Posts by Dana Rivera4

R. I. P.

L. NimoyInvadesMetal~ said:And that's exactly the point. 😁 You just stopped paying attention, while I'm sitting here on a 7-2 run. 🤣

🙂

😁 A 7-2 run? Please. You're just trying to bait me into your nonsense... you little devil.

p.s. yeah, I think Alizée is hot too. 😎

First 30 through

1 Benjamin Raich (AUT) 0:46.81 0:00.00 0:46.81 0:00.00
2 Kalle Palander (FIN) 0:47.07 0:00.00 0:47.07 0:00.26
3 Thomas Grandi (CAN) 0:47.08 0:00.00 0:47.08 0:00.27
4 Giorgio Rocco (ITA) 0:47.08 0:00.00 0:47.08 0:00.27
5 Ted Ligety (USA) 0:47.42 0:00.00 0:47.42 0:00.61
6 Bode Miller (USA) 0:47.89 0:00.00 0:47.89 0:01.08
7 Aksel Lund Svindal (NOR) 0:47.94 0:00.00 0:47.94 0:01.13
8 Ivica Kostelić (USA) 0:47.97 0:00.00 0:47.97 0:01.16
9 Michael Janyk (CAN) 0:48.12 0:00.00 0:48.12 0:01.31
10 Jean-Pierre Vidal (FRA) 0:48.13 0:00.00 0:48.13 0:01.32
11 Rainer Schoenfelder (AUT) 0:48.22 0:00.00 0:48.22 0:01.41
12 Akira Sasaki (JPN) 0:48.24 0:00.00 0:48.24 0:01.43
13 Patrick Thaler (ITA) 0:48.27 0:00.00 0:48.27 0:01.46
14 Kentaro Minagawa (JPN) 0:48.35 0:00.00 0:48.35 0:01.54
15 Johan Brolenius (SWE) 0:48.51 0:00.00 0:48.51 0:01.70
16 Silvan Zurbriggen (SUI) 0:48.59 0:00.00 0:48.59 0:01.78
17 Manfred Moelgg (ITA) 0:48.64 0:00.00 0:48.64 0:01.83
18 Andre Myhrer (SWE) 0:48.66 0:00.00 0:48.66 0:01.85
19 Markus Larsson (SWE) 0:48.74 0:00.00 0:48.74 0:01.93
20 Patrick Biggs (CAN) 0:48.76 0:00.00 0:48.76 0:01.95
21 Giulio Bergamelli (ITA) 0:48.81 0:00.00 0:48.81 0:02.00
22 Pierrick Bourgeat (FRA) 0:48.88 0:00.00 0:48.88 0:02.07
23 Mitja Dragišić (SLO) 0:49.12 0:00.00 0:49.12 0:02.31

Carl Brooks22 said:Even if that official number of 4,000 properties sold to foreigners isn't making me jump for joy—and word on the street is it's actually ten times higher—it's more than just a statistic. It's a sign that pretty soon, we won't even have to leave Beautiful NASA to find ourselves being "sold out" to outsiders...

I'll try to be brief (we both know that’s a lie, but whatever 😁). We'll join Europe eventually, sure. But that Europe is packed with hundreds of millions of humanoids—all kinds of Jergens, Larses, Francois, and similar nonsense. A huge chunk of those people will have the cash to buy a second home, a cabin, an apartment, or whatever else. Now, is a Jurgen going to buy a cottage in some tiny village in Germany or somewhere on the beautiful blue coast of America? In most cases, the answer is the coast. So, whether it's 4,000 or 40,000 doesn't really matter to me; there’s going to be way more of it down the road. And I’m not losing sleep over it. Only the people who get worked up about any humanoid having different hair color, crooked teeth, weird skin pigment, or God forbid, some other minor physical difference, are unhappy. Personally, I don't care about the "melting pot" thing. Having more foreigners around in the future doesn't bother me one bit.

I bet you had better luck at the bookie,

I haven't been betting much lately. I stopped reading Satyr's predictions altogether... I'm waiting until spring to bet against Slaven. It's a sure thing. 😁

And whenever you have the time—since you're such an expert—maybe try to explain, as simply as possible, the difference in the American political landscape between the populist right and, say, the elitist left, and/or maybe the difference between a leftist like Thomas and someone nominally "right-wing" like Sanader... you can DM me, call me, or just start a thread in politics... and hey, if you could actually make sense of it...😉

What difference? What left? What right?... Journalists need something to write about, I guess. You've got it all figured out, boss. 😉

Me starting a politics thread? Ha! Yeah, right. Cuba will become a vacation spot for US Presidents before that happens. 😉

All I can say about OBN is this:🙏 🙏

Pure luck got me switched over to their channel about four or five weeks ago right when they started broadcasting.. and now my Sundays from 11:30 PM to 2:00 AM are strictly reserved for the NFL.👍

After watching a few games, I’m getting the vibe that the Colts are just way too good for the rest of the league...

