Norway is now officially over. Once again Phil and I lost to the eventual winner of the tourney. That would be Marcio and Fabio who beat the Netherlands in 2 games.
As stated in my previous post, we played well and won our pool. On Saturday we thought we would play the 3rd seeded brasilian team of Franco and Pedro. They were upset by the third german team of Klemperer/Koreng. We played the germans midday and played very well. We beat them 15 and 12 or something like that.
We were then up against Marcio and Fabio to get to Sunday and the final four. We lost in 3 games. The first game we thrashed them due to Phil's serving and blocking. Mostly his serving was setting up his block. He was hammering his jump serve like only he can. Must have had around 5 aces and set up a lot of easy blocks and points for us. I think that game was 21-14.
The second game we were in a battle. They were passing better and siding out better too. We were up serving 18-16. They sided out and then we gave up 3 points in a row. The first play I banged a ball angle that Marcio dug one handed. I was off balance after I hit and was falling backwards. The ball floated over to our side of the net and landed in front of me. I tried to get my weight going forward but couldn't quite get to the ball. The next play Fabio tipped my line shot but Phil had an easy cover. I set him a bit off the net and he shot the ball line. Unfortunately, Fabio was all over it and threw it to the sand. The next ball I lost a joust to Fabio and could not cover it. I will say one thing for Fabio, he and Sean Scott are the two best big guys I have ever jousted with. They are very strong at the net and difficult to beat and difficult to cover the set when you lose the joust. I sided out the next play to make the score 19-20. We served Marcio and I scooped his angle hit but I scooped it over the net to Fabio. He crushed a line hit in front of me and that was game.
In the third it seemed like we were always trying to catch up to them as they were a point or two ahead. Ended up losing 15-12.
Currently we are ahead in the Olympic chase but I feel that we blew a chance to really jump way out and control our destiny. 5th isn't bad but in the end those should be our worst tourneys as that is what I think it will take for the two teams to qualify.
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Saturday, June 30, 2007
More on Norway
Norway has continued to be wet, cold and dreary. Phil and I have been fortunate that we have not played in the rain yet. Yesterday we played in between downpours.
So far Norway has been good to us. We have won all 3 of our pool play matches. We beat Japan in 2 games. We had a lead for most of both games. It was very cold during that match. During timeouts and breaks I didn't stay in the bench area very long. Phil and I were wearing long sleeve shirts under our jerseys to stay warm. Lot of people have been wearing leggings and long sleeve shirts. The high temp. has been around 55 degrees. Add in rain and wind and you see where that can go. Still not nearly as cold as Tahoe when it snowed last year though.
Our second match was against the Netherlands. They are a good team and beat Wong/Ring in the qualifier. The little left handed guy was crushing his serve in the first game. He had 4 aces and forced another 2 or 3 bad passes for points. That was pretty much how they won that game. He ended the first game with an ace off Phil down the middle and then an ace in Phil's deep angle. Both of them were crushed serves. The second was a battle. We limited him to only 1 ace but he did create several bad passes for points. We were able to end the match with a dig and putaway by me and a big block by Phil. The third was close until 8-7 and then we pulled out ahead by a couple of points and won by 3 or 4.
Those first two matches were on Thursday. Our only match on Friday was against a very good Estonian team. They won a couple of weeks back by going all the way through the losers bracket after losing in the first round. It was pretty much a sideout battle that in the end we scored a few points and that was the difference. So we came out of our pool is the number 1 team.
This gives us a bye in the first round straight to 9th. We do have a tough draw as we play either the Germans that beat Stein and Mike or the third seeded Brasilian team of Franco and Pedro. Probably the brasilians. They lost to the Netherlands in pool play to take second in their pool. They have been playing well though with 2 second place finishes to Ricardo/Emanuel in the last 2 tourneys. Should be a fun one regardless of who we play and hopefully the weather will be decent.
So far Norway has been good to us. We have won all 3 of our pool play matches. We beat Japan in 2 games. We had a lead for most of both games. It was very cold during that match. During timeouts and breaks I didn't stay in the bench area very long. Phil and I were wearing long sleeve shirts under our jerseys to stay warm. Lot of people have been wearing leggings and long sleeve shirts. The high temp. has been around 55 degrees. Add in rain and wind and you see where that can go. Still not nearly as cold as Tahoe when it snowed last year though.
