The man’s career is in tatters just because he refuses to be vaccinated. How bizarre is that?

January 17th, 2022 at 4:09 pm

So will the French Open be boycotted with the same fervour as a minority are yelling for the Australian Open to be?

January 17th, 2022 at 5:07 pm

For obvious reasons, Rafa is hoping Novak is not allowed to play in the French. The one-trick Pony has learned that even his one trick is now performed better by Novak.

January 17th, 2022 at 7:48 pm

Giles has the right idea.

Life flows more easily if you don’t resist, just comply, comply, comply.

What you believe in, what your core principles are, those things are meaningless. In a quiet and orderly fashion, we should all just make our way into the boxcars.

Where would we all be if we resisted our betters? What sort of world would it be if we followed the likes of Novak? Nope, Giles has the right idea, go with the flow baby, if you stay low and stay quiet they may just leave you alone and get the others instead.

Even better, get the saline injected and pay them to say they injected the vax. Silly Novak, he could have just done what the others have done, if not for those damned principles.

January 17th, 2022 at 10:57 pm

Zed – I was trying yesterday to vow to not talk about Djokovic for 2 weeks, just the players THERE – actually competing and thrilling audiences. But it is tough.
It is not Djokovic’s damned “high principles” that are causing sponsor Lacoste to tell Djokovic they need to sit with him and review “the events involving him inside and outside Australia that lead to his deportation” ASAP.
They are embarrassed.
Part of being a good endorsement risk is to be unlikely to embarrass the sponsor. Like if Roger steps in it somehow, which he has pretty much avoided anyways, sponsors at Credit Suisse or whatever know that Rogers Dad is not going to say Roger is only in trouble about misstatements, lack of Covid rules compliance, and false documents for being Christ-like.
Roger got UNI-QLO contract from Novak because his Japanese sponsors felt he shamed them in his Pepe, Hearts, and Hugs phase. And that was no where near as polarizing as becoming a figurehead for the anti-vaxxers.
It’s not ‘going with the flow’ when 98% of your peers, 99% of those now active on Tour, got vaccinated – when they, teams, national federations all say they have to be vaccinated to travel to go to events the AT and WTA tell them are obligatory if they are to keep rankings, travel enough to make a living .

January 17th, 2022 at 11:46 pm

ChrisFord1

You are correct, Novak’s principles are not the cause of concern for Lacoste. Lacoste are a commercial operation and their concern is whether these events will cost them sales. It’s a valid concern they hold.

This will no doubt cost Novak a lot of money.

He’s also going against his peers (it may be 98% as you quote, I don’t know), teams, national federations etc.

This will no doubt cost Novak a lot of support amongst his peers.

Thus, all the more amazing that anyone would hold fast against such monetary and social pressures, I know I would not be able to do it. In fact I caved for much lesser amounts and much lesser pressures. I am made of softer stuff I am ashamed to say.

What is the principle at stake? “My body, my choice”, simple as that.

The rest of us have proven beyond all doubt that if we are told to drink the Coolaid we will. As long as the dictator remains benevolent then no problem, but he won’t always be. We deserve what’s coming to us.

Tying it back to Aus Open, someone will take the slam and all power to him, but anyone who pretends that Novak would not have destroyed all comers is a liar.

January 18th, 2022 at 12:17 am

Rafa a 1-trick pony. What a joke! The man has played in 5 Aussie finals, and was a missed volley and a random back injury away from having three titles…losing 2 against Novak (best hard court player of all-time IMO). He was a hobbled shell of himself in last year’s French Open against Novak…after steam rolling him in the prior final and the first set of last year’s contest. He has more US Open titles than Novak where he’s also played in 5 finals (4-1 record, same as Johnny Mac btw), and has also played in 5 Wimbledon Finals…winning 2 and losing 2 others against an in-prime Roger (best grass court player of all-time IMO), 13, 5, 5, and 5 finals-wise is not a 1-trick pony…tied for 7th most Wimbledon finals with Johnny Mac (5 each), obviously he owns the French at 13 finals with zero losses, he’s tied for 3rd with Murray and Stefan Edberg with 5 Aussie finals, and tied for 7th all-time with 5 US Open finals (again with Johnny Mac). 1 more Wimbledon title and he would be tied with Becker and McEnroe, 1 more US Open title and he would be tied for the most all-time with Federer, Sampras, and Connors. Yeah…that sounds like a 1-trick pony. LOL.

January 18th, 2022 at 1:20 am

What is the basis of all you morons calling Rafa a one trick pony? The man has won grand slams on all three surfaces multiple times not just on clay. Maybe you can elaborate why you have branded him as such! He has beaten joker and federer whilst they were in their prime so please don’t make baseless comments! Worry about your disgraced hero instead. What now for him? Zilch!!

January 18th, 2022 at 5:59 am

It’s no small matter for a totally healthy person, who has had the virus and recovered already, to be forced to take an experimental drug that does not actually prevent infection, or its spread, and which has serious side effects. Not to mention that the governments and health authorities that have pushed the drug have lied and/or made mistakes every step of the way.

I salute Novak for sticking to what are indeed “high principles.”

January 18th, 2022 at 3:17 pm

Those so called “high principles” have more or less ended his career!

January 18th, 2022 at 4:06 pm

Looking back, “One Trick Pony” may have been a bit harsh but it clearly struck a nerve with some fan boys. The fact is that all this is relative, yeah compared to the mass of humanity Rafa is an extraordinary athlete but compared to Novak what is he?

