The blog was abuzz with handball posts. Iceland this. Handball that. Then, silence. Crickets. Wha happen?
Showing posts with label Icelandic handball. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Icelandic handball. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
"Handball, for us, has become not just a sport, but the core of the national spirit"
Following remarks made by Iceland's Olympic handball coach about the meaning of the sport, President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson told the international press that handball is a defining sport for the Icelandic people, equivalent to "the core of the national spirit".
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Guðmundur Þ. Guðmundsson, Iceland's handball coach, has been quoted in the international media as saying, "We have no army in Iceland, so it's with handball we fight for the recognition," following the country's victory against Argentina yesterday.
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"Handball, for us, has become not just a sport, but the core of the national spirit," Grimsson says. "Can anyone honestly say the same about any single U.S. Olympic team? No way. I’m here not just as a great fan of the team," says the Icelandic president, "but to also pay homage to what they’ve done."
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When asked for final thoughts before the impromptu interview's close, the president remarked, "My last word to the American audience is to start playing handball. It’s a fun game."
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Guðmundur Þ. Guðmundsson, Iceland's handball coach, has been quoted in the international media as saying, "We have no army in Iceland, so it's with handball we fight for the recognition," following the country's victory against Argentina yesterday.
....
"Handball, for us, has become not just a sport, but the core of the national spirit," Grimsson says. "Can anyone honestly say the same about any single U.S. Olympic team? No way. I’m here not just as a great fan of the team," says the Icelandic president, "but to also pay homage to what they’ve done."
....
When asked for final thoughts before the impromptu interview's close, the president remarked, "My last word to the American audience is to start playing handball. It’s a fun game."
Monday, August 6, 2012
Friday, August 3, 2012
#YOOOOGE rematch of 2008 men's #Olympics #handball final tomorrow! #Iceland vs. France! @smiff was right! I've been remiss!
And it's not in the middle of the night this time! 1:30pm CST (God's Time)!
Four teams reach quarterfinals at Olympic handball
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Four teams reach quarterfinals at Olympic handball
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Saturday, July 28, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
LA Times channeling Smiff's per capita medal count idea
Canada is redeemed, and Azerbaijan is making us look sick, but the Bahamas rule.
Not to beat the dead horse of Chicago sports "journalism" to death, but by comparison, one of the highlights of the Tribune's coverage of the Olympics was the observation that Chinese women carry umbrellas rain or shine.
Not to beat the dead horse of Chicago sports "journalism" to death, but by comparison, one of the highlights of the Tribune's coverage of the Olympics was the observation that Chinese women carry umbrellas rain or shine.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
How is K-Mad to blame?
24/08/2008 | 09:41
Breaking News! Iceland Earns Silver at Olympics
The Icelandic men’s handball team lost 28-23 against France in the final at the Beijing Olympics this morning. But Iceland still celebrates placing second and taking home the silver in handball for the very first time. Iceland’s victory over Spain in the semi-finals on Friday received world-wide attention. The Icelandic handball team was even on the cover of the New York Fucking Times. According to Fréttabladid, with its victory, Iceland became the most scarcely-populated nation ever to win a medal in a group sport at the Olympics.
In today’s game France was the stronger team throughout, and although Iceland put up a good fight at times, they lost the game with five goals. Despite their loss, today has been declared a national flag-day in Iceland in celebration of the silver in handball. Read more about this story tomorrow and click here to read more about the game against Spain.
Breaking News! Iceland Earns Silver at Olympics
The Icelandic men’s handball team lost 28-23 against France in the final at the Beijing Olympics this morning. But Iceland still celebrates placing second and taking home the silver in handball for the very first time. Iceland’s victory over Spain in the semi-finals on Friday received world-wide attention. The Icelandic handball team was even on the cover of the New York Fucking Times. According to Fréttabladid, with its victory, Iceland became the most scarcely-populated nation ever to win a medal in a group sport at the Olympics.
In today’s game France was the stronger team throughout, and although Iceland put up a good fight at times, they lost the game with five goals. Despite their loss, today has been declared a national flag-day in Iceland in celebration of the silver in handball. Read more about this story tomorrow and click here to read more about the game against Spain.
