Earlier today, I discussed the imminent return of Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh to the beach as part of the AVP Tour, and shared the good news that her partner – at least temporarily – would be none other than long-time MarlinBlog fave Rachel Wacholder (how much of a fave, you ask? Just search for her at right …). Considering this is Friday, and I owe you some weekend eye candy, it seems perfectly logical that the obvious candidates would be none other than Team Mom!

Anyone have a problem with that? I thought not …

For those of you who might not remember, or just don’t recognize them from this particular angle, that would be Rachel winding up on the left and Kerri putting on a block at right. Of course, like all good athletes, the girls have their names on their uni’s – they’re right where you’re already looking …

In all seriousness, it should be interesting to see how this partnership gels. Rachel does well matched up with a big blocker like Kerri (remember when she and Elaine Youngs paired up?), and has skills similar to Misty’s – and a couple of extra inches on her. As for Kerri, there’s no one on the beach that can get it by her on a consistent basis. Both need to get their fitness levels back up – Kerri claimed that her first time back on the beach was like walking in quicksand – but that should come quick enough. With a lot of new teams working out the kinks this season, this might be the perfect time for these two. And personally, I’d like nothing more than watching ex-partners Rachel and EY face off in a couple of finals … catfight!

Here’s a little ray of good news to go into your weekend – actually, about Six Feet of Sunshine …

A couple of weeks back, I ran into Kerri Walsh and Rachel Wacholder walking on the Strand in Hermosa Beach with their newborns.  Both have been off the AVP Tour this season as they became new moms, and were thought to be taking the season off, as Rachel’s partner Tyra Turner has been playing with Angie Akers, and Kerri’s Gold Medal teammate Misty May-Trainor is still recovering from her “Dancing With The Stars” leg injury.  Now comes word that they’re both coming back early – as teammates!

“Why?” she said Thursday. “Because I can hopefully have it all.”

The two-time Olympic gold medalist said this week that she will return for the AVP tour stop in Hermosa Beach, Calif., on Aug. 6 — about 2½ months after the birth of her son, Joseph.

“I love my sport, and I want to play,” she said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. “I think it will make me a better mom to have some balance. It [volleyball] makes me feel empowered and strong.”

Because May-Treanor isn’t ready to come back, Walsh will team with Rachel Wacholder, who also had been taking time off after having a baby. The pair won two international Grand Slam events in 2004 when May-Treanor was recovering from an injury in 2004.

“I think she’s a really, really good player — defensive and really scrappy. The fact that we have a history together helps,” Walsh said. “We went through this pregnancy and new mommy thing together. But it’s also that this season’s midway through, and who wants to break up another team?”

This is the ultimate win-win.  Who knows when or even if Misty will be ready to play again, so it doesn’t make sense for Kerri to wait to see what will happen.  As for Rachel, she’s gone through a couple of different partners in the last few seasons, and has never done as well as she did as Kerri’s temporary partner.  This has a chance to be a really successful team.  And let’s face it – we’re talking about the two best asses on the beach, so that’s definitely a win for us.

You know where you can find me when the Tour hits Hermosa in August …