How is volleyball entertaining to you if Maja isn't?
Maja is volleyball.
Serbia NT 2019
-
-
It's OK, some people just never sit well with us, for whatever reason. That's how I felt about Neslihan, for example. She acted bitchy against Serbia at WCh '06 (or at least that's how I perceived it), so every time I saw her after that, I remembered it, years later.
-
I don't like Maja but I know she's a good player. Also I think it helps a lot to have Brankica and Tijana playing with her.
I personally prefer Naz. She's my favorite European setter.
-
Maja was a great player before Brankica started high school and before Tijana's 8th birthday.
-
Maja was a great player before Brankica started high school and before Tijana's 8th birthday.
She absolutely was, but she was also prone to some very immature/reckless decision making which would then affect the entire team play.
IMO it's obvious that she's grown a lot in that regard over the last few years and I'm pretty sure it has a lot to do with getting out of that toxic relationship with Teodosić and finding peace and stability in her personal life.
That it happened to coincide with the rise of Tijana and Brankica is very fortunate for us.
-
Maja was a great player before Brankica started high school and before Tijana's 8th birthday.
I said it helps a lot to have them. I did not say Maja only plays well because of them.
-
She absolutely was, but she was also prone to some very immature/reckless decision making which would then affect the entire team play.
IMO it's obvious that she's grown a lot in that regard over the last few years and I'm pretty sure it has a lot to do with getting out of that toxic relationship with Teodosić and finding peace and stability in her personal life.
That it happened to coincide with the rise of Tijana and Brankica is very fortunate for us.
I tend to forget bad times. But I still remember very clear that game between Crvena zvezda and Jedinstvo from 2004, that's one of my first memories about women's volleyball, so I can get sensitive about that Crvena zvezda's generation.
I said it helps a lot to have them. I did not say Maja only plays well because of them.
You can make that argument for every setter that ever won anything, none of them did it without some pretty good spikers.
-
It's OK, some people just never sit well with us, for whatever reason. That's how I felt about Neslihan, for example. She acted bitchy against Serbia at WCh '06 (or at least that's how I perceived it), so every time I saw her after that, I remembered it, years later.
Not only Neslihan but all Turkish team was very bitter from Serbian team since we lost a very crucial play against them right before WCh'06 (it might be grand prix qualification) and at that time noone considered SRB as a serious contender and TUR team called that defeat as an accident and promised to win against SRB in WCh but of course it didn't happen and SRB turned out to be the biggest revelation of that tournament. That's why I can imagine Neslihan wasn't really amused at the match against SRB
-
Not only Neslihan but all Turkish team was very bitter from Serbian team since we lost a very crucial play against them right before WCh'06 (it might be grand prix qualification) and at that time noone considered SRB as a serious contender and TUR team called that defeat as an accident and promised to win against SRB in WCh but of course it didn't happen and SRB turned out to be the biggest revelation of that tournament. That's why I can imagine Neslihan wasn't really amused at the match against SRB
Yes, that happened at the GP qualies (remember when it was still a thing?! LOL), in the last match of the group stage which was meaningless for Serbia because they were already eliminated, while for Turkey a win of any kind would make them ranked 1st in the group and automatically qualified for the Grand Prix, for the first time ever, if I'm not mistaken. But Serbia fought until the bitter end, winning the match in 5 sets, and Turkey was thus sent to the play-offs, where they lost and didn't qualify. It clearly didn't make the players of the two teams the best friends at that time.
-
"What is this?! Oh God, help us" - that was Stefana's reaction when she first entered the hall in Ankara before the ECh final
She said that she tried to pretend in her mind that all those people for actually cheering for Serbia, and that's how she was able to keep her focus.
-
"What is this?! Oh God, help us" - that was Stefana's reaction when she first entered the hall in Ankara before the ECh final
She said that she tried to pretend in her mind that all those people for actually cheering for Serbia, and that's how she was able to keep her focus.
It shouldn't be that hard, we both say 'haydi!'
-
Well, she complained about empty arenas in Turkey when she played for Gala....
-
"What is this?! Oh God, help us" - that was Stefana's reaction when she first entered the hall in Ankara before the ECh final
She said that she tried to pretend in her mind that all those people for actually cheering for Serbia, and that's how she was able to keep her focus.
Interesting. Novak Djokovic said something very similar about how he copes with crowds supporting his opponents.
-
Adis is playing with 28 points already in 3 sets against FIN
-
Adis is playing with 28 points already in 3 sets against FIN
Wrong thread maybe?
-
Wrong thread maybe?
Lol, sorry I meant to write Men ECh thread, don't know how I ended up here
-
I think the Ankara crowd is one of the best things that happened to volleyball recently tbh! Finally some passionate full halls in volleyball matches, showing not only basketball and football can do that. Such a revelation. It used to be more common back in the days.
Ech was great in general, hopefully a new era in women's volleyball.
-
You're right Beri but I must say that it was sad to watch when fans left the arena before medal ceremony
I know they were dissapointed but in that moment, the players needed their support. -
She absolutely was, but she was also prone to some very immature/reckless decision making which would then affect the entire team play.
IMO it's obvious that she's grown a lot in that regard over the last few years and I'm pretty sure it has a lot to do with getting out of that toxic relationship with Teodosić and finding peace and stability in her personal life.
That it happened to coincide with the rise of Tijana and Brankica is very fortunate for us.
You nailed it, all of it. The case of Maja Ognjenovic is an incredible tale of a late bloomer (but a "late bloomer" who was also very good early on...if that makes sense), in more than one sense. If you would have made a questionnaire in volleyball circles in 2012, asking for people's thoughts on Maja, at most they would have said that she was a major talent who never achieved anything close to her potential, and probably would not be even regarded as top 50 setters of all time. Also, she was not even the most popular or well-known player in Serbia. She was 28 at the time.
Now, seven years later, she is widely regarded as one of the greatest setters of 21st century, a living legend of the game, and she is one of only handful of female athletes that is widely beloved and respected in her home country, a country which is very misogynistic in general, and for the most part only cares and "respects" female sports/athletes as far as they are able to drool over them. Plus, what Joana said about her private life, and how she has grown as a person in her late 20s/early 30s.
Now, I'm not saying that 2012 in specific is a big demarcation point, or that she didn't have at least some of her biggest successes before that (as well as some duds after), but it really puts things into perspective, when you view it from that angle.
