Posts by rapidbison42

Pero. Five pieces.

10-8

Lino: We need to hit them back just like they did us last time. Total offensive pressure. Suffocate them, then score.

Too

10-7

9-7

8-5

We all saw it. Following this European Championship, Dominković is taking over the national team.

7-5

Defense is absolutely rock solid. I can't move an inch.

Take a look at that signature!!!!

4-2

Our defense is playing way too well.

Man, I actually teared up.

Victoryyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

Let's goooooooo

An empty arena.

🤮

Lin: Just make sure they don't end up being dead weight.

Sean Gonzalez95 said:That’s not quite right. I read somewhere that Kuleshov and Torgovanov turned down the national team for this tournament for personal reasons. There’s some speculation about a fallout with the coach. If I dig it up, I'll send you the link, but I can't be bothered to hunt for it right now. Just Google it; you'll find it.

No need for me to search for answers. After that disaster in Tunis, they've handed the reins back to Maximov, and he’s already pivoting to a strategy of "Czech bears equals the national team."
He bolstered the lineup later by adding Krivoshlikov and Koksharov. As for Torgovanov and Kuleshov, they're long since out of the picture regarding Maximov.

Of course they kept him around; he was indispensable. Honestly, it’s almost laughable—turning your back to the goal like that? You can still picture those kinds of plays, can't you?

And?
Puacao has his back to the goal with a guy breathing down his neck, getting fouled just like most centers do. The ref calls it, and if he sinks the free throw, it’s a three-point play.
You’re still trying to prove that Torgovanov messed things up and cut Maximov's career short, but the guy was actually incredibly disciplined.

Can someone drop a link proving Balic was the best player in the Champions League before 2003? I’m not trying to start anything, I genuinely just don't remember seeing that. How could I have missed it?

Does a UEFA award for the best club MVP actually exist? I’m not even going to bother checking Google.
Based on what I saw from him during his time playing in the European leagues, I’m convinced he was already the best player on the planet.
Two European finals and that heartbreaking loss to San Antonio despite playing top-tier basketball? Honestly, I can live with that.

Let me ask you something... do you honestly believe someone who doesn't know a thing about basketball or basic strategy could make it this far just because they have a roster full of superstars?😕...

Basketball broke Ivan. It would be better if he didn't even realize it. But he knows enough about this league to know what's up. He knows he has a solid roster and the best player in the league to close out an offense.
He doesn't read the offense well enough to spot the ball movement, the set plays, or how they create openings through passing. He can't anticipate those practiced moves to exploit a man-up advantage. At that point, it all comes down to whether Ivan can shake his defender on that first move.
I don't get how you can miss that, especially when you claim to be an NBA expert.
The funniest part about all this? Even like this, we might actually pull off a championship.
The offensive pressure is intensifying, and it's going to be felt against the Frenchman. But then again... if they play with enough heart, anything is possible. I’d love to see some fluid, beautiful play tomorrow, but honestly? It looks like we're in for a gritty, defensive grind where every single possession is a battle.

Besides, I don't think there's much point in dragging this out. You’re already starting to make things up—why not just Google it? Drop a link if you can. I think I saw something about this somewhere, but I can't remember where. If I find the link...

That’s all there is to it. Take care.

👍

mellowcrane41 said:...Balic: I mean, Lino will probably figure something out before the game against France...🤷

So we won't have anything to worry about.😍

Exactly.
We move on.

Sean Gonzalez95 said:I’ve watched over 40 games featuring Sweden, but that’s irrelevant... I don't get why you're using that rhetoric with me. You're acting like the American squad is falling apart and the coach has lost all control, all based on one example from Balić yesterday.

Are you suggesting Lino Ćervar dictates our entire offensive strategy? Don't be funny. How exactly does he dictate it? Like they do in Miami: "Watch me. Just watch me."

Under Lino, this is the seventh semifinal, right? Can they really pull off that many with this roster? If the team is truly in shambles, I don't know who could save them.

???

Where did I say the team was in shambles? These guys are fighting like lions. They've rallied around their leader on the court and are giving it everything. Sure, it doesn't look pretty, but they're leaving it all out there.
🙏 🙏 🙏

The chaos is only in Lino's head. We saw exactly how much of a mess things have become on TV last night.
The man has snapped.

Now I'd go looking for more of Torgovanov's quirks. He was one of the best finishers ever, but he had his moments. Did he give Maskimov half as much trouble as others? Not really, but he thought he was doing what was best for the national team by just taking the shot.

???
Good grief, Torgovanov is the only Russian player from that era whom Maskimov kept around until the end. Everyone else was tossed aside over the years.
What quirks? The guy was a pure finisher whose only job was to catch the ball and score without thinking twice. And he was damn good at it.

By the way, neither Oleg Kulesov nor Torgovanov traveled to this championship... for personal reasons. I'm curious to know why.

How can they travel when they've officially retired from international play? In case you didn't know, Torgovanov handed the reins to Chipurin after the Olympics in Athens. The man is 36, after all.

Lino's era has lasted seven years now, and it might only last that long.

What seventh year?
The first tournament under Ćervar was back in 2003, so do the math.

We could frame the argument this way: what was Balić’s standing before Ćervar took over as national coach?

He was an EHF Cup winner, a finalist, and the Champions League MVP.
You might as well just say Ćervar built Balić. While Balić was developing his game in Miami and Memphis, Lino was busy coaching down in southern Italy.

No player in any club has come anywhere close to how he performs for the national team. Why is that?

Clearly, you weren't really following Memphis during their European runs or watching when the league title was being stolen by the big guys in the capital.

The idea that Narcisse will see fewer touches than Girault or Abalo... if we play solid defense, even using a 3-2-1, that Abalo guy is nothing.

If our defense holds up, Narcisse won't even get a shot off. But that's all a "maybe."

boldhound8 said:It’s obvious the Frenchmen are going to outmaneuver us tactically.😁

They completely figured us out over the last two games. Since then, our tactical depth hasn't moved an inch. Add in the injuries and the fact that we're missing a few key players, and what do you get?

Can we still pull it off?🙏

Don't lie. Nobody can read Cervaro's playbook.
We let them think they had us just so we could catch them off guard now.

Anyway. It's a 50-50 shot.

I'm hoping we give them a taste of their own medicine.