Posts by arman

What a political choice!! Serginho as MVP

Quote from TimHH

Sure it can. Most wrong in this, of course, is the cuban federation who deprives us of a potentially wonderful team which would fight for medals in every competition. Can't blame the players though....

Isn't there any individual awards?

Quote from Canter

i generally used to think that women's volleyball is more fun to watch due to long rallies but this opinion of mine is about to change

Yeah I feel this year's match both in WL and here have longer rallies and the main difference is that long rallies in men's isn't a result of weak attacks as in women's. it is because of great digging skills.

Kimia Alizade got Iran's first ever Olympics medal by a woman.

Quote from Mamdani

Iranians are invading Zaystev's instagram profile, but I'm not sure they are insulting

I read some of the latest comments they are more chatting there rather than insulting.

Quote from TimHH

Watching how chinese table tennis players, men and woman, are walking over their competitors is quite amazing.

I guess we can somehow be happy that Volleyball isn't "sport number one" over there

I watched Samsonov vs. Zhang semifinal actuality he had good chances to beat Zhang. Zhang was very nervous in that match.
I read somewhere here the reason that men's volleyball of China is not as strong as women's is that men prefer to play basketball and consider volley as a girlish sport. But the fact that they aren't a strong team in basket shows it's not very easy to improve in team sports like individual sports. China can catch USA till 3 or 4 Olympics if they continue as the are doing now in sports.

As Matthias said teams of same pool cant play against each other. You can read the media guide to be more sure about this. Apart from determining who plays vs. who, draw will determine the order of matches A2/A3 vs. B2/B3.

Quote from timshel

Yes, but that's what Scarpetta and Arman tried to tell. It differs from this one http://www.fivb.org/Photos/VB_M_ScheduleRio2016.pdf For sure they corrected the days of week. Then why not the hours of the last two matches if they are not right? I'm not sayin' it's okay now. I'm just confused.

According to this, the women's third place match starts at 1pm, not 9.30am as you claim http://rio2016.fivb.com/en/volleyball/schedule#/d20160806

Finally I think Ive realized the problem of that posted schedule here. It is from Media Guide which usually is prepared some days or months before the tournament and is not very precise. The website's schedule seems more correct. I think first they had wanted to hold Men's final the same time as women's then realized it is after the closing ceremony so changed it.

Quote from Bartek

After Group Phase FIVB will do draw, probably in toilet where won't be cameras, and after that We will know if Teams will play against each Other again or won't.

Quote from Kk15

I can't believe there isn't a schedule yet

Actually there is: http://rio2016.fivb.com/en/volleyball/schedule#/d20160814

But the QF of the second/third aren't defined, I guess that means there will be a sorting among them (I don't know if it's possible to have a 2nd vs a 2nd and a 3rd vs 3rd...).
Until the sorting no way to know which teams can/can't meet in the semis.

What do you mean by sorting? One of A2 or A3 will play vs. one of B2 and B3 (means it is possible A2 plays vs. B2 but not A3). Also the order of matches will be determined by the draw, means they will determine by draw that A2 (if wins quarter) will play vs who in the semis.
This procedure had been done in London and Beijing too, in both A2 faced B3 but the order of quarters was different in each.

Quote from YavorD

Analysis of what exactly? Unfortunately, I haven't even watched half of the matches so far. Due to the time difference, I only watch earlier matches. Not always, though. My problem is that there is no way for me to download the ones I have missed and to watch them during the day. Online replays, like the service offered by RAI, works but not always great and not in the same way you would enjoy a downloaded video file. So I can't say I follow the tournament super closely and, to be honest, I tend to watch more beach volleyball from Rio lately I don't like these Games in terms of online coverage.

But still, I watched Poland, Russia, Cuba and Iran once, Argentina, USA, France, and Italy twice. Still no game from Brazil Iran's debut OG participation is going relatively as expected. A slow start, gradually entering the tournament and gaining both experience and confidence. The match against the shaky Russians might result in a more (or less) favourable QF draw, something Alekno will also carefully examine. Without some key players, Russia are playing also almost as expected. I have a feeling, however, that Russia might beat both Poland and Iran in the next days. But of course, we can't say Alekno's team impresses. When we are 100% sure that Argentina will again choke versus Poland, then we can't say they are ready for Olympic medals either. And the Argentinians suffered in a traditionally strong element for them - reception. France finally entered the tournament and swept the floor with the Canadians. The most pleasant surprise comes, of course, from Italy and the motivation with which they have started the tournament. I wouldn't bet on how long this could take and, frankly speaking, I don't expect them to play that well throughout the entire competition. I watched Cuba versus Russia on the men's volleyball opening day and I felt positive they wouldn't leave the Games as tourists. Unfortunately, it was just a first-day hype. If the anti-record holders Egypt, no matter how likeable I find Ahmed Salah, Badawy and the "pharaohs", beat you 3-0, then your place at the Olympics is more than questionable.

The biggest question mark for me is Brazil. I am still digesting how they lost the WL final after that mesmeric performance against France in the semis. I have a conspiracy theory that Rezende might be taking the pool stage lightly and we will see a different Brazilian team in the elimination round, be it out of a different strategy, for instance, to break their "silver" curse. Looking at the groups, there is not a single QF opponent Brazil would theoretically fear. Of course, these are just my thoughts but I feel kind of certain Brazil would deliver both in the QF and eventually in the SF. I had similar thoughts concerning Alekno's Russia, partially because I think of Alekno more than what others do. But this Russian selection doesn't help me put them among the gold medal contenders and I doubt the Belarus-born strategist could do miracles this time.

that was very kind of you! thanks

YavorD , I'm looking forward to your good analysis.

I watched the argument just now. the funniest part is that Mousavi that usually is part of these fights this time is very calm and while Iranians all went without shaking hands came and shook hands with Polish players alone. link

Quote from vabo

Just take a look at the social media pages of Polish volleyball players being flooded with insults and death threats in broken english... come on people, seriously? I thought Persians were supposed to be civilized.

You didnt know that? social network behavior of Iranians is a case that can be studied by sociologists. there have been many attacks to every one, domestic or foreign. It's not always bad attacks sometimes they go there and publish thousands of comments to thank someone (like this ) and not all of them assault they are doing everything there like chatting, asking questions, arranging a meeting, making jokes, arguing with each other, some are apologizing there and etc.

Just before Olympics Marouf, Mahmousi and Mousavi didnt attend opening ceremony and there were 140k comments there of argument between their fans and others.

Here is a wiki page about this issue

Hmmmm, some good results in the first day that was against all expectations, I hope we will have more surprises in the tournament. I really missed USA CAN match.

And terrible start for Iran

What is FIVB doing?! I cant access their sites. Do you either have this problem?

Quote from Dimsok

French team arrives in S.America recently, and didn't have enough time to acclimatize, so europe teams are in disadvantage. Guess after a couple of days they will be in better shape.

If this is the problem it's their own fault. They were the team who arrived here later than others among non Americans.
But France came here last year and went on the court just after arriving and won the WL. I don't think arriving late is their problem, from EQT final vs Russia they are not last year team at all.

what a terrible site in case of being update and handy
http://www.rio2016.com

Quote from Kaziyski

It's interesting no one commented on FIVB decision to cancel "normal" 2 TTO. So in Rio only TO is going to come from coaches...

Good decision, I think instead of imposing weird laws to reduce match time it's better to reduce the stops during the match, I think it is meaningless in a match that the winner gets at least 75 points they celebrate after each point.