I have recently been watching more and more volleyball on the internet, and there is a reason for this. www.laola1.tv has been offering quality volleyball action for some time now, and I have been a fan of their champion’s league coverage for a while.

They are now pushing the “summer of volleyball” which means games from the World League, World Tour and European League are available to watch for free. This surprising overload of volleyball has given me the idea and motivation to try and make my little contribution to the sport, so I have decided to blog a bit about the games I have watched and am going to be watching online!

Last week we were treated to a rip-roaring match between Poland and the USA and the game ended with a fantastic final set score line which would have been more at home in a basketball match than  a volleyball match. I was so enthralled in the match that I forgot about my pizza in the oven. Anyone know if I can get a refund from the FIVB for damages? If you missed it, then here it is: http://www.laola1.tv/en/int/volleyball/fivb-/fivb-world-league-poland-usa/video/204-878-52531.html

Somehow I don’t think this week’s game will make me choke on my steak through excitement, but I have high hopes of a decent match. It perhaps does not have the glamour of last week’s match but it is still a game between last season’s 3rd place team Serbia and erm…Finland.  It goes without saying that Serbia are the clear favourites, but I like underdogs, and Finland go into this game as the under underdog so I will be rooting for the Fins on Saturday at 18.00 CET. I have a soft spot for the country, ever since a Finnish friend used a joke to explain the differences between Swedish and Finnish people.  Wanna here it? Course you do. Here is how I think the joke goes, please forgive me if it is not completely correct. It was a while ago and was pretty late.

A Finnish person and a Swedish person are sitting at the bar and order two drinks. They sit in silence and wait for their beers to come, once they arrive the Swede smiles and shouts “Prost”! The Fin sternly replies “Are we going to waste time talking or are we going to drink?” How can you not like this kind of passion for drinking? If they play with kind of passion then they should put up a good fight.

Anyway, back to the serious business of volleyball. Serbia head into the match with a win and a loss against Argentina and are perched in 2nd position in Pool C.  Finland, who finished 13th last season already have two defeats to their name against Portugal. Hopefully the team from the land of lakes knows how to swim, because they are most definitely diving in at the deep-end in this one. I will keep my finger’s crossed for them however. Here is where you can watch the game. http://www.laola1.tv/en/int/volleyball/fivb-/fivb-world-league-serbia-finland/video/204-989-52627.html

The European League is also in full swing and there are plenty more games this weekend including the Serbian women’s game against Spain half an hour after the men begin. It may well be worth dusting off my old laptop to enjoy some multi-screen action for that.  I will be enjoying a lazy Sunday in front of the TV and then the laptop as there are two European league games between Holland – Greece and Turkey – Romania from 16.00 CET. The European League may not have the flair of the world, but there is still great talent on show.
Here’s to another top weekend of volleyball! Prost!