Theo Bair

[BearcatSA]

4 hours ago, Watchmen said:

Good start for Bair.

 

When I heard the commentator, I immediately thought of the pbp guy who famously said, "Maggie Thatcher, your boys took a helluva beating!"

[Acid-Tone]

13 hours ago, Obinna said:

Must be extremely relieved considering that over-exuberant celly. 

Have you followed his career for the past few years?   LoL  There's nothing "over" about it.  That man had every right to be very happy!

But really though, it's great to see him score, and even more so for me, I like the manner in which he did it.

He really used his size, strength and length to get his foot on that ball.  I've always thought that was missing in his game.  He's a big guy, but he always seemed to play smaller than his imposing figure.  I hope we continue to see more of this.

As others have noted, he really needs a good run of games to get that confidence going.

[Obinna]

4 minutes ago, Acid-Tone said:

Have you followed his career for the past few years?   LoL  There's nothing "over" about it.  That man had every right to be very happy!

He scored in the Norway 2nd division and celebrated like he scored the winning goal in the MLS playoffs lol

I just found that funny, but yes he has every right to be over the moon, regardless of the level. He's had a pretty tough time recently and it's nice to see him find the net, finally.

[VinceA]

Are players not allowed to celebrate scoring goals? The hell is going on this sub lately. 

[Obinna]

3 hours ago, VinceA said:

Are players not allowed to celebrate scoring goals? The hell is going on this sub lately. 

Nobody is saying he is not allowed to celebrate scoring goals, or has to celebrate in a particular way. I was just sharing the humour I found in how he celebrated. Was that out of bounds?

Not sure why that struck a nerve with you. You took it as me being overly critical of Theo perhaps?

[Shway]

That goal and celebration showed what he's been probably dealing with mentally, and emotionally in these past few months of the game. Glad he found his feet, as I want to start believing again in this big guy.

[VinceA]

49 minutes ago, Obinna said:

Nobody is saying he is not allowed to celebrate scoring goals, or has to celebrate in a particular way. I was just sharing the humour I found in how he celebrated. Was that out of bounds?

Not sure why that struck a nerve with you. You took it as me being overly critical of Theo perhaps?

To an extent, more so this sub seems to be overly negative lately (more concerning the behaviour of other board members) I wasn't even sure who may have posted original comment about his celebration in context just saw talk of his celebration being a bit much.

My bad it wasn't a real swipe at anyone more so just an exasperated response to the negativity floating around lately. 

[Unnamed Trialist]

People who think there is anything unsual about that celebration do not watch football, simple as that. We've seen similar in all circumstances in all levels of play. It is just standard. Now I happen to feel the forum is cesspool and full of sewer rats picking at dropped scraps lately, but that is beside the point. How about this:

The goal ensures a victory for his team, Ham Kam, who are a legit candidate for promotion to top flight.

The team was tied for league leader before this match, with one point more than the rival, who were and remain fourth.

The win puts them three points clear of 2nd place and 4 over this side (Jerv, team I'd never heard of, ever, and I used to report on Norway-based players for years so recognize 80% of 2nd tier). They are approaching the halfway point of the season. 

The team, who were further ahead in the league a few weeks ago, lost 2 of their previous four and the race for promotion just got closer. I am sure the fans, players and FO all celebrated that goal enthusiastically. 

(If you think I am after-the-fact contextualising, you can go back to what I said when he signed, basically the same thing, that they were a promotion candidate and he'd need to perform).

But even if they were mid-table and it meant nothing, you can celebrate however you damn well like. 

Edited August 19, 2021 by Unnamed Trialist

[Obinna]

43 minutes ago, VinceA said:

To an extent, more so this sub seems to be overly negative lately (more concerning the behaviour of other board members) I wasn't even sure who may have posted original comment about his celebration in context just saw talk of his celebration being a bit much.

My bad it wasn't a real swipe at anyone more so just an exasperated response to the negativity floating around lately. 

Makes sense, thanks for explaining that. Yeah the place has been a tad negative lately, so I understand.

I have also been critical of some of our players lately (Okello, but to a lesser extent Bair), which is why I was asking if it was out of bounds (i.e. overly negative). 

I re-watched the celebration after your comment and thought maybe my comment was a bit unwarranted. Of course, it was a great goal and I am very happy he scored it, but I had to chuckle at the manner he celebrated. Could of kept that part to myself though, I guess. 

