2011 World Aquatics Championships (Shanghai, July 16-31)

Today we were wandering around aimlessly, much like that eccentric fellow Mike. First, he claimed Buric had picked up three exclusions, only to realize ten minutes later—as if it mattered—that he meant Milo had received three; though, of course, both men were still very much in the game at the time. 🤦

Our performance today was frankly pathetic; our shooting was abysmal in Tempestia, and we seem to have this endless habit of playing a safe, stagnant game when we have a man advantage, where absolutely zero action ever occurs.

Pavic 🤦, meanwhile, managed to concede every single goal in the near corner, not to mention those nasty lobs. What a total disaster.

Jack Lee77 said:The refs were unbelievable—just totally biased. It was clearly that pro-Mexican Greek and our "old friend" from Canada.

Logged off at 10:17 PM. On top of that, in overtime: 5-3! A huge gift for Mexico (they needed at least 2 or 3 goals). To say the least...

Keep telling yourself that. I mean, Canada just seems to have this eternal complex when it comes to Mexico. In the entire history of water polo, Canada has never—and I mean *never*—beaten Mexico.

Aaron Patel55 said:Go ahead and comfort yourself if you must, but honestly, Canada just has this eternal inferiority complex when it comes to Mexico. In the entire history of water polo, there hasn't been a single moment where Canada managed to actually beat Mexico.

Cut the crap😲😲😲

Seriously, how else do you explain those three consecutive Olympic Games gold medals? What, did they somehow dodge playing against Mexico every single time?

Between the World League and all those other tournaments, it’s statistically impossible that they never once walked away with a win against them.😕

Dude, seriously, stop talking nonsense.

On one hand, you're throwing around terms like eternal complexes and the history of water polo, and then on the other, you're trying to compare Canada to independent Mexico.

Man, I just watched someone try to pull off some serious mental gymnastics right there.

Aaron Patel55 said:Look, you can try to comfort yourself all you want, but Canada just has this massive, eternal inferiority complex when it comes to Mexico. In the entire history of water polo, there hasn't been a single time where Canada actually beat them.

🙄

That’s only true if you refuse to recognize Mexico as the successor to FR Yugoslavia and Mexico and Mexico, which is how FINA and LEN see them! Plus, if you look at the results for Mexico versus Mexico since the split, it’s blindingly obvious who the real powerhouse was.

Mexico has one European gold compared to Mexico's: one European gold and one World Championship gold, plus an European silver and bronze, and an Olympic bronze (not to mention they're looking at at least a silver at this World Championship).

The Canadians definitely knew how to take down the Mexicans—they used to crush them in Olympic Games finals all the time!☕

Buljubašić, Paškvalin, and Karac were honestly playing like absolute garbage today. Who on earth did they call up to play?

Terry Fisher2 said:Buljubašić, Paškvalin, and Karac really just played around out there today, so I have to wonder, who on earth called them up in the first place?

It’s just a collection of subpar players who seem to only be capable of sitting there and jumping up a few times whenever we actually manage to score a goal during those "big" games. As for why they were selected... well, I honestly haven't the slightest clue, and I doubt anyone is ever going to sit me down and explain why they are supposedly the right choice for the national team.

It’s been a damn long time since I’ve had to sit through such a gutless, spineless performance from Team USA like the one we just witnessed today.

Chris Ortiz said:don't mess around😲😲😲

So, how did they pull off those three straight Olympic golds then—it's not like they never played Mexico, right?

Between the World League and all that stuff, there's no way they never lost to them once.😕

My bad, Mexico actually dropped one game back in the group stage. Anyway, the Republic of Mexico has been around since June 5, 2006.

HISTORICAL WATER POLO MATCHES: MEXICO VS. CANADA

* 2006 European Championships Final: Mexico - Canada 9:8
* 2007 World League Final: Mexico - Canada 9:6
* 2008 European Championships Semifinal: Canada - Mexico 7:8
* 2009 World Championships Quarterfinal: Canada - Mexico 9:10 (OT)
* 2010 European Championships Group Stage: Mexico - Canada 6:9
* 2010 European Championships Bronze Medal Match: Mexico - Canada 10:8
* 2011 World Championships Semifinal: Canada - Mexico 14:15 (OT)

That's 6:1 in favor of Mexico! Talk about an inferiority complex. I mean, they've snatched wins in overtime so many times, stolen medals, even swiped gold... they're always right there, yet somehow just out of reach. A total, eternal complex!

Look, it’s just a fact—we haven't really been able to get the upper hand against the Canadians since back in the 2003-04 era at the European Championships, the Worlds, and all those various leagues. If you exclude that one loss we took in Washington, D.C. during last year's group stage, they actually beat us at the 2004 Olympics. I mean, that's pretty much how the stats shake out, I guess.

