America loses an Olympian: Jakob Fak heads to Canada

Paul Jones7 said:It all connects—if you actually bother to use your brain for once. And honestly, why even bring up Janica? Those guys over in Canada didn't teach her a single thing about skiing. Just mindless commentary that makes you want to lose it. Besides, our people were basically paying off the locals over there—if they paid anything at all, though nobody’s gonna come clean about the details. But look, just get it through your head: it isn't even about the money anymore.Why even bother training an American medalist? They haven't exactly been eating anything but junk food lately—right?

We never even thought about holding anything over his head—I mean, the guy's our friend! He gets treated just like the rest of us. We’re always looking out for him, especially since Miami is such a massive hub for sailing—he's been part of the crew here for eight years now. Between hanging with the American sailors and coaches, he spends at least half the year stateside... I even heard he’s got his own place rented out in Miami! —that's what Tonči Antunović, a coach over at JK Labud, was saying.

So, check this out—here’s what American coach Tonči Antunović had to say about that Canadian sailing legend, Žbogar, who’s snagged two Olympic medals and is a big deal over at the local yacht club in Split. Pretty wild, right?

Those sailors from Canada are always heading over to the States for training sessions—it's basically their go-to spot. Take Nik Pletikos, for example—he was out here prepping for the Laser class World Cup, which is totally allowed, and then he goes and grabs bronze at the Junior European Championship? Antunović says it's just how things work!

Sean Gonzalez95 said:Oh, come on... you really think they wouldn't care about his training if he hadn't won any medals—if he were just some totally average athlete? I mean, obviously it would bother them then..

Well, I guess the real answer is that it doesn't actually matter—because he *did* win those medals, and that's exactly why it's an issue. And honestly, it’s not even that the Americans have some special right to act this way; it's more like they're just doing what we'd probably do if we were in their shoes. It's basically a "sign this or go train somewhere else" kind of situation. I don't think it's even about the money, really—it's more about principle. Though, if it *were* about the money, they'd probably just demand more than we could ever realistically afford or agree to pay, whether we liked it or not.

Paul Jones7 said:It’s all connected if you actually use your head. And I have no idea why you're even bringing up Janica—those guys in Canada didn't train her for anything. Such mindless comments are just infuriating. Besides, our people were paying the Canadians for help, if they were even paying at all—nobody knows the real amount. But look, it isn't even about the money anymore. Why would they bother training an American medalist when they haven't gained a dime from it?

And why wouldn't they? Over here, we don't have the right setup, so a person ends up training in what's supposedly a "friendly" country and pays for everything out of pocket. If the roles were reversed, believe me, stuff like this would never happen. But since the Janezes are involved, absolutely nothing is off the table. They are incredibly jealous of us and will use every trick in the book to screw us over. They act like pure enemies toward us even though we haven't given them a single reason. Why? Pure envy.

Karma will catch up to them with interest, so I'm not losing any sleep over it.

Henry Cox78 said:And why wouldn't they? We don't have the right setup here, so a guy ends up training in some supposedly "friendly" country—paying for everything out of his own pocket. If the roles were reversed, you can bet your life stuff like this wouldn't be happening, but since the Canadians are involved, anything goes. They’re just incredibly spiteful toward us—really, they’ll use every trick in the book to screw us over. It feels like they're fundamentally hostile, even though we haven't given them a single reason to be. Why? Well, pure jealousy, I guess.

It'll all come back to haunt them eventually, with interest... I'm not losing sleep over it.

How much was HBS paying for Fak?

They're just as bitter toward us as we are toward them. The reality is, we just don't like each other.

Paul Jones7 said:How much was HBS paying for Fak?

They’re just as bitter toward us as we are toward them. Fact is, there's zero love lost here.

Why on earth would they be jealous of us? 🤣 Their policy is basically driven by pure envy because we have so much more than their single little bay. That's why they hate us and try to push us out of everything. Our dislike for them is honestly just a reaction to their hostile politics and constant bullying. Otherwise, we wouldn't give them a second thought.

