US national team Mika Christensen. A good relationship, good chemistry is the key to success at big tournaments.Even if we played together in the national team for five years, it’s still difficult to immediately show the teamwork that guys have in the club. It takes time to get used to the player, to the system.
Of course, she also partially influenced my decision, but I myself want a different life. I like to walk the streets, but in Russia in winter it is uncomfortable. Unless, of course, you don’t put on layers of jackets, a huge hat, a scarf, boots, mittens and much more. It happens that you spend ten minutes on this, you go out into the street, and there is an impossible blizzard.Damn, you go back and take it off for another ten minutes.
– How did you meet?
– I played for the US national team against the Brazilians in Chicago, where she lived, and we met through social media. She didn’t know that I was a professional volleyball player, she just saw it somewhere, and that’s how it all started.
Anderson with his girlfriend Jackie / photo: Instagram.com/mja5041
– “Who plays volleyball in the USA? Students? ” She probably thought.
– Sort of. In fact, she was surprised to learn that men’s volleyball is an Olympic sport. Once on TV they showed a match of the US national team, which her mother watched, and Jackie asked her: “How long has volleyball been included in the Olympics program?” Such is the funny story.
– Who wrote first?
– She. I’m lucky. Happy it happened.
– And then she found out that you spend six months in Russia.AND?
– Yes, it was more difficult for me than for her. I was not ready to change something in my life so that it would somehow affect my playing career. We met in July 2017, talked a lot. Every day. She came to visit me in Buffalo, we met at every opportunity. And last summer we decided that we were a couple. I didn’t know how her move to Russia would affect my game, whether I could pay all my attention to volleyball, but it seems to be working out well. It is important that she is sympathetic to what I am doing.She knows that I cannot always be there, that I have an important job, and we talked a lot about this. But Jackie supports me like no one else in the world.
– A married couple from the USA in Russia is a funny story. What do you do in your free time?
– Collecting puzzles, watching TV. We have subscriptions to various online services like Netflix. Oh, we love Game of Thrones and watch it every week.
– Have you seen the new series?
– Of course! Who do you take me for? Very cool! I am delighted.We read a lot, communicate, get to know each other more and more. But we have no choice. It’s such a weather outside that we can’t leave each other and go somewhere. But I’m happy.
– Several years ago a girl asked me to give her Matt Anderson’s phone number because she had a “very, very important question.” Do they often write to you in a personal message with offers to meet?
– Not as often as people think. Sometimes fans ask to wish their friends and relatives a happy birthday, and it happens that I respond.But I don’t want social networks to ruin my personal life, to become too large a part of my personal space.
When I first found out about social networks, I was delighted! This is the best you could think of. Online, you can follow what the stars eat for breakfast, what they wear, and so on. But they have a downside. You get threats, complaints, insults, and some go crazy about the number of subscribers. I do not like this.
Yes, I sometimes received invitations from girls to meet, but I was not interested.
“EARLIER SPENDED A LOT OF MONEY – SOMETIMES WRONG A HEAD”
– Lloy Ball got himself a tattoo in the form of the coat of arms of Tatarstan after he left Kazan. Are you planning something like this?
– Maybe. Zenith and Kazan were a big part of my life, and all my tattoos, except for Buddha, symbolize the experience I got. Need a good idea. When I find a beautiful picture or some quote that will be associated with Russia, I will get a tattoo.
– What will you take with you from Russia to the USA besides medals?
– Of course, souvenirs, nesting dolls and the like. And from the unusual…. Zenit has a photographer Roman Kruchinin. He makes great photo albums, and I asked him to collect pictures with me for all seven years of performing in Russia. It will be a thick book. I came here when I was 25 years old, I had the face of a child. Now I am 32 years old, I have a growing beard. This book will be in my house and remind me of the past.When my children ask what I have been doing before, I will show them this photo album and remember some stories about Russia.
2012 Anderson (right) at the presentation of newcomers
– We can assume that you made good money in Kazan. What is a million dollars in a bank account for an American?
– That’s a lot of money. Although it all depends on how you live.
– Would Matt Anderson have enough of this for the rest of his life?
