Posts by coastalhound2

placidcanyon16 said:Ha, you really think Phelps will be worth anything coming back to the States with a degree from one of the top universities if he’s officially just a high school dropout before he even gets his credentials recognized? He’ll probably only get that diploma validated without taking extra exams if he "greases a few palms."

placidcanyon16, that's total bullshit. I personally know at least ten top-tier tennis players who finished their degrees in America. Back in 1995, I actually had offers from two different universities, but I decided to stay put and finish my degree here. Believe me, getting a foreign degree recognized is just a technicality that gets sorted out if you have the drive. But the idea that someone would use that as leverage for blackmail... please, give me a break.
If credential recognition is being used as an excuse to stay abroad, then things have truly hit rock bottom.
Listen, people, this guy is negotiating like he's choosing between two different social clubs! It’s pathetic how Tomislav is essentially begging a massive superstar to stay in the country. I wrote about this a while ago, and I’ll say it again:😁 Raganja is a phenomenal swimmer with a massive career ahead of him—I truly believe that—but as a human being, he is absolute garbage.
If my memory serves, Gordan Kožulj also completed his studies in America. I don't see anyone claiming he was handed some special privilege because of it.
The guy is a phony, plain and simple. It would be much smarter for the federation to take those 400 grand dollars (if I recall our offer correctly) and invest them into youth swimming instead.
"Our" Michael will look after himself regardless. He’s quite good at that. Just look back at how he intentionally tanked that relay semi-final in Athens just to make sure he stayed fresh for his own individual final...
So many young athletes fall through the cracks because they lack the resources to develop and advance, yet we are wasting time, money, and the entire federation's effort on one selfish idiot.
And don't even try to defend him now.
THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT DRIVE ME ABSOLUTELY INSANE!!!😠 😠 😠

Tennis. I actually hung up the racket back in 2001, right after I wrapped up my college degree.
The thing is, over the last year, I’ve been gradually getting back into running. My goal is to tackle a half marathon sometime next year. If my memory serves me right, that’s more or less your specialty.
Best,

As someone who used to compete at the professional level, I don't find this whole situation with Draganja particularly upsetting. In my view, much stranger things have happened in sports, and the drive to secure one's own livelihood and future isn't exactly a hard concept to grasp...
One thing that nobody seems to be bringing up—or perhaps I simply missed it in my earlier posts, though I could be mistaken—is the fact that Duje essentially tanked what I believe was either the semifinal or the final relay in Athens just so he could stay fresh for his individual freestyle final. This isn't even the first time he's pulled something like this; I think it's the second or third instance. I recall there being a massive outcry about it at the time, but everything seemed to get swept under the rug because of Duje's incredible success—that silver medal at the Olympics. The other guys on the national team didn't mince words, basically calling him a piece of trash (I remember those exact sentiments quite clearly from the newspapers and TV coverage), and even Aleksandar Popov questioned him, asking how it was possible that he swam two seconds slower per length just a day prior.
That is where, in my opinion, Duje really messed up. He is a phenomenal swimmer and a true professional, but there are certain things you simply do not do when you are representing your country. The guys on that relay team worked their tails off just to make it to the Olympics, only to be let down because he wanted to prioritize being fresh for his own solo event. Look at Phelps, Thorpe, Popov, or Biondi... they were all champions, and they remain champions, largely because they gave 100% in every single event they entered.
And honestly, after looking at the big picture... don't get mad at me, but I don't really care what happens to Duje next.
Athletes like Ivanišević, Petrović, Kostelić, and the others people compare Draganja to would absolutely never have behaved that way...