Like @Shway said, it just goes to show what he's been through mentally, which were my thoughts on it as well.

At the same time, if my comment came off as a bit of a dig at him, you're not imagining things. It was a little bit, but it's not personal against him, I just think he's better than Norway Div 2. If I felt this was his level, his celebration perhaps wouldn't have struck me as over the top.

It's like scoring against Cayman Islands and sliding on your knees as you run towards the corner, that's how I saw it. Sure you can do it, but it's slightly comical. I get that others will see it differently, though.

Again, most importantly I am happy he scored.

Cheers!

[Unnamed Trialist]

Some of us on this board have actually seen him play, we're not making things up. This was only 2 years ago (m. 1:15)

https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/portland-timbers-3-vancouver-whitecaps-fc-1-2019-mls-match-recap

Agreed he'd stalled more recently, say the last year at the club and poor Olympic campaign, but he's turning 22 next week, still quite young.

[Obinna]

23 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

People who think there is anything unsual about that celebration do not watch football, simple as that. We've seen similar in all circumstances in all levels of play. It is just standard. Now I happen to feel the forum is cesspool and full of sewer rats picking at dropped scraps lately, but that is beside the point. How about this:

The goal ensures a victory for his team, Ham Kam, who are a legit candidate for promotion to top flight.

The team was tied for league leader before this match, with one point more than the rival, who were and remain fourth.

The win puts them three points clear of 2nd place and 4 over this side (Jerv, team I'd never heard of, ever, and I used to report on Norway-based players for years so recognize 80% of 2nd tier). They are approaching the halfway point of the season. 

The team, who were further ahead in the league a few weeks ago, lost 2 of their previous four and the race for promotion just got closer. I am sure the fans, players and FO all celebrated that goal enthusiastically. 

(If you think I am after-the-fact contextualising, you can go back to what I said when he signed, basically the same thing, that they were a promotion candidate and he'd need to perform).

But even if they were mid-table and it meant nothing, you can celebrate however you damn well like. 

Appreciate what you are saying, and thank you for the promotion race context because I was not aware of that, but just as he can celebrate "however he damn well likes", we can both have opposing opinions on his celebration, or any celebration for that matter, and that should be fine. Sports are entertainment at the end of the day, right?                                                 

Here's another opinion: goal celebrations are individual expressions and can be judged how ever anyone sees fit

[archer21]

16 hours ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

People who think there is anything unsual about that celebration do not watch football, simple as that. We've seen similar in all circumstances in all levels of play. It is just standard. Now I happen to feel the forum is cesspool and full of sewer rats picking at dropped scraps lately, but that is beside the point. How about this:

The goal ensures a victory for his team, Ham Kam, who are a legit candidate for promotion to top flight.

The team was tied for league leader before this match, with one point more than the rival, who were and remain fourth.

The win puts them three points clear of 2nd place and 4 over this side (Jerv, team I'd never heard of, ever, and I used to report on Norway-based players for years so recognize 80% of 2nd tier). They are approaching the halfway point of the season. 

The team, who were further ahead in the league a few weeks ago, lost 2 of their previous four and the race for promotion just got closer. I am sure the fans, players and FO all celebrated that goal enthusiastically. 

(If you think I am after-the-fact contextualising, you can go back to what I said when he signed, basically the same thing, that they were a promotion candidate and he'd need to perform).

But even if they were mid-table and it meant nothing, you can celebrate however you damn well like. 

Yeah I agree, there wasn’t anything too crazy about the celebration. I still celebrate at least that hard when I score in the local 30 and over league.

[Kent]

23 hours ago, Obinna said:

At the same time, if my comment came off as a bit of a dig at him, you're not imagining things. It was a little bit, but it's not personal against him, I just think he's better than Norway Div 2. If I felt this was his level, his celebration perhaps wouldn't have struck me as over the top.

It's like scoring against Cayman Islands and sliding on your knees as you run towards the corner, that's how I saw it. Sure you can do it, but it's slightly comical.

The big difference between the situation in the first paragraph and the 2nd paragraph is that he literally plays in Norway Div 2, so that is his level until he moves elsewhere.