Our second match was against the Netherlands. They are a good team and beat Wong/Ring in the qualifier. The little left handed guy was crushing his serve in the first game. He had 4 aces and forced another 2 or 3 bad passes for points. That was pretty much how they won that game. He ended the first game with an ace off Phil down the middle and then an ace in Phil's deep angle. Both of them were crushed serves. The second was a battle. We limited him to only 1 ace but he did create several bad passes for points. We were able to end the match with a dig and putaway by me and a big block by Phil. The third was close until 8-7 and then we pulled out ahead by a couple of points and won by 3 or 4.
Those first two matches were on Thursday. Our only match on Friday was against a very good Estonian team. They won a couple of weeks back by going all the way through the losers bracket after losing in the first round. It was pretty much a sideout battle that in the end we scored a few points and that was the difference. So we came out of our pool is the number 1 team.
This gives us a bye in the first round straight to 9th. We do have a tough draw as we play either the Germans that beat Stein and Mike or the third seeded Brasilian team of Franco and Pedro. Probably the brasilians. They lost to the Netherlands in pool play to take second in their pool. They have been playing well though with 2 second place finishes to Ricardo/Emanuel in the last 2 tourneys. Should be a fun one regardless of who we play and hopefully the weather will be decent.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Cold in Norway
Hello from Norway. Rainy and cold here so far. When I got in on Monday it was actually a nice day. Yesterday it started out a bit overcast and cool and then started raining in the afternoon. Today it is cold and miserable out there and I feel sorry for the teams that have to play. Then again, I will be playing tomorrow and dealing with it just like everyone else.
Stavanger and Norway in general is a beautiful place. Very quaint town with cobblestone streets in some areas and lots of little lakes and rivers. The people here are very nice and speak excellent english which is great for us americans. Other than the weather, this is a great place to be.
Wanted to thank everyone for the support on the blog. Been great to read everyone's comments and I try to answer questions as best I can.
Lastly, some of the matches are televised on WCSN.COM/BEACHVOLLEYBALL. Not sure how much but it may be worth taking a look at for those of you interested in watching.
Stavanger and Norway in general is a beautiful place. Very quaint town with cobblestone streets in some areas and lots of little lakes and rivers. The people here are very nice and speak excellent english which is great for us americans. Other than the weather, this is a great place to be.
Wanted to thank everyone for the support on the blog. Been great to read everyone's comments and I try to answer questions as best I can.
Lastly, some of the matches are televised on WCSN.COM/BEACHVOLLEYBALL. Not sure how much but it may be worth taking a look at for those of you interested in watching.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Todd's Blogs from Paris (posted to AVP.com)
June 24, 2007
Bet on Misty, Kerry in the finals
AVP star Todd Rogers blogs from belle Paris
June 23
America Falls to Brazil
From Thursday, when I last checked in, to Friday was good. From Friday to Saturday it was not so good if you are waving the red, white and blue.
Friday was once again good to the Americans. The women were very strong with all three women's teams receiving byes in the first round of the playoffs. Then all three of them won their matches. EY and Nicole had the toughest draw in the Salgado sisters from Brasil. I was able to catch the latter part of the match and it was a good one. EY and Nicole were able to pull it out in the third, 15-13.
The men were solid as well. Sean Scott and Matty Furbs were the only ones to go down. They went down to the team from Cuba. I did not see the match, but from all accounts, the little guy was digging everything and ripping aces on his jump serve. Phil and I got the winner of that match and faced them in the afternoon. We played very well to take the Cubanos down in two games.
In other matches, Rosy-Gibb took an Estonian team who won just two weeks ago down in two games fairly easily. Metzger and Lambert played the Chinese No. 1 team of Wu-Xu. The Chinese team can be very potent when they get it going, but the American team pretty much dismantled them in two games. At the end of Friday, the total match count for the USA was 24 wins with only two losses.
Saturday was a different story. It started with Gibb and Rosy falling to the Brazilian team of Franco and Pedro in three tough games. They had a swing for game in the third, but were unable to get the point. Then Phil and I had a very good game with the defending gold medalists, Ricardo and Emmanuel from Brazil. We had a chance in the second game after taking the first, but were unable to convert to go up 20-18. They took us down in three games. Stein and Lambert were the only American men to be on the winners side today. They took down Herrera-Mesa from Spain in two games fairly easily. They then matched up with Emmanuel and Ricardo, but came out on the losing end of the stick. It was not the Americans' best game and the Brazilians did play well.
