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bullsky
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 20310
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Posted: 05/06/12 6:15 pm ::: Women's volleyball |
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This weekend concluded some qualification tournaments. Here's who is London bound:
Great Britain (Host)
Italy (1st place World Cup)
USA (2nd place World Cup)
China (3rd place World Cup)
Algeria (African Champ)
Dominican Republic (NORCECA Champ)
Turkey (European Champ)
Still awaiting is the Asian Championship, South American Championship and finally the Olympic Qualification Tournament.
I expect Japan and Brazil to cruise to bids.
The OCT should be interesting. So far the teams going are Russia, Serbia, Puerto Rico, Chinese Taipei, Thailand and South Korea.
Cuba has decided not to send a team despite finishing second in NORCECA, thus giving up on any hopes for the Olympics.
Turkey is by far the biggest surprise of the teams qualified so far.
_________________ "Don't do something until you get it right, do it until you can't do it wrong."
- Geno Auriemma
Last edited by bullsky on 05/11/12 5:40 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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bullsky
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Posted: 05/06/12 10:41 pm ::: |
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Great Britain has also qualified as the hosts...
_________________ "Don't do something until you get it right, do it until you can't do it wrong."
- Geno Auriemma
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BCBG25
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 20112 Location: Sampa
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Posted: 05/15/12 12:14 pm ::: |
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Brazil has qualified by winning the South American Championship.
_________________ Kings of the World!
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bullsky
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Posted: 06/05/12 12:57 pm ::: |
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The final 12 are set:
Great Britain (Host)
Italy (1st place World Cup)
USA (2nd place World Cup)
China (3rd place World Cup)
Algeria (African Champ)
Dominican Republic (NORCECA Champ)
Turkey (European Champ)
Brazil (South American Champ)
South Korea (Asian Champ)
Russia (Qualified)
Serbia (Qualified)
Japan (Qualified)
In my opinion, this may be the deepest Olympic field we've seen in quite some time. The only sucky thing is that Brazil and USA will be in the same pool group as Great Britain will be awarded an (undeserved) top seed.
_________________ "Don't do something until you get it right, do it until you can't do it wrong."
- Geno Auriemma
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bullsky
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Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 24326 Location: London
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Posted: 06/12/12 9:55 pm ::: |
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So we know the pools, but we still don't know who's playing whom on which days, right?
Volleyball's one of the sports with a bunch of tickets still available for it over here, but it's a sport I'm only semi-interested in. So if I'm going to bother adding a session or two to my crowded schedule I'd want it to be for one of the premiere matchups. Wish they'd hurry up and set the schedule. |
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BCBG25
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 20112 Location: Sampa
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Posted: 06/12/12 11:57 pm ::: |
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Absolutely love Olympic volleyball. Wish I still had time to plan for it.
_________________ Kings of the World!
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bullsky
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 20310
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Posted: 06/13/12 12:22 am ::: |
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Richyyy wrote: |
So we know the pools, but we still don't know who's playing whom on which days, right?
Volleyball's one of the sports with a bunch of tickets still available for it over here, but it's a sport I'm only semi-interested in. So if I'm going to bother adding a session or two to my crowded schedule I'd want it to be for one of the premiere matchups. Wish they'd hurry up and set the schedule. |
Literally go to any group B game and it will be a great match. I wish I was on your side of the pond Richyyy! I love volleyball and would kill at the opportunity to see these matches!
_________________ "Don't do something until you get it right, do it until you can't do it wrong."
- Geno Auriemma
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bullsky
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BCBG25
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 20112 Location: Sampa
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Posted: 06/17/12 1:02 pm ::: |
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Mari has been awful in the Grand Prix. Watching the Brazil vs. US game right now and she can't do a damn thing right. Problem is Paula Pequeno has a bad shoulder, so she can't stay in the game for very long. The dropoff is visible. I ultimately think she goes for lack of options. If she gets hot, then she's nearly unstoppable. I'm more worried about our service reception and setter situation. Hard to beat a strong, tall team like the US without good reception and a setter that will speed up things. Long are the days of otherworldly setters. Both now are simply mediocre.
_________________ Kings of the World!
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bullsky
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Posted: 06/18/12 12:34 am ::: |
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BCBG25 wrote: |
Mari has been awful in the Grand Prix. Watching the Brazil vs. US game right now and she can't do a damn thing right. Problem is Paula Pequeno has a bad shoulder, so she can't stay in the game for very long. The dropoff is visible. I ultimately think she goes for lack of options. If she gets hot, then she's nearly unstoppable. I'm more worried about our service reception and setter situation. Hard to beat a strong, tall team like the US without good reception and a setter that will speed up things. Long are the days of otherworldly setters. Both now are simply mediocre. |
Great win for the USA. Jordan Larson was incredible, Destinee was great, and Haneef-Park and Thompson booked their tickets to London after today IMHO. Also I can't believe we beat Brazil without the services of Heather Bown. Harmotto was incredible. She was just stuffing balls left and right.
