Is it fair that Sport Althletes get paid Millions?

Here's a little link showing college coaches vs college professor salaries. I find it sad what society is placing a greater importance on.

http://mjperry.blogspot.com/2007/12/jaw-dropping-compensation-college.html

its fair their out there for our entertainment and they work really hard getting getting conditioning in and lifting weights and it sucks being sore from lifting weights and haveing to run after thatevilpinecone

players like Plaxico Burress dont attend practice because of injury.

When cops get paid what little they get paid for what they have to deal with?

And when teachers don't get crap?

No, that's a waste of money.

Well, it's perfectly fair - they're being paid what they are 'worth' to society, because society is obviously paying enough to allow for their fat salaries. The real question here is "should society place so much worth on athletic entertainment?"pianist

You and I, along with the rest of the global population, could be fed for the rest of our lives on David Beckman's salary.

[QUOTE="Second_Rook"]

In a word yes.

Reasoning, athletes in general give positive role models, they work harder for far less money than any actor ever has, what they do is not self serving at all but rather a service to the community as a whole, when a team has a great season the entire region has a common experience that tends to bring people together, professional sports are also a huge part of our nation's economy, and people in general love and respect competition.

firebreathing

how is it not self serviing when they're paid to perform??? Also, it takes a lot of talent to be a good actor, not like you can just pull it out of your ass. have you seen the movies (if you'd even call them that) with people like 50 cent??? I suggest you never do.Also, you seem to forget the fact that it takes YEARS and a **** of money to make a movie. How often to athletes need to memorize pages and pages of script, movments for certain scenes and emotion. You do realize they get up VERY early in the morning and don't have it nearly as easy as you make it to be.

Your complete ignorance of professional sports could not be more obvious. It takes years for a franchise to build a championship team and a sh!t load of money as well more than any movie I would venture. When a team wins a championship it is like a gift to the entire city or state that they represent.

Athletes memorize pages and pages of script, it's called a play book, and every time they improvise they are at significant risk of injury. They also get up very early in the morning and often times live apart from their families for the majority of the season. What do you think they come to the games and that's their entire job?

As for pulling it out of your ass, are you suggesting that's what a great quarterback, pitcher, or point gaurddoes? This is absurd.

It's clear that you put yourself and your preffered entertainments on a pedestal. Unfortunately you don't know what you are talking about.

Finally, most people get up very early in the morning for work, you make that sound like an accomplishment.

Well, it's perfectly fair - they're being paid what they are 'worth' to society, because society is obviously paying enough to allow for their fat salaries. The real question here is "should society place so much worth on athletic entertainment?"pianist

perfectly well said

[QUOTE="firebreathing"] [QUOTE="Second_Rook"]

In a word yes.

Reasoning, athletes in general give positive role models, they work harder for far less money than any actor ever has, what they do is not self serving at all but rather a service to the community as a whole, when a team has a great season the entire region has a common experience that tends to bring people together, professional sports are also a huge part of our nation's economy, and people in general love and respect competition.

Second_Rook

how is it not self serviing when they're paid to perform??? Also, it takes a lot of talent to be a good actor, not like you can just pull it out of your ass. have you seen the movies (if you'd even call them that) with people like 50 cent??? I suggest you never do.Also, you seem to forget the fact that it takes YEARS and a **** of money to make a movie. How often to athletes need to memorize pages and pages of script, movments for certain scenes and emotion. You do realize they get up VERY early in the morning and don't have it nearly as easy as you make it to be.

Your complete ignorance of professional sports could not be more obvious. It takes years for a franchise to build a championship team and a sh!t load of money as well more than any movie I would venture. When a team wins a championship it is like a gift to the entire city or state that they represent.

Athletes memorize pages and pages of script, it's called a play book, and every time they improvise they are at significant risk of injury. They also get up very early in the morning and often times live apart from their families for the majority of the season. What do you think they come to the games and that's their entire job?

As for pulling it out of your ass, are you suggesting that's what a great quarterback, pitcher, or point gaurddoes? This is absurd.

It's clear that you put yourself and your preffered entertainments on a pedestal. Unfortunately you don't know what you are talking about.

Finally, most people get up very early in the morning for work, you make that sound like an accomplishment.

Yeah i work at the airport and i get up early in the morning and i had to memorize about a millon books on equipment aircraft hazards and a hole lot of other stuffplus i could die every day out there on the ramp .....

It's perfectly fair, it's a bussinessmarkop2003

Yep, it's capitalism.

