RSS
Serb Novak Djokovic, age 32, beat Swissman Roger Federer, 37, in a five-hour Wimbledon Final by winning all three tiebreakers. Djokovic now has won 16 major championships, pulling ahead of Tiger Woods’ 15, and leaving him two behind Jack Nicklaus and Rafael Nadal with 18, and now with a chance to overhaul Federer, the all time tennis/golf leader, who is stuck at 20 after his hair-breadth loss.
Are we in a quiet Golden Age of Balkan athletes? I don’t have any systematic data for this, but data points keep piling up, like how so many of the best white players in the NBA have names ending in “-ic,” such as the latest rookie of the year, Slovenian Luka Dončić. Or little Croatia went to the soccer World Cup finals last year.
People from ex-Yugoslavia have tended to be, on average, taller than most other Europeans, other than those around the Netherlands. It could be that the Balkans are now emerging from a tough 20th Century with better nurture than in the past, which has lifted them even above their impressive athletic accomplishments of the second half of the 20th Century.
English
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
French
German
Hebrew
Hindi
Italian
Japanese
Korean
Persian
Polish
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
Swedish
Turkish
Vietnamese
Slovenians are the most together of the formerly Yugoslavian and I don’t think they qualify as Balkan.
Mind you she had to go down the "surgical intervention" route. Sort of a reverse Caster Semenya.Replies: @istevefan, @R.G. Camara
They are definitely Balkan. They were proud Yugoslavians until the end. Their language is almost mutually comprehensible with Serbian. If you have a good ear for languages that is.Replies: @istevefan, @Flip, @PiltdownMan, @Niccolo Salo, @Oleaginous Outrager
Kopitar?
Does Romania count as Balkanish? Little Simona was pretty damn’ good the other day. 6-2. 6-2.
Mind you she had to go down the “surgical intervention” route. Sort of a reverse Caster Semenya.
Also, the current best p4p boxer in the world, Vasyl Lomachenko (Ukraine), hails from right next door.
Why is slovenia so much better than other former Yugoslav states? I’m not disputing that it is, but what is it about them?
They are definitely Balkan. They were proud Yugoslavians until the end. Their language is almost mutually comprehensible with Serbian. If you have a good ear for languages that is.
I see that their capital, Ljubljana is about 90 miles from Venice in a straight line, but with the Alpine terrain, I expect it is a longer trip by road.Replies: @The Wild Geese Howard, @Muse
This is reflected in their culture and temperament.Replies: @Steve Sailer
https://infogalactic.com/info/Slovenia#Slovenian_Spring.2C_democracy_and_independence
Sumo wrestling: Japan’s ancient sumo sport thrives in Bulgaria – WELT
https://www.welt.de/english-news/article3028615/Japan-s-ancient-sumo-sport-thrives-in-Bulgaria.html
Bulgarian Sumo Wrestlers Score Fresh Successes in Japan
https://www.novinite.com/articles/134307/Bulgarian+Sumo+Wrestlers+Score+Fresh+Successes+in+Japan
There are also Estonian wrestlers.
Is that the last place in the world where the athletes enjoy a steady supply of nicotene?
Mind you she had to go down the "surgical intervention" route. Sort of a reverse Caster Semenya.Replies: @istevefan, @R.G. Camara
Speaking of Romania, does anyone recall Ilie Năstase, otherwise known as Nasty Năstase?
Mind you she had to go down the "surgical intervention" route. Sort of a reverse Caster Semenya.Replies: @istevefan, @R.G. Camara
I remember hearing when Punky Brewster did the same thing. It was astounding, to me, that a woman who is naturally voluptuous would do such a thing.
For example “Marcus Halberstram” (a minor character from AP) was the nom de guerre of the invaluable long time cohost of Fash the Nation on TRSReplies: @R.G. Camara
They are definitely Balkan. They were proud Yugoslavians until the end. Their language is almost mutually comprehensible with Serbian. If you have a good ear for languages that is.Replies: @istevefan, @Flip, @PiltdownMan, @Niccolo Salo, @Oleaginous Outrager
I don’t think Slovenia was conquered and occupied by the Ottomans like Greece, Serbia and the like.
