Posts by Jose White18

Joshua Martinez7 said:I can't speak for gips, but Vlašić is clearly off his game lately, and this ego trip is getting out of hand.

Honestly, it's not just Vlašić dealing with an ego problem.
If you ask me, gips is actually leading the pack on that one.

wiredviper said:In this specific instance, the OP explicitly stated she wanted a five-star rating and that the thread should be locked, plus she thanked a few people for their input earlier. Then velvettrucker52 chimed in to say that the OP doesn't have exclusive ownership over the topic and that once a thread is posted on the forum, it belongs to everyone. Everyone participates regardless of who started it. I can find velvettrucker52's post if anyone needs it.

That’s the part I don't get. It feels like double standards at play.
Basically, when the veterans talk to each other, they can pat each other on the back or criticize one another on someone else's thread and it's fine. But if a newcomer tries to blend in, they get hit with deletions, warnings, and locks.

Look, velvettrucker52 actually made a good point. The OP isn't the one with the power to decide whether a thread stays open or gets locked—that's the moderator's job.

As for the whole "newbie vs. veteran" thing, it's the same everywhere. When someone new joins, they have certain rights and are welcome, but it's pretty naive to expect the old guard to bend to them instead of the other way around. That doesn't mean the veterans won't face pushback or get called out when they go too far. They will. It's just that newcomers often lack a sense of what is actually tolerated here and what isn't. 🙂

If something specific is bothering you, you can always use the report tool—just click on )

dustypuma5 said:The thing is, a moderator could technically edit a post before deleting it to clean things up. That way, when the admin reviews everything, they aren't seeing what actually happened, just a polished version of events.
🙂

:paranoid: :Possible:

If you can't keep up with all this, it’s probably better to just skip it altogether.

What's actually bothering you?

It’s all fun and games until someone takes it too far and loses sight of what actually matters.

velvettrucker52 said:This whole thread has been going in circles for days. The OP keeps arguing with anyone who won't just validate her delusions, and she ends up fighting herself half the time too.

Plus, she’s the one who invited this chaos. I'm happy to play along since this topic has turned into nothing more than a playground for trolls and people looking for cheap validation.

I agree. It gets especially messy when the people starting these threads refuse to hear any dissenting views—which is exactly what's happening here—and actually end up fueling the personal attacks themselves.

Honestly, this thread is pretty much on the verge of being shut down.

Sean Gonzalez95 said:So, Jose White18 finally got back to me about that question...

Everyone, myself included, is absolutely on board with this. It’s honestly frustrating to see how much Fak changed this country.Just another brainwashed sheep, part of a mindless crowd following whatever ideas the leaders feed them.

So, should we go over what that method actually looked like for the umpteenth time?

He had an agreement with the Canadians to join them right after the Olympics. Then the HOO stepped up and made it clear they were going to. Do whatever it takes. We should probably tell him to hold out. Are we all in agreement that Jacob shouldn't accept this unless everything is at least equal to—if not better than—what they’re offering him in Canada? He already made his position clear to them, after all. The truth is, HOO put together this specific offer, and it's honestly pathetic. It follows a string of broken promises, and half of what's written in there is built on shaky ground and likely won't ever happen. It isn't even close to being better than the Canadian deal, but to the average American, it sounds like a golden ticket to retirement.

Jacob is still technically on the roster, but he’s realized there won't be a real coach coming in. Having a solid coach is a dealbreaker for him if he wants to actually train and improve. So, he's asking for his release. Now, HBS is trying to cook up some kind of buyout or severance package, stalling him for a week before they finally let him go.

From what I can gather, everything I've been reading suggests that Jacob was completely ready to go just two weeks ago. Take down the Canadians. They gave them their word, and now they’re set to compete for Team USA. HOO didn't offer him anything remotely close to fair terms. They wouldn't even guarantee that the current, underwhelming deal would be honored through to the end. Honestly, he was relieved to finally get his release papers. It meant he could just move on with his career, which is pretty crucial for an athlete who hasn't even hit his prime yet.

Jacob didn't pull a fast one on anyone. Everyone has known about the move to Canada for over a year now. What exactly was his way of leaving that would give me any reason to be bitter at him? 🤷

Paul Jones7 said:I’m actually jealous of them. They have politicians who unashamedly fight for their national interests instead of selling out for small favors. Meanwhile, we have cowards who sell our country off for pennies, showing zero loyalty to America. We have this problem because our leaders are a direct reflection of us. We’re the ones being weak and foolish. I’m honestly envious that they’re smarter than we are, while we remain such idiots that I can't even find the words to say it.

I'll sign off on this, just like I do with everything else.