Dear Hollywood, a Sporting Idea
Iceland’s Olympic handball adventure has big screen dramatics. more
August 24 | Icelandic Whole Wheat Enters Market for First Time
Wheat has been cultivated on the farm Thorvaldseyri in south Iceland for the fifth summer in a row and the farm’s whole wheat will enter the local market for the first time next fall. Until now only the cows on the farm have enjoyed the harvest. more
August 24 | Third Polar Bear Inspires Children’s Novel
The third polar bear, which never came ashore in Iceland this summer but many people thought they had spotted, inspired Icelandic author Thorgrímur Thráinsson to write a children’s novel on the subject. more
Iceland’s Olympic handball adventure has big screen dramatics. more
August 24 | Icelandic Whole Wheat Enters Market for First Time
Wheat has been cultivated on the farm Thorvaldseyri in south Iceland for the fifth summer in a row and the farm’s whole wheat will enter the local market for the first time next fall. Until now only the cows on the farm have enjoyed the harvest. more
August 24 | Third Polar Bear Inspires Children’s Novel
The third polar bear, which never came ashore in Iceland this summer but many people thought they had spotted, inspired Icelandic author Thorgrímur Thráinsson to write a children’s novel on the subject. more
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Friday, August 22, 2008
Scenes From Iceland's Handball Triumph
I was walking toward the mixed zone this evening when I ran into the first lady of Iceland. Dorrit Moussaieff asked me how she could get onto the playing surface, so that she could help celebrate her tiny country's stunning trip into the men's handball finals. I pointed her in the right direction, and told her I worked for The Washington Post. She told me she was friends with Katharine Graham. Then she tried to bring me onto the floor, where 14 large Icelandic men were glorying in the craziest athletic accomplishment in their country's history -- a 36-30 win over Spain in the Olympic semifinals.
"I don't think I can go this way," I said.
"Yes you can; if you're with me you can," she said, approaching the arena guard. "I'm the wife of the President; that's the President," she said, nodding at me while dragging me past the guard...
It's hard to explain just how monumental was Iceland's win over Spain was in today's men's handball semifinals. Spain--with more than 40 million residents--had probably played stronger than any team in the tournament. Iceland has 300,000 residents, and has never won Summer Olympic gold. And yet Iceland never trailed in a 36-30 win, and breezed into Sunday's final against France.
But that's too dry. When we asked Iceland's Sigfus Sigurdsson to explain what the scene would be like back home right now, he used the words "ape [bleep]" three times. That's more like it.
"I don't think I can go this way," I said.
"Yes you can; if you're with me you can," she said, approaching the arena guard. "I'm the wife of the President; that's the President," she said, nodding at me while dragging me past the guard...
It's hard to explain just how monumental was Iceland's win over Spain was in today's men's handball semifinals. Spain--with more than 40 million residents--had probably played stronger than any team in the tournament. Iceland has 300,000 residents, and has never won Summer Olympic gold. And yet Iceland never trailed in a 36-30 win, and breezed into Sunday's final against France.
But that's too dry. When we asked Iceland's Sigfus Sigurdsson to explain what the scene would be like back home right now, he used the words "ape [bleep]" three times. That's more like it.
Iceland Elves CRUSH Spain, French Phokks next up for The Gold
Breaking News! Iceland Plays for Gold at Olympics
The Icelandic men’s handball team beat Spain 36-30 in the semi-finals in the Beijing Olympics at noon today. Iceland has now made it to the finals and will play France for the gold on Sunday.
Iceland has never made it this far in handball before. Although they’ve made it to the semi-finals in previous big tournaments, they have never brought home a medal.
Iceland was off for a fantastic start, leading 5-0 after only a few minutes after the game began. Spain tied 9-9, but then Iceland kicked back and re-achieved a difference of five goals. The first half finished 17-15 for Iceland, ruv.is reports.
Iceland remained the stronger team throughout the entire second half and constantly increased the score gap; at one point Iceland led with seven goals. Towards the end Spain put up an impressive fight, but Iceland managed to stay in the lead until the very end.
The Icelandic goalkeeper Björgvin Páll Gústavsson played brilliantly, deflecting 15 shots in total. The Icelandic defensive play was also impeccable. Gudjón Valur Sigurdsson and Logi Geirsson were the most successful shooters of the Icelandic team, scoring seven goals each.
The best player of the Spanish team was goalkeeper David Berrufet, who deflected 18 shots, five thereof from fast breaks.
The Icelandic handball team already has the silver secure, something which an Icelandic athlete has not achieved since Vilhjálmur Einarsson won the silver medal in triple jump at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.
In 1984, Bjarni Fridriksson won the bronze medal for Iceland in judo at the Olympics in Los Angeles, and in 2000, Vala Flosadóttir returned home with the bronze after placing third in pole vault at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
But no Icelandic athlete has ever won the gold at the Olympics.
Click here for more handball-related news.
The Icelandic men’s handball team beat Spain 36-30 in the semi-finals in the Beijing Olympics at noon today. Iceland has now made it to the finals and will play France for the gold on Sunday.
