Handball World Cup: USA vs. Norway - Final Score 25:28

Wait, did I just stumble onto a thread where someone is actually claiming the refs screwed us over?? Is that even possible? What are they thinking?! They're seriously arguing about a non-existent seven-yard penalty at the end of the game... that's just wild.

Thomas Harris97 said:We'll make it to the finals eventually; the only question is which year.

It's like when the Virgin Mary tells Granny that wings and pivots actually exist.

feralnomad5 said:Ned, I just stumbled upon a thread where someone is actually accusing the refs of screwing us over!!??? Is that even possible? What are they thinking?! They're calling a penalty that didn't even happen at the end of the game, and people are actually debating it... it's just wild!!!

Just read a few of the posts above
It counts as a penalty because they prevented a certain goal in the final minute

Edward Allen36 said:What's happening in handball? I have absolutely no clue, despite following more than one major tournament.

The reality is that if a player dares to miss even three minor games, he is immediately deemed too exhausted and kicked off the national team. This happens because there is a new clique in Washington, D.C., that needs to be fed through various loopholes just so the club can function and certain people can line their pockets. We swap players out and attempt to "rebuild" during every other competition. Naturally, we constantly delay the actual tournaments that should be our priority for assembling the squad. We have finally reached a point where constant rebuilding has depleted our quality, making this semifinal an unexpected success. It was frankly pathetic to watch us get slapped around by French and Danish veterans who weren't considered too old for them, while here, Gobac pushed aside anyone who dared to interfere with him simply because he was taking a spot away from some talented kid from his club.

feralnomad5 said:Ned—I just stumbled onto a thread where someone’s actually blaming the refs for screwing us over!!??? Is that even possible? What is wrong with people?! They call a non-existent penalty at the end of the game and now some idiot is out here trying to claim we were cheated... absolutely insane!!!

Look, half the guys online have been listing officiating errors the entire game. They screwed both sides today. The refs were clearly feeling "inspired" with those calls... what a joke. 😬

copperharbor59 said:When the Virgin Mary tells Granny that wings and pivots actually exist.

I honestly think Stephens is the main reason we don't have a right wing. He had at least five or six clear chances to feed a clean pass out to the wing, but instead, he chose to either draw an offensive foul, crash into the defenders to hunt for a penalty, or just dump the ball back to Dusty.

The guy just doesn't look for the right wing...

Kyle Campbell4 said:What did he get wrong?
I honestly don't get how they blew it. Charles said we were headed straight to the finals. Hey, Leo, why'd you lie to us? Just tell us the truth, Leo.

That's just how things work in America, I guess. You can't even express an opinion without being called unpatriotic. Like my professor used to say, the ultimate way to show you love your country is to point out the problems so they can actually be fixed, instead of just burying your head in the sand.

Andrew Hayes6 said:If you think it's totally fine to hate on our own national team and root against them just because of one or two people, then good for you, I guess.
Leo would have been right if Horvat had scored,😉 but then you wouldn't have had anything to gloat about, would you?

It's pretty obvious you aren't really following the sports side of this forum.

feralnomad5 said:Ned, I just stumbled upon a post where someone is claiming the refs screwed us over!!??? Is that even possible? What are they thinking?! Someone is actually calling out a penalty that didn't even exist at the end of the game... that's wild!!!

The officiating was just terrible. They messed up for both sides, so I guess it ended up being somewhat even in the end.

Thomas Brown25 said:Stephens is going to drop 9 goals tomorrow

At least three of our guys are sidelined by injuries tomorrow. We're looking at Dusty, Sheba, and... well, someone else will have to step up.

If we were actually playing in the finals, I'm sure everyone would magically be healthy.

