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Post by VolleyballMag on Apr 9, 2024 16:00:31 GMT -5
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Post by mervinswerved on Apr 9, 2024 16:15:05 GMT -5
Sincere question: is a 37-year-old Larson who has not played a competitive match in a year one of the 12 best players for team USA?
I'm asking because 2012 was the last cycle I really followed the international game closely between Olympics and I have no idea what the pecking order looks like right now. And I know what match fitness and club performance means for other international sports so it's surprising to me if people think this will work out.
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Post by avid 2.0 on Apr 9, 2024 16:22:35 GMT -5
Sincere question: is a 37-year-old Larson who has not played a competitive match in a year one of the 12 best players for team USA? I'm asking because 2012 was the last cycle I really followed the international game closely between Olympics and I have no idea what the pecking order looks like right now. And I know what match fitness and club performance means for other international sports so it's surprising to me if people think this will work out. She did play last fall, so more/less 6 months. And I think a lot of your doubt is shown in the intl threads. But its also Jordan Larson. And to an extent, Karch Kiraly. I think the case for Larson is that only one OH spot is locked (Kelsey Robinson), one not locked, but more likely (Kathryn Plummer) and the other two are up for grabs between players that have had weird club seasons (Frantti/Lanier) or are really inexperienced (Avery Skinner) Karch has shown throughout his career he will take veterans over anyone else. He brought an injured Kim Hill and Robinson to Tokyo over healthy Plummer and Sarah Parsons (Parsons specifically since she had a great club season and brief VNL). Karch wants to replicate how they won Tokyo, with great passing and Poulter's offense... but this USA team isnt that good at passing (and serving has gotten better) and Poulter hasnt played in 15+ months. |
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Post by vbsam16 on Apr 9, 2024 16:42:39 GMT -5
I’m really itching to see some footage of Poulter playing. I feel like she’ll play a good chunk of VNL just to get match practice
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Post by c4ndlelight on Apr 9, 2024 16:47:17 GMT -5
Sincere question: is a 37-year-old Larson who has not played a competitive match in a year one of the 12 best players for team USA? I'm asking because 2012 was the last cycle I really followed the international game closely between Olympics and I have no idea what the pecking order looks like right now. And I know what match fitness and club performance means for other international sports so it's surprising to me if people think this will work out. She did play last fall, so more/less 6 months. And I think a lot of your doubt is shown in the intl threads. But its also Jordan Larson. And to an extent, Karch Kiraly. I think the case for Larson is that only one OH spot is locked (Kelsey Robinson), one not locked, but more likely (Kathryn Plummer) and the other two are up for grabs between players that have had weird club seasons (Frantti/Lanier) or are really inexperienced (Avery Skinner) Karch has shown throughout his career he will take veterans over anyone else. He brought an injured Kim Hill and Robinson to Tokyo over healthy Plummer and Sarah Parsons (Parsons specifically since she had a great club season and brief VNL). Karch wants to replicate how they won Tokyo, with great passing and Poulter's offense... but this USA team isnt that good at passing (and serving has gotten better) and Poulter hasnt played in 15+ months. The upside for USA really is that Zhu is kinda washed, Italy's pins are erratic AF, Serbia lacks depth (Brankica also watched), Russia is 86'd, and Brazil doesn't have anyone who'd make their pre-Tokyo rosters at current level to complement Gabi. So the plan is to rely on experience from players like Larson and try to be steady, and hope the rest of the world flops (AGAIN!) |
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Post by avid 2.0 on Apr 9, 2024 16:49:02 GMT -5
