World Handball Championship - THE FINALS

I can't say I'm feeling all that confident, honestly. Between those glaring criminal errors on the field and the way their goalkeepers seem to be in such high spirits, I've got my doubts.

Rachel Gomez81 said:That's true, but does it really matter? Were Sulić, Mirza, Pero, Džomba, and Lac really considered finished right at the age they were written off? Sulić still plays like an absolute beast today, though I suppose Goluža certainly gave him a hard time back in the day. They could have undoubtedly provided much more quality games than what we're witnessing now. It’s all just rot being cleared away, isn't it? It makes you nostalgic when you're forced to watch matches like this.

This kind of nonsense has been trickling through the American media and commentary for years now.

Everyone except Sulić was kicked out of the national team right when they were leaving top-tier professional clubs.
And if we're being honest, Sulić was never, and will never be, the type of player who truly changes the game on the court.

You only need to look at one single detail from today's match to realize why the French are the greatest of all time.

Omeyer defends a long-range shot, the ball heads toward Rocas who is alone on the wing, and then Guigou, who is a good two or three meters away, lunges to knock the ball out of bounds. A man who already has two UN titles, three saves, and four MVP awards at age 33 is still diving for every single ball. Honestly, Čupić would have just calmly tracked Rocas while scoring a goal.

Their defense in the second half was a textbook demonstration of why they've dominated for ten years. After losing Dinart and Gill, people claimed they would struggle in that area, yet today they are playing at almost the exact same level alongside the Karabatić brothers.

Back in Washington, D.C., before the finals, Omeyer said, "In the finals, you don't just play; in the finals, you win."

One more year, one more gold medal.

Once Omeyer finally calls it quits and heads into retirement, that’s when we might actually see our window of opportunity opening up...

Sam Murphy said:Once Omeyer finally retires, maybe we'll actually get a shot.

Why haven't we sent him there already? 🤔

Robin Fox2 said:I suspect this Omeyer is just going to concede every goal. Honestly, Krist, the entire German national team I remember has completely changed; all those Russians are gone, yet this guy keeps defending like he has no intention of ever stopping.

🤣

I think I have Stockholm syndrome. I used to absolutely despise the man, but now? I guess I’ve grown to love him.

I honestly don't get what the Poles are whining about regarding the refs either! I mean, seriously, wasn't there a foul called against them in that one game? If I recall correctly, it might have even been a technical too, and I actually checked out the replay myself—that Qatari player definitely just swiped the ball right out of his hands! But hey, I guess when you're losing, you feel entitled to throw a tantrum, right?

I guess Omeyer looks older than he actually is—he’s only 38. But then again, Lavorov was one of the best goalies on the planet even when he was well into his 40s.

With Omeyer guarding the net, France has managed to snag 8 gold medals and three bronzes since 2001..

What else can I really say about it... honestly, screw any sport where the World Cup final ends up being held in Qatar. ☕

What an absolute farce and a complete sham... To see Qatar in the handball World Cup final when they are practically ten to fifteen goals weaker than any serious European squad is just absurd... It’s honestly like watching the Los Angeles Lakers jump into the NBA and somehow walk away as champions! I suppose sports transitioned from being a game to being a pure business a long time ago, but this level of blatant manipulation on a global stage is something I have truly never witnessed before... It feels as though the Qataris simply bought everything in sight—the referees, the delegates, even the players on opposing teams... perhaps everyone received a few hundred thousand dollars to ensure everyone stayed happy and satisfied... Though, I suppose making it out of the group stage was somewhat predictable, especially since I recall how much help the referees seemed to provide Mexico and Canada back when they were playing on their home turf... But for them to push through to the quarterfinals and then the semifinals? That is nothing short of criminal... Now you hear the Poles complaining about it, but who is to say they haven't been bought off too? I always make a point to watch the finals, but for the first time, I think I’ll sit this one out... I am genuinely disgusted by the whole thing.

Ryan Sullivan9 said:I don't get the Poles either and their whining about the refs. If I recall correctly, they actually got a foul called on them in one possession, maybe even a technical, and I checked the replay—the Qatari player clearly just swiped the ball right out of Jureck's hands. But hey, when you're losing, you've got a right to be pissed...

The only thing was that ridiculous penalty called for Katran in the last four minutes.
That's what really stood out to me; everything else was more or less fine.
Honestly, there's no point in debating it, the Poles completely blew it themselves. Their defense was an absolute disaster.

Kyle Morris7 said:What an absolute joke. Qatar making it to the handball World Cup final when they're actually 10 or 15 goals weaker than any European squad? It’s like if the Los Angeles Lakers went to play in the NBA and somehow walked away as champions. Sports turned into a business a long time ago, but this level of blatant rigging at a World Cup is unprecedented. It feels like the Qataris just bought everything in sight—the refs, the delegates, even the players on the opposing teams. Probably tossed a few hundred thousand dollars at everyone just to keep them smiling. I mean, seeing them scrape through the group stage wasn't a shock; I remember how much the officials seemed to favor Mexico and Canada back when they were playing on home soil. But this? Qatar reaching the quarterfinals and semifinals is straight-up criminal. Now you hear the Poles complaining, but honestly, who's to say they haven't been bought off too? I usually tune in for the finals, but not this time. I'm completely disgusted.

