Some random thoughts from the 2007-2008 season:
The first thing that I want to say is that volleyball has developed in Denmark. The difference in level of play from 2002 when I got here is easily measurable. Even compared to two years ago, the league has gotten better from the bottom up. I think that was obvious from the openness of both semi finals. It's also obvious from my perspective on the court. Years ago, there were consistent blowouts, the top teams didn't have to really put pressure on the worse teams to get them to fall apart, and the result was a lot of matches that ended 25-12, 25-14, 25-18. There was an obvious cut off line between the "good" teams and the "bad" teams and there was very little excitement as to who was going to be left standing at the end of the year. Now, things are more difficult. A lot more teams are competitive and winning isn't always a given. There must be several reasons for the development of volleyball in Denmark but I'll let others try to figure them out. I just wanted to note that we're hopefully moving in the right direction.
We're also tremendously good at backing each other up and giving each other positive feedback. I'm talking to most of the "blog community" which has flourished in the last couple of years. And great, we should generally be positive. But, at some point, people are going to need to be thicker skinned. When you have your own blog or forum, the whole idea is to publicly trumpet your opinions. When someone comments on your opinion, or viewpoint, it is their prerogative to offer their own viewpoint or feeling. If that feeling is negative, it is in my opinion, ridiculous to attack that person. Attack their arguments but not them. That doesn't mean that people should constantly throw around negative feelings towards each other, but let's all try to deal with things with a little more perspective. I only say this because I feel like people have gotten a little chippy with each other at different points of the season, and in my opinion those people need to relax a little bit. If someone thinks your product is poor, then prove to them it is not, don't just automatically shut down and start name calling. Then again, I do enjoy reading from the sidelines, so maybe everyone should just keep it up...
That brings me to my next point. I was at the two finals that were played in Fortuna and I, of course, was at all of the semi-finals and finals that we played in. Every match was an incredible experience. The crowds were great and it made for a special feeling on the court. I can't imagine someone seeing one of those matches and not coming away with a little more interest in the sport. But, I also read the war of words between the Holte supporters and the Fortuna staff about where they were given seats, etc... That was an inane debate. Holte fans did an amazing job of showing support and beating on drums for hours at a time, Fortuna did a great job of setting up a nice arrangement. Who cares where someone was sitting. We weren't in an arena that seats 15,000 people. I'm pretty sure that everyone could see the match pretty well from.......their courtside seats. Overall though, it's been nice to see the level of fan support. Hopefully a bunch of kids have something to look forward to for the future.
Being one ball away from getting the boot from the playoffs and then to be able to rally and win convincingly in the final was a great feeling. I don't know exactly what happened, but something certainly changed when we won that last ball in the fourth set of our second semi-final vs. Gentofte. We were a different team from that point. And to play HIK in the finals instead of Middelfart was also a big deal for us. Straight volleyball-style it was a much better match up for us, so it seems that everything worked out perfectly in the end.
We switched over to the all Shaun Powell offense two times in the playoffs and both times he carried us. I'm really glad that he ended up getting recognized as the year's best opposite. I thought Ryan was very good for Middelfart, but there is no doubt if we were on the school yard picking sides, I would take Shaun instead of him every time. The 4th and 5th set against Gentofte in semi 2 was one of the best performances I've been apart of. I don't have the stats but he was given every sideout ball and most of the point scoring opportunities for those two sets and I would guess that he made one or two errors and was stopped three or four times, the rest were kills. It was impressive to say the least.
I'll probably write something about the rest of the year's best at some point but not now. I've already blabbered too much. It feels good to win gold. It's definitely a different feeling when you've been favored all year to do it, but not in a negative way. It's just different. And I'll take being favored every time as opposed to the other possibilities. Hopefully next year won't be any different.
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- Jordan
- Odense, Denmark
- My name's Jordan Hove, I play volleyball then I write about it.
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9 comments:
Congratulations! That is awesome :) Probably not the same as winning the Frontier League Championship though. lol
As usual you are making a lot of good sense, when you call for arguments in stead of personal attacks.
