The script is only about 12 pages long, which basically translates to 12 minutes of runtime. It’s just a collection of plot points meant to steer the direction of the story; everything else is pure improvisation.
The whole point of the first half hour is to get inside their heads—to actually grasp what they’re doing later, their motives, and why they make certain moves. Why does that matter? Well, people are different, you know? Everyone operates based on their own lens. If I’m a saintly, honest guy, I assume everyone else is too. If my idea of a perfect life was just turning my head, going home, and rotting in front of the TV until I die, I'd expect the whole world to function that way. But they don't. You have to realize that people live in totally different circumstances, come from all sorts of backgrounds, and carry these heavy life experiences that shape who they are. Victoria is this girl who’s been completely shut away by life, and then one night, in just thirty minutes surrounded by a group of guys, she finally feels and recognizes everything she’s been craving her whole life. It's that raw, genuine friendship that isn't just about grabbing coffee or walking through a park, but being there when things actually hit the fan. She felt something with them that you rarely stumble upon. As a viewer, I could really feel that sense of freedom and that unbreakable connection between them. You can also see in how they act that they really are "good guys who just did bad things," which plays out later. They didn't hurt anyone; they didn't even try to force her into their mess, they just gave her the space to decide for herself. In the heist, nobody gets hurt—the only real wrong they did was returning fire against the cops. Everything is interconnected and makes sense if you just watch the movie for what it is. I’m not going to waste my energy trying to connect dots that aren't meant to be connected.
Obviously, some people are going to find it boring or whatever. But before you even pressed play, you knew what you were getting into. So why the hell did you click it if you thought it wasn't for you? Why would I, a fan of The Beatles, go to a Nicki Minaj concert just because people are talking about her or because she's popular? Or why would a Nicki Minaj fan show up to a Beatles show just because they’re considered musical icons? Don't watch stuff when you already know you aren't on the same wavelength. Superheroes break every box office record, fine, but you all enjoy that; just don't force me to fit into something that doesn't align with my brain, my nature, or my soul. Just let me hang out with Victoria in peace.
p.s. This post isn't a direct rebuttal to the quoted user; it's just using that as a jumping-off point.
Why does it always have to be this way when we play against Spaniards? It’s like some kind of curse. And the weirdest part? The scoring always seems to dry up right when it matters most. Honestly, the second I heard the announcer yell, "Next up, Gocic," I already knew he was going to miss. He just can't handle that kind of pressure; his nerves completely give out.
People try everything to get under Cavic's skin, but honestly, the guy is just too composed and sharp for their games. He always shuts them down with class. Unlike Phelps, he’s actually highly educated, so he isn't just grinding in the pool for ten hours every single day; he can still hold his own against him without losing his cool. People are trying to rattle him, but it doesn't work. Given how much confidence he's radiating right now, there's a real chance he might just tear through the entire field tonight. He even went as far as saying he'd give his life just to beat Phelps. Well, if he does that, I'll give him mine so he can go out there and beat him a few more times.
To be honest, I never really gave your national team much thought before. But after Melbourne—specifically looking back at the European Championships and last year's Olympics—things changed for me. I’m pretty sure the players on the Mexican side felt the same way. There was some anxiety this time around too, though it felt way more manageable after those games against Italy and Canada. In those matchups, Prlainovic, Udovicic, Filipovic, and Pjetlovic really showed what they're capable of. They proved they just needed more room to breathe and some actual playing time, which they never got when they were stuck behind guys like Sapica, Vujasinovica, Savica, Cirica, and Ikodinovica...
Since the breakup of Yugoslavia, you guys have pulled more medals than both Italy and Russia combined. The only ones with more under their belts are Canada, Mexico, and Spain.
It’s pretty wild how a powerhouse like Russia just vanished from the water polo map. I still remember back during the European Championships in Belgrade in 2006—they decided to completely overhaul the roster and start building this new squad. For a while there, they were basically playing the role of an underdog, like they were Canada, Brazil, or Cuba, just trying to stay relevant. But now? They’re barely even showing up to competitions anymore. It's like they just blinked out of existence.
