eVolleympics'07

Welcome !

2007-06-25T09:59:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the eVolleympics 2007 blog. We hope that you will find the relevant information over here.

You can find all the emails and daily diary as posting. We will be updating this blog with new videos, pics and other goodies. Do keep visiting us.

Navigating inside the Blog

There is a sister website along with this blog that contains all the team information, schedule, score card, photos, rule book etc. The "EXPLORE" widget on the left hand side of this post also provides links to the website pages.

We have also introduced polls that are available at the left side-bar below the "EXPLORE" widget. You can vote unlimited times on each poll. (It's a feature, not a bug :-) ). Voting closes a day (EOB) before the match is scheduled.

On the left hand side-bar, there is "FLASH BACK" and "SEARCH BLOG FOR" widgets through which you can access the archived postings.

Below every post there is "COMMENTS" link, click on the link to add your valuable comments. You don't need a Google account to write your feedback/suggestions.

Happy blogging !

-eVolleymates
p.s. This post is sticky so don't worry about time-travel. You're still in present. Enjoy the gift !

For Your Eyes Only !

2007-05-30T01:38:00.000-07:00

Pictures of
Semi Final 2 :
Plato vs Copernicus and,
Grand Final :
Zeno vs Copernicus are available.

The previous games pics that are available

at here and here

The end of eVolleympics'07. eVolleympics'08 begins...

2007-05-28T23:54:00.000-07:00

Finally, there is cease fire. The war of eVolleympics'07 has ended.
The champions are crowned. Copernicus.
They won against Zeno with 3 - 15, 15 - 6, 15 -9, 15 -11.
Copernicus were crowned by the CEO, Mr. Pratul Shroff.

Copernicus remain unbeaten through out the championships. As they say, there can only be one winner.
But there are no losers. Each team fought well and fought hard.

Before the final battle, there was "friendly fire" amongst the Coaches and the Champions.
The Champions won 15 - 13.

This championships is a celebration of team spirit of eInfochips. A big thank you to all.
It could not have been possible without the support of the top - level management.
They encouraged all of us to go ahead and do the tournament.

The much abused but totally committed HR.
They spell support and money for us.

The Admins and the office boys who were the logistics back bone for us.
Without them, there was no volleyball.

The eVolleympics organizing committee.
They took time off from their schedules so that this tournament equals success.

The most important of all, You, the chipmate !
You who participated in this championships.
You who cheered for your team.
You who voted and followed the whole eVolleympics.
You who forgave all our shortcomings and failures.
You who were there when it mattered the most.
To borrow a cliche, indeed there is no success without U.

We don't believe that this is the end. We know we will be back next year. With eVolleympics'08.
The practice begins from next Sunday @ 7:30 AM MG Science College Ground.
See you there !

Final - The Crowning Glory !

2007-05-27T23:37:00.000-07:00

Zeno - The underdogs throughout the tournament. The most underrated team.
Copernicus - The most likeliest team that can claim the trophy.

The Final of eVolleympics 2007. Who was the crowned team. Did Scientist win the trophy or was the Philosopher reigned supreme? The battle for supremacy was at its culmination.

In front of the teams laid a match that could be played upto maximum 5 sets. None of the teams were in a mood to play that long. They wanted to win quick and fast.

Zeno won the toss and elected to serve. Served they did. Copernicus did not know what hit them. Before they could spell V-O-L-L-E-Y-B-A-L-L, they were down 10 -1.
By the time, they spelt, it spelt DOOM for them as Zeno won the first set 15 - 3 !

Talk about reversal of fortune. Zeno did everything right in the first set. Alas, that was the only set that they did right. Copernicus wokeup after a slumber with the energizing TANG!.

It was Copernicus's time to serve in the second set. Hardik opened the serve. And he was in no mood to let go. The score card started behaving like a up-counter. Copernicus whizzed past 0 - 0 to 6 - 0 in 5 minutes.

Now, it was time for bureaucracy to take over for few minutes. A debate rose what if Copernicus scores another point, do they win the set 7 - 0 as there is no break in the serve ? What does the rule book say asked Zeno. Copernicus were pretty sure that they will win 7 - 0. The rule book did not mention anywhere about the 7 - 0 rule. The person who wrote the rule book was the captain of Copernicus team ! Fortunately, the debate did not last long as the Rule book saved the day. Copernicus had to reach 15 points to win the set.

By the time Hardik lost his serve, the score was 10 - 0 in favour of Copernicus. A position from which Copernicus never wavered. They swiftly won the second set 15 - 6.

In the third set, Copernicus were in top form. They cruised along to win 15 - 9.

