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Home › Sports › Other Sports › Handball World Cup: USA vs. Poland (28-24)

Handball World Cup: USA vs. Poland (28-24)

Started by George Robinson43 · · 👁 11 views · 173 replies

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Participants George Robinson43Betty Wilson4Ashley Johnson6shadowdriver38nimblesurfer17Arthur Martinez7shadowgardener10Larry Brown10Adam Williams2Carl Barrett11Nicole Bailey6Sandra Johnson58Grace Adams32Gregory WardAnthony Ward6Rachel Lee4Andrew Gonzalez71Samuel Walker7Amy Hughes2Matthew Turner5Dana Flores3coppernomad2Adam Collins4frozentiger6 …
dustypanther6 dustypanther6 Member
18 messages
joined Jul 2012
#121 ·
Lisa Miller7;31346590 said:
dustypanther6 said:Vori is easily a top 5 pivot of the decade, Džomba is top 3 at right wing, Ivica Balić is top 3 at center, and Dominiković and Špoljarić are top 5 defenders. I’m not going to rank them specifically because everyone has their own preferences. Plus, if we actually had a decent goalie, we would have been unstoppable.

Regarding the "decade" thing, I could actually go along with most of that... honestly, I'd put Vori in his top 3 pivots... alongside B. Gill and Roland Urios..
Though you've also got Knudsen, Schwarzer, and then Jurecki who came out of nowhere later, or maybe Evdokimov if Semvec is right..
And for me, Metličić is a locked-in top 5 of the decade, no question about it..

But this talk about being the absolute best in every single position? It just irritates me, all that blah blah blah..

For defense—you've got B. Gill, Dinart, Jorgensen, Johnny Jensen.. there are plenty of others who were true defensive specialists.. I'll leave that open so everyone can rank them based on their own ceiling, I'm not going to argue with anyone.

Let's be real: Schwarzer is convincingly the best pivot of the decade.
Jonathan Cox4 Jonathan Cox4 Member
22 messages
joined Apr 2008
#122 ·
Sean Gonzalez95 said:He isn't spoiled just because he's difficult. He's more like me when I first wake up—just needs to stretch out. He'll jog through warmups in unlaced sneakers and act like his entire world is falling apart, but once the whistle blows, he isn't lazy or entitled at all.
The fact that he isn't a hard worker like Dražen is a completely different conversation.

Look, I heard this a long time ago from someone who was close to the American national handball scene back then. They said the guy just wouldn't train; the whole team would be running laps around Jarun, and he’d just tell the coach, "I don't feel like doing this anymore." That was the moment I lost respect for him. It wasn't about his skill level; I look at this from a purely athletic perspective.
I heard similar stories about Hrvoje Calu, though he never actually had the talent to make anything of it anyway.
Larry Brown10 Larry Brown10 Member
14 messages
joined Nov 2012
#123 ·
(image) Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/IMG]

Do you guys actually remember that old saying? "Ha ha."

(image) Uploaded with ImageShack.us[/IMG]

Was that really how Goluža deserved to be embraced?
Peter Barrett Peter Barrett Newcomer
1 message
joined Jan 2011
#124 ·
frozenharbor20 said:Why would Ivica Balić push Goluža if he was actually mad at the referees🙂?
The math just isn't adding up...
Feels like more spin from Gobac and Goluža to me.

Blame the refs for everything, right?
😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

It’s not about the shove. It’s about that look he gave him afterward—like he wanted to tear him apart.
Doesn't seem to have anything to do with the refs. I don't buy it.
Larry Brown10 Larry Brown10 Member
14 messages
joined Nov 2012
#125 ·
Something definitely went down after that game against the Swedes... it’s obvious. Now we're just waiting on some official statement or a formal update so we can actually get some clarity on what happened.
Morgan Rodriguez57 Morgan Rodriguez57 Active Member
216 messages
joined Oct 2011
#126 ·
Samuel Bennett60 said:Are you actually watching the games, or just getting all your info from those Jergović essays?

