Escândalos no desporto

No JN de hoje:
À semelhança do ciclismo, afectado pelos casos de doping na Volta a França, a imagem dos desportos profissionais americanos tem sido manchada por sucessivos escândalos, dentro e fora dos recintos de jogo. Doping, suspeitas de corrupção na arbitragem e "estrelas" com vida social pouco recomendável envergonham a pátria do politicamente correcto. O basquetebol cora de pudor por causa de um árbitro que terá apostado em jogos que ele próprio dirigiu. O futebol americano debate-se com a publicidade danosa de uma das suas estrelas, envolvida em combates de cães. E o basebol sente-se vexado por uma das suas maiores estrelas Barry Bonds está prestes a bater um mítico recorde de "home-runs", mas, em vez do aplauso, recebe a reprovação geral, por suspeitas de recurso ao doping.

Resultados do fim-de-semana

Terminaram os Jogos Pan-Americanos e, como era esperado, o Brasil conquistou a medalha de ouro no voleibol masculino. Na final, os brasileiros bateram os USA por 3-0. No mês de Agosto, o "World Grand Prix", com as melhores selecções do mundo em femininos, é o grande destaque (com transmissões no Eurosport).
No voleibol de praia, o destaque vai inteirinho para os magníficos Campeonatos do Mundo (masculino e feminino) em Gstaad, na Suíça. No fim-de-semana, o estádio de Gstaad esteve cheio de fans de voleibol de praia (cerca de 12 000 pessoas). Fantástico foi também o jogo da semi-final entre o Brasil (Ricardo e Emanuel) e os USA (Rogers and Dalhausser). A vitória acabou por sorrir aos norte-americanos, mas o voleibol de praia saiu a ganhar. A partir de 4.ª f, disputa-se mais uma etapa espectacular: o "Grand Slam" de Klagenfurt, na Áustria.
No circuito nacional, em Mira, a vitória foi para a dupla masculina Brazão e Júnior e para a dupla feminina Castro e Paulo.

Música: massive attack- teardrop

Beach Volley World Championships 2007 (weekend-final)

On Saturday, it finished the women’s competition. In semifinals, that I watched, in Eurosport, Brazilian team Larissa and Juliana lost against China -Tian Jia and Wang, by 2-1 (23-25, 21-19, 15-11). In a bizarre game, Larissa and Juliana have the opportunity to win by 2-0, but two mistakes at reception by Juliana conducted the match to the tie-break. In tie-break, the Chinese team was stronger. Later, at the final, the Chinese pair was tired and the World Champions in 2003 and in 2005, Walsh and May-Treanor, won easily, by 2-0 (21-16, 21-10).
In men’s competition, Fábio and Márcio, the last World Champions (in 2005), and Franco and Cunha lost in round of 16 against China (Zhou and Li) and USA (Gibb and Rosenthal). Today, in semifinals, I saw a great match: Brazil – Ricardo and Emanuel – against USA – Rogers and Dalhausser (previously, they eliminated Maia and Brenha). What a great spectacle! Good defenses of Rogers and Emanuel and great blocks of Ricardo and Dalhausser. The Americans were lucky and won by 2-1 (21-16, 13-21, 19-17). The last point of tie-break was conquered in a block of Dalhausser to a strong attack of Ricardo. At the final, the Americans won easily against the Russian pair, Barsouk and Kolodinsky, by 2-0 (16-21, 14-21).
This way, USA are World Champions in beach volley - men and women’s competition. Brazil conquered the bronze medal in women’s competition, but failed in men’s competition. The Australians Schacht and Slack won against Emanuel and Ricardo, by 2-0 (21-17, 21-19) and conquered the bronze medal.
PS-Congratulations to FIVB for the excelent promotion of Beach volley on Eurosport.