The beginning of the fourth set saw some attacking game from both the teams. The scores were levelled at 8 - 8. This was the set where Zeno could capitalize and return in the match. Few tactical errors on Zeno's part and good smashes from Rohit of Copernicus, and Copernicus eliminated the need of the 5th set. Copernicus won the set 15 - 11.

The final score is available at the Scoreboard. Copernicus were the champions of eVolleympics 2007 !

The CEO of eInfochips Ltd, Mr Pratul Shroff presided over the ceremony and awarded the trophy to Copernicus.

Semi Final 2 - The Last Team standing !

2007-05-26T22:52:00.000-07:00

The second semi-final between Plato and Copernicus is expected to be a nail biter. Did it live upto its expectations ? To find out, read on.
Plato are a formidable team. They have a smasher, a lifter, good services. Copernicus were undefeated so far. They did not lose a single set.
The match had all the ingredients of a sumptuous gourmet. It had spice, the salt, the sweet moments, the bitter rivalry :-).

The match began with Copernicus winning the toss and electing their side. Plato started the serve. It was match with best of 3 sets and each set of 21 points.
Plato took an early lead in the first set. Copernicus seemed little off-form and clueless. Gradually, they started finding their rhythm. But it was too less and too late.
Plato maintained their lead to finish the first set with 21 - 15.

The sun was soaring and the second set began.Copernicus this time played a better game and were resolute not to drop this set and claw their way back into the game. This time around, Plato took an early lead but Copernicus came back into the game and overtook Plato. This time around, Copernicus were persistent enough to win the set 21 - 15.

The stage was set for what seems like a final before the final. The third set was going to be the decider. The teams were now emotionally charged and also getting tired. The heat getting more relentless.
Both teams were now going neck-to-neck. If Plato took a 1-point lead, Copernicus would fight back and even the score. If Copernicus surged ahead, Plato would even it. The tension was mounting and it became clear that whoever wins, this match was arguably turning out to be the match of the tournament. With score at 16 - 16, Copernicus scored 4 successive points to be at matchless 20 - 16 score. Or so they thought. Plato had a plan of their own. They stuck to their game while Copernicus started fumbling. The score was now 20 - 20 !

Words did not matter anymore, to say it was anybodys game was stating the obvious. Plato went to 21 - 20. They need one more point to seal their berth in the finals. Copernicus broke their service and leveled the score 21 - 21. How long will it last ? How far will it go ? Who will be the last team standing ? The game had lasted for 2 hours and still the winner was no where in sight. Copernicus now needed two more point on their serve. Plato broke the service. Copernicus broke the service again. Copernicus took a lead, the score was now 22 - 21. Just one more point, so near yet so far. This time around, Copernicus made no mistake, they won 23 - 21.

Both teams played like champions, but there can't be two kings in the jungle. Copernicus moved into the final. They will now face Zeno.

The official referee Rinkal did a splendid job. He was ably supported by Dhaval Shah & Ajit Nair, the official score keepers, Umang & Harshal, the linesmen.
The crowd were regaled by the gladiators and their was loads of vocal support for both the teams. The teams were vocal with rushes of adrenalin that Rinkal ended up warning both the teams.

The scores can be found in the Scoreboard section.

Bosses Day Out (Exhibition Match) !

2007-05-25T06:15:00.000-07:00

Matches are made in heaven, they say.
But they are being played at MG Science Ground at 7:30 AM, Saturday & Sunday.

The matches will not last for more than an hour.
We know their memories will last forever.

If that is not good enough, we have a celebrity exhibition match just before the final on Sunday.
Oops....we just leaked out the surprise part !

So the managers, the directors, the VP, the men in the accounts,
the men who admins, the women in HR and if we are lucky, the man who matters most will play it out.
They are our celebrities for they are the ones who rule on us :-)

To know how your bosses perform,
Be there on Sunday @ 7:30 AM MG Science Ground.

To show off, we will just drop names of the celebrities who will be present ..

Nilesh Ranpura, Mehul Patel, Bhavin Shah, Smita Sah, Manan Patel, Pranav Shah, Manish Dave,
Chaturgun Prasad, Swati Acharya, Saurabh Desai,
and the man himself, Pratul Shroff !

To top it, we have snacks and drinks (In the land of Bapu, don't get any ideas !) to give you company.
Make merry and cheer for your team.

Semi Final & Final - Just this one time !

2007-05-25T06:14:00.000-07:00

Whenever you go to bed but are early to rise,
If you can do this weekend, it will be nice,
Come to the ground at zero extra price,
eVollympics is at its peak, thats no surprise !

Watch the game with Coke and fries,
Feel the game of lows and highs,
Einstein asked does God play dice ?
We play volleyball , thats no surprise !

Last two days, the time always flies,
Join the party, add to the spice,
Who will win, now thats the Surprise !!!!!!!