– For my lifestyle and what I want to have, this would not be enough.I want a house in a certain place, a happy spouse, children, cars. I want to travel, show my family the most beautiful places I’ve seen. I want to give children as much as possible, but at the same time keep them hungry for new achievements, for new dreams. I want to show them what helped me become who I became. And at the same time, explain to them how lucky I am to be in the right places at the right time, and so that they understand that not everyone is so lucky.
– Did you manage to save something during the game in Kazan, or did you spend most of it?
– Of course, in the first seasons I spent more.Sometimes my head was blown away. Not at all, but the purchases were serious. I could go to Las Vegas and the trip didn’t cost me $ 500. Nightclubs, parties and so on. Then I started buying cars, real estate. But in the past five years, I have been wisely managing my money, and I have some reserve. I have not finished my career yet, I hope that I will play for a few more years, but if for some reason I have to leave volleyball in a year or earlier, I will be fine. Of course, I have to work if I want to maintain the standard of living, but I’m not going to sit on the sofa at 40 and drink beer all day long. I’m not like that. We are athletes, we need to somehow express our emotions, to achieve something. It’s in our nature. It remains to find what exactly to do.
– This is the most difficult …
– Exactly! Very difficult and a little scary. I would like to find something that I love no less than volleyball and give myself to it. At the same time, I do not want to spend 18 hours a day on work, since I want to devote time to my family.Therefore, the work of a coach is not for me. At least for now.
– Where do American volleyball players invest? Real estate, shares?
– Differently. I will say that there are not many players in American volleyball who have earned enough in their careers to not work. They spend 5-6 years in small European leagues, and then they return home and find real work there. I did it differently, and I want to get the most out of it.I’m not just talking about money, but also about the pleasure of what I do.
– Remember the craziest purchase in your life …
– My cars. There are five of them now. One vintage car cost me 100 thousand dollars, but this is my hobby.
“TASED VODKA IN THE FIRST SEASON IN RUSSIA. THIS IS NOT MY “
– Did seven years in Russia make you tougher?
– I would say stronger and more resistant to external factors.When I first started out, these factors could affect my game. In one match I could shoot, in the next I could play below my capabilities. But that’s okay for young players. Now I try to keep my level at the same level without sharp drops. At Zenit I had so many important and difficult matches that I got used to responsibility and how to play in tense moments. Many players get lost when the result is at stake, while I, on the contrary, relax and calm down. I enjoy this tension.Madness, noise, din can go on in the hall, but in my head at these moments there is silence.
Seven years ago this was not the case. I was turned on by emotions, I could not control them, as now, and if you add to this a dose of caffeine before the game, you can imagine what was in my head. Now, at key moments of matches, the game seems to slow down. I understand her better, see her better. But sometimes I also break down and make a stupid decision.
– And sometimes you slow down a little in matches that Zenit wins without problems.Is it a lack of motivation?
– Possibly. But it all depends on my role. Maybe I don’t need to score 20 points in this match. You need to understand that we play 60 matches per season, and in some game I may not be in my best shape. The load is large, you do not always have time to recover completely.
– You said that propaganda strongly influenced your attitude towards Russia. Tell us more about this …
– Look, my parents grew up during the Cold War.Their parents also heard from politicians that Russia is a terrible country. They scared us with nuclear war and things like that. And I heard about all this since childhood, so it still stuck in my head. I understand that everything is possible with the current political situation, but propaganda forms a certain mindset in people, which can only be changed if you travel a lot, communicate with people from different countries. For example, we are scared by Muslims from the Middle East. And I was in Iran and met very nice people there.And it was not pretense on their part, it was sincere. And so in many places.
This is a very important lesson I learned while playing in Europe and other countries. In America, many things are taken for granted – freedom of speech, a high standard of living, but you need to understand that this is not the case in the whole world. This should be appreciated. What is the average salary in Kazan now? Dollars 500 – 600 per month? Quite a bit by US standards, and in Russia people need to feed their families, help their parents, pay rent.And when you see this, you realize how lucky you are in life. You understand that you are not special, you are the same as everyone else. That we are all people first of all, and only then Russians, Americans, Iranians and so on. You need to remember and understand this.
– Weren’t you afraid that everyone in Russia is a former KGB agent?
– Well, no, it never came to that. More frightening stories, when on a dark evening you go to the car, and on the way there is a person. And you do not know what is on his mind, what he will do.There are people like that in America too, but at least I could speak to him in English.