I used to watch every single game—getting all worked up and stressed out before this whole "just show up" era of the national team... but honestly, I can watch today's squad like I'm in total Nirvana, mostly because I already know exactly how things are going to play out...
coppernomad2 coppernomad2 Member
10 messages
joined Jan 2011
#127 ·
Lisa Ward52 said:Honestly, I heard this story ages ago from someone who was involved with the American handball scene back then. Apparently, he just didn't feel like practicing anymore; the whole squad would be out running drills at a local park, and he'd just tell the coach, "I'm really not feeling it today," or something along those lines. It really changed my perspective on him, though maybe not because of his style—I guess I just look at things through the lens of a true athlete.
I heard similar stories about some other guys too, but they didn't quite have the raw talent to make it big.

As long as he keeps playing like this, even during a tournament like the FIBA World Cup - USA vs Poland 82:75, I guess he shouldn't bother training at all. It’s not really his fault that he’s incredibly gifted. Personally, as an athlete, my favorite lazy genius was probably Marat Safin; even though he had those outbursts and temper tantrums, he was such a massive talent. He might smash rackets or swear, but somehow, he remained one of the most beloved players for both the athletes and the fans.

Some people might have lost respect for Ivano Balić, but I suppose we’ll see how everyone feels once he finally retires.😉

Someone mentioned him and another guy potentially taking coaching roles for the national team. That would actually be wonderful, I think. We might end up being more like the Danish teams, perhaps with fewer "superstar" names but a much more cohesive, well-integrated system.
Tyler Vaughn7 Tyler Vaughn7 Active Member
59 messages
joined Feb 2023
#128 ·
Jonathan Reed4 said:

I mean, even the tracksuit and sneakers don't exactly scream "athlete" on him.🤣
Adam Collins4 Adam Collins4 Regular
502 messages
joined Apr 2013
#129 ·
Sandra Wilson38 said:I have my doubts. He’s so comfortable and lazy that I honestly think he’s just counting down the days until retirement—literally. He'll be waiting for everyone else to do the heavy lifting while he finally catches up on his sleep.😁
It’s actually impressive how much that guy can sleep. 🙏

Look, the Ivano Balić academy has been around for a few years now...

I don't know their specific stats, but I've been following them for years at the US Open for youth handball...

And frankly, they haven't really blown me away—not because of those two guys we were talking about, but because of the coaching staff running the show there...
goldentiger10 goldentiger10 Newcomer
1 message
joined Dec 2010
#130 ·
says:
I don't get people hyping up Ivano Balić and Čavar...

Balić is just a spoiled prima donna who can't play well with others. Every coach has to jump through hoops just to keep him in line, and honestly, very few have the guts to actually pull it off...

...

If you know anything at all about actual talent—whether it's musicians, writers, painters, singers, or athletes—have you ever met someone truly gifted who actually fit into a neat little box or acted "normal" by your standards??? 🤷

Thank God we have these eccentric, wild personalities to spice things up. Without them, life would be incredibly dull and basic, and we wouldn't have people losing their minds, cheering, or writing trash and praise online!
I'm glad they beat Poland (otherwise they'd be getting roasted) and proved that the game against Sweden was just a fluke.
At least that's how it looked to me.
If only they’d played like that against Sweden, but there's no point dwelling on "what ifs" now.
goldentiger10 goldentiger10 Newcomer
1 message
joined Dec 2010
#131 ·
Jonathan Reed4 said:

🤣🤣🤣
everything just went south on me...
Jonathan Reed4 Jonathan Reed4 Active Member
53 messages
joined Jan 2004
#132 ·
Adam Collins4 said:The Ivano Balić Academy has actually been around for a few years now...

I don't know their specific stats, but I've been following them for years at the US Open for youth handball...

They haven't really blown me away, and that’s not about the two guys mentioned earlier—it’s more about the coaches running the show there...

Look, I know it exists. But how many actual hours are Ivano Balić and his partner putting in at that academy?

