wearybison63 said:You become a moderator only after an existing mod nominates you. Mods and super mods don't get paid—it's all volunteer work. As for the admins? Who knows.
So basically, they're doing everything for free just to hunt down "offenders" and play hall monitor. What a pathetic, mindless waste of life! I bet 90% of them are miserable enough to have constant hemorrhoids.
How does one actually become a moderator? I see plenty of them who have been around for years—unusually zealous, too. I assume there’s some kind of paycheck involved. Otherwise, I just can't wrap my head around how anyone stays motivated to pore over every single damn post, day in and day out, just to "jump in" the second some user slips up and breaks a rule.
I’ve got this joke floating around—some of you probably know it, others might not. I love telling a good joke now and then, so here goes: “How do Chinese men name their kids?” a witty guy asks his friend. The friend has no clue, but he's curious, so he asks: “How?” That’s when the joker leans in, eager to deliver the punchline: “They drop a pot down a flight of stairs and name them whatever sound it makes.” Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha... honestly, I’m dying here. And just imagine if that pot hit the steps with a "cling, cling" sound... because hey, why wouldn't that happen? It totally could.
Where can I actually find this so-called "Swedish" chewing tobacco? Honestly—I don't even get why they call it that. You aren't even chewing these little pouches; you just tuck them under your lip and let the nicotine and flavor leach into your gums. It’s a total misnomer. A few years back, I could easily pick some up at a couple of different tobacco shops in San Diego, but then—out of nowhere—it all vanished from the shelves due to some sudden legal crackdown.
You really need to start betting on the upsets during this tournament. Even though we’ve only seen one major outlier in the first four matches, I’m betting my money that we’re going to see way more of them moving forward. For instance—if you want to get a little optimistic today—you could take a shot at a shutout against those pathetic Irish ball-bashers. Toss in a 1.85 underdog bet on the 37.5+ line for Djokovic or that Spanish Comanche, and you’re looking at a nearly guaranteed three hundred bucks in your pocket. Or look at tomorrow: bet on a zero for the boring types like the English or the French, or even those total pushovers like the Swedes and Ukrainians. Throw in today's Garros final at 37+, and you've got yourself a nice little payday...
You sound like a kid doing required reading for class...
Basically, there's still hope. These guys have been online the last few days, soaking up wisdom from some truly virtuous people on the forums—and they've decided to act. It’s a good move that they started with something light like Ante Tomić; it’s easy to digest. Naturally, they'll graduate to the heavier, more demanding stuff later—think Kovačić, Krleža, Marinković, and Novak. If this continues, everyone over in Mexico is going to get absolutely wrecked by these enlightened guys...
I honestly still can't wrap my head around how we managed to absolutely steamroll the Argentinians—a team that everyone else was practically breaking their backs against. It wasn't even close; you couldn't even say the Danes beat them with half their roster.
Gregory Ramos3 said:But calling this a massive success...
In my book, finishing fifth isn't a total disaster—but let's be real—it’s nowhere near a major victory. At least not when you look at the performance of the American national handball team.
Lisa Ward52 said:Even I have to admit he’s spoiled. 😳 Basically, I heard rumors ages ago about how incredibly lazy he is—which is why I don't exactly adore him—but you really have to hand it to the guy for his massive talent. 😁
I've gone on record multiple times specifically highlighting what a freakish phenomenon he is on the court—honestly, we've never seen anyone play like him—but the second I dare mention his problematic attitude or the way he's constantly clashing with coaches, a dozen women swoop down on me like a flock of vultures. It just goes to show how intoxicated they are by that "charming rogue" persona of his. They want to fight any objective observer who refuses to canonize him as some kind of basketball saint or a flawless icon that everyone involved in the sport—or even just casual fans—should be bowing down to. It's honestly ridiculous.
You get absolutely slaughtered when you dare suggest that Balić is nothing more than a spoiled prima donna. I made the mistake of voicing that exact opinion once—it was obvious as hell—but I am never putting myself in the line of fire like that again. Not when people are just looking for any excuse to tear you down.
Jonathan Booth5 said:Venio Losert Vlado Šola Valter Matošević Nikša Kaleb Ivano Balić Blaženko Lacković Vedran Zrnić Igor Vori Davor Dominiković Mirza Džomba Drago Vuković Slavko Goluža Goran Šprem Denis Špoljarić Petar Metličić
Here’s the roster for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Keta could pull double duty as player-coach—plus he'd be the perfect water boy for Balić, just like he was back in '03.
Look, let's face it—these guys aren't exactly in their prime anymore, so they can't exactly go toe-to-toe with twenty-year-olds. At this rate, you might as well have thrown in Horvat from Indianapolis too.
Susan Ward23 said:This video really made my night. Magic Johnson, what a legend!🙏
There’s absolutely zero debate here—Magic Johnson is easily the greatest player this country has ever produced. It’s not just about the stats, either; he has that undeniable leader's charisma that comes directly from being a pure genius on the court. You can't argue with his massive role in driving the national team's success over the last eight years—that’s a matter of record. But—and this is a big "but"—it's also hard to deny that Magic Johnson can be an incredibly vain and temperamental guy. If you’re the head coach, dealing with him is likely a total nightmare. In fact, after Cervarov moved on, there was plenty of chatter claiming that exactly that kind of attitude was a huge reason why things fell apart. Look, life is rarely just black and white... it's always complicated.
