There's just too much hate for Team USA on this forum! Just kidding!
But anyway, I still think USA is one of the most polished teams playing in London right now. They'll be tough to beat if they sort out those inconsistencies.
There's just too much hate for Team USA on this forum! Just kidding!
But anyway, I still think USA is one of the most polished teams playing in London right now. They'll be tough to beat if they sort out those inconsistencies.
Excited for USA-Brazil tomorrow! Its going to be fun!
One thing I noticed, the TV production quality is much better than in Beijing. I watched some matches from back then again recently and there were very few slowmotions, always the same cameras etc., in CHN-SRB there were replays after almost every point and a lot of different camera angles
Also the quality is good enough to see if there was a block touch...
Agree, technically it was better than Beijing. But the effect that the whole gym creates was better in Beijing, it was surreal, the combination of green, blue, etc. In earl's court it looked pale and boring (sorry)...
What a sad moment for Serbia. This is just not working without Nikolic, Malagurski and Molnar
Wow, Earl's court looks very average for me compared to the one in Beijing and Athens. Just my opinion
I was very proud when Turkey entered the stadium with Neslihan carrying the flag. She looked gorgeous, very happy and fulfilled. Nice to see at least one volleyball player carrying the flag.
Obviously Italy will have no problems reaching the quarters. They could either be 1st or 2nd in their Pool but I'm leaning more on putting them at 2nd...Russia is just too talented as of the moment with all those big hitters. If Italy will place 2nd, a possibility of a match-up between either USA or Brazil or China or Turkey will happen... And any of those 4 teams can match-up Italy pretty well.
Pool A
28-July
1 Algeria - Japan 0 - 3
3 United Kingdom - Russia 0 - 3
4 Italy - Dominican Republic 3 - 0
30-July
9 Dominican Republic - Russia 0 - 3
11 Italy - Japan 3 - 1
12 United Kingdom - Algeria 3 - 2
1-August
13 Dominican Republic - Japan 1 - 3
14 Algeria - Russia 0 - 3
16 United Kingdom - Italy 0 - 3
3-August
20 Japan - Russia 0 - 3
22 United Kingdom - Dominican Republic 0 - 3
24 Algeria - Italy 0 - 3
5-August
25 Algeria - Dominican Republic 0 - 3
27 United Kingdom - Japan 0 - 3
28 Italy - Russia 3 - 2
Pool B
28-July
2 China - Serbia 3 - 0
5 United States - South Korea 3 - 0
6 Brazil - Turkey 3 - 0
30-July
7 China - Turkey 3 - 1
8 Serbia - South Korea 1 - 3
10 United States - Brazil 3 - 1
1-August
15 Serbia - Turkey 1 - 3
17 United States - China 3 - 1
18 Brazil - South Korea 3 - 0
3-August
19 Brazil - China 3 - 1
21 Turkey - South Korea 3 - 2
23 United States - Serbia 3 - 0
5-August
26 China - South Korea 3 - 1
29 United States - Turkey 3 - 0
30 Brazil - Serbia 3 - 0
Congrats USA
Kristin Richards had 35 pts.
So happy for K-Rich! Hope she sticks around with USA National Team until 2016 Rio Games, she will definitely be a major contributor for a few more years from now...
I totally agree with USAFAN...How unselfish (pardon me for the word) of Ze Roberto to do this..If he pursues on putting Natalia in the team, I pity Brait for traveling with the team...
Speaking of Brazil, I was looking on their roster for 2008 Beijing Games and that was such a spectacular team I'm blown away...Not to take anything away from this years team but there's a big drop in terms of performance from their outside hitters, Fabiana, setter and most especially Fabi (libero)... The only upgrade was Thaisa and Sheilla just being the usual Sheilla who could put the ball down.. I think that Brazil will easily march into the semis and whether they face Italy or Russia they will have to EARN that finals spot as both those teams are very capable of beating Brazil...
For USA, if they shore up their passing, they can literally run their offense centered on Hooker, Akinradewo and Harmotto..This team will be unstoppable... I'm excited on how Harmotto will do in London.. Also praying for Berg's health... Hope she will be healthy all-throughout the tournament. But what I think will help USA go far in the tournament (and achieve a medal) is that Larson and Tom will have to contribute on the offense on a regular basis..Compared to Beijing, this is a better team. And oh, Davis better be good!
Congratulations to the American Ladies! I am extremely proud! USA became the 2nd nation (after Brazil) to get 3-straight Grand Prix Titles.
Im just sad that more than half of these 12 ladies will not be able to play in the Olympics in London.
By the way, I am now a Kristin Richards' fan. I love her! If Tom retires hopefully she's the next great American OH...
