Posts by feralbison62

Honestly, if Duje actually reads this thread, he might just quit swimming altogether.

cosmicridge5 said:Why the hell specifically 501? 😁 Try some Levi's 507 instead. The men's cuts are solid and actually look somewhat decent. 😁

I'm still rocking the low rise, maybe for another $5. Check out the Levi's 512, though they aren't exactly "normal" either.😁

Carl Brooks22 said:... but the real tragedy here is that by Joe stepping down, we'd lose twenty seconds of pure adrenaline and miss out on seeing the Stars and Stripes flying from a flagpole during the medal ceremonies—whether it's sprinting in tiny pools, massive ones, or swimming sideways, diagonally, or whatever else...
Come on, Joe, don't mess with us—it's about responsibility...

Well said.👍

James Fisher7 said:if you guys actually think you're sane...

The best way to tell? That thread about the World Championships in Montreal where Duje snagged silver—it’s got maybe 20 posts, and 15 of them are mine.😁
Scandals always draw the crowd.

quietcobra30 said:Here I go again.😁Duje isn't leaving. Maybe he'll quit swimming because it's killing him, and there's actual money in science. IF he goes to Qatar, Bahrain, or Saint Kitts and Nevis, he'll still keep his American citizenship. He’ll land a penthouse or some massive perk in San Francisco or Seattle before any of you losers on this thread even get a look-in. He's world-class; the rest of you can just keep biting the dust. As if he actually reads this trash.

It was rough without you.🙄 😁
How do you think he keeps his American citizenship? From what I know, we don't have those kinds of deals with those countries. It's either an American citizen or a citizen of Qatar. There is no middle ground.

chani said:Are you saying those people don't have the right to vote or speak their minds? Not an ounce of altruism there, let alone anything human. Besides, barriers exist just to be broken, especially prejudices.

Anyway, what does a fan even care when everything is supposedly fine? If he does something you don't like, we might as well just drown him like some unwanted stray kitten.

If he were from Sweden, I wouldn't even be rooting for him, so it wouldn't bother me one bit which country he represents.
Go back and read some of my old posts on this thread from before it was even remotely likely this would happen.
Is it somehow "corrupt" of me as a fan to want him to keep swimming for America, or to want him to grab gold for America at the Beijing Olympics in 2008?
Basically, Duje is acting like your typical American—everyone wants that fast cash, and he thinks the quickest, easiest way to get paid is by switching sides.
That’s the only thing that bugs me. If he leaves, fine, good luck to him. He won't be an American Swimmer, won't be called Duje Draganja, and I'll have zero reason to cheer for him. At that point, the people from Qatar can be his fans.

chani said:hard not to know, considering you guys have been worshiping him here like some kind of god

I respect anyone here actually backing the move for Duje to compete for Qatar. I’d just love to know how many of you actually followed his career back during the 2000 Summer Olympics.

blueranger12 said:So what's even the point of talking about this? 😁 😁 😵

There's zero point debating someone you don't even know.😁 😁

Ken said:Duje is banned 😁

The mod just had it out for him...

Duje's buddy said:Duje claims Charles pulled a fast one with the check, and Duje got totally screwed even though there wasn't any cover
So now Duje decided to head out to the Middle East since those guys are actually decent—they showed their true colors.

Where'd Duje go? Why didn't he just tell us himself? Maybe he went off to training or something.
We really messed up by sending that check based on what Charles said. He probably stopped somewhere along the way to grab a drink and blow the cash.
Tell Duje not to sign anything yet. We're gonna try to send a new check, but we aren't sure who to trust. Could Duje recommend someone reliable who isn't obsessed with chasing every last dollar?

Duje Draganja said:Not looking to get into an argument with you lot. You guys clearly don't have anything better to do than type nonsense online. I gotta hit training, but I'm gonna defend my reputation and my name.

Duje, why don't you put a photo in your avatar so people on this forum actually know who they're talking to?
Some guys won't even believe it's actually you posting here.
Man, what are you even doing out in America? Making any money? Did Charles bring you anything back from his trip?😁

Andrew Barnes29 said:Give me a break. Clearly you've never dealt with actual, real-world problems. The government's basically coddling him while they strip him bone-dry.

What, you think Duje is out here struggling to survive?
The issue is he's got it too easy. Guy always wants more.
He's just chasing a paycheck instead of being a true winner. A real elite athlete doesn't care about the cash; they're supposed to be role models for the next generation.

polis said:I mean... look at this hierarchy of values—for you, faith comes first, then the country, then reputation. 🙂

The most important thing is the individual and their freedom, provided they aren't stepping on anyone else. If this is how Duje decided to play it, just leave him alone.
Besides, what does "selling your soul" even mean?
But since the consensus here is basically a bunch of hyper-patriotic zealots, I get the vibe.

It’s actually the exact opposite. At the top is the guy who’s willing to toss his name and his country aside for $500,000.
For God's sake, we're not talking about some charity case. We're talking about a guy who’s pulled in 800 $0.00 over the last two years, and could probably make way more if he kept up those kinds of results.
His choice is his own, but don't expect me to call him a good person just because he sold out for a bigger paycheck than he would've gotten playing for the US.
Too little, too late now, but we could have started a GoFundMe for Duje. If everyone on this forum chipped in $25, we could've bought him back from Qatar so he could keep playing for us.

brighttiger6 said:Can you explain how someone "gives up themselves" just because they switched their damn citizenship?

What, if you aren't an American, you cease to exist or something? Please, enlighten me. 😎 🙄

It wasn't just the citizenship. He changed his name, too. You won't find his old name on any official paperwork anymore. If you ditch your name, your hometown, and your country, aren't you basically erasing who you were?
What’s next, maybe changing his religion too.

A little breakdown of what he pulled in over the last two seasons:
The thing about the Draganja case is that the coastal region, the city of Cleveland, HPS, HOO, and even the US Government all technically met their obligations to our top swimmer. Duje gets a steady monthly stipend from the coastal region in the amount of $4.25. Cleveland rewarded his Olympic silver with $33 and his world title with another $17. They even promised Duje an apartment once he finishes school in the States. The US Government tacked on more prizes—$40 for Athens and $23 for Montreal. All told, Duje raked in $281 during 2004 and 2005. But hey, that's only $138,360.

brighttiger6 said:The way you guys twist the truth is just straight-up unhinged.

Care to explain?

Kevin Allen10 said:Duje 👍

He isn't even called Duje anymore. Just wait until they announce what his new name is on that Qatari passport.😁

Or they'll just vote on ESPN, those big-shot sports experts.

What can you even say about a guy who sells his soul just to double or triple his bank account?

placidcanyon16 said:Ha, you really think Phelps is going to be worth anything just because he’s coming back to the States with an Ivy League degree? Before he even gets his credentials recognized, he'll basically just be another high school grad. And let's be real—the only way he’s getting that diploma validated without sitting through extra exams is if he "greases a few palms."

Even with being a world record holder, finding a decent gig here would be a massive uphill battle for him.☕

Megan Rodriguez44 said:Give me a break.😲
And what about me? 😬

Just wait and see what happens with Betty Rivera14.