Susan Ward23 said:A real coach knows how to handle any player. Period.
Sure—but let's be real. If there was friction between Goluža and Balić, or if the tension between Červar and Balić was actually a thing—not to mention those rumors about Balić refusing to play for the national team under certain leadership because he wasn't the undisputed #1 back then—then we have to face facts. There’s clearly something to be said about his difficult personality.
Susan Ward23 said:I'd say Balić carries about 5% of the blame here—and that goes for Laco, Vori, and the younger guys too. It’s not like Balić can just carry an entire game on his back single-handedly, nor is it his job to be stressing over everyone else's tactical execution. Honestly, the guy had every right to blow a fuse. And then, to top it all off, you have the gray eminence hovering around while Goluža just sits there acting like he's struck dumb. In the end, they act like it’s all Balić's fault—as if he was supposed to prep the roster, design the tactics, AND play out of his mind every single game. I have to wonder what Goluža’s actual role is. Probably just sitting on the bench while some masseur works on his neck and head. Poor guy—must be exhausted from all that "thinking."
Are you playing dumb, or is this actually for real? You didn't mention his temperament being an issue even once. Don't make me sit here and quote three or four sentences of yours that completely contradict each other.
It’s not a core issue regarding the national team's performance, but it certainly doesn't help the toxic atmosphere currently hanging over the squad.
Rachel Gomez81 said:First off—who gave you the right to call me some little girl obsessed with Ivano Balić? Do you even know me? You don't—so why are you attacking my character personally? I haven't once gone after you on a personal level. We were exchanging opinions, period. Instead of actually debating the topic, you decided to dive into my private life because clearly, you had nothing else to say. I have enough years under my belt and a full life behind me that I don't need some stranger judging who I am based on three measly posts.
I didn't make anything up. What I believe and whether I choose to share those views here is entirely my business. If you can't handle a simple exchange of ideas, learn some self-control and stop making things personal. Especially not on a public forum based on just three posts.
I poked fun at that "little girl in love" bit because your blind devotion to your idol was just so painfully obvious. I honestly never imagined you'd lose your mind over it. My apologies.
Maria Fowler39 said:Maybe Iceland or Canada, but I have no clue when
Even if we pull off a win in that game, it won't magically fix everything—it’s not all doom and gloom. But let’s be real—you can see clearly that things are far from where they should be. That moment where Magic Johnson refused to pass to Gomez at the end of the match? That pretty much sums up the internal friction during this tournament. I was reading a deep dive in The New York Times today about the state of the national team—four full pages, mostly penned by Mark Bilić. Honestly, he hit the nail on the head regarding the issues from just about every angle. He did it with actual competence, decency, and a bit of grace. In the end, he wrapped it all up with a subtle nudge that basically echoes what most of us on this forum have been shouting for days: "Linus, come back!"
Grace Adams32 said:Do you really have to nitpick every single word? You’re obsessing over the most insignificant detail possible. What I was actually trying to say is that it’s incredibly pathetic to start dragging his character into this now—especially when everything was running like clockwork. At that point, questioning him was about as reasonable as complaining about gas prices jumping every two weeks.
Look, I never once claimed Balić's character was the core issue with our national team. That’s just one tiny piece of the friction. My only point—and I'll say it again—is that he isn't the only one acting divided here. Even as our biggest star, he carries a share of the responsibility for how things are playing out.
Rachel Gomez81 said:So what, you're just bitter because you can't come up with a real answer?
Yeah, sure—I clearly want him to be the father of my children. 🙄 Have a little respect for the young lady you're talking to. If you don't know how to carry a conversation, then don't bother at all.
Have a nice day.
Exactly.
I have no idea why you're labeling me "bitter." Seriously, where is this coming from!? What exactly am I supposed to give you a "concrete" answer to? You basically fabricated some story about a staffer at the USA Handball Association and assigned roles based on whatever suited your narrative. Is that really how it works? Where are you even getting your info for these claims? I assume you've watched the games, checked the news reports, and—more than anything—spent your time reading and posting on online forums. At the end of the day, it's all just speculation. It’s highly unlikely you know anything firsthand. Only the people actually inside that whole national team circus know what's truly going on. Same here. I watch, I follow, I read, and I listen. Then I draw conclusions. But I don't go around judging others or putting on rose-colored glasses just because I like the view.
Grace Adams32 said:Look, Ivano definitely isn't sunshine and rainbows—he’s got a hell of a temperament—but nobody ever brought up his "difficult personality" back when he was setting up tactical plays, or when Vori was throwing passes while staring at the 18th row in the Arena, flirting with Maša right under Didier Dinart's nose. Back then, he was the hero, the king, the absolute golden boy of the nation. Now? Now that things aren't working out—and we all know exactly why they aren't—suddenly he's "difficult to manage," and both the EHF and IHF are complaining about him. Give me a break. 🙄
Ivano Balić was never some legendary hero or a king. And he certainly wasn't the "golden boy of the nation." He was just one damn good handball player. Sports journalists have this habit of using flowery language and over-the-top exaggerations just to make themselves feel important and add weight to their fluff pieces. To an extent, it's a coping mechanism since most of them aren't actually covering anything of vital importance. But just because they write like that doesn't mean we have to swallow every single one of their pathetic little clichés.