Posts by Brandon Castillo4

The second Crouch stepped onto the pitch, they bagged two goals immediately.

👋 England 👋

Argentina 🤣 😂

rapidhound78 said:Man, you really are a handful, I gotta tell ya.👋

Signed, fully agreeing.👋

I can't stand Argentina. It's not even that I'm obsessed with the England national team, but honestly? I'd much rather see them take the win.

Carl Brooks22 said:... you see you function better in these formats...

Regarding my issues or anyone else's—look, we all have them (it’s unlikely you don't), but it really caught me off guard. After this thread devolved into that specific type of petty back-and-forth you see in those toxic internet comment sections, one of the moderators actually stepped in to fuel the fire instead of putting it out. Maybe I overstepped too, but that little nod of approval after a comment like that? You just shouldn't have done that, regardless of whether you're holding a moderator badge or not.

I'll take the blame here. I wasn't following the discussion closely enough those few days, so I clearly missed the fact that the conversation had already been 'cooled down.' If I had realized, I wouldn't have needlessly stoked the flames. My bad.

I still believe Duje carries a bit of a cursed aura about him.
If he were a pro basketball player—with 21 years under his belt, he'd already be thinking about retirement—but no, he had to go out there and swim. And do it well, yet not fast enough to be someone like Phelps, but just "only" Duje, our pride and joy... without any shred of moral obligation toward the hungry American masses waiting for gold medals and singing the Star-Spangled Banner... thanks for asking—we have plenty of everything else.

A basketball player at 21 would be thinking about retirement? Give me a break. Do you seriously think starters for teams like the Knicks or the Heat are pulling in millions at that age?

I don't get your follow-up comment. Duje isn't being criticized because he won't bring home gold for America; besides, why even frame it that way? When you or I jump out of an armchair with a clenched fist because Duje won silver, it doesn't change anything. It doesn't put money in my pocket, nor can I do anything with it tomorrow. I'm just happy because our guy accomplished something on the world stage.

I don't understand why this is being framed as some display of "patriotism." Why does it have to have this negative, cynical undertone?

Everyone siding with Duje's decision to leave and chase the money keeps pointing out how we lost a star athlete during major swimming championships. And look, I don't even hold it against him—I just find the manner in which he's willing to walk away from his citizenship a bit much. Of course, everyone's goal is to secure their livelihood. At 20, everyone acts like a true American patriot who loves their country, but when you're 35 with two kids to feed and you're counting every single dollar to make ends meet next month, it's a completely different story. I get it.
And I'm not one of those people who's suddenly going to "hate Duje from the bottom of my soul" or wish him injury and stuff. I just don't think like that. I'd rather the kid stays healthy and keeps swimming. I'm not an idiot; I don't wish injury or misfortune on anyone. I don't even know what hate feels like, let alone toward someone in the sports world. Like they say: "It doesn't affect me; I just hope he's happy and gets to achieve whatever goals he has to provide for himself."

But he shouldn't cry later, and he shouldn't act surprised when America treats him like a foreign citizen. That isn't "revenge"; it's just standard protocol. There's an old saying: "You can't sit on both sides of the fence." And you really can't.

copperpuma96 said:So why all the whining if you actually got exactly what you wanted?

And where exactly, pray tell, did he complain? The guy was just pointing out what happens to most athletes who don't have the luck of playing football or basketball—or maybe handball, where you might actually make a decent living.

If you view sports primarily through the lens of cold, hard cash, that’s your issue. It’s a flaw, not a valid perspective. If money is everything to you, then you've already lost the plot.

It doesn't make you more or less of an American than anyone else here arguing a different point; we simply disagree. But your arguments are almost entirely tied to material wealth—your posts practically scream "money, money, money."

Duje Draganja is a great swimmer, but like Bolton said, he isn't at the absolute top of the mountain. Honestly, it doesn't even matter; we'd be happy to see him stay right where he is, even if he never wins another thing. Bolton would probably throw a fit, much like Ančić 😛 😛 🙂 , but we'd all be sweating his results too.
Someone made a good point: Americans lost that little rush of adrenaline during those twenty seconds when someone swims a final, but Draganja lost way, way more than that...

And all of it for money that could vanish in a single bad investment.

copperpuma96 said:So what's your point? You chose this path, you picked this sport without any money involved—you weren't a pro.

If that's the case, why all the whining when you actually got exactly what you wanted?

Duje, Lance, Rivaldo—those guys are pros. They live off their craft. They’ll grind at it until they hit 30 and then call it a day.

Then why aren't we seeing massive "transfers" happening in swimming every single week? Why is Dujin being singled out like this? Look, we have examples like Puninski or miran Jukić, but those kids left the country while they were still basically children because the home system here didn't have the ears to hear their talent.