They had a bit more success on the women's side. It started out with Misty-Kerri taking down the Australian team that won a couple of weeks ago in two games. Not very close. Then Rachel-Tyra took down Austria rather easily. The only loss in the fifth-place round was by Nicole and EY. They lost a heartbreaker to China. I was able to watch the third game and it came down to the wire. They played well and it could have gone either way.
Unfortunately for Team USA, they had to play each other. Rachel-Tyra lost in two games to Kerri and Misty. Team USA No. 1 is looking pretty good so far, and if I were a betting man — which occasionally I am — I would put my money on them to defeat the Chinese team in the finals.
Hopefully the Americans can garner 50% of the medals here in Paris with one gold and two bronze medals.
Au revoir,
Todd
June 21
Paris, Paris, Paris, a "romantic" city. Unfortunately for me, my romantic one and only — my wife — is at home. I guess Phil (Dalhausser) and I will have to gaze at the lighted up Eiffel Tower. Just doesn't seem like that would be so romantic with a 6-foot-9 bald guy. But he is good as a partner in volleyball.
The American onslaught continued today in Paris. Yesterday the three American women's teams went a combined 6-0 and followed that up today by going 3-0. They are all seeded in the top 8 and received a bye into the second round of the single elimination playoffs after pool play.
The American men have continued what the women started. Four American teams went a combined 7-1 in the first round of pool play today. Sean Rosenthal-Jake Gibb, Stein Metzger-Mike Lambert, and Phil and I all went 2-0 on the first day of competition. Matt Fuerbringer-Sean Scott won their first match but lost to the Brazilian team of Marcio Araujo-Fabio Luizin in three hard games. I know Phil and I have already clinched our pool, and I believe that Rosy-Gibb have clinched theirs — Not sure about Stein and Mike though. From what I saw, all four teams are playing at a high level and look to do well here.
For Phil and I, we started off midday against a potent Spanish team in Herrera-Mesa. Pablo Herrera took a silver with Javier Bosma in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He is a very good player. Raul Mesa is young, as is Herrera, but a very good player in his own right. We served Mesa for the most part. In the first game, Phil was very good. He was serving really tough and stuffed Mesa a fistful of times. We won 21-7. The second game they mixed it up on us and were shooting the ball a lot more. Phil did not serve as well and neither of us, particularly me, adjusted our game to shot mode. They took that one in a tight battle, 22-20. The third was tight in the beginning at 6-6, but we gradually pulled away with a couple of digs and putaways, a tough serve by Phil and a big block by Phil. Final score was 15-11.
In our second match we took on the Swiss team of Laciga-Laciga. They are brothers who do not speak a word to one another when on the court. They played for a long time together before breaking up at the end of 2005. Marcus Laciga normally plays with Marcus Egger, but Egger has been hurt this season. Phil and I played very solid volleyball and were able to win 21-14, 21-13. I sided out well and Phil blocked a lot of balls in the first game. The second was closer until I scooped a couple of balls and was able to put them away. At that point we pulled away to win.
All in all a good day for Phil and I. Tomorrow we play the top team in our pool, one from the Netherlands. Never played them before so I am looking forward to it.
Bet on Misty, Kerry in the finals
AVP star Todd Rogers blogs from belle Paris
June 23
America Falls to Brazil
From Thursday, when I last checked in, to Friday was good. From Friday to Saturday it was not so good if you are waving the red, white and blue.
Friday was once again good to the Americans. The women were very strong with all three women's teams receiving byes in the first round of the playoffs. Then all three of them won their matches. EY and Nicole had the toughest draw in the Salgado sisters from Brasil. I was able to catch the latter part of the match and it was a good one. EY and Nicole were able to pull it out in the third, 15-13.
The men were solid as well. Sean Scott and Matty Furbs were the only ones to go down. They went down to the team from Cuba. I did not see the match, but from all accounts, the little guy was digging everything and ripping aces on his jump serve. Phil and I got the winner of that match and faced them in the afternoon. We played very well to take the Cubanos down in two games.
