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I'm sure in next tournaments Poland will have to play without HCA ;-) So it's challenge for us.

I know it's hard to play if You are underdog. But we had similar situation in European Championships, for many season we had no chance to fight with Spain, Italy and Germany or France. Because Poland joined to BB in 3rd season and in few first tournaments we had players one or two years younger than our opponents and therefore of course worse ;-) And we were frustrated we had no chance not only to win gold, but even bronze.

In season 15 I went to semifinals in EC with enthusiasm (afaik) by 7 levels less than Italia and Italia had HCA ;-) So we have 0% chance too. But we was happy because it was our first medal in history.

What would be if Poland had no HCA in this Championships? We would fight ;-) I think we could play different tactic than PtB in groups and we should have chance too ;-) Impossible is nothing ;-)

In my opinion HCA gives us +5 points (if compared to neutral ground). It's +10 points if we compare home game with away game.

Last edited by B.B.King at 7/28/2011 5:49:54 PM

Tell you what, if Poland wins the Gold in S18 I will gladly eat crow and apologize. I think you missed my point about it being more than just HCA. Its the fact that you could TIE every game and still easily reach the semifinal, no one else could do that. Its HCA+the enthusiasm you build from having HCA.

Different tactics? You mean LI? Even though you PTBd every single game this season everyone knew, including us, that you would LI in the semifinal and the final.

Problem is that without HCA and an enthusiasm advantage, your bigs become = to Chile's, Uruguays, Italys etc etc. Still better than ours tho ;). But also without HCA and enthusiasm advantage, and your guards become a liability. You face the same problems you face week in and week out in S15 and every European Championship. Your tactics become predictable, just like ours were vs everyone except Italy. You really think on a neutral court, with equal enthusiasm, you could beat us by anywhere near 45 points? I'd venture to say that if we played 10 times under those circumstances, both teams would win 5.

Again, none of this is your fault, and you didn't mess up and now you have a Gold Trophy to show for it. And if the roles were reversed for sure I would not complain one bit ;) I just think for the future of BB, HCA should not go to a top 10 Worlds team, because otherwise the season is totally pointless.

Who knows, maybe we would have luck like Chile and win two matches in overtime ;-)
There is many possible scenarios. In EC in three matches in row one of our players was injured ;-) Maybe in this WC (if without HCA) in 3 matches in row one of players of our opponents would be injured ;-) For example Tapia, Bronson and Zuya ;-)
Without HCA we would fight for bronze in this WC. And it would success for us. But with some luck maybe better result wouldn't be impossible. But with bad luck worse result would be possible.
Of course nothing is 100% sure. Look at Spain - they won EC and finished only 5th in WC. Gameshape, injuries, luck, bad luck. Everything can change situation. In EC Spain won twice with Italy (Italy had HCA). In WC Spain lost with Italy on neutral ground.
One thing is clear. I'm 100% sure in next WC Poland and USA will have no HCA ;-) So chance in next match will be equal. But for us it will be harder to qualify to WC, because in Europa we have more teams on similar level as Poland.

Wait Bronson led the tournament in something????? That's what he was doing when he was bricking shots.

Yes, If I didn't make mistake in my calculations he was 1st in assists and steals. But his shot % wasn't so good. So he should try less shots and more pass in matches.

I dont think it was luck that Chile won those games in overtime, I think they were the better team and the game engine just decided to make those games more interesting than they needed to be.

Agree that European teams have a more difficult road to the WC than Americas teams. I will say that Americas teams are getting better, and that Chile can beat anyone, and that Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina (Argentina was mismanaged last term IMO) can compete with anyone. It won't be easy for the US to qualify for the Worlds either.

Canada is pretty good as well, and check out Colombia's roster. Don't want to leave anyone out.

Last edited by jfarb at 7/28/2011 6:35:50 PM

No offense, but I think it goes beyond just saying that it would be "harder", I think it would be fair to say that it would've been nearly an impossible task for you to win Worlds Gold without HCA.

You've read my stories so You know, that I'm big fan of science-fiction. So You should know, that impossible is ordinary thing which we do every day in my world ;-)

Tell you what, if Poland wins the Gold in S18 I will gladly eat crow

May the Force be with You! ;-)

Maybe you didn't read my last post in the general BB thread where I congratulated Poland, but I understand your childish desire to bring up an old topic and rub it in my face. I would do the same thing in your position...no wait I wouldn't because winning is supposed to speak for itself. I still don't believe you would've won in S16 without HCA, because this team is different from that team and Chile was the most talented team in S16, but certainly this championship makes your argument a very strong one and I was wrong. I do apologize for singling you guys out as far as my argument that HCA should not be a factor in the Worlds, something that I still very strongly believe. Congrats again, and good luck in the future. Also congrats to that Polish D4 farm team who held on to Wisneiwski's 400k salary and kept him in 9 GS all season, give that manager a trophy, the guy is a beast and single handedly won several of your games for you. We need a player like that in the US

Last edited by jfarb at 2/6/2012 4:36:04 PM

I wished You Light Side, not Dark Side ;-)

Haha, your a good guy King, I don't even think I should be the one you are arguing with. I think wozz and I did Poland a favor by arguing that no one should have HCA in the Worlds when we did, because obviously we got through to someone and the S17 U21 and this season's Worlds no one (good) had it. Imagine if they had given HCA to a decent team like France or China or whoever in the Worlds this season, would you guys be happy with a silver knowing that you had the best team in S18? We saw what happened with CR in S17 Europe so I think my point about HCA in the Worlds is a valid one.