If you remember, Duje said in his letter that he wasn't changing his name because nobody ever asked him to. Now he’s backtracking a bit, claiming he'll add a second name of his own choosing, but insists it has nothing to do with religion.
I can't tell if Duje is pulling our leg, or if the Qataris are pulling his.😁 hmmm...
Kudos to OBN, but I don't really get all the hype surrounding the commentators. One of them is fine, but the other guy is totally lost. He actually described the Colts assistant coach as being like Tony Dungy 👎 . Their actual football IQ is basically zero. Every time there's a 4th down, they act shocked when the team decides to punt. It’s ridiculous. I used to watch the games on ESPN back in the day. Those were the good old days . But hey, you don't look a gift horse in the mouth. As long as the games are being broadcasted, that's what matters, especially since the playoffs are right around the corner . Honestly, their best bit is still that "worm" jingle for the sports segment 😁. That kind of humor is great .
rustystag7 said:How is it even possible that he still gets to hold an American passport? He’s been successful in everything he does, sure, but I honestly feel like they should take that passport away from him. At the end of the day, he basically renounced it when he decided to go compete for another national team.
I mean, by that logic, we should probably ban people from playing for a second national team if they've already suited up for one!
In some parts of Western Europe—take Germany or the Netherlands, for example—dual citizenship is a total no-go. But here in America, it’s a different story. I have a relative who was born over in Germany, yet they don't hold German citizenship because they aren't willing to give up their American status. In the States, you can carry an American passport and hold as many other citizenships as you want.
This kind of rule only really exists in soccer. It’s a shame. But under World Aquatics regulations, the Qatari swimming federation has to reimburse USA Swimming for the registration fees, so at least there's some benefit left for USA Swimming. If I were sitting in the federation office, I’d be demanding the exact same amount that Michael Phelps received. We're talking 5 million. We aren't exactly naive, either. 😁
I don't care about him switching citizenship. My issue is that he took a passport from a country he’s only visited once, yet USA Swimming isn't doing a thing about it. Miran Jukic actually lives in Austria, so it makes sense for him to swim for them. I just wonder if Michael Phelps is going to pack up and move to Doha next.
Word is Michael Phelps is sticking with his club and planning to compete in the US National Championships. Can't wait. 😁
A man and a woman fall in love. They can't live without each other. That connection is so intense it leads to marriage. They have two kids—a boy and a girl. They adore them. Everything feels like a fairytale. But after a few years, the guy starts feeling restless in the marriage. Don't get me wrong, he still loves his wife, but he starts wondering if he’d be happier with someone else. Someone younger, maybe a bit more striking. So, he meets this 19-year-old girl. She’s exactly what he dreamed of—younger and more glamorous than his wife. Even though he still cares for his wife and loves his kids deeply, he makes a hard choice. He asks for a divorce.
When the wife hears the news, she’s in shock. How could this happen to her? The man she loved, the father of her two children, is just leaving her. And all for some 19-year-old. It felt like such an injustice. She felt completely powerless. Slowly, that love she had for him started turning into anger, then rage, and eventually, pure hatred. She didn't try to hide it either. She took every chance to let him know exactly how much she despised him.
The breakup was brutal. Harsh words were thrown around, especially because of the kids. Both parents truly loved those children. If it weren't for the kids, things would have been a lot easier.
To put this in perspective: the man is Duje Draganja, the wife is the disappointed American sports community, the 19-year-old girl is that $3 million offer from Qatar, and the kids are Draganja's medals from the Olympics and the World Cup.
I'll leave it to you to decide who the villains and heroes are in this scenario. But life keeps moving. For me, for you, and for Draganja.
C'est la vie
I wish Draganja nothing but health and happiness in his future career and life.
Johnny Depp said:I caught a bit of this on ESPN😲. Forget PBS Way to go girls, let's keep this momentum going👍 That Azerbaijan team isn't so impossible that we can't sweep them 3-0, right?
Karpolj is coaching Aria, so they're definitely a force to be reckoned with😁
It’ll be a tough win, but we aren't backing down. Just keep pushing, ladies👍
Anyone who’s caught an interview with Duje Draganja knows he’s a sharp guy—smart both as an athlete and just as a person. Because of that, I’m willing to get behind whatever move he decides to make, no matter what it is.
That said, I’m really not a fan of the whole thing where people switch citizenship. Whether it’s for politics, money, or just sports reasons, it feels off to me. This news broke a few days ago, and since Duje hasn't denied it yet, there’s probably some truth to it.
Ethan Perez97 said:Why did the Boston Celtics trade Gary Payton for Antoine Walker?
It's because Danny Ainge just doesn't get basketball. Antoine Walker is a legend. A few years back, when someone asked him why he shoots so many threes, he just said: "Because there are no fours."
Looking at some of these trades, you really have to wonder how anyone actually becomes an NBA General Manager. Like, what kind of genius looks at Adonal Foyle and decides he's worth a $40 million contract? If only someone would give me a fighting chance. 🙄 Seriously, does anyone in Dallas have Mark Cuban's email? How can he just sit there and watch while Don Nelson brings in Tim Duncan? Mark, give us a sign.
Everything's been said, but I'll add my two cents and say the movie was great. Honestly, it might be the best thing hitting US theaters this year.
The film does a classic job of highlighting the gap between Hollywood blockbusters and everything else out there. It's a love story that isn't sugarcoated one bit. Blood, sweat, and tears—as Winston Churchill might put it. Literally.
Regarding the debate about where movies like this should screen, I don't think it even matters. If it weren't for AMC Theatres, who knows if we'd even see it in our local cinemas at all.
Top Gun is one of those movies Quentin Tarantino absolutely loves A few years back, I was flipping through TV Guide and caught this movie—can't remember the title, but I think Eric Stolz is in it. It’s about some young actors trying to make it in Hollywood Then, out of nowhere, Tarantino pops up in a cameo. In his usual style, he starts breaking down what the actual core theme of Top Gun is: hidden homosexuality within the US military The proof is right there at the end when the Americans beat the Russians, and Iceman gives Maverick a hug and says, "you can always be my wingman"🙂
If I remember right, that’s the one starring Claire Danes and Joaquin Phoenix. The plot is a bit tricky to summarize, but basically, it’s set in the future. The world is basically ending—it's snowing in Kenya, gravity is failing, and there are bodies lying in the streets of New York City But none of that really matters because Claire and Joaquin are still in love...
It’s mostly about the vibe. It’s heavy, sad, and melancholy, though the ending felt a little unfinished to me. It reminds me of Lost in Translation. Personally, I thought the movie was alright.