Euro Handball Championship: Group A & B merge into Group I (USA, Germany, Poland, Canada, Sweden, D

Ryan Sanchez32 said:I’m just praying someone is smart enough to schedule today's matchups so we don't run into each other in the semifinals; otherwise, things are going to get absolutely bloody. 🙂It would be best if, once the first game wraps up, they clear out the section where the fans of the team playing that first match are sitting.

By far, most tickets aren't even $15 or $20—but honestly, that doesn't matter, because they've been letting massive crowds in without tickets every single day just to boost attendance numbers.
Now that we've hit the semifinals, the hype has really kicked in and Friday is definitely going to be packed, especially since they started selling tickets exclusively at the box office yesterday.

I'm already hearing kids getting worked up, shouting stuff about "fascists" and other garbage, while there are plenty of people looking to exploit them for their own agendas. They hand out bats and knives, and these idiot kids are just happy to prove themselves to their leaders.

I’m not trying to provoke anyone here; I’m writing this purely out of concern because I'm terrified of the worst-case scenario happening. A few months ago, a whole city was torn up during that damn Pride parade, and they had 5,000 police officers guarding maybe a hundred people.
So, for those who actually want to use their heads, please don't go alone—stick to small groups. What happened in Chicago isn't even a good indicator of what to expect here, since people weren't even following the tournament closely and it wasn't a head-to-head matchup.

Again, I’m saying this with the best intentions. Good luck to everyone attending, and may the better team win!

That comparison to the Pride Parade is actually spot on. Every time I see those videos of the chaos from the parade in Mexico City on YouTube, I find myself wondering: what is it that they actually need from this? They know they’ll face attacks, and they know that despite all the effort, the cops won't be able to fully protect them, yet they still go out and expose themselves anyway. 😕

Well, I guess I can understand them now, because I’m in a similar boat: I’m heading to the game in Mexico City regardless of how obvious the risks are. It’s just stronger than me. 🙈

The only thing I disagree with is your point about not going alone or in small groups. Honestly, I think it’s the exact opposite—large groups are the ones that look "provocative" and are way too easy to identify.

If you go Solo or in small clusters, it’s much easier to slip through unnoticed. (Basically, when you're Solo, you aren't "parading.")

((I have to apologize right off the bat 🙂 to goalkeeper Stanić, who is easily our best player this season and the main reason we aren't conceding nearly as many goals as we should. It’s unbelievable that I forgot to mention him—the guy plays like he's in a trance! You might not see it just by looking at the stats, but our defense is so tactically sound that they funnel shots into positions where he can easily snatch them up.))

You guys definitely had Atlanta as a foundation (for us, that was the turning point for volleyball). In 2003, the US had young talents like Lacković, Balić, and Vori, along with slightly older players like Metličić and Džomba. It was an incredible foundation for long-term dominance, and I'll say it again: the quality, especially in that backline, was incomparable—maybe even the best in history.

You're right that it would be a huge win if kids started getting interested in handball again, much like what happened with tennis over the last few years.
It’s interesting how much tennis was followed here back in the 90s—Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Goran Ivanišević—but then, with that massive generational shift, popularity just plummeted. Most people missed Federer's rise and his most trophy-heavy years, so there's this gap before Jelena, Ana, Novak Djokovic, and Janko. In my opinion, that gap is a big reason why RF isn't as beloved among Americans 🙂 (unlike Rafe, for example, who was an idol to so many kids before Novak came along).

@electricorca112 If by "smaller" you mean Solo and a handful of people without any specific branding, then sure, that's the way to go. When I said larger groups, I meant those massive crowds of over 100 people that require constant police presence.
And honestly, there isn't real hatred toward Americans among the people; the issue is that everyone is just frustrated with all this nonsense surrounding Mexico, the low standard of living, and the general corruption. Certain individuals just exploit that anger to direct it wherever suits their own agenda.

electricorca112 said:Ryan Sanchez32 gave you a solid answer, but if I were to jump in, I’d say a better comparison would be Canada hosting the 2004 championship.