– Tell us about your first acquaintance with Russian vodka?
– Vodka? Phew, I don’t think I got drunk in Russia or even drank it. Maybe I tried it in my first season.
– In seven years? What will the USA think of you?
– I brought home “Beluga” and “Russian Standard”, treated my friends. But in Kazan, if I wanted to relax, I could have a couple of beers or whiskey.It’s better for me.
Anderson and Nikolay Apalikov
“FIRST BURNED OVER KOBZAR”
– Have you had moments when you wanted to give up everything and return to Europe or the USA?
– The first season was challenging. I came to a team that won everything, but for some reason – injuries or something else – we didn’t succeed. I remember that three days after my arrival in Kazan, Zenit defeated Lokomotiv in the Super Cup, losing with a score of 0 – 2.And I was impressed: “Wow! Now we will definitely break everyone and win everywhere! ” But no. Zenit became only the third in the Super League, lost in the Final Four of the Champions League. I won’t say that we were bad, but for me personally, a lot was new. I was just learning to play at this level. It’s good that I won at least a bronze medal in the Russian championship. I didn’t want to return to the United States empty-handed.
It was also difficult in the second season. In the fall, the binder Lukash Zhigadlo broke down, he was out for a long time.As a result, Zenit stayed with Igor Kobzar and Sergei Bagrey, so the club had to negotiate with Nikola Grbic. And he taught me a lot. Nikola had seen everything – the world championships, the Olympics, the Champions League, and I was a very young player who did not know a lot. Belgorod was very good that season. He won the Russian Cup, the Champions League, and the World Club Championship. But Zenit won in the Super League.
Before the Final Six, Maxim Mikhailov was injured, we were left with a very young Viktor Poletaev.Nicola told me before the matches that we will either win as a real team or fight. You can’t give up. I understood that a great load would fall on me in the attack, and it’s great that everything succeeded. It was one of the best weeks of my career. We simply destroyed Belgorod in the semifinals, and beat Lokomotiv in the final. My first championship, incredible emotions. The water tap opened and since then Zenit has won gold medals every year.
– Do you keep that bronze medal from the first season next to the gold ones or did you put it away?
– No, no, all the medals are in one safe, each of them is very important to me.I learned to win, I learned to deal with defeat, and I gained experience. It was the same with the US team.
– Lloy Ball called Vladimir Alekno his friend. What is your relationship with the Zenit head coach?
– I really respect him. He is a great coach. He makes us champions. I owe him a lot as a player. We may not have such a close relationship that he and Lloy had, but I know that any issue related to volleyball, we will solve with one phone call or text message.Alekno helped me a lot to become the player I am now.
Anderson and Evgeny Sivozhelez
– Who was your best friend at Zenit, apart from Nikola Grbic?
– Evgeny Sivozhelez. We played in the same position, by the way. It is interesting that in the first couple of seasons we did not communicate much, but when I proved that I came to Zenit not only for money, that I wanted to help the team, the relationship became closer. Victories and defeats brought each other closer.In recent years, I have talked a lot with Laurent Alekno and Valya Krotkov, because they speak English well. Of course, Max Mikhailov – he was there from the very beginning.
– Ahead is the final with Kuzbass and a meeting with good friends Igor Kobzar and Viktor Poletaev, with whom you won the first gold in the Super League.
– This is a good team. They play very risky volleyball with an emphasis on serving. I think Kuzbass must show all the best to defeat us, but we must do our best to become the first.We may be favorites, but this is based on the history of meetings and our previous titles. I look at the upcoming final with confidence, but it won’t be easy. You will have to try.
– How do you remember Igor Kobzar during his time at Zenit?
– Igor is a very talented player. I did not always agree with what decisions he made, but I have a certain attitude to what should be on the site and in training. And it’s okay for other players to have it different.Igor was different. This caused certain inconveniences, but with Igor, every workout and every lesson in the gym became a battle. You didn’t want Kobzar to win, as he was becoming unbearable. After a successful block or ace in training, he could wind up so that he wanted to say: “Bro, this is your first point in two hours, you don’t need to go crazy!” (laughs). But Igor expressed these emotions because he wanted to make the team better. I didn’t understand it right away.
– He ran around the court after each point scored by the team.How did you feel about this?
