Full Capacity 8/2/12

 Team USA went to 3 - 0 with a solid win over Great Britain last night.  Merrill Moses played only the first quarter in goal - helping us to a 5 - 0 first quarter lead. Chay Lapin saw his first Olympic action in the goal when he replaced Merrill and played the final three quarters.  A very spirited crowd cheered loudly for Great Britain with each goal or save they made.  It was a fun atmosphere. On the offensive end, we were led by team captain Tony Azevedo with 4 goals.  Ryan Bailey had three, Shea Buckner added two, Peter Varellas, Adam Wright, Jeff Powers and John Mann all scored one. 

In our pre-game meeting we had talked about the importance of getting off to a good quick start and setting the tone.  Although, they are not considered one of the powerhouse teams in the tournament they have been playing well for a quarter or two with all the teams that they have played.  After building a good lead (7 - 0), we were able to rest a few of our veteran players that have been playing a majority of the minutes.  Everyone played a good deal and although it was not our best game - it did not need to be.  We did what was needed to do and now it is time to prepare for the Serbians.

In my opinion, Serbia has been the best team in the world for the past few years.  They are very strong and well balanced with highly skilled players at each position. We have not beaten this team since Beijing in the semi-final game. Along the way, we have suffered a coupe pretty embarrassing loses to this team. They have in the past taunted us and laughed at us. We have something to prove... I know this for a fact - they do not have what we have.  We have a group of guys that truly care and love one another.  We have spent the past seven months together preparing for this moment.  I believe with all my heart that we can beat them.  Serbia showed some vulnerability yesterday in their game with Montenegro.  After taking an 11 - 9 lead they let Montenegro come back and tie the game at 11.  Basically, our bracket shapes up like this. We area on top of the bracket with 6 points (2 points for every win) and Serbia is next with 5 points (2 for a win and 1 for a tie).  We beat Serbia on Saturday and we will win our bracket no matter what happens against Hungary.  This would mean that we would cross over in the quarter-finals against the fourth place team in the other bracket.

In the other bracket, Croatia looks very strong.  They beat Italy yesterday 11 - 6 behind a solid defensive effort. Spain and Italy will battle for second and third in that bracket while Australia and Greece fight it out for fourth.  Lots can happen in the next two games so I definitely don’t want to get ahead of myself here.  We can only control one thing and that is how we play.  The coaching staff is now spending hours reviewing game footage on Serbia and together we will come up with the best possible game plan to beat them on Saturday.  We have put ourselves into a good place and it is very exciting.

The village is buzzing now.  Inside the village, there is a lot going on.  Walking around yesterday, it appeared to be “rush hour” all day long.  Swimming is still going on, track and field is going to start and most events are in full swing.  It seems that the village must be at full capacity.  Even the huge dining hall (which was empty when we first arrived) is now full at meal times.  The energy is palpable.  I ran into Usain Bolt (the fastest man in the world) and Pau Gasol yesterday.  There is so much excitement and anticipation. It is after all, the Olympic Games and there is nothing that compares.

On a side note, I was able to get tickets to tennis on Wednesday (our half day off).  The girls and I all went and enjoyed a wonderful afternoon at Wimbledon on Centre Court.  What a special place!  It was beautiful and inspiring.  We all enjoyed the day and saw some great tennis.  We actually watched Djokovic beat Leyton Hewitt and then saw most of the Andy Murray match before we had to go.  Definitely a great experience for the entire family.  All the team enjoyed an afternoon off with their families before getting back to work.  Once again, I believe in keeping that balance as much as possible.  Some relaxing down time with our families will help to keep us a bit fresher as this tournament goes on. 

See you at the pool.

Coach