The best example of how Canadians protect their own interests at everyone else's expense is their highway vignette system. They rolled out a six-month pass that wasn't exactly cheap, though it wasn't breaking the bank either. Then they introduced an annual pass that was laughably inexpensive once you actually sit down and do the math. For the locals who spend most of their lives on the interstate, it’s a steal, while travelers just get screwed. Once that happened, the complaining started from every direction—protests, political upheaval, all that talk about the EU and whatnot.

So, what are we looking at now? We’ve got an annual pass that’s already seeing a massive price hike, a monthly pass that costs as much as a six-month pass used to, and a five-day pass that doesn't even cover a full week of skiing or beach time—meaning you have to buy two, which ends up costing what a half-year pass once did. People aren't complaining as much anymore because they think having a short-term pass is a win, but everyone seems to have conveniently forgotten how much those neighbors across the border jacked up the prices on us.

Hats off to them. They have a government that actually looks out for their interests instead of staying neutral like everyone else. Like you pointed out, we’re just sitting here letting ourselves get pushed around. We ended up with exactly the kind of leadership we deserve—the kind that has stripped us bare and squeezed us dry until we're exhausted, all while showing zero intention of stopping.

Sean Gonzalez95 said:There’s a very specific reason why so many people are upset about how that decision was made.
I don't think we're all completely brainless. Most people aren't actually that limited in their thinking or lazy when it comes to digging up the truth. It feels like a lot of the attacks come from pure spite or just plain old jealousy.

Large crowds, no matter how big they get, always end up acting like sheep because... The mass. Don't try to outsmart them with logic. Instead, aim for their most basic, primal instincts—those are much easier to trigger. It leads to a more calculated kind of action. I can't really wrap my head around this one. It just doesn't add up for me. She just isn't up to the task. She needs to make a conscious effort to actually think about what's really going on here. mass People just don't care enough about that—it’s easier to stay indifferent, and frankly, most people lack the bandwidth anyway. If everyone actually used their own heads for once, we wouldn't be in this position. massThey aren't just objects; they're conscious, thinking beings.

It’s incredibly easy to manipulate the masses by fueling their resentment toward our neighbors in the Midwest. The way people were stirred up over the Jakob Fak situation was honestly pathetic because it was so effortless. All you have to do is leak a number like $350,000—without mentioning what that actually covers or the scale of the requirements—and the crowd loses its mind. They start doing mental math thinking it’s a $30,000 monthly salary, when that isn't even close to the truth. Plus, having a secure, lifelong career in the military is basically a pipe dream for the average person, which only makes them easier to rile up.

Trying to light a fire under people is a losing battle. Anyone using their brain can see pretty quickly that the right move is actually the exact opposite of what everyone else is vibrating toward. masses.

Arthur Martinez7 said:Look, the guy told you... This is an athlete most Americans wouldn't even recognize if it wasn't for that one Olympic medal he narrowly missed in a niche sport most people couldn't name, yet he's managed to turn his move to the US into this massive media circus.

Not to mention he narrowly missed a world medal just a year prior... I guess it's better to be born lucky than anything else, right?

silverranger2 said:Jakob Fak got the green light from HBO

Wishing him the best! 👍

Good luck to the patriots now that they're rid of that traitorous jerk. One less headache to deal with. 👍

Paul Jones7 said:What would you say about an average person who leaves America to work and live somewhere else, moves to another country—say, stays in the US—and eventually gets citizenship?...

...and then publishes research at an American institute for a Nobel Prize, whereas in our local conditions, his ceiling would just be some small local award in Washington, D.C.

The point is, we can think whatever we want about people like JF, but there's no reason to invent obstacles or stop them from choosing their own path in life.

briskbison28 said:Regarding 1) the instructor job, 2) military pay, and 3) coaching services:
1) and 2) are true. They promised him an instructor role, but then things just stalled out.
Sometimes what our armchair experts spout isn't actually doable. Especially when it comes to military pay and jobs, considering our Department of Defense isn't exactly ap for it regarding hiring athletes.
Honestly, maybe some changes could happen now. I hope so.

But for the average American, this is the ultimate dream.
Get a steady gig in the US Army, work in the shade, and wait for retirement without a single worry.
The issue is that Jacob Fak isn't your average American.

Sean Gonzalez95 said:Jose White18, I’m with you on absolutely everything you said. But you didn't quite count me in.

Everything I’ve written boils down to one simple question: why does everyone assume they deserve a bigger slice of the pie from the US government than the rest of us?

He isn't asking for anything more than the rest of us. He just wants to be left alone to go his own way.

You could probably secure a much better financial future than the average American.

