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News & Articles Part 3 - The Return of the Yeti

813K views 5K replies 207 participants last post by  flender 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
#3,796 ·
It is in Eastern Europe :) "Hit" is not in the meaning that the kid will be beaten as adults do. It has meaning of a light slap on the butt (and that is like 5 times for the whole life).
 
#3,809 ·
From Twitterific: http://twitter.com/VladasLasitskas

Marat Safin: I bought a British shorthair cat. :banana: Her name is Fenya and now she is 4 months old. :inlove:

44 minutes ago via Twitterrific
Marat Safin: Right now Dinara must to play tennis. But after the end of her career she can buy a dog that she wants.

15 minutes ago via Twitterrific
 
#3,813 ·
come on, all kittie are cute. he could have adopted a stray cat and he'd find her the most beautiful all the same. i don't care whatever race he chose, as long as he makes sure she's got company and food when he's away. seems his mom's a good cat-sitter. :D
 
#3,814 ·
This post has been deleted
#3,817 ·
#3,818 ·
OMG this cats are the laziest i ever seen...last summer when i was in london i had the chance to have one around for a couple of months...and everything is written in that article about them is so true.... that cat wasn't keeping the eyes wide open because of the lazyness...and yes the good part is they are not attention seekers so if you are busy they really don't mind/care.
 
#3,821 · (Edited)
Interesting article in "Boss" magazine (appeared online 12 May 2010), article / translation.

First half google-translated:

Boss: Marat, all your life has been given to sport. What is sport for you now?

Marat Safin: I love sports. Sport has given me a lot, and now, I think it was my turn to give him.

B: Several months ago you entered the Community Council for the Russian Olympic Committee. After the Olympics in Vancouver, ROC, seems to expect big changes. Do you plan to continue work on the committee?

MS: I'd love to. Only now, in the Russian Olympic Committee rather complicated situation, but in fact it is simply to understand and everything is properly structured. Is the office of President Committee, which is now vacant (NB: Alexander Zhukov has since been elected), is first vice-presidents and vice presidents simply, there is a council, in which I enter. It is important that all vice presidents and board members originally found a common language and understanding in achieving goals. I confess, to pay visits and travel, of course, pleased, but would like this to bring real benefits. I came to the committee to help the Olympic movement in Russia, and intends to continue to participate actively in the development of sport.

B: In my opinion, the resignation of head of the Russian Olympic Committee will not change anything. Problems of Russian sport, which led to such a failure for our country, the results of the Olympic Games in Vancouver, have deeper roots and they began much earlier.

MS: It really started much earlier. Just today we come to a standstill, and we must take drastic decisions, with the highest level. In our sport a great deal collapsed, and much to be restored to us in 2014 became the first in Sochi, which should be really. If we do not move now, we get another big problem in the decades ahead.

Of course, the replacement of one leader to another Olympic Committee will not decide anything. We need drastic measures - it is time to re-build the structure of sports management, optimize the use of funds to update the material base. To begin with we need to understand what our goal is - what do we want and why do we need it. We understand that in general there is, you only start to really build up our "sporting house".

It is ironic that in a country where the sport is far from being in last place and the sports movement developed fairly well (see how many people love active sports - politicians, businessmen and ordinary citizens play in hockey, soccer, tennis), professional sports can not show all their capabilities. Russia - the country is very gifted people: we have every second - a genius, and not only in sports, but we do not know what these geniuses do? Our country is not nearly as much as it deserves to live.

Why blame the failure on the Olympic Games for athletes? They are something when they go to competitions, they know what they need to win. The Olympic Games are held every four years for athletes to make them well - a chance to develop further in professional sports. And then, for good performance people are getting decent money for them and they will live the next four years. This is not sports in our country is weak, and his organization leaves much to be desired. And all understand that perfectly, but no one can decide and begin to establish this process, because there's people who are willing to take responsibility. Talking about the problems in sport can be indefinitely - for years, for centuries, but from conversations with the place nothing will move. It's time to change something.

B: It appears that none of our sports officials today are willing to take responsibility for failing the results of Russia at the Olympics in Vancouver. The Russian Olympic Committee says one thing and sports federations, another. I remember the catchphrase: "Victory has many fathers, but Defeat is an orphan."

MS: Yes, no one takes responsibility, all shift the blame on each other and can never decide which department is responsible for some direction. The result is obtained as usual: no one is responsible for anything, but still remain at their posts.

I believe that everyone who participates in sports management, it is necessary to negotiate and work together to find a way out of this situation, because until mutual understanding between those responsible for sport, the impasse will not move. I know - every sports official has an opinion on the causes of failure at the Olympics, and his vision for sports development in Russia, some offices in conflict with others. But they must understand that they are working for the country rather than for themselves. A compromise can be found always and with everyone.