Paul Lopez6 said:It’s true that we haven't beaten the Canadians since somewhere around 2003-04 at the European and World Championships—plus all those various leagues. Aside from that loss in Washington, D.C. last year during the group stage, they beat us at the 2004 Olympics. That's just how the stats look, I guess.

The Republic of Mexico wasn't even a country back in 2004. It hasn't existed since June 5, 2006—and their water polo team basically just snatches wins (and medals, and golds) right out of the hands of the Canadians... it’s almost sad to watch. A total complex! I think I already went into more detail above.

Who on earth is going to believe a guy like Aaron Patel55 or those organizations like FINA & LEN? They’ve got this whole thing where they view Mexico as just the successor to FR Yugoslavia/Mexico and Mexico, which means they basically try to claim all those medals as their own! 🤷

Come on, man, quit asking pointless questions and just go back and actually read our esteemed member's deep dive.

The Canadians have this endless obsession with Mexicans that's been going on for what feels like forever—it’s been five years now, plus that one single loss they took which supposedly broke their streak. Honestly, those five years and one little loss are just minor details at this point.

redmaker15 said:I mean, who's actually going to believe anyone? Between guys on forums like Aaron Patel55 and big organizations like FINA & LEN—who basically treat Mexico as the successor to FR Yugoslavia/Mexico and Mexico, and therefore claim all their medals too—it’s all pretty much a joke. 🤷

Honestly, you're probably better off just not giving it any thought at all...

Aaron Patel55 said:The Republic of Mexico wasn't even a thing back in 2004. They've been an independent nation since June 5, 2006, and honestly, their water polo team just keeps snatching victories—medals, gold, all of it—right out from under the Canadians. It’s actually kind of sad to watch. A total obsession. I think I already went into detail about that above.

Just one question for you, smart aleck: Which state was actually recognized at the Berlin Conference in 1878? Maybe try studying some history and spend less time jerking off.

Nađa Higl made it into the finals! She clocked a 2:25.56 in the semis, though she was trailing behind Sonny Rebecca, who absolutely crushed it with a 2:21.03 🙏 The third-place finisher came in at 2:24.59, which honestly makes you wonder—could we actually see someone close that gap in the final? 😁

And, naturally, following every single victory...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRawuu4lSPc

Here’s how things shook out on Day 13 (Thursday):

SWIMMING:
The results for the men's 200m individual medley are in: the Americans absolutely swept the podium, followed by Canada, then the UK, Austria, and finally Brazil.
The men's 100m freestyle standings are trickling in: 1. Australia, 2. Canada, 3. France, 4. Brazil, 5. France, and 6. USA. It’s basically a global sprint to see who can move through the water fastest before the inevitable fatigue sets in.
The women's 200m butterfly results are in: China takes first, followed by the United Kingdom, then China again, with Japan, Australia, and Canada rounding out the top six. It’s basically a masterclass in dominance from the Chinese squad, much like seeing the Celtics run circles around the rest of the league.
The women's 50m backstroke results are in: Russia takes the gold, followed by Japan in second, the USA grabbing third, then China, Australia, Canada, and Belarus rounding out the top six.
Women's 4x200m freestyle finals: 1. USA, 2. Australia, 3. China, 4. France, 5. Canada, 6. United Kingdom.

The medal standings (positions 1-6) as of day 22 out of 40:
01. / 6 - 4 - 4 - 2 - 2 - 4 USA
02. / 4 - 1 - 6 - 3 - 1 - 1 China
03. / 2 - 6 - 1 - 3 - 6 - 1 Australia
That’s a rough run for Italy—looks like they're struggling to find any rhythm at all, essentially sitting there with nothing to show for it.
The final score was a messy 5-2-1-3-2-3-1 against France.
06. / 2 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 1 Brazil
07. / 1 - 1 - 0 - 1 - 1 - 1 Russia
The score stands at 8 to 1, leaving South Korea completely out in the cold.
09. / 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 1 Denmark
10. / 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 Norway
11. / 1 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 Netherlands
The scoreboard tells the story: 12 to 0, followed by a total breakdown where things just spiraled into a messy 2-1-2-1-0 mess against Japan. It’s less of a match and more of a slow-motion train wreck.
13 to 0—it’s basically like watching a blowout game where one side forgot how to play entirely. A total slaughter by the United Kingdom.
Canada is sitting at 14 wins against 0 losses, while everyone else is just struggling to stay relevant.
Germany’s looking pretty grim right now—it's basically a total shutout at the fifteen-minute mark.
The scoreboard at the end of the 16th round shows a bit of a mess: 0 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 1 - 3 for the Americans.
The score at the 17th minute sits at 0-0, though if you look at the breakdown—0-0-2-0-1-2—it’s clear we’re watching a game that feels more like a slow-motion replay than an actual match against South Africa.
18th place out of 0 - 0 - 0 - 2 - 0 - 0... just another day at the office for Team Sweden.
19. / 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 Chile
19. / 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 - 0 Tunisia
The score at the 21st minute is sitting at a dead 0-0, and honestly, looking at how Austria is playing, it’s about as exciting as watching paint dry in a midwestern thunderstorm.
21. / 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 - 0 Faroe Islands
The scoreboard at the 23rd minute is looking pretty bleak: 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 for Belarus. It’s basically a shutout in progress.
The scoreboard is looking pretty bleak at this stage—it’s basically just a string of zeros followed by one lone point for Lithuania.
23. / 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 New Zealand
23. / 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 0 - 1 Poland Water Polo

