Hisamitsu Springs [/color]
2009-10 Elisangela Oliveira -> ?
[color=#00ff00]2010-11 ?
Elisangela Oliveira >>> Sollys Osasco (BRA)
Funny how the Japanese league can not hold foreign players. Each player throws one year and then find another league.
Elisangela OIiveira will play for Hisamitsu Springs this season.
Surprised to say that many of the players have been in Japan for a while.
4 years
Jean Patrice Ndaki Mboulet
3 years
Dejan Bojovic
Ernardo Gomez
2 years
Theo Lopes
Andelko Cuk
James Nyang'au Ontere
1st year
Silmar Antonio de Almeida - Piá
Gabriel Zobo-Lebay
FIVB Women's Rankings as of November 15, 2010, my rankings in parenthesis
Rank
1 Brazil 240 (1)
2 USA 205.5 (3)
3 Italy 165.75 (2)
3 Japan 165.75 (4)
5 China 157 (5)
6 Russia 143.75 (7)
7 Cuba 104.5 (10)
8 Poland 98.25 (6)
9 Serbia 83.75 (13)
10 Germany 77.25 (9)
11 Netherlands 75.5 (8)
12 Turkey 70.75 (14)
13 Dom. Rep. 62.25 (11)
14 Thailand 60.75 (12)
15 Algeria 53.75 (31)
16 Puerto Rico 50.5 (18)
17 Peru 49.25 (24)
18 Kazakhstan 45.25 (25)
19 Korea 44.5 (15)
20 Canada 36.25 (30)
21 Tunisia 34 (44)
21 Argentina 34 (34)
23 Cameroon 29.5 (38)
24 Czech Rep. 28 (16)
25 Senegal 25.75 (53)
26 Costa Rica 25 (41)
27 Mexico 24.75 (46)
28 Colombia 24 (50)
29 Croatia 22.75 (17)
30 Kenya 22.25 (43)
31 Venezuela 21.75 (35)
32 Uruguay 20.5 (49)
33 Trinid. & Tobago 19.75 (48)
34 Ch. Taipei 19 (39)
34 Botswana 19 (85)
36 Azerbaijan 18 (21)
36 Belgium 18 (27)
38 Belarus 17 (26)
39 Romania 16.75 (22)
40 Bulgaria 15 (19)
41 Spain 13 (20)
42 France 12 (23)
43 Uzbekistan 11 (70)
43 Slovenia 11 (32)
45 Marocco 10 (111)
45 Chile 10 (86)
45 Slovakia 10 (33)
48 Ukraine 9 (29)
48 Greece 9 (36)
48 Albania 9 (67)
48 Jamaica 9 (60)
48 Netherlands Antilles 9 (73)
48 Nicaragua 9 (59)
48 Hungary 9 (42)
48 Israel 9 (28)
48 American V. Islands 9 (77)
57 Egypt 8 (66)
57 Finland 8 (47)
57 Guatemala 8 (75)
57 Barbados 8 (63)
57 Panama 8 (81)
57 Moldavia 8 (64)
57 Bahamas 8 (84)
64 Bosnia Herzegovina 7 (57)
64 Portugal 7 (87)
64 Mauritius 7 (58)
64 Great Britain 7 (69)
64 Estonia 7 (76)
64 Georgia 7 (107)
64 New Zealand 7 (80)
64 Fiji Islands 7 (83)
64 Surinam 7 (100)
64 Haiti 7 (98)
64 Belize 7 (113)
64 El Salvador 7 (104)
64 Saint Lucia 7 (61)
64 Bermuda 7 (55)
78 South Africa 6.75 (72)
79 Austria 6 (101)
79 Honduras 6 (109)
79 Cayman Islands 6 (114)
79 Montenegro 6 (82)
79 Aruba 6 (114)
79 Bangladesh 6 (114)
85 Paraguay 5.75 (99)
85 Bolivia 5.75 (108)
87 Vietnam 5 (56)
87 Iran 5 (95)
87 Dominica 5 (96)
87 Nigeria 5 (103)
87 British Virgin Island 5 (114)
87 St. Kitts 5 (90)
87 Anguilla 5 (93)
87 Tonga 5 (114)
87 Denmark 5 (112)
87 Samoa Islands 5 (97)
87 Zimbabwe 5 (114)
87 Swaziland 5 (105)