They are definitely Balkan. They were proud Yugoslavians until the end. Their language is almost mutually comprehensible with Serbian. If you have a good ear for languages that is.Replies: @istevefan, @Flip, @PiltdownMan, @Niccolo Salo, @Oleaginous Outrager
The Habsburgs were actually pretty good rulers for a long time.
Funny but that’s a paraphrase of something Patrick Bateman says in American Psycho. Incidentally I’ve never heard anyone explain how the movie version became one of the central cultural touchstones of the gen x alt right great meme war types.
For example “Marcus Halberstram” (a minor character from AP) was the nom de guerre of the invaluable long time cohost of Fash the Nation on TRS
They are definitely Balkan. They were proud Yugoslavians until the end. Their language is almost mutually comprehensible with Serbian. If you have a good ear for languages that is.Replies: @istevefan, @Flip, @PiltdownMan, @Niccolo Salo, @Oleaginous Outrager
I don’t know if this anecdotal information counts, but I knew a couple of Slovenian graduate students in New York in the early 1990s. They said that they used to think of themselves as Yugoslavs, but unlike the other Balkan nationalities, they looked westward to Northern Italy, culturally speaking.
I see that their capital, Ljubljana is about 90 miles from Venice in a straight line, but with the Alpine terrain, I expect it is a longer trip by road.
Northwestern Croatia is like a cheaper version of northeastern Italy.
There are many Italian restaurants in Sofia Bulgaria, and gourmet Italian pasta is readily available in the shops.
https://www.rustourismnews.com/2017/08/10/ljubljana-to-get-a-direct-rail-link-with-trieste-and-venice/
The expressway from Istria (northern Croatia) through Rijeka to Zadar and south of. Split is virtually new. The Dinaric Alps are rugged and the highway passes through long tunnels and he immediately over high bridges. Travelled them last Fall and they are better than the roads in Illinois.
The new road does not make it all the way to Dubrovnik and the far south yet.
Diego Maradona’s grandpa was a Croat. His mother was named Dalma, after Dalmatia.
I learned this from my local Croatian former soccer pro turned fishmonger. Never would have guessed it.
An American coworker went to Croatia last year and she said they all looked like athletes. She was very impressed by the men. I visited the country at the age of 11. I wasn’t much interested in how the adults looked at the time, but from what I recall they were tall, dark and handsome/pretty.
The beaches were among the most beautiful I’ve ever seen. The Adriatic is a very nice shade of blue.
Also, in the MMA world, Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic had quite a run in the 90s and 00s.
Jenna Elfman is Croatian. So was Johnny Mercer, in part.In the world capital of nude beaches, you'd have to.Replies: @HA
So, why taller? Unlike the Dutch, not very lactose tolerant – if I understand correctly. Turbulent part of the world? Fighting advantage?
For example “Marcus Halberstram” (a minor character from AP) was the nom de guerre of the invaluable long time cohost of Fash the Nation on TRSReplies: @R.G. Camara
Chicks dig hot-looking, manipulative, vain, violent psychos. Especially rich, powerful ones.
So the main character (played by pretty boy Christian Bale) was bound to get at least a cult following of women using it as a guilty-pleasure. He is exactly the kind of ruthless, violent, conquering selfish pretty boy that many women’s id responds to.
For other examples, see Fifty Shades of Grey.
Plus the movie, directed by a female, has what feminazis call a “female gaze” to it. Meaning in depicts men as women would look at them (or so the argument goes). Whatever, that mumbo-jumbo really means is that the movie is intended first and foremost for an audience of women getting wet for the men. The director aimed the audience at chicks and it worked out well.
Christian Bale supposedly lobbied for years for the role–even while it was stuck in development–thinking it would be perfect for him. He even convinced other young actors not to audition for it. He was right—the movie became huge for him, and, as we see, is a cultural touchstone.