Saturday 26th May 7:30 AM Semi - Final Plato vs Copernicus

Sunday 27th May 7:30 AM Grand FINAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Punchlines - Copernicus !

2007-05-25T05:33:00.000-07:00

Rohit - Our original Jumping Jack. Jumps that defy gravity. Smashes that fly in your face. Beware of him.

Tushar - Mr. Consistent. The hammer that bangs the last nail in opponent's coffin. Always Bang on target.

Nirav - Our "IT" guy. Mr. Dependable. The backbone network of system Copernicus. Never missed a data packet (read volleyball).

Hardik - Opponent's worst nightmare. Serves the ball scorching hot that blazes the court.

Manish - Mr. Corner case. Corners the opponent in every case.

Jeetendra - The Real Jitu without white shoes. He is our biggest surprise weapon that gets unleashed.

Sanjay - Don't mess with him. All smiles when he finishes off the opponent with his cool returns.

Deepti - Our Weapon of Mass Destruction. The Ultimate Human Resource. Always there to support our enterprise.

Vishesh - The guy who wrote all this. They make me look good. Proud of the whole team.

Punchlines - Plato !

2007-05-25T05:27:00.000-07:00

AJAY - Confident and surprises everyone by his play

DIVYESH - Believes in playing safe, confident and makes a few mistake.

LAXMAN - Point winner, awesome service, cool customer, professional.

MAULIK - Enthusiastic and will be a surprise package.

MITESH - Good underarm, plays safe, could play at any position.

NATWAR - Love smashing, believe in winning points,emotional,
passionate, improving at every game.

NIRAJ - banana service expert, plays intelligently, quick on the
court, handles one side of the court completely.

NANDISH - play maker,enthusiastic, knows all the tricks and trade of
the game.

PALLAVI - Highly spirited, passionate and her loud cheering makes the opposition really nervous

Most Wanted Revisited

2007-05-25T05:13:00.001-07:00

!!!!!!!!!!!!! ATTENTION !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Last week we told about two gangs. Only one gang Zeno survived.

This Saturday, two more gangs are in shoot-or-boot mode. Either they shoot out the other gang or they get booted out.
Plato and Copernicus are the names of the gangs. They are very very dangerous with lot of most wanted people on their list.

We list down the name of these dangerous people.

Plato:
Natwar Agrawal, Niraj Patel, Divyesh, Mitesh Koradia, Laxman, Ajay Chauhan, Nandish shah, Maulik Desai, Pallavi paliwal

Copernicus:
Vishesh Agrawal, Tushar Bangoria, Nirav modiya, Hardik Mehta, Manish raizada, Jitendra Jain, Sanjay Jadav, Rohit Nanaiya, Deepti Arora

If you find them or see them, we repeat DON'T PANIC !
Just step off their way and watch them as they fight for survival.
Only one of them will survive this Saturday to fight against mighty Zeno.

eVollempics entering in to danger zone , favour your luck, be a part of the last 2 exciting matches.

Saturday 26th May'07

Second semi-final at 7.30

PLATO

vs

COPERNICUS

To report any activity about them, comment to this post

"Battle of the SMASHERS"

2007-05-24T01:28:00.000-07:00

Saturday's semifinal-2 is going to be a tussle between SMASHERS. On one side we have Rohit(Copernicus) and for counter attack on other side we have Natwar(Plato). Both sides have players whose service itself is a SMASH. Interesting aspect of this game would be the rotation of the players.

There are few questions which can be answered during the match.
Can Rohit or Natwar SMASH the volleyball from the far end of the court?
Can Hardik, Nirav,(Copernicus) or Laxman(Plato) keep the SMASHING service going?

Its the question of the question "Can U Handle the SMASH?" We will find out on Saturday. Good Luck to both the teams, and hope there will be enough TANG to keep their energy intact.

-Harshal

Picture Perfect

2007-05-23T23:03:00.000-07:00

More pics of eVolleympics 2007

Day 4

Semi Final 1 (Zeno vs Archimedes)

Happy viewing !

Different Positions. Same Fun !

2007-05-22T04:38:00.000-07:00

Now, don't get any wrong ideas, please. We are talking about the rotation of players and their positions :-)

With rotation in place in semi-finals and finals, teams are coming up with all sort of strategies.

One of them includes players swap their position once the serve has been completed.

Archimedes did that in first semi final against Zeno.

Have a look as Sumit & Jadav exchange places like a well choreographed Farah Khan dance :-)

Semi Final 1 - Tortoise & Hare.

2007-05-22T03:58:00.000-07:00

This was a do or die match. For this was the first semi-final. An interesting day with many a things happening in the ground.
Both Zeno and Archimedes looked formidable. Zeno's captain Harshal returned a day before from Bangalore[1].

