Posts by semisonic

Quote from brahmin

In soccer, teams playing in UEFA competitions have had to forfeit matches when teams use illegal players on the pitch. The results of the drug tests came after the match. Do you make the Russian's play the French again, this time in France? What other recourse is there? The FIVB could say France gets in as that they played them in the Euro Qualifying Final and then send Russia back to the World Qualifying Tournament in Japan.

The FIVB is not going to make the CEV replay the whole damn tournament on short notice.

The Russian Sports Federation in the past (Soviet Union days) pushed the boundaries on steroids. With the current administration, they did the same thing with all of the best athletes. Look at how many sports not just volleyball got hit, figure skating, tennis, weightlifting, etc. This was a systemic problem, which is controlled by the Russian government. In the States, each of the sport federations are separate from the government. The US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) does the testing as an outside agency. Did Lance Armstrong get caught? Yes. Would it have been bad to have it happen to him, with 7 Tour de France titles and a great story of surviving cancer? Yes. However he chose to cheat and it was too good to be true.

We are in a phase of sports where the scientists are ahead of the testers. This may have been an accident, but with so many people being caught, is it an accident or part of a coordinated system to cheat? We've seen it from Track and Field in the past with the USA and other world athletes.

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Brain-washed by Western media... Has no idea what happens in Russia, but of course US tv has shown all the real truth... Government here wouldn't care, as they don't now. Coordinated system to cheat... Such high words! This meldronat is the most ridiculous thing to be called doping ever and yes it was US Olympic comitee who sanctioned it to be called doping, just because this medicine is so popular in post-Soviet areas. WADA is being totally in control by North-Americans, so US athletes are so rare to be tested and positive tests wouldn't get public anyway. Just a very rare ones. And of course it's a very useful political element now. All the evil in the world is coming from Russia, of course, as it has always been. But it's a law of life - the strong ones eat the weak ones, so Russian athletes have to suffer for what politicians are doing. But some bucketheads here are starting to assume that if Kosheleva is injured, she's probably using doping. Probably not everyone has to have a brain, tv pretty much does the job.

Interview with Koshevela between 1st and 2nd set - She's still not training, doctors forbid that. Although she says she's feeling fine already. Not sure if she'll be ready for CEV final, but there's hope.

Kosheleva twisted her ankle during the game with Leningradka, was substituted in the 3rd set. Maybe anybody has news on her?

Quote from estranged

Is Ulanova back with Kazan? I just saw her name in Dinamo's roster after today's game and apparently she was also with the team during the Champions League match against Uralochka. But I can't find any official news on Kazan's website

yes, she is. she's in the roster from CL game vs Uralochka, hopes to be in the best shape for decisive games in April

Quote from powsoff

Bessonnaya's problem is that she is a bit of an unorthodox case for Russian volleyball. Very good but not very tall (see her blocking stats) and, I presume, hence out of the scout's sphere of interest. She's not in her teens...

You know, what strikes me in the Superleague (mostly true for the men's edition) is the number of superb players who remained totally invisible until the age of 25+ due to some unorthodox features. Kutsmus of Ural, Karpukhov of Kuzbass/Samotlor, Kozlov of Orenburg are proper volleyball players, excellently coordinated and spectacular in action. No, we would better go with a fencer Klyuka because he is 209 cm tall or bring a tennis-player Illinykh or grab Baranov instead.

I don't follow men's league at all, so have no idea what goes on there. I've never seen Kutsmus or Karpukhov playing, unfortunately.
Talking about women I think situation have changed in recent years. Yana Shcherban could be called unorthodox, but now she's the best Russian OH. Yulia Kutyukova is like that too (although she's fading so badly in Leningradka this season it'a painful to watch), Rita Kurilo. Russian volleyball needs players with reception, I haven't seen that many Bessonnaya's games but if she's steady in reception, she would be welcome for example, in Krasnodar for sure, IMO.

oh no, Daymi Ramirez!!!! that looked like a very nasty injury...