Though, honestly, even that's questionable. You have to wonder what was actually going on "behind the scenes."

As for Duje Draganja, he's 21. He's a grown man, not some kid. He has every single tool and opportunity needed to succeed, but instead, he wants to drive a half-million-dollar car and set himself up so he can just sit on his ass for the rest of his life.

For God's sake, let him go then. Who's stopping him? Just don't come crying back in a few years. If you want to act like someone from Qatar, then fine, be that guy. But there's no "I want to come back" later. If you're grabbing a visa to head back to America, just go.

Carl Brooks22 said:Hey L. NimoyInvadesMetal~, you function way better when you're writing those long-winded posts where people can actually agree or disagree with you, but you're acting like you can't write... these little attempts at being witty just aren't working for you...

It would be pretty pathetic if the guy from Plestina was the only one answering your homophobia, you black Rojsu, just so you could get to a black Cesic😉

I don't know what your deal is, but this is a forum, not some arena for debating everything under the sun at any cost. I’ve already laid out my thoughts on Duje and his decision, and I respect that someone else might see it differently. Just because I put a "🙏 " next to a user's post doesn't make me a homophobe, a nationalist, or anything else. You're overreacting and feeling insulted for no reason.

I write here like any other member, not as a moderator. When a post needs deleting or moderating, I handle it, but it would be ridiculous to act like I have to stay "above it all" just because I'm a mod. If I fall into a semantic trap, someone is always lurking in the corner waiting to throw it back in my face and play the "moderator card." 😳

Drop it already 🙄

You said your piece. I agree with some things, but my view isn't black and white, and I'm not some narrow-minded, fake patriot who suddenly hates Duje Draganja just because he's loaded or about to be. I don't hate anyone; honestly, I couldn't care less about Duje.

The bottom line is I'm not rooting for the guy anymore. In my opinion, he sold himself out for a paycheck. Truth will come out eventually, but like I said, I don't agree with his move AT ALL. Sure, the media blew the whole thing out of proportion because we Americans (and rightly so) are sensitive about loyalty to our country, and the news cycle found a juicy story in it—but that still doesn't mean Duje did the right thing. Some people definitely took their reactions too far (like Vrdoljak).

Similar situations globally support my theory (and the theory of other users here) that this move was driven by the lowest possible urge for quick cash, completely ignoring everything else—his country, his reputation, his pride, etc. It's just about the money.
That kind of thing doesn't happen on this scale elsewhere; otherwise, Qatar would be a global sporting superpower. Aside from cases like Asamoah, da Silva, and Olisadebe (whose "transfers" were a different breed of shady, or at least less blatant), there would be dozens, maybe hundreds, of examples of athletes playing for some distant, exotic nation just because they opened the wallet to secure a few medals.

He doesn't deserve hate, maybe not even condemnation, but he definitely deserves simple criticism.

I'll just conclude by saying that while I respect Draganja and his achievements, who is he to compare himself to Phelps, Schoeman, or Thorpe? He hasn't won even a tenth of the medals they have, yet here he is whining and crying for more cash. America has nothing left to give him. The public narrative is that Duje lives on scraps, struggling to get by, when in reality, his salary is ten times higher than a doctor's. True, it's ten times less than a pro football player's, but let's be real, where does swimming compare to football?
And let's not forget the top-tier education he'll receive; success on the world stage is almost guaranteed for him. Even after everything he goes through in life, he'll always have a home to return to. Now, though, after all this, I'm not sure how people are going to welcome him back.
In a few years, people will probably forget, but the stain will always be there.

with full right.

Brandon Castillo4 said:Hey ala L. NimoyInvadesMetal~, look, you’re actually a moderator on our biggest forum here—it’s pretty low, honestly, for you to be backing statements like those homophobic comments...

Rachane? Is that actually you? 🤣

-Shevchenko- said:What's the point if you don't have many supporters left? And honestly, it’s way too late to change your mind now...

Supporters? Who needs a crowd when I've got you? 🙏

Jonathan Clark12 said:Most of the guys over at ExxonMobil are basically just a bunch of degenerates, not smart enough to 👋

🙏

Ken said:Duje is a total sellout who traded his soul for a paycheck. Look, if a guy is starving on the streets, I wouldn't say a word, but he’s sitting pretty now. He’s got enough cash to make sure his family lives the absolute dream. But the thing is, he lost his integrity in the process. And let me tell you, all the billions in the world won't buy that back.

Don't be so hard on him, man. Duje's out there driving a Hummer.🤣



Or better yet, ali Draganyi.

Blandona said:You're being precise. You fit the concept perfectly.