When I look at the past decade I see little comparison.

Rafa and Roger combined won 15 Slams, amazing effort of course but Novak alone has won 20.

When I look at the past decade I see that Rafa and Roger have won 28 ATP 1000’s between them, Novak alone has won 31.

So OK, not a one trick Pony but definitely not in Novak’s league.

January 18th, 2022 at 5:25 pm

“When I look at the past decade I see little comparison.”
Why not 9 1/2 years instead of 10? 5? 25? Must be nice to “pick a number” to support a statement. Kinda like Covid.
“Looking back, “One Trick Pony” may have been a bit harsh but it clearly struck a nerve with some fan boys”
I don’t think you struck a nerve, it just simply was not true.

January 18th, 2022 at 6:26 pm

skeezer, on my planet a decade is a reasonable time period to use.

How many decimal points do they go down to on your planet?

January 18th, 2022 at 6:35 pm

My planet uses a career to define how great a person and player is, no decade(s) needed.

January 18th, 2022 at 7:07 pm

@Giles

“The man’s career is in tatters just because he refuses to be vaccinated. How bizarre is that?”

Yes Bizarre is the right word for it. What person in their person in their right mind wouldn’t want to be injected with experimental gene therapy that is at best useless for it’s stated purpose at worst quite harmful. Bizarre indeed.

“Those so called “high principles” have more or less ended his career! “

Yes that is what is known as tyranny.

Yes that’s called tyranny.

January 18th, 2022 at 7:08 pm

Skeezer, surely we are talking about comparing the potential GOATs? If so, the time period in which all three were active is the most relevant?

I guess you prefer the time period before Novak won his first slam which I believe was 2008. By the time Novak won his first slam Roger had 13 in the bag and Rafa had 5, both of them (particularly Roger) had a relatively easy run up until 2008.

The “dark times” (at least from Roger and Rafa’s perspective) started in earnest in 2011. From that time on it was mostly a one-man show. Well, there was that year and a half around 2016/17 when Novak had his injury and Roger and Rafa had it all to themselves once again, happy times for the fan boys in that 18 months.

However, Novak recovered and proved once again who’s the greatest ever.

As I have said before, the only time Rafa will ever win another Slam or 1000 tournament is if Novak is not playing. If Novak plays then the best Rafa can hope for is a nice draw that allows him to get to the final. And Roger? Well he’s not even a consideration is he?

January 18th, 2022 at 7:23 pm

@ZED

You sound like a real idiot.

The fact you’re even trying to back up your weak argument is astounding.

Skeezer definitely made you look like the fool you are.

January 18th, 2022 at 9:37 pm

LOL John, quality post mate :), you should look at a career in law you’re that good at arguing a point of view.

January 18th, 2022 at 9:46 pm

Zed. Are you by any chance a comedian , a retired one?
“ The only time Rafa will ever win …….” LMAO. It’s a good job joker won’t be participating for a very loooooong time then!

January 19th, 2022 at 4:18 am

@zed even of novak is the goat, if you pull your head up from Novak’s ass once in a while you wont use phrases, “one trick pony”, “ The only time Rafa will ever win”, and probably wont cherry pick a decade when comparing their whole careers.

January 19th, 2022 at 7:47 am

Not quite retired yet Giles but not far off, much like Rafa :)

I have to admit I do get a bit of a chuckle when I find I have kicked a hornets’ nest and that seems to be exactly what I have done here at this local Chapter of the Nadal Fan Club.

Novak is in a dark time, that is true, but it’s not his first. He’s proven that he has the undaunted mettle to fight through such times and I have zero doubt he will again.

He will rise like a phoenix dazzling us all with his brilliance, even you young Giles, even you (although you will never admit it).

Every rose has it’s thorn but every night has its dawn.

January 19th, 2022 at 7:51 am

Novak will never, as far as I’m concerned, be considered the GOAT.

January 19th, 2022 at 12:12 pm

“high principles” ! You’re kidding, right?

January 19th, 2022 at 1:01 pm

Novak has the right not to want the vaccine.
Countries have the right to prevent him from entering.
We the people have the right to express our opinion on the matter.

My personal opinion, as a vaccinated Federer fan, is that unvaccinated Djokovic should be playing all these tournaments.

January 19th, 2022 at 1:45 pm

Giles Says:
Those so called “high principles” have more or less ended his career!

January 18th, 2022 at 4:06 pm

Relax Giles.

This is more complex than your temper.

Novak will need to make choices moving forward that is a certainty. I don’t agree with his “entitlement”, but some thought is needed when, as humans, we should be given free choice. He will have had his views about the vaccine and there is nothing wrong with that Giles, you would not wish to be forced into something you did not want to do.

The issue is, if he wants to play the sport that he loves, he is potentially putting others in danger, so he needs to think of others, rather than himself. That is the issue.

I hope he makes the right decision to continue, abiding by what each tournament requires him to do.

And Giles,

To be clear.

We all now that Federer is the GOAT. We know that. We are not going to post statistics all over again. We know that he is the King of Clay – here are a few photo images to salivate over.

https://www.essentiallysports.com/stories/insane-stats-that-show-why-rafael-nadal-is-king-of-clay-french-open-atp-tennis-news/

but,
Giles. Relax. If Rafa wins this slam, there is no question. He is the GOAT, but not yet Giles, and that is the beauty of this sport.

I hope Novak returns to the game.

Come on Federer, we need you back!

Allez La Fed!

January 19th, 2022 at 2:00 pm

“We all Know” – whoops.

