If you are a hard-core beach volleyballer (or even if you're not), you likely can respect the history and tradition of Brazilian beach volleyball. And although the Americans would likely claim they invented the sport, something tells me that Brazilians were playing the sport for many years before their Northern hemisphere rivals.

Which makes the experience of playing in Brazil something that you should appreciate, right? Like a rugby team visiting New Zealand for a match, or a hockey team coming to Canada for a tourney.

Forgive me though, if that appreciation has somehow gotten lost in the shuffle this time, because after traveling there more than 15 times, with a handful of mediocre finishes to show for it, including our latest, the lustre has worn off a bit.

Brazil events have traditionally been the toughest events to play in. Not only are the conditions typically difficult (high winds and extreme heat), but there are often seven or eight Brazilian teams in the tournament, because as the host country they are allowed more than the usual country quota of four teams. And because these extra Brazilians don't play full-time on the tour, they often have low seeds, which can result in some tough draws.

Just ask Numerdor-Schuil of Netherlands, whose advantage as the 6th seed was wiped out after they drew "27th" seed Rodrigo/Hevaldo in their first round match. They lost.

But high winds, high temperatures and tough draws were all things Ahren and I were expecting when we made the trip down to Brazil. What we weren't expecting, was to go two and out, and deal with a 25th place ending to our season! We had figured on finishing our season the same way we ended the last two seasons - with a top-ten result! Not this year though.

We actually played pretty decently, but once again failed to capitalize at key times in the matches, losing a heartbreaking first set to USA 22-20, after being on the good side with set point at 20-19. Then we played the previously mentioned Dutch team, and missed some similar chances from the good side in the third set, losing 15-12 in the tiebreaker.

So as I sit here in my seat on the flight back home, and as you can probably tell by the tone of this blog, I wasn't exactly fascinated with the "unique experience" I had of playing in the birthplace of beach volleyball. I mean, it just didn't leave the same impression that it did the first time I came down here back in 1995, when I left in awe of the big stadiums, the huge crowds and the spectacle that beach volleyball is in Brazil.

But perhaps that is my task now, as the eternal optimist that I like to be - to find inspiration in what otherwise was a below average experience. What lessons can be learned? Was it just a waste of time or can it somehow be a stepping stone to take us closer to our goals? What good can come from a tournament without a win to show from it?

The bad thing is, as I blankly stare down at my brand new Havaianas (famous Brazilian sandals) to consider those questions, I don't really have any answers.

The good thing is, as I look up to see Ahren fittingly dozing off in the seat across the aisle, we have six months of off-season to figure it out!