The match began. The first set began as if Archimedes were in a tearing hurry to wrap up the match. They took a cool 11 - 1 lead. Too fast too furious. They marched past to 13 - 3
But Volleyball had a will of its own. Somehow Archimedes went in a shell. A shell from which they could never recover.
Zeno were getting things working for them. The score got tied at 17 - 17.
Zeno continued the momentum and won the first set 21 - 17.

Time for a break. Hemal, the official referee for the match decided this was a right time to "Express yourself".

Archimedes had to break even the second set to stay in contention. But Archimedes were in no mood for a fight. Two teams one goal. Same goal, actually. As if they were helping Zeno to win.

In the middle of all these things, the willful Volleyball decided to settle on top of a tree. As this picture says it all.

And then Archimedes lost track of the rotating order. No one knew who would serve next. It all helped Zeno as they cruised to 21 - 8 win.

In the end, Zeno were the tortoise. They were persistent. They won. Kachhua jalao, Archimedes bhagao.

[1] - We suspect he came back for the match. But it's all Hush Hush ! ;-)

Tap dance.

2007-05-22T03:25:00.000-07:00

A cool snip of the game between Plato and Aristotle.
Watch Niraj's service just like scissors in precision. And wait for Natwar's (yeah, the one with hair dancing all over him) gentle tap to the ball.
Sheer fun.

Punchlines - Zeno !

2007-05-19T04:53:00.000-07:00

Harshal
Key player, root of the team

Tarang
Innovator, brings key points for the team

Tarak
Player with disguise, street smart can fool the opponent easily

Gaurav
Complements Harshal very well, and keeps the crisis away with 100% accuracy

Vinit
Underarm genius, with excellent judgment calls at crucial points

Dhruvesh
Debut player of the tournament, but plays like a pro

Sanjay
Overarm champion, covers the court well

Punchlines - Archimedes !

2007-05-19T04:51:00.000-07:00

Teams are coming up with cool punchline for their players. Here is for Archimedes.

Gunjan
"Mr. Perfect" An ace volley player, fantastic lifter, a play who can clear each and every ball from anywhere in the court and one who will dive to any end of the court to clear the ball…A key player and captain of team. Full of confidence and great motivation for the team

Rinkal
"Wrinkle free" player with good smash to serve, Handles the center net position. He has every shot in his style. Comfortable at any place of the ground. Key member for the team.

Mitul
All-rounder player with smile forever, perfect at any position with wonderful game. Extra ordinary game by him in each and every game.

Sumit
"Lambu" IT person with jumping around nets to grab points from opposition. He applies computer mind in the game too. Perfect with every shot.

Chirag
"Chhotu" player of the team with always underarm play. Precision is the key for him. Game with sweet smile always. Great play.

Jadav
"Cool" Banda, speechless always, but having a wonderful game that makes opposition speechless. Playing near net normally, excellent game by him.

Rahul
Again a "cool" one. Debut player had a cracking entry to world of volleyball. Full of Energy to make Archimedes wins. Playing like a champion every time.

Shaileshbhai
The man with "Power”. Over arm play is specialty of him. Able to play at any place of the ground. Nice game and nice support.

Vishaka
Another Debut player, still to perform, but motivation support and her enthusiasm of the game make Archimedes proud.

Yet Another Mail From Us !

2007-05-19T03:31:00.000-07:00

Again an email from us.
Yeah Yeah, there is a match tomorrow.
Yeah, some semi-final is happening.
Alrite, Alrite, you want us to come over there
The story goes on ... Blah Blah Blah.

We are guilty as charged.
And know what, we are not sorry at all. No boss !

Cos, we know the mails may be predictable. The games are not.
Just like life.

The championships has delivered great moments.
Every point and every turn holds the unknown.
Celebrate with us the magic of winning and losing.
The joy of the game which is but Life on a grand scale.

Sunday - 20th May'07 First semi-final at 7.30

ZENO

vs

ARCHIMEDES

Visit our URL:

http://evolley.blogspot.com
http://evolley.googlepages.com/evolleympics2007

If you have missed the previous matches, view their pics on
\\emusiczone\ePix\eVolleyball07 or
\\192.168.8.85\ePix\eVolleyball07

-eVolleymates

The League of Extra-Ordinary Gentlemen and Ladies !

2007-05-18T04:42:00.000-07:00

The league matches got over this weekend. And a clearer picture emerged as to who will go in the semi-finals.

It was a great competitive matches in the league round. All the players gave their best and all the teams went for the kill. The better team won on that day.

As it happens, only four teams will play in the knock-out rounds. The rest four can be assured that they gave a tough fight to the teams at the top of the groups.