Henry Cox78 said:Why would we even be jealous of them? 🤣 Their whole policy is basically just pure resentment because we have so much more than they do—like, we have an entire coastline while they're stuck with one bay. That’s why they don't like us and try to push us out of everything. The fact that we don't care for them... well, I guess that’s just a side effect of their hostile politics and constant pressure. Otherwise, we wouldn't give them a second thought.

I guess I am a bit envious, mostly because they actually have politicians who unashamedly fight for national interests instead of just selling everyone else out. Meanwhile, back here, we’ve got these cowards who sell off the whole country for pennies, acting like they don't care about being American at all. But then again, maybe we have those kinds of politicians because we’re the kind of people who produce them. We’re the cowards—and honestly, pretty foolish ones at that. I suppose I'm just jealous that they seem smarter than us, while we’re such idiots it’s almost hard to put into words.

Sure, it’s easy to sit here and say "we have this" and "they don't have that." But if we keep going down this path, we won't have anything left soon. We’ll end up with a coastline we can't even afford to visit, debts that our grandkids won't be able to pay off, and every major company will be owned by foreign investors. Even the few "local" moguls—the types like some shady billionaire tycoon—will probably loot the place even harder than the outsiders do. There won't be any jobs, the land will be sold off through various concessions, and you won't even be able to afford healthcare or education without deep pockets. Eventually, you'll see people coming in from everywhere to work here because the wages are better than back home, and those self-proclaimed patriots will happily hire them. And then you can just sit at home and cry when there's no work for you. You can always go drown your sorrows in our beautiful ocean, assuming it isn't choked with pollution by then.

And then, I suppose, you'll just wish you had a smaller brain so you could proudly claim your identity without being completely blinded by stupidity.

So, we'll just keep watching sports to numb our brains a little more... I guess that makes things easier.

Paul Jones7 said:Why on earth would you be happy coaching an American athlete who brings home medals for a different country?

They aren't idiots; obviously they saw a chance to make some money. No one hands out help for free without looking out for themselves first...

Exactly! That’s how we should handle our sailors too!!!! Why bother letting them use our facilities, train here, peak alongside our guys, and compare stats, when some shark could just swoop in, grab the result, hold the money over their heads, and say "bye!"? We basically just handed everything over on a silver platter, apparently.
I guess then
some of us could finally go ahead and do whatever we want, sure!🙄

Taylor Bailey said:What the American coach Tonči Antunović had to say about the Canadian sailor, a two-time Olympic medalist and member of the Split Yacht Club...

Sorry, just caught your post. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx👍

Paul Jones7 said:I’m actually jealous of them. They have politicians who unashamedly fight for their national interests instead of selling out for small favors. Meanwhile, we have cowards who sell our country off for pennies, showing zero loyalty to America. We have this problem because our leaders are a direct reflection of us. We’re the ones being weak and foolish. I’m honestly envious that they’re smarter than we are, while we remain such idiots that I can't even find the words to say it.

I'll sign off on this, just like I do with everything else.

The best example of how Canadians protect their own interests at everyone else's expense is their highway vignette system. They rolled out a six-month pass that wasn't exactly cheap, though it wasn't breaking the bank either. Then they introduced an annual pass that was laughably inexpensive once you actually sit down and do the math. For the locals who spend most of their lives on the interstate, it’s a steal, while travelers just get screwed. Once that happened, the complaining started from every direction—protests, political upheaval, all that talk about the EU and whatnot.

So, what are we looking at now? We’ve got an annual pass that’s already seeing a massive price hike, a monthly pass that costs as much as a six-month pass used to, and a five-day pass that doesn't even cover a full week of skiing or beach time—meaning you have to buy two, which ends up costing what a half-year pass once did. People aren't complaining as much anymore because they think having a short-term pass is a win, but everyone seems to have conveniently forgotten how much those neighbors across the border jacked up the prices on us.

Hats off to them. They have a government that actually looks out for their interests instead of staying neutral like everyone else. Like you pointed out, we’re just sitting here letting ourselves get pushed around. We ended up with exactly the kind of leadership we deserve—the kind that has stripped us bare and squeezed us dry until we're exhausted, all while showing zero intention of stopping.