That’s why I said other people will end up doing the heavy lifting for him.
Adam Collins4 Adam Collins4 Regular
502 messages
joined Apr 2013
#133 ·
Sandra Wilson38 said:Look, I know it exists. Just think about how many actual coaching hours Ivano Balić and his partner put in at that academy of theirs.

That’s exactly why I pointed out that they’ll probably just have other coaches doing the heavy lifting for Ivano Balić.

They do work with them during the summer—mostly the older kids, maybe 15 or 16 year olds—but the main guy handles way more of that...

But hey, what do I know? I don't really follow their results that closely...
Larry Brown10 Larry Brown10 Member
14 messages
joined Nov 2012
#134 ·
T@nja said:

A weak body leads to a weak mind.
Richard Wilson4 Richard Wilson4 Veteran
2K messages
joined Sep 2009
#135 ·
Look, you can still theoretically swap out Markovich if you really wanted to, and Mamić is probably a tougher nut to crack, but as for Gopac? There's zero chance he's going anywhere until he's in the ground—and honestly, maybe even then too.
Anthony Ward6 Anthony Ward6 Active Member
60 messages
joined May 2018
#136 ·
Lisa Ward52 said:Look, I heard this ages ago from someone who was close to the American handball scene back then. Apparently, he just didn't feel like training anymore. He’d have the whole squad running drills around Jarun, and he’d just tell the coach, "I'm not really feeling it today," or something along those lines. That was when he lost all credibility for me. It wasn't because of his personality, though... it was more about watching him as an athlete compared to other athletes.
I heard similar things about Hrvoje Calu, but honestly, he never had the kind of talent required to actually make it big.


The main takeaway from your entire post is the phrase "I heard."
And comparing Cala to Balić... goodness, lady.🤣

Usually, you lose respect for an athlete because of how they play, not because of some hearsay you picked up regarding their training habits.
Larry Brown10 Larry Brown10 Member
14 messages
joined Nov 2012
#137 ·
Gobac recently weighed in on the whole Balić situation, and honestly, his take is exactly what you’d expect from someone who’s seen this movie a dozen times before. He isn't pulling any punches regarding how we view the legends of the past versus the reality of the current landscape. The core of his argument is pretty straightforward: there’s a tendency to wrap these players in a layer of myth that doesn't actually exist once you strip away the nostalgia. It’s easy to look back at the glory days and act like everything was perfect, but the truth is usually much more complicated and far less polished. He’s essentially calling out the sentimentality that tends to cloud our judgment when we discuss icons like Balić. It’s a cynical perspective, sure, but it’s grounded in a certain level of realism that most fans tend to ignore. We want the fairy tale, but Gobac is here to remind us that even the greatest athletes deal with the same messy, unglamorous realities as everyone else. It’s a measured critique of how we build idols only to eventually struggle when they inevitably face the friction of real life.

And now someone actually has the nerve to claim that Balić is neurotic.
I have to admit, he still possesses some serious nerves of steel, especially whenever that guy is lurking around.
Anthony Ward6 Anthony Ward6 Active Member
60 messages
joined May 2018
#138 ·
Kimberly Smith69 said:Now when people claim Balić is neurotic,
I suppose I have to admit he still seems to have steady nerves whenever that guy is around...

But what do you actually know? You're probably just intoxicated by his charm. 😁 😁 😁
Larry Brown10 Larry Brown10 Member
14 messages
joined Nov 2012
#139 ·
Susan Ward23 said:What do you know about it? You're just blinded by his charm.😁😁😁

Of course...😍😍
it goes all the way back to our preschool days.😍😍😍
Dennis Doyle3 Dennis Doyle3 Active Member
72 messages
joined Aug 2008
#140 ·
Anthony Ward6 said:Honestly, it’s kind of hilarious. You’re acting like this is some massive deal now, but nobody breathed a word about it back when Balić was basically carrying the entire team on his back during certain games..

Which games exactly?

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