VOLLEYBALL

U.S. hands Japan 2nd straight loss at World Grand Prix

Friday 11th July, 03:11 AM JST

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8 Comments

Blue_Tiger at 09:54 AM JST - 11th July

Both teams played a great game, but, again, I really wonder how Japan will do in the Olympics: they seem to play all of their games at home. Had they played in the US, I wonder if the match would have gone five sets....
pathat at 10:56 AM JST - 11th July

Once again the U.S. pulls out another hard-fought match played in Japan. It just seems that the Japanese lack fighting spirit.
Altria at 11:02 AM JST - 11th July

Why are all the volleyball tournaments played in Japan?
Blue_Tiger at 07:40 PM JST - 11th July

Why are all the volleyball tournaments played in Japan? -Altria

A question I have been asking for some time now that has yet to be answered...
Sarge at 09:21 PM JST - 11th July

The Japanese women just humiliated the taller Italian women 3-0. While the the Italian coach looked ticked off, Francesca Picchinini somehow managed a smile as she congratulated the Japanese at the net.
Pukey2 at 11:55 PM JST - 11th July

Why are all the volleyball tournaments played in Japan? -Altria

Because it gives them a free pass. The preliminary rounds saw Japan win 2 matches out of 9. Yes, in other words, they lost 7 out of 9 matches. The top 5 teams went through to the final round, which we're watching now. BUT, Japan, despite being 9/12 in the preliminary round, get to go through, because they're the hosts.

It's as simple as that.

Congratulations to Team Japan. No doubt the home crowd came in handy. But this whole tournament will be just a taster of what's to come in August. It won't get any easier for Japan. And Seiko-chan won't be there.
Blue_Tiger at 12:00 AM JST - 12th July

Sarge - Replaythe match in Rme, Naples, sicily, Turin, Genoa, Salerno, or any other Italian City and then we'll see who gets humiliated. All three of those matches that Japan won were close (22-25, 23-25, 24-26): Japan hardly humiliated Italy. Again, replay that match in Italy somewhere, and the result would be an exact reversal.

**Pukey":: - Agreed. Had the Japanese Team played some of their qualifiers outside Japan, I don't think they'd have qualified. Fuji TV even went so far as to admit that the J-Volleyball teams played all of their Olympic qualifying games in Japan. No wonder they qualified for Beijing.....
westurn at 06:08 AM JST - 15th July

I watched this in the states. Team USA, as usual, is using this tourney as nothing more than a tune-up for the Olympics. Which means they are trying new tactics, getting longer looks at 2suspect" players, and are basically trying to find the right combination before the competition gets serious. Now Japan ??? They are throwing "everything" into the fire to get a win ! Much like the WBC, they don't get it ! They think that doing well in this tourney will garner attention by the locals come Oly time... whatta a joke ! But again, explains why Japanese fans are continously let down when the "real" tournements begin. Japan trys to win the minor tourneys and then crys about "bad luck or poor food" when they get their arses kicked at the big tournements ! Soooo Japanese !