Our congratulations to all the players who played in the true spirit of the game !

Moving forward, the challenges in the semi-finals will have a new twist. Yes, the rotation of the players at each service opportunity is now mandatory. The team that has got the best players that are skillful at all the position will definitely have an advantage.

The first semi-final is being played on 20th May (Sunday) between Archimedes and Zeno.
The second semi-final will be held on 26th May (Saturday) between Copernicus and Plato.

The polls are up. Happy clicking !

Day 5 & 6 - Apocalypse Now !

2007-05-14T04:36:00.000-07:00

Four fantastic matches lined up on this Saturday (12th May) and Sunday (13th May). This weekend was the week of survival.

This weekend was suppose to decide which Scientist will qualify for the semi-finals. For the Philosophers, it was a matter of who will top the pool.

The Socratians and the disciples of Aristotle had a play-off on Day 5. Aristotle won 15 - 13, 15 - 13. The Socratians end up last but they were not the least.

Archimedes had a match with Pythagoras. Archimedes had to win this match to stay in contention for the berth in semi-final. They rose to the occasion and won 15 - 9, 15 - 4.

This had all the edge-of-the-seat excitement and resulting into a cliff-hanger with Archimedes now at 10 points, Copernicus at 10 points and Galileo at 5 points.
The sunday match between Copernicus and Galileo was crucial. If Galileo wins with a bonus point there would be a 3-way tie between Archimedes, Copernicus and Galileo.

The suspense in Scientists group stayed a little longer on Sunday as the Philosophers had played first. Plato and Zeno played without any pressure as they had booked their berths for semi-finals. In the end, it was Zeno who continued its unbeaten streak with the 15 - 12, 12 - 15, 15 - 7. Plato finishes second in the pool.

The scientists' lab was in the last phase of its experimentation. Today, two Scientists remained in the race. The last league match decided the fate when Copernicus who were minus their captain and short of one player won a hard-fought battle with Galileo. Copernicus cemented their top position in the group by winning 15 - 12, 17 - 15.

Copernicus also favoured Archimedes as Archimedes ends up second in the pool.

The final scores are updated in the Scoreboard.

Now or Never !

2007-05-11T01:05:00.000-07:00

The last 4 of the league matches are being played this weekend.
Now is your chance to make sure that your team enters the semi-finals.
Never you will regret that you were present at the ground this weekend.

Can Pythagoras upstage Archimedes ?
Will Copernicus continue their unbeaten streak against Galileo?
Who will be the top of the Philosophers, Plato or Zeno ?
Who will go down with a fight, Socrates or Aristotle ?

Questions Questions everywhere,
Life is a Game, Fair and Square,
Stocks of the teams, like Bulls and Bears
They will prevail Those who dare,
To seek the Truth, You be there
In the ground of MG, if You care

This Saturday & Sunday watch the teams fight out for their rightful place in the Semi-Finals at 7 AM, MG Science College Ground.

Day 4 - The race heats up !

2007-05-07T02:43:00.000-07:00

Two matches that promised to be very exciting were lined up for the day. What ensued eventually was a bit of an anti-climax.

The first match was the match that could change the whole scenario in the Group of Death, the Scientists. If Pythagoras wins the match against Copernicus then the next two matches in the group of Scientists are as good as quarter finals.

But Copernicus made sure that some order is restored in the Scientists' world of volleyball. They defeated Pythagoras convincingly 15 - 5, 15 - 4. Thereby strengthening their chances of reaching to semi-finals.

In the next match of the day, between the Philosophers, Plato and Aristotle, had some elements of fireworks and exceptional game play. The match provided good show of team work and individual brilliance. Though in the end, Plato won 15 - 10, 15 - 10.

The scores are updated in the Scoreboard. We will shortly update the snaps and the pics. Keep reading this space as the race for the champions heats up.

We (Plato) are in the Semis !!

2007-05-07T02:34:00.000-07:00

The Sunday's match against Aristotle was crucial and had really booked an early birth for us on the semifinals. We did not have plans for the opposition and relied on the basic of making every attempt for winning points rather than playing safe. In the process we lost quite a few points and won the most.

The performance was not at our best but was enough to be victorious and have to rise in our Game for next matches. It was again a great team effort.Starting from Niraj Patel who placed the ball relentlessly on the opposition court, Nandish played at the center and provided every opportunity for me to win the points by just tapping the ball and in turn pulled most of the points. Laxman's service was awesome and some of his serve was left unpick. But have to work on accuracy which will be a handful source for easy points. Ajay and Divyesh handled the left and right front really well. We thought victory would be quite easy but the opposition really made us earn it.

