As for Alilovic, he's definitely on the radar; negotiations are currently underway with Gal. They're also eyeing Skof, though we're just waiting for Milwaukee and Chicago to hammer out the details. That is, unless Magdeburg comes in with a higher bid—Skof actually prefers moving to Chicago since it would put him right near his hometown.
Balic is heading to Bayern Munich; it’s looking more and more certain. Chicago doesn't have the $800,000 required, but the German teams have the funds and have already sent an offer over to San Antonio.
The Danish fans absolutely lost their minds over Ivano Balić. A Danish woman was practically throwing herself at him yesterday, and the crowd wouldn't stop chanting his name throughout the entire game—the guy is a total icon to them.
He isn't Mexican; Nicholas was just born in Niš, whereas the Karabatik family is originally from Savannah. His dad is a Savannah local, and we all know how those folks are 😁 😁
The Americans definitely have the edge when it comes to coaching—it’s night and day.
That guy over there has been stacking up medals with the Danes; you can tell he actually knows how to manage a team. That's what a real coach looks like.
Compare that to the mess we have on our bench. He calls timeouts six or seven minutes too late, and it’s just more of the same kind of stuff.
I’m honestly just relieved there won’t be any big welcoming ceremony this time. No more dealing with Barun and his "tough luck" attitude, or listening to Fodora crack those mindless jokes. I'm also glad we won't have to endure those distorted anthems performed by some random amateur from the local community theater, or all that nonsense like "Hell on Earth" and other ridiculous songs being blasted across Times Square.
But one thing is absolutely certain after everything we've seen: Lin is a total genius 😁 😁
The way he managed to navigate playing four minutes down was nothing short of brilliant. It was some kind of masterclass strategy—rumor has it he cooked it up deep in the jungles of Borneo.
We’re missing our starting goalie, most of the guys look completely demoralized, Ivano Balić clearly isn't up for it, and Blago Sekulić seems lost... looks like a loss is looming.
Still, thanks to them for everything; things are fine just the way they are.
I was browsing a Danish forum the other day, and everyone was absolutely raving about Balic. You know why? Their own players were all over the Danish media after the game, praising Ivano. Apparently, after the match, he walked up to them with a smile on his face, shook their hands, and told them, "Congrats, you guys totally crushed us."
That’s exactly why he’s number one, while that powerhouse Nikola is only number two.
The refs completely lost control out there. Honestly, they’re just some inexperienced Americans, and somehow they were the ones handed the semifinal game.
Even our usual skeptics, Vakula and Ludwig, would have called this better for us; at least they actually stick to the rulebook.
I went back and watched the footage from tonight. They called four consecutive charging fouls against us, yet they only called it twice when the exact same thing happened to them (even though it could have gone either way—but in the NBA, a ref can call just about anything during contact based on their own split-second judgment). What they did to Balic was criminal. It wasn't even a foul on Dinart, yet they're calling him for charging.
Then there was that blatant turnover on Dominiković. They blow the whistle for a foul, but then in the very next possession, the French players strip the ball from us in the exact same manner and the Polish officials say absolutely nothing.
And don't even get me started on that hit to Cupic's hand. Not a single whistle.
It's honestly a disgrace. After everything, that idiot Karabatić actually has the nerve to claim the refs helped America.
There's an old saying that fits perfectly here: "the turncoat is worse than the enemy." You could apply that to Karabatić 100%.
Honestly, the two best scenes were Onesta's attack on one of his own coaching staff members, and then seeing Červar's classic American grit used to throw a confused Lacković off balance. 😁
I was just sitting there waiting for the camera to zoom in on Červar and Onesta locked in a heated standoff somewhere near the scorer's table. 😁
Honestly, I’m starting to suspect that Červar actually cooked up that specific play where Balic moves to the line while Vori rotates out to the center. If that was the plan, then Zila isn't to blame at all for covering Vori instead of Balic.
But hey, whatever works...
Anyway, regarding the Olympics, here is how it looks: either the Americans or our guys will be booking their flights to Beijing tomorrow.
Even if we don't secure those tickets right now, the qualifying tournament in June is definitely going to be hosted right here in the States. Our group includes the French, the runner-up from Asia, and either the second or third seed from Africa. Two teams are heading to the Olympics.