– At first I got crazy about it. Thought he was overestimating his contribution to the points scored. And then I realized that this is how Kobzar starts the team, and began to look at it differently.
– And what about Viktor Poletaev?
– Incredible talent. It is very difficult to play against him. He has a high jump, he is left-handed. He’s not as powerful as Georg Groser, but delivers with the same strength and complex trajectory. It will not be easy for Zenit in the series against Kuzbass.
BUSINESS Online DOSSIER
Matthew ANDERSON
Position: Spiker / Diagonal
Date of Birth: April 18, 1987
Place of Birth: Buffalo (USA)
University of Pennsylvania: Career: – 2008; Capital Skywalkers (Cheonan, Korea) – 2008 – 2010; Vibo Valentia (Italy) – 2010/11; Modena (Italy) – 2011/12; Zenit-Kazan (Russia) – 2012 – 2019.
Main d Achievements in clubs: Winner of the Champions League (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), Winner of the Club World Championship (2017), Champion of Russia (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018), Winner of the Cup of Russia (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), winner of the Russian Super Cup (2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018), silver medalist of the Korean Championship (2009, 2010).
Main achievements in the national team: bronze medalist of the Olympic Games (2016), winner of the World Cup (2015), winner of the World League (2014), bronze medalist of the World Championship (2018).
Individual Achievements: World Cup MVP (2015), Best Diagonal Nations League (2018), Best Diagonal World Championship (2018).
90,000 Matthew Anderson: “America is not as great as we tell each other”
“Sometimes I want to have fun, get drunk and act like an animal, but I can only free my ‘demons’ at a certain time,” admits Matthew Anderson.In a frank interview with BUSINESS Online, the American legionnaire of Kazan Zenit spoke about homosexuality and abandonment of religion, the possible impeachment of Trump and Russian hackers, collecting expensive cars and the impossibility of marrying a Russian girl.
Matthew Anderson | |
Photo: Sergey Elagin |
“DO NOT THINK THAT ALL KILLERS WILL END IN AMERICA”
– Matthew, during the US presidential elections you were in Kazan, but for whom did you want to vote?
– For Clinton.I think the path that Obama has followed for the past 10 years was very suitable for our country. The policy was not directed at any individuals or corporations, but at the broad masses.
– Would you go out into the streets of your native Buffalo to disagree with the actions of the new president?
– Difficult question. Now is the time when people can unite and defend their rights. I would join the protests, although it is against my nature, only in one case – if the decrees touched personally me or my family.I have a brother, sisters, mother, aunt, cousins. Some of the initiatives Trump is talking about may affect them.
– What exactly?
– For example, everything he says about equal labor rights for women.
– What do you think caused such dissatisfaction with Trump?
– His radical ideas. You cannot disenfranchise certain groups of people just because several members of those groups are doing something wrong.You can’t think that all murderers and rapists will suddenly end up in America. The population of our world will soon be eight billion. Of course, some part will want everything to burn out. Unfortunately, such people build up their influence in some parts of the world and force others to obey their ideas. For example, this applies to terrorists. Terrorism, unfortunately, is a part of our world. If we want there to be no Syrians in America at all, and indeed all Muslims, because some of them commit terrorist attacks, then let’s take a look at white people and how they have broken the law throughout history.It’s not about religion or ethnicity, but about people, human nature.
– Trump has a firm stance with regard to sexual minorities. Does this worry the Americans a lot?
– Yes. Over the years, people began to understand the thinking of minorities. Interestingly, the President of the United States is an elderly white man. He grew up in a different environment. And those people who grew up in the 90s and 2000s are more open to social views that are different from their own. If people see us talking in a cafe, they are unlikely to think that we are gay.But older people may have misunderstandings. I can establish a causal relationship to Trump’s worldview. But, I think, his game is here. Republicans are more radical, and Democrats have become more liberal. In the current situation, it is impossible without extremes, and this is frightening – you can see for yourself what drastic decisions Trump made in the first 10 days of his presidency.
– There is a opinion that Trump does not belong to the financial elite and does not want to invest in wars, focusing instead on domestic problems.
– Try to remove money from politics and you will lose the lobbyists who hold back the government in the areas of weapons, health care, entrepreneurship. Over the past four years, a lot has been done to make life easier for businessmen. Something like an impeachment could happen when Trump is removed from the presidency of the United States, but right now there is a strong Republican influence in parliament.
