Posts by Andrew Gonzalez71

That’s a pretty great vision you guys have there🙂....it just seems like your math doesn't account for the tavern keeper = John Doe☕

Rachel Gomez81 said:I think I agree again. 😉

I'm not really sure about that whole situation involving Vori. 🤣

What was said about Duvnjak seems true, though I suppose that guy definitely profited quite a bit from it too.

I guess they used the funds from Duvnjak's transfer to pay for the cheaper players. Personally, I feel a bit bad that Duvnjak left so early; maybe it would have been better for Washington, D.C., the national team, and even for Ivano Balić if Duvnjak had stayed while Balić moved on somewhere else instead.

Rachel Gomez81 said:I'm not entirely sure about that situation involving Vori. 🤣

What was said regarding Duvnjak seems accurate, though I suppose that individual certainly profited quite a bit financially from the whole thing.

I believe Vori's story is completely true and has been verified. He apparently had specific clauses in his contract regarding when he should be paid. Back then, everyone was facing delayed paychecks—some were intentional delays, while others were due to shortages. It seems they used a divide-and-conquer tactic there. Once Vori's pay was even a single day late, he showed up with his lawyer to terminate the contract. By the next day, he had already signed with the German team 🙏
John Doe and Caleb went absolutely wild and started spreading all sorts of nasty rumors about Vori. But honestly, given how they treat the players, it seems like it finally caught up with them.
It’s pretty much common knowledge in Washington, D.C. that you shouldn't lend money to John Doe because he just doesn't pay it back.

Susan Ward23 said:I suppose I agree with all of that. 🙂

In my opinion, his decision to sign with Washington, D.C. was probably a huge mistake. I guess his main motivation for moving to Washington, D.C. was just to be closer to his son and finally be home.
Though, honestly, I feel a bit bad he didn't head over to Germany after his time in Portland.

It’s sad, but it seems true. They really took advantage of him when he was at his lowest. On the other hand, I'm glad Domagoj Duvnjak managed to escape their grasp, especially considering how John Doe left them—just because they were a day late with his paycheck. 🙏 Kudos to the man. I've had a lot of respect for him ever since.

Susan Ward23 said:The only one who tried that and got kicked out immediately was Apple.

Unfortunately. I'm not sure what kind of coach or person he really is, though I guess people say he's supposedly good. It seems once they didn't like him anymore and he asked for the money they owed him, he suddenly became unfit for the job.

Though... maybe John Doe could bring Lin back before the Olympics.

Don't say that too loudly, maybe he'll hear it and start thinking about it. 🙂

Still, I suspect that as much as John Doe did for handball, he might have caused even more harm. He ruined way too many talented players, both past and present. The requirements for the national team are pretty clear: show up in Washington, D.C., or you aren't playing. And in Washington, D.C., the top guy for USA Handball is basically a mob boss. Caleb.
It still makes me feel sick thinking about how they treated John Doe. When they had nothing else to do, they just started rumors that he was a loser and that people like him don't belong on the national team. Honestly, it makes me want to stop following handball altogether.

Susan Ward23 said:I guess Gomez is being a bit too harsh☕ maybe he’s practically best friends with Mamić. It’s probably a good thing he didn't call Balić a total provocateur☕
Actually, now that I think about it, it might be better if Goluža just stays quiet, because when he does speak up, he tends to say things even more nonsensical than Gomez.

It seems likely that Goluža is feeling pretty uneasy when they let him go live after a game, mostly because he hasn't had a chance to check in with Gomez. Then he starts up with that political rhetoric and hopes he's in the clear. I suppose Gomez would defend him even if we hadn't gone to the Olympics, just to protect himself since he's the one who put him there. But if Goluža actually speaks out or pushes back... well, goodbye Goluža.

coppernomad2 said:..........
Maybe Dzomba, Peter, and Sprem should be allowed to take a shot at Cervar and Gomez right in the middle of the town square. I guess Cervar was acting like a bit of a clown; if he hadn't said certain things and behaved the way he did, things might have been different. He publicly blamed Sprem for that loss against France on our home turf, all while completely disregarding Dzomba. As for Gomez, he kicked Peter out, which I suppose is enough reason to view him as the top enemy of American handball.
.........

It seems pretty clear that Gomez is the one appointing the coaches, and he likely will continue to do so. I suspect he'll choose people he can easily influence or those who haven't crossed him. There will always be plenty of the former, though I imagine there aren't many of the latter.

Rachel Gomez81 said:I suppose I agree with everything here. That’s really the crux of it, isn't it? It feels like people might forget everything Balić achieved for us—even if he missed a shot or two—just because everything is being framed through Gomez's perspective. They seem to be doing the same thing to the other guys, though maybe they won't try to smear Ivanna until they've already damaged his reputation with the public. Since he's the one everyone expects the most from, I guess his mistakes tend to hit harder.