Bu I disagree with about your views om the final arrangements i Klostermarkshallen.
A lot of Holte supporters complained that from their seats they had at very bad view of the matches. Not ALL supporters were drumming and shouting - many of them wanted to enjoy the matches under relatively normal circumstances, and that was impossible from most of the seats, they were given.
That's a reasonable complaint, I think, that you have to take seriously.
Last years final at Lyngby offered Fortuna fans much better seats – and conditions in Engelsborghallen are excactly the same.
If I'm not mistaken the problem will be taken up by Dansk Volley Forbund, so that finals in Odense can be played under better conditions for both players and "the crowds".
Morten Piil
Bla bla... Again a lot of talk and one-minded. If you Jordan look at Mortens last view, you might see why we have a lot of discussions. Because when people say false things, you HAVE to reply - otherwise you and others might see it as facts.
Facts are like you say, that everybody does the same. You arrange for people to sit in different places of the gym. We all have different gyms, and you cannot expect people to play in a foreign gym just because you can. Holte could play in Farum Arena? Lyngby in Lyngby-hallen, Marienlyst and Gentofte has the same possibility. Again facts are that only Ålborg plays in the best gym in their town!!
On whether you have to give better or worse seating, I must say I haven't seen it different to alle other games this season. If their is enough crowd, as where the fact in both Holte, Marienlyst and Fortuna, some has to sit the less-good seats. And is that bad? Instead of making the link to Lyngby last year, just look at finals this year. Everybody acted the same - Fortunas fans where at the end of the courtside, Ålborgs and Holtes the same. And both had the choice of sitting in either noice or place themselves in neutral ending just next to fans.
But good points by you Jordan, but I think Mortens points just made my point even better... It is difficult not replying to comments, but also something you get a bit fed up with after a whole year of nothing else than propaganda trash talk. I might be thin skinned, but how much should I take...
Arguments Yes - but Mortens points this time might be as he sees it, but every time we say different, I just get a comment back on being "buddy with him, sitting on a high horse etc". So it is not always as easy as you tend to say in your piece.
Mikkel
"Holte could play in Farum Arena? Lyngby in Lyngby-hallen,"
Perhaps a good idea. Who knows?
Is it a good idea, that Brøndby, who might very well be a finalist next year, play finals in Tjørnehøjhallen?
Morten Piil
I think it's an interesting question. I know that as little as three years ago, the finals were played in alternate fixed locations - One in Copenhagen and one in Aarhus and before that, the finals were played as a part of a double arrangement with the women.
I remember that the crowds were slightly larger for those matches but that it was weird to have a final in Copenhagen between a team from Aarhus and a team from Odense.
I think that you can't penalize a team for having a less "fan-friendly" gym. It would be unfair if Holte got to play a home match in their own gym and Fortuna was forced to play in a different gym than their own. Especially considering that the entire goal of the regular season (where Fortuna finished first) is to acquire home court advantage. As a player, it means a great deal to play on your own home floor, and the results obviously back that up. If I played for Brøndby I would hope to play the finals in my own home gym, from what I hear it is quite a unique place to play and an obvious advantage to the home team. As a fan, it might be nicer to watch in a different venue, but that wouldn't make a big difference for me personally in the long run.
I also think, specifically looking at Holte-Fortuna, that Fortuna can't be expected to do more than they did. I freely admit that I wasn't in Holte to see how the Fortuna fans were treated there, but in reality there is no code or law that says that one club has to treat another clubs' fans equally. The Holte fans were fantastic, they were also very late, when they came into the hall the match was one minute from starting. If some of the fans wanted to sit in a different position, have a better view of the match, or did not want to go deaf from the intensity of drum beating, they should have gotten there much earlier. I feel much worse for the people who got there early, sat in the section next to the Holte fans and were subjected to really, really, loud drums, and crazy people jumping around, dancing and obstructing their view. That's not a slight to the Holte fans, I think they were great. So, could Fortuna have placed the Holte fans in a better spot? Yeah, probably. But, I'm sure you noticed, if you went to the third final, there was a lot more space for the Holte fans to stretch out in. The chairs on at least one side were practically empty compared to the second final. In any case, I don't think that anyone was treated unfairly when you consider that the hall in Fortuna was pretty much full.