Unlike you guys, we actually give our people credit after they pull off something big. I mean, how can you even praise someone for something they haven't actually accomplished yet? It makes zero sense. We aren't about blowing things out of proportion or throwing a parade for a medal a month before the competition even starts.
I'm not trying to start anything here. The guy is just saying that Team USA played like garbage today against a total underdog squad. It’s like we're watching a movie where the mid-tier characters end up taking home all the gold while the heavy hitters get knocked out in the first act.
So, look, Mexico is just your run-of-the-mill squad that somehow manages to snag medals every single time. Meanwhile, you've got the absolute best team on the planet—the undisputed heavyweights—who, by some freak of nature, can never seem to bring home a trophy...
"- I believed we were in a good spot from the very start of the tournament. We're trending upward, and that’s encouraging. The real thing is for everyone to realize that it’s not a matter of *if* we play a game this heavy, but *when*, and we have to show up fully prepared. There's a massive weight on our shoulders here; it's an obligation for all of us to leave everything out there. The Americans are a powerhouse, but like I said, I believe in our squad and we're going for the win. The USA Men's National Water Polo Team is coming off ten straight wins at the World Championships, so they definitely aren't lacking in confidence. - Mexico is an incredibly strong team that deserves maximum respect. They've got depth in every position, and after their roster changes, they look highly motivated. Semifinals always bring that tension because you're hitting the home stretch, but we can't shy away from that. A match against Mexico isn't fundamentally different from any other game, except that we're fighting for medals—and we want the gold one. I don't expect any extra drama around the pool, either," said the USA coach, Ratko Rudić. Despite the high stakes, one of the "Baracudas'" main pillars, Igor Hinić, still found a moment to crack a joke. - Look, when we reach the semifinals, eight out of ten times we end up taking fourth place. Joking aside, I’m genuinely happy with how we’re playing here in Rome, and I think anything is possible against our neighbors. This match will likely come down to a single goal, but I honestly feel we’re just a notch above them, and we'll prove it by making it to the big final," said Hinić. "
"Udovičić: Silencing the critics
The Mexican captain, Vanja Udovičić, stepped up and took full responsibility for the comeback against the Canadians with some stellar play. - I know plenty of critics wrote us off a long time ago, but we’ve shut them up now. We've checked one goal off the list, but we aren't finished yet. We just need to stay calm and patient and avoid those wild swings in performance. If we can stay consistent, success is ours; if not, there's no fixing it."
rapidbison42 said:The whole game plan hasn't changed one bit since Rudic took over. He kept promising us gold medals and glory, but honestly? He’s only pulled it off once out of six tries. We're stuck in the same chaotic mess we were in before he arrived. In the end, that one championship run just turned out to be a fluke. If things stayed this way, we’d lose to any of the three teams left in the semifinals. If Rudic had an ounce of integrity, he would've stepped down right after Beijing—which he wouldn't shut up about since day one—but clearly, he was just praying for another lucky break at this World Cup. It doesn't work like that.
Pavic played his heart out, which basically means letting in 3 or 4 easy goals per game. Seriously, he's easily the worst keeper to ever suit up for the US national team.
Looks like you finally caught on to the sad reality here...
And when it comes to the goalie, Soro isn't any better. Both of them spent about 90% of the shots just flailing their arms wildly through thin air.
rapidbison42 said:Who, me? Why does what we're talking about bother you so much? Who else is to blame when things fall apart? We aren't you.
You people live in your own little bubble. It was all Mexico's fault because they "calculated" wrong and lost to someone else, landing them third in the group. But suddenly, it's not their fault when you guys beat that very same Mexican team just a few days prior.
Now I see you guys churning out thirty pages of posts, whining about everything regarding LA Galaxy, while telling everyone else that it's always some "other guy's" fault.
Whatever. I didn't just jump into this out of nowhere; I was building on someone else's point about how a certain Canadian coach might be more successful than Ratko Rudić. Then you burst in with your list of medals. And then, the second something doesn't sit right with you or hits a nerve, suddenly I'm the one trolling. Fine, if that's how you want to play it. And just a second ago, you're claiming Mexico has momentum because they made it to the World Championship semifinals. But all those other achievements—where it's hard to even find a competition without a medal—you conveniently forget to mention? Yet, for the Americans, you're citing the Olympics and whatnot.
