Handball Euro: USA vs. Norway ends in a 23-23 draw

Justin Ward4 said:Ivano Balić isn't even playing at 5% capacity. How do you miss a shot just five seconds after a timeout? I’m losing my mind here. He could single-handedly tank this entire World Handball Championship with plays like that.

You aren't the only one losing it. I couldn't believe my eyes. Sure, everyone misses, but blowing it that fast when there's zero pressure? I'm speechless.

Kevin Morris12 said:Look, here’s how the betting lines are actually looking right now... 😁

It’s practically begging for it... just play me already🤣

Samuel Baker3 said:The final will be Germany vs. France, and France takes it.
For third place: Denmark vs. USA, Denmark gets the bronze.

Only the dead are counted at the end of a battle. I honestly can't remember a tournament that had such a predictable finish. Based on how they're playing right now, the French are favorites—but then what? They shouldn't even be heading to Lillehammer at this rate. To be blunt, the American team didn't deserve you guys. I don't know what they did to offend God, but their stats look pathetic. Any other nation would be celebrating a result like this. Our basketball players would give anything just to reach a semifinal... You people really don't get it. You have no idea how much you're disrespecting these athletes and their coaches by dismissing their performance like this.

boldhound8 said:Give me a break. This thread is getting way too aggressive.🤣
What happened? Did your girl dump you, or did you just blow your whole paycheck at the sportsbook?😍

Lost it all on the parlay.😠

Bradley Nelson2 said:lost his shirt on a parlay😠

For real though, how does that even happen? Man, what a nightmare.🤣
Come on, things will turn around eventually.😉

It’ll happen. I’m putting my money on the French 🤣
We need some way to offset the loss 😢

boldhound8 said:I wouldn't say I'm expecting an eight-point lead, though I am certainly hoping for it... after all, the French aren't exactly monsters to be feared, right? If anything, I’d say they look a tier below what Denmark is putting on display right now.

Have you actually watched the French play at any point during this championship? It honestly feels like you haven't.
It seems like you're basing your judgment on the fact that they crushed us and the Canadians by huge margins, whereas the French just barely scraped by Germany and Spain.

Handball hasn't been much to look at lately, and we barely scraped through thanks to Ivano Balić—though he almost completely blew it right at the end before making things right 🙏 😁... I honestly don't even want to get into talking about Ćervar, the guy is an absolute joke 🤮
Against the Frenchmen, I'm expecting nothing more and nothing less than a loss ☕

It’s a real shame Davor didn't commit to that jump shot🙏(right when Kaleb sunk it); he went ahead and pulled that signature body feint of his instead... what a missed opportunity.

...and now the entire bench is on their feet, shouting: send Davor back to the bench!👍😁

wearyeagle2 said:Body counts are tallied after the battle is over. I don't recall a single tournament ending with such a predictable finish. Given their current form, The Frenchman's squad are the favorites, so what? Should they just skip Lillehammer? The American national team hasn't deserved you; I have no idea what they did to offend God to have their performances followed by such nobodies. Other nations would be celebrating if they had this result. What our basketball players would give for one semifinal appearance... You people clearly have no clue. You don't even realize how much you disrespect these athletes and their coaches by judging their play.

Exactly. Imagine what we'd give back in 2002 if we'd actually made a semifinal.

I suppose it’s just that typical American mentality we deal with. One day, after a loss to Denmark, the headlines are all about how everything is a total disaster—nothing but misery, shame, calling the coach useless, the players pathetic, and so on. Then, a day later, after a win against Mexico, suddenly it's "phenomenal coaching by Ćervar," "phenomenal players," and "the perfect national team." By tomorrow, they'll be calling them HEROES in every single newspaper. But if, by some chance, they end up losing to The Frenchman by more than ten points, the headlines will shift instantly to calling them vermin or TRAITORS. 🙂 I honestly feel like our media outlets are just jokes that exist solely to stir the pot and fan the flames of drama.☕

Bradley Nelson2 said:it’ll happen, I’m betting on the French 🤣
they gotta find a way to make up for that loss 😢

He’ll probably be pissed off again...by Saturday🤣

rapidbison42 said:Look, buddy, we just see the national team's results through different lenses. In my eyes, their success is purely the byproduct of having Ivano Balić on the court—he is quite literally the alpha and omega of global basketball. You, however, seem to think it's all thanks to Ćervar.