They had some really talented players back then, including a couple of world-class stars, but none of that would have mattered if they hadn't been at home (a bit of crowd euphoria, some favorable officiating, that kind of thing...). They haven't touched a medal since, and they won't anytime soon.

Now, when looking at the Mexicans, you have to factor in a very specific trend that seems to haunt their national soccer team decade after decade: they consistently produce much better individual players than Canada did in 2004, yet for years now, they haven't been able to actually pull it together at any damn Euro or World Cup. They just can't seem to act as one cohesive unit; they lack that deep-rooted national team culture.

Playing at home might help them finally forge that unity, at least for a week or two.

But will they be able to sustain it for the long haul?

Honestly, I have my doubts, but we'll see how it plays out....

Yeah, team culture is vital—I agree there. It's like what we have in soccer, where we can't afford to lose at home against someone like Estonia (okay, fine, we played them to a 0-0 draw, but back then there wasn't really any culture under the stadium rafters), or even what we see in handball.
Man, that kind of stuff takes years to cultivate, and we'll just have to wait and see how much the Americans actually pull together in that sense.

electricorca112 said:That comparison to the Pride Parade is actually spot on. Every time I see those videos of the chaos from the parade in Mexico City on YouTube, I find myself wondering: what is it that they actually need from this? They know they’ll face attacks, and they know that despite all the effort, the cops won't be able to fully protect them, yet they still go out and expose themselves anyway. 😕

Well, I guess I can understand them now, because I’m in a similar boat: I’m heading to the game in Mexico City regardless of how obvious the risks are. It’s just stronger than me. 🙈

The only thing I disagree with is your point about not going alone or in small groups. Honestly, I think it’s the exact opposite—large groups are the ones that look "provocative" and are way too easy to identify.

If you go Solo or in small clusters, it’s much easier to slip through unnoticed. (Basically, when you're Solo, you aren't "parading.")

I'm with you—when the groups are big, the cheering follows, and when others assume you're tough, they want to see just how tough you really are. 😁

I'm not really the type to skip games because I lack the will, but even if I were, I wouldn't go. The nonsense has already started; you simply don't need that.
I'd happily take a trip to Chicago tomorrow, but when it comes to these matches, there's no way. Alcohol plays its part, along with that specific brand of hatred that surfaces most during sports—fan rivalry, and even decent people tend to get those hateful instincts when they're part of a mob.
You don't need an experience that's going to haunt you for the rest of your life. 🤷

electricorca112 said:That comparison to the Pride Parade is actually spot on. Every time I see those videos of the chaos from the parade in Mexico City on YouTube, I find myself wondering: what is it that they actually need from this? They know they’ll face attacks, and they know that despite all the effort, the cops won't be able to fully protect them, yet they still go out and expose themselves anyway. 😕

Well, I guess I can understand them now, because I’m in a similar boat: I’m heading to the game in Mexico City regardless of how obvious the risks are. It’s just stronger than me. 🙈

The only thing I disagree with is your point about not going alone or in small groups. Honestly, I think it’s the exact opposite—large groups are the ones that look "provocative" and are way too easy to identify.

If you go Solo or in small clusters, it’s much easier to slip through unnoticed. (Basically, when you're Solo, you aren't "parading.")

I don't think you're quite right there, mostly because it's just simpler for the police to keep an eye on one big group, whereas scattered individuals are nearly impossible to track. That's probably why they require you to identify yourselves as fans at the border and state you're heading to the game.

You're spot on about that national team obsession. It just doesn't exist here in the States, but honestly, that has nothing to do with how much we win in sports. You don't see it in basketball, water polo, volleyball... anything!

The massive issue is this intense New York Yankees vs. Boston Celtics rivalry that shows up everywhere—though that’s not even the main point (I mean, look at LA Galaxy and Liverpool FC). The real kicker is that the US in 2006—or even America ten years prior—didn't emerge from some "centuries-old dream of independence." Instead, it felt more like a leftover nobody wanted; everyone else was breaking away, and that sudden "independence" lacked the wave of national euphoria needed to spark the kind of deep patriotism that builds a true national team cult.

