Posts by Adam Collins4

wearyeagle2 said:Yeah, right. My laptop is coming with me.

BTW... "laptops" stopped being called that back in '94... nowadays we just call them notebooks...😉

Chris Lopez59 said:I’m cautiously optimistic here—not that I doubt their competence, mind you. I didn't catch yesterday's game, but honestly, I haven't heard anyone complaining about the officiating yet. My only real worry is bias, specifically some influence from the Norwegians. For instance, if the Norwegians somehow "engineer" a situation where the Spaniards end up tolerating a lot of rough play, that wouldn't bode well for us.

Everything will become clear in those first ten minutes... that’s the window where the ref really "establishes" his criteria. How he calls it then is how he’ll call most of the match.

Because if he tries to shift his standards mid-game when handing out cards, the supervisor is definitely going to call him on it... progressive punishment is incredibly susceptible to whatever arbitrary standard was set at the start, and once that's set, it's all yellow cards after that...

If you spend half the match being stingy with cards and calling everything a seven, you can't suddenly pivot and start tossing people for the slightest contact.

And I just hope the Spaniards have their sights set on the final—meaning they play clean enough to earn favorable officiating down the road... though breaking through against the Ukrainians is going to be a nightmare... but their referee might handle the final, so maybe our only hope is that he keeps things fair.

Chris Lopez59 said:what do you think we should expect from today's officiating? since the Spaniards are the ones refereeing

I don't know, honestly—it’s been bugging me that the Spaniards (the national team) got knocked out of the tournament early... and that could go one of two ways for the refs...

They might not give a damn if people complain about home-field bias, mostly because they don't have to worry about any "referee revenge" being aimed at their own squad...

Then again, they might actually call things perfectly because they aren't facing that same threat of retaliation either...

My most realistic take? They'll probably officiate normally... mainly because their team isn't even in it anymore, so they're effectively playing for a spot in the final... It'll be tough for the French to get that spot, especially if France ends up in the championship game...

Since you can't predict those assignments ahead of time, these refs have to put on their best performance just to prove they deserve a shot at the final...

In my book, the top picks are Louis-Vakula and this crew we've been getting—so I suspect the Spaniards will be extra careful with how they handle themselves...

All my referee analysis is based on gut feeling, really... I've met Louis-Vakula and that Russian officiating duo before, and as for the French, I only know Bill Nye... I've never actually met the Spaniards, so I'm basically flying somewhat blind here...

Chris Lopez59 said:Look, those are just old interests at play—I honestly thought we were talking about one of the countries actually making the semifinals (or at least likely to)😉
The Frenchies got totally screwed by the Germans during the semifinals in Germany, all thanks to the judging.
It’s obvious they want to avoid Norway, and frankly, they've had more than enough of that home-field officiating.

That's exactly what I was saying to a few Bill Nyes... they just call it however they want, and you can basically ignore them... they don't really care who's actually out there playing.

Lawrence Sanders4 said:What are you guys even talking about? The guy’s dealing with injuries—it’s not like he suddenly forgot how to play handball.

What are you even on about? What injury did he have before this one?
And nobody is saying he forgot how to play or doesn't know what he's doing... we're just saying he simply can't do it right now.

Maybe he’s just hit a wall... call it burnout or just being totally saturated with everything... look, I have nothing but respect for a club like Washington, D.C., but if Johnson really wanted to push himself, he could have easily signed with a much bigger, more high-profile team... honestly, this move just feels like he's looking to settle down and find some peace...

The guy has basically won every single trophy there is in handball—it’s hard to find any real motivation left at this point...

Gregory Walker15 said:I’m following this whole thread, but handball just isn't football—I can't really watch and dissect it at the same time. It’s way too fast and high-strung for me.🙂

What is there to dislike about Caleb? Look, he’s not some superstar, obviously, but the guy scores when it actually matters—I don't have much to complain about there. Besides, who even steps in for him? Vukic? 🤔

If I'm being honest, Johnson is the one I miss most. Horvat plays a perfectly fine game, sure, but Johnson owns that position just like Balic owns his. Watching him when he's dialed in is pure entertainment.😢

Lately, Caleb seems to have transitioned mostly into a defensive specialist... though after those last two games, you get the feeling he still pops up to score right when the team needs it most...

He was at his absolute peak back in Portugal, but things dipped a bit after that... then that knee injury happened, if I recall correctly... and that definitely set him back a notch. But, looks like he might be finding his old rhythm again.

wearyeagle2 said:Johnson has always been on the same level as Balic for me—his absence is what we feel the most. Nobody else plays that wing quite like him. Nobody. 🙂

Maybe he was always that good, but ever since he moved back to the Washington, D.C. squad, he hasn't exactly been in peak form... have you actually been watching the games he’s played in?
When you watch him, you don't get the impression that he can't do it anymore or that he's lost his touch—it’s more like he just... doesn't feel like it. Like, take two steps toward the entrance and just pass the ball out to the perimeter...

