Posts by rapidbison42

Smoker.

btw.
Just a look at where one former powerhouse stands today.
Champions Cup:

Coca-Cola - Pepsi 35-25

Finally, we got a game that was actually worth watching.

Nancy Vaughn70 said:Lino was coaching back when we were still under the radar. Now everyone has us figured out. If things aren't clicking for Balic, they aren't clicking for anyone. Sure, you might see some Solo drives here and there, but you can't build a whole system on that. Everyone knows it.

I think one guy hasn't quite realized that yet. His name is Lino. 😁

But hey, it took Maksimov over a decade after being exposed before he finally decided to change his tactical approach.

frozentiger6 said:We should hope that this group of kids winning all these cadet medals will eventually reach the top tier of handball.

Generations always cycle out, obviously. Even the Germans fell off (though we know how they became world champions again, but that's beside the point), then there's Sweden (who seem to be making a comeback now), and the Mexicans (though they weren't really elite except for those few moments with Tuta Zivkovica). Only the Danes stay consistently at the top, along with the Spaniards, but they have a massive talent pool to draw from. We don't have anything close to that.

But here we are, new players arriving. Little Cupic is bound to be world-class, and hopefully Blazevic too—he’s already been named the best junior left back in the world at a few tournaments (though I'm skeptical; he seems too heavy-set, reminds me way too much of Buntic). Then there are a few others from the junior ranks showing promise. In the cadet level, we already see standout names like Strlek, Duvnjak, and Sever; they are arguably the best in their generation globally.

We won't ever see another Balic, just like Janica was one of a kind. But if the national team leadership hands the reins to fresh blood with actual talent, I don't doubt the transition can be seamless. Besides, this current group isn't leaving all at once. Dzomba and Metlicic are stepping away after the World Championships, but Balic, Lackovic, Valcic, Zrnic, Vori, Sulic, and Dominikovic will stick around for at least another two or three years. Balic mentioned staying until he retires, and he's only 28. Players usually hit their prime around 30 or later. For goalkeepers, it’s definitely a "fine wine" situation—look at Svensson, Perica, Lavrov, Solo, and Puljezevica. Those first two are still playing well into their 40s.

And what can you say about the ones who need to prove themselves but seem to lack the grit, like Vukic, Vukic, and Buntic?

Yep. It looks like Jerkovic and Alilovic are locked in at the goal for quite a while. They were both phenomenal at the last World Championships anyway.
It was always known that when Jerkovic is in form, he performs miracles. Honestly, I wondered why he wasn't in the national team sooner.
Alilovic could probably put in a solid season playing for the Pistol. 🙂

In my opinion, Kos doesn't have what it takes for the national team... at least not if we're actually aiming for medals.
He was on the broader roster and played in several exhibition games during various tournaments, but he just didn't really stand out.
I think it’s smarter to focus on the younger talent, which I believe is exactly what the coaching staff decided to do.

It all comes down to Balić and how much gas he has left in the tank. Once he’s gone, we’ll likely spend a few years stuck in mediocrity, praying for another genius to show up.
Honestly, every powerhouse team struggles once a legendary generation moves on.
That said, I don't see us bottoming out quite as hard as the Swedes or the Mexicans, who can't seem to qualify for the big tournaments lately.

wiredmarlin5 said:What kind of offensive tactics are we talking about? Is it practiced plays or just individual brilliance being called on the fly by a wing player instead of the coach (with a few exceptions)?

That applies to any team sport.
In all these sports, plays are drilled during practice and executed on the court by a designated playmaker.
Besides, it’s the coach's job to watch the flow from the bench and adjust accordingly. A wing player certainly doesn't have the full view of the game that a coach does, especially when someone is constantly breathing down their neck.

Also, defenses like 6-0, 3-2-1, 4-2, 5-1, 3-3, and various pressing styles all follow specific rules.

Different defensive schemes have their own sets of rules in other sports too.

And there, the coach can't do much besides switching defenses, calling timeouts, or small adjustments.

If that's true for other sports, then the coach exists to make those changes and adapt the play to what's happening on the field.

Linus's mere presence lifts both the team and the crowd; some love him for it, others don't.

Then the best solution for the Los Angeles Lakers coach would be Thompson.
He could just sing songs about wolves and patriots to the players and fans during the game, making the actual coach irrelevant. During the week, Basic and Maglajlija handle the training, and then Thompson sits on the bench for the weekend games.

Quote:Forget the cross-body moves and pulling away; without physical contact and one-on-one battles, there's nothing in pro handball. Yeah...but I'm telling you, there's no handball without ball movement. Fast, fluid, and varied passing is the fundamental way to create an advantage in a 6-on-6 setup. That's way more important than trying to break a defense one-on-one.
Go ahead, ask any professional coach.

So what makes Ivan so good? He has the ability to link two players together to open up space.

Any elite individual in any team sport draws in more than one defender, thereby creating an opening. From Balić to Jordan to Ronaldinho.
It has nothing to do with the idea that "the foundation of this sport is one-on-one."

Exactly... a 6-0 defense isn't built on 1-on-1 play, but I'm sure Linus knows more about that than I do (hopefully he's finally learned).

😂 🤣
The Frenchmen play 6-0. Maybe in some parallel universe where they're actually Scandinavians.
Give me a break. Stop trying to be funny.