Sucking air. Right now. 👋

🙂

Roose Bolton said:You can just assume that Qatar and the US have dual citizenship sorted out perfectly.
And as for landing some high-end real estate, well, he’s supposedly "world-class."

Give me a break. Seriously, get it together. This guy is selling his soul for the price of a Kerumov Hummer.
Get it? That’s the market value of one Duje Dragnja.
He’s basically just one single vehicle in the massive fleet owned by some average American tycoon.
"World-class"... what a joke.

Dammit, I have to say it because there's no other way to put it.

🙏 🙏 🙏 👍

God, this is just pathetic.

quietcobra30 said:Well, here I go again.😁Duje isn't leaving. Honestly, he might just quit swimming altogether because the grind is killing him, and there’s a real future for him in science. IF he decides to head to Qatar, Bahrain, or Saint Kitts and Nevis, he'll be keeping his American citizenship anyway. Let’s be real—if he lands in San Francisco or Seattle, he’ll be handed a penthouse or some massive perk before any of you losers on this thread even get a look-in. He’s world-class talent; the rest of you are just fighting over scraps. And as if he actually spends his time reading this garbage.

🙄

rapidbison42 said:Spot on.
That’s exactly why we shouldn't waste any more breath talking about Draganja.
The guy sold himself and his own country just to line his pockets. Let him go enjoy life in Qatar while the rest of us deal with the mess left behind here in the States.
Who gives a damn about him?
We shouldn't be reading his name in the papers, hearing it on the news, or even letting him step foot back in the US... Draganja deserves nothing but total obscurity. That's where he belongs.

👋
Honestly, if it were up to me, I’d have shut this thread down right after that last post. But hey, we don't, because democracy is a total joke. 😢 😁

Amanda Lee42 said:I can see your upbringing was top-tier. Honestly, no wonder crime rates and violence are spiking because of stone-headed idiots like you...

Ever heard of "live and let live"? Maybe look it up sometime.

So, what, you want me to just toss out nationalism, but keep patriotism and love for the country? Do you even have a clue what the difference is between those terms? 🙄

Sam Peterson69 said:Give me a break. If someone offered you double your current salary, you’d be kissing your boss's ass in no time. It's not some grand tragedy to move to another country if it means making fifty times what you make now. That's just common sense...🙂

"Moving to another country" isn't quite the same thing as ditching your identity and changing your entire name, is it? But then again, I guess everything has a price when greenbacks are involved.

unnamed said:I told myself I wouldn’t get back into this, but here I am... can't sleep, and watching these hyper-patriotic types lose their minds over logic is actually kind of entertaining. So, just to spite you all:😁 He brought home massive results for America. He broke barriers, but people kept slamming doors in his face. He moved to Cleveland, which was an upgrade, but still wasn't enough to reach that next level. He had a top-tier coach, but he just didn't have the infrastructure needed for elite success. Eventually, he went to the States, where everything is available if you have the cash—but he doesn't have enough of it. He can't just walk into some foreign club and pull in massive sponsorships like unnamed or unnamed could; swimming isn't built that way. And he needs that capital if he wants to chase—and repeat—a world-class performance.
The truth is, he didn't "go" anywhere. Charles spoke with him, and the guy mentioned that unnamed is actually considering quitting swimming altogether, probably just to spite America and these "hyper-patriotic" fanatics.
Now I know you're all going to jump in with your usual high-and-mighty comments, calling him names and acting like he's some sort of traitor.

unnamed the cosmopolit vs the hyper-patriots, take II

-Shevchenko- said:I know way more athletes than you do.

Is that not incredibly pretentious? Seriously, how old are you that you feel the need to prove yourself like this?
Every other question you ask is some variation of "do you train," "do you know swimmers," or "do you know this guy." It’s like you’re trying to compensate for something deep-seated. Either actually discuss the topic at hand or just stop sucking the air out of the room. And I haven't forgotten that idiotic post about "buying Mom a Rolls Royce"—sometimes you act like a total brat.

What do you think you know about my life or who I know? Even Reić knows more athletes than you, and he's still an idiot.

🙄

I played tennis for a long time before I had to quit because of a broken leg. Not that it matters for this argument.

The issue isn't how "ATHLETES THINK" in general, it's how a specific INDIVIDUAL thinks. It's obvious Duje doesn't give a damn about the country, just like it's obvious you wouldn't care either if someone offered you enough money—you'd sell out in a heartbeat, even if you were as famous as Duje.

Who are we to tell him what to do? If he wants to move abroad, nobody can stop him. But don't come crawling back in a few years saying, "Oh, I want my citizenship back." Nope. Not happening.

He’s planning on finishing up his degree and landing a job at some big American corporation.

For all those armchair critics out there constantly worrying that unnamed is going to end up broke and jobless