Of course, the fact that it is a cultural touchstone that its about a bloody, violent psychopath slaughtering his way through his white collar enemies because they annoy him or he has better business cards than him—that needs a true Dr. Freud to sort out.
If that's the case, why do the majority of US women (mostly single) despise Donald Trump? That contradicts your entire premise, because Trump is the textbook definition of vain, manipulative, wealthy, powerful, etc. Maybe it's the orange coloring they don't like.Replies: @Desiderius
I see that their capital, Ljubljana is about 90 miles from Venice in a straight line, but with the Alpine terrain, I expect it is a longer trip by road.Replies: @The Wild Geese Howard, @Muse
I don’t disagree.
Northwestern Croatia is like a cheaper version of northeastern Italy.
There are many Italian restaurants in Sofia Bulgaria, and gourmet Italian pasta is readily available in the shops.
I learned this from my local Croatian former soccer pro turned fishmonger. Never would have guessed it.
An American coworker went to Croatia last year and she said they all looked like athletes. She was very impressed by the men. I visited the country at the age of 11. I wasn't much interested in how the adults looked at the time, but from what I recall they were tall, dark and handsome/pretty.
The beaches were among the most beautiful I've ever seen. The Adriatic is a very nice shade of blue.Replies: @The Wild Geese Howard, @Reg Cæsar
I also thought the Croats were a tall, fit looking people when I visited. There were no fatties at the beach. The town I was in was small, but there were many public sporting facilities that seemed to be in regular use.
Also, in the MMA world, Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic had quite a run in the 90s and 00s.
I watched almost all the match. My hat’s off to Djokovic, he never gave up and deserved to win. But man, Federer had two championship points, on his own serve, but could not close the deal. It very easily could have gone the other way.
A slightly stocky and very buxom girl once told me she wanted to “hack ’em off”. They just got in the way, and weren’t worth the inconvenience. She roomed with a sister close in age. The sister was much less endowed, but her dance card was always full.
I learned this from my local Croatian former soccer pro turned fishmonger. Never would have guessed it.
An American coworker went to Croatia last year and she said they all looked like athletes. She was very impressed by the men. I visited the country at the age of 11. I wasn't much interested in how the adults looked at the time, but from what I recall they were tall, dark and handsome/pretty.
The beaches were among the most beautiful I've ever seen. The Adriatic is a very nice shade of blue.Replies: @The Wild Geese Howard, @Reg Cæsar
Dilma Rousseff is of Bulgarian descent. Is that name connected, too? (Where is “Jewma” now, in prison? It’s hard to keep up with our own pols, let alone others’.)
Jenna Elfman is Croatian. So was Johnny Mercer, in part.
In the world capital of nude beaches, you’d have to.
While not an expert on nude beaches per se, I've seen plenty of the Adriatic coast both north and south over the years, and a number of beaches in the rest of Europe.
Based on my experience, Croatia is definitely NOT the world (or even the European) capital of nude beaches.
Moreover, according to the natives I got to know, the Adriatic nudists are more likely to be Germans and Austrians than Croatian natives, and they keep that up well into retirement age, at which point, they don't much look like athletes. (Then again, neither does the 70-year-old Croatian grandfather in a Speedo.)Replies: @Reg Cæsar
Why are men of the Dinaric Highlands so tall?
Dinarid
The Lithuanians punch above their pay grade as well, especially in basketball. Are they part Dinaric, too, or of some other lucky subrace?
I’d never heard of this group:
Are they any good in sports, chess excepted? The only name that comes to mind is Mtim Mtebow.
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.161054In this photo, UN troops from Croatia on left, Italians on right.
https://i.imgur.com/Rza4VcB.jpgReplies: @IHTG
There is a tiny district next to Chechnya that has several thousand times overrepresentation in mixed martial arts. It's called Dagestan. Seems like most of the people have "medov" in their names, both first and last.