It’s like he’s just hit a wall of exhaustion... I thought it was just a one-off thing during a single game, but I've noticed it happening several times now...

I honestly think it’s high time a bunch of us on this thread—myself included—give a little reality check to this kid...
Let's just pray things actually stay on track like this...

As for the matchup between the Americans and the Norwegians, I caught the game on DSF... and man, I almost called it a total setup orchestrated by the refs... though, to be fair, the Americans were playing way below their usual standard too...

frozentiger6 said:Debelino didn't even put Smith, Dominic, or Vicky Smith on the roster for the first round😵 😵

Honestly, we don't even need Smith—he wouldn't have rotated three goalies anyway...but today he can finally pick one of the other two...either Dominic or Vukic...

I mean, before we even think about Vukic, we could probably get by without Dominic in defense...

goldenbison4 said:Why wouldn't they just bring back Pajovic—or whatever his name is—for the national team?😕
Can someone give me the lowdown on Cupic? Has anyone actually had a chance to watch him lately?
Basically, I've got a feeling that without Balic, we’re going to run into massive issues—maybe even struggling just to make it past the first round. I really hope I'm wrong, though.
🙂

Pajovic is back on the roster, but honestly, how aggressive he plays depends entirely on how the refs feel that day... nothing else matters.

Just a reminder here: officiating isn't the same in American domestic leagues as it is at the EP or the SP... the governing bodies have totally different rulebooks for those stages.

As for Cupic, he's playing for a club that's currently sitting at 12th (if my memory serves me right) in the Asobal league... he's their top scorer and ranked 5th in the league for efficiency... so, yeah, that should tell you everything you need to know.

rapidbison42 said:You wrote this: This is a bit of a pretentious statement... even if it relates to John...
If it weren't for him and Metličić,then we'd actually have something to worry about...

So, you're basically saying we shouldn't sweat the fact that Balić is out.
That's how I read it—so feel free to set me straight if my logic is off.

I never said the performance had to be canceled. Where did I even say that?
I'm just stating that any medal won would be nothing short of a miracle.

Look, I'm sticking to my guns here: losing Džomba and Zrnić isn't nearly as big a deal as losing Balić.
Ćupić and Horvat can step up and cover those spots quite easily—something you definitely can't say about Duvnjak and Vuković stepping in for Balić.
Honestly, with the way Duvnjak has been playing lately—it's been pretty pathetic—he hasn't even earned his spot on the roster.

And even if he does play, what kind of shape is he going to be in after sitting idle for a month without any actual prep for the championship?
God help us if a miracle happens and he actually finds his form.

I was thinking about Balić and Metličić as a pair... we can make up for one of them... though yeah, without Balić, things get much tougher...

I'm with you on Duvnjak, and on the whole issue of trying to find wing depth to replace Balić...

But since Balić is sidelined, it’s better if we have as much coverage as possible at the other positions...

rapidbison42 said:Is there actually no talent on this roster of current World runners-up, or is it just the general consensus that Poles are total garbage?
We always play even matches against the Canadians, regardless of who they bring.

Look, I already said that just making it out of the group stage would be a massive win. A victory over the Czechs—which won't be easy, by the way—plus grabbing a point against either John or the Poles.
Anything beyond that would basically be a miracle.

With Balić gone and Smajlagić not on the bench, we're facing two massive handicaps. With this specific squad and having this clown running the show from the sidelines, winning a medal would be just as much of an achievement as if our soccer players won gold at the EP - Norway 2008.

Balić might end up playing... and as for pipa, I'm with you on that one...

Last year I was chatting with Gopc and Zubanović, and when I mentioned that without Smajlagić there’s zero chance of hitting those old podium numbers, everyone just gave me this stunned look and backed away... apparently, that's a total taboo subject within the Federation.

Anthony Wilson4 said:before that??? I mean, that was basically the debut for this whole young group...

I'm with you on the wingers thing...
we definitely need two more solid wings—left and right—but what can you do? It is what it is. We’re heading to EP - Norway 2008 and all we can really do is hope for the best...

BTW, any updates on Balica?

It’s true that it was their first outing, but you asked who actually works better together... so I was just stating the facts based on how things went in Portugal...

Wingers are huge when it comes to stretching out a defense... plus, along with the pivots, they're usually the ones drawing the most seven-meter penalties...

rapidbison42 said:Cool.
So we can just move on without Balić.
Great. Just perfect.