87 Mozambique 5 (89)
87 Antigua 5 (91)
87 Saint Vincent & Gren. 5 (106)
87 Grenada 5 (114)
103 Australia 3 (65)
103 Hong Kong 3 (92)
103 India 3 (74)
106 Indonesia 2 (78)
106 Sri Lanka 2 (102)
108 Norway 1 (110)
108 Macedonia 1 (94)
108 Iceland 1 (62)
111 Congo Brazaville 0 (122)
111 Congo 0 (122)
111 England 0
111 Jordan 0 (122)
111 Philippines 0 (122)
111 Uganda 0 (122)
111 Ecuador 0 (122)
111 Eritrea 0 (122)
111 Scotland 0 (51)
111 Rwanda 0 (114)
111 Afghanistan 0 (122)
111 Cote d'Ivoire 0 (122)
111 DPR Korea 0 (122)
111 Latvia 0 (122)
111 Namibia 0 (122)
111 Seychelles 0 (122)
111 Switzerland 0 (54)
Yoko Zetterlund is a great example of a player who chose between two countries.
An American dad and a Japanese mother, Yoko was born in the USA, but lived in Japan and even played on the Junior National team for Japan. Tried out for the US national team when the Japanese federation said she wasn't good enough. Plays in Barcelona Games and gets a bronze medal. Returns to Japan in 1996 to play volleyball in the V-League and still lives there.
I would guess that many of the Russian team were born when it was still the USSR, so they could claim Russian status if they wanted. Players born before December 26, 1991 would have been a part of the USSR, not including the countries who had declared independence before that date.
Here is a listing of the Points Differential by Round, Opponent Rating and Adjusted Point Margin as a Simple Rating System for the average match during first round.
Brazil averaged a total points win of 23.20 points in the first round, but their competition lost by an average of 4.64 points, so Brazil's Adjusted Point Margin was 18.56 points per match. Or in lay-mens terms, Brazil won 75-56 in three sets in their five matches.
Team Pts-Diff-Margin Opp-Rating Adj-Margin
Brazil 23.20 (4.64) 18.56
Russia 22.20 (4.44) 17.76
Japan 22.00 (4.40) 17.60
Poland 18.60 (3.72) 14.88
USA 15.20 (3.04) 12.16
Germany 14.60 (2.92) 11.68
Netherlands 14.00 (2.80) 11.20
Serbia 12.60 (2.52) 10.08
Turkey 5.80 (1.16) 4.64
Italy 5.60 (1.12) 4.48
Czech Republic 5.20 (1.04) 4.16
South Korea 4.40 (0.88) 3.52
China 3.20 (0.64) 2.56
Cuba (0.60) 0.12 (0.48)
Thailand (3.00) 0.60 (2.40)
Peru (3.80) 0.76 (3.04)
Croatia (7.20) 1.44 (5.76)
Dominican Republic (13.60) 2.72 (10.88)
Puerto Rico (18.80) 3.76 (15.04)
Kazakhstan (19.00) 3.80 (15.20)
Costa Rica (19.80) 3.96 (15.84)
Canada (22.00) 4.40 (17.60)
Kenya (29.20) 5.84 (23.36)
Algeria (29.60) 5.92 (23.68)
Here is the same but for sets difference. Brazil won 13 sets more in 5 matches (2.6 sets), its opponents on average lost a half a set, giving an adjusted margin of 2.08 sets difference per set.
