America loses an Olympian: Jakob Fak heads to Canada

Sean Gonzalez95 said:Henry Cox78 really hit the nail on the head with that post..
If certain people turned out to be total garbage in this whole situation, then the Federation should just stay professional and let him walk away with his dignity intact..
Trying to counter him here—well, that’s just sinking down to Fak’s level or that Canadian standard..

Paul Jones7—look, I might care about the guy, and maybe you know him, but the flag doesn't change just because of circumstances!!..
Look, it's clear to me that while this organization didn't exactly invest heavily in his career, you don't turn your back on them..
I wasn't trying to make a definitive statement, but watching Jacob’s pathetic TV appearance forced my hand.. I mean, how much money did my brother actually get, considering he left his bones in El Paso at 23, while some cousin leaves his legs behind in Kupres at 19??..

The kid carried the flag at the Olympics!!..

Okay, maybe it’s different for me because I view this country as my mother—and unlike a stepmother, she can never be anything else to me. I guess Jacob sees things differently..

Anyway-nek, I wish him the best, and honestly, the more they talk about Fak and Canada, the more medals he'll probably grab.. These people—all of us here, really—we’re all showing how we haven't actually earned our place in this country..

It’s not that I’m particularly fond of him—let’s just say I’m neutral. I respect him as an athlete, but as a person, I don't have a strong opinion. That said, I don't have a set way of looking at this specific mess either.

For instance, to me, this isn't the same thing as when Dragan wanted to switch flags. Dragan wasn't lacking anything; he would have only done it to cash in on his talent, but he backed out once he realized what it would truly cost him. And as for anyone criticizing Dragan—please. It wouldn't even cross my mind to defend him.

When it comes to Fak, it's about him realizing that if he chooses to stick with America, it’ll basically be the last medal he wins at the Olympics, purely by necessity. Given what’s being offered, he simply can't compete in top-tier biathlon under those conditions.

America isn't a biathlon powerhouse, and I can kind of see why HOO and the others feel like there's nothing the country can do here. Though, if you ask me, the whole offer was pure marketing—just a way to clean up their own image. And hey, it worked: thanks to that, a bunch of blind Americans believe Fak got everything he needed and that leaving the US is nothing short of treason.

You have to dig a little beneath the surface to realize how little he was actually offered—and I don't just mean money, but the essential requirements for the sport. Biathlon is an incredibly, incredibly expensive sport at the level required to fight for medals.

But people are simple-minded. If Fak had accepted the offer, and then suddenly vanished from the world stage because the training and competition conditions were inadequate, you know what would happen? Everyone would be dragging his name through the mud, saying he took the money for nothing, that he failed to deliver, or that he didn't deserve it. He’d end up being the villain all over again.

As for the funding for competitions, that's a matter of national branding, which is why the government is willing to invest. The state puts money into promising athletes because they want medals and sporting glory. And the public wants that too. I agree it seems unfair if you compare him to others who receive much more, but that's just how the system works. At the end of the day, the sponsored athletes aren't getting rich off the state; that money goes straight toward the costs of actually competing in the sport.

Let’s run this back:

Did Fak actually say he'd play for Team USA if the funding came through?
Has anyone actually secured the sponsors yet?
And did Fak just bail on us to join the guys over in the Midwest?

So, who ended up looking like the total sucker here?

Henry Cox78 said:I mean, how much would he even pull in $100 a year? 🤣 Do you actually realize what kind of money we're talking about here? The average salary in the US is maybe $50,000—well, let's say $60,000 a year if you're being generous. So, poor old Fak would only be making about five average American salaries. Honestly, this is just pathetic; I wouldn't sign up for that either. 😁

Can someone please post the actual numbers for how many average salaries Ivica and Janica were pulling when they first started out in the US? ☕

Man, you didn't even read what you're replying to. Please, just go back and pročitati what briskbison28 wrote.

He’d be getting paid to coach while juggling other work,
but honestly, his heart is strictly set on just competing in biathlon.
So, basically—if you look at it that way—it means he’s walking away from his career.

wanderinghawk17 said:Let’s just recap the situation here:

Did Jakob Fak actually say he'd represent America if the funding was there?
Have any sponsors actually stepped up?
And did Fak just walk away from the Americans?

