Posts by Chris Fisher3

The whole system's falling apart over in France 😁

The Frenchmen should’ve played the whole damn game with two fewer players on the field. At least then there might have been some actual tension...

Mark Harris3 said:We gotta lock down the defense just like we did against the Spanish and slow things down—run the clock, take long possessions, don't rush... they aren't even that tall, so Coach and Maminjo should be able to tear them apart like kids at a pop concert...

Actually, their defensive job is totally different than what it was against the Spanish. The Spanish are monsters in the paint but have basically zero outside shooting, whereas the Norwegians can shoot from anywhere and don't rely nearly as much on the pivot. Against them, the goal is to intercept as many passes as possible because they move the ball lightning fast from side to side. With the Spanish, they looked lost sometimes just because we shut down their center and they couldn't shoot from out there. Plus, the Norwegians are lethal on the break—they fly across the court—so we have to prep for that style, which is pretty fast and physical.

It’s actually a good thing that, like you said, breaking through the middle should be easier than it was against Spain. That's huge since our wing play is basically non-existent here in the States. I don't know what kind of defensive scheme the Norwegians will cook up to stop us, but the Germans already showed them the blueprint. Our game relies way too much on individual talent, and the Norwegians are gonna exploit that. They've seen what Mamić is capable of now; the goal is to shut him down so he doesn't shred them like the Spanish did—and those guys were actually surprised themselves. Whatever, I'm no expert.

All I know is that the fact we crushed them in the last two games has nothing to do with how we—or they—are actually looking in this tournament. History and experience are on our side, sure, but current form favors them. They haven't looked as pathetic as we did against Germany, not even against France when they lost—and man, they fought hard and gave the French a real run for their money.

So it’s no wonder that despite all our veteran experience and the wins we've had in past championships, this game feels like a toss-up. It’s not just me. A lot of people are saying the Norwegians are legit in this tournament, and I think it'll be a fatal mistake if we underestimate them by thinking, "Whatever, it's just Norway, we've beaten them before." Yeah, we beat them just like the Spanish beat us a few games ago, so who cares? One good thing is they're the new kids on the block and we're the old vets fighting for medals—that might just be the deciding factor to pull off the win.

USA vs. Mexico in the finals. No fear here. Just go hard ☕

Carl Morris34 said:I don't get why everyone's freaking out over making the semifinals.

Look, if they actually made it to the finals, maybe I'd shut up—but a semifinal? It's whatever. We could still walk away empty-handed if they don't start playing actual decent ball. Not even that big into handball myself, so it doesn't really move the needle for me...

People are celebrating because we were basically expected to crash out in the quarterfinals—so hitting the semis is actually huge. We aren't that powerhouse team anymore where people just expect us to cruise into the final four. Even the commentators are calling teams like Germany and Spain the heavy favorites against us. Just a few years back, *we* were the ones everyone was betting on. We started this tournament ranked fifth, but based on how things are going, even the Vegas oddsmakers are giving the edge to the Norwegians over us. And those are the same Norwegians we absolutely crushed the last two times we played them...

Honestly, I'm almost with him—they look way better than us right now, just like I mentioned in my other post. Personally, I wouldn't give the Norwegians a massive advantage, more like a toss-up, but the fact that they're even being favored over us is a massive reality check. A few years ago, we’d be the heavy hitters in that matchup.

We're slipping, plain and simple. The only reason we're still relevant is that somehow, no matter how bad we play or how much better everyone else looks, we keep stumbling our way into medal contention. If we'd lost to Spain, nobody would have blinked—just like losing to Germany is totally expected. But hey, our guys managed to take down Spain, and now they gotta handle the Norwegians too.

That's why there's a party going on. Because after watching how we've played, hardly anyone—especially the actual fans—thought we'd even see the semifinals.

Besides, making the semis in any sport is a massive deal, even if you're the biggest favorite on the planet. Denmark, Germany, and Spain know that better than anyone right now.

The gamblers are all claiming the Norwegians are the slight favorites heading into our game.