January 19th, 2022 at 2:01 pm

It was revealed by Reuters on Wednesday that Djokovic has purchased an 80% share of QuantBioRes, which is headquartered in Copenhagen.

Novak Djokovic owns a majority stake in a biotechnology company which is working on a way to immunise people against Covid without a vaccine. The Serbian tennis star has been vocal in his opposition to jabs, and appears to be actively invested in finding a way for others like himself to be protected without the need for a needle.

The firm is working on a way to counter the virus without the need for people to get one of the vaccines currently on offer.

Chief executive Ivan Loncarevic told Reuters that Djokovic made the investment more than a year ago, clarifying that it was not a response to his recent troubles in Australia.

Interesting. Really surreal, all of this.

January 19th, 2022 at 2:55 pm

A Smorgasbord of opinions! Where to start? Why not chronologically hey?

Graham Says “Novak will never, as far as I’m concerned, be considered the GOAT.” – Well, that’s it then! We have Graham’s opinion with no reasoning. Lock the gate and throw away the key!

MadMax says many things:

“… he is potentially putting others in danger” – How so? Try to be rational please.

“We are not going to post statistics all over again.” – Well of course not! Let us never allow facts to enter the discussion! That would be rational wouldn’t it? We should decide some other way, maybe we can go with “the vibe”. Forget statistics, let’s wave a wet fish around and decide that way.

“… here are a few photo images to salivate over” – ummm, I am hetero so I will pass on the salivating part Graham, but you please go ahead mate, will you have a languid cigarette afterwards?

“If Rafa wins this slam, there is no question. He is the GOAT” – No question and Novak not allowed to play? No question? Now I know you’re taking the piss you little devil you :)

“Come on Federer, we need you back!” – Back? If he did that won’t Roger Dodger be bageled again? That would be embarassing wouldn’t it? Mate, get a grip, Roger’s not coming back! He’s had his time in the sun, it ended sometime around 2008, accept it. Yesterday’s Hero bro’.

“… purchased an 80% share of QuantBioRes… ” – This was actually interesting (you surprised me Gra Gra). I did a quick scan and found the company is quite small, about 11 employees only, but the CEO seems to have published many papers in the BioTech field https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ivan-Loncarevic-2

Biochemistry is way over my head, but who knows, maybe Novak will make a few bucks out of this, I wish him luck.

Back to Tennis.

– Recent news that the UK is softening (was it because BoJo was filmed partying?) suggests Wimbeldon may not be a problem for Novak, can Novak win Wimbeldon again? What does a bear do in the woods?

– We also have time before the French in May, will little Emmanuel be influenced by events across the Channel? In all honesty, I do not expect much sanity from a bloke who married his grandmother so I’m not all that hopeful.

– We have the US midterms this year, well before the US Open and Indian Wells, not sure what effect that will have on the US open rules. NY is crazy-town so, once again, I’m not all that hopeful.

January 19th, 2022 at 6:28 pm

https://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open/biggest-blow-yet-hits-novak-djokovic-where-it-hurts-most/news-story/

January 19th, 2022 at 11:54 pm

Regarding the GOAT debate: as long as Nole is the one with the most Nr. of weeks as Nr.1, ended 7 years as Nr. 1, is tied in Nr. of GS with Fed and Nadal, is the only one who won 4 GS on 3 different surfaces, the only won with career Golden Masters (twice) , and the list may continue, he can be considered the GOAT. He might not be the most popular, but he is the GOAT.

January 20th, 2022 at 2:15 am

P.S. Nole is the only one in the Open era with double career Grand Slam. Let’s see if Nadal can win this AO, which I doubt it.
The achievements, the H2H are on Nole’s side.

January 20th, 2022 at 2:17 am

Thanks for introducing some sanity Ven Persie. Despite some people having an aversion to facts and figures that is the only truly objective way this GOAT debate can ever get anywhere near resolution.

Ultimate Tennis Statistics is unemotional, you just need to coldly look at the figures and it all becomes clear.

https://www.ultimatetennisstatistics.com/goatList

January 20th, 2022 at 2:35 am

Skeezer. The link you posted says “ page not found”.

January 20th, 2022 at 5:01 am

VP. ROFL. You seem to be making up your own rules! Anyway where is his Singles Gold Medal? I.believe he made 3 failed attempts to achieve this feat!!

January 20th, 2022 at 5:37 am

Giles,

You can ROFL and ROFL as much as you want :). Yes, Golden Medal is missing , but hey, Nole won YEC 5 times ;)

And no, I did not make up the rules, see below (Zed already posted it, maybe you missed it):

https://www.ultimatetennisstatistics.com/goatList

January 20th, 2022 at 7:03 am

Looks like Rafa is on 3rd place in the GOAT list.:)

January 20th, 2022 at 7:07 am

VP, I’m thinking we may see a Rafa vs Zverev match in the AO. I think Zverev has the better record on hard courts in their previous matches.

Rafa has the clay wins (as you’d expect since it is only Novak that seems to have his measure on Clay) but Alexander looks to have the hard court advantage.

We may have to be here if Rafa loses to Alexander, the Fan Boys will need a shoulder to cry on :)

January 20th, 2022 at 7:27 am

Zed,

Let’s see :)

January 20th, 2022 at 7:52 am

Sorry;

https://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/australian-open/biggest-blow-yet-hits-novak-djokovic-where-it-hurts-most/news-story/902fcdbfacf65fb3618c810d8b03c205

———

With Djoker fans trying to save his legacy some forget; what kind of tennis role model for the youth in our game he will be? Our kids are heavily influenced by the actions and behaviors of our tennis stars.

