Stop! This is the perfect word for the general Romanian behavior from the last few days of June. Driven by only a few minutes, 19 million people rediscovered, without deserving, how it is to have a top sportsman: David Popovici. We like sport only when we see results, regardless of the sport type. A disgrace, of course. We didn’t see coming these titles, even though, one year ago, David Popovici finished 4th at the summer Olympics. I mean, the Olympics, not a tournament in Băneasa or something similar. Everybody forgot and all woke up just now, when he became double world champion, in Budapest, at 100 and 200 meters freestyle.

Dears, right about David Popovici before, not after!

This performance, to win both titles, didn’t come out of the blue, for people who supposed to know this sport. Because the true flair of a journalist, a specialist, a professional competitive swimmer lover is to comment and to forecast this kind of success before it happens, not to comment it only after, because you simply look like a moron, pardon if I may… Especially that, once more, at least a year ago, David Popovici rang some bells that he might achieve greatness. And he did!

Dinamo did once a thing right

Someone did, though, foresee his potential, after the mentioned Summer Olympics, correct, but still. Because I saw, amazed, that he earns 7.000 EUR / month at CS Dinamo, a salary that is matching his efforts or even more than that, comparing to Romania. This happened, most likely, though, because his contract with CSA Steaua expired in 2021 and they didn’t extend it. Dinamo saw his potential and they did provide David Popovici a decent contract. It was a winning bet, from public funds, one of the few.

CSM Bucharest tought David Popovici is too expeinsive!

For example, CSM Bucharest was contacted to take the youngster on board, but the organization that pays millions of euros for other sports yearly, from public money, without achieving anything, thought David was asking for too much. Great management, chapeau! Don’t get me wrong, female handball is nice and all, but swimming is known worldwide for Michael Phelps, the absolute Olympian in terms of medals won. Plus, swimming is a great sport for children and an important asset in life if you learn it. Since we are in Romania, though, everything works like it does.

TVR, the same disgrace…

David Popovici did his job brilliantly, even though, TVR, the national television, paid from public money, also for not producing anything nice, broadcasted only the second final, the 100 meter, of David, because the big specialists there didn’t know, most likely, that the naked guy – in their minds – was actually inches behind an Olympic medal in 2021. At 16 years old. The ridiculousness continued as some “journalists” that promoted all their lives only entertainment for low IQ persons, were contradicted how poor this performance was welcomed by Romanians.

David Popovici should keep his circle tight

We, as a nation, don’t like sports, we just like to proud ourselves with this kind of results, even though we have 0 merits. What is my merit for David’s achievement? Nobody has merits than the people who stick close to him during the process, that’s it and I am sure the boy is clever enough, as he seems, to not extend his circle of “friends”, because it is not the case. I mean, even the illiterate prime minister came with a promise that David Popovici will be granted 200.000 euros from a reserve fund. Why reserve, lad? You had a year to prepare for this kind of performance, but you had no clue, right? Now, of course, the question will be if those money will ever reach David’s pockets. Hope so!

By for now, David Popovici. See you at the Olympics

For a few weeks, at least, the hysteria will cease, but I am sure it will increase even more in 2024, when David will win, let’s say, four golden medals at the Olympics in Paris. People would have already forgotten his name by then and will only ask themselves, before becoming proud once more, who the hell is David Popovici? The same question raised now by any Romanian if you ask him / her about Diana Mocanu. No culture, no sports, no nothing. Just to be proud because of others’ achievements, projecting them on us, even though we are not able to do perfect even some simple tasks…

Ah, and if you want to take a bite of this youngsters’ brilliant mind, take a pill from here.

Photo:  LaPresse Gian Mattia d’Alberto via Facebook David Popovici