FIBA World Cup - USA vs Poland 75:70

...let's go for those square caterpillars😁 or maybe the fire caterpillars😁. It’s definitely achievable; even my famous brothers aren't exactly in peak physical condition🤷

LeBron James said:Look, since we’re officially out of the medal hunt for the first time after Germany 2007—and let's be real, one bad game killed us even though we were playing lights out—it’s high time I write a few lines and try to be as objective as possible here.

After everything that’s gone down, things are becoming painfully clear. It’s that old saying, "the fish stinks from the head down," and in this case, the "head" is that certain gentleman, Z. g. setting Goluža. By putting him in the coach's seat, he basically got a free pass to run the show however he wanted, and it all came to a head with the mess we saw during this tournament: pushing Kopljar into the lineup, leaving guys like Špoljarić, Somić, and Šunjić out, cutting back Ivan Balić’s minutes, and calling up Matulić (even though he isn't really part of the core plans).

What really hits Goluža where it hurts is his lack of knowledge and experience. Our defense was nowhere near where it needed to be, despite all the talk about building our entire game around a solid defense and quick transitions to score easy goals... and don't even get me started on the offense—not a single set play worked. That’s been an issue ever since Smajlagić left the coaching staff, and we only managed to scrape by because of the sheer brilliance of Ivan Balić and Domagoj Duvnjak being in peak form during the 2009 World Cup in America.
All of this resulted in us getting absolutely shredded by outside players against the Danes, and partially against the Swedes, specifically because our 6-0 defense was useless. Goluža just doesn't know how to teach a 3-2-1 defense, and frankly, we lacked the right personnel to pull it off anyway (like having Caleb and Metličić at the half positions back in the day).
On the offensive side, we struggled against every serious opponent, much like we used to struggle only against the absolute giants (the Frenchmen, the Danes, the Spaniards), and the reason is obvious—you could see it clearly last night.

Sadly, this whole management situation has dragged the former World and European runners-up down to the level of a team like Mexico. My biggest hope is that we won't have to wait another seven years to grab a medal (like we did between 1996 and 2003), but I'm convinced that as long as coaches are appointed based on who they please, we aren't going anywhere. Next in line is Neno Kljajić, who also isn't quite cut out for the big stage.

Once Balić moves on, this squad needs to be built moving forward, because we actually have players with the talent to lead. Right now, it's Duvnjak, then in a few years it'll be Huđ and Caleb. But they'll never be "the greatest of all time" on their own, so they need support from guys like ZovkaSerdarušić, Obrvan, or Perkovac... but then you run into the clash of egos and conflicting interests with the "big boss."

Honestly, I'm miserable—not because of the results, but because of the way they play, the backroom deals, and the way one person terrorizes everyone else!

Regardless of all that, I want the boys to win tomorrow and secure a spot in the Olympics. I can't bring myself to root against America (even if it means rooting against ZG), because there’s the American flag on the jersey, not some ZG logo, and we sing the anthem, not whatever song ZG prefers...

👍👍👍👍👍
Well written. If I can add anything, it's that Goluža planned to run a 6-0 defense using Kopljar and that big guy as two two-meter giants, basing his whole strategy on that. In the end, it was a disaster. There was zero aggression, no breaking up plays, and our goalies were basically left standing alone in the dark. That’s why he kept pushing Kopljar—he thought he was getting a player who could cover both defense and offense—but the whole concept totally fell apart. There's always a silver lining, but not this time. You learn from your mistakes (unless you're Goluža). At this rate, everything will stay exactly the same, and Goluža is going to ruin this entire generation, from Gopac onwards!

Of course..... we Americans are absolute world champions at criticizing when things go south, but man, do we love lifting them up to the heavens when they're winning.... who are we to point fingers after all those incredible, pure moments of joy these guys have given us???... really, who are we to hold a grudge after all the beers we've toasted to their names..... let's go COWBOYS, let's win tonight and secure that spot in the Olympics...😉

Regarding the Olympics, we probably have one more lifeline even if we drop this game. If we pull off a win, we’re playing for fifth place and qualifying is basically a lock. A draw puts us safely in fourth, meaning neither Argentina nor Mexico can touch us.

Now, if we lose, we need Argentina to avoid beating Mexico. A draw there would help us out. There's also a scenario where we land in fifth if we lose to Poland but Mexico absolutely crushes Argentina. Right now our goal difference is +9 while Mexico sits at -13, so they'd need a massive blowout to catch up.

If we finish third, we face the third-place team from the other group for that fifth spot. That could be Canada, Germany, or Iceland. If things go according to plan, Iceland likely takes third, Germany fourth, and Canada fifth. Either way, we need a win today. If we slip up, we'll be fighting for our lives against Germany or Canada.

coppersailor8 said:Sure thing... we’re world champions at criticizing when things go south, but we’re just as quick to worship them when they’re winning.Who are you to point fingers after all the incredible moments these guys have given us?...who are we to complain after all the beers we've toasted to their success? Let's go, COWBOYS! Time to win tonight and secure that spot in the Olympics.😉

Who exactly is being accused?
Sorry, but I can't recall a single great moment brought to us by Kopljar.
Neither can I say the same for Goluža as a coach.
I remember our goalies clearly, but I haven't said a single bad word about them.
Are we not even allowed to talk about Gopac anymore? 😂
What's the actual problem here?

