Posts by rustystag7

pea_2101 said:hmm, if those guys from Canada had offered the kind of cash the Qatari sponsors are throwing at Duje right now, I wouldn't buy it for a second... 🤔>

but hey, whatever, everyone’s entitled to their own take, right?

Nah, there's no way they offered him that much money because, let's be real, they just don't have it. But I'm positive they offered him at least five times more than what the US federation is putting on the table—that's a given! Honestly, I wouldn't even be shocked if some folks from Austria stepped up with an offer too.

Carlos said:Duje will always have more leverage than you or me in this country, whether he's playing for Qatar or the US, simply because he’s an elite athlete and he grabbed that silver medal at the Athens Olympic Games for the US.
Regarding Janica, Ivica, or Gordan—I personally haven't heard of any nation ever dangling $1,200,000 a year in front of them. So, all we can really do is speculate on how they’d handle such an immoral offer. Honestly? I think Janica would turn it down easily today, but if she had been offered that 7 or 8 years ago when she didn't have any sponsors lined up, I bet Gips would have given that option some *very* serious thought.

No way, because if he actually did that, he’d basically be listing off all his medals like a trophy case!!
Gips mentioned before that offers were made and even the Canadians were pressing them from every angle, but they wouldn't budge, not even in their wildest dreams!! I doubt Gips would even weigh the options because he’s an athlete himself; he knows how to treat his home country and what it actually means to screw over your own people!!
Sure, the government doesn't always support athletes the way they should, but in Duje's case, I'm certain that wasn't the issue!!
I mean, look, if someone our age in the States was getting $168,000 from the government at 25, they'd be loaded. It's not our fault he decided to live in the US, so I guess that amount feels small to him!!
And now they're looking at offering him $400,000 plus tuition coverage

Jason Chase94 said:Of course it’s never going to be the same. Honestly, Duje should have just shut that offer down immediately instead of dragging it out like this. If he really needs that much time just to wrap his head around it, then someone else is definitely taking the spot. 👋Honestly, for me, Duje Draganja is washed up. Even if he keeps swimming for the US, I’m just gonna root for Laurens Boogaard instead. Though, you hear all this talk that his old man is basically leaning on him to go out there and rake in the cash.

If he turns them down, I’m officially rooting for him! Seriously, from what I can gather, Qatar just threw an offer out there to see if he'd bite. If that's how it went down, then he’d probably just say no and leave it at that. Simple as that.
So, what’s actually legit in all those headlines? Like, how much of this stuff is just straight-up truth and how much is just noise?

rapidbison42 said:For sure.
That’s exactly why you shouldn't even waste your breath worrying about that guy.
He basically sold himself and the whole country just for a paycheck. Let him go enjoy his life in Qatar while we deal with everything here in the States.
Who cares, honestly...
We don't need his name in the papers, we don't need him popping up on the news, and we definitely don't need him coming back to America... he'll just fade into nothingness where he belongs.

I am with you 100%, word for word!!
I just really hope the government doesn't try to claim that people like you or me should have the same kind of special treatment he gets under the law!!

restlesssurfer97 said:😂 😂 😂
unnamed
Qatar reportedly offered an American champion $1.2 million a year to take Qatari citizenship and compete under the Qatari flag at the 2008 Olympics.
😂 😂 😂

Man, you gotta laugh at stuff like that. It’s kind of a silly example, but honestly, there are tons of people doing this... just look at legends like Janica, Ivica, or Gordon Kozulj and their crews!!

And believe me, Qatar would probably buy out every single champion in any sport if they could. One time it was soccer, but for them, it's all about those big wins. Of course, the less famous the sport is, the smaller the paycheck usually stays.

Amanda Lee42 said:Like I said, man,

money just vanishes like that. And honestly, what he actually earned isn't even that huge when you think about how many years he poured into this.

Pro swimming is a career.
You do the job to get paid.
It shouldn't matter who your boss is
as long as the paycheck is solid...

Just chill out a bit and drop the whole patriotic act. Patriotism doesn't put food on the table, unless you're a politician...

Look, I’ll be straight with you—I don't really hold athletes in high regard if they're putting in way too much effort!!
I mean, look, even my old lady works at least nine hours a day as a head accountant, plus overtime and whatever else, you know?? So I don't think he's doing anything more than a regular person back home in the States.