To come back to the earier question, I think we would all be interested in playing in better facilities and bigger venues, with two important caveats. One, that both participating teams would have to find a different hall to play in than their own. Two, that we could be sure to fill the arena with fans. Playing in Odense Idraetshall with 200 people in the stands would not be optimal.
There is no question that if both these conditions could be met, the fans and the players and volleyball in general would be rewarded.
Thank you for your answer, Jordan.
I agree with your main point that all teams should be allowed to play in their home gym.
You mention an audience of 200 people, but at the second finals there were 320 people, some of them creating a situation close to chaos.
When I mention Tjørnehøjhallen in Brøndby, it is because it is very difficult to imagine how you should be able to put around 300 people in a gym, that has been compared to shoe box and, according to players, is quite a special place to play in, to put it mildly.
Perhaps Brøndby would be FORCED by the circumstances to give up their rather primitive home gym – and that would be unfair, as you point out.
My point is that the best policy would perhaps be to put all finals in bigger venues, with better access for the press and the TV-reporters.
I think that it might give a lift to the whole proceedings.
Morten Piil
hey,
Morten:
Actually for a lot of years the finals were allways at big venues.
One game in K.B Hallen, and one in Århus Stadionhal.
This got changed a few years back due to different reasons:
1. Money is a bigger part of the game now, and even so in the future. For a finalist its a big setback not to have a home game for your sponsors.
2. There is good money in arranging the finals, in the old way it was dvbf who did it and the clubs are basically the change so they can get money, and please sponsors and by that improving the level of play.
3. From a spectator point of view it doesnt make sense to have a final between Marienlyst and Middelfart being played in copenhagen and århus.
I have great experiences in the big venues, and being there was simply special. I do however understand the reason why the elite clubs wanted ownership of the events.
I think the best solution is for dvbf to set a minimum standard for a final.
This would be in terms of catering (like spectators must be able to buy beverages/soda and food), a certain amount of light (lux), and a certain amount of seats for spectators.
First of all that would guarantie better venues, but most importantly it is way easier for a club to go to their "kommune" with a formal paper in the hands in order to get better venues/lights/seats, than simply going there at say "we would like".
If you show up and say, we are aiming for finals, but to host them we need these conditions.
And then maybe start small, and scale it from dvbf's side.
congratulations once again,
I hope someone didnt paint your yohoo gold ?. and btw, if you are into Mike myers (who isnt), then check this out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPz5e9TvYIs
/William
Thank you for the information, William. That was useful.
Of course a lot of things have to be taken into consideration when placing the finals.
From a spectator point of view, however, I just can't help thinking that gyms like Klostermarkhallen (badly lit, too small) and, probably, Tjørnehøjhallen (much too small) are not the ideal venues for the final match you've looked forward to all season.
Morten Piil
Until 2007-season there was a demand of a gym with 1000 spectators seated and other rules. Most clubs didn't follow the guideline - example ladies final Fortuna-Holte. We played in Odense Idrætshal in the second final, but the first was in Holte-hallen.
If all clubs doesn't follow or just say they can't find a gym with 1000 sets, you just have to let it go. I think again that it is very difficult for any of us to say that one gym is better than the other, or more ok than others if all gyms doesn't apply to the rules.
Lux, meters to the roof, seats, VIP is ok. But take this as an example.
Holte has 400 seats I think. Lets say that Holte-hallen meets the minimum requirements, then you wouldn't find many others that couldn't to finals be "build" to fit the same. The rest is a matter of taste, and you can't rule out anyone / anywhere, just because you don't like it....
So again - I think it positive to see some minimum requirements, but you also have to look at reality. Who can play in their normal gym / who can't? On fixed dates like this year - who can find a gym?
Mikkel
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