Volleyball Thread

[wadesworld]

Huge win.  3 points off of Brazil is gigantic.  Need to get France on Saturday.  Get your middles a little more involved, pass like you just did, serve like you just did, and you're moving on after a horrible start.

Will be sitting in a church in Chicago at a wedding during the start of the match on Saturday.  Going to have to scope out the area beforehand so that I can immediately head to the nearest bar and catch the last half of the match between the ceremony and the reception.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Never knew about the points system for volleyball. I agree with Sunderland though, if you lose you shouldn't get any points. Especially in a short tournament format.

[wadesworld]

Never knew about the points system for volleyball. I agree with Sunderland though, if you lose you shouldn't get any points. Especially in a short tournament format.

I think it's good. With this type of format there can easily be a 3 way tie and if there were no point differentials it could get really messy. I'd rather award a team for pushing someone to 5 than to go to some crazy point ratio tiebreaker.

[wadesworld]

After starting out 0-2 and heading into matches with Brazil (#1 in the world and at home) and France (#4 in the world), the USA is through, with a real chance of coming out the 2 seed in the group.

Italy has the 1 seed locked up.  If Canada beats them today then the loser of France vs. Brazil is eliminated.

[wadesworld]

And we draw Poland. That is the worst draw we could've received.

[wadesworld]

Get the brooms out boys.  Let's close this out in 3.

[brewcity77]

In retrospect, not the worst matchup. I saw in the rankings that Poland is second in the world. Looked like we were just dominant today. Any reason in specific we overcame the odds? Was Poland out of sorts, or anything the USA did to topple the champs?

[StillAWarrior]

Get the brooms out boys.  Let's close this out in 3.

So let it be written; so let it be done.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

In retrospect, not the worst matchup. I saw in the rankings that Poland is second in the world. Looked like we were just dominant today. Any reason in specific we overcame the odds? Was Poland out of sorts, or anything the USA did to topple the champs?

Serve and pass game. US served and passed unbelievably, Poland missed a lot of their serves and shanked their passes.

Few other thoughts:

I love the commentary team of Sunderland and Barnett, and volleyball commentary usually annoys me because they don't know what they're talking about half the time

Losing the first two games may have been a blessing in disguise

Serving has been unbelievable the past few games. Gotta stay on top of the service game. Although truth be told, I loved the serve from number 23 from Poland. Awkward as hell but the toughest jump float I've ever seen.

Thank you to Eric Shoji for proving me wrong.

[wadesworld]

So let it be written; so let it be done.

Hahaha

In retrospect, not the worst matchup. I saw in the rankings that Poland is second in the world. Looked like we were just dominant today. Any reason in specific we overcame the odds? Was Poland out of sorts, or anything the USA did to topple the champs?

I didn't think it was an unwinnable match, but it was the worst possible draw we could've gotten in that Poland was the best team in the other group, AND we stayed on Italy's side of the bracket.  If we would've taken 4th we would've played a much worse Argentina team and then played a Russia team who is without one of its best players.

As far as the turn around, we're starting 5 guys who have never been to the Olympics.  We definitely have the talent to win it all, the consistency just has yet to show up for this group.  Even though we lost the Italy pool play match, I thought something clicked there.  We played a good match but there was something still left to pull out of the hat.  We're putting it all together now, including finishing sets (which is the one thing we didn't do against Italy).

Also, both Sander and Russell have had their "A" games the past 3 matches.  If they continue to have theirs, look out.  Before that, one would have an "A" game and the other would have a "D" game (including the World League).

Going in I thought the initial goal should be to medal this year and then Gold is the goal for 2020.  Right now I think if this were played anywhere outside of Rio I'd call us the favorite to win Gold the way we're playing.  Beating Brazil in Rio once is tough, but our backs were to the wall and theirs weren't.  If we meet them in the Finals, that's a tough match.  But keep playing this way and see where the chips fall.

[StillAWarrior]

Serve and pass game. US served and passed unbelievably, Poland missed a lot of their serves and shanked their passes.

Few other thoughts:

I love the commentary team of Sunderland and Barnett, and volleyball commentary usually annoys me because they don't know what they're talking about half the time

Losing the first two games may have been a blessing in disguise

Serving has been unbelievable the past few games. Gotta stay on top of the service game. Although truth be told, I loved the serve from number 23 from Poland. Awkward as hell but the toughest jump float I've ever seen.