So, who ended up looking like the fool in this scenario?

The guy hasn't been promised all the necessary conditions. And what does that even entail?

- A coach—we're talking about an agreed-upon elite coach, which means an established partnership with a top-tier coaching professional, not just some lump sum of cash
- Agreed-upon access to high-end biathlon tracks maintained at the level required for world-class results—whether that's here in the States or somewhere nearby
- High-level technicians/service crew
- A physical therapist
- Full coverage for all travel expenses related to World Cup events and championships
- Costs for skis and other gear, provided in the quantity and quality needed for peak performance

If you ask me, we're talking millions of dollars a year... what do you guys think?

$100 Even a million a year wouldn't be enough to cover the salaries of a decent coach, tech, and therapist—and that's not even touching their own travel and lodging costs during the season...

Paul Jones7 said:Man, you clearly didn't even read what you're replying to. Seriously, go back and read what briskbison28 wrote.

I did read it. If it's actually true they offered him $50,000, then honestly, whatever. I don't know if you realize how much money that actually is. 😁

I remember a pro handball team once played their whole season on a budget like that. Yeah, they tanked. 🤣

Teams in the NBA G League run on budgets around $150,000. That's $150k to cover salaries for 12 players, coaches, trainers, doctors... plus training twice a day in the gym and hitting the weight room. Then there's travel all over the States, plus hotels and food for the whole crew. Not to mention gear. $150,000 for all that? $50,000 wouldn't even cover specialized nutrition for one athlete and a coach, let alone travel. Yeah, right.🤣

dustymarlin10 said:People define "scum" differently. To me, scum is anyone who acts like athletes are divine gifts and thinks they can just take without giving anything back...

And what exactly should Jacob give to America? Stay here and settle for some mediocre 37th place finishes?
With the current offers, he won't be doing much better than that anyway.

Sean Gonzalez95 said:I wasn't trying to make a definitive statement, but watching Jacob's pathetic TV appearance was just too much. I mean, how much money did my brother get to leave his health behind in a war zone at 23, or my cousin who blew out his knees at 19 in the mountains?

And will his buddies actually be happier if this traitor Jacob stays to play for the US national team?

Why force someone to stay when they've already decided to move on? What do you gain from that? 🤷
Why would I want to hold onto someone who clearly doesn't care about playing under my flag? No thanks, I don't need that. He's free to go wherever he thinks he'll find more happiness.

Henry Cox78 said:I recall a handball club once competing in the top league with a budget like that. They ended up getting relegated. 🤣

Even teams in the major basketball leagues operate on budgets around a million dollars.

And do those handball or basketball clubs win Olympic or World Championship medals? Do they win any kind of medals? Not really, right?

Jacob isn't going to win anything under conditions where everything—absolutely everything—has to fit into a tiny $300,000 annual budget. ☕

Henry Cox78 said:I read that. I mean, if it’s actually true they offered him $45,000, then honestly, everything is up for grabs. I don't know if you realize just how much money that actually is. 😁

I seem to remember some handball club back in the day running an entire pro league season on a budget like that. Well, they ended up getting relegated, obviously. 🤣

Even teams in the top tier of basketball play with budgets around $150,000. That's $150,000 to cover salaries for twelve players, plus the coach, the physio, the doctor... all of them. You've got two-a-day practices in the gym and sessions in the weight room. Then there's traveling across the entire US, plus housing and food for the whole crew. And gear, too. Of course. A hundred and fifty thousand for all that—and $45,000 wouldn't even cover sports nutrition for one athlete and a coach, let alone travel. Yeah, right. 🤣

Biathlon is an expensive sport. Just go pročitati my post about the costs and the team lineup.

As for the teams, I don't really have a comment. If you take one salary, add the payroll taxes, multiply by twelve, and then add all the other overhead... I just don't see the math working out. Either there's some extra revenue coming in from somewhere, or they aren't paying everyone what they're owed, or maybe the city stepped in to cover the arena rental or something.