Voleibol no fim-de-semana

No Voleibol, nos jogos Pan-Americanos, a selecção masculina do Brasil está bem encaminhada para conquistar a medalha de ouro. A final será disputada amanhã.
No voleibol de praia, neste fim-de-semana, prossegue os Campeonatos do Mundo (masculinos e femininos), em Gstaad, na Suíça, já sem as duplas portuguesas, depois da eliminação de Maia e Brenha esta tarde. O canal Eurosport transmite, em directo, no sábado (9-11h), as meias-finais femininas, e, no domingo (9-11h), as meias-finais masculinas. Em Mira, decorre mais uma etapa do Circuito Nacional de voleibol de praia (masculinos e femininos). O Porto canal transmite, em directo, as finais.

Beach Volley World Championships (day 4)

This morning, I had the opportunity of watching the first set of the match China (Xue and Zhang Xi) against Georgia (Saka and Rtvelo, two Brazilians players naturalized Georgians; in men’s competition, Geor and Gia are also Brazilians and Georgians). The Chinese team formed by two young players won that match.The round of 32 for women’s competition pulls out 2 Brazilians teams: Behar and Shelda and Ana Paula and Leila. The round of 16 pulls out Brazilians Renata and Talita. In men's competition, Maia and Brenha lost, in round of 32, against Rogers and Dalhausser, by 0-2 (18-21, 18-21). This way, they finished the World Championships 2007 in 17th place, with 200 points and 7 000 dolars. Good pairs finished in 17th place, like Harley and Pedro (BRA), Brink and Dieckmann Ch. (GER), Reckermann and Urbatzka (GER), Schuil and Nummerdor (NED), Heuscher and Heyer (SUI), Laciga P. and Laciga M. (SUI) and Lambert-Metzger (USA).
New: The semi-finals of women's competition involve the 4 better teams:
Tian Jia and Wang (CHN) against Larissa and Juliana (BRA)
Walsh and May-Treanor (USA) against Xue-Zhang Xi (CHN)

Música: Cuckoo Plan - Loto feat. Peter Hook

Música: Pat Metheny - This is not America

Beach Volley World Championships (day 3)

This morning, I had the opportunity to watch 2 matches, in Eurosport, from women's competition: The victory was for China and for Germany, but their opponents from Norway and Switzerland gave a good fight. I appreciated the young player from Switzerland: Graessli. She has great potential. Unfortunately, Switzerland pair was eliminated. The other teams continue for round of 32. In other results, the surprise is the elimination of Boss and Ross (they won the Grand Slam of Stavanger 2007), may be because they were in a strong pool.
In men's competition, Maia and Brenha were in 3rd place in their pool. They lost this morning against Brazilians Fábio and Márcio, by 1-2 (21-19, 10-21, 8-15). The set conquered in this match is important to Maia and Brenha be in the 8 better 3rd places of the competition. We will see after the end of the other pools.
Pedrosa and Rosas are out of the World Championships 2007. Unfortunately, because of an injury, Pedrosa and Rosas concede the victory to Cubans Alvarez and Munder.
New: Maia and Brenha go to round of 32, but the draw was not favorable. They will play tomorrow, friday, 15h (CET), against the strong USA team Rogers and Dalhausser. Their chances of winning against USA are very low...

Educação moderna

Encontrei via Portugal dos Pequeninos esta interessante reflexão sobre educação, da autoria de George Steiner: "A educação moderna cada vez se assemelha mais a uma amnésia institucionalizada. Deixa o espírito da criança vazio do peso das referências vividas. Substitui o saber de cor, que é também uma saber do cor(ação), pelo caleidoscópio transitório dos saberes efémeros. Reduz o tempo ao instante e vai instilando em nós, até enquanto sonhamos, uma amálgama de heterogeneidade e de preguiça." E quando se "cede aos valores veiculados pelos mass media ou ao matraquear da publicidade, como acontece hoje em dia na Europa ocidental, assistimos ao triunfo da mediocridade."
Também, no Origem das Espécies, este tema é abordado.

Amares sem voleibol

Li ontem no Diário do Minho que o voleibol em Amares acabou. Na época passada, depois das dificuldades em conseguir arranjar um pavilhão para treinar e jogar, o Amares teve um comportamento brilhante na A2 e classificou-se em 5.º lugar (o Clube K suou para eliminar o Amares). Com esta decisão dos responsáveis pelo clube, fica assim a região de Braga sem qualquer representante no voleibol masculino.