In other matches, Rosy-Gibb took an Estonian team who won just two weeks ago down in two games fairly easily. Metzger and Lambert played the Chinese No. 1 team of Wu-Xu. The Chinese team can be very potent when they get it going, but the American team pretty much dismantled them in two games. At the end of Friday, the total match count for the USA was 24 wins with only two losses.
Saturday was a different story. It started with Gibb and Rosy falling to the Brazilian team of Franco and Pedro in three tough games. They had a swing for game in the third, but were unable to get the point. Then Phil and I had a very good game with the defending gold medalists, Ricardo and Emmanuel from Brazil. We had a chance in the second game after taking the first, but were unable to convert to go up 20-18. They took us down in three games. Stein and Lambert were the only American men to be on the winners side today. They took down Herrera-Mesa from Spain in two games fairly easily. They then matched up with Emmanuel and Ricardo, but came out on the losing end of the stick. It was not the Americans' best game and the Brazilians did play well.
They had a bit more success on the women's side. It started out with Misty-Kerri taking down the Australian team that won a couple of weeks ago in two games. Not very close. Then Rachel-Tyra took down Austria rather easily. The only loss in the fifth-place round was by Nicole and EY. They lost a heartbreaker to China. I was able to watch the third game and it came down to the wire. They played well and it could have gone either way.
Unfortunately for Team USA, they had to play each other. Rachel-Tyra lost in two games to Kerri and Misty. Team USA No. 1 is looking pretty good so far, and if I were a betting man — which occasionally I am — I would put my money on them to defeat the Chinese team in the finals.
Hopefully the Americans can garner 50% of the medals here in Paris with one gold and two bronze medals.
Au revoir,
Todd
June 21
Paris, Paris, Paris, a "romantic" city. Unfortunately for me, my romantic one and only — my wife — is at home. I guess Phil (Dalhausser) and I will have to gaze at the lighted up Eiffel Tower. Just doesn't seem like that would be so romantic with a 6-foot-9 bald guy. But he is good as a partner in volleyball.
The American onslaught continued today in Paris. Yesterday the three American women's teams went a combined 6-0 and followed that up today by going 3-0. They are all seeded in the top 8 and received a bye into the second round of the single elimination playoffs after pool play.
The American men have continued what the women started. Four American teams went a combined 7-1 in the first round of pool play today. Sean Rosenthal-Jake Gibb, Stein Metzger-Mike Lambert, and Phil and I all went 2-0 on the first day of competition. Matt Fuerbringer-Sean Scott won their first match but lost to the Brazilian team of Marcio Araujo-Fabio Luizin in three hard games. I know Phil and I have already clinched our pool, and I believe that Rosy-Gibb have clinched theirs — Not sure about Stein and Mike though. From what I saw, all four teams are playing at a high level and look to do well here.
For Phil and I, we started off midday against a potent Spanish team in Herrera-Mesa. Pablo Herrera took a silver with Javier Bosma in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. He is a very good player. Raul Mesa is young, as is Herrera, but a very good player in his own right. We served Mesa for the most part. In the first game, Phil was very good. He was serving really tough and stuffed Mesa a fistful of times. We won 21-7. The second game they mixed it up on us and were shooting the ball a lot more. Phil did not serve as well and neither of us, particularly me, adjusted our game to shot mode. They took that one in a tight battle, 22-20. The third was tight in the beginning at 6-6, but we gradually pulled away with a couple of digs and putaways, a tough serve by Phil and a big block by Phil. Final score was 15-11.
In our second match we took on the Swiss team of Laciga-Laciga. They are brothers who do not speak a word to one another when on the court. They played for a long time together before breaking up at the end of 2005. Marcus Laciga normally plays with Marcus Egger, but Egger has been hurt this season. Phil and I played very solid volleyball and were able to win 21-14, 21-13. I sided out well and Phil blocked a lot of balls in the first game. The second was closer until I scooped a couple of balls and was able to put them away. At that point we pulled away to win.
All in all a good day for Phil and I. Tomorrow we play the top team in our pool, one from the Netherlands. Never played them before so I am looking forward to it.
Au Revoir to Paris
And so the first Grand Slam of the 2007 FIVB Tour ends. Successful for the americans overall and decent for Phil and I.