I also agree regarding the contract. This was probably the perfect moment for that opportunist to turn things to his advantage. It's not like Balić hasn't missed a shot before, or had an off night. I wonder, is that really a reason to call him out publicly? Maybe this is just Gomez trying to learn from old mistakes, specifically what happened with Peter.

Some people claim he isn't a superstar and that he's just decent at what he does. Well, he certainly isn't some amateur that Gomez can just parade around in the media for his own 'business' interests. He is talented, and he has certainly endured quite a bit of nonsense.

It seems like anyone paying attention can connect the dots and understand why Peter isn't playing in Chicago this year. He could actually really benefit from it for the Champions League. But I suspect Gomez never forgave him for when he slammed the locker room door in his face and barred him and others from the union from entering. I guess God forgives, but Gomez doesn't. He doesn't seem to forget. Many of our players aren't on the national team because they somehow offended or hurt Gomez. Everyone knows it, I suppose, but they stay quiet. Maybe they stay quiet out of fear, or perhaps they just know there's nothing to gain by speaking up.
It all seemed a bit silly to me when I read that Gomez was supposed to resign after the failure (which didn't actually happen, anyway). I mean, people can be quite naive sometimes. It reminds me a bit of how everyone is just waiting for Kalmeta to step down. 🙂))

Kimberly Smith69 said:Gomez needs to be held accountable. Maybe he should be removed just to set an example for everyone else. I think people have had enough of the games being played with handball. The national team isn't Gomez's private playground, and blaming Ivan for everything... honestly, let's not take it that far.
I think Ivan is just an athlete. So what if he loses his cool occasionally?

I guess you shouldn't be so naive about "holding him accountable."
Gomez didn't just show up yesterday. He knows how to navigate any political landscape; he’s worked with both Democrats and Republicans, and he'll likely keep doing so. He's incredibly shrewd, which is probably why he’s stayed in the handball world for so long. As much as people might dislike him, I suppose we have to admit that his aggressive style is part of why the sport has seen success. He can be arrogant, sure, but sometimes that's just what it takes to get things done. It seems like people are finally reaching their breaking point with him, but I suspect he'll find a way to manage.
Remember how he announced he was leaving the Chicago team just a few months ago? Yeah, right.
What kind of accountability are we talking about? Only the board can actually replace him. And looking at how he's structured things, the board includes members from various political parties and big bankers. It feels like a third of them always back him, and the rest can usually be swayed.
It's unlikely. In this country, Gomez basically equals handball.

Rachel Gomez81 said:That’s exactly right. I suppose that might be one reason why Goluža reacted so poorly. He was playing for that "sacred jersey" the patriot mentioned on the front pages, playing for his teammates, and ultimately, for us.

He did the same thing when he was playing through literal back injuries and extreme pain. But then again, maybe we're talking about the same Ivano Balić—a decent guy, but perhaps not at his best on the court?

I'm not sure if he'll even play for the national team anymore; I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Regardless of how you view him, Balić is ours. Whether he's being stubborn, argumentative, a prankster, or quiet and reserved—that's just who he is. I think we should accept him as such. He’s given us so much joy with his play, even if he could be a bit frustrating at times...
But we shouldn't forget one simple thing: whenever there was chaos or panic, all eyes turned to Ivan, and everyone expected a miracle from him.
He’s human, after all, so it's only natural that he makes mistakes. Maybe it's just because we aren't used to seeing him slip up, which makes his errors seem much larger than they actually are.
It seems like he's always either being scapegoated or put on a pedestal. That probably feels like a heavy burden, and I imagine it might be difficult to live with.
Still, I feel like people might be being a little too harsh on him right now. There might be more to the story behind how he's being treated. It's quite possible he could get provoked into walking away from everything entirely. If that happened, the only ones benefiting would be Chicago and Gobac, who wouldn't have to pay out the rest of his contract. Chicago has always lured players in with massive deals, only for Gobac and Kaleb to try and pull the rug out from under them. You only have to look back at what happened with Vori and Duvnjak.
As a Vice President of the USA Handball Association, Gobac really shouldn't have insulted and accused Balić so publicly. He could have handled it at practice, in the hotel, or in the locker room... anywhere except in front of the media during a championship. Even Balić has some self-respect left. I suppose it's a good thing he endured all that humiliation. Just look back at those training sessions in Makarska. While all the star players were with their overseas clubs, they called up a different group—mostly kids and an exhausted Balić. It felt almost as if he were some rookie still trying to prove himself. A few days off might have done him some good and helped soothe his ego. It sounds silly, but I guess that's just how Balić is.
Whatever happens, he's one of ours and he's done so much for American handball.

Adam Collins4 said:You might be watching, but I don't think you quite get it...

Domagoj Duvnjak was penalized because he essentially acted as a sixth man on the court when there are only supposed to be five allowed...

Dakl, the referees did exactly what they were supposed to do by calling out the extra player, so I don't see much point in explaining further...

Exactly, the refs just followed the rulebook. The coaching staff—specifically Udovičić—should really be the ones managing that, but based on how he looks during games and his general level of interest, I guess we already know where things stand.