Sochi-2014 is not far off. If we do not create a proper base for the development of sport, we cannot achieve good results at the next Winter Olympics. Together, we must develop a strategy for the development of Russian sport, a program of concrete actions for the next 20 years and begin to execute. We must all organize and clearly defined goals. If you act like we have taken in recent years: roughly speaking, to put a patch on a particular problem areas, it will only get worse. Patches eventually will fly away, and we will stay with aggravated problems.

B: Management of sport must necessarily be brought under control first of the country?

MS: Yes, there should act serious credibility. Sports officials need someone to fear. Now somehow relaxed. In our country there are smart people who understand that we need to re-build management system for sports. It remains only to collect them all together, to listen to suggestions, fix them and start working.

B: Recall the example of the Russian national team coach in tennis, the president of Tennis Federation of Russia (OFWs) Shamil Anvyarovich Tarpischev. It is surprising that in such a highly individual sport like tennis, he was able to form such a cohesive team. What, in your opinion, is his secret?

MS: First, Shamil Anvyarovich very talented man, with a multi-talented, not only as a sports manager and coach. He has obtained many wonderful things, and ideas about the development of tennis and sports in general is very correct. Secondly, Tarpischev has great experience of interaction with the players. That's his secret.

We need to get a good team, which will prevail mutual respect and understanding and that, finally, truly will control sports. Managerial staff should be very serious. Generate it - the most important task. In my opinion, this team should enter and authoritative sports managers, and new people, including young - professional athletes who have achieved significant results in his sport, no stranger to know about his problems and how to solve them. People are ambitious, with fresh ideas and ready to work.

B: You personally willing to do it?

MS: Of course.

...
 
#3,823 ·
Found on baidu - thanks guys! :worship: - a video I'd heard of but never seen before, "Sharing a Laugh" with Marat Safin by Sidespin Productions. (I don't think it's been posted here yet)

Baidu Video 1 (7:29 mins)
Baidu Video 2 (4:46 mins)

It's in five parts on the website and quite slow to load, on my computer at least:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5

PS: Am posting these here until the vid thread is unlocked!
 
#3,824 · (Edited)
#3,834 ·
pfft ... so much heavy shit going on here ... I keep my life simple ... I just skip past any post that doesn't meet the following criteria:
1 - Safin half naked :drool:
2 - Safin in a suit :drool:
3 - Any mention of Safin :drool:
4 - Safin half dressed :drool: (not to be confused with 1- Safin half naked ... photos need to be examined carefully
to decide which group they fall into ... this can sometimes take hourrrrrs!!)
5 - Safin and fluffy yellow balls :worship:
6 - any news that you crazy Safinettes have :yeah:
7 - Safin in the buff
... OK, I'm still waiting for this, but it's important to have a goal in life, right?? ;) ... and I only want to see how bad his tan lines are ... honest!!!
 
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#3,835 ·
pfft ... so much heavy shit going on here ... I keep my life simple ... I just skip past any post that doesn't meet the following criteria:
1 - Safin half naked :drool:
2 - Safin in a suit :drool:
3 - Any mention of Safin :drool:
4 - Safin half dressed :drool: (not to be confused with 1- Safin half naked ... photos need to be examined carefully
to decide which group they fall into ... this can sometimes take hourrrrrs!!)
5 - Safin and fluffy yellow balls :worship:
6 - any news that you crazy Safinettes have :yeah:

dear curls, i'm loving you, lets be real,

number 1 and 6 NO WAY ARE ALLOWED, EVEN THE SUGGESTION :devil::devil:NO NO:devil:

THEY WOULDN'T GIVE YOU INFO ANYHOW:wavey:

:banghead::banghead::bowdown::haha::haha:
 
#3,841 · (Edited)
The Izvestia interview / translation with the winning question at the bottom.

A Briefcase instead of Racquets by Boris Titov

Marat Safin answered the questions of "Izvestia"

To the regular meeting of Izvestia "Sports Club" we have invited perhaps the most popular Russian tennis player Marat Safin. After returning from Paris from his favourite tournament Roland Garros, which he also attended for the first time in his career as a non-player and as a functionary of the national tennis federation, Marat willingly answered the questions of readers of our newspaper.

Izvestia: Marat, fans on the phone were asking about your impressions of this year's Roland Garros. And why you didn't go to your sister Dinara's game in Paris.

Marat Safin: The tournament turned out unpredictable, especially on the women's side. Nobody expected the Williams sisters to be knocked out, and that Schiavone would reach the final and beat Stosur. As for my sister (sighs) I was tired of answering this question. Dinara has not escaped the effects of a stress fracture of the spine. The injury was severe, it couldn't be healed with a plaster! The girl wasn't lightly injured, so it will take time to recover her strength and return to her previous level.

Ludmila Pankova: What, in your opinion, plays a key role in achieving success in tennis - talent or hard work? Do not you think that retires from sport can be more adequately, on a high note?

Safin: I think talent and hard work are inseparable, not only for me but for any player from the first world hundreds. Aptitude - it's great, but without enormous work, you won't achieve anything good in sport. Throughout my career, I've heard so much unwarranted criticism that will last for five. It was accused of me that when he's in the mood, Marat wins, and when he's not, he breaks racquets and spends all his free time in nightclubs.

