I was thinking about this today while watching some old high school sports clips online. There’s a huge difference between a coach who just cares about the win-loss record and those rare mentors who basically step in to help raise you.
I had a coach back in middle school who saw me going through a rough patch at home. He didn't even bring it up directly, he just made sure I had a seat at the table every single day and gave me a reason to show up. It wasn't about the sport; it was about having a stable adult in your corner when things felt chaotic.
It makes me wonder how many of us are actually "products" of certain people rather than just our own upbringing. Those figures who leave a legacy aren't just measured by trophies in a glass case, but by the kind of adults their athletes eventually become.
Who was that one person in your youth—a coach, a teacher, or a mentor—who felt more like a guardian than just an instructor?
Michael Davis10 said:I mean, what kind of assets does the Russian central bank even have in the EU? And they'll probably just freeze Western central banks' assets in return.
It's all just a mess, honestly. Seems like they're getting squeezed, so they left some banks in SWIFT, I guess, just so they can still buy energy without having to lug suitcases of cash back to Moscow.
Yeah, we're talking like 600+ billion bucks.
Putin isn't getting his hands on any more Euros or Dollars.
So basically—Russian banks that have been under sanctions until now are getting kicked out of SWIFT entirely, the Russian central bank's transactions are being frozen solid, and those Russian oligarchs won't be allowed to spend a single dime in Western markets anymore.
rowdytiger13 said:Slovakia is shipping out artillery shells and fuel worth about $12 million. That includes 12,000 rounds of 120mm ammunition, 10 million liters of diesel, and 2.4 million liters of jet fuel. The Netherlands is sending 200 anti-aircraft missiles—specifically Stingers, per Kyiv's request. The Czech Republic is providing weapons and ammo valued at $9.2 million, and they’ve made it clear this isn't their last move; more is on the way. Meanwhile, the State Department has been ordered to release $350 million in funds to support Ukraine. The Slovakian government is also chipping in with military gear like helmets, rifles, and ammunition. granitebison keeps the weapons flowing. Germany isn't even worth mentioning.
BREAKING: Germany dropping longstanding block against lethal weapons transfers to allow 400 RPGs to be sent to Ukraine from Netherlands to help repel Russian invaders. Potentially major shift in European military assistance for Ukraine. Story soon at
Kevin Murphy7 said:Putin can't just go rogue and toss a nuke whenever he feels like it; he needs specific codes and a whole protocol involving multiple people
Honestly, even if he did pull the trigger, who’s actually brave enough to hit back? It would probably just end the war and force a surrender, kind of like what happened with Japan, and basically flip the entire global order upside down
Before Putin could even think about it, his own guys would probably put a bullet in the back of his head if he tried to launch nukes and trigger Armageddon without their say-so.
The clock is ticking, and honestly? The Ukrainians are just getting hungrier and better equipped by the day, while the Russians are running out of steam and losing their damn minds. We’ve gotta keep the funding flowing for this invasion; factories need to be cranking out weapons, gear, and ammo non-stop. We're talking tens of billions of dollars in Russian costs every single day. And all those sanctions? They're only going to make life even harder for them.
No one’s actually blocking the access to the Black Sea (yet). Honestly, looks like it was just some random wishful thinking from Zelenskyy, nothing more