– Do you believe that Russian hackers influenced the election results?
– Not really.News has long been a business. We are being told inaccurate facts and fragmented truths. Decides what to tell and what to miss. Are hacker attacks possible? Yes. I think that all states are constantly exposed to such attacks. But when they say that Russia has hacked US computers, it creates hysteria, which is not always useful.
Photo: Sergey Elagin |
“IF YOU ARE HOMOSEXUALIST, IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT YOU WILL BURN IN Hell”
– In 2009 you had pneumonia, and in 2010 your father passed away.How did you react to these events? Did you become religious after that?
– Rather, the opposite process took place. I believe that God exists. But I don’t pray to him all day. I went to Catholic church with my family every Sunday. Now I think that you don’t have to follow religion to be a good person. I didn’t do anything that would make me look like a sinner in the eyes of God. I prefer to think that when my time comes, I will be in a good place. Or if reincarnation exists, I will become a being who is just as morally correct.
– Catholics do not believe in reincarnation.
– I am not completely immersed in the Catholic religion. We live in a progressive world. If you are a homosexual, this does not mean that you will burn out in hell. If you love a man or a woman, you have nothing to be ashamed of. I believe in the natural energies of this world – the so-called karma. You will be treated the same way you treat others. I do not mean that the events of 2009 and 2010 happened to me because I did something bad.This is just how our world works.
– After the illness and death of your father, you did not wonder why this happened to you?
– I have questions, but not this one. When someone leaves your family, you feel like they could have lived longer. I think my dad left too early. Of course, I wonder why this happened. He was in the hospital, underwent surgery, and the next day he had a heart attack. Why was he prescribed an operation if his heart could not stand it? Now I can use the lessons my father taught me to be a good person and help others become better.
Photo posted by Matt Anderson (@ mja5041)
– How did you get the idea to get a family tree tattoo on your shoulder?
– I have a tattoo artist I know in Hollywood. He made the same tattoo to one guy on the chest and posted a photo on Instagram. I wanted the same. Of course, my shoulder is not the size of someone’s chest. But I really liked the idea. The artist adapted the tattoo and began work.
– It turned out interesting, many people like it …
– And I don’t do tattoos for other people. I make them for myself. Of course, I think that my tattoos are beautiful and you can look at them. But if someone comes up to me and says: “Hey, I’m mad about the tattoo, you fool, why did you do all this?”, I will not care.
– You have a blue puzzle tattoo – a symbol of autism. It turns out that you made this tattoo not only for yourself.
– I hope people will recognize this symbol.But again, this tattoo was done for myself. Look. Roses on the arm symbolize a brother and three sisters, this tattoo is a father who passed away, this one is the Olympics. But all these tattoos tell my story, you know?
– Why did you decide to publicly declare that your nephew Tristin suffers from autism?
– Five years ago no one knew about my nephew’s peculiarity. But I got a tattoo and people started asking questions. The purpose of the tattoo is to draw attention to the problems of autism.Not only my nephew, but all the children in the world with this ailment.
– Does Tristin go to regular school?
– Yes, but he attends special courses due to the peculiarities in intellectual development.
– Do classmates treat him in a special way?
– I don’t think they understand …
– As a rule, people are afraid of what they do not understand …
– I agree. And this becomes more difficult in the case of children who do not know what to say to others and what not.Tristin has his own view of the world. The problem is that he cannot communicate as easily as the others. It is difficult for him to formulate his thoughts. He refers to life situations, based on his experience, desires. For example, if he wants a cookie, he can just take it from the table. He will not ask his mother’s permission – he wants a cookie, he sees it, is next to him, so he takes it.
– Does Tristin have the opportunity to get a good education and job in the USA?
– It will be difficult.But I think that yes, it is possible if he works with competent teachers. He won’t get a normal job overnight. It takes a lot of time and training to adjust to normal life.
– Can the “people are afraid of what they don’t understand” rule can be attributed to the case of foreigners and sexual minorities in the United States?
– You may not understand homosexuals. But when your son becomes an adult and it turns out that he is gay, you already understand that love is a feeling that is not subject to anything.You still continue to love your son. It doesn’t matter which group you belong to – Republicans or Democrats, blacks or whites. It is important who you really are.