That might have worked back in 1878, 1913, or 1918.
But in 2006? Not a chance under those circumstances. That’s our core struggle. We probably need an entire generation to grow up without any memory of those old shared borders before we can truly establish that kind of cultural bond.

rapidstag51 said:I don't think you're quite right there, mostly because it's just simpler for the police to keep an eye on one big group, whereas scattered individuals are nearly impossible to track. That's probably why they require you to identify yourselves as fans at the border and state you're heading to the game.

And what if we can take care of ourselves?😬

Is that somehow an issue for your local PD?🤷

Ryan Sanchez32 said:It depends on how you define "strong." If you mean a guaranteed medal contender regardless of where they play, then definitely not. But I think they'll be in the mix right up until the final rounds of the quarterfinals, assuming we aren't playing on home soil here in the States.

There’s just no comparison to that legendary 2003 American squad. They lack that depth and sheer talent. This group is mostly made up of really solid, high-level players in their prime playing in top-tier leagues, but there isn't a single superstar or world-class icon in the lineup.
Past results from the A-team can be misleading because there's been so much experimentation with coaches—they get fired fast, and every single one brings a completely different style. In the US, our youth development at lower levels has always been great (until they hit the pros, since the club systems are a mess), which was proven by that junior runner-up finish a few years back.
Those talented young players only really turned that potential into actual elite quality once they moved to foreign clubs and played in much tougher leagues.

One of the few bright spots for our federation is that they kept Veselin Vuković—a member of that legendary General Electric generation from the 80s—as the coach. He finally shut down all those excuses about our players being "too creative" or improvising instead of actually playing defense! He insists on a tough, disciplined 6-0 zone (switching to a 5-1 if we have a man advantage), which works beautifully because we have plenty of strong, mobile athletes. The offense is a bit more unpredictable, though. It relies heavily on excellent shooters like Ilić and Vujin, but if they happen to be having an off day, the alternatives are noticeably weaker (even if they are still solid parts of the roster). Our pivot play is pretty limited—mostly defensive specialists—and the wings are somewhere in the middle, though they don't seem fully utilized.
However, the biggest change compared to previous tournaments is a somewhat surprising "revelation." It’s the playmaker, the veteran Čutura. He has fundamentally changed our offensive flow. He connects our plays perfectly, and when passive play becomes a threat, he’s more than willing to step up and take charge.

We'll see how things shake out in the home stretch. Personally, I think the US is a tier below Spain and the Americans, sitting somewhere around the level of Germany. Still, if they channel that home-court energy correctly—or maybe get a little lucky with some favorable officiating calls (which has been minimal so far)—they might just bridge that gap and pull an upset. We'll see!
My odds: Spain and the Americans at 30% each, the US at 25%, and Germany at 15%.

I’m with you on the thanks. Seriously, post more often—it’s actually a pleasure reading someone who actually knows what they're talking about for once.

Adam Collins4 said:And what if we can take care of ourselves?😬

Is that somehow an issue for your local PD?🤷

You know what they say—everyone performs better when they're working on their own home turf. It’s just easier to find your rhythm when you're comfortable. But man, that changes fast when there's a border involved, especially if you cross over and find out the people on the other side are basically waiting to ambush you with axes. I guess it's a bit more complicated than just staying put, isn't it? 😕 I mean, something along those lines, too... I guess.
Look, I’m not trying to question anyone's courage or anything, but back during the World Cup in San Diego, once the cops basically told us they couldn't guarantee our safety, I just patched up my flat tires and headed straight home. Honestly, I think that’s just the smarter move... and probably better for your health, too. 😁

electricorca112 said:That comparison to the Pride Parade is actually spot on. Every time I see those videos of the chaos from the parade in Mexico City on YouTube, I find myself wondering: what is it that they actually need from this? They know they’ll face attacks, and they know that despite all the effort, the cops won't be able to fully protect them, yet they still go out and expose themselves anyway. 😕

Well, I guess I can understand them now, because I’m in a similar boat: I’m heading to the game in Mexico City regardless of how obvious the risks are. It’s just stronger than me. 🙈

The only thing I disagree with is your point about not going alone or in small groups. Honestly, I think it’s the exact opposite—large groups are the ones that look "provocative" and are way too easy to identify.