Team Sets-Diff-Margin Opp-Rating Adj-Margin
Brazil 2.60 (0.52) 2.08
USA 2.60 (0.48) 2.12
Russia 2.40 (0.48) 1.92
Japan 2.20 (0.44) 1.76
Germany 1.80 (0.32) 1.48
Serbia 1.60 (0.32) 1.28
South Korea 1.60 (0.32) 1.28
Poland 1.20 (0.24) 0.96
Netherlands 1.00 (0.20) 0.80
Czech Republic 0.60 (0.12) 0.48
Italy 0.60 (0.12) 0.48
Turkey 0.20 (0.04) 0.16
China (0.40) 0.08 (0.32)
Peru (0.40) 0.08 (0.32)
Croatia (0.60) 0.16 (0.44)
Cuba (0.60) 0.16 (0.44)
Thailand (0.60) 0.16 (0.44)
Dominican Republic (1.40) 0.28 (1.12)
Costa Rica (1.60) 0.32 (1.28)
Puerto Rico (1.80) 0.36 (1.44)
Canada (2.40) 0.48 (1.92)
Kazakhstan (2.40) 0.52 (1.88)
Algeria (3.00) 0.60 (2.40)
Kenya (3.00) 0.60 (2.40)
Here is my Women's ranking for the top 35 with their beginning of the year ranking in parenthesis.
1. Brazil (1)
2. Italy (2)
3. USA (6)
4. Japan (5)
5. China (3)
6. Poland (4)
7. Russia (8)
8. Netherlands (9)
9. Germany (10)
10. Cuba (7)
11. Dominican Republic (11)
12. Thailand (13)
13. Serbia (12)
14. Turkey (15)
15. South Korea (14)
16. Czech Republic (20)
17. Croatia (22)
18. Puerto Rico (17)
19. Bulgaria (18)
20. Spain (21)
21. Azerbaijan (19)
22. Romania (27)
23. France (24)
24. Peru (23)
25. Kazakhstan (16)
26. Belarus (25)
27. Belgium (33)
28. Israel (39)
29. Ukraine (38)
30. Canada (28)
31. Algeria (26)
32. Slovenia (32)
33. Slovakia (31)
34. Argentina (29)
35. Venezuela (30)
After Medal Round of the FIVB Women's World Championship, here is my ranking of the teams
1. Brazil
2. Italy
3. USA
4. Japan
5. China
6. Poland
7. Russia
8. Netherlands
9. Germany
10. Cuba
11. Dominican Republic X
12. Thailand XX
13. Serbia
14. Turkey
15. South Korea XX
16. Czech Republic XX
17. Croatia X
18. Puerto Rico X
24. Peru XX
25. Kazakhstan X
30. Canada X
31. Algeria X
41. Costa Rica X
43. Kenya X
X Eliminated after first round
XX Eliminated after second round
brahmin - thank you good man ;D
I think every morning I will watch this Fabi's dig !
Actually, I've found some of the highlights from TBS, the Japanese broadcaster who did not have them outside of Japan on the TBS World Championship site in English. I lived in Japan and still keep in touch with friends, so I could watch the videos and understand what was going on. I watched all of them and have the theme song for the tournament stuck in my head by EXILE "I Wish for You".
This one is the Japanese team finale video with highlights from their games. Even with some behind the scenes videos with the coaching staff before and during matches.
Coming from a 2-0 deficit against Poland to win, the return of Megumi Kurihara from injury against Algeria, Ai Yamamoto performing for her daughter, Saori Kimura leading Japan over Serbia in the final first round match, losing to China, stopping the #1 southpaw (leftie) Neslihan, beating South Korea to get to the final 4, meeting before the Brazil match, going up 2-0 but the pride of #1 Brazil to fight back, For all a medal was the goal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7GGINTCnOc
Here is his user id on youtube
http://www.youtube.com/user/jikkyocap
Foulke Akinradewo is confirmed as of October 22nd on the V-League website with Toyota Auto Body Queenseis.