– Is it possible to be tolerant to one thing? Let’s say I am okay with blacks, but I don’t understand homosexuals.
– Let’s say you were born in a city where only whites live. Then you move to a city where 60 to 70 percent of the population is black. Of course, you will be unaccustomed.
“WORK SHOULD NOT REPLACE LIFE”
– What is your seniority in the family?
– I am junior.
– Did the brother and sisters fulfill all the requests of their parents for you?
– Each of us performed our duties at home. The point is different. Sometimes I got into trouble because my siblings told me to eat candy when my mother actually forbade me to do it, to watch movies that I shouldn’t have watched.As a child, I wanted to be like my older brother. When he started hockey, I wanted to play hockey. When he was going to the mall, I went with him. I wore the same clothes, listened to the same music. My brother is five years older. I am 13, and he is 18: of course, not all actions corresponded to my age. But this does not mean that I was stealing or robbing someone.
– When did you stop copying your brother?
– I still look to my brother and sisters for advice because I respect them as people.
– Are they authorities for you?
– This is an imprecise wording. I am an adult, I will soon be 30. Life is multifaceted. My relatives have experience that I do not have. I, in turn, went through those things that were not encountered in the life of relatives. So we can help each other. Now I don’t want to be exactly like my brother.
– Where does your brother work?
– In the hotel industry for a large company Oracle.
Matthew Anderson and Vladimir Alekno | |
Photo: Roman Kruchinin / zenit-kazan.com |
– Have you ever thought about a joint business with your brother?
– Honestly, I didn’t think about it. In terms of business, I don’t want to work for a large number of bosses. At Zenit I am responsible to two people – coach Alekno and manager Faizych ( Zenit vice president Ilham Rakhmatullin, – aut .). In terms of hierarchy, they are higher than me, and at my level, they are more or less in equal rights. The situation is the same in the US team – there is the head coach and vice-president of the federation. But for me they are not bosses in the classical sense of the word. Rather, they are colleagues. When they succeed, I succeed, and vice versa. What’s going on in the business world? I have one boss, second, third, there is someone above the vice president, above the board of directors. There are so many people to answer to! It’s hard for me to accept this.So if I go into business, I will run my own company. But I don’t know … I haven’t decided what I will do after the end of my career.
– Explaining ‘s decision to take a career break, you said you couldn’t tell the difference between a human and a volleyball player. Found it?
– Earlier, after training, I could not switch. Everything revolved around volleyball. Imagine that every day you write lyrics, return home and go to bed.Wake up, and on a new one. In this mode, you can spend a week, but not 11 months – so you can go crazy. Work should not replace life itself, you need to be able to distance yourself. Work is a tool with which you can live the life you want.
– How do you distract yourself from volleyball now?
– I am glad that there was a change in time. When the evening training ends in Kazan, it’s still noon in my hometown. I can talk to my mom, friends, relatives and thus distance myself from volleyball.It is good to switch the mode immediately after class. I call my family almost every day. I also started reading and watching more series. All these actions do not burden my body and do not make me think about sports.
– What made you suspend your career? Not everyone will decide on such an act.
– If I didn’t recognize this problem and didn’t start thinking about solving it, I would just end up with volleyball and regret it.
– Do you know other athletes who experienced the same problems as you, but did not dare to pause?
– This is a personal question for everyone.I have not heard such stories. People usually don’t want to talk about such things.
– Why are you talking about this?
– I am asked questions, and I am not ashamed to answer them. I wanted to stop and I was very lucky to have the opportunity. I could afford not to work for two months.
– It is easy to understand when, for example, a factory worker suffers from burnout. He works 12 hours a day, does routine, doesn’t make a lot of money.But an athlete?
– I do not understand this position. Why do you treat me differently? Yes, I make more money, my work is more public. But I have the same problem. I also need to take care of my family. And in volleyball I’m a perfectionist, I want to get better. The details may vary, but that doesn’t change the meaning – I also experience stress in my work. First of all, journalists and fans look at me as a player. You don’t see me as a person.People say, “Oh, why isn’t he playing again? Injury? Has it merged again? ” I never have such thoughts.
