If anyone deserves pro sports’ bounty of bucks, it’s the athlete – The … – The San Diego Union-Tribune
Sez Me …
With the Dumbing Down of America finding no bottom, we have developed a cockeyed attitude on money in sports.
Especially when you consider most of us don’t have much of it, don’t make enough of it and spend our working lives bitching over not getting pay raises we so richly deserve.
We get ticked when athletes make huge salaries. And we tend to side with the people holding deeds to diamond mines who are overpaying them.
But I beg the question: Is any professional athlete overpaid?
Make what you can make while the making is good, is what I always say.
Did the owners mind building fortunes while stepping on people along the way? They are employers. Employers pay employees.
When is it ever too much?
We know college athletes are underpaid because they’re basically not making anything — unless some fat cat booster slips them some sugar under the table. Texas ($103 million in football revenue alone), makes $70-plus million more than it spends. And yet nobody seems to care.
But the pros?
Kevin Durant, as an example, while hardly needing the dough, took less of it to extend his stay with the Warriors. He’s being praised for saving W’s ownership luxury tax money. Why? They’re moving into a new building in San Francisco and the franchise is worth at least $3 billion — $2.5 billion more than these owners paid for it.
So he’s a hero, and players such as Steph Curry (five years, $201 million) are thieves? James Harden: $228 million through 2023. Derek Carr: 5 years, $125 million. Chris Paul: One year, $24.6 million. Kyle Lowry: Three years, $100 million. The Knicks get Tim Hardaway Jr. — four years, $71 million.
Robbers?
There are conservative baseball people thinking the Nationals’ Bryce Harper may get $500 million on his next deal.
Racketeer?
Problem is, these athletes wouldn’t be getting the money if the owners couldn’t afford it. It’s what the market will allow. If bosses still weren’t turning a profit, they wouldn’t be dishing it out. Other billionaires with enormous egos will come along. They’re lined up.
And don’t compare NBA and NFL salaries. NBA owners pay 12-to-15 players, NFL bosses at least 70.
The problem of course — at least it’s perceived to be the problem — is fans end up paying for all this. Prices go up.
If you stop paying for it, prices will drop. But you don’t. It’s like the people who complain about a person holding public office. Don’t vote for that person.
But Unsocial Media’s dander gets up when players get all this money. It doesn’t when an actor who can’t act gets $20 million for a film. Athletes entertain.
I learned many low tides ago there are employers and employees. You make what you can while you can.
I also learned team owners aren’t paupers in need of the sympathy vote.
Get over it. Or spend your money on a nice vacation instead of blowing it watching some guard miss 10 straight threes. …
The NBA’s salary Super Max. Not working. Bad idea going wrong. …
Lonzo Ball ’s debut. “Heaven’s Gate.” …
Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria got Miami to bite the hook on a $2-billion ballpark and will sell the team for $1.2 billion and probably profit $500 million. Have to feel for him, signing Giancarlo Stanton to a $325-million deal. …
Skip Bayless tweets: “Why hasn’t there been a white American player even close to Larry Bird?” Better question: How many players of any race, color or creed have been better than Bird since his retirement? You won’t get past two or three fingers on your hand. …
By most accounts, Manny Pacquiao won the fight. Blame is going to the East German judge. …
The Judases’ new Costa Mesa practice facility (which is far too small) once was a lima bean farm. I hate lima beans. …
Cowboys linebacker Damien Wilson has been arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, making it four Dallas defenders arrested since Tony Romo retired. …
Jerry Jones is the first probation officer elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. …
Is the baseball juiced? Is a pina colada? …
Being crowned the greatest leader on earth — which isn’t a hard stretch — Theo Epstein has taken responsibility for the Cubs’ struggles. …
Brad Hand is the second-best Padres appendage since Rollie Fingers. …
When I was a kid, we called those Hunter Renfroe throws “pegs.” …
From Sporting News’ Ryan Spaeder: “Tony Gwynn batted .401 from July 3, 1993 through May 14, 1995 — 183 games. …
Hot dog eating contest celebrated. Gluttony is not a sport. …
I don’t see how sending a team you just knifed a thank you letter closes the wound. …
The scandal wasn’t Chris Christie lounging on the beach. It was the photo of him lounging on the beach. …
We were about to drive across Walnut at 5th Avenue, the bike lane capital of America, when a cyclist stormed off the sidewalk through the crosswalk in front of us. Another capital idea, Mayor. …
On the 1970 All-Star ballot: Mays, Aaron, Clemente, Brock, Rose, Perez, Banks, (Billy) Williams, Stargell, Bench, (Joe) Morgan, Yaz, Killebrew, Brooks, Aparicio, (Frank) Robinson, Carew, Gibson, (Jim) Palmer, (Gaylord) Perry, Catfish and (Hoyt) Wilhelm. And several other terrific non-Hall of Famers (Rose is outlawed). Nothing to add, because things are better now. …
There is a chance for you to buy Donald Trump’s used golf clubs — if you don’t mind getting them after they’ve been thrown at Kramer’s mail truck. …
Your oldest child should be the one within yourself.
sezme.godfather@gmail.com; Twitter: @sdutCanepa
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