Duje Draganja: Sellout or just misunderstood?

So now Smith is a traitor too? What about Silva? Or those Russian volleyball players who used to represent the US? 👎
It just makes me wonder—why didn't anyone raise an eyebrow when they did it? 😕

[User Name] says:
What the hell is wrong with you??? As far as I can tell, Ljubicic is absolutely Athlete of the Year material—he earned it by grinding through all that struggle, and honestly, massive props to him for making that story happen!

Look, I get it, but let’s be real—some of those awards were basically handed to the favorites on a silver platter.

Louis is legit.

Forget all this Olympic qualifying nonsense. Louis was in three different pairings at the Olympics, he basically carried the whole country to the Davis Cup finals, and what does the government give him for it? Absolutely nothing.

He isn't giving him anything because he doesn't have to, and honestly, this guy isn't even asking since he already has everything he needs.

Honestly, I’m just gonna sit this whole Olympic qualifying fight out. It’s better that way.

I'm gonna be real with you—a true athlete knows how to stand on their own two feet by letting their results do the talking, instead of selling themselves out like some total sellout. But then you've got John Doe!

What a load of crap. Does this guy even know what "preconditions" means? Like, seriously, how are you supposed to train if you're broke? How do you even show up to meets or big races when you don't have the cash? Where does all that funding come from? I’m not saying Duke wasn't pulling in decent money—he was fine—but if there's an opportunity to make even more, then for God's sake, why wouldn't you take it?

And another thing—if you're looking at any of the less mainstream sports over here in the States, you honestly can't make it. It doesn't matter how much talent you have or how hard you're willing to grind; without serious cash behind you, you're basically dead in the water. Period.

Look, man, Kozulja actually loves what he does, and that kind of passion is exactly why he’s gonna kill it in life. Meanwhile, John Doe? He just does nothing but whine and moan constantly. It's pathetic.

And how do you actually know they love them? Did they sit you down and spell it out? Because honestly, I’m hearing something completely different on my end.

Nobody’s got a damn guarantee that they’re actually gonna make it. And honestly, what does "making it" even mean anyway?

Well, good for him, I guess. Let him enjoy it while it lasts. But honestly? If I were in charge, I’d pass a law right now banning any kind of citizenship reinstatement—just shut that door for good. They can try to deal with the visa process whenever they feel like it, but I'm dying to see how he plans on strolling through downtown Miami without looking over his shoulder every five seconds.

Look, obviously he’s a citizen of another country now, so he’s gotta play by the rules just like everyone else. Period.

copperpuma96 said:I don't get this at all.

You’re just going through every single post, one by one, picking out anyone who doesn't agree with you, and then handing out little "nicknames" to every member just because they have a different take. Look, as a moderator, I'm asking you—please, just stop doing this. You're more than welcome to debate, but leave the insults out of it. Are we clear 🙂?

Leonard Nimoy~ said:You’re out here quoting every single person who disagrees with you just to throw a few insults at them because they have a different take. As a mod, I'm seriously asking you to cut that crap out. Have an actual debate if you want, but quit the personal attacks. You get me 🙂?

That's total BS. I only quoted two people. Once the rules actually apply to everyone equally, then maybe I'll stop.

copperpuma96 said:What an absolute joke. Has anyone ever actually heard of prerequisites? How are you supposed to train without cash? How do you even show up to tournaments or meets if you're broke? Where does all that funding come from? I'm not saying John Doe wasn't making decent money, he really wasn't, but if there's a better deal on the table, for God's sake, why wouldn't he take it?

Do you have any actual insight into Duke's bank account? 🙂 You have no idea how much the US government gave him—or rather, failed to give him.

Or are you just speculating that they gave him nothing because, let's be real, if they had, he wouldn't have left. Did they owe him millions of dollars? This country can barely afford bread right now.

Don't compare this situation to pro football players playing for big clubs. Duke swims for a university (where he gets a top-tier education if nothing else, or at least a degree that lets him land a job anywhere), and if I recall correctly, he IS part of a club team out in a city like San Diego.

As for those state bonuses, someone mentioned the numbers earlier, and we aren't talking about "crumbs" here. We keep circling back to the same point: It’s not a question of whether *you* would do it, or whether "Duke deserved it" (I mean, would he have deserved less if he hadn't won those two major medals versus coming in 4th?), the real question is whether he could have "survived" in swimming without this money. If I remember rightly, sponsors were stepping up recently to fund him, but some people are never satisfied. That lure of Qatar pulled him away, and honestly, we can just deal with that.