Both right wings lost them, both of them. But looking at the big picture, this whole tournament has been an offensive disaster. It’s basically what happens when you combine Dusty’s exhaustion, a mix of inexperienced kids, a few mediocre players, and that typical American mentality. We had two amazing years with one incredible generation about 13 or 14 years ago, and ever since then, people have been obsessed with nothing but finals and gold medals. Realistically, we’ve never actually been at the absolute summit of handball, unlike the Americans over the last few years. Even with this tournament—where we showed up with a mountain of injuries and a roster of rookies when everyone expected us to just scrape a quarterfinal—we somehow fought through overtime all the way to the final. Yet, despite that miracle, the Americans are already talking about winning gold. That’s why we have such choker tendencies, why we miss those 7-meter shots in the dying seconds, and why our national sports scene is generally a mess. Every tiny bit of success gets blown out of proportion by the media and "experts" who try to claim we're the greatest ever. To truly reach the top, we've been missing a world-class goalkeeper for a long time—something every elite team has. We also lack those tough outside shooters with the guts and the brains to step up when it counts (kudos to Mamic, but you can't pull a kid out twice in a row to save him), and we need a top-tier coach. And honestly, Babic isn't nearly as bad as people make him out to be; he's just a quiet, traditional guy who doesn't know how to give a post-game analysis without making those statements that get him mocked. He's far from being a coach capable of leading a championship squad, but he's not a total amateur either.

It's a shame Jotic didn't get a shot. As for Cindric... man, even without him, the offense was uninspired, so having him probably wouldn't have changed much. I also feel bad that nobody else had the stones to take that blame penalty. But whatever, if he had made it, it would have been a different story, though I don't really think it was anyone's specific fault.

All in all, I’m honestly surprised by what we achieved given everything. Mamic proved he’s got a strong head on his shoulders and will eventually develop more players. If young Pavlovic can stay injury-free for a year, we’ll have plenty of young talent coming up. We just need to fix these two or three crisis positions and build on this; maybe we'll see another gold medal in the next five years.

As for the tournament itself, it was a bit of a nightmare to watch. Those fast goals straight from the center after a defensive stop, playing without a goalie, plus the usual "whatever the ref feels like" officiating made it hard to sit through. The game is basically devolving into fast breaks and semi-fast breaks; trying to run any kind of structured play is just stupid because you waste too much energy. I don't know, I found it pretty bad, even though I usually prefer a solid defense. But hell, how can you have a good defense if you don't have seven sprinters on the court?

Walter Hughes53 said:Honestly, I’m just hoping our guys pull themselves together by tomorrow—which is less than 24 hours before kickoff—but maybe the real issue here is just that you all have an inferiority complex whenever we face the big teams.

Yeah, that’s definitely true. I’m at least hoping for a game similar to the one we saw today... so if America pulls off the win, it’ll be more than deserved, especially considering they had one less day of rest. 🙂

What kind of luck are we dealing with here? At this rate, the Americans will snatch the bronze right out from under us and head back home singing some anthem—but instead of a sea shanty, they’ll be beltin' out "Dreaming of the Far Coast."

New thriller dropping tomorrow? 😬

Honestly, they need to settle this in the 60s—though god knows how our guys are holding up. They really left it all out there today, though...

Kyle Campbell4 said:It’s basically a situation where if a player doesn't fall in line with the three big banks, they're suddenly considered "washed up" and kicked off the national team. Why? Because there's a new clique in Washington, D.C., that needs to be fed through transfer fees just to keep certain clubs running—and maybe line a few pockets along the way! It feels like we swap players out or try to "rebuild" every other competition. We constantly delay the actual tournaments that are specifically designed for the squad we actually spent time building. And now, because we've exhausted our talent pool with all this constant rebuilding, even making it to this semifinal feels like a fluke! It was honestly painful to watch us get tossed around by those Danish veterans who aren't considered "too old" over there, while back home, Gobac was busy pushing aside anyone who dared to step on his toes just to make room for some kid from his own club.

Well, you aren't wrong. Gobic, Mamic, Suker, the Democrats, the Republicans—it’s all the same nonsense. They've centralized and privatized the whole handball scene; there's really no point in explaining it any further.

But none of that changes the fact that these guys playing right now are doing everything perfectly. Take Dusty, for example—he'll die for every single ball, and the rest of them follow suit. On top of that, they’re incredibly humble, down-to-earth, and truly respect the support they get from fans. Not to mention the fact that not one of them is holding a bag for the mob while laundering money, unlike that absolute trash, that turncoat witness and his cronies. You probably even remember when Dusty was stuck on the bench in Washington, D.C., simply because he stood up to Gobac and signed a pre-contract with HSV without blinking an eye. He refuses to be anyone's personal ATM, and honestly, I have nothing but respect for him for that.