Alright, you might be laying it on a bit thick. The whole tournament reminds me of that line from the Satan of the Pannonian song about the handball court being nothing but filth, but claiming the Poles sold out the semifinals...
I don't know. It makes me terrified to think what could happen during the World Cup in Qatar in a few years... Or sooner, at any championship, in any sport, anywhere...

Kyle Morris7 said:Man, what a total scam and a joke. Qatar making it to the handball World Cup final? They’re literally 10-15 goals weaker than any team in Europe!! It’s honestly like if the Los Angeles Lakers went to play in the NBA and actually won the championship! I guess sports have been more about business than actual playing for a long time now, but this kind of blatant rigging of an entire World Cup is just... I've never seen anything like it. Maybe the Qatari people just bought everything in sight—the refs, the delegates, even players from every single team they faced! Probably tossed a few hundred thousand bucks at everyone and now everybody’s supposedly happy. I mean, I guess making it out of the group stage was expected, since I remember how much the officials helped Mexico and Canada when they were hosting back in the day. But for them to hit the quarterfinals and semifinals? That's just straight-up criminal. I hear the Poles are complaining now, but who knows, maybe they got paid off too. I always watch the finals, but I think I'm skipping this one. Honestly, I'm just totally disgusted.

They aren't even pushing Qatar half as hard as they pushed Mexico or Tunis when those guys were the hosts.

Joshua Gomez54 said:They aren't pushing the Qatari side nearly as hard as they did the Mexicans or Tunisians when those guys hosted.

That’s exactly what I was picking up on, too. Honestly, I can't say for sure what would've happened if we'd seen some nail-biting finishes in the knockout stages—things might have looked different then. But based on yesterday? It didn't feel like Qatar was getting any more special treatment than the hosts do during a standard European handball match.

Joshua Gomez54 said:They aren't pushing Qatar nearly as hard as they pushed Mexico or Tunis back when those places hosted...

It is entirely plausible that there is less pressure being applied because there simply isn't a need for it, assuming the entire World Cup has been pre-arranged through player bribery... and honestly, if you ask someone like Oliver, the amount of money Qatar spent would seem like mere pocket change to them... Furthermore, the Qatari people could have easily recouped those funds through betting since the results were already known in advance... It seems to be a situation where everyone wins and profits, leaving only the small-time bettors at the tables to suffer the losses...

Adam King6 said:Alright, maybe you went a little overboard there. To be honest, this whole tournament reminds me of a line from one of those old, gritty poems by the Satan of the Pannonian about a handball court being nothing but chaos... but to actually suggest that the Americans sold out the semifinals...
I don't even want to contemplate what kind of madness we might witness at the World Cup in Qatar in a few years... or perhaps sooner, at any championship, in any sport, anywhere in the world...

Why wouldn't the Americans sell out if it meant making ten times more than they would have just by winning?
Most of us—the vast majority of passive spectators and fans—view sports as a pure game, a competition where victory represents success and brings pride to all our clubs and national teams... However, when it comes to defining the number of elite athletes out there, I know personally that many of them care, if not exclusively, about money above all else... Money is a devilish thing, and greed remains one of the most fundamental human traits... It is difficult to resist when you are presented with an opportunity to earn enough for a lifetime so effortlessly... In fact, I suspect almost everyone would take the money, and those who refuse the bribe aren't necessarily acting out of honor or morality, but rather because they are simply afraid of getting caught...

Kyle Morris7 said:What an absolute farce. Qatar making it to the handball World Cup final when they are technically ten to fifteen goals weaker than any European squad? It is akin to the Los Angeles Lakers entering the NBA and walking away as champions. Sports have long since transitioned from games to businesses, but this level of blatant manipulation on a global stage is unprecedented. One can only assume the Qataris simply bought everything in sight—the referees, the delegates, even the players of their opponents. A few hundred thousand dollars here and there, and everyone is satisfied. I suppose advancing from the group stage was expected, much like how officials seemed to favor certain teams during home games in places like Mexico or Canada. But for Qatar to reach the quarterfinals and semifinals is criminal. The Poles are complaining now, though one could easily argue they were bribed as well. I usually enjoy watching the finals, but this is the first time I shall decline; quite frankly, it is nauseating.

🤦
Of all the nonsense posted during this handball championship, this takes the prize.

Honestly, this whole tournament was a total circus even before the opening whistle blew! I mean, seriously, how do you kick Australia out and just slide Germany right in, and then follow that up by swapping out an Asian squad for Iceland? It’s absolute madness! Given all that chaos, the results coming out of Qatar actually seem totally legitimate and clean to me. If the governing bodies are going to allow players to jump between national teams like they're trading cards, then why shouldn't the outcome be taken at face value?!

Good grief, what kind of absolute nonsense are you people spewing? Honestly, my goodness, 🤦 🤦

It wouldn't matter if the Qataris bought the entire handball world. It’s all just a bunch of nobodies and half-baked players, besides Saric. Now they're acting like they actually bought something 🤣

@Kyle Morris7
You're the perfect example of someone stuck in a narrow mindset. They basically bribed everyone 🤣

Sent from beyond the hills

The betting houses must be rigged or something, I mean, how do you somehow manage to lose against both Germany and Poland? It’s gotta be shady somewhere.

And the Canadian team just completely fell apart once they ran into some tougher competition, trailing 28-24, while Uwe absolutely demolished them with 12 goals.☕