Stop acting like Draganja is some penniless pauper.

Leonard Nimoy~ said:cut

Look, I’m not saying Duke wasn't pulling in decent money—he definitely was—but if there's a chance to make even more, then for crying out loud, why wouldn't you take it? That's basically what I was getting at in my last post.

copperpuma96 said:That’s just not true. I was quoting two different people. Once everyone actually starts following the same set of rules, I’ll stop.

The rules apply to everyone equally. 🙂>

I saw a clear pattern today because you cherry-picked two posts and twisted them just to manufacture insults, so I had to step in and tell you to cut it out.
If you or anyone else gets targeted with insults, just shoot me a DM. I’ll issue a warning, and if it keeps happening, they’ll get banned. That’s how it works.

Do you really think I’m sitting here moderating based on my own personal feelings?

Wouldn't you love that 😈 😉

Leonard Nimoy~ said:The rules apply to everyone equally. 🙂

Look, I saw the pattern today—you're quoting two different posts just to cherry-pick the insults out of them, so I had to step in and tell you to knock it off.
If someone is actually coming at you or anyone else with insults, just shoot me a DM. I'll hand out a warning, and if they keep acting up, they get the ban hammer.

Do you really think I’m out here moderating based on my own damn feelings?

Wouldn't you love that 😈 😉

I'm telling you, that kid definitely dropped some nasty comments about me in a couple of posts I haven't even seen yet. Someone quoted him, but honestly, I don't even care. It doesn't affect me. Just remember what was said: the rules are the same for everybody.

copperpuma96 said:Look, I’m not saying John Doe was making bad money—he wasn't. But if there's a better deal on the table, why wouldn't he take it? That’s what I was getting at in my last post.

Fair enough, I just re-read that, and yeah, 5 million dollars is a massive amount of cash, especially in the swimming world.

And let me be clear: I'm not one of those people who's going to sit here wishing an injury or some tragedy on the kid. But you have to wonder if Duke could have avoided being branded a traitor. I'm not some die-hard nationalist or anything, but I really don't like the way Duke handled this. He could have kept swimming under the old conditions. State Farm got involved, but knowing how things work around here, everything dragged out forever, and Duke just hit his limit.

In my opinion, he could have played it safe and taken the lesser offer to keep his reputation intact, but he chose this path instead. Now we just wait and see if it turns out to be the right 🙂.

Here is why I brought up that 5 million dollar figure:

John Doe has officially become "al-Doe," and looking ahead, he's staring down a payday of up to five million dollars. This whole mess was basically fueled by a game of "telephone" between USA Swimming and State Farm.

'Will Duke stay or will he go?' For months, America's top swimmer dominated the headlines in the local papers. Everyone was speculating about what he was thinking, and everyone tried to guess his move using their so-called 'reliable sources.' Meanwhile, the world champion from Montreal stayed dead silent through it all.

Once the communication breakdown between HPS and State Farm reached a level of pure absurdity, Duke finally snapped and told the press—'I'm leaving!' He accepted the offer from Qatar and will be competing under their flag moving forward.

You can't turn down millions of dollars. It's likely the Qatari authorities were pushing him to decide quickly too, since they're hosting the Asian Games next year and want to rack up as many medals as possible.

In a statement released to the American media, Duke thanked everyone who tried to help him stay in the US, adding:

"I have accepted the offer from the Qatar Swimming Association, and starting next year, they will be my sponsors.

My passport was already processed back in August, but deep down, I was still hoping the situation would change. Unfortunately, that hope has been crushed once again.

My attempts to find a sponsor here in the States failed. I personally reached out to the biggest American corporations, but the answer was always a 'no.'

Qatar, on the other hand, presents new challenges. Beyond the incredible financial backing, there's the excitement of training alongside several world-class swimmers to tackle major competitions and elevate the profile of the sport.

Being part of this new 'wave'—something unprecedented in my sport—is a huge motivator and an honor for me. I'm not giving up my American passport, my home, or my faith. No one is asking me to do that, and it isn't even possible.

copperpuma96 said:. They’re claiming the rules aren't being applied equally.