When you look at the cost of putting a team together—take alpine skiing, for example—there’s a massive difference between having some local kid tune your skis and having a top-tier specialist from a place like Vail handle them. It’s the same story with coaching. There’s one price tag for a decent coach, and then there’s a completely different tier for a world-renowned veteran. I mean, let’s be real: if someone brings in a big-name coach, expecting to pay them less than $2,000 a month plus benefits? Yeah, that’s a stretch. You have to account for all the travel, the per diems, and all those extra expenses... nobody is going to do that kind of high-level work for some measly, average American salary.

dustypanther6 said:Haha, what even is retroactive billing?? It’s like if I show up at your place and ask if I can crash on your couch for five days. You say sure. Then, two or three years down the line, we get into a huge fight and aren't on speaking terms anymore. Suddenly you come up to me and go, "Hey, pay me for those five nights I let you sleep here, or I'm taking you to small claims court." What kind of logic is that, man??

Well, my take is that I might say yes, but only on the condition that you come over next month to help me unload a delivery of concrete. If you agree to that, but then you don't show up when the truck arrives... well, that's where you run into trouble.😁

Henry Cox78 said:I read it. If it’s actually true that they offered him $50,000, then honestly, everything is fine. I don't know if you realize just how much money that is.😁

You might have read it, but clearly you didn't grasp it. 😉
So, here's the deal: that $300,000 $0.00 is intended to cover all his expenses—everything I mentioned above. It's a specific allocation for training, gear, supplements, and so on. You aren't allowed to just repurpose those funds.

There is also a set amount allocated for his stipend.
Jacob receives $4,000 $33 per month. Not a single cent more, at least not from HOO.
And he should be receiving that until the next Olympic Games.
After that, he either wins another medal (in which case the stipend continues) or, once the Olympics are over, the funding stops entirely.

That is the standard formula used to fund all Olympic athletes—medal winners.
Are we clear now?

George Robinson43 said:Jakob should probably realize, much like an American neighbor might, that what HBS is pulling here is just standard practice over in Canada.
Just hang in there for two years and everything will settle down.

👍

stemajzl-ma I am totally on board with everything you just said... though you didn't quite count me in correctly...

Everything I’ve been typing basically boils down to one simple question... why does everyone think they deserve a bigger slice of the pie from the American government than the rest of us regular citizens?

Okay, look, I get it... and yeah, biathlon is definitely more niche compared to other sports... I used to follow it big time back in the day when guys like Ole Einar Bjørndalen or Emil Hegle Svendsen were tearing it up...
I know you need a rock-solid support crew and sponsors who are actually willing to cough up the cash to make it happen. And since he's competing under the American flag, Jakob is way more restricted here than some pro cyclist would be...
But man, screw it... life isn't fair! It’s just not like the setup for those athletes over in Germany, Norway, or France—they don't have the same kind of financial backing or opportunities we have here...

And yet, he could still probably pull in way more money than your average American Joe...

Yeah, obviously... I'm just some naive dreamer who actually believes that playing your own national anthem means something more than just chasing a massive paycheck abroad.

briskbison28 said:Maybe you read it, but you clearly didn't grasp the point. 😉
So, look: those 300 $0.00 are meant to cover his entire overhead—everything I just laid out above. It’s a fixed amount earmarked for prep, gear, vitamins, all that stuff. You can't just pivot and spend it on something else.

There is also a specific amount set aside for his scholarship.
Jakov gets 4 $33 a month. Not a single cent more, at least not from HOO.
And he should be receiving that right up until the next Olympics.
After that, it's either he wins another medal—keeping the scholarship alive—or he gets nothing at all once the Games are over.

That's the standard protocol for how all Olympic medalists are funded.
Are we on the same page now?

That's just not true. Both during and after his career, he'd have work as an instructor and an officer rank for training within the US Army. Plus, they'd pay him coaching fees and cover training trips abroad if certain countries wouldn't let him train with them. And then there are the sponsors, starting with Chevrolet, who provided him with a large vehicle for free use.

briskbison28 said:You might have read it, but you clearly missed the point. 😉
Basically, that $300 $0.00 covers all his expenses—everything I mentioned earlier. It’s a set amount meant for prep, gear, vitamins, and so on. You can't just redirect those funds elsewhere.