Sean Gonzalez95 said:There’s a very specific reason why so many people are upset about how that decision was made.
I don't think we're all completely brainless. Most people aren't actually that limited in their thinking or lazy when it comes to digging up the truth. It feels like a lot of the attacks come from pure spite or just plain old jealousy.

Large crowds, no matter how big they get, always end up acting like sheep because... The mass. Don't try to outsmart them with logic. Instead, aim for their most basic, primal instincts—those are much easier to trigger. It leads to a more calculated kind of action. I can't really wrap my head around this one. It just doesn't add up for me. She just isn't up to the task. She needs to make a conscious effort to actually think about what's really going on here. mass People just don't care enough about that—it’s easier to stay indifferent, and frankly, most people lack the bandwidth anyway. If everyone actually used their own heads for once, we wouldn't be in this position. massThey aren't just objects; they're conscious, thinking beings.

It’s incredibly easy to manipulate the masses by fueling their resentment toward our neighbors in the Midwest. The way people were stirred up over the Jakob Fak situation was honestly pathetic because it was so effortless. All you have to do is leak a number like $350,000—without mentioning what that actually covers or the scale of the requirements—and the crowd loses its mind. They start doing mental math thinking it’s a $30,000 monthly salary, when that isn't even close to the truth. Plus, having a secure, lifelong career in the military is basically a pipe dream for the average person, which only makes them easier to rile up.

Trying to light a fire under people is a losing battle. Anyone using their brain can see pretty quickly that the right move is actually the exact opposite of what everyone else is vibrating toward. masses.

Ethan Brown2 said:Man, if only we handled our sailing teams the way they handle theirs!!!! I mean, why bother training in perfect conditions, timing your peak performance, or even measuring yourself against local talent when some shady character can just pull a fast one and demand a payoff? Then—boom—it’s over. It’s like we were just spinning our wheels for nothing, though maybe we actually were.
I suppose if things worked that way
then some of us could finally just do whatever we wanted, honestly.🙄

Look, I don't know the first thing about sailing. If all we're doing is letting them use our waters, and they're paying their way, I don't see what the big deal is. But if we're handing them special treatment for no reason... well, then I'd be the first one trying to kick them out—unless, of course, they pay enough to make it worth our while.

Jose White18 said:Just sign off on this like everything else.

The best example of how Canadians protect their own interests over everyone else was their highway vignettes. They introduced a six-month pass that wasn't cheap, but it wasn't breaking the bank either, and an annual one that was ridiculously inexpensive once you actually did the math. The Canadians who spend the most time on the highways get a steal, while tourists just get screwed. And then the backlash started from everywhere—protests, revolutions, the EU, this and that...

And what do we have now? An annual pass that’s already seeing a price hike, a monthly one that costs as much as the old six-month pass, and a five-day one that won't even cover a week of skiing or a beach trip, so you end up needing two, which costs as much as an old six-month pass used to. Now the kids aren't complaining anymore because they think they have a "short-term" option, completely forgetting that those guys in Canada basically handed them a massive bill under the guise of convenience.

Hats off to them for having a government that looks out for its own people instead of worrying about anyone else. Like you said, we’re just a bunch of idiots with the kind of government we deserve—one that has fleeced us blind and keeps pushing us around until we're exhausted, with zero intention of stopping...

A crowd, any crowd, will always be sheep because the masses don't follow the smartest person; they follow whoever can trigger their lowest instincts. To take any meaningful action, the masses simply aren't capable, because it would require the conscious effort to actually think about what's happening, and the masses have no affinity for that (it's easier to just not care or think), and often lack the capacity too. If people actually used their heads, they wouldn't be the masses, they'd be conscious, thinking individuals.

That's why it's so easy to whip a crowd into a frenzy of stupidity and turn them against those "hated" Canadians. Stirring the pot in the case of Fak was so easy it's honestly pathetic. You just leak a figure like 350,000 (without mentioning what that actually covers or what the actual needs are) and suddenly the crowd goes ballistic, thinking it's a $30k monthly salary (which it isn't), all while a lifelong military career is basically a pipe dream for the average person in that group.

Man, it's easy to light a fire under a crowd. Anyone using even a shred of brainpower quickly realizes that the truth is usually the exact opposite of whatever the masses are screaming about.