Hitachi and Hitachi Sawa were two different teams in the V-League. Here is a picture from 2000.
http://www.pumpkinnet.to/vollyball/shinako/20000423_3.jpg
Hitachi Sawa Rivale is the one that is continuing. Hitachi Bellfiyu was based in Kodaira in the Tokyo, while Sawa is based in the city of Hitachinaka in Ibaraki prefecture north east of Tokyo. Bellfiyu was put out of business after the 2001 V-League season.
After April of this year, the team dropped Sawa from its name as is called Hitachi Rivale.
Russia-Brazil final, but not without parts missing
Set 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1xpfffp5l4
Set 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5NNo1Y4eRU
Set 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygA4W8tyHsg
Set 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsHL9egE-e0
Set 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ee195BUjH4M
Japan-Brazil semifinal in multiple parts, I only watched the second set tie breaker and the final set, but even at the end of the match, the Brazilian announcer said that the match would go down in history.
Set 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtOJbaJQLlE (part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmK5bznvids (part 2)
Set 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YNV8D1RE0U (part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwDa0zeAERY (part 2)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Juj_N48ITzg (part 3)
Set 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2YMG7WYJzU (part 1) Fabi doing a soccer style play to keep the ball alive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxBcbhNZOks (part 2)
Set 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B75WXQLr53s (part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uFUd7Guloc (part 2)
Set 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tb5bhWgZYE (part 1)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPTMJFD-3Z0 (part 2)
Russia-Brazil 2-3
USA-Japan 3-1
Italy-Turkey 3-1
Germany-Serbia 3-1
China-Poland 3-1
Holland-Cuba 1-3
SEMIFINALS
Brazil - Japan 3:1
Russia - USA 2:3
5-8
Germany - Turkey 3:1
Italy - Serbia 3:0
9-12
China - Cuba 3:1
Poland - Holland 3:2
If 3-2-1 Match Win Points System was used for Matches, this is how the groups would look:
Group E
Russia 21
Japan 14
Serbia 12
Turkey 10
Poland 9 (higher pts ratio)
China 9 (2nd higher pts ratio)
South Korea 9
Peru 0
No change in group results
Group F
Brazil 20
USA 15
Italy 13 *
Germany 12 *
Cuba 8
Netherlands 7
Thailand 6
Czech Republic 3
Italy would be third instead of fourth, while Germany would be fourth instead of third.
By my estimates from the FIVB stats of serve receive, digging, service aces, spikes (not from sets), blocks and block rebounds, and opponent faults (spike not blocked, service error, setting error and others (4 hits), Russia had 125 possessions and with 75 points scored, an incredible 60% of the time. Taking out the opponent errors of 16 errors, it comes to 59 points in 109 possessions (54.12%).
Serbia was at 115 possessions with 39 points scored, 33.91%. Taking out the opponent errors of 8 errors, it comes to 31 points in 107 possessions (28.97%)
If 3-2-1 Match Win Points System was used for Matches, this is how the groups would look:
Group E
Russia 15
Japan 11
South Korea 9 (higher pts ratio)
Serbia 9
Turkey 7
Poland 6
China 3
Peru 0
Russia is clearly in the driver's seat. Japan would be fighting for their lives in their final two matches, but a five set match against South Korea would almost get them through to the semis in this set-up.
Group F
Brazil 14
USA 12
Germany 9 (higher pts ratio)
Italy 9
Netherlands 7
Cuba 3 (higher pts ratio)
Czech Republic 3 (2nd higher pts ratio)
Thailand 3
USA could still leapfrog Brazil with two wins, if Italy and Germany win out, one would advance, or maybe a three-way tie if US loses to Netherlands and beats Brazil in 3 or 4 sets.
Japanese teams play better at home because the crowd is behind them.