And let's be real here: I completely understand everyone who has become totally disgusted with this "national team." I’m right there with you. Even though I truly wanted them to win and gave them my full support, I feel deep down that this isn't the kind of fiery, passionate cheering that a team deserves. But hey, what can you do?

The real issue with this squad isn't the guards or the wings, it's more about how the coach stays totally disconnected from anything outside the game itself.
I mean, we should’ve probably worked something out with some local Texas ranchers to have them ship in some prime pork before the tip-off so the guys are actually ready for battle, and then maybe some lamb for a victory reward afterward. I mean, what's the worst that could happen, right?
Imagine if Texas BBQ became the official sponsor for our national team—we'd be talking big business here! At least the boys would be well-fed during the season, and hey, it might even give the local economy a little boost. We'd go from basic cabbage to high-end cowboy lamb pretty quick.

The Canadians will probably just run right over us tomorrow, and I honestly don't know if we'll even have the strength to get back up by then.
If I could get a word in with the guys in charge, I’d tell them that calling it "bad luck" is really just a convenient excuse for failing.
Look, nobody is saying the guys didn't pour their hearts and souls into this or give it everything they had, but I guess that absolute maximum just wasn't enough against an opponent like this. It isn't "luck" that Pesic had to make ten saves, just like it isn't "luck" that their keeper had to pull off those miracle stops against Musi and Horvat.
We can try to convince ourselves it was just misfortune, but in other parts of the world, people call that thing "quality"—or rather, the total lack of it.
When things got critical, they actually had it, even if it was just a matter of mental toughness, whereas we just didn't.
They’re headed to the finals while we’re stuck fighting for bronze, and honestly, the refs or the red cards... none of that had anything to do with our loss today; it was strictly down to our own limitations.
It’s pretty simple, really—we just lost to a better team.

Nicholas Ward59 said:Both right wings lost it. But looking at the big picture, this whole tournament has been an offensive disaster. It’s a direct result of a worn-out Dusty, a mix of youth and inexperience, some mediocre players, and just that typical American mentality. We had two incredible years with a great generation about 13 or 14 years ago, and ever since then, everyone just expects a final or gold. Realistically, we’ve never actually been at the absolute summit of handball like the French have been over the last few years. Even with this tournament—where we showed up with horrific injuries and a mix of rookies and vets, and where a quarterfinal was the actual expectation—we somehow miraculously fought through overtime for a freaking final. Yet, even against the Spaniards, people are already demanding gold. That’s why we have kids choking on the team, why our shooters miss in the final seconds, and why our national sports scene is basically a mess. Every tiny bit of success gets hyped up by the media and "experts" who act like we’re suddenly the greatest of all time. To reach the top, we've lacked a world-class goalie for a long time—something every elite team has. We need some backcourt players with actual guts and brains who can step up when it counts (kudos to Mamic, but you can't pull a kid out for two games straight), and we need a top-tier coach. And honestly, Babic isn't nearly as bad as he’s portrayed; he isn't some dim-witted guy who can't analyze a game without making those statements people mock him for. He’s far from a championship-caliber coach, but he’s not a total amateur either.

It’s a shame Jotic didn't get a chance. Cindric... man, even with him, the attack was lifeless, and it was even worse without him. And I feel bad that nobody else had the stones to take that blame penalty. But whatever, if he had made it, it would be a different story, though it wasn't really anyone's fault.

All in all, this achievement is honestly a surprise given everything. Mamic proved he's got a strong head on his shoulders and will keep producing players. If little Pavlovic can stay injury-free for a year, we’ll have more young talent coming up. We need to fix these two or three crisis positions and build on them; maybe we'll see another gold in the next five years.

As for the tournament itself, it was a bit of a nightmare. Those fast goals from center court or defense, playing without a goalie, plus the usual "whatever the ref feels like" officiating... it was barely watchable. The sport is basically turning into fast breaks and semi-fast breaks. Trying to run any meaningful plays is stupid because you just waste energy. I don't know, I personally prefer good defense, but what good is a defense if you don't have seven sprinters on the roster?

