Volleyball in The Olympics 2012

Well, I think the biggest chances for the final have Russia, Brazil, Italy and Poland. Of cours there are teams like USA or Argentina or Serbia, they can be really strong, especially USA. I don't know what to expect from Russia, cuz they played few matches this year, and during WL they played against Serbia, and I was like what happen with Russia, of course they were prepering to Olimpic and they are one of the favorites to gold. Italy, I have no idea how they will be playing in Olimpic, they let go WL and don't know what to expect. Brazil, they have some problems but always strong. Poland has improved, after winning WL, and what is more important after great matches by poles, I think we can also be one of the favorite. Quarter-finals will be the most important.

i agree with dreamandhope about teams which might win (Russia, Brazil, Italy, Poland)
but i'm also curious what Germany will show ? it might be interesting
Argentina, Serbia and Bulgaria won't count in the end
USA is unpredictable

What? You don't count Argentina? I really hope to see Bulgaria winning some medals and finally make us happy. Although the final four by my opinion is: Russia, Argentina, Poland and USA/Brazil.?

Guys, don't forget USA. When playing in Olympics, they are a extremely hard opponent!

Argentina is very good team but with stronger opponents (Russia, Brazil, Italy, Poland) they won't win

I think that Russia will take a medal,but still don't know what colour.Also Poland will be one of the leading teams, and why not Italy.I don't think Bulgaria will make something big, but I still hope about us

Favorites for semis: Russia, Brazil, Italy and Poland.
lukass, at last Olympics vball was sport with most spectators with athletics I think. In England sports like vball, handball, even basketball are not popular, and that is the reason.

For sure, Poland will take a medal. I think the team who can be their biggest concurrent is Rusia, but also Argentina, Brazil and USA. I think Italy will be strong at the biggening but when the big games are goming they will be lose their confuence. Germany, with a Belgian trainer and a great opposite (Grozer), will be a great outsider. England will be no match for these teams.. But in the olympics everything is possible ? I'm looking forward to it ?

Poland has a lot of confidence because they won the World League. I think Poland will take gold, Russia silver, and USA bronze.

in my opinion Russia gold, Poland silver, Brazil or USA bronze.

Hey guys, i think you're forgetting that Brazil in this big competitions are very very strong.. They played the last 2 OG finals, they're world champions... I think that Russia, Poland and Brazil will fight for the medals, the 4th place i hope it's for Argentina, but USA is a strong candidate, for this place!

i don't think russia can win it this year. they had many injures, and serious ones. musergsky, for example, still can't find his serve etc. poland looks really good, anastasi did an excellent job. i totally agree with bernardo10cmgc, you should never ever forget brazil in the important competitions. and as for usa... olympics is that what they live for. my top three brazil, poland, usa

Russia and Brazil for the gold!

If we arrive in the semi-finals, Italy will win the bronze!

my prediction is: in F4 - BRA, RUS, POL and the fourth I really dont know who should be there

Poland are with really strong team. Russia are my favourites number 1 and Brazil has big chances too. One of these 3 teams will be the new olympics champion I think.

I think with medals will be Russia, Poland and Brasil/Italy..

#1 Poland
#2 Russia
#3 USA
#4 Brazil
#5 Italy
#6 Bulgaria
#7 Argentina

If Poland remain focused they will capture the gold.

Andrea Anastasi typed the same as most of us :D
"Who will fight for gold medal- there're 4 teams:Brazil, Russia, Italy and Poland. Except them we should watch out on USA"

http://aktualnosci.siatka.org/pokaz/2012-07-16-andrea-anastasi-pojedziemy-bic-sie-o-zloto

Russia
Poland
USA
Italy
Brazil eliminated in Quarters
Serbia eliminated in Quarters
Argentina eliminated in Quarters

Too bad Canada didn't qualify I'll cheer for Argentina

1-poland
2-russian
3-brazil
4-italy
5-argentina
6-bulgaria
7-serbia
8-usa

I am willing to bet money that Poland will get first place!

Please, i am very far far away from conclusion that Poland will win the Olympic...why? I'M as cool as a cucumber..

What are you talking about? Serbia can go for gold for sure u will see, we deafeated Russia with team of 20 year old players. Only Miljkovic is missing but Atanasijevic and Starovic are good replacment for him.

Let's pray for high quality volleyball and to have all matches uploaded here ? And let everyone play to win, it is Olympic Games ?