Serbs and Croats are often colloquially divided into 2 types, Dinaric and Pannonian. Pannonians are shorter, more peaceful farmers. The Dinaric types are tall, warlike mountain men. The theory is that the Dinaric types are descended from a pre migration population that was assimilated. Over the centuries they have often repopulated areas that were affected by wars. That’s why you now get a lot of basketball players there. Supposedly this folk wisdom has been confirmed by genetics, though i haven’t really looked into it.
Tall stature in Europe is often associated with the I haplogroup, which is common in Scandinavia and the Balkans. Essentially, it comes from mesolithic Europeans, who were tall guys.
Doncic is Balkan .. his dad is a Serb b-ball player and his mom is a (super hot MILF) former Slovenian model.
More on the Balkan angle .. Djoko’s new coach is none other than Goran Ivanisevic, proud Croat and 2001 Wimbledon champ.
Yes, the average height of males in the Dinaric Alps is at the top of the tree
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.161054
In this photo, UN troops from Croatia on left, Italians on right.
Dubrovnik on the Adriatic coast in southern Croatia is actually warmer than
the French Riviera in winter, and as a result is now attracting huge numbers
of tourists, and not just in winter
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rsos.161054In this photo, UN troops from Croatia on left, Italians on right.
https://i.imgur.com/Rza4VcB.jpgReplies: @IHTG
I think the Croatians put their tallest guys at the front row.
Southern Slavs gave the world at least two towering figures in science, Tesla and
Roger Joseph Boscovich (Bošković) (1711-1787). The latter became a Jesuit priest,
and is famous, among other things, for developing the concept of point atoms
and that of the field in physics (to eliminate the need for instantaneous action
at a distance). Faraday, who developed the concept of the lines of force, fully
acknowledged his debt to Boscovich.
to avoid “wife, children, house,..., the full catastrophe” (to quote
Zorba the Greek), you have an option of becoming a Jesuit, but you must
be very smart - many Jesuits have Ph.D.’s. I suppose being asexual also helps
but in the Global South at least, people are rather tolerant of priests having
girlfriends on the side. And what a great life you can have - international
travel, access to great cuisine when you travel (among Catholics there is a saying
that if you become a bishop, you never again in your entire life have to eat a bad meal),
and no financial worries. If you’re a Jesuit who is also a professor, then
conferences and workshops in all sorts of exotic locales are also in your
future. Plus you’re always surrounded by young people, which keeps you young,
and also acquire thousands of “spiritual children” - your students. Too bad
that, with minor exceptions, Protestants don’t have that option in life.
They are definitely Balkan. They were proud Yugoslavians until the end. Their language is almost mutually comprehensible with Serbian. If you have a good ear for languages that is.Replies: @istevefan, @Flip, @PiltdownMan, @Niccolo Salo, @Oleaginous Outrager
Balkan requires an Ottoman cultural component and Slovenia was never occupied by the Turks. It is an Alpine country that was ruled for the most part by Germanics (Franks, then Austrians) for over a thousand years (except for some bits ruled by Magyars and Venetians) until this past century.
This is reflected in their culture and temperament.
This is reflected in their culture and temperament.Replies: @Steve Sailer
Slovenia is in Alps above Venice. It ought to be doing well.
I know Steve likes to discuss how family lineages are at play in US sports so here is a Balkan (Croatian) example.
Davor Suker won the Golden Boot in World Cup 1998 by scoring six goals in the tournament where Croatia finished 3rd overall, exiting after being defeated by France who went on to win the trophy. This was Croatia’s first appearance. Suker now runs the Croatian Soccer Federation (HNS).
Niko Kovac was captain of the Croatian national team shortly after that. He has a very successful career and is now manager of Bayern Munich, the most storied team in the German Bundesliga (equivalent of the NY Yankees). They won the double (title and trophy) last year again during his first year at the helm.
His brother Robert Kovac had an even more successful career and himself played for Bayern Munich and Juventus of Italy, the Italian version of the Yankees.
Up and coming boxing heavyweight Filip Hrgovic is part of this same family.