Look, I’m not some god, and I’m not glued to my screen 24/7. If you actually have proof for what you're claiming, then lay it out on the table. We’ll get this injustice sorted out pretty damn fast once we see the facts.😉

what's there even to justify now
who gives a damn
Janica could've walked away with ten times that amount
but some people actually still have a sense of honor and pride...

copperpuma96 said:I don't see it FOR SURE

You can't see the moderator posts😲
Probably some stupid forum bug, we'll have to get it fixed😉

Oh, give me a break, stop lying🤣

RuzanPrljavGlup said:Why are you making excuses now
Who gives a damn
Janica could've sold herself out for 10 times that amount
But some people actually have dignity and pride

👍

copperpuma96 said:Look, it’s not like you’d get it anyway... actually, scratch that, I'm just wasting my breath here.
Where do you even work?

Hold on, what's your issue here? You're acting like you're somehow above us "unrefined" people who can't see the noble, hidden motives behind why this guy gave up his citizenship. For your information, the "virtue" you're treating like some high moral standard is just—CASH. That's all there is to it. The guy sold himself out for money... basically a total sellout. It’s not like he’s broke or has no prospects; he’s got plenty of money, he just wants more.
I get that he doesn't care about the country, but then don't complain to me about it. Just say "I did it for the paycheck" and leave it at that.
Maybe take a breather between all that mindless typing... are you really saying every athlete should just chase the biggest paycheck from now on? Who are you going to cheer for then? Whoever happens to have the fanciest jerseys?
....
Oh, and if you really want to show off, maybe try looking in a mirror first.I'll pay you 🙂 🙂

Jose Miller17 said:Wait, what exactly is your problem? You’re acting like you’re somehow some higher being looking down on all us primitives who don't grasp your "hidden" and "noble" wisdom or whatever.
I don't even know why he's walking away from this, honestly. What's the actual motive behind him bowing out like this? It makes zero sense.

Where on earth did I ever say he didn't leave because of the money?

Citizenship... just so you know, that "virtue" you’re acting like is actually nothing more than pure greed. It’s all about the money. Period. This guy sold himself out for a paycheck... honestly, it's pathetic, like someone selling their soul for a quick buck. He isn't some starving guy with no future; he’s already loaded, he just wants more.
I mean, I totally get that he doesn't give a damn about his country or anything, but then he's got the nerve to whine when he doesn't get paid? Like, seriously? Just say you were there for the paycheck and call it a day. Stop the complaining.

Wait, who’s actually losing it here? Of course he did it for the money! Like, what else are we even talking about?

Maybe take a breather from that mindless keyboard smashing for a second and actually think about this. Are you really okay with every athlete just chasing the biggest paycheck possible in the future? Because if that happens, who exactly are you going to root for? Is it gonna be whoever has enough cash to afford the flashiest jerseys?

Look, sports is a job—it’s a freaking profession. Period. People make their entire living doing this. While you’re sitting there in some cubicle grinding through your nine-to-five, these athletes are doing the exact same thing; they just aren't stuck behind a desk, they're out there crushing miles on a bike or perfecting their technique in the gym. You get it? You work for a paycheck, you’re a part of the economy, and they work for a paycheck. It’s the same damn thing. Completely.

Look, if you’re really out here trying to explain high-level concepts to someone who just doesn't get it, you might want to go take a good, hard look in the mirror first...I'll pay you back. 🙂 🙂

Pay up and I'll take a look.

Leonard Nimoy~ said:Look, I'm not some kind of god and I can't be glued to this screen 24/7, so if you actually have proof for the crap you're spewing, just lay it out right now. We'll get this whole mess sorted out real quick.😉

But yeah, I had to go through all those shady posts and ended up having to flag it for the mods.

I told you, man—it was offensive.

copperpuma96 said:unfortunately, I had to slog through garbage posts and now I’m stuck reporting it to the mods.

I told you, it was straight-up insulting.

I reported this one too because it's totally disrespectful.😉

copperpuma96 said:Sports is a job—a straight-up profession. People make a living at it. While you’re sitting in an office grinding through your 9-to-5, he’s doing the exact same thing, just without the desk. He’s out riding a bike or drilling sword techniques instead. Get it? You work for a paycheck, he works for a paycheck. It's the same thing. Period.

Not really... we're talking about playing for the national team here... that's the whole point.🙂
You still didn't answer my question. :-)

Brandon Castillo4~ said:Alright, enough with the insults and the flamewars. Both of these guys are 😉 🙂

Why are you coming at me? Calling someone a bottom-feeder isn't even an insult.

Jose Miller17 said:Nah, you're missing the point... we're talking about major league sports here... that's the whole damn premise. 🙂
And you still haven't answered my question. :-)

Look, you can't even begin to compare swimming to soccer on this level. It’s apples and oranges.

The question? Man, I don't root for anyone. I don't have idols. I just follow Milan because it's what I've always done.