Look... sorry if I'm being blunt, but Horvat and Ćupić can step up and cover for Džomba or Zrnić pretty effectively.
Besides, Džomba has been completely off his game all season—his finishing was absolutely pathetic, unless he was running on a fast break.

You’re reading what you want to see rather than actually processing what's being said...
Sure, we can play without Balić... but it's going to be a hell of a lot harder.
I mean, technically you can play without anyone if you're forced to...

What, is the US National Team just supposed to forfeit the whole tournament if their starting backcourt goes down?

First you claim the wings don't even matter, and now suddenly you're talking about how easily they can be replaced...

Anthony Wilson4 said:Sure, that works... maybe... but how much time does Sulic actually spend playing alongside Balic versus how much time does Vori spend with Balic???

In my opinion, the chemistry between Balic and Vori just works better...

Back in Portugal, they made a huge name for themselves because of how Balic and Sulic tore through defenses in 2-on-2 situations... and they weren't even a regular duo before that happened.

Anthony Wilson4 said:Look, from one perspective, if the wingers are having an off night, the opposing defense tends to tighten up on the fullbacks more—which actually opens up those lanes for the wings to exploit...

For crying out loud, they aren't so incompetent that they can't bury a goal from a clean look... especially from their own spots...

I mean, seriously, why else would these guys be playing for the national team if they couldn't score?

And please, saying it's a 50-50 shot against the Czechs... don't make me laugh. Did you even watch the game against Spain last year? They played almost the entire first half with the second unit, and what happened? They weren't getting blown out by four goals in a single half. Please, stop talking nonsense... even without Balic, these guys have massive chances to take home the gold...

Actually, I think you're mistaken—Sulic and Balic seem to have much better chemistry than Balic and Vori....
The thing is, Vori gets way more usable looks than Sulic does... simply because Balic already knows exactly what Vori's next move is going to be... which just isn't the case with Sulic...

It’s a shame about Zrnic... that injury really took its toll...

I'll give you this: Džomba isn't the same Džomba he was three or four years ago, and sure, he isn't performing at the level he should be for the LA Lakers... but I still think Džomba could be huge for us when it comes to free throws. Looking at our roster, we practically don't have anyone else who can step up and knock them down...

I'm with you there... regarding the wings, you basically said the same thing I did. Of course they're talented, but if you're having an off day, the defense starts playing you less aggressively because they know your finishing is shaky...

Sure, you'll score eventually... but if you're younger, like Horvat, and you miss five out of seven shots—just exaggerating here—it starts messing with your head. You lose that confidence in your shot, and suddenly you're only taking "safe" openings, even though you're usually the type to dive headfirst into the fray...

That creates a whole host of problems...

wearyeagle2 said:If Džomba actually showed up, we could be talking about scoring 10 goals a game right now. But this? Forget it. It’s a long shot, sure, but that stubborn American grit might just pull us through—assuming he actually decides to play. Lino is a total Istrijan at heart; for those guys, "spite" is basically a food group.

Hell, maybe even 20 goals a game? Honestly, ever since Džomba put on that Chicago CO jersey, he hasn't shown a single shred of the talent he used to have... he plays like he'd rather be anywhere else.

rapidbison42 said:The wingers don't matter. It’s all about Balić. Without him, pulling off a win against any of the top 10 or 12 teams in the world would be nothing short of a miracle.
If he's out, even grabbing a single point in games against Poland or Canada would be a massive win—and honestly, against the Czechs, we'd just be lucky to break even.

That’s a bit of a heavy statement... though I get where they're coming from regarding Ivan...
If we didn't have him and Metličić, then yeah, we’d actually have something to worry about...

Just two years ago, the global media was basically calling Ivano Metličić... or maybe Petar Balić... the best players on the planet.

But saying the winger doesn't matter? Look, if your winger is mediocre—meaning their shot is garbage—defenders aren't going to waste any energy shadowing them...
Instead, they'll stay glued to the guys closing down the middle... right where Balić and the rest of the perimeter players operate...
So, if you've got a weak winger, it actually makes life harder for everyone else on the court...

When you have a high-caliber winger, you stretch that defense wide. It gives the shooters more breathing room to take a shot or find an opening to feed the line, because the defense can't step out to the 9m mark without leaving a gap. If they do step out, you just swing the ball to the wing, and if that player is actually good, they're going to bury it.

wiredmarlin5 said:Just take a breather and chill out. Those kids from Savannah are better than anyone you could name. 😁

Don't go talking about things you clearly don't understand... Milwaukee has had the best handball academy for years—especially when it comes to the youth programs... they work with those kids systematically and they do it incredibly well...

If you don't believe me, just look at the attendance numbers for the national championship that's been hosted in Milwaukee for the last few years...