Actually, that’s exactly why I respect him. His goal isn't even about... To get ahead financially and do better than the average American.. 🤮

The average American couldn't care less about what Jacob Fak thinks regarding mediocrity. He has no interest in being just another face in the crowd. Average. He wants to be at the top of his game, the absolute best he can be. He isn't looking for a massive paycheck; he just needs the right conditions to work. Unfortunately, America just can't—or won't—provide that kind of environment.

Why bother keeping him around? Honestly, what on earth is the point? Just us average Americans.? 🤷

briskbison28 said:You might have read it, but you clearly missed the point. 😉
Basically, that $300 $0.00 covers all his expenses—everything I mentioned earlier. It’s a set amount meant for prep, gear, vitamins, and so on. You can't just redirect those funds elsewhere.

Most people watching the news or scrolling through social media see that number and immediately react. Man, do you even realize how much money that actually is? Releasing that figure serves a specific political purpose for HOO/HBS.

There's also a specific amount allocated for his scholarship.
Jakov receives $4 $33 per month. Not a penny more, at least not from HOO.

Before people start comparing this to a cashier's salary at Walmart, someone should explain if that's actually a lot of money for someone ranked in the top 15 in the world in their field.

dustymarlin10 said:People define "scum" differently. To me, scum is anyone who acts like athletes are divine gifts and thinks they can just take without giving anything back...

And what exactly should Jacob give to America? Stay here and settle for some mediocre 37th place finishes?
With the current offers, he won't be doing much better than that anyway.

Sean Gonzalez95 said:I wasn't trying to make a definitive statement, but watching Jacob's pathetic TV appearance was just too much. I mean, how much money did my brother get to leave his health behind in a war zone at 23, or my cousin who blew out his knees at 19 in the mountains?

And will his buddies actually be happier if this traitor Jacob stays to play for the US national team?

Why force someone to stay when they've already decided to move on? What do you gain from that? 🤷
Why would I want to hold onto someone who clearly doesn't care about playing under my flag? No thanks, I don't need that. He's free to go wherever he thinks he'll find more happiness.

Henry Cox78 said:I recall a handball club once competing in the top league with a budget like that. They ended up getting relegated. 🤣

Even teams in the major basketball leagues operate on budgets around a million dollars.

And do those handball or basketball clubs win Olympic or World Championship medals? Do they win any kind of medals? Not really, right?

Jacob isn't going to win anything under conditions where everything—absolutely everything—has to fit into a tiny $300,000 annual budget. ☕

swiftwalker43 said:Look, I’ll be the first to stand by him if he wasn't offered a fair shake after his big wins. If people ignored him or lowballed him, I'd have his back. But as it stands, he’s just a bad apple we need to move past.

But you actually said it yourself—money isn't what drives him. He didn't sell out to the Canadian Ski Association; he's strictly motivated by the sport.

Daniel Cooper40 said:Look, when Fak leaves, sponsors are probably going to walk out the door too. They need to find a way to make up for that lost revenue, regardless of the medals they won.

Fak is leaving one way or another.

Whether he heads to Canada or just retires, if those shady contracts were tied directly to him, they’re essentially worthless now. It's a house of cards—all smoke and no substance.

If I were in Fak's shoes, after all these stunts, I wouldn't even sit at the same table as this association, let alone represent them under their banner.

ambercobra28 said:From what I gathered, HBS isn't asking for damages because they invested money in Jack Fak. They're claiming they're losing out on sponsorship deals they could have landed if Fak had won those medals. Basically, they're admitting their investment in Fak was worth nothing and that American biathlon medals are just the result of Fak and some Canadians.

I honestly can't believe someone would be foolish enough to share such nonsense publicly instead of just keeping it to themselves.

wiredtiger8 said:Does anyone actually think Fak has been training in Aspen for free with the Canadians for the last two years?

Of course he hasn't. But Fak brought world and Olympic medals to HBS. What more could he have done?
What did HBS even achieve before Fak arrived, and what are they going to accomplish in the next ten years?

Daniel Cooper40 said:The USA Biathlon Association made the right call here. Even if our training conditions aren't exactly top-tier, they've invested so much in Jacob that now they want their money back.

Whatever the association actually spent on Jacob—and let's be honest about how much that really was—he paid them back tenfold with his World Championship and Olympic medals.

If this organization were worth anything, we’d have at least ten more biathletes producing results twice as impressive as Jacob's by now, but there's nobody. Fine, let them stroke their egos with this little power move, but it would be a total disgrace to ruin a world-class athlete just because of some bureaucratic nitpicking. Then again, it wouldn't be the first time...

Jamie Chase6 said:... deep down, you know exactly what's driving you.

It doesn't stop me from sleeping like a baby.
I'm not sure if that changes your perspective, but honestly, it won't keep me up at night.