I'm not saying he's any different from her, but obviously, the guy is the best at what he does, and I don't think $200,000 is small money!!
Look, Amanda Lee42, anything can happen, and sure, you could blow through that cash, but I'm telling you, the guy has an amazing setup. Being 25 years old with a college degree here in America, knowing a second language, and having $40,000 sitting in the bank? To me, that's a dream start for any 25-year-old dude!!
And if he's smart enough to make it this far by age 25, I highly doubt he won't figure out how to invest that money wisely for the future!!

Maybe I'm being a bit too intense about the whole "love your country" thing, but hey, I feel like you should be grateful to the country. Like when I was a kid—and maybe it was just how my parents raised me—I always knew I wasn't leaving America because this is my home and I know I can make it here!!

That's my take. Maybe some people think it's primitive and others don't, but I wouldn't dream of selling myself out for a quick buck! It's one thing to be clueless about the world, and then you have to wonder what kind of life your kids will lead, but we all know that's not how it works with him! I know what I'm talking about because I have relatives over in Germany who took German citizenship just so they wouldn't have to deal with the draft back in the States in 2000!! It's not like the US would be calling them back anyway; it's all about whether it's worth the cost to the government, and if it's not profitable to support their families, they just won't bother!!

So yeah, don't talk nonsense. I've been vocal about calling out BS, and I'll call him out too, because based on this, he isn't any different from the rest of them!!

Amanda Lee42 said:You remind me of this one kid from the local park who's always acting like he knows everything... you know the type, the kind of guy who hangs around the message boards all day trying to sound important.

Look, just think about it for a second, okay? Put yourself in his shoes. Being a pro athlete is a massive gamble. One bad snap, one freak injury, and your whole career is gone overnight. Then, just like that, everyone forgets you ever existed. It’s way too easy to sit there and lecture him on morality when most of you are probably being bankrolled by your parents or living a sheltered life. You haven't actually tasted real life yet.
Look, I might be totally off base here, so correct me if I'm wrong...

Man, what is up with the massive egos some women have on this forum? Seriously. I’m sitting here trying to have a civilized conversation, and one lady hits me with an asshole emoji while the other starts calling me some entitled brat. Like, excuse me? You don't even know me. You haven't spent a single second in my life, so you have zero business judging my character. We’re just debating stuff here. Trying to drag my entire personality into the mix when we aren't even talking about that is just wild. You don't know me, so stop acting like you do.

I always try to walk a mile in someone else's shoes before I jump in and take a side on anything. It’s like... you know how sometimes you see someone cutting you off in traffic on the I-95 and you immediately want to lose your mind? But then you realize maybe they're rushing to the hospital or just having the worst day ever, and suddenly you aren't so pressed about it. I just think it's better to get the full story first.
Look, I’m telling you, it’s not just about the money that keeps him from swimming. If he actually decided to come back and wrap up his career, he’d be absolutely set for life here in the States. He'd have the degree and everything. Don't give me that nonsense about him being broke—he’s already cleared $200,000! Seriously. Back home, he’s out there driving a sponsored Mazda RX-8; he even totaled one once, and they just handed him another one like it was nothing. Plus, he finished up at a university in the US—not counting the doctorate—so if he were back stateside, he'd be a total legend. They're probably going to hand him an apartment anyway, and honestly, between all that and what he’s already received from the government, he’s got more than enough to live like a king.
I mean, honestly, if he goes and breaks a leg tomorrow, who cares? The guy’s loaded! He’s got enough money to make it no big deal.
He’s coming back to the States as a total icon around here. I mean, everyone knows him because he spent so much time representing the US on the big stage. Plus, the guy’s got a degree, a massive bank account for a 25-year-old, and he actually knows his stuff—not to mention his command of the language is spot on. It's pretty wild to see someone only 25 years old already making moves and doing exactly what he wants with his life. For a starter, he's getting into real estate, just stacking cash like any other successful guy would.

unnamed said:I honestly thought I’d stay out of this, but... I can’t sleep and watching all these hyper-patriotic types ignore actual logic is just too entertaining. So, here’s some truth for the haters:😁he brought a massive haul of results to America. He was constantly hitting those barriers, getting doors slammed in his face. He moved over to Cleveland, which was better, but still never quite enough. He had an amazing coach, but he just didn't have the infrastructure for top-tier success. Eventually, he headed to the States where you can have everything if you’ve got the cash—but he doesn't have enough. He can't pull in big sponsorships like unnamed or unnamed at some foreign club; swimming isn't built like that. And he needs that money to perform, especially when trying to repeat a world-class result.
He didn't "go" anywhere. Charles talked to him, and the guy says unnamed is actually thinking about quitting swimming entirely, probably just to spite America and all those "super-patriots."
Now you guys will go back to your high-and-mighty comments, acting like unnamed is some kind of villain.

