Kritik und Lob » ces back is going to be a key for us

RIO DE JANEIRO -- This past year in Istanbul, U.S. assistant coach Jamie Morrison worked right alongside a man he considers among the best volleyball minds in the business.And fired-up, Italian-born Netherlands coach Giovanni Guidetti is suddenly making quite a splash in Brazil with group of tenacious Dutch women determined to spoil the fun for the top teams in the tournament. Even if few might have expected them to contend while playing in their first Olympics in 20 years.Morrison was an assistant on Guidettis staff at club power Vakifbank in Turkey, coaching Olympians Lonneke Sloetjes, Anne Buijs and Robin de Kruijf and also U.S. outside hitter Kim Hill, who through the net saw several familiar faces.So, when the top-ranked Americans received a real push from the Netherlands in a hard-fought, five-set victory Monday, Morrison and the rest of the U.S. group were nowhere near surprised by the stellar display on the other side.Theyre not intimidated by anybody now, and they shouldnt be. Theyre good, said U.S. coach Karch Kiraly, who figures the group winners wont go unscathed. And thats great, because the Olympics are about being good.The Dutch had already spoiled Chinas Olympic debut Saturday, then the Chinese bounced back with a straight-set win over Italy. In Mondays late match, two-time defending Olympic champion Brazil beat Argentina 25-16, 25-19, 25-11 as the raucous home fans danced in the stands, cheered and waved flags well past midnight.Guidetti credits Morrison -- someone he considers above an assistant -- for helping him become a better coach.I learned a lot from him and I hope I can keep learning a lot from him, Guidetti said after the match. Hes an amazing coach. Hes an amazing man and he knows volleyball very well.Hes like a lead guy. Im really trying to learn every time from the people that can teach me, and hes for sure one of the ones that can teach me.The U.S. rallied from one set down and again behind 2-1 to win 18-25, 25-18, 21-25, 25-20, 15-8 on a day Netherlands captain Maret Balkestein-Grothues had to be helped off midway through the fourth set with a right ankle injury and didnt return.Simple communications were made before the match.Such close international connections are commonplace in a sport that has no professional league in the U.S. for men or women, meaning players move across the world for eight months of the year to play professionally.I looked across the net and we were smiling before the match, Morrison said. A head nod, nothing more than that, not a hug.You bet the Americans envisioned this success for the Netherlands, a squad Morrison has seen make big strides in a matter of weeks ahead of the Olympics.Volleyball has come enormously far in the Netherlands in the past two years, he said. The team is up and coming and the support in their country is as well.Post-match, beach and indoor gold medalist Kiraly was getting goosebumps on top of my goosebumps thinking about the important test the Americans had just received Monday.The first-pumping, hard-clapping Guidetti lost his voice during the opening match and animatedly bounced around the court again. His example of passion, a desire to learn every day to make everyone around him better has been a positive influence on the 35-year-old Morrison.He coached on the gold-medal winning mens Olympic staff at the 2008 Beijing Games under Hugh McCutcheon and as an assistant again when McCutcheon moved to lead the women to silver four years ago in London.Now, Morrison is one of Kiralys right-hand men. When he is not in Turkey with Guidetti, that is.When it came to scouting the Netherlands and other pool opponents -- a six-team group Kiraly called truly gnarly -- in the Olympic lead-up back at training headquarters in Orange County, everyone took part. Morrison said it was a collaborative effort involving the athletes that led insight into how to attack the Dutch.They pushed us, U.S. middle blocker Foluke Akinradewo said afterward. Thats what we love. We try and embrace those moments.Cheap Atletico Madrid FC Jerseys . Clarkson had been dealing with an elbow injury in early January and will be out of action for at least one week. He has three goals and five assists through 36 games with the Leafs this season. Authentic Soccer Jerseys Store . The Dane followed up his first European Tour title last weekend with eight birdies and just a single dropped shot on Thursday for a one-stroke advantage over South Africas Allan Versfeld and Portugals Ricardo Santos. http://www.cheapsoccerjerseysoutlet.com/?tag=cheap-real-madrid-cf-jerseys . President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Cheap USA Jerseys . Anthony Calvillo, through 20 CFL seasons, was frequently invincible and largely stoic in the heat of competition. But underneath the professional exterior he was, and is, compellingly human. Cheap Italy Jerseys . "We have always prided ourselves on the way we play defence. Having two big pieces back is going to be a key for us moving forward for years to come," said Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen.SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Chris Kendrix scored 19 points and made 5 of 8 3-pointers and Missouri State routed Division III member Fontbonne 100-27 on Thursday.Ronnie Rousseau III scored a career-high 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting, Ryan Kreklow added a career-high 15 points and Obediah Church had a career-high six blocks.Fontbonne led briefly until Kreklow sparked a 32-1 run with a jumper and a free throw and the Bears took a 54-15 halftime lead and cruised.Alize Johnson grabbed nine rebounds, the Bears (3-0) outrebounnded the Griffins 47-23 and held a 13-7 advantage on offensive boards.dddddddddddd All 12 Missouri State players scored at least a point and the Bears got 45 points from its bench.The Bears have scored more than 90 points in three straight games, matching a record set by the 2005-06 squad. The last time Missouri State scored 100 or more points was 101 against Central Arkansas in 2010. ' ' '