January 20th, 2022 at 9:04 am

Thanks, skeezer. Well written.

January 20th, 2022 at 9:24 am

Skeezer,

Of course I would be pleased if my child were like Nole. He’s a fighter, follows his principles, I admire him. He is for me a role model.🙂

January 20th, 2022 at 10:29 am

VP. Joker role model? What kind of role model gets deported from a grand slam tournament? Ehhhhh?? He’s more a “ disgraced” model. Lol

January 20th, 2022 at 11:06 am

Giles pursues perfection in a role model, not realizing that is unrealistic, as even her Rafa has warts and mental woes.
I agree with VP that Novak is a role model when you look at many facets of his life and I agree with Giles in the sense Novak has obvious flaws -and in fact – some of the best role models are the ones that get people thinking. Get them thinking about values, dealing with success tempered with failures where your own flaws or lack of the right judgment in a moment hurt you.

We live in times were there is much more focus on discrediting heroes than building their ‘legend’ save possibly PC heroes where people maintain it is ‘hateful’ to ever point out flaws.

In our house, non-Serb, but plenty of Central Euro ancestry, born American, the name Djokovic is well known and well-discussed. Not just his triumphs and losses for the ages, but the messes ‘superman” typically steps into on his own doing.
We learn from Novak’s mistakes. He is human. Not a cardboard cutout standing on a pile of trophies. I appreciate him for his complexities and ability to fight and prevail in the face of rejection by others, to not bend to them but stay true to your own principles and perhaps not affect a jovial, pleasant personality when it may be a “more intense, war-driven, I’ll show the world and do my family proud” personality.
Sometimes Djokovic creates obstacles for himself that while he deals with them with courage and decent character, didn’t have to exist in the 1st place. Often those messes are when Novak becomes pig-headed stubborn and ignores the people he pays considerable money to, to help him stay out of trouble. All their advice and warnings rejected. This appears exactly such a mess.

January 20th, 2022 at 4:22 pm

So by this logic, the real role models are the peeps Djokovic pays so handsomely to advise him, since he pays them to “help him stay out of trouble.” Hats off to those dudes.

January 20th, 2022 at 5:23 pm

Hats off to the media managers for Federer and Nadal. They coordinated very well with their fellow media creatures to cover up any embarrassments and discredit any rising challengers.

For example, Mirka’s harassment of Stan Wawrinka was disgusting and of course was not reported on, no questions ever asked in press conferences and no replaying on broadcast news. Can you imagine how much coverage this would get if this was Novak’s wife?

https://youtu.be/69DmZ-_6pPY?t=325

If you want to go against the powerful then it will cost you. They will coordinate their media against you, they will press their government sycophants against you, they will use their influence on the courts.

Giles (by the way, did someone say Giles is female? That surprised me), anyway Giles asked “What kind of role model gets deported from a grand slam tournament?” I’m going to assume that Giles is sincere with that question rather than being deliberately obtuse even though my instincts tell me the opposite.

The answer is that the world was watching the whole process. Right now the barrage of coordinated media attack makes it hard to filter out the noise. It will take time. However, in time the unfairness of his treatment, the smirking arrogance of the bureaucrats, the illegitimacy of the results of the Aus Open, all these things will be recognised and acknowledged.

So the answer to “what kind of role model” is “the kind or role model who is not a sheep, has the courage of his convictions and the strength to stand up the powerful whilst the rest of us hide in the shadows”.

History does not remember the weak and spineless as “great”, history only remembers the brave as great. Does history reward the pragmatic lickspittles or the ones who stood against the majority, stood against the incumbent power structures?

My advice to you Giles (which you are probably incapable of taking) is to stop being so small minded, try to view recent events in a wider context. I am not just talking about Novak’s battles, I am talking about any and all recent events, they are all just a small part of a much longer and wider continuum.

January 20th, 2022 at 7:10 pm

@Zed,
You do realise that you are talking to mentally disturbed person, don’t you?

January 20th, 2022 at 10:43 pm

Hey Wog Boy, to be absolutely honest I do not know who I am talking to nor much about them. I discovered this site a while ago and enjoyed reading the comments (yours in particular) but didn’t get involved.

Recently I thought I wanted to have a say so here I am.

p.s. Here is Sasha telling us that many players have COVID but they are OK to take part in the tournament but the world number 1, the greatest player of all time cannot take part even though he does not have the disease. Government openly says he is banned because he MAY have certain thoughts they do not approve of and he MAY be seen as a figurehead for people who oppose their mandates.

This will not stand the test of time. When people are looking back it’s pretty clear who they will see as the righteous and who they will see as the tools.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX87dOEJNWo&t=51s

January 20th, 2022 at 10:51 pm

@Zed,

You do know that Nole supported protests in Serbia against Rio Tinto corporation mining lithium in the most fertile part of Serbia, that were allowed by corrupted and dictatorial Serbian government?

You do know that TA Chairwoman is extremely powerful American executive, the woman nobody dares to mention or ask her questions, who is also lobbyist for powerful corporations including Rio Tinto, even I am not mentioning her name?😉

Well yesterday, after months of protest against Rio Tinto in Serbia, corrupted Serbian government finally caved in (elections are in 2 months) and annulled all the contracts with Rio Tinto, so Rio Tinto is kicked out of Serbia.

Although most of the people think Rio Tinto is Australian company, they are wrong. Rio Tinto used to be Australian company, these days majority owner is UK (partly USA) wirh two headquarters, one in London and the other one in Melbourne.

