Posts by Samuel Baker3

The Frenchmen and the Poles have both made it to the semifinals

Our defense played absolutely flawlessly out there, leaving the Americans looking completely lost and disorganized on the field

Wait, isn't the big game happening tomorrow? 😕

Honestly, you really need to practice some reading comprehension here; he actually mentioned that it was a total world wonder just a year ago, yet somehow it has developed exactly the way he anticipated

If the Americans end up winning

The semifinals featuring France vs. USA

And in the other two scenarios

It could be France against Iceland

I honestly feel like everyone in France is rooting for the USA today 🙏

Noah Ross7 said:Could this Palmarson be an unstoppable force on the field?

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how things develop during their time in Seattle.🙂

Even though I wouldn't call myself a die-hard supporter of Team USA, I really have a feeling we're going to pull off the win today; honestly, from what I've seen of Dance during this tournament, the performance hasn't been anything to write home about.

just like Vela says: "Olafur Stefansson is an absolute legend" 🙏

Iceland plays at such a blistering pace too; it’s honestly a shame that a squad with this much talent won't make it all the way to the semifinals 🙏

I think this might be my first time actually rooting for Olafur Stefansson, mostly because the man has managed to break my heart two years in a row now, so you have to wonder what kind of life 😢

Adam Collins4 said:If we look at Metličić during the 2009 World Cup, his average shooting percentage from beyond the arc was hovering around 50%...

Once again, you've got the facts wrong...

The way Metličić played back then compared to his last three or four tournaments—not counting the games against Denmark—is like night and day.

Back when he was playing in cities like that, it felt like he was basically just giving Olafur Stefansson a five to ten minute breather, which honestly wouldn't surprise me one bit.

I'm really not interested in you digging up specific statistics to argue with me right now; I'm simply telling you the impression he left on me while watching him play, and if you look at the results, they speak for themselves.

And as for what I said about Kopljar, I was obviously just joking around, though I don't think he's the sole reason why the American wing players aren't getting the ball nearly enough.

I made my point a long time ago and I’m sticking to it: American handball is just too slow these days, and one of the main reasons behind that is Balić.

Adam Collins4 said:Peter had 24 assists during the 2009 World Cup, while Ivano Balić managed 14...☕

How many assists did the wing players actually rack up in today's championship game?

It’s hardly the pivot's fault when he delivers a perfect pass and the shooters just miss an open layup, right?

It’s hard to deny that Metličić hasn't really stepped up offensively in the last three or four major tournaments we've seen.

As his performance started to slip, it felt like the entire US national team went down right along with him.

Anything other than a routine victory for the French would be a sensation on par with the moon suddenly stopping its orbit around the Earth

Regarding the French side, you can really see them finding their rhythm as the tournament progresses; that’s honestly what sets the elite teams apart, and over the last two years, the French have certainly proven they belong in that category on the international stage

Take Guigo, for instance—during those first three games, he looked like he was struggling just to find his footing, almost like a rookie playing for a small-town club, but as the tournament moves along, he's steadily gaining confidence, and today he was a perfect 10/10 against the Canadians

Onesta isn't really making things work at the right wing anymore, but now Fernandez is stepping into that role, and frankly, it looks much more fluid than when the French Kopljar was out there

The French squad is definitely aging, but unlike the situation we saw during the World Championships, where we were left wanting, the US has managed to add another heavy hitter to their rotation to bolster the depth

The Danes are basically playing for pride at this point, unless the Americans manage to pull off an upset against the Icelanders

It should be a pretty entertaining matchup regardless, especially since the Americans haven't exactly been having their best tournament so far, wouldn't you agree?

If it makes anyone feel any better, even the French aren't looking too certain right now🙂

mellowcrane41 said:Are we seriously still playing along with the Danes, and both sides are just sitting there?

Not quite, because if the Americans end up winning, they're out of the running.

The Norwegians are playing quite well; honestly, I could see the Danes struggling to keep up with them if they aren't careful.

Let's go, Denmark!👋 Yeah, I have a feeling this final round is going to be a real nail-biter, don't you think?🙏

It’s a shame for the Canadians, really. They actually held their own against the French during those first 30 minutes, but then they just fell into this string of offensive mistakes right at the start of the second half, and the French absolutely punished them on the fast breaks. You have to give credit where it's due, though—the French defense really stepped up their game in the second half, didn't they?

In general, it was those French wing players that really tore them apart, especially through that left wing position.🙏

Just like I mentioned before, this was a tough call to make 😢

"I originally came to Kiel back in 2005 specifically because of Nok, and he’s the main reason I decided to extend my contract. Now that he's gone, I feel a little lost," Karabatić shared after Nok made his sudden move from Kiel over to Rhein-Neckar Löwen, where his star player was expected to follow.

"That said, health issues—specifically two surgeries within just six months—really took a toll on the legendary coach. On top of that, there’s this whole scandal involving allegations of bribing officials, a situation that investigators in Germany are still looking into.

Karabatić never wanted to believe those accusations. "I've always said it, and I'll say it again: nobody is as sincere and honest as he is, which is why those claims seem so bizarre to me," according to USA Today.

The French handball star also opened up about how close he and his coach really were: "He is incredibly brilliant; sitting down and talking with him is always such a pleasure. I used to eat at his house in Kiel quite often, and his wife would make us traditional dishes from her home in Yugoslavia."

"Facing Canada is going to be an odd experience because Nok was so much more than just a coach to me—he was a mentor and like a second father. Let's not forget that he is the best coach in the world. The Canadians showed in the first round just how much they've progressed under his guidance, especially tactically. He is their new secret weapon, just as he was ours in Kiel, and I think we’re going to have to work incredibly hard to beat them."

Everything that needed to be said is right there in bold ☕ though honestly, the rest of the article speaks volumes all on its own, don't you think?