Having fixed their birth in semifinals both Plato and Zeno would want to continue their winning streak and would make every attempt to avoid Copernicus in the semis who looks quite good at the moment.

-Natwar
(Plato)

Get Mad ! Get Even !

2007-05-05T04:38:00.000-07:00

Though this be madness,
Yet there is some method in it !

We are mad that we care about the game so passionately.
We are mad that we will be present this Sunday at 7 AM, MG Science College Ground.

Fighting summer heat and early morning sleep on a lazy Sunday morning, yeah this is crazy.
But we are like this only. Channel Volleyball.

Before the world, there was chaos. Before the final, there is chaos in the group matches.
No one is sure which Philosophers and Scientists will qualify to the semi-finals.
While the Scientists are already in a group of death, the Philosophers will do whatever they can to bury the opponents.

To unravel the mystery, to watch the creation of history, be there this Sunday.
Get mad this weekend ! Get even with your opponent team.

The madness continues this weekend.

More photos and videos and polls uploaded. Look out for the posts in this blog.

Hum Blog !

2007-05-04T23:20:00.000-07:00

Few of our eVolleymates have got creative.
We share their blogs with us.

Jignesh Patel's blog is The Waterdrop.
Harshal Chhaya writes at The Sage.
Vishesh Agrawal writes at A Restless Comma,

Do visit them and encourage them.
If you are writing too, let us know. We will update the list.

What a picture is worth ?

2007-05-04T23:15:00.000-07:00

Thousand words, some say.
We say, its Priceless.

Click on the day to see the pictures.
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3

If you do not see yourself in the snaps, wake up and be there on weekends at MG Science Ground !

The Leap of the Tiger

2007-05-01T22:09:00.000-07:00

I mentioned earlier that Saurabh bhai showed so much enthusiasm and agility that it was treat to watch him play.

Watch the clip below and see for yourself what I mean.
He may lost the point but he won the admiration of many a people.

Such is beauty of game. It makes you go right there on the ground and give your best.

You will need Flash Player 8. It can be downloaded from
Univ of Buffalo
Adobe

Z to A in two games

2007-05-01T00:02:00.000-07:00

Team Zeno displayed their A game over the weekend to clinch both the matches. The first one was easy win, but the second one tested our team spirit and also hunger to win.

In the exciting second match against Socrates the shouting captain kept reminding the team to stay focused. The team responded by giving 200% for the each point. Gaurav was safest and coolest player of the team. Even though Dhruvesh was playing for the first time, he played exceedingly well. Tarang won few crucial points in the second set, and Vinit served continuously well and kept the momentum going. In between Sanjay kept hitting cross court shots with ease. The first set was lost but it did not shake our confidence, we kept growing stronger and stronger and at the end we won.

The matches were played with very healthy spirit, though high on emotions, at the end every one enjoyed the weekend games.

- Harshal

Day 3 - The quest continues !

2007-04-30T23:48:00.000-07:00

This is where the actual fun begins. Archimedes had lost to Copernicus. They had to win today to be in contention. So was the case with Socrates. Having lost to Plato, it was do or die situation for them.

Our satta bazaar could not predict which side the volleyball will fall. 50 - 50 chances for Zeno and Socrates. And Archimedes might just upset Galileo, the bazaar said.

The day began with the battle of Archimedes and Galileo. Galileo did not have their captain Hemal and it cost them dearly. Archimedes rose to the occasion and yes, they did get their Eureka ! moment to win comfortably with 15 - 6, 15 - 8.

The second big match of the day was between Socrates and Zeno. In Socrates, it was return of the Maaru Chhu man, Vishal Jaani. But if there was any doubt that yesterday's win of Zenoids was any fluke, it was all buried deep down in that court. A grueling battle that last over an hour and spanned over three sets saw that Zeno are at the top of the Philosophers with two win. Pop philosophy, anyone ?

Zenoids played like true champions and came back after losing the first set to win 10-15, 15 - 11, 15 - 10.

With so many upsets and victories, the championship is wide wide open. Who will make it to the last four, the quest continues !

The scores are available over here

Day 2 - The Juggernaut rolls

2007-04-30T23:36:00.000-07:00

This was a beginning of a "long" weekend and Saturday, true to its promise, delivered two thrilling matches.

The poll result or our satta bazaar showed that it was going to be keenly fought contest.
Both the philosophers had good chance of winning with Zeno having an edge. While between scientists, it was any body's game.

Zeno, the paradoxical puzzler, won comfortably against Aristotle. The final score was 15 -4, 15 - 7. The captain of Zenoids (this word is our creation !) Harshal views his opinions over here.

In the other match, Galileons and Pythagoreans (hehe, these ones too are our creation) fought with vigour in the first set which the Pythagoreans won 15 - 11. In the second set, Galileons could not put a fight to lose to Pythagoreans eventually 15 - 11, 15 - 5.

