Olympic Games Beijing 2008 - Qualification Phase

  • My friends, we all know that for a team to win a Gold medal at the OG they need much more than just skills... it takes inner strength and above all confidence and cold blood during crucial moments.


    That being said, I could say that only 2 or 3 teams can reach the Gold -IF that. Some teams can never beat Brazil or Russia in any competition, and some can but they are a JOKE during important competitions (OG, World Championships) and crucial matches.


    So, I am really looking forward to these games... it should be exciting!

  • My friends, we all know that for a team to win a Gold medal at the OG they need much more than just skills... it takes inner strength and above all confidence and cold blood during crucial moments.


    That being said, I could say that only 2 or 3 teams can reach the Gold -IF that. Some teams can never beat Brazil or Russia in any competition, and some can but they are a JOKE during important competitions (OG, World Championships) and crucial matches.


    So, I am really looking forward to these games... it should be exciting!

    Such self-confidence it can't be good for you when there are so many good teams at the olympics.. (but yeah... they are "jokes", one of them have beaten Russia (3:2) at World Cup (or maybe it's not so important..) and would have been beaten Brazil probably if the match wasn't after this with USA, (2:3 and match lasted over 2 hours and 20mins..).But you said it ... we will see. ;)

    [color=#009900][color=#ffffff]


    "I'm so proud that the fans still sing my name. But I fear tomorrow they will stop. And I fear it because I love it. And everything you love you fear you will lose" - Eric Cantona

  • Such self-confidence it can't be good for you when there are so many good teams at the olympics.. (but yeah... they are "jokes", one of them have beaten Russia (3:2) at World Cup (or maybe it's not so important..) and would have been beaten Brazil probably if the match wasn't after this with USA, (2:3 and match lasted over 2 hours and 20mins..).But you said it ... we will see. ;)


    Bulgaria has never beaten this Brazilian team in any big tournments... I would hardly call beating us at the World League at some not important match an achievement. Actually I think Brazil might even qualify in second or third in the OG groups. The elimination matches... now that is a different story!
    If you look closer, you will see that in World Cup 2003, OG 2004, WCH 2006, and World Cup 2007 Brazil did not even have to play TIE BREAKS in ANY of the decisive/eliminatory matches....


    You might not respect Brazil's achievements as much as you should. But Bulgarian players certainly do, and that my friend is all that matters. And that DOES count a lot when it is time to take home an important achievement.


    And I never said Bulgaria was a joke... you assumed that by yourself....

  • Bulgaria has never beaten this Brazilian team in any big tournments... I would hardly call beating us at the World League at some not important match an achievement. Actually I think Brazil might even qualify in second or third in the OG groups. The elimination matches... now that is a different story!
    If you look closer, you will see that in World Cup 2003, OG 2004, WCH 2006, and World Cup 2007 Brazil did not even have to play TIE BREAKS in ANY of the decisive/eliminatory matches....


    You might not respect Brazil's achievements as much as you should. But Bulgarian players certainly do, and that my friend is all that matters. And that DOES count a lot when it is time to take home an important achievement.


    And I never said Bulgaria was a joke... you assumed that by yourself....


    I Agree 100% with Brazilian Guy! :thumbsup:

    [img=http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/9631/braitajq5.th.jpg]


    "FIRE IN THE EYES" - THIS IS BRAZIL" :D

  • Ok, sorry Brazilian Guy then, but I really think that your opinion is that Brazil again is the big favourite, but somehow this time is not like that.... and I am not saying that I don't respect Brazil and their achievements... I still consider you the best but the players are getting older and I don't see much "big talants".. I want my team to beat the best - so if we beat Brazil and if (i hope so) we win the Gold Medal, so we are taking your place as the world's team number 1, of course we will have to prove it in the next competitions like ECH, World Leagues, World Cups, World Championships and so on... :)

    [color=#009900][color=#ffffff]


    "I'm so proud that the fans still sing my name. But I fear tomorrow they will stop. And I fear it because I love it. And everything you love you fear you will lose" - Eric Cantona

  • Ok, sorry Brazilian Guy then, but I really think that your opinion is that Brazil again is the big favourite, but somehow this time is not like that.... and I am not saying that I don't respect Brazil and their achievements... I still consider you the best but the players are getting older and I don't see much "big talants".. I want my team to beat the best - so if we beat Brazil and if (i hope so) we win the Gold Medal, so we are taking your place as the world's team number 1, of course we will have to prove it in the next competitions like ECH, World Leagues, World Cups, World Championships and so on... :)


    HONESTLY I think Brazil will win the OG. But after that, our team will become average. We will win some competitions eventually, but not like we have been doing lately. Although many teams will lose out important players, Brazil will pratically lose the starting six: Giba, Gustavo, Marcelinho and most likely Sergio will leave after OG 2008.