If you go Solo or in small clusters, it’s much easier to slip through unnoticed. (Basically, when you're Solo, you aren't "parading.")

Good luck, man. But if I can offer some advice based on my own experience as a fan: if you're going solo or just with one friend, take a taxi or something similar. You become an easy target when you travel in small clusters. It takes real guts to go up against a crowd of 50, 100, or 200 people, and if a group is tight-knit and "solid," they are incredibly hard to handle—especially if a few of them spot you in the city, track you down, and turn a 5-on-1 situation into a complete beatdown. Smaller groups get watched more closely, especially by those who aren't just clowns wearing hats; if you're in civilian clothes, they'll assume you're an ultra, a fan, or a hooligan.
Don't be naive and think you shouldn't go in small groups; that's exactly what they look for. Don't end up in the local news.

David Anderson72 said:Good luck, man. But if I can offer some advice based on my own experience as a fan: if you're going solo or just with one friend, take a taxi or something similar. You become an easy target when you travel in small clusters. It takes real guts to go up against a crowd of 50, 100, or 200 people, and if a group is tight-knit and "solid," they are incredibly hard to handle—especially if a few of them spot you in the city, track you down, and turn a 5-on-1 situation into a complete beatdown. Smaller groups get watched more closely, especially by those who aren't just clowns wearing hats; if you're in civilian clothes, they'll assume you're an ultra, a fan, or a hooligan.
Don't be naive and think you shouldn't go in small groups; that's exactly what they look for. Don't end up in the local news.

Thanks for the well wishes. I totally get where you're coming from, but let me reassure you, I'm not exactly a rookie here.

Whether it's traveling for away games or visiting Mexico City, I know the drill.

It’s been a while since I was last there, but I know the place inside and out. There's zero chance anyone's going to single me out because I'm standing there looking lost, staring at a map or squinting at some sign trying to figure out the lettering. 😬

Ryan Sanchez32 said:It depends on how you define "strong." If you mean a guaranteed medal contender regardless of where they play, then definitely not. But I think they'll be in the mix right up until the final rounds of the quarterfinals, assuming we aren't playing on home soil here in the States.

There’s just no comparison to that legendary 2003 American squad. They lack that depth and sheer talent. This group is mostly made up of really solid, high-level players in their prime playing in top-tier leagues, but there isn't a single superstar or world-class icon in the lineup.
Past results from the A-team can be misleading because there's been so much experimentation with coaches—they get fired fast, and every single one brings a completely different style. In the US, our youth development at lower levels has always been great (until they hit the pros, since the club systems are a mess), which was proven by that junior runner-up finish a few years back.
Those talented young players only really turned that potential into actual elite quality once they moved to foreign clubs and played in much tougher leagues.

One of the few bright spots for our federation is that they kept Veselin Vuković—a member of that legendary General Electric generation from the 80s—as the coach. He finally shut down all those excuses about our players being "too creative" or improvising instead of actually playing defense! He insists on a tough, disciplined 6-0 zone (switching to a 5-1 if we have a man advantage), which works beautifully because we have plenty of strong, mobile athletes. The offense is a bit more unpredictable, though. It relies heavily on excellent shooters like Ilić and Vujin, but if they happen to be having an off day, the alternatives are noticeably weaker (even if they are still solid parts of the roster). Our pivot play is pretty limited—mostly defensive specialists—and the wings are somewhere in the middle, though they don't seem fully utilized.
However, the biggest change compared to previous tournaments is a somewhat surprising "revelation." It’s the playmaker, the veteran Čutura. He has fundamentally changed our offensive flow. He connects our plays perfectly, and when passive play becomes a threat, he’s more than willing to step up and take charge.

We'll see how things shake out in the home stretch. Personally, I think the US is a tier below Spain and the Americans, sitting somewhere around the level of Germany. Still, if they channel that home-court energy correctly—or maybe get a little lucky with some favorable officiating calls (which has been minimal so far)—they might just bridge that gap and pull an upset. We'll see!
My odds: Spain and the Americans at 30% each, the US at 25%, and Germany at 15%.