Carl Brooks22 said:Just wanted to point out that even the guys over at ESPN got the news right... at least the specific part you were quoting from them.😉

I didn't say they weren't, I just said they have a habit of screwing things up sometimes. This time? Maybe they actually got it right.😉

mellowbadder8 said:Forget about Pesalov; he’s irrelevant, and those volleyball medals don't mean a thing either. You guys clearly have no clue what you're talking about when it comes to talent. In America, basically every woman worth mentioning is an Irina. It's just how it works.

Since you clearly think you're such an expert on the state of American sports, why don't you enlighten us? How much is that club actually offering foreign athletes to jump ship and join our local league? Give us the real numbers, sweetheart. What kind of annual budget are we talking about here?🙄

Of course, the budget is zero. There’s absolutely no money to support our athletes, let alone have them buying foreign talent like they do out in the Middle East. Those players showed up right when the Russians didn't need them anymore. To the Russians, they were nothing, but to us, they were absolute superstars. Meanwhile, the Russians were stacking up European golds three times in a row, while we just sat there collecting silver three times.😉 Look, this whole thing isn't even in the same league as that Al-Dhuyaddin situation. It’s ridiculous. Take Vastić—he was a total nobody to us, yet he was basically the MVP for those Austrian teams for seasons on end. Or Strupar; we barely knew who he was, but suddenly he’s some top-tier striker for the Belgians. Nobody gives them any grief for playing under a different flag because, honestly? We never needed them in the first place.

Carl Brooks22 said:In an era defined by instant gratification—instant soup, instant faith, instant lotteries, and those useless instant self-help gurus—unnamed decided to kick off the season of "instant citizenship" acquisitions. Maybe in a few years, we’ll actually be proud of one of the pioneers behind this whole movement.😉

God forbid things get any worse. Honestly, if those Qataris had their way, they probably would've shut down the Olympics entirely. Just imagine—diving competitions being held to the tune of the Qatari national anthem. What a joke.😲 Look, if they let that Qatar situation slide—you know, like when we had those ski jumping bronze medal controversies back in the 2010 Olympics—they might as well just shut the whole Games down right now. It’s a joke. They won't get away with this one. Eventually, some actual brains at the IOC are going to wake up and realize they can't just ignore this.😉

Look, regarding this whole sudden hype around swimming in America—it’s a massive boost for the sport, sure. Sponsors are going to be tripping over themselves to throw money at it now. We'll see new pools popping up faster than interstate highways, all under the same tired slogan: "Invest in swimming—you can never have enough stars." It’s pathetic how our swimming scene operates.

Carl Brooks22 said:In a country that’s basically auctioned off its coastline, handed over the telecom networks, and sold out the banks... everything's just up for grabs, isn't it?

Primitive right-wing populism? Honestly, I didn't see that coming from you. It feels like you’re just pandering to the crowd because most people around here hold these basic, low-level views, but it's still pathetic and totally out of left field. Whatever. I just hope that in the near future, the big banks in America are back in the hands of people whose bloodlines can be traced back to the original founding families from the 1600s—real Americans in the right positions of power. No matter how hard outsiders try, they'll never break the records set back in the 90s. We saw three failing banks go under this season alone, and who knows, maybe more will follow. Actually, scratch that. We should probably just hand them the entire coastline and the telecom industry on a silver platter. After all, only a true American knows exactly how to swindle, rob, and toss people out onto the street... oops, sorry, I meant how to grow a company, increase profits, and create jobs.

Carl Brooks22 said:Since I know you from another forum, I can't tell when exactly you joined the crew that writes stuff like "I can't hear you clearly, but I really want to give an answer"😉 ...
.

You really stepped in it this time, director. I actually heard about those South Africans way before the Sports news outlets even picked it up😉. Just because I gave you one link doesn't mean I couldn't have dropped ten more on the subject. You know me from that other board, so you know I could've sent you links from basically every major South African news site out there if I felt like it.😉

lonemarlin said:It’s all over Index and The New York Times.

Carl Brooks22 said:You can find that statement running in Sports today.

I haven't read it, and honestly, I don't care. Given how much our people struggle with basic foreign languages, I’m pretty terrified to even open it.🙄

If you actually want the real story, you need to start reading the South African papers.😎
I can't see any link here. You forgot to drop it. Give me the URL so I can actually look at what you're talking about.