Saurabh bhai proved that the rest of us are bachhas in front of him. Amazing display of agility and finesse.

The scores are available over here.

Feeling left out ?

2007-04-27T06:52:00.000-07:00

Don't. Join the party.
The party continues this weekend.

Two great matches lined-up on both the days.

Four teams will play their opening matches this Saturday.
Every team wants to open their account on a positive note.
Be there @ MG Science College ground , 7 AM when the excitement unfolds.

For Socrates, they have to win their match this Sunday to stay in competition.
For Archimedes, they will need their "Eureka" moment on Sunday to have their hopes going.

Cheer for your team. Vote for your team. Play for your team. Win for your team.

We are loving your feedback and appreciation at our blog.
Give us suggestions how we can better the blog and website.
We are expecting you at our blog and website.

The URL:

http://evolley.blogspot.com
http://evolley.googlepages.com/evolleympics2007

The whole eI Volleyball community is waiting for you !

-eVolleymates

Shock and Awe !

2007-04-27T03:14:00.000-07:00

Pythagoreans are going crazy. Somebody stop them :-).
3200 friggin' votes to them in the Mega Poll of who will win the eVolleympics 2007 and still going strong !!!!
It was shock and awe ! Prompts me to go ahead and vote 200 times for Copernicus.

They have shown admirable enthusiasm on the Poll. But the important question is can they be stopped on field ? Watch out for the match on Saturday.

Last heard, teams are making lots of strategies everywhere. This time all the teams are evenly poised so it is going to be a close call for most of the matches.

Our team Copernicus won well last Sunday and we will go with more confidence for our next match.

I am seeing many comments and I agree with Natwar that instead of hoping that the other teams will make mistakes, you will have to create opportunities for making winning shots.

Ahmedabad summer will play a significant role especially for matches held later in the day.

The team with players that can play well in all the positions will be the team that may just be crowned the Champions on 26th May.

-Vishesh

Fun on the Ground

2007-04-26T01:26:00.000-07:00

It was just not about game, set and match. Watch the video below to know what I mean.
The Archimedian Sumit proves that indeed the earth is round and it rotates. He uses the Volleyball to demonstrate his theory.

Also, listen to the audio, it has conversation of national importance. Namely, the Abhi-ash wedding. Such fun.
If you are heart-broken because of the wedding, well, better luck next time.

The link to the video on Vimeo

What's your excuse today?

2007-04-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

We know you are busy.
We know you have loads of project work with deadliest deadlines.
We know the internet access is limited.
We know you are not following the eVolleympics matches.
And of course, you are not following the ICC Cricket World Cup.

But what is stopping you from visiting the eVolleympics home page ?
What's your excuse today?

Visit our blog, comment on it, put your criticisms, write your appreciation,
vote for your team.
Anything goes.

The URL:

http://evolley.blogspot.com
http://evolley.googlepages.com/evolleympics2007


The whole eI Volleyball community is waiting for you !





-eVolleymates

The Beginning - Day 1

2007-04-23T00:05:00.000-07:00

What a beginning it was !
An awesome start with a 3 set grueling battle between Socrates and Plato.
Plato won 2 - 1

In other match of the day,
between Archimedes and Copernicus,
Copernicus won 2-0

The results and some photos are available here at our Scoreboard.

Sincere thanks to Gunjan, Hemal, Dhaval, Umang, Umesh, Vinit, Natwar, Pratik, Rinkal for officiating in the matches and supporting the officials of the game.

The Road to Victory - eVolleympics-07 begins....

2007-04-21T05:15:00.000-07:00

Chipmates,

72 players, 15 matches, 8 teams, 1 Champion.

Four teams that are the Philosophers of the dawn,
Four teams that to which Scientists belong,
Four will fall after the first round,
Rest will fight for the coveted crown.

One team to rule them all,
One team to make others fall,
One team will make the call,

To win the eVolleympics Volleyball

The stage is set. The curtain is about to be raised. The players are ready to roll.
The countdown starts, the heartbeat quickens, the excitement reaches the crescendo.
The anxiety in the eyes, the quickness of limbs, the muscles get tense, its all there in the air.

Cheer for your team tomorrow. Be there at MG Science College Ground at 7 AM, 22 April, Sunday.

You can find more information about the Championships at our blog and website.

http://evolley.blogspot.com

http://evolley.googlepages.com/evolleympics2007

Please leave your comments and feedback at our blog.

-eVolleymates

Rules of Engagement - eVolleympics 07

2007-04-20T01:01:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

Rules of Engagement

The Philosophers and Scientists are getting ready for the championships.
Its going to get tough and it won't be all goody goody and sweet and nice.