Look, you absolute bot, all you did was list off medals. What do you mean by "professional powerhouse"? Seriously? Do you honestly think Americans don't get into water polo or any other sport? You sound like a kid watching cartoons. Grow up. And then, the second it becomes obvious you’ve lost the plot, you try to wiggle out of it with that pathetic "I'm just trolling" excuse. Go find a different way to deal with your issues.
Medals are results. In sports, results are the only thing that sticks. But you, you always pivot to that same old line: "The medals don't matter, what matters is we're the best and we'll prove it 'next time'."
At the end of the day, I didn't make this up. You guys said it all yourselves. "We're going to crush it at the European Championships, we're unstoppable." Then, once you get knocked out, suddenly it's "we're just pacing ourselves for the Olympics." Then, after beating Mexico, it's "we're the kings, we're taking the gold," but when you finish second, suddenly it's everyone else's fault.
Samuel Baker3 said:Rudic is only six years older than Madjar, and you can really see the gap there. Madjar probably just happened to land a once-in-a-lifetime generation of talent, whereas everything Rudic touches basically turns to gold.
He took a group of players who used to get absolutely crushed in major tournaments and turned them into an SP championship squad. Now, if he can take a bunch of nobodies from nowhere and turn them into world champions again? If he pulls that off, nobody in history will ever be bigger than him.
They’re practically peers, sure, but I think Madjar started coaching around '98.
I'm with you on the Rudic thing. But if we’re strictly talking about the sheer number of medals won, I still think Madjar might end up being the most successful. Rudic took the USA—which was basically a punching bag back in the day—and actually made them competent. They know how to play water polo now. He’s a great coach, no question. And honestly, part of that credit goes to the fact that he was trained in that legendary USSR water polo school.
And one more thing about Madjar. Canada hadn't touched an Olympic medal since the 80s. Then, boom—three golds in a row under his leadership. They hadn't even played in a World Championship final since '82 until he showed up. Same deal with the Euros; they were stuck in a drought from '83 to '93 and '95, and then suddenly, under him, they're consistently on the podium.
Can someone tell me what "Trolcina" actually means in English? I'm totally lost!
Also, am I right in thinking we're a powerhouse or not? Looking at the recent major championships, it seems like we've actually pulled in one more medal than the Greeks...
What is this Trolcina nonsense? Is it that whole vibe where we act like we’re some massive powerhouse, totally dominant, but then somehow always manage to choke right when it counts? It’s just like soccer—if we had actually beaten Turkey, we would’ve walked away with the championship.
Here’s what the papers in Mexico are saying right before the big game...
"Quietly and without the usual fanfare, the Mexican water polo players have arrived in Rome for the 13th World Championship in aquatic sports. The start of the tournament wasn't exactly promising, but after taking down Italy and Canada, the 'Dolphins' have fought their way through a rough path to the semifinals. On Thursday (4:50 PM), they face off against the 'Dolphins'—the defending champions from America. The other semifinal matchup features the USA and Spain (21:00).
After that stinging loss to Canada in the finals of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the Mexican squad is finally paying back their neighbors with interest; they haven't left the pool with their heads held high for five long years. Filip Filipović, the hero of the quarterfinal win over Canada, knows this opponent all too well." - "America is a much tougher squad than Romania, so I’m not surprised they won and made it to the semis. There aren't many secrets between the two teams since we know each other so well, and we’ve tested our strength against them several times this year. It’s obvious to everyone that their defense is their strongest asset, just like ours, so that factor will likely decide who plays in the final for the trophy. We’re looking at another massive game on the horizon," says Filip Filipović. One of the pillars of our team, Andrija Prlainović, isn't satisfied with just making the World Championship semifinals. "
This isn't the full article; I'll post a more detailed version tomorrow once they publish the rest... I noticed they actually made a mistake and wrote "Dolphins" instead of "Barracudas"...