To those who said this, I propose for them to look at my body without a shirt. Even now it has no fat, and is the result of daily hours of work on the court and in the gym. I am not ashamed of my career. It was what it was.

Izvestia: Was it only the the accusation of laziness that hurt you?

Safin: Not just that. I really didn't like it when during the World Cup the yellow press were fixated on the hockey players of the Russian team because the guys were smoking in their free time. Yes, they are also professionals who know themselves, how to prepare for matches, and are responsible for their work! If the guys think that smoking a cigarette doesn't prevent them keeping in shape and doesn't affect the final result - it's their right.

Eugene Dudnik: Marat, not so long ago you completed your career. What will you do now, and is there a desire to return to big sport?

Safin: I haven't left big sport. Today I work as a vice president of the National Tennis Federation, I sit on the support council for the Russian Olympic Committee and I'm ready to be even more closely involved in the sports of the country.

Tatiana Avsyukevich: Why did you leave the court without an official farewell ceremony?

Safin: Actually there was a seeing off in November at the ATP tournament in Paris. Everyone came who wanted to say kind words about me. But to travel around the world on a farewell tour - it's not my thing. And in Moscow there were no official ceremonies.

Avsyukevich: If you had the chance to change something in your life and career, what would you do?

Safin: I don't want to change anything. And even mistakes that are made, I wouldn't fix them either. With them comes vital experience.

Ludmila Batalova, USA: Thanks to the game of tennis you have become, if not rich, then at least a wealthy person who isn't thinking about how to earn an extra thousand rubles?

Safin: Thank God, after my career I don't have to run around looking for money to live. I can fully concentrate on work.

reader to nick dee-mee-tree: Recently, you mentioned the lack of training facilities for Russian tennis players. If it will go through the point, how fast you can grow a new generation of stars?

Safin: A base really needs to be built. And not one to be able to gifted children from 6 years and prior to their formation. Looking for big money, and an annual budget of OFWs do not exceed a million dollars. I can not imagine how in such circumstances can compete with the French (60-70 million euros) or American (150-180 million dollars) federations. My head is not bad on the uptake, but tens of millions I'm not able to obtain. However, thanks to the support of a large firm, this September we will be opening a tennis academy in Moscow. The next step - Kazan, St. Petersburg and, hopefully, Sochi. But this is not one year.

And: A couple of weeks ago at the election conference of the Russian Olympic Committee, you said you're ready to work on Alexander Zhukov's team, in any capacity.

Safin: I confirm this wish. And on the specific proposals I say this: I'm open to cooperation.

Dmytro Volin: How to treat a large number of former athletes in Russian politics in general and the State Duma in particular? Should professionals to work in their line of profession in modern society, people should be universal?

Safin: Of course, today we are required to universalism. There must also be professional athletes in power, in my opinion. Especially since they really understand how to build a healthy, fulfilling life. Personally for myself, I'm also not ruling out a political career in the future.

Victoria: Do you recall in your life any memorable incident with a fan? And did it bother you generally, if people paid too much attention to you?

Safin: I don't call any such incident. Anyway, in the relationship with the fans, я никогда себя не выпячивал.* Because I know my worth, and I respect people who respect me.

* Could a Russian speaker pls clarify this? :) Google translate gives it as "I never protruded myself".

Olga Tselebrova: Did you delete your page in Odnoklassniki because you were desperate to find a bride on the internet, or was there another reason?

Safin: It's all very prosaic. Suddenly it became boring. Maybe it happened after Tibet. I took a fresh look at life and realised that 90 percent of it consists of an unnecessary fuss. Imagine how the world would change, if people channelled all their energy in the right direction!

Valery Alekseyev: What criteria should a girl meet, with whom you would be willing to start a family? And how many children would you like to have?

Safin: For me there are no strict criteria for choosing a life partner. Or for love, or not. For me an example of harmonious family life is to serve, with Dinara, our parents. And as for children, I hope there will be at least three.

Diana Biragova: Can one be happy and still yearn to fly off to another planet?

Safin: Happiness - is too fleeting feeling that they could enjoy life. And there's no need to fly off to another planet. On Earth there are many good places where it's pleasant to go back to. I love nature, it feeds new forces. I like Patagonia in Argentina, Vermont and New York in the United States, north of Spain, Zavidovo in the Tver region. And in the summer I want to go on Lake Seliger.

Maria Pati: If you met God, what would you say?

Safin: Thank you for everything that he has created. And I would ask forgiveness for some of the inhabitants of our planet.



PS: Maria Pati's question, whose co-author is the writer Marcel Proust, was recognized the best by our interviewer. As promised, the winner will receive a postcard with Marat's autograph.
 
#3,842 ·
Nice interview!!! :)) Wow 3 kids? :eek: That requires a lot of work! Which of course I wouldn't mind in doing it! :p
 
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