Look, nothing is ever a sure bet, but I’m putting my money on these kids actually pulling it off.
After just half a season of playing high-level ball in the Asobal league—and I'm not even counting the local domestic leagues here—Cupo has already climbed his way up to sit alongside legends like Rutenka, Ruesga, and Romer on the scoring charts.
It only took him half a season to get there.
To give you an idea of the pace, even the top American prospect, Nenadic, is looking at his back right now.
And don't even get me started on how much Cervarov’s decision to throw players like Duvnjak and Cupic into the deep end is going to pay off. One day, this investment is going to return with massive interest. Most people don't get it because they aren't experts; they watch Duvnjak play and think, "Yeah, this kid isn't exactly the heir to Balic," but let me tell you, he's got serious grit.
Anyway, it’s all speculation until it happens. Time will tell. Nobody saw the potential in Vukovar either, and look where he ended up—heading to Gummer.
I’m leaning toward a German win in the semifinals too.
The Danes just seem to have this psychological block when it comes to making it to the semis.
As for us, I’ve got a gut feeling we’re going to pull an upset against the Swedes. The French are already mentally playing in the finals... honestly, I get it. If we had crushed a couple of teams like that, our subconscious would be doing the exact same thing.
Sean Gonzalez95 said:Why don't you try your hand at politics? You're clearly a natural when it comes to making posts like this. (And I'm being serious, not sarcastic.)😉Look, this is my territory.😁 It’s honestly unbelievable how people try to slow down progress with these kinds of mindless posts. Look, I still agree with you regarding the Kelentrica situation, but he’s really no better than those guys from Somić. Why don't you just call Marakovic over here? Let him show us how the game is actually played when Balica isn't around to carry the load.🤣You mentioned earlier that Cupic would end up being better than Dzomba. Honestly, I don't see how you could be wrong. Plus, we’ve got Smajlagica arriving soon to shake things up. Right now, he’s definitely playing at the same level as Christiansen.🤣And what else am I supposed to read? Honestly, where did Lino go wrong with his roster selection? We only missed out on medals once. Despite all the constant nitpicking about who he picks, the guy still managed to drag us straight into the semifinals. It’s pretty clear to me that Vukic and Kaleb were much more essential than Sprema. If you ever find yourself in the head coach's seat, you'll know exactly who to call.
Look, we all saw it. You, me, and basically the entire country—Joseph is swapping out Balica, and it’s plain to see. I mean, we haven't seen anyone play with half the intensity that Marakovic brings to the court lately, so... it is what it is.
As for Cupic, I really hope you don't change your username. In a few years, I’m going to come back here and remind you exactly what you wrote in this post.
I remember people laughing at Alilovica a few years back when he was just some eighteen-year-old kid that nobody had even heard of.
You’re probably going to laugh in my face if I tell you that in a few years, little Strlek and Cupic will be the most lethal wing duo on the planet. We’re talking something on the level of Pako-Pipe.
So what? People are always going to find something to laugh at. As long as everyone’s having a good time, that’s all that matters.
It’s honestly ridiculous even trying to debate Cervar here, especially when you're constantly being hit with opinions from people who clearly don't have a clue what they're talking about.
Why should I waste my breath explaining why Cervar made certain roster choices to someone who doesn't even know names like Marakovic, Bozic, or Kelentric?
How much better is Kreso actually than Joseph at center? How much more talent do Kelentric and Bozic bring compared to Somic? And frankly, why does half the roster seem to be on the payroll of a guy like Gobac-Chicago?
There’s no point in arguing this stuff here. There are much better places for serious analysis. This forum is just for messing around.
From what I can tell, some people get incredibly defensive whenever anyone dares to criticize Cervar, yet they have absolutely no problem tearing the players apart. 😁
Honestly, if our players actually had half the ego Cervar does, they’d be running the entire universe. Vori would be making those Jupiter pivots look like toddlers.
George Bailey2 said:Lino actually did bring up Pinević and mentioned some interview involving Kaleb.
Alright, regardless of what Lino was saying, this just reminded me of Milkovic—that guy spent an entire day acting like he was some kind of genius.
Look, if Stenzl wants to criticize Lino, fine. The guy knows his handball, and he’s got every right to speak up. But Joseph... Joseph delivered the absolute worst results in the history of American handball, and now he’s sitting there trying to lecture everyone else.
It’s like watching Pepsi try to give advice to Repesi, or even Otto Bilic. Though, honestly, I guess we have plenty of people doing that kind of thing anyway.
We moved on even though we played like garbage, mostly because the Norwegians were even worse.🙄 Come on...
Some things are better left unsaid, like certain comments popping up on this forum.😁 Watch it with the "we played bad but made the EC semifinals" line.😁
Look, I haven't read that controversial article in ESPN, I’m not currently in Norway, I don't need to prep the squad for a deciding game against the Norwegians, I’m not stuck in a time zone difference, and... well, you get the idea. When is he actually supposed to find the time to read news from back home???
The guy actually cleared his cookies 3,525 times just to cast a vote for the US 😁
And all that time he was sitting there thinking, "Yeah, we’re gonna win this thing," acting like he was some kind of big shot, a mastermind, or a legendary CEO from a major American firm "
Justin Ward4 said:On another note: I think Lino is actually talking about Josip Milković’s comments. Honestly, those takes are spot on.
Look, everyone knows where I stand on Cervar, but for crying out loud, Milkovic 🙄
That guy finished dead last with this exact same crew back at the 2002 tournament in Sweden.
So what does he want now???
Give me a break. He’s going to sit there and lecture us about defensive schemes or offensive struggles? He finished 16th—lost by 12 against the Americans.
Tanya is a pivot player. Just picture her cursing out the refs and ripping her jersey apart like Sulic—shrugging her shoulders at the bench and telling the coach, "It’s not my fault, man, honestly!"
The player’s performance was straight-up criminal—specifically when it comes to his finishing. He just can't get anything done in front of the basket.
What is this clown even doing during preseason if he can't even get the basics right? Honestly, what’s his purpose besides racking up injury reports and wrecking the few players who actually show up healthy?
Honestly, it feels like they just plucked me, Roger Allen3, Bolton, Robby, Arthur Martinez7, and Jonathan Reed4 right out of our armchairs, plopped us down on the court, handed us a ball, and said, "Alright guys and girl, these are the Norwegians, the stakes are a trip to the NBA semifinals, half of America is watching you, so get to it."
I’m not even surprised that the Norwegian veterans are struggling. They had their "swan song" moment at the start of the tournament when they were playing way above their actual weight class.
But our guys? Man, give me a break. They should be hitting their absolute prime right now. Peter is already 31, yet he's getting pushed around by some retiree from the Norwegian squad.
They looked completely rattled, like they’d never played a high-stakes game in their lives. It’s like they forgot they’ve spent the last five years playing dozens of intense, deciding matches just like this one.
Honestly, watching this is becoming a joke. I don't know about you guys, but I'm finding it hard to take seriously.