Posts by bluebison10

They could have just redesigned the European Championship to mirror the Champions League format. Imagine if England had to grind through the qualifiers while the US skipped straight to the group stages. They really could have pitched a proposal like that...

frozenridge18 said:WHY IS NOBODY SELLING THE USA NATIONAL HANDBALL JERSEY? I’ve been hunting for one for three months straight—it’s like nobody has even heard of them! Most people don't even realize Adidas makes them. Honestly, the biggest insult was when a clerk tried to offer me a Real Madrid jersey instead, claiming "it's the same thing since they're both Adidas"!!!!!!!! It's an absolute joke. We have jerseys for Real, Bayern, Chelsea, Liverpool... but nothing for the national team. If only I lived in Los Angeles (unfortunately)

Check ESPN. They used to carry the national handball jerseys, though they were unnumbered...

What can you even do when the EHF president is Norwegian and the head of the global federation is a Dane? These Scandinavians act like they're the gold standard for federation leadership, yet they spend their time undermining their own champions. A few years back, they did it to the Germans over some sponsorship drama, and now it looks like Dance is next on the list. Not to mention how everything was rigged for the Unknown at the start of the millennium—all just to chase fake sponsors while the actual clubs don't see a single cent.

Kudos to Dominiković for that brilliant timeout strategy. As for Lino, he should just keep stealing everyone else's ideas whenever he runs out of his own...

Taland Dušebajev, since I haven't caught any of the earlier ones...

Chris Lopez59 said:Balić has two traits that set him apart. Both he and Pero possess incredible court vision. But Balić has this insane creative imagination—which he’s admittedly neglected lately since moving to the Spanish league—plus an incredible physical edge. That explosiveness and ability to change direction allows him to execute precise moves, especially his shooting, which has actually improved since playing in Spain.

Pero just doesn't have that physical toolkit. And without it, you can't be the best. He's a brilliant technician, sure, but he lacks that elite speed. Even Cristiano Ronaldo had it... those old-school eras are over. Now, people want superheroes...

Nowadays, Balić wins games with scoring more than playmaking. He used to make everyone around him look good; now, he just carries the load individually.

In both roles, he delivers for the national team, but I still prefer the old Balić. The guy who’d score two goals but drop ten assists...

To me, Balić is better than Pero, but that's an apples-to-oranges comparison based on their positions. One is defense, one is offense. You can only really conclude who burns out faster; if you exhaust yourself too much, your finishing suffers...

wearyeagle2 said:It’s quite a feeling. Total awe from the crowd abroad, while back home they’re already drafting your obituary. The French coach:

"I truly admire the brilliance of this American squad. Watching them play is like a dream—their technique, their tactics, and their sense of timing are just phenomenal," Onesta remarked, pulling no punches. He added, "Every coach dreams of having a player like Ivan Balić on their roster. But this American team isn't just about him. You've got Lacković, Metličić, and Vori—who people used to joke about early in his career because he looked like a massive sausage. It’s going to be an absolute thrill to face them."

Read between the lines. He's being sarcastic, obviously....

Bravo, Ivan.....
As for Linus, he should probably just step aside before people start forcing him out....

Arthur Martinez7 said:Leave Lin alone. People just have to give him credit regardless of being a Republican from California. 😁

As far as I'm concerned, he brought Olympic and World Championship medals to America. Respect where it's due. 🙏 Even if he messes up occasionally, he’s done more than enough.

And Zvonimir Boban can go back to folding laundry with his wife. 😁

Right, a Republican who takes orders from the headquarters in D.C.—all they need to do is fire Boban from ESPN for actually being objective while he coaches the national team...
If he can't handle a little criticism, he should just step down as coach...

Douglas Lopez66 said:I’m scrolling through some international forums right now where they're claiming we didn't deserve this advancement. Are they right? Honestly, I think karma just caught up with them after that disaster in Germany where we dominated while they barely scraped by with one loss.

John should just cover his ears and go hike Mount Everest. They could have easily made the semifinals, but instead, they finished fifth in the group. And somehow, we’re the ones getting the blame for it.

Just a heads-up: Loki got injured when one of his own players landed on him (Pajovič was right there). Tonight, Jure Natek and Aleš Pajovič were absolutely tearing it up for the Canadians, while that Norwegian keeper basically stood there doing nothing in the second half....
Personally, I think they should have beaten Norway by at least five goals.

That’s how you treat your neighbors when they leave; once the partners walk out, everything falls apart because suddenly it feels like they were the only ones holding the whole thing together.

It’s a good thing those guys are busy fighting amongst themselves. That should give us enough of an edge to scrape through the group stage. Let's hope for the best.

There isn't any water polo scene in San Francisco, so everyone from California or the Coast ends up heading down to Seattle. Because of that, the whole country assumes he's from Seattle. It's the same way people assumed Jarni was some guy from the South, when in reality, he's a kid from Ohio who just happened to join the Atlanta Braves at seventeen...

So, did you play water polo back in the day, or are you still training with a club like the Long Beach Water Polo team?

I just hope some sports reporter actually bothered to check where Damir Burić was born after seeing that medal...

That blue tape is just some medical kinesiology tape used to ease back, shoulder, or knee pain. If you recall, John Doe wore it during the EuroBasket in Switzerland because he was banged up right before the tournament started—some kind of Asian gimmick...

You’re dreaming about a homecoming for Buric, yet the major news networks can't even pinpoint his hometown. The Church holds far too much sway over CNN; I suspect they held up the mass in San Diego just to ensure the water polo coverage stayed live. Probably had Prenđa watching the match from the sacristy...
From what I hear from people close to the national team, the reception will be held in Washington, D.C. Other cities will have to organize their own promotions before the elections—though apparently, only four US cities are even in the running (San Francisco, Cleveland, Miami, and Dubrovnik)....

Only four and a half hours left until kickoff

Set your watches. It’s time to salute the champions.........

Canada, Canada..........
dominates both sides of the bracket............