I think it's fair. The constant media attention, the severe injuries they risk getting everytime they play. I think it's quite fair.bluezy

and construction workers don't face those injuries? That isn't a good reason. The sole reason is because society places value in these forms of entertainment. You think it's fair that brad pitt makes 20 million for one movie...no, of course it isn't, but hey, THAT'S CAPITALISM FOR YA! ;)

Well, it's certainly backfired. With that kind of cash on the table everybody and their mother will take steroids or other dangerous strength enhancers to stay competetive. What I don't get is why more of these guys don't quit after like one year and just have somebody build a massive investment portfolio for them rather than destroy their bodies for it. "Love of the game" doesn't quite explain why they'd destroy themselves and the integrity of the sport to make even more money than God.

That said, it's really just a matter of supply and demand. Professional athlete quality candidates are a rare find and not easily replaced. You HAVE to pay them a lot to maintain the quality of players on the field.

Well, it's perfectly fair - they're being paid what they are 'worth' to society, because society is obviously paying enough to allow for their fat salaries. The real question here is "should society place so much worth on athletic entertainment?"pianist

Why, oh why do you have to have a smart response to every subject? It makes me feel dumb! :cry:

I don't find it fair.
I also don't find it fair that movie actors/actresses get paid millions for acting
Those in the media, such as actors/actresses, singers and athletes get paid more just for entertaining than those who actually contribute to society, such as Doctors, Firemen, Nurses, Police Officers.

Sure, in the NHL and NFL they get injured, but I highly doubt that the injuries they recieve from playing those sports cost millions of dollars to cover.

I wish that those who really deserve it, such as people who risk their lives everyday to save people (Policemen, Firemen), as well as those who work to watch over people and save them earn a bit larger amount of money than they do.

I just hate it when the famous stars who get paid so much money go out and abuse it or make themselves look stupid for the whole world to notice them. I also find it a disgrace when those such as Michael Vick, who tries to be a role model, gets arrested for dog fighting.

Is society saying that we value famous people's lives and their injuries more so than those who die every day fighting for their own lives and trying to survive on what they can only afford to eat? Is society saying that we value technology, the media and materiialsm more so than the lives of our own family and friends?

What is the price of comfort?

[QUOTE="pianist"]Well, it's perfectly fair - they're being paid what they are 'worth' to society, because society is obviously paying enough to allow for their fat salaries. The real question here is "should society place so much worth on athletic entertainment?"Quadrifoglio

Why, oh why do you have to have a smart response to every subject? It makes me feel dumb! :cry:

Because I'm older than most of the posters here. With age comes experience, and for someone with intelligence, experience leads to a better understanding of subjects of interest. You shouldn't feel dumb. I doubt you're as old as I am.

[QUOTE="pianist"]Well, it's perfectly fair - they're being paid what they are 'worth' to society, because society is obviously paying enough to allow for their fat salaries. The real question here is "should society place so much worth on athletic entertainment?"DarkKar

You and I, along with the rest of the global population, could be fed for the rest of our lives on David Beckman's salary.

That may be a bit of an exaggeration, but I understand and appreciate your point. In fact, I agree with it. I'm not a person who believes we should place so much worth on athletic entertainment. But we do, and that's why these guys are paid millions of dollars to play a game.

People don't get paid millions of dollars to play in curling leagues. It's a competitive sport... but it's not a popular competitive sport, and so people won't pay through their noses in droves to see it.

Yeah, and where would our society be without sanitation workers? So let's pay our garbage men $500,000 a year. Plumbers? A million sounds about right. Truck drivers, farmers, etc, too. Let's pay more money to construction workers, without whom our institutes of higher learning wouldn't even exist. Hell, while we're at it, let's just give EVERYONE a salary of at least a million dollars.

Whatever. Whether or not one's contributions to society are important does not dictate whether or not they get paid a lot. Having an important job does not mean that you should get paid more. Employment is voluntary. Nobody forces you to be a teacher or a doctor. If you're willing to do the work for what your employers are willing to pay you, then you get paid enough. Otherwise, you're free to quit your job and do something else.

Yeah, and where would our society be without sanitation workers? So let's pay our garbage men $500,000 a year. Plumbers? A million sounds about right. Truck drivers, farmers, etc, too. Let's pay more money to construction workers, without whom our institutes of higher learning wouldn't even exist. Hell, while we're at it, let's just give EVERYONE a salary of at least a million dollars.