    Our new setters are a JOKE really.... so maybe in 2012 we will be ready to win again, but I really do not see Brazil winning WCH 2010, for example....

  • Polish roster for OG:


    1. NOWAKOWSKI Piotr
    2. WINIARSKI Michal
    3. GRUSZKA Piotr
    4. PLINSKI Daniel
    5. ZAGUMNY Paweł
    6. KUREK Bartosz
    7. GRZYB Wojciech
    8. WIKA Marcin
    9. ZYGADLO Lukasz
    10. WLAZLY Mariusz
    11. KADZIEWICZ Lukasz
    12. WOICKI Pawel
    13. SWIDERSKI Sebastian
    14. GIERCZYNSKI Krzysztof
    15. GACEK Piotr
    16. IGNACZAK Krzysztof
    17. BAKIEWICZ Michal
    18. MOZDZONEK Marcin
    19. BARTMAN Zbigniew


  • THis roster is even more predictable than female's. I don't know who I could add to this list.

    The most important 3:
    POLAND-SZCZECIN-VOLLEYBALL


    5th place - Prediction Game - World League 2011 :D

  • Russia
    1 Alexander Korneev
    2 Semen Poltavskiy
    3 Alexander Kosarev
    4 Pavel Kruglov
    5 Konstantin Ushakov
    6 Sergey Grankin
    7 Alexander Sokolov
    8 Sergey Tetyukhin
    9 Vadim Khamuttskikh
    10 Yury Berezhko
    11 Oleg Samsonychev
    12 Dmitry Krasikov
    13 Alexey Ostapenko
    14 Andrey Egorchev
    15 Alexander Volkov
    16 Alexey Verbov
    17 Maxim Mikhaylov
    18 Alexey Kuleshov
    19 Alexandr Yanutov


    USA
    1 Lloy Ball
    2 Sean Rooney
    3 Evan Patak
    4 David Lee
    5 Richard Lambourne
    6 Phillip Eatherton
    7 Jayson Jablonsky
    8 William Priddy
    9 Ryan Millar
    10 Riley Salmon
    11 Brook Billings
    12 Thomas Hoff
    13 Clayton Stanley
    14 Kevin Hansen
    15 Gabriel Gardner
    16 Richard Brandon
    17 Delano Thomas
    18 Scott Touzinsky
    19 Alfredo Reft


    Bulgaria
    1 Evgeni Ivanov
    2 Hristo Tsvetanov
    3 Andrey Zhekov
    4 Boyan Yordanov
    5 Krasimir Gaydarski
    6 Matey Kaziyski
    7 Nikolay Nikolov
    8 Ivan Stanev
    9 Metodi Ananiev
    10 Danail Milushev
    11 Vladimir Nikolov
    12 Teodor Bogdanov
    13 Teodor Salparov
    14 Kostadin Stoykov
    15 Todor Aleksiev
    16 Martin Penev
    17 Plamen Konstantinov
    18 Ivan Tassev
    19 Tsvetan Sokolov

  • Brazil
    1 Rezende Bruno Bruno
    2 Marcelo Elgarten Marcelinho
    3 Eder Carbonera Eder
    4 André Heller André Heller
    5 Sidnei dos Santos Junior Sidão
    6 Samuel Fuchs Samuel
    7 Gilberto Godoy Filho Giba
    8 Murilo Endres Murilo
    9 André Luiz da Silva Nascimento André
    10 Sérgio Dutra Santos Sérgio
    11 Anderson Rodrigues Anderson
    12 Nalbert Bitencourt Nalbert
    13 Gustavo Endres Gustavo
    14 Rodrigo Santana Rodrigão
    15 Manius Abbadi Manius
    16 Lucas Saatkamp Lucas
    17 Marlon Yared Marlon
    18 Dante Guimaraes Amaral Dante
    19 Alan Barbosa Domingos Alan