Zed, does this ring the bell?!

January 20th, 2022 at 11:05 pm

BTW Zed, I enjoy your posts, breath of fresh air.

January 20th, 2022 at 11:14 pm

I didn’t know about the RIO issue, that’s something I’ll look up.

I do know Novak is far more philanthropic than either Federer or Nadal but gets no credit for that from the media and therefore no credit from the fan boys who think what they are told to think.

I also know that Novak is the only top tier player who has pushed and pushed for more money to be distributed to lower ranked players at the expense of himself and the other top tier players. He got no support from Federer or Nadal because (of course) that would take money out of their pockets.

He was doing all that to help the lower ranked players but when he needed their support the most where were they? Did they speak up on his behalf or did they remain mute wanting to be as small a target as possible?

I’m a lot older than Novak and I learned a long time ago, you cannot help people, you just can’t. Right now he feels the urge to spend time, energy and money helping others but I expect when he gets to my age he’ll have learned that was a waste. Most people are not worth a pinch of the proverbial.

Novak isn’t just exceptional physically, or exceptional in his strength of will, he’s also exceptional in his generosity but unfortunately for him that is where they will hurt him the most.

January 20th, 2022 at 11:26 pm

I personally do not agree with Novak’s decision regarding vaccination, but I can also understand why he might have landed on the side of being opposed to it. And, actually, I am not even aware of him having ever actively tried to dissuade anyone else from choosing to be vaccinated.

I realize that even if his decision to forego vaccination is exclusively personal, it is still influential because of his “celebrity” (for lack of a better term). I feel that this particular influence has negative ramifications, but even so I believe him to be a largely fantastic role model. One could surely do a h*ll of a lot worse.

January 20th, 2022 at 11:27 pm

Autofilter, I find that to be a strong indicator of character. You do not agree but you take the time to understand the other person’s point of view.

You are correct, Novak has not campaigned for or against vaccination. He’s just stuck to his guns with “it’s my personal medical business, no business of yours”. One can draw the conclusion, I’d say quite accurately, that he’s chosen not to risk what is an experimental drug and I say that is his and every person’s right. My Body My Choice.

What we are seeing is tyranny, one may see it as mild tyranny, one may see it as benevolent tyranny, but it is tyranny nonetheless.

They have banned the greatest player of all time for the thoughts they think are running through his head.

January 20th, 2022 at 11:38 pm

https://www.google.com.my/amp/s/www.foxsports.com.au/tennis/novak-djokovics-covid-cure-company-torn-to-shreds/news-story/9870020e05e70b4e4d83e41b39176313

January 21st, 2022 at 12:43 am

Zed – like with polio, smallpox, rabies (in this context), Covid is subject to vaccination mandates. Children in all countries routinely get vaccinations. If there is a problem it is with countries that can’t get enough funds to vaccinate people.

Parents that deny school mandates can expect lots and lots of legal struggle and cost. As many anti-vaxxers are part of religious cults or conspiracy groups – their stigma attaches to them. Your dog bites someone and isn’t vaccinated for rabies – bye bye doggie in many countries. Dog’s brain highly likely goes to a lab in a couple of days, no matter how loved the dog is.

Cholera though is the disease that put the most legal muscle into public health law. Not vaccination, but in dozens of legally mandated things one must do in cholera epidemic or face long prison or work gang stretches.

MY BODY MY CHOICE anti-vaxxers clash with the rest of society in fear of lives and health, guess who wins, right or wrong?
A long time ago, in the early 2000s, there was an American Palestinian activist named Rachel Corrie. She was so convinced of her moral superiority that she stood in the path of a bulldozer levelling the hut of the family of a Palestinian suicide bomber, screaming at them to obey her moral high ground and stop, even as dirt piled at her feet.
The bulldozer was armored against Palestinian rocks, even gunshots, limited visibility, noise outside canceled by engine noise and rubble being moved. Moving at a 3 meters a minute.
Ol’ Rachel knew the risk in the back of her mind, but had convinced herself that her cause was so right she wouldn’t move for anything. So down she went, slowly, under the dozer.

Palestinian rights fanatic, anti-vaxx and alt health fanatic. Both are fine things to be I am sure, up to the point of shedding blood or witlessly going under a slow moving bulldozer or an Australian Covid steamroller.
Rachel Corrie was not bulldozed into paste for the thoughts in her head, but her total lack of judgment in doing what should have been her 1st imperative. Get Out Of The Way! Live!

Right now, Djokovic is convinced he is right, others are wrong. Is this the fight he wants to end his glorious career on?
His vaccination status IS the business of any country he wants to get into, and for the moment, it looks like he plays nowhere but in the Serbian Open.

January 21st, 2022 at 5:30 am

CF1,

For polio, rabies and so on one dis not need a 3rd, 4th and perhaps a 5th jab… is this actually a vaccine? It reminds me actually more of the flu vaccine, which is not mandatory. Something fishy about this Covid jab.

January 21st, 2022 at 6:16 am

We have a big loud mouth on this site in the form of Zed. Hey Zed are you an antivaxer?

January 21st, 2022 at 6:45 am

VP,
Unlike the Flu, polio, rabies, this is a new virus. Why blame a vaccine that has helped saved lives for the most part? Maybe the virus is……. “fishy”?

January 21st, 2022 at 9:53 am

Wow just wow @ Zed…i really loved your posts, and agree with almost everything you said. Please keep posting.