Congratulations to USA for amazing performance! Totally deserved championship, It must scare all opponents that they cannot win USA's bench player, what is worse is that most of their key players are young so they can keep playing at least 2 more OG after London
MVP's of the Grand Prix:
2010 - Akinradewo
2011 - Hooker
2012 - Hodge
I find it reassuring that although after this Olympic Games a lot of veterans "might" retire like Berg, Tom, Bown, Scott-Arruda, Haneef-Park, Sykora but USA still got the likes of Akinradewo, Hodge, Larson, Hooker, Alisha Glass, Kristin Richards, Tamari Miyashiro, Christa Harmotto, Carli Lloyd, Lauren Gibbmeyer, Alix Klineman, Cynthia Barboza, etc
and yet it will remain to be a very strong team... Tom, for example, will surely be missed if in any case but I really like the progress of USA's OHs (Larson, Hodge, Richards). Harmotto and Akinradewo will be great for many many years and same with Hooker.. This is truly awesome!
Richards is like Tom in the backcourt..She does everything so well from digging to reception... I would really like to see her in London..
Way to go USA! Won over Brazil without Tom, Larson, Hooker, Akinradewo and Berg...But just to be fair although Brazil had a full-strength team playing, their performance is far from their usual...
By the way, this could be the last NT appearance of Foluke since she's planning to go back to med school in Stanford. Club team is quite hard to leave since it will be the main source of her tuition fee. Stanford is pretty expensive as you know.
Or better put it, Med School (regardless of which University) is expensive. That may hold her Foluke's plan..But I wish her the best!
Japanese roster to the 2012 London Olympic -> http://www.jva.or.jp/world/olympic2012/member.html
This is a strong team... Barring any injuries, Japan may reach the quarterfinals..
I think his decision is right, not taking any risks and letting new players play. I was kinda surprised at Richards's great performances. I always knew that She was a stable receiver however played very well both in attack and defense. Is there any chance Richards going to London? not so easy I assume...
Kristin Richards' peformance vs Serbia and Thailand clearly brought her back to contention for that London Spot. IMHO, this will be USA's London roster:
OH - Tom, Larson, Hodge
Opp - Hooker, Haneef-Park/Metcalf
MB - Akinradewo, Harmotto, Bown/Scott-Arruda
Setter - Berg, Glass/Thompson
L- Davis
Only 1 player remaining to complete the 12...In my opinion its going to be either Miyashiro, Richards or Barboza...
I agree with jist. Harmotto has played just an amazing volleyball so far and If everything goes well, She will be playing as starter in London. I've never expected it since as everyone knows US has very strong MBs such as Akinradewo, Bown, Tamas, Scott and so on. She absolutely deserves her place. I just can say What a poor girl Tamas is... She can possibly have place in another teams but her country has better MBs than her...so what a pity for her. Honestly speaking, After Beijing, I completely thought She and Akinradewo would play as starters and Bown & Scott were going to retired... Maybe I was so wrong about it
Whether Harmotto makes it on the USA's roster for London or not, I will continue to be inspired by her determination. For someone who had an injury a year ago, it was such an incredible come back. I just love her.
USA still has other capable MBs like Gibbmeyer, Arielle Wilson..
But what do you think about the decrease of Akinradewo's performance this year? I mean still she is great but not as outstanding as she was last year. Would weak season with Krasnodar be reason?
I don't think there was a decrease in her performance. Maybe her connection with Berg has been a little rough but I believe she will be back..hopefully in time for London Games.
The match between thailand and turkey will be really great to watch
its sure that turkey is on another level from thailand but on the otherhand it seems turkey have some trouble playing against asian fast game style(what is so common between european teams)so i guess the match wont be so easy ,thailand probably force its limit to win this game
To be fair, I haven't seen Turkey play that much but I don't think they are on another level from Thailand. Thailand has improved by leaps and bounds and I truly think they deserved to be in the final round regardless of the "easy" schedule they had in the preliminaries.
I honestly think that this Grand Prix sealed Harmotto's trip to London games. She is such an exciting player, a prospect for USA volleyball. She and Akinradewo, in my opinion, will be the starters for USA in London. Who would have thought? Both of them played against each other some 3 -4 years back in one of US NCAA's most decorated rivalries (Penn State-Stanford).. 3rd MB spot might go to Bown or Scott..(But Im secretly hoping its Bown..)
True. Even though Tom is not that much effective in attack anymore, she's still very important to the team because of her serve and reception. This US team will be very, very tough to beat. I think Brazil has dipped since the departure of Fofão but they still are contenders for a medal.
If Tom picks up her "old" attacking form like what she showed in Beijing, USA will be hard to beat in London. As I was watching the replays, Tom is doing all these dropshots, off speed hits, etc.. If she gains that old form back, watch out..
Anyway, I feel that Harmotto will be in USA's roster in London. She's very fun to watch...a very powerful attacker and a very imposing blocker.. She and Akinradewo is a very potent tandem..