Iceland has never made it this far in handball before. Although they’ve made it to the semi-finals in previous big tournaments, they have never brought home a medal.
Iceland was off for a fantastic start, leading 5-0 after only a few minutes after the game began. Spain tied 9-9, but then Iceland kicked back and re-achieved a difference of five goals. The first half finished 17-15 for Iceland, ruv.is reports.
Iceland remained the stronger team throughout the entire second half and constantly increased the score gap; at one point Iceland led with seven goals. Towards the end Spain put up an impressive fight, but Iceland managed to stay in the lead until the very end.
The Icelandic goalkeeper Björgvin Páll Gústavsson played brilliantly, deflecting 15 shots in total. The Icelandic defensive play was also impeccable. Gudjón Valur Sigurdsson and Logi Geirsson were the most successful shooters of the Icelandic team, scoring seven goals each.
The best player of the Spanish team was goalkeeper David Berrufet, who deflected 18 shots, five thereof from fast breaks.
The Icelandic handball team already has the silver secure, something which an Icelandic athlete has not achieved since Vilhjálmur Einarsson won the silver medal in triple jump at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.
In 1984, Bjarni Fridriksson won the bronze medal for Iceland in judo at the Olympics in Los Angeles, and in 2000, Vala Flosadóttir returned home with the bronze after placing third in pole vault at the Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
But no Icelandic athlete has ever won the gold at the Olympics.
Click here for more handball-related news.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Iceland handball - kicking the world's @ss
Iceland Handball Trumps Croatian Water Polo
What we thought before this game is just to do what our forefathers did. They at most endured, like, two or three days at home in peace, and then they had to destroy something. They had to go and fight war somewhere. They went with their boats and stuff like that, and we were just on our boats, destroying something. That's how we went to the game, just to enjoy those 60 minutes like our (unintelligible) in life. That's what you do. That's what you live for.
And on a related note:
Bonus question: What makes team handball the best sport to follow during the Summer Olympics?
A. For starters, Iceland is in the field. Iceland! But seriously, this might be the greatest sport in the world, certainly the greatest at which the United States sucks and shouldn't. To self-quote from a column I wrote at the 2004 Olympics, the idea is to wing a ball the size of a cantaloupe past a clearly insane goalie who guards a rectangle the size of a couple of refrigerators. The seven-on-seven indoor sport has the leaping, dribbling, passing, off-the-ball movement and shot-blocking of hoops (the ideal player is about 6-foot-5, 210 pounds; Germany had a 7-foot cross between Shawn Bradley and Randy Johnson); the hard throwing of baseball (shots fly up to 70 mph); and the body contact of hockey, soccer and lacrosse (defenders grab, push and slam the guy with the ball, who tries to shoot over, under or through a defensive fortress). Nonstop, fast-breaking, simple to understand, high-scoring. And excellent shoes! And Iceland! I beseech the Bog to make team handball this Olympics' curling.
And on a related note: I might speculate that it will be at least 2014 before a Chicago "sportswriter" comes up with anything nearly this entertaining, except that by 2014 Chicago won't have any "newspapers."
What we thought before this game is just to do what our forefathers did. They at most endured, like, two or three days at home in peace, and then they had to destroy something. They had to go and fight war somewhere. They went with their boats and stuff like that, and we were just on our boats, destroying something. That's how we went to the game, just to enjoy those 60 minutes like our (unintelligible) in life. That's what you do. That's what you live for.
And on a related note:
Bonus question: What makes team handball the best sport to follow during the Summer Olympics?
A. For starters, Iceland is in the field. Iceland! But seriously, this might be the greatest sport in the world, certainly the greatest at which the United States sucks and shouldn't. To self-quote from a column I wrote at the 2004 Olympics, the idea is to wing a ball the size of a cantaloupe past a clearly insane goalie who guards a rectangle the size of a couple of refrigerators. The seven-on-seven indoor sport has the leaping, dribbling, passing, off-the-ball movement and shot-blocking of hoops (the ideal player is about 6-foot-5, 210 pounds; Germany had a 7-foot cross between Shawn Bradley and Randy Johnson); the hard throwing of baseball (shots fly up to 70 mph); and the body contact of hockey, soccer and lacrosse (defenders grab, push and slam the guy with the ball, who tries to shoot over, under or through a defensive fortress). Nonstop, fast-breaking, simple to understand, high-scoring. And excellent shoes! And Iceland! I beseech the Bog to make team handball this Olympics' curling.
And on a related note: I might speculate that it will be at least 2014 before a Chicago "sportswriter" comes up with anything nearly this entertaining, except that by 2014 Chicago won't have any "newspapers."
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