An impromptu pep talk from six U.S. softball players helped inspire their friends on the women’s volleyball squad to salvage what could have been a disastrous Olympics. The American volleyballers, 2-3 in pool play, face unbeaten Brazil in the quarterfinals Tuesday. The U.S., No. 1 in the world when the tournament began, hit bottom with a stunning loss to the Dominican Republic last week. But some of the gold-medal softball players could relate. They lost three straight preliminary round games at the Sydney Olympics, putting their championship aspirations in similarly dire straits before snapping to life and grabbing the gold. So the six veterans from Sydney, spotting middle blocker Danielle Scott in the Athletes Village the day after the Dominican disaster, delivered the message: Play for each other, not yourself. “They were wonderful words,” outside hitter Logan Tom said. “That definitely helped us. We were playing for individuals. We’re having a lot more fun, which is how it should be.”
Useful talent
American Steven Lopez can remember only one instance when he had to use his taekwondo skills on the street. “You know how guys can get after you,” said Lopez, a gold medalist at Sydney in 2000 who competes Saturday in the under-176 (80kg) class. “You know, they’re drunk or what-not. Things happen.” Lopez said he was able to end the confrontation quickly. “That’s the worst time for someone to really try and attempt to get in a fight,” he said. “When they’re drunk, they don’t have much balance.”
Also . . .
A Greek soldier on patrol near the Olympic mountain biking course was shot and killed with his own rifle, investigators said. Police are treating the shooting as an accident but are still investigating. The mountain bike event begins Saturday. . . . A 24-year-old New York man was arrested for trying to sell Olympic tickets illegally as police cracked down on scalpers. Police said the unidentified man was trying to sell 78 tickets he purchased for $18 each online for $122 apiece. . . . Serbia-Montenegro association head Dragan Stojkovic and chief national coach Ilija Petkovic resigned after a string of humiliating defeats by the soccer team and threats from fans.