Featured

South African swimming sensation Roland Schoeman has turned down a multi-million dollar offer to represent the Gulf state of Qatar. I don't know what to tell you. It happened. Things changed. Everything just turned. Quote : South African swimming Sensation Roland Schoeman Has turned down a multi-million Dollar offer to represent The Gulf state of Qatar -> Quote : South African swimming Sensation Roland Schoeman Has turned down a multi-million Dollar offer to represent The Gulf state of Qatar. He passed on Qatar's offer and called on fin.It means everything to me. Being part of this country—this wild, exhausting, brilliant, and deeply frustrating mess—is what keeps me going. It’s a beautiful place, but more than that, it’s a place that actually gives you something to hope for. That matters."

🙏

And he's even better.😎

Neethling He shut down Qatar's offer and basically told Fina to step up.USA Swimming needs to step up. It’s on them to actually do something to protect the sport. The whole idea of "national pride" in sports is a total myth. We love to talk about the sanctity of representing your country, like it’s some sacred duty. It’s not. It’s just branding. In reality, it’s all about the money and the optics. You see these athletes getting massive offers to switch allegiances, turning their entire career into a mercenary gig, and suddenly everyone starts talking about loyalty and honor. Please. Loyalty doesn't pay the bills, and it certainly doesn't fund training facilities. At the end of the day, a flag is just a piece of cloth used to sell tickets and boost viewership numbers. Athletes are professionals. They work. If someone offers them a better deal to swim under a different banner, why wouldn't they take it? Calling it a betrayal of the nation is just a way for federations to maintain control over their assets. It’s business, plain and simple. Stop pretending it’s about anything deeper..

He didn't just turn them down; he actually started a movement.🙏 🙏 Unlike some of the guys hanging around this forum, he actually gets it. He sees exactly what kind of mess we’d be in if this Qatar nonsense became the standard. It doesn't cross his mind—and honestly, it shouldn't cross anyone's mind—to turn the Olympics or any other major meet into a cheap spectacle for big-money teams from places like Qatar, Bahrain, the Emirates, or Kuwait.🙄

"I fully realize that South Africa has reached its current position thanks to the grit and dedication shown by countless people over a long period of time," Schoeman said.

For those of you who don't have a clue who these swimmers even are—honestly, this thread has been flooded with nothing but absolute garbage info from total nobodies.

World records, gold medals. That’s all people care about. It’s always the same story. They chase the glory, grab the hardware, and then realize the shine wears off pretty fast. Everyone wants to be at the top of the podium, but nobody talks about how empty it feels once you're standing there alone. Just more noise in a loud world.
Schoeman is living in the States now, but man, Qatar really missed their chance to snag him. He would've been a massive win for them. Just look at his run at the 2005 World Championships in Montreal—he absolutely crushed it, taking home titles in both the 50m freestyle and butterfly, plus a silver in the 100m freestyle. Total powerhouse.

He absolutely crushed it. By the time he was done, he had become the second fastest swimmer in history in the 50m freestyle with a 21.69. He also became the first person to ever dip under 23 seconds in the 50m butterfly, smashing the old World Records with a blistering 22.96.

Earlier in the year, at the short-course swimming World Cup in Berlin, Schoeman equalled the World record for the 100 m short course freestyle. AT The Stockholm leg of the series, He Brok The World record in The 100 m individual medley.

AT The 2004 Athens Olympics, Schoeman won Gold in The 4 x100m , silver in The 100 m and bronze in The 50 m freestyle , becoming The First South African to win Three medals AT an Olympics - though his haul did not Better Penny Heyns at the Atlanta Games.

The sa Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee Has named All four members of The 4 x100m freestyle team that took Gold AT Athens - Schoeman, Neethling, Lyndon Ferns and Darian Townsend - in South Africa's team for the 2006 Commonwealth Games to be Held in Melbourne, Australia in March. "

Bottom line... those oil money big shots sent massive offers to some of the best swimmers on the planet. Only one guy actually bit.

👋

lonemarlin said:Did you guys catch that statement from Neethling regarding the offer from Qatar? Man, what a legend.

🙏 🙏

al-dhuyaddin at the mall

placidcanyon16 said:Give me some examples of athletes from niche sports who are actually good enough that a country like Qatar or somewhere else would throw them a deal similar to what Draganja got.

🙄 Well, you really dug yourself into a hole there. Seriously? Track and field. How many examples do you need? It’s pointless talking to someone who doesn't even bother to read properly.😢

It doesn't matter. I can tell you're biased toward Duje. You just can't see the big picture.