    Serbia
    1 Nikola Kovacevic
    2 Dejan Bojovic
    3 Novica Bjelica
    4 Bojan Janic
    5 Vlado Petkovic
    6 Konstantin Cupkovic
    7 Dragan Stankovic
    8 Marko Samardzic
    9 Nikola Grbic
    10 Milos Nikic
    11 Ivan Ilic
    12 Andrija Geric
    13 Tomislav Dokic
    14 Ivan Miljkovic
    15 Sasa Starovic
    16 Nemanja Petric
    17 Dejan Radic
    18 Marko Podrascanin
    19 Nikola Rosic Rosic

  • Justyna posted the rosters of the 5 teams which are favourites for the olympic gold. ;)

    [color=#009900][color=#ffffff]


    "I'm so proud that the fans still sing my name. But I fear tomorrow they will stop. And I fear it because I love it. And everything you love you fear you will lose" - Eric Cantona


  • So no Ricardo at all ;(
    Does anyone know if he will join the National team again?

    Better without Ricardo... :)

    [color=#009900][color=#ffffff]


    "I'm so proud that the fans still sing my name. But I fear tomorrow they will stop. And I fear it because I love it. And everything you love you fear you will lose" - Eric Cantona

  • Justyna posted the rosters of the 5 teams which are favourites for the olympic gold. ;)

    Not really. Aside from the 5, I also believe that Italy/Poland are capable of getting the Gold. 8)

    "[size=8]It's years and years of work and sacrifice and dedication. Along with a lot of these girls, we've sweat and we've bled and we've cried together in past Olympics. It just brought tears to my eyes, & I'm more than thrilled. This will be forever." -LOGAN MAILE LEI TOM (Silver Medallist - 2008 Beijing & 2012 London Olympic Games, 2011 World Cup runner up, 2003 & 2007 World Cup 3rd place, 2002 World Champs runner up, 4-time World GrandPrix Champs)

  • Not really. Aside from the 5, I also believe that Italy/Poland are capable of getting the Gold. 8)

    Really....i doubt, especially for italy..

    [color=#009900][color=#ffffff]


    "I'm so proud that the fans still sing my name. But I fear tomorrow they will stop. And I fear it because I love it. And everything you love you fear you will lose" - Eric Cantona

  • Really....i doubt, especially for italy..


    I'm glad, that you added this "especially Italy" ;)

    The most important 3:
    POLAND-SZCZECIN-VOLLEYBALL


    5th place - Prediction Game - World League 2011 :D

  • Ok, i may missed poland, but it wasn't on purpose, but poles deffinitely have more chances to win than Italy.. so the teams are 6. :D

    [color=#009900][color=#ffffff]


    "I'm so proud that the fans still sing my name. But I fear tomorrow they will stop. And I fear it because I love it. And everything you love you fear you will lose" - Eric Cantona

  • Not really. Aside from the 5, I also believe that Italy/Poland are capable of getting the Gold. 8)


    I didn't post more teams, because I didn't have time ;) so now Italy
    1 Luigi Mastrangelo
    2 Dore Della Lunga
    3 Mauro Gavotto
    4 Loris Manià
    5 Valerio Vermiglio
    6 Marco Meoni
    7 Alessandro Paparoni
    8 Alberto Cisolla
    9 Matteo Martino
    10 Luca Tencati
    11 Hristo Zlatanov
    12 Mirko Corsano
    13 Lorenzo Perazzolo
    14 Alessandro Fei
    15 Emanuele Birarelli
    16 Vigor Bovolenta
    17 Andrea Sala
    18 Cristian Casoli
    19 Dragan Travica

  • poles deffinitely have more chances to win than Italy.. so the teams are 6. :D

    Looking at recent polish results, I don't consider them as possible medal winners right now.


    Now, there is time remaining until OG, maybe they will show a higher level in a few weeks, which could replace Poland in the favorites. But for now I'm not considering Poland as much chances than Italy. (even if I think they have more potential)