Every team has chosen it's own way to prepare for the Olympics. The most possible result would be Poland, Russia, Brasil and Italy in the semifinals but then everything can happen. In the OG every team is really motivated and one or two points can decide about the final result. Polish fans surely remember the 1/4 finals and the match between Poland and Italy... It was a matter of 2 points. So I hope Poland will get a medal - they should be able to do it if they're well motivated.

In this moment I see Poland with medal, because they have great team, and playing very good. Italy too. for other teams I am not sure, we will see... The biggest mystery is Russia. They have potential to win gold without problems, but they are unstable in psychological side. Brazil, probably the best team in vball history, but in this moment, I don't know... for me Poland and Italy?

Wow why is Denis Biryukov out of the team for the olympics ?

TEAMS ON OLYMPIC GAMES
Men's Volleyball
http://www.london2012.com/volleyball/event/men/teams/
Women's Volleyball
http://www.london2012.com/volleyball/event/women/teams/

London 2012 - Live Stream - Volleyball
http://livetv.ru/en/allupcomingsports/5/

Italy and Poland seem to be strongest now. However, we must remember - that's Olympic Games, you can play great, but you have a poor day in the quarterfinal and you dont't take a medal. I don't know what i can except from Russia without Biryukov and Sivozhelez. The next question: is it possible that Brazil will play better than during WL? Serbia - for me they are an average team now, but sometimes they can get an incredible shape, like during EC last year. "Black horse" - Germany ?

I'm not happy to say it but I think that we are not going to pass the quarter finals (but let's hope we will) .. same thing for Serbia, Germany and Argentina .. As you all said USA are very unpredictable - yes Suxho is not Ball but he is a very expirienced old fox + if Stanley, Priddy and so have a good tournament like the last Olympics the other teams are going to be in big trouble. I haven't watched even 1 match of Russia this year but I expect a really high level of play just like every year. Italy brought back a lot of expirienced players and their power is mainly in the recievers I think, though I can't predict them for sure too. Poland showed a reaaaaaaally high level this year and if they keep up at this level they might catch the gold. Brazil showed really low level of play but let's pray they were really focused on the Olympics and not so much on the World League, though a lot of players will leave the team after the Olympics like Giba, Dante, Ricardo and so on but I don't expect gold from them anyway ? well that was my opinion ?

3 DAYS LEFT!!! ?

I feel that the podium in London will be shared by Russia, Brazil and Poland but, like in Beijing and at a lot of other important tournaments, there are always surprises!

I think that Germany is a team who can surprise or cause an upset or two because they don't have any pressure, and they won against Bulgaria in Bulgaria in the Olympic qualifying tournament before losing to Italy 3-2 in the finals. They have a young team and an opposite in Georg Grozer who, on his day, can resolve a difficult situation with his serve.

Also Serbia is very interesting. Keep an eye on them. In my eyes the Serbian team is a good mix of players playing in such an important tournament for the first time but lacking experience, and players who have already played at the Olympics and are big names in the international volleyball arena. The good thing is that they don't have any pressure on them to win, so they can play in a more relaxed way.

In terms of star players looking ahead to London, I would pick out (Michal) Winiarski (POL), (Alexander) Volkov (RUS), (Maxim) Mikhailov (RUS) and Grozer. And of course there's a desire to be there, because just to be a part of the Olympic tournament with all those great athletes is a privilege.

Now about Brazil,

Brazil obviously has been through some problems lately. We could say, that the first visible crack on this perfect Brazilian machine appeared just four years ago during the World League Finals 2008 in Rio de Janeiro. As we remember, that is when USA stopped this impressive series of victories. Americans beat Brazil during the one of the most beautiful games in history and later they won the great final with Serbia.
The chance of revenge came real soon - in Beijing. Brazil was defeated once again and even though they came back with a silver medal of Olympic Games, they considered it as a failure.

In 2009 Brazil restored the World League gold title for two years and in 2010 they won the World Championship in Italy. A year ago Brazil lost another World League Final (with Russia) and during this season their game was not enough even for semifinals. They joined Final Six as the best second team of all the groups, but Brazilian quality was seriously damaged. During the international round they lost three times with Poland and once with... Canada! In Sofia they did not win any game (lost games with Cuba and Poland) and Bernardo Rezende had to face a real problem.

Rodrigao said about this bad time: I think all good changes will eventually come. All our difficulties are caused by this transition of generations which we have right now. After the Olympics many of us will step aside for the younger players. The World League was not good for us, but we are still on the top and we hope for some good results in London.For me, this will be the last tournament in the national team of Brazil.