Beach Volley World Championships (day 2)

The 2nd day of this competition is a bad day for the portuguese teams. Pedrosa e Rosas lost against Brasil - Harley and Pedro –, by 0-2 (14-21, 15-21), and latter Maia and Brenha lost against New Zealand – Lochhead and Pitman, by 0-2 (16-21, 18-21). After a bright start, unexpectedly, Maia and Brenha lost for a pair badly ranked, but very skillfull (Lochhead is 1,78 m tall). In 2006, in Espinho, I saw what they play when they beat Maia and Brenha. Now, Maia and Brenha need the maximum of points (the defeat is the probable result) against Fábio and Márcio; Pedrosa and Rosas need a vitory against Cuba.
Unfortunately, there is a forfeit of one USA team, Ring and Wong. In women's competition, the results are not surprisingly. However, my surprise goes to the calendar of this competition with 3 rounds on Friday, which is too much.

Beach Volley World Championships 2007 (day 1)

The beach volley World Championships 2007 started today in Gstaad, Switzerland. In 12 pools for each competition (women and men), only the 2 first teams of each pool and the 8 better 3rd place will follow for the round of 32. Eurosport channel is doing a live coverage of this event: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, between 10-12 h (CET); also Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, between 17h30m and 19h (CET). Today I have the opportunity to see two games: France (Deulofeu and Salvetti) against China (Xu and Wu) and Switzerland (Paul and Martin Laciga) against Norwegian (Kjemperud and Skarlund). China and Switzerland win by 2-0. It is nice to see Paul Laciga, 36 years old, play and celebrate enthusiastically. I think this is important to the image of beach volley.
For Portuguese fans, there is a good and a bad new, in today matches. Maia e Brenha win against Japanese Asahi e Shiratori, by 2-0 (21-13, 21-18). Tomorrow, they will play against New Zealand (Lochhead and Pitman) and Thursday against Brasil (Fábio and Márcio). They have good chances to be in the round of 32. Pedrosa and Rosas lost against German Klemperer and Koreng, by 0-2 (13-21, 19-21). They have a difficult way: they will play against Brasil (Harley and Pedro) and Cuba (Alvarez and Munder).
In other results, the surprise was the defeat of Russia - Barsouk and Kolodinsky -(may be paying the effort of last weekend) against Czech - Biza and Lebl, by 0-2 (19-21, 19-21).
PS-Once again, the sport channel in Portugal, Sport TV, forgets this important competition involving Portuguese teams.

Música: Duran Duran Come Undone Unplugged

Ouvi esta versão no VH1 e gostei. Se gostam da voz da cantora, ouçam até ao final.

Resultados do fim-de-semana

Nos Jogos Pan-Americanos, o Brasil conquistou a medalha de ouro no voleibol de praia, quer nos masculinos quer nos femininos. Na final, os favoritos Ricardo e Emanuel superaram a dupla americana Stolfus e Loomis, por 2-0, enquanto Larissa e Juliana venciam a dupla cubana Fernandez e Larrea, por 2-0.
No Open de Marselha, Franco (com 40 anos e 8 meses) fez história ao tornar-se o atleta mais velho a vencer uma etapa do Circuito Mundial FIVB; isto depois de, nesta temporada, ter sido derrotado em 3 finais (Bahrain, Espinho e Paris). Franco e Cunha bateram na final a dupla argentina Baracetti e Conde, por 2-1 (21-9, 17-21, 15-7). Nos femininos, as brasileiras Renata e Talita venceram a dupla chinesa Xue e Zhang Xi , por 1-2 (21-19, 19-21, 7-15). A próxima paragem é Gstaad, na Suíça, onde se disputa a partir de amanhã o Campeonato do Mundo 2007. Maia e Brenha e Pedrosa e Rosas estão entre as 48 equipas do quadro principal (não há fase de qualificação).
Em Matosinhos, no circuito nacional de voleibol de praia, a dupla Brízida e Dantas venceu na final Sousa e Santos, por 2-0. Nos femininos, a dupla Castro e Paulo venceu Costa e Ferreira, por 2-0.