Proton Saratov parted ways with Margarita Kurilo (OH)

I guess the next step would be quitting Italian league because it's a waste of money and anachronistic and play only in provice championship.
If you don't have the money just say we don't have the money, why trying to make up some other reasons... Playing against Europe's best teams helps to develop your team. Closing on that opportunity is a shame. When Italian teams had money and beat everyone else easily they didn't call Eurocups anachronistic, strangely enough.

http://tvstart.ru/?page_id=14930
Good game now between Yenisey Krasnoyarsk and Dinamo Moscow. 1-1 sets. Yulia Bessonnaya have to play for better team next year. Also I think Pankova sets to Garay much better than Fabiola did last season and together with Natalia Garay is the best pair of OH for Brazil NT no doubt.

Malykh is ill, Khodunova is recovering from injury.

Ok, we just like different kind of tennis. I don't watch men's game because dominated by serve and the average rally lasts for 1,5 shots. This is boring for me. And Serena's game is boring for me. I don't want women to play like that.
Kerber blew Azarenko away with winners in the quartelfinal. She's better technical and tactical players. Yes, Azarenko will win then she'll be in form but it will be about physical power not about tennis skills. Btw, Azarenko doesn't kill the way, she outlasts the opponents, she just hits long and hard but doesn't try to score the winner. Why don't you dislike her?
Yes, 10 years ago tennis had so much more personalities ans great players and they were different. Serena wasn't winning 3 grand slams per year, only serve was not enough back then.

We will never agreecos you kinda hate Sharapova and I kinda hate Serena. I'm watching her for 20 years and never seen her excelent at the net. Today was like anyday. Yes, they've won alot doubles with her sister, but I've seen them doing it - it has nothing to do with skill. They both have men's serve and at any given opportunity they would hit straight into opponents trying to intimidate them. And it works. Serena is two times bigger more mascular than any female on tour. For me it looks unnatural and the only reason she's so strong - she uses men's hormones. For obvious reasons she'll never get caught. So for me Serena is all about testosterone, primal screams and threatening to put the ball inside judge's throat. The day she'll retire will finally mean that real tennis will return to ladies tour.
The only thing I'll agree with you - I don't like the way Sharapova plays either, she doesn't use her mind. Yes, she's trying to kill the ball but sometimes you gotta have variety. I like the way Justine Henin was playing - she had skills and was thinking all the time.
And about Kerber? Have you seen her game against Azarenko? You really don't enjoy that kind of tennis?

Nice to see poltavsky playing. He's way off form now, but hope he'll get better

Serena ones again proved that when there's no serve she's nothing. She has absolutely no technical skills to play volleys, when she has to move she'll make dozens mistakes from the back court. She relies solely on her physical power and it's pretty obvious how she maintains that power at the age of 34... So such a relief to see ladies who actually play tennis winning. Bravo Angilique!!!

There will be no changes. Final 4 will decide the medals.

Quote from powsoff

I thank the Gods of Volleyball for this arrangement - a bottle of champagne is being sacrificed to them at the moment!

As the champagne is being metabolised, it appears to me that not a single player from either the outstanding French team, or the smart German team has ever played in a tournament in Japan. The Japanese must realise that European volleyball is not just about primitive Mikhaylov or Kurek but there is plenty of exciting action like that from Grebennikov or Kaliberda. Let us hope the Gods of Volleyball can support the reputation of the good old Europe and arrange the bright players to visit the Land of the Rising Sun sometime next year.

They've definitely played World League games in Japan... As much as I wish to send France and Germany there, I think that Russians and Polish players will bring joy of their appearance to the Japanese fans once again.

Quote from JoanaBG

Nice atmosphere in Bariloche But Argentina really doesn't look all that promising, they may well lose to Peru.

Yes, Peruvian young team looked solid in all their games so far. I hope for an upset tomorrow for Argentina)

Sloetjes is playing so well. Dutch team is fighting hard, while Russians are sleeping their way through this game.

Dutch players hysteria is really borders on mental disturbance. Does it help them to play?

Quote from ossubtus

i hear madelaynne montano is playing for COL in the s. american qualifying. they might go to the intercontinental tourn. if they beat PER and VEN, who knows?

right now COL playing against Peru and the game is very exciting. Montano is playing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGt1Ac1gEZc