He is not the only one with those plans. Giba also claimed that this is the last season for him as a Brazilian representative and capitan. However, it can be a problem even with lasting that long for this great star of volleyball. Rezende's team has some real health issues. Giba and Murillo are struggling with injuries and Vissotto just came from the long break. Bernardinho had to take some precaution. That is why he took... 13 players to England. The "extra" one is Ricardo Lucarelli, 20 years old most talented boy who may be a kind of "insurance" for the biggest volleyball stars on the planet.

Now Brazil is three day before their first meeting. They have an easy start with Tunisia, but they are in this more difficult group with Russia and USA. How far will they go during this Olympics? How will sound this last accord of international career for Giba, Rodrigao and maybe some other top players? It seems like this great tournament will give us an answer - who is the current king of volleyball? If Brazil gave their crown for good or they suprise the world once again with the Olympic gold? However, even with the bronze medal, it would be the third time in a row for this team to be on the Olympic podium - which would be a historical success

Russia has great players, so no matter that someone is injured, they can afford it because they have a lot of players.Still it will make the difference if Volkov doesn't play but the main thing is their mentality.

well, mikhailov got injured during scrimmage with bulgaria.

The Opening Cermenony of the 2012 London Olympic Games was AWSOME!!!

2012 Oympic Games are ope: May the best win now

I also read somewhere that Mikhaylov got injured...If it's true the olympics lost one of her star and Russia probably lost the gold...

I hope Mikaylov is fit.. Russia is gonna take te gold if they have complete selection.. if not than Poland will! Brazil will win bronze,,

Well if Mikhailov misses the first matcches who will play as an opposite? Muserskyi ? ?

Krzysztof Ignaczak wrote on his blog that he saw Mikhaylov in olimpic canteen and he was walking normaly ? so it's probably nth bad

I hope that everything is ok with Mikhaylov, ofcourse press dont have any information and everything is top secret, so lets home, that BIG Maxim will be playing

Russian doctor said that the injury of Maxim is not that bad but what worried him was that the same leg had been hurt in a relatively short time. That's why he can be out of the game in two matches, but it's not decided yet.

Before the tournament many people were worried about the audience (that there won't be enough people to fill all the seats) and I have to say that the truth is exactly opposite. Maybe not every seat is taken but thanks to lots of fans who came, the game is not quiet nor boring.

I really hope it's nbd with Mikhailov. Would love to see two great opposites facing each other: Mikhailov-Grozer.

Mr. Bean playing Chariots of Fire was awesome, even better than Queen Elizabeth and James Bond "Parachuting from the Helicopter" !

Did anybody watch poland vs latvia in beach volleyball ???
How is Latvia so good its like they only practice beach volleyball !!

Russia beat Germany 3-0. The germans had chances in the first set only, the other 2 sets the Russians killed them, one class above the germans. At one point Schops played as a receiver, as the short german receivers were getting killed by the Russian block, but that didnt help. The Russians are in a much, much better form than in the WL.

Serbia. tsk.tsk.tsk

Nice start, Poland - Italy 3:1

Poland totally smashed Italy, I expected waaay harder match but it was easy/

@MasterOPuppets I wouldn't be that sure, Brazil, Russia and even Italy can all win the gold. Does anyone knows how the quarter-finals pairs are matched?

@oioi No 1 of one group plays against no 4 of the other group,for places 2 and 3 there will be a draw.

@kaz You killed me with that line about baldness as a requirement for Italian coaching staff ?

@MasterOPuppets
Hard to say. We play good, but imagine that it can heppen something like the first set with Italy today. We can have worse day. we can even play point by point with tough rival and lose in the endings. We can even have no luck. But I hope that we would play like today and win!

Grozer looked dissappointing. Russia looked shaky from time to time. The setter doesn't have connection with centers. I liked Poland and USA today. It's way too early to say anything more definite at this point.

where can i found all matches to dowland or watch????

Hm..I think Poland will play final too, but if they will win.. It depends on who are they going to play with.. Russia are hard to defeat.. mhm! ?)

???

http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/london2012/ here you can watch live the matches.. But where to download I have no idea... they will be uploaded soon in rutrucker or some polish site I believe :)

On the site Sllaveq posted , when you look in playlist and volleyball there are recent matches including from yesterday ?