Straight Handball Talk: Someone Asks Me the Burning Questions for a Change

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Bini Mustafa, the President of the New York City Team Handball Club has been taking advantage of the COVID-19 lock down to interview several handball personalities both in the U.S. and internationally. I was honored to be one of the personalities he chose to interview and it was great to have someone else ask the questions for a change. He through me a couple of curve balls so, in my opinion, it’s a pretty interesting interview.

Here’s a timeline of some of the highlights of our conversation

  • 05:15 My handball origination story
  • 11:30 Playing at the 1993 World Championships
  • 13:50 Bini asks me, “Someone with a resume like yours, a background like yours… Why, are you not involved with the business of USA Team Handball?”
  • 21:50 Bini asks me, “In your opinion, from the practical and tangible aspect of it, what will be considered truly a successful outcome for this new leadership?”
  • 26:15 A discussion on the latest Pro League concept
  • 32:10 Indoor soccer and why that might be the model for a pro handball league
  • 35:10 How USA Team Handball might coordinate with a pro league
  • 36:40 A discussion regarding handball on TV in the U.S.
  • 40:50 The best thing that’s happened to me all year…
  • 42:20 The financial arrangements for handball on TV in the U.S.
  • 44:30 The problems with 3rd party agencies being responsible for selling TV rights in the U.S.
  • 46:50 Why cornhole is on TV and handball isn’t
  • 48:45 Why handball is headed to a better TV network (fingers crossed)
  • 49:45 The reality handball show concept
  • 52:55 Bini asks me, “If you had $10M to invest in handball how and where would you invest it first?”
  • 56:50 The great advice USOPC Executive, Rick Adams, gave USA Team Handball at the 2012 Strategic Planning Session in Utah
  • 59:15 Bini asks me, “Who’s your all time favorite U.S. Club?”
  • 1:02:40 Bini asks me, “Who’s your all time favorite U.S. born player?”
My apologies for forgetting your name, Richard Jacobs!
  • 1:06:50 Bini asks me, “Who is my favorite expat player in the U.S.?
  • 1:08:50 Discussion on U.S. Nationals still taking place this year
  • 1:11:40 Bini asks me, “Who I think is the best player in the world, currently?”
  • 1:13:25 Bini asks me, “If you were to change one rule in handball what would it be?”
  • 1:16:40 Discussion on adding a 13M line for two point goals

And, my interview is just 1 of 10 recently posted. It’s a diverse group that includes Carlos Prieto, Sayed Shalaby, Danilo Rojevic, Ljubomir Vranjes, Vladimir Bicvic, Julio Sainz, Mark Ortega, Gil Pires, Vid Kavticnik, Kim Ekdahl Du Rietz and Laszlo Nagy. That should keep you busy!

Straight Handball Talk Episodes: Link