I get home and Poland lost in straight sets and the Czechs are beating France?
Did I come home to an alternate reality?
Sure Slovenia vs. Poland was an open game, but the Poles almost always deliver at home at least and I expected them to win, especially given how poorly Slovenia had been playing.
Slovenia was poor only in last set vs Bulgaria 
Twice 24:22 vs Russia, +3 vs BUL in 1st set, 2-3 attacks for 25:24 in 2nd...
French players r lost in time and space, they can win only if Czechs beat themselves
Sure. Tillie just cant believe what is going on. His face says it all. They are even arguing between themselves. I agree, France could only win if Czech beat themselves...and it isnt such a difficult things to happen. For example, they can defend bombs, block outs after long rallies, but cant defend easy lobs or just send the ball out with a bagher.
Again, too many silly mistakes by the Czechs in key points. They are able to do the hardest things, but they just do harder the ones which looks easier.
13:9 now 
Slovenia was poor only in last set vs Bulgaria
Yeah, but they still lost both games in straight sets and looked pretty lost throughout the matches to be honest.
I just read this
Just find one example where I attacked some1 on personal level. Just one. What are you somekind of volleyball God so everyone should listen and agree with you?
P.S Slovenia already gave 3 pts to Poland on a simple mistakes, hope is here
You're so unaware. Maybe maybe maybe...but you don't know. 
Anyway... moving on. I am so over your drama.
I am always a fan of continental championship especially in Europe and Asia. Every team are bringing their A-Game. Always good to see teams doing some upsets or near-upsets. 
Sure. Tillie just cant believe what is going on. His face says it all. They are even arguing between themselves. I agree, France could only win if Czech beat themselves...and it isnt such a difficult things to happen. For example, they can defend bombs, block outs after long rallies, but cant defend easy lobs or just send the ball out with a bagher.
Again, too many silly mistakes by the Czechs in key points. They are able to do the hardest things, but they just do harder the ones which looks easier.
13:9 now
Tillie is lost as he tried everything and nothing is giving result. I must admit I haven't see France this poor since Blain's era
Ok it is 20:15 now.
Now way Czech could lose the match now. It is their golde opportunity now.
Cant believe what could have happened to France in just some weeks. Not even at the third part of their level shown in World League. 
I'm shook
I think I've said it once in this forum or in another forum but the czech setter made me a fan during the Champions League. Too bad they got eliminated early but he was precious to me that time.
I guess the blond hair dye was not only bad taste but a bad luck omen
And this is why you do not underestimate "weaker" teams especially ones that almost defeated an actual good team during pool play.
Personally i was already at the point to believe that the french team can do whatever they want and put on court whoever they want and still look great. They might have started to believe this too.....
I only hope the german team stays focussed. This czech team plays much better now than in the pool stage.
People laughed at Italy when they had a hard time against Czechs. Now, this team has just beaten the current european and World League champion. I would like to know what they would say now?
Of course, France has played one of their worst matches in ages, but the Czech victory has been well earned and fought.
Bye team Yabvou 
The Defending Champions Are Out!
Personally i was already at the point to believe that the french team can do whatever they want and put on court whoever they want and still look great. They might have started to believe this too.....
I only hope the german team stays focussed. This czech team plays much better now than in the pool stage.
Germany better not screw this up because this is the best chance they had in years.
Also what Leonardo D. said. In the end Italy doesn't look so pathetic anymore.
28.05. France - Germany 3:0 (25:22, 25:20, 25:20)
27.08. Germany - Czech Republic 3:0 (25:19, 25:14, 25:20)
30.08. Czech Republic - France 3:1 (25:21, 21:25, 25:20, 25:20)
Each comment is redundant 
that's the mentality, nothing more
Like I said Italy is better, much better. But losing from 24-21 14-11 and even 24-18 over and over again is a mental issue. No way you can disagree with that telling me it's lack of quality.
Of course the lack of mental strength had a BIG part on Turkey defeat on the third set, but I don't agree it is just mentality, imho.
Against weaker teams it might have been, against stronger teams (and for me both Belgium and Italy are stronger) it also depends on the opponents technical (and mental!) quality, unless you do ALL errors (and even in that case you may think errors are the consequence of risking more, something you may need to do to beat a stronger team).
And I consider it as a general statement: for example, Ned almost won 3-1 vs France. It could have happen and it would also be deserved. But... can we really think it's a lucky coincidence that France won or that it was all Ned fault, without a bit of merit of France? [Ps I haven't watched the match, so I may be wrong]
Ps: That doesn't mean Ned couldn't win, obviously!
This Italian team is basically Trentino Volley +Piano
True 
And also Piano risked to be Trentinian too, for two years in a row xD
That's also way, to be honest, I was a bit surprise that practically everybody here wrote they didn't see how Turkey could lose vs Italy or at least that they saw Turkey as favorite.
I was the first to say Turkey could do that and that the result was open, because Italy hadn't show its best shape (and I mean the shape it could have with these players – so I'm not counting Zaytsev and Juantorena absence) and on the other hand Turkey was playing quite well in the pool.