Great, high-quality post. Respect.

rapidstag51 said:You know what they say—everyone performs better when they're working on their own home turf. It’s just easier to find your rhythm when you're comfortable. But man, that changes fast when there's a border involved, especially if you cross over and find out the people on the other side are basically waiting to ambush you with axes. I guess it's a bit more complicated than just staying put, isn't it? 😕 I mean, something along those lines, too... I guess.
Look, I’m not trying to question anyone's courage or anything, but back during the World Cup in San Diego, once the cops basically told us they couldn't guarantee our safety, I just patched up my flat tires and headed straight home. Honestly, I think that’s just the smarter move... and probably better for your health, too. 😁

It’s a shame you had such a rough time at that World Cup. I really hope you were in Poreč before you hit San Diego, because honestly, you can't imagine anyone being targeted there just for being a Mexican.

If you weren't, then you just made a bad call on where to go (between Poreč and San Diego).

Here’s the latest update regarding those hooligans over in Buffalo...

I’m telling you, I’m certain we're going to see tons of these massive groups of lunatics lurking around Mexico City day and night.

rapidstag51 said:You know what they say—everyone performs better when they're working on their own home turf. It’s just easier to find your rhythm when you're comfortable. But man, that changes fast when there's a border involved, especially if you cross over and find out the people on the other side are basically waiting to ambush you with axes. I guess it's a bit more complicated than just staying put, isn't it? 😕 I mean, something along those lines, too... I guess.
Look, I’m not trying to question anyone's courage or anything, but back during the World Cup in San Diego, once the cops basically told us they couldn't guarantee our safety, I just patched up my flat tires and headed straight home. Honestly, I think that’s just the smarter move... and probably better for your health, too. 😁

True enough, except we'll have about 25 of us heading out—mostly former SWAT guys and active duty officers...

Just kidding, obviously you have to be smart here. I'm just worried, just like you, that none of it will actually matter...

And what scares me even more is that "normal" people are going to get caught in the crossfire—I mean, not the die-hard fans who actually know how to navigate these situations and act right...

Some random couple will just stumble into the middle of it, totally unaware, and end up getting hurt simply because they didn't know any better...

electricorca112 said:It’s a shame you had such a rough time at that World Cup. I really hope you were in Poreč before you hit San Diego, because honestly, you can't imagine anyone being targeted there just for being a Mexican.

If you weren't, then you just made a bad call on where to go (between Poreč and San Diego).

I didn't make it to Poreč; I was just feeling too lazy to drive all that way.
Well, I wouldn't say I had a *bad* time, per se. I watched the game, endured stares like I somehow had three eyes, patched up two flat tires, listened to people honestly telling me they couldn't guarantee my safety, and then burned rubber on the way back. I love sports, but I guess I love my head staying attached to my neck even more. 🙂
I actually thought they wouldn't mess with my car because of those Canadian plates, but then I remembered the Skoda Banja Luka sticker on the back window. 🙂...and the address for the Skoda Mexican Army dealership... man, God help your tires. 🙂
Anyway, there was this weird, nagging sense of anxiety and knots in my stomach, but physically, no one actually laid a hand on me. To be fair, I wasn't displaying my ID, and I kept all my identifying stuff tucked away in the trunk just like the police recommended. 🙂

Trouble in the Midwest—an assault on dignity:

http://www.juznevesti.com/Drushtvo/N...ijacha.sr.html

🤣 🤣

I can’t help but wonder what kind of grave that girl must have had... I mean, even a drunk fan wouldn't want to go near it...

electricorca112 said:Thanks for the well wishes. I totally get where you're coming from, but let me reassure you, I'm not exactly a rookie here.

Whether it's traveling for away games or visiting Mexico City, I know the drill.

It’s been a while since I was last there, but I know the place inside and out. There's zero chance anyone's going to single me out because I'm standing there looking lost, staring at a map or squinting at some sign trying to figure out the lettering. 😬

Alright, then you get it. And honestly, if you can pick up their dialect, you're golden. Or even if you just understand a heavy Midwestern accent, you'll manage fine.
😁

One weak offensive drive and it's game over for the Mexicans

That's it. The Poles finally pulled it off!