Most people watching the news or scrolling through social media see that number and immediately react. Man, do you even realize how much money that actually is? Releasing that figure serves a specific political purpose for HOO/HBS.

There's also a specific amount allocated for his scholarship.
Jakov receives $4 $33 per month. Not a penny more, at least not from HOO.

Before people start comparing this to a cashier's salary at Walmart, someone should explain if that's actually a lot of money for someone ranked in the top 15 in the world in their field.

wanderinghawk17 said:Let's run through this again:

Did Fak actually say he’d represent America if the funding came through?
Have any sponsors actually materialized?
And did Fak just walk away from the sheep?

So, who ended up looking like the fool here?

A helpful little reminder.👍

Sean Gonzalez95 said:Jose White18, I’m with you on absolutely everything you said. But you didn't quite count me in.

Everything I’ve written boils down to one simple question: why does everyone assume they deserve a bigger slice of the pie from the US government than the rest of us?

He isn't asking for anything more than the rest of us. He just wants to be left alone to go his own way.

You could probably secure a much better financial future than the average American.

Actually, that’s exactly why I respect him. His goal isn't even about... To get ahead financially and do better than the average American.. 🤮

The average American couldn't care less about what Jacob Fak thinks regarding mediocrity. He has no interest in being just another face in the crowd. Average. He wants to be at the top of his game, the absolute best he can be. He isn't looking for a massive paycheck; he just needs the right conditions to work. Unfortunately, America just can't—or won't—provide that kind of environment.

Why bother keeping him around? Honestly, what on earth is the point? Just us average Americans.? 🤷

Sean Gonzalez95 said:Everything I’ve been saying basically boils down to one simple question... why does everyone think they deserve more from the American government than the rest of us regular citizens?

Well, I guess it's because an Olympic gold medal isn't just some stroke of luck—it’s the result of a massive investment, and there's a certain cost to forging that kind of glory. It's not just about the athlete, either; the US government has its own interests in seeing those wins, which is why we see public funding flowing into sports in the first place. If you look at it differently—if you assume the government shouldn't be involved at all—then most sports wouldn't even exist outside of private sponsorships. I mean, if the US suddenly pulled all federal support for athletics, most sports would probably spiral into total chaos pretty quickly, mostly because the number of active athletes would plummet. Sure, football would probably be fine, but for almost everything else, people would realize it's just not worth chasing a dream unless you're some kind of once-in-a-generation prodigy.

And honestly, we all love watching American victories on TV, don't we?

How can you say he isn't looking??.. He literally said he couldn't get decent working conditions here, right?
Man, I don't know... I don't even have the kind of setup my cousin has over in Switzerland for half this stuff, but my old man stayed right here in the States... me too, I stayed in the States to build things and run businesses, even though I had plenty of offers to head abroad...

And that’s exactly what Jacob is doing.. there are just better opportunities out there for him, so he's heading out.. sapienti sat

swiftwalker43 said:That's simply not true. Both during and after his career, he held an instructor position and an officer rank for training within the US Army. On top of that, they would pay him coaching fees and cover training costs abroad if those jerks didn't block him from working with them. And let's not forget the sponsors, starting with Chevrolet, who gave him free use of a large vehicle.

Which specific part is untrue?

By the way, regarding 1) the instructor job, 2) the military rank, and 3) the coaching services:
1) and 2) are true; they promised him the instructor role, but then things stalled.
Sometimes what our local "armchair experts" blather about isn't actually feasible. Especially regarding military ranks and jobs, considering our Department of Defense isn't exactly ap for it when it comes to hiring athletes into the service.
Actually, maybe something could change now. One can hope.

3) To act as a coach and train others elsewhere, you really need some level of credibility. In sports, that means results.
Yes, Jacob has them (though not a massive haul just yet, but he's young), but being a successful athlete doesn't automatically make someone a successful coach.
And then what? 🤷

As for the car: he got a big Chevrolet to use? Great, but what happens when the lease is up?
He either buys it or returns it.
And let's not kid ourselves; he wouldn't have gotten it for a bargain. Trust me. 😉