US Beach Volleyballers Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh Defeat the Italians and Bring them to Tears … Ruthless Americans?

Some one forgot to tell the female Italian Olympic beach volley ball team that there is no crying in beach volleyball …

Two time Olympic gold medal champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh of the United States advanced to the semi-finals on the 2012 London Summer Olympic games after defeating the Italian two sets to none. However, the pursuit of a three-peat for Walsh and Trainer was not the story of the match, it was the fact that they brought one of their competitors to tears. Actually, that was not even the story, it was the anti-American reporting of the story calling Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh ruthless Americans. Hey Reuters, with all due respect, go pound beach sand. Ruthless? This is not socialism folks, its sports. You never give a lesser opponent life and the feeling like they can beat you. Guess what happens when you do, you lose!

Italy’s Greta Cicolari and Marta Menegatti had beaten May-Treanor and Walsh this year and were considered the strongest European team at the Olympics. But the ruthless Americans gave them such a pounding that Menegatti was in tears on court.

“I didn’t know that, but that’s what you want,” said May-Treanor when a reporter told her what had happened.

“Well, it’s not what you want to do, but that’s (because of) us being aggressive, she was probably like ‘I don’t know what to do’, and that’s how you get teams in trouble,” said May-Treanor.

Shameful, just shameful that the media were refer to Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh as ruthless Americans. Hey Reuters, they are not ruthless Americans, the are the greatest female beach volleyball team in history an competitors.

The Americans won two sets to none (21-13, 21-13) in 33 minutes. That caused you to cry, seriously? It’s a good thing you did not play tennis and playing Serena Williams who dismantled Maria Sharapova in straight sets, 6-0, 6-1. You can really thank your lucky stars that you were not a part of the Nigerian basketball team that lost to the USA, 156 – 73.

Hey Italy, this is not elementary school whiffle ball. It’s time to put your big girl pants on and play. What exactly were you expecting from the two time Olympic gold medal champions and greatest female beach volleyball team in history, a free pass? The team of Walsh and Treanor have been trying to get back to the form that saw them win gold in the last two Olympics. Tonight’s performance was their best of the London Games and as close to perfect as they have played in a long time.

May-Treanor and Walsh are friendly and charming in conversation, but on court they have no mercy. After Sunday’s match they gave some insight into the steely mindset that has made them the most successful pair in their sport’s history.

“I don’t want to let our opponents breathe. I don’t want to give them an edge. I don’t want them to feel comfortable for one second out there,” said Walsh.

UPDATE I: Oh yea Reuters, Misty May-Treanor is such a ruthless American that after the Americans destroyed the Italians, Treanor went over to Marta Menegatti, the Italian player who had broken into tears during the match, and gave her words of encouragement. Because that is the sign of a ruthless American.

Oh and this comment is hardly one of a ruthless American from Kerri Walsh.

“I definitely knew she was emotional,” Walsh Jennings said. “I could feel it and I could see it. But to me that’s not a sign of weakness. She wants it that bad and she puts her whole heart into it… She had really high expectations, and that’s why she’s so good. She just had a bad game.”

Reuters, there is a big difference between ruthless and winning.