Thank you to Eric Shoji for proving me wrong.

Those two consecutive aces late in Set 2 were key.

[wadesworld]

Serve and pass game. US served and passed unbelievably, Poland missed a lot of their serves and shanked their passes.

Few other thoughts:

I love the commentary team of Sunderland and Barnett, and volleyball commentary usually annoys me because they don't know what they're talking about half the time

Losing the first two games may have been a blessing in disguise

Serving has been unbelievable the past few games. Gotta stay on top of the service game. Although truth be told, I loved the serve from number 23 from Poland. Awkward as hell but the toughest jump float I've ever seen.

Thank you to Eric Shoji for proving me wrong.

They are great.  They call it like it is.  They aren't homers and they don't dumb it down too much.  Those 2 and the 2 who do BYUTV are the best out there (though BYU's are big homers, but still very knowledgeable).

And yes, you just caught a bad match for Shoji.  He's a stud.

[brewcity77]

I've watched far more volleyball (men's and women's) the past week than I usually ever do. Thanks for the commentary, wades. I grasp the basics, but definitely a passive fan at best.

[wadesworld]

I've watched far more volleyball (men's and women's) the past week than I usually ever do. Thanks for the commentary, wades. I grasp the basics, but definitely a passive fan at best.

No problem.  Our 2 outsides (the most important position in volleyball) are 23 and 24 years old, and our 3rd outside is 22.  And our setter is 23.  The only contributor that will likely not be back for the 2020 games is David Lee.

[wadesworld]

Wow.

[StillAWarrior]

Wow.

Yeah...damn.  I saw a tweet that it had gone to the 5th, and when I turned it on USA was up 10-7.  They got out scored 8-3 down the stretch.  Bummer.

[wadesworld]

Yeah...damn.  I saw a tweet that it had gone to the 5th, and when I turned it on USA was up 10-7.  They got out scored 8-3 down the stretch.  Bummer.

Yup.  12-10 and you give up a 1-5 run to close it out.  Yikes.

[wadesworld]

Karch is going to need to change up the offensive system.  This team should've won a gold medal.  You can't run a men's system with a woman's team.  They are different types of athletes.  You don't have quick, explosive jumpers on the pins like a lot of the men's pin hitters are.  Speeding them up just reduces their efficiency, even if it does allow a more solidly set block.  I'll take my chances with an aired out Larson against a solid double block over a rushed Larson on a late closing middle.  Same with the other pin hitters.

Happens in the men's game too.  Taylor Sander is "only" 6'4" so if you throw a sky ball out to him he might struggle (though a 40+ inch vertical helps close the gap there).  If you can run a consistent tempo ball to the pin with him (Micah can) you do and you let his explosiveness go to work.  Same with the bic set.  Aaron Russell, while very tall, is also an explosive, quick jumper, so you run more tempo to the pin to him as well.  Anderson on the right is a big, slower giant out there (though still ridiculously athletic, but he doesn't get off the ground overly quickly).  That's why you see the US men's team air out high balls to Anderson.  If the block gets set up strong he's smart enough to see it and use the outside parts of the block.  These are the sets the women's team should be making to all the pins, but they try to run tempo and it just doesn't fit.

Glass was always awesome at PSU, but she just doesn't look good internationally.  Her back set is pretty awful at times.  Then again, the tempo may just be too fast for what she's capable of.

[brewcity77]

I am really starting to hate this Italian team. Whine about every little thing. Sick and tired of seeing these guys. How the hell we gave away a 15-8 lead...just dejecting.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I am really starting to hate this Italian team. Whine about every little thing. Sick and tired of seeing these guys. How the hell we gave away a 15-8 lead...just dejecting.

Kinda wish they implemented the high school rules. A yellow card is a point for the other team.

[StillAWarrior]

Wow...two great blocks.

21-21 in set 2.  Go USA!

[Benny B]

25-9 in the 3rd.  Up 2-1.


FINISH THEM!

[StillAWarrior]

25-9 in the 3rd.  Up 2-1.


FINISH THEM!

I'm with you on that.  Set 3 was a thrashing of biblical proportions.  Hopefully they can finish the job.

[StillAWarrior]

Hopefully they can finish the job.

Damn!

[Benny B]

I'm not buying DOP San Marzano's anymore.