The path to victory is laden with thorns and heat.
Sweat and blood.
(Well, this is taking it too far but you get the point. )

There will be only one winner.
You will fight out in the volleyball court to choose your team as the Chosen One.

Because you don't fight off-court, and you don't lose the tenet of sportsmanship and fair play,
We are releasing the Official eVolleympics'07 Rule book.

Let this book be our beacon of guidance through out the Championships.
So that even though no two teams will win, no team will lose in the end.
So that even if you lose, you lose with pride. You win, you win with humility.

Enjoy the game,
Good Luck,

-eVolleymates

The World of Volleyball - eVolleympics 2007

2007-04-17T00:56:00.000-07:00

Chipmates ,

Since ages, the philosophers and scientists have been waging wars amongst themselves to prove themselves right.

Each one of them has his own theory of the world around us. We over here are just giving the war a new twist.
So Galileo and Copernicus will now say that for the next 5 weeks, the world will revolve around an another sphere, the VOLLEYBALL.

Archimedes will give a winning cry of "Eureka" ! ( though we sincerely hope that he will have his clothes on. :-) )

Zeno is all set to dazzle the opponent with his paradoxical play of the game.

And Aristotle declares that volleyball is round though he is not sure about the earth !

We are sure even Pythagoras will do everything to hit a smash from a right angle and square off the opponent.

Socrates will challenge everyone and probe every opponent worth his hemlock.

Lest we forget Plato, he shares more than a platonic relationship with the game of volleyball !

Get Ready for the Volleyball Championships - eVolleympics'07.

One of them is going to rule the world.

Blow the horns. Own the World.

March with glory to MG Science College Ground.

The war begins from 22 April 2007 7 AM.

The spreadsheet for the teams and the itinerary of the Championships is attached. Names in Bold are the contact persons for their respective teams.

Keep reading this space for the instructions and rule book.

Celebrating the spirit of sportsmanship.............

"If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same"

Get back to me at gunjan.talsania@einfochips.com in case of any queries.

- eVolleyMates

"Why should boys have all the fun ? " Challenge to girls - eVollympics ' 07

2007-04-13T00:54:00.000-07:00

Its tough to be a woman in mens' world. But its not difficult to play in the eVolleympics 2007.

Those who think that sports are the bastion of men only can go take a hike and never return.

The Volleyball Championships is open for girls.

Be a part of the winning team.

For every player is a winner who has played and given her best.

"The important thing in life is not to triumph but to compete"

Please participate and make the event memorable.

Rush your entries to gunjan.talsania@einfochips.com before 6 PM, 13th April, 2007 Friday.

Yeah, 'cos we are an equal opportunity championships :-)

Thanks and Regards

eVollympics Team

Are you Game for eVollympics 2007 ?

2007-04-12T00:54:00.000-07:00

----------------------------------

Do you have it in you ?

----------------------------------

Was the famous tag line for an invitation to join the " Indian Army " .

We are no Army, we are a team of enthusiastic players who are ready to beat the other teams and the summer heat to win.

Your team is asking for your participation to help them win the Volleyball Championships.

The registration closes tomorrow 13th April, 2007 Friday 6 PM.

Rush your response to me on gunjan.talsania@einfochips.com

For those players who have already registered, we are overwhelmed by the responses and thank you very much.

We have arranged practice sessions this Saturday and Sunday (14-15 April, 2007) @ MG Science College ground 7 AM onwards.

Thanks and Regards

eVollympics Team

The Game begins again : eVolleympics ' 07

2007-04-10T00:52:00.000-07:00

Hi All,

"What counts in sports is not the victory, but the magnificence of the struggle."

Guys and Gals !

A year ago we proclaimed that

"Sports do not build character. They reveal it"

A year later we are back, ahem, with volley balls to reinforce the spirit of human triumph.

We are inviting the chipmates this summer to be the new volleyball champions and prove their mettle on the volley ball court.

There is nothing like free lunch so we have our set of conditions.

1. You need to wake up early on Sundays and Saturdays.
2. Bring your attitude and indomitable spirit on the court.
3. Yes, you have to be a chipmate (Duh !)

In return, we assure that your time will be worth spent.
Winners and the runners-up win the admiration and some cool prizes.

Hurry, the invitation closes on 13th April, Friday, 2007 6 PM. Reply to this email to send your acceptance to gunjan.talsania@einfochips.com

The schedules, teams and venue and all the details will be mailed to you later based on the responses.
So keep reading this space.

The Volleyball Championships begins this April. Coming soon in a court near you !

"The spirit, the will to win, and the will to excel are the things that endure.
These qualities are so much more important than the events that occur."