But we can't forget that in the Italian teams there are players that played Olympic/European/Champions League/Italian Championship final and semifinal and that played several in/out matches (sometime losing, sometime winning). Things that matters, imho, exactly because these experiences can help to have the mentality Turkey couldn't bring on court in the crucial moments.
With Belgium the difference of experience is thinner than with Turkey and they're also a better team (in my opinion, obviously; other may thinks differently) that in this moment is playing better than us, so for me this 'Italians are more experienced' consideration doesn't apply that much (unfortunately for us :P).
That being said, these two challenges at turkish setpoints were extremely cruel. Ball barely touching the line and this microtouch by Matic
So cruel, true, but I must admit I was happy as after Zaytsev millimetric ace at the OG
As Lucchetta says, Lanza is a master of manicure, anyway 
(was it Lanza, right?? I kinda took it for granted )
I'm Turkish so I tend to focus on what went wrong with Turkey rather then what went well with Italy. I guess that makes sense to me
I feel you very much, it often happen the same to me! Especially with the NT
For example, you felt that Turkey woke up in the third set, while I felt Italy started to sleep 
I mean, the actions that for me were 'Italy is failing every counterattack, damn!' probably for you felt like 'yeah, what a massive block, great job guys!" (and you were right to felt that way, of course!)
And the opposite is true too, obviously: Piano blocks were 'OMG great job Matteo!!' for me, while probably they felt like 'why are you keeping spiking directly in Piano hands??" for you 
but at the same time happy for Italy
At this point it will be hard to reunite with him
I hope it won't happen, but I'm a bit afraid about it 
Basically you can switch like me all the time :p
Lucky you, I couldn't because it was very slow
And then my 'secret IP' browser selected an IP from a country where the video isn't available
France will probably take the second easily
I was about to wrote 'it was close, but when it was 20-20 tie France stepped it up and won 21-24: that's another proof of mental strength of a more experienced team'.
But now to prove me right they need to do another miracle as vs Ned 
[I picked the sentence to quote and start to wrote the comment during the 10 minutes pause, then my streaming failed during the third set]
Also some good defensive actions by Czechs
I felt almost stupid when I wrote that I kinda liked Czech performances vs Italy and then you wrote they're the weaker team (since I take your opinions in high consideration).
Now I'm glad I'm not the only one that noticed that 
I wasn't having hallucination 
Czech team is playing great on block/defence
Ps and after sending my comment (sorry, now it's a bit old) I catch up with the rest of the comments and found Tim's, which is pertinent too
I remember people criticized and laughed at me when I said that Italian outside hitters are just good as French OHs if not better sans Ngapeth.Guess what?
Congratulations to Slovenia.
Poland made too many mistakes in service. And imo service was the best thing they had here.
I dont think Russia will make so many mistakes, so Slovenia needs to play better. Gasparini was just OK, the good thing is that Stern is more confident this season. He is playing a good tournament. Russia is the best team so far in this ECh IMO.
Bulgaria had no difficult against Finland. Like i said the only thing Finland could do was to win a set.
What happened to France? Maybe they were too tired. Of course without Ngapeth France is not so magic, but i didnt expect them to loose a game vs Czech. Great for Germany. Now they are favorite to play semi.
And what about Belgium. Their group seemed to be too strong but i have doubts now. Turkey and France are out. You can never say Italy is out.
Well, that was painful, even though I didn't expect anything good from my team. Honestly. I just couldn't see many positives from the beginning of this year. And look who's talking, me, lady outstanding optimist.
Kazi, I just need some warm words now, the onewho lies should not be kicked more 
What still amazes me so much is these polish crowds. I mean those people seriously believed we could slap the fate into face and actually win this sh*t. I remembered when I was like them. Today maybe with a little too much reserve and cold I was prepared for the worst. So it seems that our players are, like someone said, chokers and our fans are like bunch of naive believers. And hard to blame us, if we speak about volleyball we always expect sth big. I pity the players and I pity the fans. Believing that thenext year will bring some new sollutions.
Now I expect big campaign in Poland. How much we need Leon in NT. And you know what, I don't give a damn if the guy loves Poland, has polish wife and learn diligently our beautiful but hard as hell language. For me, come and play in polish club first and then we can speak about getting to NT. Because I don't buy this big "love" for now.
I have to congratulate Slovenians 'cause finally they played the game I expected from them since the revelation two years ago. Because since that I really consider them joining the top (and again how nasty is that not letting them play in WL elite). Don't get me wrong, any bulgarian followers, I love my second team (Bulgaria) and will always stand for them, but honestly I have no idea how they managed to win 3:0 with Slovenians. Big mistery. Anyway, good luck for both in coming games. Slovenia playing like this should stand against Russia successfully. And quietly I think Bulgaria against Serbia can stand also 
Sorry for these monologues, guys. Just a typical stream of thoughts from me in a day of great failure and darker days are coming... I can imagine all of those talking heads speaking, commenting, judging and Kubiak taking all the blame on his chest and apollogizing whole country. Don't like these moments.
And who said Czechs are the weakest, huh? Guys just did splendid job and things are getting interesting 
It's really tough when Ngapeth and Jenia are both not in good condition. I think that's the key. Those players are what makes France so hard to beat imo.
Edit: Toniutti too. Very underrated setter imo.