January 21st, 2022 at 7:22 pm

Thanks @ Zed please keep posting.

January 21st, 2022 at 7:27 pm

Chrisford1, Giles, etc

My children, my wife and myself have always vaccinated and I still get a flu vaccine as winter approaches every year. So I am convinced that on balance vaccines benefit my family and myself.

The Moderna and Pfizer dugs etc are not vaccines, they are a new type of gene therapy designed by Dr. Robert Malone and his team. Dr. Malone actually won the Nobel prize for this. These drugs are not vaccines but are RNA modifiers, changing the way the RNA communicates with our immune system.

The difference became an issue so the CDC literally changed the definition of the word “vaccine” to be more general so as the embrace these new drugs.

Dr. Malone holds great hopes for this new type of therapy but has been horrified to see them rushed to market without the usual decade-long clinical trials. He has spoken many times against the rushed roll-out and therefore has been banned from Broadcast media, cable media, YouTube, Twitter and many other Silicon Valley. Just to be clear, the inventor and Nobel prize-winner of RNA modifying drugs has been banned from speaking about them.

We are now seeing the average number of annual deaths amongst 18-49 year olds jumping 40% accompanied by silence from media and government. We are seeing heart related deaths jumping dramatically and all of this in perfect alignment with the mandating of these RNA modifiers. It’s pretty clear what is causing the spike in “unexplained” deaths.

In summary:

1) I am 100% in support of vaccines

2) I am 100% in support of development of new drugs as long as extensive clinical trials are performed and the risks can be quantified for future recipients of the drugs.

3) I am 100% AGAINST rushing new drugs onto the market without full and thorough testing, I especially take issue with governments giving the drug companies protection from litigation.

4) I am 100% AGAINST mandating people be injected with any drug. If people want to risk polio or flu or anything that is their choice. If I am vaccinated against those diseases their choice has no effect on me.

January 21st, 2022 at 11:23 pm

p.s. Giles I am starting to understand Wog Boy’s assessment of your cognitive abilities

January 21st, 2022 at 11:29 pm

@cf,

Very good post. You seems to be the one djoko fan who is not blind to the mistakes he is making.

@zed,

Djokovic sure does have the mental strength and the will to stick to his beliefs even if he is going against the whole world. It would have been admirable or maybe even something to be celebrated, if not for the fact that what he believes is stupid and potentially dangerous.

You don’t get points for being brave and going against the wind and not following the sheep, when your are literally going against a tornado which is destroying everything in its path while the sheep is running away to find shelter. All the while believing that you on your moral high horse will jump over the tornado

January 22nd, 2022 at 12:20 am

Back to Tennis.

I went to the Open last night and saw the Mannarino vs Karatsev match. Prior to the match I thought Karatsev would easily go through but Mannarinio played way better than his ranking would have suggested.

Having said that, he now has to meet Nadal and I can’t see him winning. I think Nadal will go through to the qaurters pretty easily, probably straight sets.

Whilst I am picking Zverev to beat Shapovalov I think it will be a tough match for Sasha, he’ll win but it will be hard work.

Even though Sasha has beaten Nadal 2-0 on hard courts the relative ease of Rafa’s next match vs Sasha’s tough match could well be a factor.

If Sasha gets through I’m still picking him to beat Rafa but it will be a tough 5 setter and the weather is pretty damned hot at the moment, both men will be feeling the pain.

No matter what it will be a great match which everyone should watch.

Someone will hold the cup aloft this year but it will be somewhat of a hollow victory because the world knows Novak would be the one if the sniveling hyenas had not torn him down.

January 22nd, 2022 at 12:23 am

Anto, sorry I missed your post before putting up my most recent.

I get your point, I’m guessing when you say “potentially dangerous” you are referring to the example he is setting, I assume you are not suggesting that being unvaccinated somehow makes him a super-spreader.

I think his attitude is genuinely “I’m not discussing my status, I’m not advising anyone else, I just want to not be hassled, I just want to ply my craft unmolested, leave me alone”.

January 22nd, 2022 at 12:32 am

On the GOAT debate, here are some excellent videos which go into great detail on facts and figures.

For those who do not like facts and figures but instead decide based on “their feelings” then these videos are not for you, don’t waste your precious time and feelings watching them.

Video 1: Djokovic era vs Federer era – The Ultimate Comparison
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dp2JgqvHVY&t=23s

Video 2: Which one of the tennis goats had the toughest path to grand slams?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50ZXa-u-mCQ

Video 3: Who was better at his peak, Djokovic or Federer?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6klGZgcjQk

January 22nd, 2022 at 12:55 am

@zed,

You have gotten a lot wrong in your last lengthy post.

1. The most glaring and easily debunk-able one being that Dr Robert Molone won a Nobel prize. The alone shows your lack of proofreading or your lack of comprehension.

2. CDC is not the global authority for the definition of vaccine

3. Also your claim “If I am vaccinated against those diseases their choice has no effect on me” is also wrong. Vaccines can only be truly effective if herd immunity is achieved (more than 70% in most cases), else new varieties will keep coming up which can make the existing vaccines ineffective.

I am pretty sure you have more wrong information in your posts, but the above three is more than enough for me to not take you seriously about anything vaccine related

January 22nd, 2022 at 12:59 am

@ Sisay Assefa

….but Anto disagrees and he is authority here, my way or highway type of “authority”, what are we going to do now?