Man, what is wrong with you!! If he realized swimming wasn't his thing, he shouldn't have even started!! Seriously, one day I'm watching an American on Eurosport competing in the pool and the guy is absolutely crushing it!! Nobody’s ever heard of him, but the dude is a beast in the water and says he has enough money to cover expenses and maybe have a tiny bit left over!! Why do you think he hasn't sold himself out???
Because where he comes from matters to him, and he won't sell his soul for a paycheck!!
If you're talented and have the opportunity—and unnamed definitely has the talent to earn it—you do it on your own terms instead of selling out right when you're on the verge of greatness!!
The only thing I can fault him for is that he did sort of sell out when he was so close, and that he was short on cash, even though by our standards, it was actually a decent amount!!

unnamed said:Basically, this guy is acting like your typical American opportunist. Everyone wants that quick cash, right? He just wants the money without the grind, looking for a shortcut by representing a different country instead of putting in the work for the States.
That’s really the only thing that gets under my skin. If he leaves, hey, good luck to him, I guess. But then he won't be an American swimmer anymore, he won't carry our name, and there's zero reason for me to root for him. At that point, the people from Qatar will just be his fan club.

Man, I am totally with unnamed on this one!!
So many people never even get a shot like he did!! He was right on the edge of making it big on his own merit, but he just sold out!! If I were in his shoes, I could never do that to myself!! I honestly don't get guys who decide to sell their soul for a paycheck at 25 when they could have earned way more on their own terms later on!!

unnamed said:I mean, sure, swimming for those bloody American dollars is fine, but doing it for greasy Qatari money? Not so much. 😕 Like, what's even the difference? A buck is a buck! :asshole:

Like I said before, I'm not really down with either option, but this? This might actually be acceptable!!

What are you even talking about? Man is heading to Qatar like he's looking for a handout because he sold his soul. He isn't going there because he suddenly developed a passion for the local pools or thinks he can win big there... he's going strictly for the bag.

It’s not because things are bad back home in the States or because he lost his edge; it’s purely because those guys over there are dangling $250,000 in front of him while we're only offering $100 $0.00!!
And honestly, it has nothing to do with the sport. It's all about the money.

rapidbison42 said:Nah...
The name changes regardless of what you believe in.

Honestly, I’m pretty sure Duje would switch over to Islam in a heartbeat if someone dangled an extra $100,000 in front of him.

I don't know, man, I think I read somewhere in the morning news that names only change if you convert to Islam!😁

I highly doubt he'll actually give them anything for nothing.😁

Tuvix said:I don't know how much truth there is to all this, but if there's even a tiny bit, you can see the guy is really struggling. Honestly, I don't buy the people bashing him—if someone offered you that kind of money, you probably wouldn't act any different.

Look, I get that things are likely tough for him, but selling out to another country just for a paycheck? That’s just stupid.

I seriously doubt the people attacking Duje would ever turn their backs like that. Just look at rapidbison42, who was a defender and actually proved he gave a damn about his country!
And those folks who fled the country during the war to dodge service? They'd probably be the first ones saying you should screw over your nation and swim wherever the biggest check is.
It's political, sure, but everything is connected.

To me, it feels wrong to go swim for folks in Qatar when you have zero connection to them. If he were swimming for the USA, we might be a little bummed, but we'd understand. But Qatar? It just makes no sense.

unnamed said:Pro athletes, basketball players, tennis stars... they all make insane money, so why would they even think about changing their citizenship? Oh wait, it’s because they pay their taxes in places like Monaco and stuff.

Look, honestly, it doesn't even matter where they pay taxes. I personally know that Ivanisevic—and yeah, even Janica Kostelić—gave away mountains of medical equipment for free, and that gear probably costs way more than those tax breaks ever would!!
And let me tell you something, since I work in accounting, everyone is always looking for ways to pay the absolute minimum. It's not weird at all that people move to wherever the taxes are lowest!!

Regarding Ivanisevic, I know he donated some machines to clinics, but the one big condition was that nobody was allowed to talk or write about it!!