All four of these guys are directly descended from Stipan Rimac and Klara Brko, a power couple from the county of Livno, in Hercegovina, along the border with the Croatian province of Dalmatia, high up in the Dinaric Alps. This power couple got married around 1790 and had 15 children. I am also directly descended from them as well. All of our parents (minus Hrgovic’s mom) come from a sparsely populated 30km piece of real estate.
The four above are the best known but I can name another 20 professional athletes playing today that directly descend from this same 18th century couple.
Beautiful, beautiful country, good standard of living, incredibly safe. They are Austrian Slavs to be blunt.
Roger Joseph Boscovich (Bošković) (1711-1787). The latter became a Jesuit priest,
and is famous, among other things, for developing the concept of point atoms
and that of the field in physics (to eliminate the need for instantaneous action
at a distance). Faraday, who developed the concept of the lines of force, fully
acknowledged his debt to Boscovich.Replies: @Anon 2
Speaking of Jesuits like Boscovich, if you’re a Catholic and want
to avoid “wife, children, house,…, the full catastrophe” (to quote
Zorba the Greek), you have an option of becoming a Jesuit, but you must
be very smart – many Jesuits have Ph.D.’s. I suppose being asexual also helps
but in the Global South at least, people are rather tolerant of priests having
girlfriends on the side. And what a great life you can have – international
travel, access to great cuisine when you travel (among Catholics there is a saying
that if you become a bishop, you never again in your entire life have to eat a bad meal),
and no financial worries. If you’re a Jesuit who is also a professor, then
conferences and workshops in all sorts of exotic locales are also in your
future. Plus you’re always surrounded by young people, which keeps you young,
and also acquire thousands of “spiritual children” – your students. Too bad
that, with minor exceptions, Protestants don’t have that option in life.
Former Boston Celtic, Croatian Dino Radja, was a pack-a-day guy.
Wonder how much Balkan nicotine gives them a leg up there.
Does that guy on the Milwaukee Bucks count? He’s from Greece but born to Nigerian parents.
Maybe. But with Globo Corporations Sports in the way, how would we know?
First Lady Melania is from Slovenia, so hopefully the little country is now on the map.
Maria Sharapova, a well accomplished tennis player. She’s the Peggy Fleming of her generation (athletic talent, great beauty, and savvy business/marketing her personal brand). She used to outearn Serena Williams in endorsements.
Ask Katharine why he won’t post any smutty pictures of Maria Sharapova. Maria could easily rival Christie Brinkley as a natural beauty. If he can post such disgusting and disturbing photos of androgynous pieces, certainly he could balance the scales of justice and post some pictures of Sharapova.
There a wondrous amazing lady is beheld; Here true beauty is finally found.
Maria Sharapova. The best that Russia has to offer the world in sports.
“Chicks dig hot-looking, manipulative, vain, violent psychos. Especially rich, powerful ones.”
If that’s the case, why do the majority of US women (mostly single) despise Donald Trump? That contradicts your entire premise, because Trump is the textbook definition of vain, manipulative, wealthy, powerful, etc. Maybe it’s the orange coloring they don’t like.
Cro Cop Highlights:
All-time great fighter, though too reliant on striking for modern MMA.
And yes, he was a cop in Croatia. He was part of their elite anti-terrorist unit stationed in the capital of Zagreb.
The importance of mental acuity and celerity in elite athletic performance is grossly underrated. Even if someone like Pete Rose won’t be curing cancer anytime soon the depth and breadth of his knowledge of his field is breathtaking.
Wonder how much Balkan nicotine gives them a leg up there.
If that's the case, why do the majority of US women (mostly single) despise Donald Trump? That contradicts your entire premise, because Trump is the textbook definition of vain, manipulative, wealthy, powerful, etc. Maybe it's the orange coloring they don't like.Replies: @Desiderius
Because that’s the motions thru which they’re required to go. Few would be turning down a ring. Also women with rudimentary social skills (I.e. the atomized single women you’re describing) easily confuse playing hard to get with simple malice.
Jenna Elfman is Croatian. So was Johnny Mercer, in part.In the world capital of nude beaches, you'd have to.Replies: @HA
“In the world capital of nude beaches, you’d have to.”
