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Post by sonofbarcelonabob on Aug 25, 2004 15:24:48 GMT -5
Barring a major upset by Poland, looks the the semis shake out like this:
RUS vs. ITA
USA vs. BRA
I'll take the Italians in 4, and the Brazilians in 3.
For the medal round:
Gold medal match:
ITA vs. BRA
Man, I hope this match goes down. I'll take off from work to watch it if I have to. And stupid-ass NBC better show the whole friggin' match on at least one of their networks. I think ITA is due, given their past history in the Olympics. ITA in 5.
Bronze medal match:
USA vs. RUS
Teams have been splitting their significant matches over the past 2 months. I'll take USA in 4.
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Post by jbspaw on Aug 25, 2004 15:32:25 GMT -5
If we don't beat Brazil ;D
We will need to do something different against Russia,
I was there both times we played them in Texas, and even though we split, we had major trouble with their height. Those 7 footers are so slow, but you just can't teach height.
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Post by jbspaw on Aug 25, 2004 15:34:08 GMT -5
I forgot to add about facing Brazil, how pissed are they about the smack talk in the press?? Never mess with a Latin's pride (or car)  |
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Post by hwy101 on Aug 25, 2004 15:37:15 GMT -5
If we don't beat Brazil ;D We will need to do something different against Russia, I was there both times we played them in Texas, and even though we split, we had major trouble with their height. Those 7 footers are so slow, but you just can't teach height. I watched the first match between US and Russia in Austin. Russia served the US men of the court in that match. But the US avenge that loss in the final match of the Challenge Cup. Didn't get to see that though. |
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Post by hwy101 on Aug 25, 2004 15:38:26 GMT -5
Check Telemundo's tv listings. They usually show full matches of Latin American teams in their channel.
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Post by sonofbarcelonabob on Aug 25, 2004 15:38:47 GMT -5
They also beat Russia in that warm-up tournament right before the Olympics. In Serbia/Montanegro I think is where it was held.
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Post by hwy101 on Aug 25, 2004 15:38:59 GMT -5
Check Telemundo's tv listings. They usually show full matches of Latin American teams in their channel.
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Post by sonofbarcelonabob on Aug 25, 2004 15:44:00 GMT -5
There's always a chance USA will beat BRA in the semis, you never know. But it's one heck of a longshot.
Be interesting to see who Beal starts at setter in this match....
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Post by jbspaw on Aug 25, 2004 15:50:12 GMT -5
who ever he starts and we lose, he'll get eaten up.
starts ball:
why didn't he ride Donald's success??
Starts Suxho:
why wouldn't you start your vetran in this match?
Remember, Donald did start against Brazil in the walk thru prelim game.
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Post by vbtown on Aug 25, 2004 16:15:26 GMT -5
I think the smack talking was planned. i would have done the same. those of you that know, getting a latin pissed can definitely work to the American's advantage. but you have to control Giba.
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Post by sonofbarcelonabob on Aug 25, 2004 16:26:47 GMT -5
I think the smack talking was planned. i would have done the same. those of you that know, getting a latin pissed can definitely work to the American's advantage. but you have to control Giba. Actually, engaging in a smack-talk war with Brazil, or Italy, is to the USA's disadvantage, in my opinion. "Let sleeping dogs lie" is the phrase I'm thinking. Especially if Brazil were to start out flat or uninspired, you don't goad them into stepping it up by egging them on with trashtalk. Emotional teams play better when they are emotional. The USA is not an emotional team (I mean, look at their coach, he has about as much emotion as a dial tone), but Brazil sure is. Besides the biggest trashtalkers on Team USA are the ones who underperform when they get trashtalk back at them by the opposition. |
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Post by Vball818 on Aug 25, 2004 21:45:32 GMT -5
Actually, engaging in a smack-talk war with Brazil, or Italy, is to the USA's disadvantage, in my opinion. "Let sleeping dogs lie" is the phrase I'm thinking. Especially if Brazil were to start out flat or uninspired, you don't goad them into stepping it up by egging them on with trashtalk. Emotional teams play better when they are emotional. The USA is not an emotional team (I mean, look at their coach, he has about as much emotion as a dial tone), but Brazil sure is. Besides the biggest trashtalkers on Team USA are the ones who underperform when they get trashtalk back at them by the opposition. Who on this current Team USA is a wanna-be trashtalker and if he does the talkin' does he do it cause he thinks it's cool and does he realize he ends up lookin' like a jerk? When KARCH, PAT POWERS, and STEVE TIMMONS were on the team they knew how to talk the talk, if TIM HOVLAND was on the team back then(most of us know why he didn't train/join the National team) we would've had a lot of trash talkers on the team. |
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Post by afvbking10 on Aug 25, 2004 21:47:13 GMT -5
Hey, I wouldn't count out the US beating Brazil. They did it a couple of years back at the Worlds, and Brazil was playing their big guns in that match, and the US played right with them. And, not to mention, it is the Olympics Games, anything could happen.
Also, controlling Giba......very very tough, and highly doubtful that it will happen. He is just too good.
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Post by sonofbarcelonabob on Aug 25, 2004 21:57:28 GMT -5
Who on this current Team USA is a wanna-be trashtalker and if he does the talkin' does he do it cause he thinks it's cool and does he realize he ends up lookin' like a jerk? When KARCH, PAT POWERS, and STEVE TIMMONS were on the team they knew how to talk the talk, if TIM HOVLAND was on the team back then(most of us know why he didn't train/join the National team) we would've had a lot of trash talkers on the team. Calm down, dude, you're gonna give yourself an coronary. Here's a thought - punctuation. For clarification purposes, Hovland is an ex-National Team member - was with the team in 81-82, maybe even 83. Check USAV records or email the National Team director - I'm sure they can provide the info. |
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Post by doctordubya on Aug 26, 2004 4:47:40 GMT -5
Rally point to 25 gives the USA men a real chance against Brazil. Not a great chance, but a chance nevertheless. In the old days of side-out scoring, you wouldn't really give USA any chance at all - Brazil has the better hitters, better ball control, faster offence and plays better defence. Over the duration of a side-out match, the gap in class would tell, eventually.
Nowadays though, that isn't the case. If Brazil and USA were to play ten matches, USA would win at least one of them. That's just how rally point works - Stanley gets hot on his jump serve and pulls out a run of 4-5 points, and that's one game in the bag. You never know.
Here's another motivational factor for the USA. The only men's team ever to hold all the major volleyball titles at the same time in the modern era was a USA team (Olympics 84, World Cup 85, World Championship 86). If Brazil wins the Olympics, they will surpass that record as they will hold all those titles and the World League (which didn't exist in the late 80s). If they knock out Brazil, they preserve the uniqueness of the 80s USA team's achievement.
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