Jonathan Clark12 said:Duje is a total jerk, and honestly, that’s where the conversation ends for me. I mean, I’m calling out jerks because they’re jerks—it doesn't matter what country they were hanging out in. 👋
With an airtight argument like that, I think we can just call it a night. The whole discussion has been pretty much steered in this direction from the jump anyway.
Yeah, I’ll definitely be at the US National Championships. Honestly, I suspect most of the "true believers" out there don't have the slightest clue when or where it's even happening.
They’ve been playing him for two years straight, dangling carrots in front of him like, "here, take this, then that..." Honestly, the guy finally had enough of all the hype and the constant media circus surrounding some random swimmer like Mates. First, he pushed Miran Jukic away because he was worried about bringing him back, and now he’s pushed Michael Phelps out of the picture while desperately trying to figure out how to make him stay. It’s honestly pathetic. Reminds me of that old story where T.S. Eliot would stumble home drunk from a pub, run into some heavily made-up woman, and they'd just trade insults—he'd tell her how ugly she looked, she'd tell him how wasted he was, and he'd just shrug and say, "Well, I'll be sober tomorrow!" That's basically the vibe here. Michael Phelps is going to have plenty of fans and money long after you all forget him, and let's be real, he’s done more for the sport than most people on this Forum combined. Tomorrow, you'll all just be shoved someone else into the arena to tear them apart. The dogs bark, but the caravan keeps moving.
One guy is wondering if John can even keep his US passport, while another one is insisting he picked up a Qatari one ages ago. If this wasn't so depressing, it’d actually be pretty hilarious. And then you've got someone claiming John won't be able to travel here or there. Give me a break. He'll be able to go wherever any of us can—and honestly, probably a whole lot of places we can't. Enjoy the saltiness. It's not the old days anymore; we aren't all living under the same level playing field.
Duje has done more for this sport than most people could do in three lifetimes. Honestly, half the critics out there haven't even seen him compete in person, let alone traveled abroad to catch a meet—and let’s face it, swimming isn't exactly a mainstream obsession in most parts of the States. He’s stayed true to his roots and his faith, just like he said he would. As for all those tabloid rumors about massive corporate sponsors? There wasn't a single bank in the country that could have changed how those deals were structured. It's just empty noise used to sell papers. I heard the same old story about how people who pushed certain athletes away are now the ones trying to pull them back in. But hey, keep bowing down to the big money if that's what you want to do.
So, we’ve got a brand new strategy on our hands. It used to be that if I—or anyone else actually trying to defend Duje—tried to make a coherent point, the comments would just devolve into mindless noise. Now, suddenly, it’s all about this sudden wave of anti-American sentiment. Real clever. Are you guys supposed to be geniuses? Apparently, if you dare to address the blatant lies my predecessor spread regarding Dujin's finances, or if you point out how everyone’s been trashing Duje from day one—while conveniently "forgetting" that the guy isn't even thinking about quitting, he's actually considering hanging up the goggles entirely—you're the problem. Instead of actually using logic or having an argument, you just get to shout "shut up" and call it a day.
rustystag7 said:I think you’re the one talking out of both sides of your mouth here—claiming people don't use logic against you, just insults. Well, look at you right now. Where exactly is the actual argument?🙄
I’m sure you’re much better informed than me or anyone else on this forum, since you "know" exactly how much Bahrain is handing him. Where did you get that intel? Got some secret inside track, or are you just your typical internet contrarian? The whole point is that Duje doesn't actually have the cash he needs to hit those top-tier results and finish his Master's. And then you claim he sold out for peanuts? He hasn't even done that yet, and honestly, he probably won't. We’re talking about a million dollars here! You call that peanuts?! Typical contrarian behavior, isn't it? Bring some actual arguments to the table instead of just throwing around insults.
rustystag7 said:I mean, let’s be real—every kid grows up dreaming of making it big and actually accomplishing something meaningful. I honestly think Duje can get there on his own merits without selling his soul for some peanuts. Sure, that kind of money sounds like a fortune to us, but for him? It’s pocket change. He probably has that much sitting in his bank account already.
Classic internet commenter right here—so "well-informed" that he's basically an expert on everything. Isusek, Isusek... what's going to become of us? As they say back home in the Midwest.
L. NimoyInvadesMetal~ said:Regarding Duje Draganja, he’s 21 years old—a grown man, not some kid. He definitely has the talent and the foundation to make it big, but it feels like his head is more in the fast lane. He'd rather be driving a half-million-dollar supercar and setting himself up so he can just coast for the rest of his life.
I don't know, I wouldn't say he has everything he needs yet (if we're talking about reaching the absolute top tier of pro sports), but as for wanting to "just coast"—if that were true, he wouldn't have already knocked out two degrees and be working toward a Master's. That's definitely not the typical billionaire mogul mindset you see around here.
rapidbison42 said:Swimming consists of about ten different disciplines. You've got maybe ten gold medalists, ten silver, then ten bronze. There are at least 30 active swimmers out there who have a bigger medal count than Duje Draganja. In my own sport, I’ve actually picked up way more medals at the Worlds and the Europeans than Duje Draganja ever did... it's just a shame it wasn't an Olympic sport. The money? $0.00. The grind? Training 365 days a year. Heavy bag, gym, sparring, heavy bag, gym, sparring, heavy bag, gym, sparring... you get the idea. The fallout? A ridiculous amount of injuries that forced me to pivot to academics during what should have been my prime years instead of staying in the game. Do I regret it? Not one bit. Am I some bitter loser? With 48 medals under my belt in my discipline, I highly doubt that's the case.