While not an expert on nude beaches per se, I’ve seen plenty of the Adriatic coast both north and south over the years, and a number of beaches in the rest of Europe.
Based on my experience, Croatia is definitely NOT the world (or even the European) capital of nude beaches.
Moreover, according to the natives I got to know, the Adriatic nudists are more likely to be Germans and Austrians than Croatian natives, and they keep that up well into retirement age, at which point, they don’t much look like athletes. (Then again, neither does the 70-year-old Croatian grandfather in a Speedo.)
While not an expert on nude beaches per se, I've seen plenty of the Adriatic coast both north and south over the years, and a number of beaches in the rest of Europe.
Based on my experience, Croatia is definitely NOT the world (or even the European) capital of nude beaches.
Moreover, according to the natives I got to know, the Adriatic nudists are more likely to be Germans and Austrians than Croatian natives, and they keep that up well into retirement age, at which point, they don't much look like athletes. (Then again, neither does the 70-year-old Croatian grandfather in a Speedo.)Replies: @Reg Cæsar
I’m probably thirty years out-of-date. Back in the commie-lite days, the Yugoslav government really pushed nude tourism. In places like the Netherlands and France, it was more organic. In Croatia, with nearly all of Yugoslavia’s beachfront, it had full state support.
I see that their capital, Ljubljana is about 90 miles from Venice in a straight line, but with the Alpine terrain, I expect it is a longer trip by road.Replies: @The Wild Geese Howard, @Muse
The rail line from Trieste to Ljubljana is being or has been by now rebuilt to west European standards. This means travel from Venice will be easy on Trenitalia.. Next improvement will be to Zagreb.
https://www.rustourismnews.com/2017/08/10/ljubljana-to-get-a-direct-rail-link-with-trieste-and-venice/
The expressway from Istria (northern Croatia) through Rijeka to Zadar and south of. Split is virtually new. The Dinaric Alps are rugged and the highway passes through long tunnels and he immediately over high bridges. Travelled them last Fall and they are better than the roads in Illinois.
The new road does not make it all the way to Dubrovnik and the far south yet.
Robin Quivers did it as well. At a certain point, the value diminishes, unless you want a career as Morganna.
Much like the 1960 Pirates and Donald Trump, Djokovic managed to win the match while losing more games than his opponent.
Can’t believe nobody has mentioned how in the late Roman Empire many legions and several emperors came from what we now call the Balkans. I’m going to assume being really tall helped in an era of muscle-powered warfare.
Lots of amazing Roman ruins throughout the area, too.
“the Yugoslav government really pushed nude tourism”
For tourists, maybe. That was still nothing in comparison with an average French or Spanish beach (or the German or Scandinavian park during a lunch break in summertime). Admittedly, I’ve never been to a nudist beach, but I’ve noticed plenty of nude people on regular beaches. According to an article about the largest nudist beach in ex-Yugoslavia,
That tells you pretty much what you need to know. If you do a search on “nude beaches capital” or anything like it, you won’t find anything listed in Yugoslavia. At least, I couldn’t.
Maybe it had a racier reputation in Easter Europe during the Soviet era, where I’m guessing nudism/naturism was less of a thing.
They are definitely Balkan. They were proud Yugoslavians until the end. Their language is almost mutually comprehensible with Serbian. If you have a good ear for languages that is.Replies: @istevefan, @Flip, @PiltdownMan, @Niccolo Salo, @Oleaginous Outrager
Because they sat out the convulsions of the 90’s:
https://infogalactic.com/info/Slovenia#Slovenian_Spring.2C_democracy_and_independence
No, they’re just more visible to us with satellite TV, the Internet, and the dissolution of the Warsaw Pact (when was the last time you heard that word?).
“Are they any good in sports, chess excepted?”
There is a tiny district next to Chechnya that has several thousand times overrepresentation in mixed martial arts. It’s called Dagestan. Seems like most of the people have “medov” in their names, both first and last.