I last checked in Friday night and we only had one game since then. We played Emanuel and Ricardo midday Saturday and it was a great game. Very high level match that could have gone either way. As expected, they served me every ball and I felt pretty good in general. We went mostly at Ricardo and he was up and down. Phil blocked him pretty well and I dug him well too. The difference was probably their serve. Both of them had clutch serves at the right time and we did not. We had our chances in the second game but a couple of little miscues were the difference between winning and losing. It was tough to swallow but I look at it in a positive light. We played the best team in the world down to the wire and if a couple of things had gone differently we would have won in two or three games. A realistic point of view if you will.
From the qualification for the Olympics point of view, we are still in a solid place. Lambo and Stein have jumped out to a slight lead with their 3rd place finish here and Jake and Rosy and Phil and I are all knotted up. But guess what, we get to do it again next week. Yahooooo!!!!!
I last checked in Friday night and we only had one game since then. We played Emanuel and Ricardo midday Saturday and it was a great game. Very high level match that could have gone either way. As expected, they served me every ball and I felt pretty good in general. We went mostly at Ricardo and he was up and down. Phil blocked him pretty well and I dug him well too. The difference was probably their serve. Both of them had clutch serves at the right time and we did not. We had our chances in the second game but a couple of little miscues were the difference between winning and losing. It was tough to swallow but I look at it in a positive light. We played the best team in the world down to the wire and if a couple of things had gone differently we would have won in two or three games. A realistic point of view if you will.
From the qualification for the Olympics point of view, we are still in a solid place. Lambo and Stein have jumped out to a slight lead with their 3rd place finish here and Jake and Rosy and Phil and I are all knotted up. But guess what, we get to do it again next week. Yahooooo!!!!!
Friday, June 22, 2007
So Far So Good
So far so good in Paris. Phil and I have kept on our schedule and won two matches today.
Our first match was a pointless match against the 5th seeded Netherlands team. They had lost twice the day before and we won twice. This meant that no matter what happened, they would be last in our pool and we would be first. We had never played them before so we felt it would be good to play them. The most games we could play today would be two as we received a bye in the first round of the playoffs. It was a very unenthusiastic game by both teams. They took the first 21-18, we took the second 22-20, and the third 15-12. Both teams new they had nothing to play for but it was good for us and probably them to see what the other team could do. It was kind of funny as there were several cameras from other teams filming our match and after the first game most of them were taken down. Gotta love the vagaries of pool play.
We received a bye in the first round of playoffs. We went home and took a nap as both of us were a bit tired with jet lag still. Getting over it but still tough around 5am in the morning (trying to sleep) and about 8am (trying to wake up).
We played the winner of Sean/Furbs and Cuba. We felt that it would probably be Sean/Furbs but Cuba made the upset win. Cuba has probably the best defender in the world. That is when he wants to be. Against Sean and Furbs he was unbelievable by all accounts. Against us he was good but not as fired up. You never know with Cuba as word on the street is that they do not get all of the money they earn out here. It is somewhat sad and most of the guys on the tour try to take care of them in other ways. Pair of shorts here, buy them a beer, get them a cool hat or sweatshirt, whatever to help them out. They are good guys. We ended up playing well and beating them 21-14 and 21-10. Phil blocked very well once we figured them out. They served me every ball but two and I was able to chop it around.
Tomorrow is a much stiffer test as we play the defending Olympic Champions in Emanuel and Ricardo. They won last week in Portugal so are probably starting to play better after having been a little shaky in the beginning of the year. Will be a good test to see where we are.
Our first match was a pointless match against the 5th seeded Netherlands team. They had lost twice the day before and we won twice. This meant that no matter what happened, they would be last in our pool and we would be first. We had never played them before so we felt it would be good to play them. The most games we could play today would be two as we received a bye in the first round of the playoffs. It was a very unenthusiastic game by both teams. They took the first 21-18, we took the second 22-20, and the third 15-12. Both teams new they had nothing to play for but it was good for us and probably them to see what the other team could do. It was kind of funny as there were several cameras from other teams filming our match and after the first game most of them were taken down. Gotta love the vagaries of pool play.
We received a bye in the first round of playoffs. We went home and took a nap as both of us were a bit tired with jet lag still. Getting over it but still tough around 5am in the morning (trying to sleep) and about 8am (trying to wake up).