In my estimation, because of Ćervar, the national team is actually playing well below its true potential, much like the club he manages currently performs below its capabilities.

Well, fair enough, I can certainly respect that perspective... But surely you aren't suggesting that a national team achieves this kind of sustained success on autopilot? You know enough about sports to realize it doesn't work quite like that. And as for how much credit Lin deserves, that's a debate that could go on forever. 🤷

Just think back to the situation Lino inherited when he first arrived... Beyond that, while Balić is undoubtedly a legend, even he couldn't have dragged home this many medals and successes entirely on his own without the rest of the squad.

Lino is essentially a more composed version of Ćiro—who is a total character, let's be honest—but regardless, he secured a bronze at the World Championships, and that's a matter of record. You don't have to like him 😁

Come on, people, seriously!!
Lino is a hero, and every single player on our national team deserves that title. Balić is the greatest, obviously, but he couldn't have pulled this off alone. We can be an ungrateful nation sometimes. 🙄
And what more could we ask for? Third or fourth place? This is already a massive success!!
Let's go, Team USA!!!👍

boldhound8 said:He'd probably be pissed off again... by Saturday🤣

And he wouldn't hesitate to spend the money😁

Bradley Nelson2 said:You’re definitely not the only one who lost it. I was stunned! I mean, sure, he missed, but to blow it that fast when there wasn't even any pressure? I'm honestly speechless.

Look, it’s not quite what it looks like from the outside. He was clearly trying to draw a foul, getting all aggressive, but the defender just wouldn't bite. At that point, he was stuck—it was either take a wild shot or commit a traveling violation.

Balić🙏🙏🙏🙏 🙏

Samuel Baker3 said:Did you even watch the French play in this tournament? Honestly, I don't think you did.
So now you're judging based on that, just because they crushed us and the Canadians by a huge margin while they barely scraped past Germany and Spain.

I wasn't watching Group B as closely, but I was still dialed in. Look, that's just my take—it doesn't have to be right—but yeah, I think the Danes are the heavy favorites for gold right now. Even though there aren't any easy wins left; everyone is a threat at this point and anyone can beat anyone else.

Bottom line is, we couldn't plan for this. We're stuck with what we've got. We have a day and a half to regroup, get our heads straight, and then let's go. Just play brave and see what happens.🙂

Bradley Nelson2 said:It’ll happen eventually, though I’d probably bet on the French to pull it off🤣
I suppose they just need some way to make up for those losses😢

Addictions are such nasty things; you just feel yourself sinking deeper and deeper into them,
as for the finals, maybe America will take it. Germany might give Americans the gold with those seven-meter shots😲, while the Danes might settle for silver☕

neonharbor18 said:It’s just that typical American mentality. After we lose to Denmark, the headlines are all doom and gloom—total disaster, pure misery, what a disgrace, the coach is useless, the players are pathetic, and so on. Then, a day after beating Mexico, suddenly everyone is a genius, the players are superstars, and the national team is flawless. By tomorrow, they'll be calling them heroes in every paper. But if we happen to get crushed by France by ten points? Then the headlines switch right back to calling them vermin or traitors. 🙂 Our local papers are total jokes. They're only good for starting fires.☕

Our news outlets are a joke. It’s common knowledge at this point. If I started listing how incompetent these journalists are, I'd be here all day. As for the national team, they've been absolutely pathetic on offense over the last three games. There's zero creativity, no set plays, nothing—they're playing like they're starved for ideas. We only stay competitive because our guys, led by Balić, actually have the talent to back them up. Comparing the first three games to the last three is like night and day. The only exception was that ten-minute stretch during the game against Mexico where they actually looked like they belonged.