After spending ten posts arguing that handball is all about 1-on-1 matchups, you wrap things up by claiming 6-0 defense isn't 1-on-1... then use a national team that tore us apart with a 5-1 featuring Gille against Balic and a 3-2-1 as your prime example.

That’s just ridiculous.

That's my take on it.
Look, once you start throwing insults around in an argument, there's really no point in me continuing this discussion with someone so worked up.

wiredmarlin5 said:Well, let me try being nice...

Have you ever actually played handball?

I was wondering when that question would pop up.

🤣

If you haven't, just know it's a physical game with plenty of contact. You need grit to excel because you're going to take hits—sometimes straight to the head. Look at Vukovic as an example.

My friend, that’s a reality every player faces, regardless of whether they play for Cervar or anyone else.
Physicality doesn't make tactical play any less essential.

I'd love to hear what else there is besides 1-on-1 play. Sure, certain stalling tactics work, but the foundation of everything in handball is the 1-on-1: you find your man and move the ball to create an advantage.

That’s the basis of every court sport where the goal is to score a point or a basket: creating an opening on offense.
But the main objective in a handball attack is using ball movement to create that advantage.
There is no such thing as pure 1-on-1 play here. If you try to go 1-on-1 against a set defense, there's a 90% chance you're getting leveled... especially with fast ball movement involving crosses, pivots, and wing plays.

Don't believe me? Just ask Cervar.

Sorry man, but you can't compare a sport that involves contact to one that uses protective gear.

Contact has nothing to do with whether a game relies on individual skill or teamwork. In fact, in high-contact sports, the attacker is actually much more vulnerable when playing 1-on-1.

Basketball... when the Europeans dominate the USA, it proves basketball can be played without relying solely on 1-on-1.

By that logic, when the Frenchmen crush us in handball, isn't that proof that 1-on-1 doesn't cut it in this game either?

frozentiger6 said:It exists—that classic Cervar tactic 1 (Balic) on a 6 score.😁

Just think back to how elgorriagina played game 3 when they were down 6.

Kiseljev- Etxabur- Perunicic

A perfect example of teamwork and chemistry.
Two guys working their tails off for one.

wiredmarlin5 said:You don't get it. Handball is a unique beast; it’s built on 1v1 battles that drive 95% of the offense. Willpower is everything here. You see plenty of high-level players who achieve absolutely nothing simply because they lack the drive to prove themselves—or they just take the path of least resistance.

What am I missing here? Are we saying you can win in other sports without any drive? Or that plenty of high-quality athletes have actually succeeded despite lacking the will to win?
Do you actually understand what you're saying?

Regarding your claim that 95% of handball is just 1-on-1 play. Sorry, but that’s total nonsense. Creating an opening through 1-on-1 moves and then finishing the play 1-on-1 is a fundamental pillar of almost every team sport, from basketball to hockey. Is that not the case?
But that's only one part of the game.
As far as I know, handball involves much more than just one-on-one play.

Here is how I see Linus’s actual situation:

He should probably light ten candles every morning just to thank God for giving him Balić and putting him in the right place at the right time.
Without that luck, he’d still be coaching mediocre teams in places like Trieste or Conversan.
If anyone in the serious basketball world actually valued his tactical mind today, he’d be sitting on a bench in Pamplona, Hamburg, Flensburg, or Ciudad Real.
Instead, he’s stuck with Congress, a part-time gig in Chicago, and the hope that Balić can drag the national team to one more medal.
Take Balić out of the rotation for ten minutes and Linus loses his way entirely. That’s his reality.

lol

Willpower leads to success. But what happens when two teams show up with the exact same amount of willpower? Do they just end up playing to a draw every single time?

🙂
The defense isn't actually our biggest issue; the real problem is Lin Cervar’s chronic inability to break down a deep zone.
The guy just can't seem to orchestrate a single effective play against that kind of setup.
By the time the players finally figure out how to handle it, we've already handed over 6 or 7 possessions in a row.
It's slightly less obvious with the national team because we have Balić, but even then, we've seen the squad fall apart the moment someone starts playing deep on our shooters.

Regarding your question: What is he supposed to say to the players?

Is a handball coach's job really to give moral lectures or philosophize about national unity? Or is his actual job to prep the team, design the plays, and demand that players execute specific moves when the moment hits?

As for Duvnjak and Valčić... honestly, it's hard to tell which one of them is having a worse season.

Since Lino spends two days a week at the club and is gearing up for the elections, he’ll likely handle it the only way he knows how: using timeouts to lecture the players about national pride, the war, and fallen heroes—just more of that nonsense.

Besides, we all heard him during the timeout against Vardar. My buddy and I could barely keep a straight face.

I think I already distilled this entire argument into a single word earlier:

Cervar is showing exactly what he’s worth when leading a team without Balić.

Nothing.
But then again, wasn't that already obvious?

Cervar is proving just how much he brings to the table when leading a squad without Balić.

Come on... hopefully this farce wraps up soon. We've got a coach who shows up at the facility maybe two days a week and hasn't a clue how to break down a deep zone, players who are basically just coasting toward retirement for a final paycheck, and a top-tier shooter who can't hit more than 30%.

Maybe things will look better in the 2008/2009 season.

It’s hard to tell if LeBron James is even missing from the sidelines. 🤣

It’s not over yet, but let’s be honest—they look weak.