Duje Draganja: Sellout or just misunderstood?

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!!

I honestly can’t wrap my head around someone selling themselves out for a paycheck at just twenty-five—especially when they have the talent to earn that much, if not more, on their own!!

You remind me of some kid from the local neighborhood who... well, you know, he's always hanging around the local sports bars.

Just think about it for a second—really try to see things from his perspective. Being a pro athlete is an incredibly risky business; one bad injury or a sudden slump and your entire career vanishes overnight, leaving you forgotten by everyone. It’s so much easier to sit there and lecture others on morality when you're likely being supported by older relatives—you haven't exactly tasted the grind of the big leagues yourself, have you?
My apologies if I'm off base here.

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!!

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.

As I was saying, my bad

Money just vanishes into thin air like that—and honestly, what you manage to pull in isn't even that much when you consider how many years of sheer grind you had to put in.

Professional swimming is a career, plain and simple.
It’s a job you do to make a living,
and frankly, you don't really care who your employer is
as long as the paycheck clears...

So, maybe just take a step back here and drop that whole patriotic angle? Let's be real—patriotism doesn't put food on the table, unless you're a politician looking for votes...

Oh, please, give me a break. If someone offered me double my current salary, I’d be kissing my boss's ass in a heartbeat. Honestly, what's wrong with moving to another country if it means making fifty times more money? It sounds absolutely terrifying to some people, I guess, but it's just common sense...🙂

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!!

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.

It honestly drives me crazy seeing how many people still jump to his defense...😕

Unbelievable.

rustystag7 said:Man, I don't even know what to say to you, seriously!! If he realized swimming just wasn't his calling, he probably shouldn't have picked up a pair of goggles in the first place!! It's wild because the other day I'm watching an American guy on ESPN playing darts and this dude is absolutely crushing it!! Nobody had ever heard of him before, but the guy is a total beast at darts and claims he’s making enough money to cover all his bills and still have a little left over, though it's not like he's rolling in it or anything!! Why do you think he didn't just take the money and run???

😂 😂 😂
unnamed
Qatar offered the American champion $1,200,000 a year if he agrees to take Qatari citizenship and competes in the 2008 Olympics under the Qatari flag.
😂 😂 😂

rapidhound78 said:It honestly drives me nuts seeing how many people still try to defend him...😕

Unbelievable!

Personally, I’m just fascinated by how we all seem to be stuck in this endless loop of arguing about the same thing over and over...😵 🙂

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.

rustystag7:
honestly, I can't say I respect athletes who pull in that kind of money. my mom works at least nine hours a day as a head accountant, plus overtime, you know? feels like they aren't doing much more than any regular person here in the States.

Absolutely.
That’s exactly why there's no point getting worked up over that unnamed guy.
He sold himself and his country for a paycheck. Let him enjoy life in Qatar while we deal with things back here in America.
Who cares...
We shouldn't even mention him in the papers or on the news anymore. Don't let him back into the country either... he'll fade into obscurity where he belongs.

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!!

rustystag7 said:I am with you one hundred percent, I mean, word for word!!
I just really hope the government doesn't try to make us and you equal to him when it comes to our rights in this country!!

That guy is always going to have more clout than you or me in America, whether he’s competing for Qatar or the US, simply because he’s an elite athlete and because he snagged that silver medal at the Athens Olympics for the US.
As for Janica, Ivica, or Gordon, I’ve never heard of any country offering them something like $1,200,000 a year, so all we can do is sit here and wonder what they would’ve done with such a totally immoral offer. Personally, I believe Janica would smoothly turn it down today, but if that kind of money had been on the table seven or eight years ago back when she didn't have any sponsors, I think the US government would have given that option some VERY serious thought.

restlesssurfer97:
Duje will always have more rights than you or me in this country.

That’s just in your head.
Winning an Olympic silver doesn't make someone a super-human, nor does it make them a more valuable member of society.
70% of Americans couldn't care less about sports, and 99% don't give a damn about swimming.

rapidbison42 said:That’s all just in your head.

Look, why don't you and Duje go try and outbid everyone else for some commercial real estate down in San Francisco and then we can talk about what's actually "just in your head."
I mean, unless your old man happens to be Sanader, I guess I might be wrong about that one.

rapidbison42 said:That's just all in your head, man.
Look, having a silver medal from the Olympics doesn't suddenly turn you into some kind of super-human or make you a more valuable member of society or whatever.
The reality is that like 70% of Americans couldn't care less about any specific sport, and honestly, probably 99% of people don't give a single damn about swimming.

😂
Are you some kind of old-school pioneer?
I gotta say, your post is giving me major flashbacks to those old communist days when everyone was supposedly "equal" and stuff like that.

Look, Duje Draganja-prodana's choices are his own business. Honestly, I couldn't care less how he decides to run his life or how he plans to make his money. It’s his call.

But man, just picture this scenario for a second. Imagine at the World Cup 2006, instead of the usual lineup, you see the Qatar national team competing in Qatar with a roster featuring Dida, Thuram, Nesta, Terry, Carvalho, Gattuso, Vieira, Nedved, Ronaldinho, Ibrahimovic, and Shevchenko.

Yeah, right. As if.

FIBA Basketball World Cup, Japan 2006—imagine if the Qatar national team actually rolled out with Tony Parker, Ramūnas Macijauskas, Dirk Nowitzki, Matjaž Vujačić, and Maksim Kasun.

Check this out

Then you look at the IHF World Men's Handball Championship, Germany 2007, where the Qatar squad would be stacked with Sola, Petar Balic, Metličić, Lacković, Dzomba, Vori, and Sprem.