Offside Chat Archives (2014-2021)

Elizabeth Mendoza said:He actually mentioned in that documentary that for his first few seasons, he was making less in the NBA than he was back in Europe. Honestly, I doubt any of his teammates could even point to America on a map right now. 🤣

It’s that classic American mindset. To them, every country in Eastern Europe is just Russia. 🤣

So, he did say he would've made less money if he had just jumped straight over after being drafted back in 1990, and we're talking literal millions here. I guess I'm not totally sure if he really earned less when he actually made the move, though. Especially since everyone talks about those intense negotiations between him and Krause, plus you have to remember MJ wasn't there anymore to hog up all that salary cap space. Maybe that changed things? Just my two cents!

steelharbor9 said:So, he did say he would've made less money if he had just jumped straight over after being drafted back in 1990, and we're talking literal millions here. I guess I'm not totally sure if he really earned less when he actually made the move, though. Especially since everyone talks about those intense negotiations between him and Krause, plus you have to remember MJ wasn't there anymore to hog up all that salary cap space. Maybe that changed things? Just my two cents!

Yeah, I definitely misremembered what he said. I just went back and rewatched the episode, and here is what he actually said:

But after I was drafted by the Bulls, things back home were pretty rough because of the war and all that. I just figured I'd play a few more seasons overseas first.

I wanted to stay involved, you know? And honestly, I was pulling in way more money than I would've made during those first few years in the States. We aren't talking pocket change here; we're talking several million dollars.

Elizabeth Mendoza said:He actually mentioned in that documentary that for his first few seasons, he was making less in the NBA than he was back in Europe. Honestly, I doubt any of his teammates could even point to America on a map right now. 🤣

It’s that classic American mindset. To them, every country in Eastern Europe is just Russia. 🤣

American? I’d bet anything that some folks living right here in the States actually believe Tony grew up behind the Iron Curtain, dreaming of the West while scraping the bottom of a single yogurt cup his mother managed to snag from a local corner store.

As if he didn't grow up in a land of abundance, freedom, and opportunity, much like the struggles faced by Black communities in inner cities.☕

Michael Flores8 said:The V-style or the Boklev style actually surfaced before that specific generation of Japanese jumpers led by Kasai arrived. If I recall correctly, those earlier Japanese athletes didn't really use the V-style; they tended to jump with their skis spread quite wide.
@urbanhawk17, I feel similarly about this. The last time I really followed the sport closely was during the era when guys like Adam Malysz and Janne Ahonen were competing, though I was already getting a bit older even back then. I did try to get back into following it a couple of years ago, but I think I gave up pretty quickly. It just doesn't seem to have that same tension for me anymore. I guess the only one truly worth mentioning is Kasai, considering he was still jumping at 40.🙏

Man, you really grew up in the eighties, didn't you?🙏

I used to follow it closely too, but nowadays I only tune in for the New Year's Tournament.

brightpilot6 said:American? I’d bet anything that some folks living right here in the States actually believe Tony grew up behind the Iron Curtain, dreaming of the West while scraping the bottom of a single yogurt cup his mother managed to snag from a local corner store.

As if he didn't grow up in a land of abundance, freedom, and opportunity, much like the struggles faced by Black communities in inner cities.☕

🤣

Man, I had such a good laugh watching those scenes from *Do The Right Thing*—you know, the ones they were talking about regarding the sneakers? It’s actually a pretty heavy movie to sit through, though. Seeing that whole "life in the inner city" vibe played out like that... it's intense. I guess it really shows how things work in practice. Maybe a bit much for some, but man, what a ride! 😁

There’s just something about those wide, flared skis that feels like the absolute gold standard of style. It’s no wonder people say watching certain athletes struggle through their runs can be enough to drive you up the wall. Between the four different ski jumping events and then diving straight into the biathlon, there was plenty to keep an eye on.

As far as ski jumpers go, my personal favorite had to be Espen Bredesen; he really started hitting his stride just as I was getting into the sport, though he seemed to fade from the spotlight almost as quickly as he rose to prominence.🤣

It’s just plain pathetic, watching Kazuyoshi Funaki.
Every single second, he looked like he was on the verge of a complete mental breakdown... I honestly can't even bring myself to hate him at this point, it's just too much to watch...

neonfalcon16 said:Man, you really grew up in the eighties, didn't you?🙏

I used to follow it closely too, but nowadays I only tune in for the New Year's Tournament.

I suppose I am probably the most dedicated follower out there, having grown up watching all four ski jumpers. I really can't seem to miss a single opportunity to catch a broadcast. Honestly, nothing quite compares to that feeling of waking up early on New Year's Day, getting cozy in my robe, and settling in to watch the events in Breckenridge. 😁🙏

brightpilot6 said:There’s just something about those wide, flared skis that feels like the absolute gold standard of style. It’s no wonder people say watching certain athletes struggle through their runs can be enough to drive you up the wall. Between the four different ski jumping events and then diving straight into the biathlon, there was plenty to keep an eye on.