January 22nd, 2022 at 1:27 am

Anto,

Yep, just checked, you’re correct he hasn’t won the Nobel prize, my bad. Best I can explain it is that I read somewhere that he was a possibility for it and it got mixed up in my foggy brain. That happens a lot.

There is this article saying that he has messed up his chances for the prize by speaking against the forces roll out of his invention:

https://rifnote.com/2021/08/13/scientist-says-mrna-vaccine-inventor-dr-robert-malone-ruined-his-chances-for-a-nobel-prize-because-he-undermines-the-use-of-the-same-vaccine-he-invented/

Does my incorrect belief about his Nobel Prize dramatically change the man’s authority on this subject? Happy that I have had that corrected but will you now throw out the baby withe bathwater?

CDC is not the global authority but hugely influential and their changing of the definition of “vaccine” is significant. I think it is nit picking to diminish their influence by pointing out they are not the global authority.

When you say “truly effective” I think you mean truly effective in eradicating a virus over time, is that correct? i.e. over time each new strain of the virus becomes less and less damaging to people, is that what you mean?

If that is what you are saying, then yes, your vaccination status does have an effect on me over the long term because it will take longer for a virus to become eradicated if less people are vaccinated.

But you must know I was not referring to the long term, that I was referring to the here and now for this strain. I am vaccinated for the up-to-current strains so your vaccination status does not matter to me.

January 22nd, 2022 at 1:34 am

p.s. here is another article on the good doctor:

https://rightsfreedoms.wordpress.com/2021/10/12/why-this-doctor-risked-the-nobel-prize-to-speak-out-against-universal-covid-19-vaccination/

The sentence “Malone is not against COVID-19 vaccines. But he is against compulsory and universal vaccination, which he thinks is potentially dangerous” pretty much sums up my opinion.

The increase in deaths is showing his fears were well founded.

I think we have opened a political Pandora’s box and whilst there is still time to turn back, that window of opportunity is closing fast. Realistically, we in the western world will probably not turn back so individual rights will only lessen with time, probably in small seemingly innocuous increments. Each increment seems justifiable but of course irreversible.

By the time people wake up and ask “how did we get here?” things will get really nasty and I will have long been in my grave, it’s just my kids I worry about.

January 22nd, 2022 at 1:58 am

Israelis had 3 jabs and starting 4th now. They are averaging 60 thousand infected a day, which is higher than most countries (roughly as if the UK has over 500 thousand infected a day), why are they going for the 4th jab when it DOES NOT protect them from the omicron, not whatsoever! Don’t give me that BS that lowers death rate since omicron is milder than flu, doesn’t attack lungs, stay in the throat.

Two thirds of fatalities in NSW are vaccinated, but guess what, now they are saying, “they had underlying disease so they were already knocking on St Peters door, real?! Narrative is changed as ir suits them, the masters.

January 22nd, 2022 at 3:38 am

Sorry for the typos but you do get a vibe.😉

January 22nd, 2022 at 3:40 am

Zed, beware of following the discredited Dr. Malone. The read on him is that of a person that did research on mRNA, got nowhere, moved on to a different field and now claims that he is the real inventor and those that solved the mRNA final barriers are not deserving of credit.
So he is shit-mouthing his betters in a classic case of sore loserhood.
And killing or injuring the health and livelihoods of many of the gullible buying into his claims.
It reminds me of the sore loser inventers or their champions that went after the Wright Brothers, claimed they invented flight instead.. The US War Dept lavishly funded Prof Langley of the Smithsonian Institution. Who sent two plane designs off a houseboat catapult into the Potomac River in 1903 before the Wright Bros 1st flight in Dec 1903. He claimed to be the inventor of flight. And was challenged by fans of Leonardo Da Vinci and some Brit named Cawley who inscribed an airfoil calc on a small silver disc dated 1799.
Then the Brazilians claimed to have invented flight with the very significant contribution of Santos-Dumont 3 years after the Wright’s 1st flight..
In 1906, the US Army still rejected the Wrights and were continuing to fund Prof. Langley to perfect his design. It was the new British head of Army aeronautics, Colonel Sir John Edward Capper, who saw the Wrights had done it, unlocked funding, and arranged to have the Wrights planes tested in the UK, Europe and in the US by a mail company funded by British interests. That series of demonstrations showed the Wright Flyers plane worked and unlike the others, was controllable through wing flexing design (now flaps) and aerofoils still in use today. But the value of the patents lead the Smithsonian to recruit a flyer, the famous Glen Curtiss, to prove Prof Langley’s two splashes were airworthy, just had a bad pilot, Got it to fly in 1914. Upon which the Smithsonian tried a war for the lucrative patents. Which they did not give up until 1942.
They only quit in 1942.

To understand the Wright Brothers is to better understand the present, where some sore losers like Malone see billions in play and the pinnacle of professional recognition and give truth to that adage that success has thousands of inventers, failure none.
Just have to beware of false claimants like Dr. Malone willing to kill or injure people in a quest for money and recognition.

Rights meet obligations under the social contract. A tension that has existed since cavemen days. Personal rights are always treated as inferior to the requirements for doing things critically necessary for group survival and success.

January 22nd, 2022 at 6:21 am

@cf,

I second your post. When doing a bit of digging on dr malone I basically found what you said and came to almost the same conclusion as you. The only difference being he probably should have given a bit more credit than he received. But his self proclamation of being the “inventor of mrna vaccines” is laughable to say the least.

