Do you really believe?

[NevadaJay]

Ok, boys. For those of you who work 40hrs or more (yeah, OT, 60hrs a week)...do you support the athletes that are advertised today? Let me provide a few examples....P. Jones, M. Vick, B. Bonds, F. Landis, Kobe B., Shaq, D. Bechham, etc.

I don't know....is I. Suzuki really worth it? I mean, come on...these guys swing a bat and they run around in the outfield....17m a year (- CBS SportsLine.com Really, honestly? Honestly, please justify this number for me...

Am I the only one who thinks these numbers are out of control? I must be, because I haven't read any articles or posts arguing this side.....

[Kevin]

I'm all for free enterprise, because that's what gives us all leverage to get raises at work.

These sports salaries are surely out of control though. Hell, I remember when all this started back with Jose Canseco and Rickey Henderson fighting over who made the most back at 3 mill a yr, which is plenty!

I dont have a problem with a guy making fat loot, what I do have a problem with is that its forcing ticket prices, baseball cards, apparel etc prices through the roof. Us idiots keep paying the prices though and as long as we do, it'll keep going up.

Im just as guilty as anybody though. I recently went up to seattle for a yanks/mariners 3 game series, bought four tickets to each game for a total cost of around 2500 bucks. Add in hotel at 400/night for 2 nights and AT LEAST $100/game for hotdogs, beer, pop, candy etc, and we're talking almost 4 grand for a weekend of fun. Ridiculous! (Granted they were top of the line seats, still ridiculous)

What really pisses me off is that it hurts the kids. Back in 1984 I paid .25 to ..30 for a pack of fleer or topps cards. Now packs range from 3.00 which are crappy and never going to be worth **** to hundreds a pack.

Its sickening.

[FlyersFan]

what gets me is the lack of respect most players have for the fans. you know what, if we didn't buy tickets and gear.....THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY LEAGUES.....just that simple. i have long said this....it isn't the guy like a-rod making 24M that is killing sports...it's all the guys making 12M a year who bat .220, or average 3 PPG.....

i have really had it with how ghetto sports are getting, though. the whole hip hop influence and the complete lack of respect that this 24-30 YO athlete generation has is killing sports. just had this discussion with a buddy. what's encouraging is seeing all the young guys like Durant, Oden etc...who are humble and respectful. heck, i hope both those guys make a zillion dollars. they're quality guys from what i can tell and the repsect themselves, the game and the fans. really hope this next generation of athletes/kids is better than this last one. i don't ever recall a time in sports where more athletes were getting into trouble with the law and were just overall ass holes and complete wastes of space as human beings. Vick, Pacman jones, 1/2 the bengals team....list goes on and on..............

[Q-Unit]

what gets me is the lack of respect most players have for the fans.
.

i agree 100%

but to be devils advocate.

think of how much the owners make. if athletes make what we make on avg. then the owners make out like robbers (even though they already do!)

so its a vicious cycle. the players want more money, the owners can only afford it by raising ticket prices, we the fans pay out the nose. and so on....

but again you have to consider how many athletes are there in the league?

lets take an example, in the NFL, there are what 50 something players per team to make it easy...30 teams to round down, thats 1500 active able bodied players total in the NFL! now out of those 1500, who are bonified superstars or top tier players who demand the most money...has to be 5% or lets be liberal and say 10%...thats 150 people out of 1500 that have max contracts. Now how many people are lucky enough to play 10 years? not many.

the avg. joe works at the avg. job from what age 20-55, thats 35 years, assuming no career change. we could safely assume an avg. NFL player plays 5 years. if he gets the vet minimum of 500k a year (im just making numbers up that i remember from reading shyt, dont quote me on this), thast still a damn good salary, but still he's earned over a 5 year span 2.5 million, which is a lot, for anyone... but take out taxes, training/practice expenses to keep in shape, doctor bills, and what not, he's still making more than the avg, joe, but only over a 5 year span which is nothing.

not to mention the doctor bills AFTER he's out of the league for playing such a physical game. not to mention NFL contracts arent guaranteed like (ahem ahem) NBA or MLB contracts.

so its not all roses IMO, sure the few bad apples who are greedy make them look bad, but the owners rob the most if you ask me, they get money from everywhich direction.

overall though I agree, its an easier pill to swallow if they had respect for the game, dont show an entitled attitude like its their right to play whereas its a privilege.

[redhog55]

The players make entirely too much, as well as the owners, however, I'm not as bitter towards the owners since they are taking the financial risks.

"It's a business now" is the phrase we hear all the time. This is so true. Back in "the day" athletes played for the love of the sport and the compensation was nothing to get rich on.

I met Lou Brock at a baseball game in June. He still works. He's part owner in a travel agency. I'm not sure if he has to work or not, but if he does, it's a shame that a hall or famer still has to work and a situation bullpen pitcher makes a few mill. per year in baseball now.

What is really going to piissss me off is when you can't watch a football game on tv without pay per view or subscribing to a channel. The way salaries and prices are going, that is not far away!!! UnfortunatelY, I'll be right there in line with the rest of you a-holes to sign up for it, BECAUSE I'M HOOKED!!!!!!!

GREAT TOPIC JAY

[dananderson32]

how about paying teachers, fire fighters, policemen etc........real salarys the people who truly provide a great service to one and all and stop paying these "thugs" millions of dollars........real shame

[NevadaJay]

dan - absolutely! I couldn't agree more. Save a life? Rush into a burning building? Ah, we'll pay you 25 bucks an hour. Swing a bat, toss around a ball - we'll give you millions. I just can't justify it in my mind.