BCBG, what's going on with Brazil? Is it a player issue? Is it a coaching issue? This team doesn't seem to have a pulse anymore. Sheilla, Jaque, and Thaisa are all wildly inconsistent at times. Fabiana and Fabi are pretty much the only consistent players right now. Also, what's the word on Dani Lins? Clearly Fabiola has moved ahead of her (not surprising) but I wonder if Fernanda has a chance to go to London. Ze seems to like her and I thought she did quite well today when she was in against the US. Brazil just has a lot of issues heading into London and I feel like today's loss may have broken their confidence a bit.
As for the USA, next weekend they play Serbia, Thailand and Argentina. Three very winnable games. I expect our stars to come home and that Hugh will send a really young squad. There's still A LOT to be decided. Will Hugh take Tama? Is Barboza healthy, will she go? Which back up setter will he go with? Thompson? Glass? Lloyd? Spicer? Also who gets the back up MB spot, Harmotto or Scott? Tough, tough decisions for Hugh.
_________________ "Don't do something until you get it right, do it until you can't do it wrong."
- Geno Auriemma
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blaase22
Joined: 28 Mar 2011 Posts: 4162 Location: Paradise
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Posted: 06/18/12 1:06 am ::: |
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I am upset Kim Willoughby isn't being considered for the team, I thought she was a key part of the silver medal team and would prefer her over Haneef Park.
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bullsky
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 20310
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Posted: 06/18/12 1:07 am ::: |
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blaase22 wrote: |
I am upset Kim Willoughby isn't being considered for the team, I thought she was a key part of the silver medal team and would prefer her over Haneef Park. |
Didn't she get arrested? Don't get me wrong, Kim is a great athlete. It's her off court demons that keep her away from USA Volleyball.
_________________ "Don't do something until you get it right, do it until you can't do it wrong."
- Geno Auriemma
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bullsky
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Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005 Posts: 24326 Location: London
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Posted: 06/27/12 11:16 am ::: |
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Went for a couple of men's quarter-finals in the end - fit in best with my schedule. The women's 1/4s clash directly with the women's basketball 1/4s I already have tickets for. |
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BCBG25
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 20112 Location: Sampa
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Posted: 07/10/12 5:16 pm ::: |
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bullsky wrote: |
BCBG25 wrote: |
Mari has been awful in the Grand Prix. Watching the Brazil vs. US game right now and she can't do a damn thing right. Problem is Paula Pequeno has a bad shoulder, so she can't stay in the game for very long. The dropoff is visible. I ultimately think she goes for lack of options. If she gets hot, then she's nearly unstoppable. I'm more worried about our service reception and setter situation. Hard to beat a strong, tall team like the US without good reception and a setter that will speed up things. Long are the days of otherworldly setters. Both now are simply mediocre. |
Great win for the USA. Jordan Larson was incredible, Destinee was great, and Haneef-Park and Thompson booked their tickets to London after today IMHO. Also I can't believe we beat Brazil without the services of Heather Bown. Harmotto was incredible. She was just stuffing balls left and right.
BCBG, what's going on with Brazil? Is it a player issue? Is it a coaching issue? This team doesn't seem to have a pulse anymore. Sheilla, Jaque, and Thaisa are all wildly inconsistent at times. Fabiana and Fabi are pretty much the only consistent players right now. Also, what's the word on Dani Lins? Clearly Fabiola has moved ahead of her (not surprising) but I wonder if Fernanda has a chance to go to London. Ze seems to like her and I thought she did quite well today when she was in against the US. Brazil just has a lot of issues heading into London and I feel like today's loss may have broken their confidence a bit. |
Yes, the US are clearly the top team in the world right now. I think the setter is the main issue. A good setter practically covers up most flaws. We don't have one right now, that after having the top 2 setters in the world for a long time...not easy to get used to the downgrade.
BTW, Mari was cut from the Olympic squad. A bit of a shock, but her inconsistency justifies it. You can not go into a major tournament with someone who's not at their very best, simply put. That goes for the men, too.