As far as ski jumpers go, my personal favorite had to be Espen Bredesen; he really started hitting his stride just as I was getting into the sport, though he seemed to fade from the spotlight almost as quickly as he rose to prominence.🤣

I didn't want to bring up Bradson, as I was under the impression that he might not be very popular with anyone here. 😁I believe there was a legendary jumper who once held the world record, possibly set during a competition in Park City. I can't quite recall if you remember this, but what always struck me most about his career was that incredible unpredictability. One day, he would deliver such a convincing, dominant victory, and then, seemingly out of nowhere, he might struggle to even make it through his second jump in the next event. It was certainly an interesting pattern, I guess. 😁It is honestly quite incredible how much volatility there is right now. I guess it’s just one of those situations where things seem to be shifting constantly.

Locking this thread

brightpilot6 said:There’s just something about those wide, flared skis that feels like the absolute gold standard of style. It’s no wonder people say watching certain athletes struggle through their runs can be enough to drive you up the wall. Between the four different ski jumping events and then diving straight into the biathlon, there was plenty to keep an eye on.

As far as ski jumpers go, my personal favorite had to be Espen Bredesen; he really started hitting his stride just as I was getting into the sport, though he seemed to fade from the spotlight almost as quickly as he rose to prominence.🤣

It’s just such a weirdly volatile sport, you know? Even at the very top level. Like, maybe four years ago, it felt like that one star athlete was this totally unstoppable machine, then just a year later, they were barely clinging to the top 10, and after that, they just fell off a cliff. It seems to happen all the time, I guess. And look at someone like Schlierenzauer—if you look at certain stats, he might be the GOAT of the World Cup circuit, but he’s only just hit 30, and it feels like he hasn't really found his rhythm in seven or eight years now. 🙏

Man, people really lose their minds over this, thinking back to how the Bulls just absolutely owned the entire nineties, but you have to remember that whole decade was also defined by the chaos of the wars in the North America, running from Canada all the way through to the bombings in Mexico. People always say you can't grow up to be some soft, pampered kid when you're coming from a place that went through all that grit, yet here you guys are, acting all entitled and nostalgic for some outdated era of government handouts and prosperity that never actually existed for us—you wouldn't know what real struggle looks like if it hit you in the face. 🤣

So I was just watching this clip where Scottie Pippen is talking about how the Bulls basically had two more rings sitting right there waiting for them, and when he was asked what would’ve happened if they hadn't completely fallen apart in '98, he basically said their biggest competition at the time were just teams with older rosters, and honestly, they could've easily snatched another one or two championships out of thin air.
It’s such a shame, though, and honestly maybe the biggest tragedy of all for Toni Kukoč, because I truly feel like he didn't even get to show his full potential, and I really think that's when his specific style of play would have finally taken center stage.

Jessica Gonzalez said:

Locking this thread

That’s all there is to it.
just untangle the mess and move on to the next one...

bluebison10 said:Actually, wasn't he pulling in several million a season at Benetton? From a pure math standpoint, moving to the NBA barely made sense...

Honestly, Vlade was pulling in more dough playing for Virtus than Maradona ever saw at Napoli! ☕

Jessica Gonzalez said:

Locking this thread

I honestly think Funaki has by far the most beautiful jumping style. I can't quite put my finger on it right now, but was he perhaps the first jumper to score straight 20s across the board?

Only the true experts will catch this one—if you know, you know! ☕

Michael Flores8 said:I honestly think Funaki has by far the most beautiful jumping style. I can't quite put my finger on it right now, but was he perhaps the first jumper to score straight 20s across the board?

Well, I think Innauer was the first one back in the seventies, and then Funaki grabbed it a few times after that—actually, I'm pretty sure he might be the only guy to do it more than once. As for the most recent ones, I believe it was Prevc and Tepeš, and they did it just a couple of days apart.🙏

The great American legend Heinz Kuttin 😁

steelharbor9 said:Well, I think Innauer was the first one back in the seventies, and then Funaki grabbed it a few times after that—actually, I'm pretty sure he might be the only guy to do it more than once. As for the most recent ones, I believe it was Prevc and Tepeš, and they did it just a couple of days apart.🙏

Since I haven't been following ski jumping closely lately, this is actually my first time hearing about Tepeš. I wonder, is he the son of Miran Tepeš? 😁

Whenever I catch a glimpse of ski slopes or fine snow, I find myself somewhat unsettled by memories of when we were terrorized by those first two blizzards back in the day.

I remember being at the Olympic venue in Lake Placid when one of the most heartbreaking moments in modern sports history went down—that legendary collapse by Masahiko Harada during the team ski jumping event back in '94. The Japanese squad was basically the absolute dream team of that era, featuring legends like Okabe, Harada, Kasai, and Nishikata. They had dominated every single round and held a massive lead heading into the final jump. Harada only needed to hit about 90 meters to lock in the gold for his country, especially since his first jump was sitting around 119 meters. Instead, he barely managed 73... I honestly felt a tear in my eye standing there near the landing zone while some younger American athletes were training nearby. Most of my coworkers who were there didn't have any clue about the heavy history that had unfolded on that hill. Honestly, compared to what Harada went through, even a massive upset like Brazil's loss in the '50 World Cup feels small; that choke was truly cosmic.

Luckily, things turned around in '98 when the Dream Team finally secured that gold, along with a win from Funaki in the individual event. They just missed out on a perfect hat-trick of gold medals by a single point.