The assumption in the Cayman Islands example is that the goal scorer is playing for Canada, against Cayman Islands. They are at very different levels. Even if they both happen to be in the same competition (ie: World Cup Qualifying) the players themselves are playing at very different levels.

If the goal is important for the result of the match, to me there isn't anything over the top in his celebration. If he made it 4-0 or greater than it is arguably over the top. Or if it was a consolation goal in a lost match, again it is probably over the top (unless it was a Cayman Islands scoring against Canada kind of situation).

[Obinna]

12 minutes ago, Kent said:

The big difference between the situation in the first paragraph and the 2nd paragraph is that he literally plays in Norway Div 2, so that is his level until he moves elsewhere.

That is like saying Buchanan's level is MLS because he currently plays there. 

13 minutes ago, Kent said:

If the goal is important for the result of the match, to me there isn't anything over the top in his celebration. If he made it 4-0 or greater than it is arguably over the top. Or if it was a consolation goal in a lost match, again it is probably over the top (unless it was a Cayman Islands scoring against Canada kind of situation).

He scored the goal to make it 2-0, so it wasn't the game winner, but it did secure the victory I guess, so point taken. 

14 minutes ago, Kent said:

The assumption in the Cayman Islands example is that the goal scorer is playing for Canada, against Cayman Islands. They are at very different levels. Even if they both happen to be in the same competition (ie: World Cup Qualifying) the players themselves are playing at very different levels.

It was an extreme example, but doesn't change the point I was making, which is that Bair is playing (and scoring) at a level which is too low for my liking. Maybe I am wrong about him and this is honestly his level, like you say.

That view would certainly take the comedy out of the celebration.

[narduch]

Dude is on fire

 

[youllneverwalkalone]

Keeper looked good on that one lol

[costarg]

7 hours ago, narduch said:

Dude is on fire

 

Nice to see him actually hustle and out work defenders, didn't see that at the Olympic sample.

[gigi riva]

Im glad he is strating to find his confidence back still a way to go but good for him

[Unnamed Trialist]

Theo's loan goes to the end of the year, just after the end of Norwegian season.

I did not see in the press that there was an option to buy. In any case they would not have a lot to pay for him, it might not be attractive to the Caps. His contract was multi-year with the Caps from a few years ago, but not sure when it ends. 

If they promote I would imagine he might see playing for them in top flight as a good option, apart from the salary possibilities (well over 100,000 euros most probably, which I doubt Caps would give him). Downside: Caps force him back, refuse to deal him, and kill off his positive career curve. Would not put it past them.

[Big_M]

highly doubt he would get well over 100k euros with a promoted team that has a 8000 stadium and gets around 2000 at games

[Obinna]

19 hours ago, narduch said:

Dude is on fire

 

Back by popular demand, it is now time for....

Celebration analysis time:

Notice his relaxed demeaner as he trots to the touchline at 0:13, as his teammates embrace him with hugs. That is a confident man who knows he can score. Much contrast to his first goal, in which there was a big sense of relief as he broke his goal drought. 

Discuss (and criticize)

[Unnamed Trialist]

9 hours ago, Big_M said:

highly doubt he would get well over 100k euros with a promoted team that has a 8000 stadium and gets around 2000 at games

The average or mean salary in top flight Norway is well over 100,000 € a year, but that could be pushed up by the higher salaries. The median may be lower.

In any case he'd be close to 100k as a striker, if they did not pay him that they would not be able to retain him.

Quite logically, if HamKam were big on him, they might see rivals also interested, as I am not sure there is an option they could invoke.

[Aird25]

51 minutes ago, Unnamed Trialist said:

The average or mean salary in top flight Norway is well over 100,000 € a year, but that could be pushed up by the higher salaries. The median may be lower.

In any case he'd be close to 100k as a striker, if they did not pay him that they would not be able to retain him.

Quite logically, if HamKam were big on him, they might see rivals also interested, as I am not sure there is an option they could invoke.

Any idea what second division salaries are like?

[Unnamed Trialist]

9 hours ago, Aird25 said:

Any idea what second division salaries are like?

I suppose since he's on loan they are paying his Whitecaps salary, or the proportion thereof---but that does not answer your question really. 

[JamboAl]

2 hours ago, Aird25 said:

Any idea what second division salaries are like?

I would guess not much.  Crowds except for the larger sides are as small as a few hundred.  HamKam are a medium sized club for that division.