2017 Roster Announced

[Rbpolo0414]

Bonanni has hung-up his Speedo for the last time...so I've been told.

Interesting. So from the 13 players who made the Rio Olympic squad - which Coach Udovicic said was really a prep for 2020 - we are losing Azevedo, Moses, Smith, Bonanni, and possibly Cupido? Is Obert still actively playing? Didn't see him listed on any of the rosters this weekend.

Wow, looks like we could be starting all over again for 2020. So much for working for the future...

I think Obert is playing in Australia. Sounds like Cupido is sticking with team USA from a recent article I read. Also sounds like Mann is up in the air and is working as a financial advisor. I'm not sure the US team loses much with Bonanni. There are plenty of right handed attackers that could slide right in. I hear your point though on the youth movement we were sold. Daboub better be seriously considered as we are going to be weak at 2m defender.

[Pacificblue]

Bonanni has hung-up his Speedo for the last time...so I've been told.

Interesting. So from the 13 players who made the Rio Olympic squad - which Coach Udovicic said was really a prep for 2020 - we are losing Azevedo, Moses, Smith, Bonanni, and possibly Cupido? Is Obert still actively playing? Didn't see him listed on any of the rosters this weekend.

Wow, looks like we could be starting all over again for 2020. So much for working for the future...

I think Obert is playing in Australia. Sounds like Cupido is sticking with team USA from a recent article I read. Also sounds like Mann is up in the air and is working as a financial advisor. I'm not sure the US team loses much with Bonanni. There are plenty of right handed attackers that could slide right in. I hear your point though on the youth movement we were sold. Daboub better be seriously considered as we are going to be weak at 2m defender.

I must have missed that article about Cupido returning, good news if true.

And glad to hear that Obert is still playing.

While I think Bonanni was a bit of a one-trick pony at the international level, I disagree with the notion that the US has "plenty of right handed attackers" to take his spot. Though his playmaking skills may have been lacking (he was never the dual pass-shoot threat that Azevedo and Cupido presented), Bonanni was certainly one of the best pure shooters/scorers we have produced in a long, long time. Don't see a lot of similar fire power coming up the domestic ranks for an international game that is increasingly reliant on vertical 6 on 5 shooting. I think he will leave a big hole to fill, as will the other departing members...

Feeling more and more like we should have doubled down to win in 2016 and not "hedged" for the future...

[retiredguy]

Hindsight is 2020 (pun sort of intended) on playing for the future. My guess is that Dejan probably doesn't quite understand the American "we aren't professional water polo players" mentality. Bonanni has a Stanford degree in hand and might have plans and connections to start making some actual money.

Looks like we might be playing for 2024 at this point. Does anyone really think this current group will be competitive with a Serbian or Croatian group that has been playing together for the past 10-12 years???

[Justafan2]

Bonanni has hung-up his Speedo for the last time...so I've been told.

Interesting. So from the 13 players who made the Rio Olympic squad - which Coach Udovicic said was really a prep for 2020 - we are losing Azevedo, Moses, Smith, Bonanni, and possibly Cupido? Is Obert still actively playing? Didn't see him listed on any of the rosters this weekend.

Wow, looks like we could be starting all over again for 2020. So much for working for the future...

I think Obert is playing in Australia. Sounds like Cupido is sticking with team USA from a recent article I read. Also sounds like Mann is up in the air and is working as a financial advisor. I'm not sure the US team loses much with Bonanni. There are plenty of right handed attackers that could slide right in. I hear your point though on the youth movement we were sold. Daboub better be seriously considered as we are going to be weak at 2m defender.

Australia has an interesting model that could work in the US. They bring in players, offer them room and board and jobs. Players practice and play evening and weekends and gain job experience at the same time.

The National League needs corporate sponsors that will do the same and bring in more than just US players.

[Valkyrie]

The US Men will never compete with the Balkans based on our current system of college and no continuation of National team playing together. As I suggested to others, there is enough Corporate Sponsorship and Ex- Polo players in Real Estate, we should be able to put up 15 players in housing for 2 -3 years in S. California, so they can train, work and put together a club team to compete in Champion's league and travel the world for games. Let's say housing is $2000 for a 2 bedroom in the OC. $400k for 2 years of housing. ( If a sponsor/donor owns the building, then no payment). Companies could donate miles for travel and could get sponsorship for food and drinks.

Bonanni has hung-up his Speedo for the last time...so I've been told.

Interesting. So from the 13 players who made the Rio Olympic squad - which Coach Udovicic said was really a prep for 2020 - we are losing Azevedo, Moses, Smith, Bonanni, and possibly Cupido? Is Obert still actively playing? Didn't see him listed on any of the rosters this weekend.

Wow, looks like we could be starting all over again for 2020. So much for working for the future...

I think Obert is playing in Australia. Sounds like Cupido is sticking with team USA from a recent article I read. Also sounds like Mann is up in the air and is working as a financial advisor. I'm not sure the US team loses much with Bonanni. There are plenty of right handed attackers that could slide right in. I hear your point though on the youth movement we were sold. Daboub better be seriously considered as we are going to be weak at 2m defender.

Australia has an interesting model that could work in the US. They bring in players, offer them room and board and jobs. Players practice and play evening and weekends and gain job experience at the same time.

The National League needs corporate sponsors that will do the same and bring in more than just US players.

[Justafan2]

The US Men will never compete with the Balkans based on our current system of college and no continuation of National team playing together. As I suggested to others, there is enough Corporate Sponsorship and Ex- Polo players in Real Estate, we should be able to put up 15 players in housing for 2 -3 years in S. California, so they can train, work and put together a club team to compete in Champion's league and travel the world for games. Let's say housing is $2000 for a 2 bedroom in the OC. $400k for 2 years of housing. ( If a sponsor/donor owns the building, then no payment). Companies could donate miles for travel and could get sponsorship for food and drinks.

Australia has an interesting model that could work in the US. They bring in players, offer them room and board and jobs. Players practice and play evening and weekends and gain job experience at the same time.

The National League needs corporate sponsors that will do the same and bring in more than just US players.

It's not just housing. We need a corporate sponsor that will pay half the cost and offer the kids jobs in good fields. Many of these kids graduate with good degrees in Finance and Engineering. Create a league where the play and get employed by banks or hedge funds or engineering firms. That way the build their resume while the train.

Put all the Finance guys on a Bay Area or better New York team working for JP Morgan. Call the the Morgan team. Have a Google team where the engineering guys work for Google. You may not need all that way but set up 5-7 core slots per team for core guys.