Spot on, Gobcev. It’s like we’re all suddenly saints, washed clean of any sin, and the only villain left in the world is Ivano—that absolute jerk. Just look back at Tunisia 2005 and that silver medal he basically dragged home himself. Back then, that joke of a coach on the bench didn't know anything except how to suggest that if the ball hit Ivano, he’d somehow just figure out what to do with it. Gobac has turned the national handball program into the exact same swamp that Mamić turned Dinamo into. When I see the absolute garbage sitting on the bench and running the federation now... man, it's just like football, and now it's hitting handball too. Seriously, anyone who dared to push back was kicked right out of the national team, except for Ivano and Pere, because they were the backbone of this squad—you couldn't touch them even if you tried.

Jose White18 said:Who exactly are we blaming here?
Sorry, but I honestly can't recall a single happy moment brought to us by Kopljar.
Neither can I with Goluža coaching.
Now, I remember our goalies vividly, but I haven't said or written one bad thing about them.
Are we even allowed to criticize Gobac anymore? 😂
What on earth is the actual problem?

...not even close.....Gobac is total trash, and I’ve trashed him plenty whenever we lost.....because if actual expertise decided who took the court, I bet we’d be heading to the semifinals....Kopljar is a disaster...but still, Gobac decides he has to play just because he's from the big city...it's honestly sickening how Politics gets mixed into our top sports like football and handball......(Mamić, Gobac)....the whole thing just makes me sick....

....but I am 100% behind our guys today...let's make sure they secure those Olympic spots....as for Gobac, he can go straight to hell... 😉

It’d be pretty ironic if we end up losing today just because Bielcki gets absolutely wrecked by his own son. I’m really hoping for a win, but man... I don't know.

I guess today HRT 2 is airing this totally pointless game from Gobcev's private pig roast, instead of letting us watch the live coverage out of Sladming ???? I mean, seriously, what random foreign TV channels even carry the skiing races anymore?

Nathan Barrett32 said:I assume the local networks are wasting airtime today broadcasting Gobcev's private little circus instead of letting us watch the live coverage from Sladming ???? What kind of foreign network actually carries skiing broadcasts anyway?

He mentions the skiing broadcast kicks off at 5:45 PM on the local network. If Ivica starts third, we might squeeze in enough to see the first ten skiers before the handball game begins at 6:15 PM. It’s a tight window, but doable if you're paying attention.

You should definitely have it on Eurosport, maybe check channel 2. They’re gonna show Ivek since he’s starting 3rd, then there'll be a bit of handball, and then it's straight into the second heat.

And after all this nonsense, I’ll still be sitting there in front of the TV today, losing my mind when we face the Poles...

Robert Cruz5 said:I honestly can't wrap my head around how we could tank this hard in just one single year. We really ought to be beating the Poles tomorrow—this group of players doesn't deserve to go out like this. They aren't losers, and they shouldn't walk away feeling like they are. I’m just hoping they pull themselves together tomorrow and play with some actual pride for themselves and for America.

And let's not forget how much everyone complained about us taking second place last year, either. 😱

Nothing—and I mean absolutely nothing—could ever turn this generation (and we all know exactly who I'm talking about here) into a bunch of losers. Nothing at all. ☕
And yeah, actually? I want to see them lose today.

Even Gopac is being vague, claiming it wasn't Goluža's fault, just that the players fell short.

I mean, you can have world-class talent on the court, but if the coaching strategy isn't there, they aren't going to perform at their peak.

Honestly, Gopac, your excuses are getting old.

George Ward7 said:You should definitely have it on Eurosport, maybe even the second channel. Since Ivey starts at 3:00, you'll get that, then some handball, and then a whole different race altogether.

Thanks

There’s not much left to say about Gopac and his usual political games. I still remember those old ticket scams he orchestrated years ago, not to mention the shady way they used to unload players from the ZG market... it’s clearly the same playbook being used again. Certain people just sell their souls so that one fat cat can line his pockets. It’s happening even when we should be celebrating one of the few things actually going right lately—the national teams.

If I were Ivano Balić, I’d personally drop ten goals on the court just to prove a point. I think that might actually make the general public stop and wonder what on earth is going on... But unfortunately, the whole country is full of types like Goluža—just mindless sheep swallowing whatever garbage is served to them.

At the end of the day, money makes the world go round.

crimsonharbor16 said:There’s nothing left to say about Gopac and his political games. I still remember all those shady ticket scams he orchestrated years ago, not to mention the massive payouts from selling off ZG players... looks like the same old playbook is back in action. Certain people just sell their souls so the big shots can line their pockets. All this happens at the expense of one of the few things actually worth cheering for lately—the national teams.

If I were Ivano Balić, I'd probably just drop 10 goals myself just to shake things up. At least then the masses might actually stop and wonder what the hell is going on... But unfortunately, the whole country is crawling with people like Goluža—just a bunch of empty-headed sheep swallowing whatever bullshit they're fed.

Money still runs the show, though.

Pathetic... 🙂

Whether I actually tune in depends on the lineup. If Kopljar starts, I’m switching over to skiing—I'd much rather watch someone carve through a slalom than watch this guy struggle.
And if the coach keeps making these questionable calls, I really hope Buntić clears out this whole roster right after the tournament ends.

Carl Garcia22 said:Personally, it depends on whether I even feel like watching. If Kopljar starts, I’m switching over to skiing. I'd much rather watch someone crush it in a slalom than deal with this amateur.

What is wrong with you? You can't miss the circus involving Kopljar. Every time he touches the ball—applause! 👋

rustywalker1 said:The coach is being vague, claiming Goluza isn't at fault and that the players just fell short.

Look, you can have world-class talent on the roster, but if you don't set up a proper system, they aren't going to perform at their peak.

Honestly, Gobac, stop making excuses for your lackluster leadership.

Goluza certainly sounds convincing during those timeouts... 🤷