Do not bring up the attendance issues for non-home country games in Japan. Japan only has a foreigner population of 1.7 million people (more or less). I am guessing that many of those are working. According to the 2000 Japanese census (ok, it is 10 years ago, but I can find it) the largest foreigner populations were Korean, Chinese and Brazilian and combined at that time it was around 900,000 people. So if this stayed the same, the remaining 800,000 would have to support 20 other teams. This of course does not include tourists to Japan, which would be low in my opinion due to cost of travel and staying in Japan.
If I am working and my team is playing in the town I am working in, I would try to watch. But if my team plays in the 13:00 or 16:00 games, I would be at work (if not on the weekend). Japanese businesses are notoriously bad for not allowing mid-week vacation days.
Tokyo and Osaka are large metropolitan areas and have a decent foreigner population. Hamamatsu is the home of Brazilans in Japan because many work at the auto and motorcycle manufacturers there. Matsumoto in Nagano prefecture is a large city, but the foreigner population there cannot be that big.
Tokyo games always draw well, and I can see that from the attendance figures. Matsumoto did not have a match under 1,000, which is a surprise to me. Osaka's games drew worse than Matsumoto, so this is a bit of shock to me. Osaka had a really good group in my opinion.
Attendance Totals 1st Round
Tokyo 66160, AVG 4411, CAPACITY 12000 (36.75%)
Hamamatsu 26222, AVG 1748, CAPACITY 8000 (21.85%)
Matsumoto 34570, AVG 2305, CAPACITY 7000 (32.93%)
Osaka 19360, AVG 1291, CAPACITY 8200 (15.74%)
It is unrealistic to expect sell outs for all of the games.
If 3-2-1 Match Win Points System was used for Matches, this is how the groups would look:
Group A
Japan 14
Serbia 12
Poland 10
Peru 6
Costa Rica 3
Algeria 0
Group B
Brazil 14
Netherlands 10
Italy 9 (higher pts ratio)
Czech Republic 9
Puerto Rico 3
Kenya 0
Group C
USA 15
Germany 12
Thailand 6
Croatia 6 * didn't advance in 2 pt win system
Cuba 5
Kazakhstan 1
Group D
Russia 15
South Korea 11
Turkey 8
China 6
Dominican Republic 4
Canada 1
At beginning of Group E and F, it would look like this
Group E
Russia 9
Japan 8
Serbia 6
South Korea 5
Poland 4 (higher pts ratio)
Turkey 4
China 0 (higher pts ratio)
Peru 0
Group F
USA 9
Brazil 8
Germany 6
Netherlands 4
Cuba 3 (higher pts ratio)
Czech Republic 3 (2nd higher pts ratio)
Italy 3
Thailand 0
Pool E
6th Nov-Peru-Russia 0:3
6th Nov-Poland-South Korea 3:1
6th Nov-Serbia-Turkey 3:2
6th Nov-Japan-China 3:1
7th Nov-Peru-South Korea 0:3
7th Nov-Poland-Russia 1:3
7th Nov-Serbia-China 3:1
7th Nov-Japan-Turkey 3:1
9th Nov-Peru-Turkey 0:3
9th Nov-Poland-China 3:1
9th Nov-Serbia-Russia 1:3
9th Nov-Japan-South Korea 3:1