Everyone is coming for unnamed because he went to Qatar, and obviously, it was purely for the cash!!
If he had gone to the States, nobody would have said a word. Like, sure, people might have complained, but they'd just say, "Oh, he's studying in the US" or "He's living there because the conditions are better and it helps his career" or whatever. But when it's Qatar? People lose it.
It has nothing to do with who he is. If you had asked him a year ago, I bet he wouldn't have even known what the capital was or where the place even sat on a map!!
Luckily, he won't have to change his name, since that's usually just a thing for people converting to Islam, but hey, I wouldn't be surprised if he did that too if the paycheck was big enough.

-Andriy Shevchenko- said:Look, a regular guy has a steady job, pays his taxes, and builds up a retirement fund. Athletes don't really have that setup unless they're paying into it themselves—plus, you've got the constant risk of injury hanging over your head. Just imagine if someone like Lance Armstrong got clipped by a truck or a car while out training. Everything just goes south instantly.

Man, just take a second and look at how much ACTUAL work is going into this. You can't just sit there and claim you're working a standard 40-hour week.

The guy is in the pool constantly, PLUS there's the massages, the physical therapy, the recovery sessions, and all that stuff...

And obviously, he’s gonna need a visa because, technically, he's a foreign national. Who even said he was getting special treatment? If you didn't know, rest is part of the training too.

And another thing, the government didn't create him. His coach and his own grind created him.

And why are we even bringing up veterans and comparing them to him now? Veterans made a choice to go to war. Okay, yeah, guys, you went to combat. War comes with its own set of things—trauma, sacrifices, blame, and a whole lot of heavy stuff... That's just what war is. But that's a completely different conversation.

It’s funny how people lose their minds when one swimmer heads to Qatar, but back when he was selling himself to some foreign country via AT&T, everyone stayed quiet... cowards.

Starting from the top here, the unnamed guy is definitely insured, so quit worrying about those accidents!!

As for the workload, people work way more than 40 hours—I'm basing that on the idea that if you work eight hours, five days a week, that's the baseline. My mom works up to 11 hours a day sometimes, which isn't rare, and then she spends at least two hours commuting, which according to your logic is basically the same as training (since for the unnamed guy, resting is training).

Moving on, since we're talking about it, it makes sense that the unnamed guy needs a visa to come back to the States!!!

I compare him to veterans because they're both Americans, but the thing is, veterans didn't always choose to go to war; they were called up to do their duty!! Some didn't even go because they bailed to Germany (my dad ended up in the National Guard because some guy responsible for sending the drafts took 10 million in bribes to skip him).

So, that's how I see it: some Americans are the real deal, like Janica Kostelić or those handball players, and some are just total losers like the unnamed guy!!

To be honest, I wouldn't feel bad if the unnamed guy had just gone as an unknown person, just someone trying to feed his kids and needing the cash!!

But he left for a measly 500,000 dollars!! Obviously, every dollar counts, but I'm saying this because he was already successful through his own hard work, and he could've achieved everything without this stupid sell-out move!!

Someone mentioned that he's already bigger at his age than half the swimmers in his bracket, so why did he even need all that money anyway???

Daniel Chavez14 said:Look, I’m just gonna say it, and you guys can totally rip me apart for it.

Back when Monica Seles switched over to represent the USA, I was still pulling for her like she was one of our own. Except, she wasn't even American to begin with. (And before you ask, I'm not some old-school nostalgic for the old country either.)

If you think Duje is—and always was—a total sellout (especially looking at those personal drama snippets people keep bringing up here), fine, I can get behind that. But then why were you all cheering for that same sellout in the first place? Is the color of a flag really more important than the actual human being? If it is, then you're just as bad, just in a different way. 👎

We cheered for him because we cheered for anyone from our neck of the woods playing for our national team!!
I don't support what he did!! I'm not even mad at him personally—it's his call—but I think it's pretty spineless!! I have zero respect for anyone who sells out for a paycheck and jumps ship to another country!! I mean, think about it: the home country invested in you, helped train you and everything, and now you act like a complete stranger and move away!!
He can go to Qatar for all I care, but if he ever wants to come back to the States, he can deal with the visa process like everyone else!! That's just how I see it!!

Because you just can't compare a guy who turned his back on his own country for cash to someone who actually fought in the war for us!!
Say what you want, but they aren't the same, and that's why I can't justify his move!

sara4 said:I get what you're trying to say, but honestly, your arguments are pretty weak, which kind of makes the whole point fall apart. Since Dzomba, Balic, and Drazen Petrovic aren't even in the same league as Draganja, using them as examples just doesn't work. So, come on, give me some athletes from niche sports who are actually good enough that a place like Qatar or whatever else would throw a massive deal at them like they did for Draganja. It’s a total mystery why journalists haven't dug up some story about, I don't know, the Skelin brothers being offered $2,000,000 by Saudi Arabia to go rowing for them... hmm, maybe because an offer like that never even existed?!