But for anti-vaxxers he is now a brave person going against the establishment by talking about the “truth” of the covid vaccine. Zed is being misled by people like Dr malone because of his blind support of djokovic

January 22nd, 2022 at 10:32 am

WHO (World health organisation) recommends Booster only for the population with health risk (see link below), nevertheless Macron wants that the Booster becomes mandatory

https://news.un.org/en/story/2021/12/1108622

At the End of December 2021 WHO cautioned against mandatory vaccination:

https://www.politico.eu/article/who-cautions-against-mandatory-vaccination/

I trust WHO much more then I trust the governments, Anto, CF1, Skeezer and so on, to be honest.

January 22nd, 2022 at 11:08 am

I tested positive Dec 27. I’m sure it’s the Omicron variant. The symptoms will not go away. I started coughing again early this morning. I have sneezing attacks once in awhile….still. I was not that sick with it, it’s just annoying. No fever either. I had not taken the booster but still had antibodies as per a test I did. I’m wondering if I’d still test positive?? Just don’t want to stand in line to find out….so I just stay home But this is my Covid experience.

January 22nd, 2022 at 11:20 am

@Skeezer. So “new” viruses require Jabs without end but “old” viruses don’t? Why is that? The vaccines have saved lives? Whose? Have they saved more lives than they’ve taken. How have you determined that the experimental gene therapies have saved lives? Do you not see how the goalposts have constantly been moved on you? How many times have people been told if they do such and such they will be allowed back to normal life? Only to have it yanked away? Remember when the sheep were told that if 70% of people get injected with yummy goodness that we will all get back to normal. Supposedly we are passed that. Why are we not back to normal? Query should the Covidian injections ever have been expected to be any more effective than the regular
Flu shots? And who is dumb enough to take those? At what point do people like get the fact that in this cartoon the people running this are Lucy and you are, in fact, Charlie Brown?

January 22nd, 2022 at 12:44 pm

TF76,
Flu vaccine is every year if you want one.
I have gotten it every year. Never had the Flu since.

January 22nd, 2022 at 3:50 pm

Latest from FO, according to reliable sources, France and FO changed to rules, yet again, Nole can play at FO this year.
Also, Krajicek invited Nole to play Rotterdam:

Krajicek opens the Ahoy door for Djokovic: ‘He has not broken any rules, so he is welcome’
” I also try not to have an opinion about it, everyone is free not to be vaccinated.”

January 22nd, 2022 at 5:00 pm

Meanwhile, Nole is enjoying his time in Montenegro, this was night ago:

https://youtu.be/OmGzCrtP_GE

January 22nd, 2022 at 5:11 pm

I can’t believe how many here actually are this skeptical about this vaccine. Establishment and big pharma is pushing for the vaccine, so it must be a money making scheme even if it causes significant health issues.

Yeah makes total sense.

January 23rd, 2022 at 12:44 am

Anto,

I am no antivaxer. I really thinked that this vaccine is needed by persons with healthy risk. I also took it as I am a heavy smoker. An older friend of mine, who was 52 died because of Covid, but he was overweight and suffered suffered of diabetes. Was a heavy smoker too, was not vaccinated. I had covid after the 2nd, mild symptoms

All my colleagues which were not vaccinated or vaccineted, and had Covid, but which are in a great shape, had mild symptomps.

My dentist is overweight, vaccinated, he got Covid 4 months after the 2nd vax, he felt really bad for 2-3 weeks.

I also know some persons, which felt really bad after the 2nd vaxx. They are really afraid now to have the booster.

I really think, this vaxx shiuld be recommended to the persons whith health risc, those persons should know who they are, but th is vaxx should not be mandatory. I really did not hear about any really healthy person, who died because of Covid.

Would be stupid to need the Booster, in order to travel abroad, as WHO does recommend the Booster only thonpersons with health risk.

My take on this: The governments overreacted with some measures. And yes, they made it look like a business and more and more people are skeptical about the vaccination.

January 23rd, 2022 at 3:00 am

All,

Dr. Malone has no connection to my support of Novak.

I do strongly support Novak but it has nothing to do with Dr. Malone, it is all because Novak has been unfairly treated.

In the heat of battle, and it is a battle, warring parties will be doing everything they can to discredit their opponents. You know that to be true. It’s a normal and expected tactic to attack people using disinformation and I suspect that is happening to Dr. Malone. I’ve also seen it done to Joe Rogan and of course the all-time recipient of endless attacks was President Trump.

Depending on which “news” source you go to you will get an entirely different view of the same situation, you all know that to be true. Embrace whichever news sources you want but don’t lie to yourself that they don’t lie to you.

Who is telling the truth this time? I don’t KNOW and neither do any of you. I do know that time has a tendency to reveal truth, not always of course, but there is more chance of the truth being revealed with time than there is when in the middle of things.

I’m putting my money on Anto and Chrisford being wrong about Dr. Malone but I could be wrong, it wouldn’t be the first time. If/when there is some revelation I’d hope those proven wrong are prepared to accept they were wrong, I include myself wholeheartedly in that.

January 23rd, 2022 at 4:30 am

The hysterical clown in the red shirt is trying so hard to get noticed. Idiot. Good that joker is enjoying himself off the court. Might help him to forget the woes of Australia. I think this life suits him better!

January 23rd, 2022 at 5:16 am

It would seem AO is carrying on as usual with large crowds. They don’t seem to be missing joker. Lol

January 23rd, 2022 at 5:20 am

I’ve not ever had a flu shot and have never gotten the flu. Lucky I guess. Had plenty of regular colds.
But this last month I know about 12 people with Covid all vaxxed and some boosted.

January 23rd, 2022 at 1:00 pm