True, except the tournament is being held here in two years. They've been hyping it up for four years now, and the pressure is going to be insane. Everyone will expect, demand, and whine about winning gold at home—let's not kid ourselves. I'm worried we might face a total psychological breakdown next year.

Germany ended up being the same story.

To everyone criticizing John Doe: take a moment to observe how the game falls apart when he’s stuck on the bench. It lacks any sense of direction. And of course, we "choke" during the most critical moments because he’s our playmaker and best asset—it shouldn't be rocket science to protect him and minimize his contact. Half of those thirteen shots were taken while being fouled or playing through two defenders. Very few players today possess such vision, much less the ability to impact the game on both ends of the court, as
already noted.
I’ve finally realized who this national team reminds me of: Russia. Twelve years ago, we played a fluid style of handball, much like the Americans do today. Now, we’ve regressed into relying on a tall, sluggish backline (does anyone else remember Ivanov, Tucker, and Koksov?) and one of the slowest transition games in the league—how many fast centers have we actually seen lately?

Sam Thomas3 said:It’s all accurate. Whether it's Gobić, Mamić, Šuker, or the major political parties, it's all the same mess. They centralized and privatized handball; there is honestly no point in explaining it any further.

However, that doesn't change the fact that these players on the court are doing everything right. Take John Doe, for example—he fights for every single ball, and the rest of the guys follow suit. On top of that, they are incredibly humble and truly respect the support they receive. Not to mention that none of them are acting as a piggy bank for the mafia while money is being laundered, unlike that piece of trash, that sniveling informant and his cronies. You probably even remember that John Doe spent some time on the bench in Washington, D.C., simply because he stood up to Gobac and signed a preliminary contract with Hamburger SV without blinking an eye. He refuses to be anyone's ATM, and I truly tip my hat to him for that integrity.

And let's be clear: I completely understand everyone who has grown sick of this "national team." I'm the first to admit it; even though I truly wanted them to win this and supported them, I feel deep down that this isn't the kind of passionate cheering it ought to be, but that's just how it is.

They all give their lives on the court. I have immense respect for their sacrifice, but it's all for nothing if they consistently lose games like this. Let's not kid ourselves: while our individual talent puts us at the absolute top—two steps above Norway—we are lagging far behind in terms of depth on the bench.
Babić hasn't done anything to turn these players into winners, and it is high time he goes to light a candle in Medjugorje and exits the national team for good.
He plays with two pivots and seven players, yet the team can't manage to set up a single block against shots during the entire tournament? What on earth is the purpose of having two pivots on the line then? Come on, Babić, just pack it up and head back to Belarus already.

Kyle Campbell4 said:It happens—a player isn't allowed to breathe without being labeled "washed up" and kicked off the national team—simply because there’s a new clique in Washington, D.C. that needs to be fed through transfer fees just to keep some club afloat and line a few pockets. We swap players out and "rebuild" every other tournament. Of course, we constantly delay the actual competitions designed for squad cohesion. Now, we’ve reached a point where constant rebuilding has bled us dry of quality, making this semifinal feel like an unexpected fluke. It was almost comical watching us get tossed around by French and Danish veterans who weren't considered "too old" by their own standards, while here, Gobac pushed aside anyone who dared challenge him just to protect a spot for some talented kid from his club.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2017_W...squads#USA

I have no idea who on this list shouldn't have made the cut.

A few people are injured, which is why they aren't here—as far as I know. Why must everyone push these conspiracy theories everywhere?
I was actually looking for a reason to defend Gobac, but—and that is a significant "but"—nothing about this smells fishy to me.

Are Doug, Balić, or Horvat supposed to be some kind of mobsters? I truly don't follow.

My friend, if you follow this logic, Americans should just turn off the TV and stop following sports altogether—because, inevitably, you'll find some crook involved in everything.
Let's just enjoy ourselves; life is good, tomorrow is a sunny day, and it shouldn't be wasted worrying over whether Gobac picked this guy or that guy.
I couldn't care less about Gobac, Mamić, or that entire crowd.

Is Balić his puppet now? Or did Horvat miss a penalty just so they'd have an excuse to overhaul the roster again? Is that really how this works?