_________________ Kings of the World!
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bullsky
Joined: 04 Jun 2005 Posts: 20310
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Posted: 07/10/12 6:49 pm ::: |
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BCBG25 wrote: |
bullsky wrote: |
BCBG25 wrote: |
Mari has been awful in the Grand Prix. Watching the Brazil vs. US game right now and she can't do a damn thing right. Problem is Paula Pequeno has a bad shoulder, so she can't stay in the game for very long. The dropoff is visible. I ultimately think she goes for lack of options. If she gets hot, then she's nearly unstoppable. I'm more worried about our service reception and setter situation. Hard to beat a strong, tall team like the US without good reception and a setter that will speed up things. Long are the days of otherworldly setters. Both now are simply mediocre. |
Great win for the USA. Jordan Larson was incredible, Destinee was great, and Haneef-Park and Thompson booked their tickets to London after today IMHO. Also I can't believe we beat Brazil without the services of Heather Bown. Harmotto was incredible. She was just stuffing balls left and right.
BCBG, what's going on with Brazil? Is it a player issue? Is it a coaching issue? This team doesn't seem to have a pulse anymore. Sheilla, Jaque, and Thaisa are all wildly inconsistent at times. Fabiana and Fabi are pretty much the only consistent players right now. Also, what's the word on Dani Lins? Clearly Fabiola has moved ahead of her (not surprising) but I wonder if Fernanda has a chance to go to London. Ze seems to like her and I thought she did quite well today when she was in against the US. Brazil just has a lot of issues heading into London and I feel like today's loss may have broken their confidence a bit. |
Yes, the US are clearly the top team in the world right now. I think the setter is the main issue. A good setter practically covers up most flaws. We don't have one right now, that after having the top 2 setters in the world for a long time...not easy to get used to the downgrade.
BTW, Mari was cut from the Olympic squad. A bit of a shock, but her inconsistency justifies it. You can not go into a major tournament with someone who's not at their very best, simply put. That goes for the men, too. |
They also cut Fabiola I'm guessing this means Tandara and Natalia made the cut? Is Natalia fully recovered from her injury?
_________________ "Don't do something until you get it right, do it until you can't do it wrong."
- Geno Auriemma
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BCBG25
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 20112 Location: Sampa
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bullsky
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bullsky
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bullsky
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Posted: 07/23/12 12:29 pm ::: |
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No. 1 US Women Seek First Olympic Gold Medal
http://www.nbcolympics.com/news-blogs/volleyball/top-ranked-u-s-women-seek-first-olympic-gold-medal.html
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The best of the young guns is Destinee Hooker, an opposite hitter from Texas who nearly made the 2008 Olympic team -- that is, the track and field team as a high jumper. Her hops have helped her become one of the volleyball team's most dangerous attackers in the years since. Hooker was named MVP at the 2011 Grand Prix and earned Best Spiker honors at the 2011 World Cup.
"She plays hard and she's battling," McCutcheon says of Hooker. "She's certainly good, I think, at making those around her better. When she's competing she tries to engage her teammates and she wants to win. That competitive drive is infectious." |
_________________ "Don't do something until you get it right, do it until you can't do it wrong."
- Geno Auriemma
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bullsky
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Posted: 07/23/12 12:35 pm ::: |
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A few news and notes:
Cardullo is out for Italy. She is the great libero for the Italians but did not recover in time for London. She was replaced by DeGennaro.
Brenda Castillo will play for the Dominican Republic. Just a couple months ago, she had a miscarriage with her first child. She has been training hard and will be playing in London, with a heavy heart I'm sure.
Russia's roster just came out, highlight by Artamonova who will play in her sixth Olympics. The big guns for Russia are Gamova and Sokolova. Many expect Russia, not Brazil, to be the biggest threat to a US gold.
I'm still interested to see what sort of shape Chinese big hitter Wang Yimei is in. She suffered an injury months ago and has been rehabbing since. Even if she recovers in time, it's uncertain what sort of shape she is in.
_________________ "Don't do something until you get it right, do it until you can't do it wrong."
- Geno Auriemma
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BCBG25
Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 20112 Location: Sampa
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Posted: 07/23/12 1:52 pm ::: |
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The top 4 are clear with the US slightly ahead of the pack (1. US, 2. Russia, 3. Brazil, 4. China). But the Olympics are all about momentum, so we'll see how prepared they really are to be arriving and playing as the favorites. That tends to make things a bit complicated.
_________________ Kings of the World!
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bullsky
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Posted: 07/23/12 1:55 pm ::: |
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BCBG25 wrote: |
The top 4 are clear with the US slightly ahead of the pack (1. US, 2. Russia, 3. Brazil, 4. China). But the Olympics are all about momentum, so we'll see how prepared they really are to be arriving and playing as the favorites. That tends to make things a bit complicated. |
Where do you see Italy in this tournament? With Costagrande and Gioli playing so well, I think they could be better than China. My dark horse team is Turkey.
_________________ "Don't do something until you get it right, do it until you can't do it wrong."
- Geno Auriemma
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bullsky
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