I mean, Balic would definitely take it since he was literally named the best player in the world!!
And I'm sure Janica and Ivica probably had plenty of offers too, they just didn't want to go that route!! Now they've made way more money just by putting in the work and grinding through training!!

Some guy wrote that he has to train 25 hours a week and stare at a pool!! Poor guy, right? But seriously, what's a normal person supposed to need when they're working at least 40 hours a week?

One thing though—it's a different story when someone is actually broke, but the US already gave Duje a ton of cash, and it's safe to assume he was already set with that $500,000. That money probably won't change his life much because he's going to earn way, way more than that later on anyway.

I gotta say, I’m pretty bummed out by how some people are reacting here. Like, honestly? It’s not even surprising that Duje did what he did. Seeing everyone acting all shocked is just... man, it's disappointing.

Look, I’ve seen a few people in here making some pretty sharp points, basically saying Duje sold himself short for peanuts. And honestly? Yeah, I'm with them. If you're actually capable of walking away with half a million bucks, more power to you. I mean, seriously, props to him. But I don't just look at this through a sports lens. You gotta look at the politics behind it, too. It reminds me of how things were back when the country was fighting for its life—there were always plenty of people who couldn't care less about the homeland. Don't even get me started. Most of them were tucked away safely in Germany or somewhere just as far from the actual front lines. They weren't exactly stepping up when it mattered.

Man, Duje, you really stepped in it this time!! Seriously, what was the play there? This guy already had it made. All he had to do was keep his head down, stay in the gym, and let the training pay off—he would’ve walked away with all that massive money himself. But no, he just couldn't wait around for the big payday and decided to sell out instead. Such a waste.
Honestly, man, even if I was handed a mountain of cash, it wouldn't mean a thing to me if I knew I didn't earn it through my own damn grit. Like, what's the point? If you didn't build it yourself, it just feels hollow, you know? It’s like winning a trophy by accident instead of actually sweating for it on the field. Money's cool and all, but without that personal win? It’s just paper.

Roose Bolton🙏 🙏 🙏
If you ask me, my big piece of advice to the government would be this: start requiring a visa for every single time he shows up in the States. Honestly, he and any regular American aren't even on the same level anymore. He’s a citizen of another country, plain and simple! It's like expecting someone who lives in London to follow the exact same local rules as someone from Chicago without any extra checks. At some point, you gotta draw a line between citizens and foreign nationals.

Sandra Turner22 said:Solid stuff. Now I'm just crossing my fingers that Goodyear steps up their game with the tires.

Either way, they’re gonna have a target on their backs. There's a whole pack of teams breathing down their necks ready to eat them alive if they don't perform.😁
I’m mainly looking at Ford, General Motors, and Williams... honestly, I'm expecting at least two of those Goodyear-shod teams to be right in the thick of the championship fight from day one.

So, besides all those rule tweaks they're tossing out for next season, NASCAR has unveiled this specific rear spoiler design meant to make overtaking way easier. They actually teamed up with Intel to hammer out the details for this new wing design.

The wild thing about this Downforce setup is how it’s split into two distinct pieces. Because they’ve cut out that middle section, the cars won't be able to crank up massive amounts of downforce, which would just end up slowing them down and making them twitchy and unstable through the corners.
NASCAR thinks this is the best way to get more passing happening on track, and according to Max Mosley, the head of the racing organization over in Paris, we should see this hitting the asphalt by 2007.

All these ideas have been greenlit for now and are heading over to the NASCAR World Motor Sport Council meeting this Wednesday in Rome. That's where we'll likely get the final stamp of approval on everything.

I grabbed this from an F1 news site where they were breaking down why they want to bring in these dual-element wings!!

I mean, why don't they just ditch traction control or some of that electronic driver aids and call it a day!! They don't have to overhaul everything, but surely they could start there.

As for the qualifying format, I think it’s gonna be awesome, and thank god they're finally bringing back tire changes!! Honestly, that was probably the dumbest rule they pulled all season!!
I'm not even gonna go off on the engine changes because I know someone will jump in immediately to say I'm just being a Sumi fan!!

So, is Spa officially a lock then??? Like, are we actually 100% good to go? Does this mean all those headaches are finally behind us and we're just waiting to watch Sumi dominate when the rain starts pouring down at Spa👋 👋 🙂 🙂