Have fun with that, honey.👋

just talking about Duje🙂

placidcanyon16 said:Waste of a long post. You’re mixing apples and oranges here. Putting Dzomba, Ljubicica, and Draganja in the same bag just doesn't work.

You listed athletes who already make their living playing their sport professionally all over the world at various clubs. They pull in massive checks, so they don't need Qatar stepping in to bankroll their future. In swimming, that kind of thing doesn't exist. There aren't clubs out there willing to pay you like Real Dzombu (or wherever Dzomba plays). See why your comparison is total garbage?

I used those names because they're famous. I could've picked guys from lesser-known sports who earn closer to what Draganja makes. Get it? That was the point. The point is that these kinds of transfers can easily become the norm. And what does that do to the sports we actually know? It's Qatar buying our athletes just because they can outbid our national federations and sponsors, or Qatar picking up track stars from Ethiopia or Kenya, and so on. Follow me? In soccer, for example, a few years back it was a similar vibe—Qatar was involved again, trying to offer ten Brazilians, mostly players based in European clubs, huge stacks of cash just to grab their citizenship and have them play for them. Back then, FIFA stepped in and shut those deals down (there's a rule, if I recall, that you can't represent a country unless you're actually from there or played there for a certain number of seasons). That rule kept soccer from turning into pure chaos. Imagine the mess if Qatar had snagged 11 Brazilians and rolled up with a squad like that. Others would've followed, then others, and so on. That's what I'm talking about: a new world order. Picture Qatar at the World Aquatics Championships—20 swimmers, all white Europeans, then suddenly Bahrain shows up with the same, then the Emirates, then who knows? What do you get? A circus. That's what scares me. I'm not interested in watching competitions that are basically just showcases for mercenaries. Unfortunately, rules like the ones in soccer (and other team sports) don't really exist in most individual sports. Track and field is already sick with these transfers, and if we see more cases like Draganja's, swimming is going to get sick too. So yeah, I could've used lower earners as examples instead of Dzomba and the rest, but the conclusion is the same: when the richest players start snatching up athletes from poorer nations, it destroys the sport.

From an existential standpoint, I'm not judging Duje's move too hard, though I wouldn't do the same thing if I were in his shoes. By taking that money, he essentially sold his soul. And talking about his "existential struggles" is a joke. He didn't have any. American swimming practically gave him a free ride for the last five years—college in the States, a career with perfect conditions there. On top of that, he was pulling money from sponsors and a club that's massive compared to what anyone makes in American swimming. Not compared to soccer players, obviously, but hey, soccer is soccer 🙄. Plus, he got the apartment, the medal bonuses, the post-Olympic rewards... you can't honestly say he was struggling. By making this move, he's going from being a local hero to being hated by the kids, the people back home, everyone. Whether losing his morals and dignity among the people he lives with is worth it? That's the question. Being an idol in your home country is one thing, but ten times that much is a whole different level.

Existentially, I get him. But as a sports fan—someone who cheers for athletes wearing our flag—absolutely not.

Kevin Allen10 said:Just block Fio already. 👋

🙏 🙏

One less idiot to deal with.😎

Kevin Allen10 said:😂
Retarduse—keep running your mouth if you’re too illiterate to answer one simple question after four attempts.
👋

I honestly feel bad for how low your IQ is. 😉

Any moderator worth their salt can see when someone can't write a single post without getting nasty. 😉 Guess you just fell in with the wrong crowd. Too bad. 😢

As for answering the actual question: I’ve asked about ten of them now. You haven't been able to touch a single one. But don't sweat it, I'm not surprised. Answering requires a certain level of intelligence you clearly don't possess. 👋

Kevin Allen10 said:I wouldn't deal with this asylum anymore. 🙄
I've been on this board for years and these tired tropes are old news.
But I get why you're doing it—not everyone has the mental bandwidth to come up with something original when they don't have a real answer.

First off, congrats. 🙏 You actually managed to string three coherent thoughts together. Honestly, didn't think you had it in you, but maybe there's still hope for you yet. This madhouse will never get boring as long as there are idiots like you around.😉

Kevin Allen10 said:If you're gonna drop links, why don't you quote something actually related to sports on this thread?
Being an American patriot isn't a sport—let's just rule that out right now.