We played the winner of Sean/Furbs and Cuba. We felt that it would probably be Sean/Furbs but Cuba made the upset win. Cuba has probably the best defender in the world. That is when he wants to be. Against Sean and Furbs he was unbelievable by all accounts. Against us he was good but not as fired up. You never know with Cuba as word on the street is that they do not get all of the money they earn out here. It is somewhat sad and most of the guys on the tour try to take care of them in other ways. Pair of shorts here, buy them a beer, get them a cool hat or sweatshirt, whatever to help them out. They are good guys. We ended up playing well and beating them 21-14 and 21-10. Phil blocked very well once we figured them out. They served me every ball but two and I was able to chop it around.
Tomorrow is a much stiffer test as we play the defending Olympic Champions in Emanuel and Ricardo. They won last week in Portugal so are probably starting to play better after having been a little shaky in the beginning of the year. Will be a good test to see where we are.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Paris
Been fairly good so far here in Paris. Left Charleston on Monday after a good workout in a local gym. Phil and I got a bit lucky and were able to upgrade on our flight from D.C. to Paris. Always nice being in those reclining seats in business class and getting a nice dinner to boot. Got into Paris on Tuesday morning about 7am. Took a taxi down to the site and did a sand plyo workout like we normally do at home. Let me tell you, that was mucho difficult. Been on a plane all night long and then going to the beach and jumping, sprinting ect... Took a long warm-up before and a long cool down afterwards.
For the entire day we just stayed down at the site and stretched, watched country quota matches and tried not to think that it was still 3am or 6am in the morning back home. We managed the entire day at the site and then took a taxi to our hotel. Paris is booked solid with this FIVB event, a huge AIRBUS airshow, and some music festival going on throughout the city. We had to book a hotel about a 30 minute cab ride from where we are playing. Fortunately, we only had to stay there one night. We were going to get up at 6am and go play but when the alarm went off I asked Phil if he was ready to roll and he said absolutely not!!! So we slept till about 11:30am and then made ourselves get up out of bed. It was very difficult. We went to the site and played a little to break a sweat and touch the ball. Then we finished the day by checking into the players hotel, only about 5 minutes from the site, and then had dinner. Finally got to bed around midnight.
Today we didn't have to play until 1pm. This was nice as some had to play at 9am and I know that Phil and I would have really struggled. We got up a little after 9am and had breakfast. They have a nice free breakfast at the hotel here. We mosied down to the site for our 1pm game. We played Herrera Mesa from Spain and beat them in three. 21-7, 20-22, 15-11. It was a good game as they are a solid team.
In our second game we played the Laciga brothers from Switzerland. We played very well and won 21-14, 21-13. Paul Laciga is set to retire after the World Championships in Switzerland at the end of July. He is playing with his brother because Martin's normal partner is injured. They did not look too fired up during our match.
Tomorrow we play a team from the Netherlands at 10:30am. Hopefully our bodies are starting to adjust and it won't be too tough of a wake up call.
For the entire day we just stayed down at the site and stretched, watched country quota matches and tried not to think that it was still 3am or 6am in the morning back home. We managed the entire day at the site and then took a taxi to our hotel. Paris is booked solid with this FIVB event, a huge AIRBUS airshow, and some music festival going on throughout the city. We had to book a hotel about a 30 minute cab ride from where we are playing. Fortunately, we only had to stay there one night. We were going to get up at 6am and go play but when the alarm went off I asked Phil if he was ready to roll and he said absolutely not!!! So we slept till about 11:30am and then made ourselves get up out of bed. It was very difficult. We went to the site and played a little to break a sweat and touch the ball. Then we finished the day by checking into the players hotel, only about 5 minutes from the site, and then had dinner. Finally got to bed around midnight.
Today we didn't have to play until 1pm. This was nice as some had to play at 9am and I know that Phil and I would have really struggled. We got up a little after 9am and had breakfast. They have a nice free breakfast at the hotel here. We mosied down to the site for our 1pm game. We played Herrera Mesa from Spain and beat them in three. 21-7, 20-22, 15-11. It was a good game as they are a solid team.
In our second game we played the Laciga brothers from Switzerland. We played very well and won 21-14, 21-13. Paul Laciga is set to retire after the World Championships in Switzerland at the end of July. He is playing with his brother because Martin's normal partner is injured. They did not look too fired up during our match.
Tomorrow we play a team from the Netherlands at 10:30am. Hopefully our bodies are starting to adjust and it won't be too tough of a wake up call.
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