Here are Lucas and I making cotton candy mustaches. Man, I forgot how much I like cotton candy...
OK, but here's the point. The Cubs were winning the game going into the 9th inning. They brought in Kerry Wood, who proceeded--on his first pitch of the game--to hit a batter and let 3 runs score. The stadium was ticked. I'll bet Zambrano was sitting in the dugout fuming, after pitching the first 6 innings and hitting the first home run of the game, and (for those Arrested Development fans out there) I'll guarantee that Lou Pinella was sitting there thinking "I've made a huge mistake."
This is my beef with professional sports. So Kerry Wood had a terrible day yesterday. But he's still making $4 million this year.
$4 million! (Yes, I did look that up.) Are you kidding me? And now, think of how many professional athletes we employ in this country. Most of them are making upwards of $1 million a season. I don't even want to know how much money that adds up to that this country pays to athletes.
Before you protest, don't hear me say that I am opposed to professional sports. I respect the amount of time, energy, determination, and hard work that goes into being an athlete, although I myself make no such claims. I am but a lowly everyman. I work hard, multiple jobs, to support myself. Most of the rest of the nation does the same. So how does it make sense that a guy who pitches half an inning a game makes $4 million a year?
This makes me sick. We can't afford to pay our teachers efficiently, yet we can put out this kind of money to support athletes? I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the education of this nation surpasses in importance any game in existence. Call me crazy, I know. This is a dichotomy that shows no signs of disappearance, and it is upsetting. We live in a nation that can afford to pay baseball players obscene amounts of money but can't manage to live within our federal budget, can't employ, feed, or house everyone living in this nation, can't properly solve the problem of poverty in this country or any other. It's a major discrepancy. The money made off sporting events could be used for so many other things.
What is this world coming to?
6 comments:
My buddy Chris makes $23,561. A day. How you like them apples? That's more than I make in a year.
This would be an interesting conversation to have in person.
I understand your opinion that athletes make to much money but 'we' have nothing to do with it.
"think of how many professional athletes we employ in this country."
"I don't even want to know how much money that adds up to that this country pays to athletes."
"We can't afford to pay our teachers efficiently, yet we can put out this kind of money to support athletes?"
We don't pay Kerry Wood $4 million a year. Sam Zell pays Kerry Wood $4 million a year. If Sam Zell could by a school district worth $592 million with revenues of $197 million per year I am sure he would pay his average teachers $4 million per year.
"The money made off sporting events could be used for so many other things."
Isn't this true of any business or individual. The $80,000 the CEO of my company on his BMW could have been used for so many other things. The $10 I spent to see 'Iron Man' today could have been used for so many other things.
Professional Sports is just like any for profit business in the country, and I don't think they have anything to do with why our nation can't stay within the federal budget, solve poverty, feed people etc.
I don't take your post as anit-pro sports at all, because I think you would apply this to many other professions as well.
Where does the line get drawn? No individual can make more than $50,000 a year and no business can have profits over $5 million and everything else has to go into a pool for 'better things'?
And I have bad days at work every now and then, and I still get paid = )
amen to your view on overpaid athletes! I can't believe it either. A teacher has to have a master's degree now to make a decent living and then HOPE that a district will be hiring that year. Or else, they need to sub, or assist until they do get hired. So, maybe teachers waiting to be hired can be employed by baseball teams until they can do what they are passionate about. Time for Baseball to give back! :)
I'm going to have to go with Keith on this one. You can't fault successful business for crappy government.
I did think it was hilarious when the actors in Hollywood promoted the "ONE" campaign. In one commercial they had about 30 actors who each make around 20-30 million per movie talk about ending poverty. If they each donated one movie they could end poverty for about 20 years.
But you can't make the wealthy donate.
You can however fault our government for being bad with money.
And you can fault Kerry Wood for being the worst closer in baseball.
Actually, you want to know what salary situation is crazy? The people that work for our legislative government make a lot of money. And do you know who decides how much money they make? They do. Tell me how that works. Should I get a 10% raise this year? Let's see, the economy sucks, I have only been to two or three sessions of congress... yep I deserve a raise.
i agree with lucas...nuff said
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