You're clearly an insider, which explains why you've got your head in the sand regarding our "dear" neighbors.😍🙄

Paul Jones7 said:I don't know the first thing about sailing. If we're just giving them access to our waters and they're paying their way, I don't see why we'd offer anything extra. And if we *are* giving them special treatment, why on earth would we? Honestly, I’d kick them out too, unless they’re paying top dollar and it actually benefits us...

Whatever, it's not like we're sending an entire delegation to the Olympics in London or dealing with some massive budget blowout!!😁
Just asking... nothing personal, really...

Ethan Brown2 said:You’re clearly an insider—it's pretty obvious—which is probably why you’ve got your head buried in the sand regarding those "dear" little birds of yours.😍🙄

I mean, I don't think you quite caught the drift—it’s not actually aimed at our neighbors over in Canada, it's more about us... or rather, what's happening right here at home.

We’re still sitting here with our land literally mined from the fallout of that war with our neighbors—it's a mess. And honestly, it feels like our leadership never even bothered to insist on drawing a direct line between the damage done here in America and the political decisions or military commands coming out of the old regime. We had all the evidence needed to back that up—we still have it, actually—but we didn't even push to have what happened officially labeled as a war on the international stage. I guess because of that, we don't have any claim to reparations. It's frustrating... we lost fathers, people were severely injured, and yet today, we’re basically shaking hands and opening up joint sports leagues with that very same territory. Why? Are we just acting like nothing ever happened? What was the point of fighting in the first place? I worry that tomorrow, some bureaucrats in D.C. or Brussels might suggest some tighter regional integration before we even fully settle into our own skin, and suddenly—just like after the war—we're part of a collective again. It's almost predictable. Given how easily people can be led astray—and let's face it, the public can be pretty gullible when the media starts spinning things—most folks wouldn't even realize where we're being steered. One day it's "let's go to war for America," and the next it's "let's head back into a union" just so we don't end up isolated. It's a strange cycle, really. 🙄

Come on, little sheep—the dinner bell just rang. 😍

Ethan Brown2 said:I mean, seriously... why bother sending anyone to represent us at the Olympics in London—or whatever—when they can just go blow the budget on something else entirely? 😁
It’s just one of those things, you know? Like, asking neighbors for their opinion... nothing personal, obviously. Not really.

That’s how it should have gone down. Honestly, instead of all the drama involving Jakob Fak, that would've been the move. A total counter-move.

Paul Jones7 said:That's how it should have gone down. Instead of making life difficult for Jakob Fak, they should've reacted like that. Total fail...

The older generation just isn't wired that way, and that's the whole issue!😉🙂

So, Stemail finally got back to me on that question...

Honestly, anyone—including myself, if I’m being pissed off about how Jakob Fak basically flipped the whole country upside down—is just an indoctrinated sheep without a brain. Just part of some mindless herd, following whatever ideas the shepherds are feeding them...

It feels like you totally missed my point entirely... I wasn't complaining, I was asking: is it actually possible that everyone is just a complete idiot?!..

Because if we're using that same twisted logic, I could easily argue there's a massive pack of morons intentionally making excuses for Jakob's decisions just because they subscribe to his exact same principles...

And then people build thousands of these baseless insinuations that make zero sense... but hey, that's just "uber cool," right? I guess we live in a country where this kind of public trash is what leads the way...

Anyway, just so we don't seem completely different on everything, look at one of those posts by Paul Jones7... which, honestly, I’d sign off on myself...

Like I said, we're all just pieces of crap, and that pretty much sums up the whole story.☕

Paul Jones7 said:They really should have... I mean, instead of Fak constantly causing drama, that's how you handle things. A total counter-move

Hell no, they shouldn't!!

At the end of the day, you gotta stay a decent human being first... don't go trying to get revenge in such a petty, low-class way... just nothing of it

Sean Gonzalez95 said:So, Jose White18 finally got back to me about that question...

Everyone, myself included, is absolutely on board with this. It’s honestly frustrating to see how much Fak changed this country.Just another brainwashed sheep, part of a mindless crowd following whatever ideas the leaders feed them.

