Some updates about other sports that I (used to) follow:
⇁EBeach Volleyball. Misty May-Treanor and “Six Feet of Sunshine” Kerri Walsh (USA) won their second Olympic gold when they conquered the wretched Chinese weather and oh, of course, the Chinese beach volleyball duo in straight sets. May-Treanor and Walsh now have a 108-match-win-streak going. They beat out their opponents both in Athens and Beijing without ever losing a set.
⇁ESoftball: Team USA loses bid for fourth straight Gold Medal. To Japan. Cat Osterman and company got beaten by Japan’s resilient right-hander Yukiko Ueno and lost for the first time since 2000. That means they broke their 22-game winning streak. Gosh.
⇁ESoccer: US women gold medal winners again. Lacking most (most? well, Mia Hamm wasn’t there anymore, I’m not sure who among the Fab Five are still in the team, and awesome striker Abby Wambach wasn’t there because of some injury) of the previous high-powered members and looking very disoriented most of the game, the US women made a shot when it mattered and still emerged victorious. Carli Lloyd scored the only goal of the game in the sixth minute of overtime, Hope Solo (who was banished from the bronze medal game in the recent World Cup for criticizing their then-coach for not playing her against Brazil) bailed out her teammates over and over, and the US beat Brazil 1-0 to snag the gold medal in women’s soccer for a third time in four Olympics. The bronze medal, OTOH, went to World Champions Germany after beating Japan 2-0.
⇁EVolleyball.
[Game 1] USA (woohoo Logan Tom woohoo!) beat Cuba 3 sets to none. Whoa. I haven’t been reading up and getting updated about the volleyball scene for years so it came to me as a surprise. The last time I was so into volleyball was the very early 2000’s (I know, eons, man, eons!). It was when Yumilka Ruiz and whoever was with her were making their opponents quake in their shoes. Oh, and Russia too, I used to be really amazed with Sokolova and Gamova but where the heck are they now? They’re not in the semis! Meeeh.
[Game 2] Brazil beat out home team China to advance to the gold medal round. I actually caught snippets of this game while waiting for the Opals-China basketball semis. Still frikkin’ awesome, those Brazilians are. I still like the look of the team even if the only players I now recognize are Fofao and Walewska Oliveira. Hmmn.
GOLD MEDAL GAME: US vs. BRAZIL.
MY TAKE: I’m picking Brazil, just because I was so fond of them during the Leila Barros — Virna Diaz era.
⇒ Basketball. GOLD MEDAL GAME US vs. OPALS. WOOHOO! Frikkin’ awesome, man.
⇒ Basketball: US vs. RUSSIA. The Americans won over the Russians 67-52 on the strength of Diana Taurasi’s 21 points. Initially, the US women had trouble containing Maria Stepanova and were actually trailing by the end of the first quarter. Despite playing very sloppy basketball, they pulled through though, all thanks for contributions from Taurasi, Tina Thompson, *ulk* Lisa Leslie (although she did account for most of the turnovers hah!), and Tamika Catchings’ 8 boards and customary awesome defense. Birdy didn’t have any points but she grabbed 4 boards (1 offensive), had 2 dishes, and 3 swipes. Woo Birdy! [Stats]
Top Players:
RUS: Stepanova (14pts), Korstin (8rbs), Stepanova (1ast)
USA: Taurasi (21pts), Fowles (10rbs), Smith (3ast)
⇁EBasketball: Australia vs. China. The Opals were just too good for the Chinese. Injured vice-captain Penny Taylor (sprained ankle) still played through the semi-final game even if there was really no need. The Opals scored 90 to China’s 56 despite the deafening home crowd. Belinda Snell led the Opals with 16, followed by Kristi Harrower with 14, while captain Lauren Jackson had 11, and Suzy Batkovic and Laura Summerton both chipped in 10. [Stats]
Top Players:
CHN: Bian (20pts), Sui (7rbs), Bian (2ast)
AUS: Snell (16pts), Batkovic (13rbs), Harrower (4ast)
The next game is on SUNDAY. I still haven’t decided which team to root for hahaha. But at least it’s US vs. OPALS in the finals.