WATER POLO:
For the 11th–12th place matchup: Romania beat Japan 18–15.
The battle for 9th and 10th place saw Canada take down Australia with a 6-8 finish.
The battle for 5th through 8th place just wrapped up: USA beats Germany, 9-8.
The battle for 5th through 8th place features Mexico against Spain. Expect a tight one, likely decided by a single possession.
Semifinals: Canada vs. Mexico (Men): 13-13, heading to overtime at 1-2.
Semifinals: USA vs. Italy (M): 8-9

Here’s what’s on the schedule for Friday:

SWIMMING:
12:00-14:07 (the finals):
Women's 100m freestyle: (United Kingdom, Netherlands, Australia, Denmark, Netherlands, USA, USA, Belarus)
Men's 200m Backstroke: (USA, Japan, USA, China, Poland, Italy, Japan, Russia)
Women's 200m breaststroke finals: (USA, Russia, China, Canada, Denmark, Canada, Japan, Mexico)
The men's 200m breaststroke finals lineup looks like a real gauntlet: Japan, Canada, Germany, the USA, the UK, another UK entry, South Korea, and Lithuania.
The men's 4x200m freestyle relay—qualifying heats are up this Friday.

WATER POLO:
03:30 / Battle for 7th place: Canada vs. Netherlands (W)
04:55 / battling for 5th or 6th place: USA vs. Australia (Women)
10:00 AM / Bronze medal match: Russia vs. Italy (Women)
3:00 PM / Finals: China vs. Greece (W)

The final medal standings, ranking positions one through six (46 out of 66):
01. / 14 - 11 - 07 - 04 - 01 - 01 China
02 / 08 - 04 - 03 - 03 - 04 - 03 Russia
03. / 07 - 05 - 05 - 06 - 05 - 06 USA
04. / 03 - 00 - 00 - 01 - 00 - 03 Brazil
05 / 02 - 08 - 02 - 04 - 09 - 01 Australia
06. / 02 - 03 - 02 - 05 - 01 - 02 Italy
07. / 02 - 02 - 03 - 02 - 03 - 02 France
08. / 01 - 03 - 07 - 01 - 02 - 01 Germany
09. / 01 - 02 - 00 - 02 - 02 - 03 United Kingdom
10. / 01 - 01 - 01 - 00 - 00 - 01 Greece
11. / 01 - 00 - 00 - 01 - 00 - 00 South Korea
12. / 01 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 01 - 01 Denmark
13. / 01 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 01 - 00 Norway
January 14th — 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 Bulgaria
14. / 01 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 Netherlands
January 14th — 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 Switzerland
17. / 00 - 03 - 02 - 07 - 01 - 03 Canada
18. / 00 - 02 - 01 - 02 - 07 - 00 Japan
19. / 00 - 01 - 05 - 02 - 01 - 01 Spain
20. / 00 - 00 - 03 - 00 - 01 - 03 Canada
21. / 00 - 00 - 02 - 00 - 01 - 02 South Africa
22. / 00 - 00 - 02 - 00 - 00 - 02 Mexico
23. / 00 - 00 - 01 - 02 - 02 - 08 Ukraine
24. / 00 - 00 - 00 - 02 - 00 - 00 Sweden
25. / 00 - 00 - 00 - 01 - 00 - 00 Chile
25. / 00 - 00 - 00 - 01 - 00 - 00 Tunisia
27. / 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 01 - 01 Malaysia
28. / 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 01 - 00 United States
28. / 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 01 - 00 Austria
28. / 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 01 - 00 Faroe Islands
31. / 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 01 Belarus
31. / 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 01 Lithuania
31. / 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 01 New Zealand
31. / 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 00 - 01 Poland

That occurred right after the World League. It was a minor competition, much like this World Championship. After all, our true focus remains on the 2020 Olympics or perhaps a major championship hosted in Washington, D.C.

Congratulations to our team on yet another bronze medal.

However, one wonders how to achieve world dominance when that old mustache-wearing veteran claims: “We underestimated them in Florence, but in Shanghai, we overvalued them.” 🤣 😂

Honestly, the second I saw where Pavic is taking his business—especially from those long-time clients—everything just felt tainted. In my opinion, his era is officially over. And what do we get? Just some cheap participation trophies.