Honestly, I think the Norwegians are even more dangerous than the Spaniards. Unlike them, they aren't nearly as limited offensively—they actually play with some damn grit. (Look, correct me if I'm wrong here, but I've viewed the Spaniards as a pretty one-dimensional squad for a while now... though obviously, they're sitting in the global top 4 for some reason, so maybe my take on their strength isn't totally objective). They don't have a massive, bruising pivot like the Spaniards do—which is a plus—but playing against the Norwegians requires a completely different game plan. These guys are fast, they fly across the court, and they'll shoot from basically anywhere. Against Spain, you just shut down the pivot and you've done most of the work because their perimeter shooters just aren't there—so they either force it through the wings or try to drive inside. The Norwegians don't have those limitations from what I've seen; they attack from every single spot on the floor. And man, they are lethal on the break... you've gotta be relentless and get back on defense immediately. On offense, we need to disrupt their rhythm as much as possible because they move that ball incredibly fast—they aren't sluggish like our guys, who act like it takes a century just to make a simple pass. Reading their flow and grabbing a few steals for a counter-attack is going to be huge.

Sure, we've smoked them in the last couple of matchups, so maybe they fit our style somewhat, but whatever. The Norwegians play elite handball and they've been systematically dismantling everyone so far—except for the French, against whom they actually showed how gritty and talented they truly are. Norway isn't exactly a household name in handball yet, so I think people tend to underestimate them. Like, "Oh, we're playing some random Norwegians in a semifinal," yeah? Well, you have to win that. It's true—you have to win. Easier said than done. Talent-wise, I have to say I've watched higher quality handball from the Norwegians than from our own squad, who rely way too much on individual brilliance and have wings that play like they're performing in a circus. We'll probably find it easier to penetrate the middle against the Norwegians than against the Swabians or Spaniards—which is fine by us since we can't play the wings anyway, and those teams just try to mimic Germany to neutralize everything. But on defense, stopping their ball movement and that offensive versatility is gonna be a nightmare.

And don't think for a second that we have some psychological edge just because we beat Spain. The Norwegians are an incredibly tough group mentally—they might even prefer facing us over Spain. Who knows? We'll see. This could turn into an all-out war for advancement, and honestly, any result is on the table. I'm not underestimating the Norwegians or claiming our guys are objectively better, because frankly, I don't see it. Maybe I'm wrong, sure, but based on what I've seen... this is gonna be a brutal game.

Let's go!

silverdrifter24 said:You can't even put Spain in the same league as Norway. We definitely vibe more with those flashy, high-energy teams like the Norwegians—not really feeling these bearded lumberjacks like the Spaniards...
But when it comes to us? You never know 🤣

That’s a real possibility, yeah.

Jason Campbell70 said:Lady > Thor.

Hell yeah! 🎉

Patrick Bailey4 said:Like I said... it’s gonna be a total blowout. ☕ And then they just get kicked out by the Norwegians... ☕

Honestly, I think Norwegians are way more dangerous than Spaniards. Those guys seem pretty limited—just stuck in one spot—while the Norwegians are out there absolutely tearing up the terrain. Just my two cents, though...

Smith’s a total visionary. He basically handed the Germans a free pass just to keep the French out of the finals. He knew the Spaniards were absolute garbage and that the Danes would just drown in the Great Lakes...

Paul Sanders5 said:Yeah, business as usual. Now let's just sit back and let the French steamroll us—it’s practically tradition at this point 😁

Jokes aside, we’re pretty much the only ones who’ve actually kept those guys from hoarding gold left and right. If it wasn't for us, they'd be sitting on all the glory. They're terrified, honestly, but they've got Omeyer up their sleeve as a wild card 😁

person, Steve 🙏🙏🙏

They’re the only reason we’re still breathing—honestly, she’s only alive because of them. 👍

I don't get these 7 players at all. We might as well be playing with 6 guys out there—except we wouldn't even have a goalie...

Steve's keeping us in the game 🙏

Man, it’s such a toss-up being part of this play. The whole damn game just boils down to this final minute... 😁

I have no clue what half of you idiots are even talking about 🤣
First off, the game isn't won at the 38th minute—it’s won at the 60th. Just because we’re up by 5 in the 38th doesn't mean we've got this in the bag, especially not against a team from Spain.
Second, every single squad has holes in their roster—except maybe the French, who are basically aliens.
Third, it’s been 18 minutes since that and we’re only up by 2.

Anyway, hats off to the boys... let's goooo! ☕

Just a little longer... hang in there, nail one more, and we're golden.

Look, it’s time to just move on...