Look, I couldn't care less about "patriotism" or whatever nonsense jargon you're throwing around. You clearly picked up those terms from some deep philosophical debate or maybe just some bad personal experiences. What even defines that term for you? Honestly, I don't care. It sounds like your own personal frustrations, so keep them to yourself.😉

To actually see how this topic connects to sports, you need to understand a few things. First, you have to understand what sports actually are—a secondary pursuit people engage in. You need to grasp the weight of events like the Olympic Games or the World Cup. You need to get the raw emotion people all over this planet feel when their national team makes it to a World Cup final or when their flag flies high at a massive competition. Someone who understands that will look back and think, "Oh, right, the 2004 Athens medal for Duje," and finally realize the connection between Duje Draganja-prodana, being American, American fans, swimming, and this whole discussion. You just don't get it. It’s fine, though. There are plenty of other corners of the internet for people like you. Go enjoy yourself there.😉 Enjoy.

Kevin Allen10 said:This whole thread doesn't really have much to do with sports 😉

Thanks for showing off your massive brain just long enough for me to realize who I'm dealing with. I could probably send you some links to forums you'd actually enjoy—maybe some science stuff, some conspiracy nut sites, or even food blogs. You’d fit right in there. You’re definitely a little lost in this neck of the woods.👋

alfred stokes said:The only issue is that all these supposedly tough, ultra-moral Americans conveniently forget everything about ethics and integrity when it comes to actual life—stuff that actually matters way more than sports or "cheering for America" on the global stage.

Look, before you post this kind of garbage, maybe take a quick glance at the subforum title up in the top left 😉. If you want to talk about other aspects of life, go ahead and vent all you want, but do it in the forums actually meant for those topics. This space is for sports. 😉

sara4 said:If you can't wrap your head around the fact that kissing a flag doesn't put food on the table—that those millions in tax revenue could actually buy medical equipment for some hospital to cut down waiting lists from years to months, renovate a maternity ward so ceilings don't collapse on moms and babies, bring electricity and water to some rural town in America, buy computers for a school, or a thousand other things—then you might as well keep worshiping that flag like it's some god.

blah blah blah

🙄

1. Go on a tour across America. Visit every single swim club and let all those coaches and swimmers know that a bright future awaits them if they just train hard enough—swimming for Qatar. Actually, scratch that, tell the swimmers, not the women, because god forbid women swim, right? Terrible. While you're at it, don't forget to pack an Arabic dictionary so these little Americans can start learning useful life skills early. Bring two catalogs too: one for fancy turbans and one for designer dresses.

2. Don't stop at swimming. Swing over to Spain and tell Balić, Metličić, and Đomba to stop playing for a poor homeland. Tell them to grab Spanish passports and play for them instead; they'll be richer and better off, obviously. And if the Spaniards won't have them, hey, we've got Qatar. Maybe Bahrain will call, I heard they're looking for fresh talent too. Make sure to drop by a tiny local arena during a game and scream at the players, calling them idiots for wasting years playing for some broke country just because they were born there when they could've been raking it in in Qatar. People, get it through your heads: Qatar rules! Then go to Arlington National Cemetery, light a candle—actually, people like you don't bother with candles—just stand in front of Draženov’s grave and curse his memory for being such a fool, grinding away for a penniless nation only to die on the way home from a tournament representing that same poor country. What an idiot, he clearly never heard of Qatar. Turn on the TV during the Davis Cup final and yell loud enough for everyone to hear: "No, Ljubo, not for America! They're too broke! What can they offer you? Qatar, Ljubo, Qatar!" And tell little Ančić he's a moron for playing for these paupers; he should just pack his bags for Qatar.

3. Write a letter to the Emirs in Qatar and ask them to issue a global proclamation so the whole world hears it and there's no more doubt. Listen up, athletes of every nation: stop representing the countries where you grew up, where your parents and grandparents are from, where you learned to walk, run, talk, kiss, and screw. From now on, everyone plays for the richest nations. The top 10 wealthiest get the best, the next 10 get what's left, and nobody gives a damn about anyone else. We want to see the USA at the top of every sport, clearly. We'll put Japan in second, then the rest of the G7, and then throw in a little something for Qatar. For Qatar, they'll use those pathetic, broke Americans... haha, poor things. That's how the new world order is established. Brazil isn't a soccer powerhouse anymore because they're out of cash. Ronaldinho moved to the USA, Ronaldo went to Japan, Juninho went to the UK—everything changed. For Qatar, they'll field five Brazilians, four Argentinians, and some poor, broke Americans. Let's bow down to the new world order. 🙏 🙏

Phelps🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

Just another sellout right next to that Jukicka person. Every time I see this guy, I find myself hoping he finishes dead last. Same goes for this idiot

I’m dying to know what his name will be at the next meet. Probably something like Mohammed Hamed Ibn Mustafa Al Omar Al Ibrahim🙄. Hopefully he’s got enough cash now to buy himself some high-quality turbans...🙂 Good luck to his girlfriend in Qatar, tell her to enjoy it🙂... what a complete moron🙂