So, should we go over what that method actually looked like for the umpteenth time?

He had an agreement with the Canadians to join them right after the Olympics. Then the HOO stepped up and made it clear they were going to. Do whatever it takes. We should probably tell him to hold out. Are we all in agreement that Jacob shouldn't accept this unless everything is at least equal to—if not better than—what they’re offering him in Canada? He already made his position clear to them, after all. The truth is, HOO put together this specific offer, and it's honestly pathetic. It follows a string of broken promises, and half of what's written in there is built on shaky ground and likely won't ever happen. It isn't even close to being better than the Canadian deal, but to the average American, it sounds like a golden ticket to retirement.

Jacob is still technically on the roster, but he’s realized there won't be a real coach coming in. Having a solid coach is a dealbreaker for him if he wants to actually train and improve. So, he's asking for his release. Now, HBS is trying to cook up some kind of buyout or severance package, stalling him for a week before they finally let him go.

From what I can gather, everything I've been reading suggests that Jacob was completely ready to go just two weeks ago. Take down the Canadians. They gave them their word, and now they’re set to compete for Team USA. HOO didn't offer him anything remotely close to fair terms. They wouldn't even guarantee that the current, underwhelming deal would be honored through to the end. Honestly, he was relieved to finally get his release papers. It meant he could just move on with his career, which is pretty crucial for an athlete who hasn't even hit his prime yet.

Jacob didn't pull a fast one on anyone. Everyone has known about the move to Canada for over a year now. What exactly was his way of leaving that would give me any reason to be bitter at him? 🤷

Sean Gonzalez95 said:That’s a bad move!!

You’ve gotta keep your dignity first and not try to act like some saint through such cheap, low-class tactics.

Just like how those Canadians pulled it off by using blackmail. Yeah, I'm with you on that.

Jose White18 said:So, are we really going to sit here and debate what kind of move that was for the n-th time? I mean, honestly...

I mean, word on the street was that he already had a deal lined up with the Canadians—sort of an agreement to jump ship over there right after the Olympics are wrapped up. Then, suddenly, someone from HOO steps up and says they’re going to... do whatever it takes So, let's say they actually manage to keep him. But do we all agree that Jacob should only even consider this if the deal is at least on par with—if not better than—what the Canadians have put on the table? And honestly, he’s already made his position pretty clear to them, hasn't he? Then you look at what HOO has cooked up—this offer they've finally dragged out. It's frankly pathetic. It comes on the heels of nothing but broken promises, and half the terms in there feel like they're built on sand—hardly anything is actually guaranteed. It isn't even close to being a better deal than the Canadian one, but I guess for the average American bystander, it probably sounds like a golden ticket to a comfortable retirement.

So, Jacob is still technically on the roster, I guess, but once he realizes there isn’t going to be a real coach coming on board—which, let’s face it, is pretty much a dealbreaker if you actually want to improve or move forward—he starts looking for an exit strategy. He’s asking for his release papers now. Meanwhile, HBS is busy trying to cook up some kind of settlement or buyout scheme... they basically string him along for a week, giving him the runaround, and then finally just let him go.

From everything I’ve been reading lately—and I mean really digging through the reports—it seems like Jacob was actually looking pretty good to go just two weeks ago. I guess things just shifted unexpectedly. Screw the Canadians. And they give them permission—I guess you could say they get the green light—to keep competing for the US. HOO didn't really come to the table with anything worthwhile—not even a solid guarantee that they’d actually stick to those mediocre terms they were offering in the first place. Honestly, I think he was just relieved to finally get his release papers. It’s a huge weight off his shoulders, I mean, it basically means he can actually move forward with his career without all that baggage. And when you're an athlete who hasn't even hit his prime competitive years yet, being able to just... go... is probably the most important thing in the world.

I don't think Jacob was playing anyone—honestly, everyone’s known about that move over to Canada for more than a year now. So, I'm trying to wrap my head around this—what exactly was his way of leaving that's supposed to make me feel resentful? I mean, I guess there’s a certain way things go down, but I'm just not seeing where the grudge is coming from. Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't really get why I should be bitter about it. 🤷

Nice work—you really nailed that one.