Olympic Volleyball 2012: Brazil Will Cement Men's Volleyball Legacy with Gold

Brazil are going to easily dispatch Russia in the final of the 2012 Olympics men's volleyball tournament, and their legacy as an elite volleyball nation will be unrivaled.

Brazil have been dominant in this run. They advanced to the final by beating Italy 25-21, 25-12, 25-21. That straight-set win certainly wasn't out of the ordinary. They beat Argentina in straight sets in the quarterfinals. 

They also beat Russia in straight sets in preliminary play. 

The Russians advanced on the strength of their 25-21, 25-15, 23-25, 25-23 win over Bulgaria. They were on point and punishing, and that Russian team looked much different than the one that was completely overpowered against Brazil.

Just reaching the final is a victory for Russia. They have a rich volleyball tradition, but this is their first final in 22 years. In the final, they will be going for an unprecedented fourth gold. Only they and the U.S. have won three since volleyball was added as an Olympic event in 1964. 

They won't be the only two countries to have won three golds for long. When it comes to the current volleyball landscape, the Brazilians are kings. 

This is their third straight Olympic final. They took the gold in 2004 and lost out to the Americans in 2008. 

A victory on Sunday will give them two of the last three Olympic golds and an appearance in every final. It is an impressive run—impressive enough for Brazil to be called the unquestioned kings of men's volleyball.