I actually appreciate it when we can talk like this without resorting to insults and all that nonsense. Congrats on the medals, truly, but now I’m genuinely confused why you won't try to see things from his perspective. This guy—and I’ll say it again—has done a massive amount for American swimming. He hit a major crossroads in his life, received a massive, life-changing offer, and is currently weighing his options. He HASN'T signed anything yet. I'm not saying he's starving; he provides for people, he has big ambitions, and he needs support.
And you all just keep patting yourselves on the back, thinking you've actually accomplished something. Honestly, how little does it take for someone to feel a sense of fulfillment? It’s kind of sad, really.
rustystag7 said:Duje can't have dual citizenship, especially not with Arabs. We vet everyone coming into the country, and let's be honest, those regions are high-risk when it comes to terrorism. So just forget about it!! And regarding the river situation, I highly doubt he’ll get any state-owned property or anything related to the riverlands. Every little local town council wants a say in everything, so you really think the government is going to rush to hand out assets to Duje, who would basically be swimming for Qatar (if he even goes)?!! It's not that the government is stingy; they just don't have money to throw around. They'd much rather give support to an athlete like Branka Vlasic. Poor girl doesn't even have a proper facility to train in—she hasn't fled the country and she's still putting up incredible results despite having to train outdoors because there isn't an adequate gym available.
This is a textbook example of an opinion from Duje Draganja—or rather, someone different, someone better: envious literacy and a supposed "expert" grasp of the subject matter, specifically sports (he mentions Ranka Vlasic as if she's the authority)🙂competence and actual knowledge of what you're writing about. And all this talk from people like Lobotomy, Sour Milk, and those fake patriots? Give me a break. For people like you, I'll just say: stay where you are, because you're nowhere near where you think you are.
Roose Bolton said:You can just assume that places like Qatar and the US have dual citizenship all figured out. As for him landing some high-end real estate because he's apparently "world-class"...
Give me a break. Get real. He’s basically selling his soul for the price of a Kerumov Hummer. Get it? That’s the market value of one Duje Dragnja. He’s worth about as much as a single sedan in some mid-level American tycoon's fleet. "World-class," my foot...
Now this one is good.🙏"World-class" and supposedly second in the world?! Who exactly is "world-class" here: a bunch of small-time, frustrated losers?
Yeah, you know how people always say a picture is worth a thousand words? Well, where are the actual arguments here? They just keep twisting things and rolling their eyes at research that actually won a Nobel Prize. Just because someone disagrees doesn't mean people should go around returning their awards or tearing up their life's work.
rapidbison42 said:It’s pretty straightforward... as an individual, I can't just go out and buy property in Austria... Which means an Austrian can't buy property in America either. On the flip side, there is some level of reciprocity when you're talking about corporations.
The only way someone from a place like Qatar could own anything in America would be by holding shares in a company that invests here. But let's be real—that isn't true ownership; it’s just having a stake in a business entity.
And here I go again.😁 The guy hasn't even retired yet. Honestly, maybe he'll just quit swimming altogether because, let's face it, you can't make a living off it, and there's more of a future in science. IF he decides to move to Qatar, Bahrain, or Saint Kitts and Nevis, he’ll still keep his American citizenship. He’ll probably land a house or some massive perk in San Francisco or Seattle before any of the random keyboard warriors on this thread even gets a foot in the door. He’s world-class; the rest of you are just fighting over scraps. It's not like he spends his free time reading this nonsense anyway.
I honestly told myself I wouldn’t get back into this, but here I am... wide awake and somehow entertained by all these hyper-aggressive "patriots" who couldn't care less about actual logic. So, just to spite you all, let's look at the facts: 😁Duje has delivered an incredible amount of results for the United States. He was constantly pushing the limits, even when doors were being slammed in his face. He moved over to Cleveland, which was a step up, but still didn't quite hit the mark he needed. He had a top-tier coach, but the infrastructure just wasn't there to support a world-class performance. Eventually, he headed to the USA, where everything is available if you have the bankroll—which, unfortunately, he doesn't have enough of. Unlike Balic or Metlicic, he can't just walk into a foreign club and expect them to hand him a massive sponsorship deal; swimming isn't exactly a high-revenue sport. And he needs that capital if he wants to build on his success and repeat those elite performances. The truth is, he hasn't actually gone anywhere yet. Charles spoke with him, and the man mentioned that Duje is seriously considering walking away from swimming altogether—likely out of pure frustration with the United States and these "intense patriots." But please, go ahead and keep dropping your "expert" opinions, acting like Duje is some kind of villain.