10th Nov-Peru-China 0:3
10th Nov-Poland-Turkey 3:1
10th Nov-Serbia-South Korea 3:1
10th Nov-Japan-Russia 1:3
Pool F
6th Nov-Brazil-Thailand 3:0
6th Nov-Netherlands-Cuba 3:1
6th Nov-Italy-Germany 3:1
6th Nov-Czech Republic-United States 1:3
7th Nov-Brazil-Cuba 3:0
7th Nov-Netherlands-Thailand 3:0
7th Nov-Italy-United States 1:3
7th Nov-Czech Republic-Germany 2:3
9th Nov-Brazil-Germany 3:1
9th Nov-Netherlands-United States 0:3
9th Nov-Italy-Thailand 3:1
9th Nov-Czech Republic-Cuba 3:1
10th Nov-Brazil-United States 2:3
10th Nov-Netherlands-Germany 1:3
10th Nov-Italy-Cuba 3:1
10th Nov-Czech Republic-Thailand 3:0
After First Round of the FIVB Women's World Championship, here is my ranking of the teams
1. Brazil
2. Italy
3. USA
4. Japan
5. China
6. Poland
7. Netherlands
8. Germany
9. Russia
10. Dominican Republic X
11. Cuba
12. Thailand
13. Serbia
14. South Korea
15. Turkey
16. Czech Republic
17. Croatia X
18. Puerto Rico X
24. Kazakhstan X
25. Peru
30. Canada X
31. Algeria X
41. Costa Rica X
43. Kenya X
X Eliminated after first round
1st ROUND
Pool A
29-Oct Peru - Algeria 3:1
29-Oct Serbia - Costa Rica 3:0
29-Oct Poland - Japan 1:3
30-Oct Costa Rica - Algeria 2:3
30-Oct Serbia - Poland 1:3
30-Oct Japan - Peru 3:0
31-Oct Peru - Serbia 1:3
31-Oct Poland - Costa Rica 3:0
31-Oct Algeria - Japan 0:3
02-Nov Serbia - Algeria 3:0
02-Nov Poland - Peru 3:0
02-Nov Costa Rica - Japan 0:3
03-Nov Peru - Costa Rica 3:0
03-Nov Algeria - Poland 0:3
03-Nov Japan - Serbia 3:1
Pool B
29-Oct Brazil - Kenya 3:0
29-Oct Czech Rep. - Netherlands 1:3
29-Oct Puerto Rico - Italy 0:3
30-Oct Czech Rep. - Brazil 0:3
30-Oct Kenya - Puerto Rico 1:3
30-Oct Netherlands - Italy 1:3
31-Oct Purto Rico - Czech Rep. 2:3
31-Oct Italy - Kenya 3:0
31-Oct Brazil - Netherlands 3:0
02-Nov Brazil - Puerto Rico 3:0
02-Nov Netherlands - Kenya 3:0
02-Nov Czech Rep. - Italy 1:3
03-Nov Puerto Rico - Netherlands 1:3
03-Nov Kenya - Czech Rep. 0:3
03-Nov Italy - Brazil 3:1
Pool C
29-Oct Germany - Kazakhstan 3:0
29-Oct USA - Thailand 3:0
29-Oct Croatia - Cuba 0:3
30-Oct USA - Croatia 3:0
30-Oct Thailand - Kazakhstan 3:1
30-Oct Cuba - Germany 3:1
31-Oct Kazakhstan - Cuba 0:3
31-Oct Croatia - Thailand 2:3
31-Oct Germany - USA 2:3
02-Nov Croatia - Germany 1:3
02-Nov Thailand - Cuba 0:3
02-Nov USA - Kazakhstan 3:0
03-Nov Kazakhstan - Croatia 1:3
03-Nov Germany - Thailand 3:0
03-Nov Cuba - USA 2:3
Pool D
29-Oct Russia - Dominican Rep. 3:1
29-Oct Canada - Korea 1:3
29-Oct Turkey - China 0:3
30-Oct Russia - Turkey 3:1
30-Oct Dominican Rep. - Korea 3:1
30-Oct China - Canada 3:0
31-Oct Turkey - Dominican Rep. 1:3
31-Oct Canada - Russia 0:3
31-Oct Korea - China 0:3
02-Nov Turkey - Canada 3:1
02-Nov Russia - Korea 3:0
02-Nov Dominican Rep. - China 2:3
03-Nov Canada - Dominican Rep. 1:3
03-Nov Korea - Turkey 1:3
03-Nov China - Russia 3:2