Photo: Roman Kruchinin / zenit-kazan.com |
“ZENIT” – THE BEST CLUB IN THE ORGANIZATION’S PLAN “9000
– Do you agree with the opinion that Zenit has only 6 – 7 intense matches for the entire season?
– Now our level of play is very high.But every game is a chance for growth. If someone says that the last team of the championship has no chance to win against us, then I can argue with him. This is a competition. If everything is so easy, then why hold matches at all? Anything can happen in sports. Remember how Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic lost at the start of the Olympics to guys whose names you don’t even know.
– How true is the information that you received offers from Italy?
– I have not discussed anything with the Italian teams.I have an agent – he is engaged in negotiations with Zenit and other clubs. I haven’t decided anything for the next season.
– And yet, do you already have any suggestions?
– Yes, there is. You just need to think. Now I am not thinking about the next season, because I am focused on the upcoming games. If everything suits me, then I will stay in Kazan. If I decide to move to Italy, then conditions will be better there.
– Lloy Ball and Clayton Stanley played at Zenit for a long time.Why do Americans adapt well to Kazan?
– Firstly, Zenit is a great team. After all, we try to get into the best team when we go abroad. Money is an important factor, but the main thing is that Russia has the level that many volleyball players are looking for. When I moved to Zenit, I knew that the Russian championship is the strongest league in the world.
– Do you still think so?
– The best clubs still play here – we, Belogorye, Dynamo Moscow.Each of us can beat the leading European teams. I think Zenit is the best club in terms of organization. Players don’t have to worry about anything. We do not have salary delays, on departure we are settled in good hotels, professionals work in the club, they do not hide anything from us.
– Is there a place in Kazan that reminds you of America?
– I don’t walk around Kazan a lot, unfortunately. I usually don’t go far from my home. I can go to a pizzeria, a coffee shop, Twin Peaks.But nothing reminds me of America, because this is … Russia.
– You have a huge collection of sneakers. Why do you need so much?
– I don’t know. Maybe for that special feeling when you put on a new pair of sneakers. Sometimes I flip through eBay for hours looking for a new pair.
Photo posted by Matt Anderson (@ mja5041)
– You have a photo of “Shelby” on your Instagram. Are you a fan of muscle cars?
– I’m a big fan of Ford cars.I have a Shelby and a Mustang. But there are also a couple of BMWs and one pickup in the garage. So I like all types of cars.
– Why do people buy muscle cars? Probably, you need to shell out a lot of money to bring them into proper condition.
– It’s a hobby for me. Someone collects jewelry eggs. I collect cars. Yes, this is a big investment, but also a hobby.
– If you had your own family, would you continue to spend money on sneakers and retro cars?
– I hope I don’t have to sell all my cars ( laughs ).Still, I think I’m in good financial condition, and I won’t have to choose between buying food for my family and tires for my car.
– Can you imagine that your wife will be from Russia?
– No. I relate more to the American culture. I definitely want to return to America and live there at the end of my career. I don’t want to say anything bad about Russian girls. It’s just that cultural differences are a big obstacle for me. I want to share my life with an American.
– What are these cultural differences?
– My idea of Russian culture is influenced by propaganda.
– Despite the fact that you have been playing in Russia for several years?
– Propaganda makes us think in a certain way. I don’t think that the American way of life, freedom, openness is always welcome here. The government has a lot of influence in Russia.
– Do you mean that Russian propaganda criticizes America, and American propaganda criticizes Russia?
– This is a difficult topic to discuss.You can’t say that Russians are bad. Now Trump says that Muslims are bad. Will not work. America and Russia are two superpowers that constantly watch each other. At one point, one side will try to get all the power.
– Can China be considered the third superpower?
– Of course. China’s economy is growing every year and increasingly influences world politics. This country must be respected.
– You have spent a total of nine years abroad.How has your worldview changed during this time?
– I began to understand better what America is. As a child, I had a different point of view. We’re not as great as we tell each other. The USA is a wonderful country. I’m going to live there for the rest of my life. It is also a free country with many opportunities. But the problem is that these opportunities are not available to everyone. We are so eager to establish democracy in other countries … In my opinion, sometimes it is better to look at yourself in the mirror and understand who you really are before pointing out to someone.
“IF SOMEONE SPEAKS,
THAT I’M THE BEST IS NOT NECESSARILY TRUE “