She did play last fall, so more/less 6 months. And I think a lot of your doubt is shown in the intl threads. But its also Jordan Larson. And to an extent, Karch Kiraly. I think the case for Larson is that only one OH spot is locked (Kelsey Robinson), one not locked, but more likely (Kathryn Plummer) and the other two are up for grabs between players that have had weird club seasons (Frantti/Lanier) or are really inexperienced (Avery Skinner) Karch has shown throughout his career he will take veterans over anyone else. He brought an injured Kim Hill and Robinson to Tokyo over healthy Plummer and Sarah Parsons (Parsons specifically since she had a great club season and brief VNL). Karch wants to replicate how they won Tokyo, with great passing and Poulter's offense... but this USA team isnt that good at passing (and serving has gotten better) and Poulter hasnt played in 15+ months. The upside for USA really is that Zhu is kinda washed, Italy's pins are erratic AF, Serbia lacks depth (Brankica also watched), Russia is 86'd, and Brazil doesn't have anyone who'd make their pre-Tokyo rosters at current level to complement Gabi. So the plan is to rely on experience from players like Larson and try to be steady, and hope the rest of the world flops (AGAIN!) all this for USA to just keep losing to poland lol |
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Post by c4ndlelight on Apr 9, 2024 16:51:12 GMT -5
The upside for USA really is that Zhu is kinda washed, Italy's pins are erratic AF, Serbia lacks depth (Brankica also watched), Russia is 86'd, and Brazil doesn't have anyone who'd make their pre-Tokyo rosters at current level to complement Gabi. So the plan is to rely on experience from players like Larson and try to be steady, and hope the rest of the world flops (AGAIN!) all this for USA to just keep losing to poland lol As the Turks can tell you, it's all fun and games until the winged hussars arrive. |
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Post by madden55 on Apr 10, 2024 17:59:01 GMT -5
The upside for USA really is that Zhu is kinda washed, Italy's pins are erratic AF, Serbia lacks depth (Brankica also watched), Russia is 86'd, and Brazil doesn't have anyone who'd make their pre-Tokyo rosters at current level to complement Gabi. So the plan is to rely on experience from players like Larson and try to be steady, and hope the rest of the world flops (AGAIN!) all this for USA to just keep losing to poland lol lmao yall gotta stop doing that |
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Post by akinradeheaux on Apr 10, 2024 22:03:38 GMT -5
The upside for USA really is that Zhu is kinda washed, Italy's pins are erratic AF, Serbia lacks depth (Brankica also watched), Russia is 86'd, and Brazil doesn't have anyone who'd make their pre-Tokyo rosters at current level to complement Gabi. So the plan is to rely on experience from players like Larson and try to be steady, and hope the rest of the world flops (AGAIN!) all this for USA to just keep losing to poland lol I mean Poland is kind of a goated team now. They had a very good season last year. Medaled in VNL and got an Olympic berth. Kind of got unlucky bracket at Euros (only beat out by finalists). I wouldn't count out Poland. I'd put them in the next tier below major tournament contenders. |
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Post by pittsburgh7717 on Apr 11, 2024 9:56:26 GMT -5
I wouldn't be so salty about this if Logan Tom wasn't treated so poorly after the 2012 Olympics...when she was in much better shape than Larson is right now.
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Post by madden55 on Apr 11, 2024 10:02:49 GMT -5
all this for USA to just keep losing to poland lol I mean Poland is kind of a goated team now. They had a very good season last year. Medaled in VNL and got an Olympic berth. Kind of got unlucky bracket at Euros (only beat out by finalists). I wouldn't count out Poland. I'd put them in the next tier below major tournament contenders. meh |
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Post by vup on Apr 11, 2024 10:43:11 GMT -5
Good for Larson. Probably a good move for her to just focus on strength and conditioning in prep for Paris. She already has 15+ years against/with world’s best players (Zhu, Gamova, Boskovic, Egonu, etc.), so I don’t see why she would risk potential injury before Olympics. 🤷♂️
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Post by ShaneM2005 on Apr 11, 2024 10:54:41 GMT -5
I think Larson is going to be on the team no matter what so it's kind of a moot point.
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Post by Fe Gaslay on Apr 11, 2024 11:25:53 GMT -5
If they took Courtney Thompson to Rio they will take Larson to Paris lmfao
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Post by Fe Gaslay on Apr 11, 2024 11:27:24 GMT -5
And I’m not trying to drag Larson at all cause I love her and I think she is still a valuable asset to the team. But I would actually be shook if they didn’t take her, regardless of how she’s playing at VNL
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