Whatever. Whether or not one's contributions to society are important does not dictate whether or not they get paid a lot. Having an important job does not mean that you should get paid more. Employment is voluntary. Nobody forces you to be a teacher or a doctor. If you're willing to do the work for what your employers are willing to pay you, then you get paid enough. Otherwise, you're free to quit your job and do something else.

MrGeezer

[QUOTE="Messer_Partei"]If I could just take over...hollywood would be our international cemetary, and all of these 'athlete's' wages would be cut severely and used to pay for important things.bigdcstile

So you would force the owners, who pay the athletes' salary after the people pay to see the stars, to hand over their money for something else?

I would impose laws to extract the money made by sports events and use it to stabilize countries militantly instead of using charity to prolong it's death. I'd use the money to advance scientific research on disease and enforce the laws to advance society. By liking sports, you will be helping the world with your money, instead of a bunch of athletes. And about hollywood, oooh...major reconstruction of society

If you don't think it's fair, stop watching sports.

The real question here is "should society place so much worth on athletic entertainment?"pianist

Well, it's perfectly fair - they're being paid what they are 'worth' to society, because society is obviously paying enough to allow for their fat salaries. The real question here is "should society place so much worth on athletic entertainment?"pianist

win! (confirmed)

If you want to start something about it being unfair about athletes, who work their butts off, risking their bodies and dignity in front of the whole world, getting more money than others, then why don't you say anything about MOVIE STARS?

They get millions of dollars a year, and they hardly do anything. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint could speak gibberish and do cartwheels in the next two movies, and still get a couple million from each one. Is that fair?

But yes, people who work hard should be rewarded.

[QUOTE="MrGeezer"]

Yeah, and where would our society be without sanitation workers? So let's pay our garbage men $500,000 a year. Plumbers? A million sounds about right. Truck drivers, farmers, etc, too. Let's pay more money to construction workers, without whom our institutes of higher learning wouldn't even exist. Hell, while we're at it, let's just give EVERYONE a salary of at least a million dollars.

Whatever. Whether or not one's contributions to society are important does not dictate whether or not they get paid a lot. Having an important job does not mean that you should get paid more. Employment is voluntary. Nobody forces you to be a teacher or a doctor. If you're willing to do the work for what your employers are willing to pay you, then you get paid enough. Otherwise, you're free to quit your job and do something else.

B05T0N

I was responding to the people who say "we should pay athletes less and teachers more, because teachers are our future!"

I thought it was pretty clear that I was not ACTUALLY suggesting that we raise the salary for every important job in existance.

[QUOTE="bigdcstile"] [QUOTE="Messer_Partei"]If I could just take over...hollywood would be our international cemetary, and all of these 'athlete's' wages would be cut severely and used to pay for important things.Messer_Partei

So you would force the owners, who pay the athletes' salary after the people pay to see the stars, to hand over their money for something else?

I would impose laws to extract the money made by sports events and use it to stabilize countries militantly instead of using charity to prolong it's death. I'd use the money to advance scientific research on disease and enforce the laws to advance society. By liking sports, you will be helping the world with your money, instead of a bunch of athletes. And about hollywood, oooh...major reconstruction of society

Which will cause sports and movies to suck, at which point people stop paying money to see them, at which point you STILL don't get any money for whatever charity cause you're interested in.

EDIT: Or let's put it this way. All of us here can afford computers and videogames and internet access. Meanwhile, there are hardworking people in YOUR city working their asses off just to put food on the table. To those people WE are rich. They watch us buying **** that we don't need, and they wish they were as well off as us.

Having said that, how would you like it if, no matter what you did or how much money you made, the government came along and took All but the bare minimum that you need to get by. You can no longer buy music or DVDs or videogames. And getting a higher paying job won't even help, because then you'll just have MORE money taken from you, so that you're on equal footing with the 15 year old stoner who works at Burger King.

Because THAT'S what you're suggesting, and THAT'S incredibly stupid.

Some.

Not NBA, FIFA, PGA or NASCAR.

Everyone else. FineCanuck3000

I dont think its fair to see people hit a ball or dunk it and get paid 11 million just for that while many people work hard all their lives that they might not even reach the 1 million mark. To see players that havent even went to HS and College and get paid a ton, i find something really wrong with that. Tjeremiah1988

This is very insulting. You have no idea how much WORK they put in to get their bodies in shape for that kind of abuse. If it's so easy then why don't you get into it? I mean, comeone 11 million dollars for dunking a ball. go for it dude. :roll:

[QUOTE="Canuck3000"]Some.

Not NBA, FIFA, PGA or NASCAR.

Everyone else. FineB05T0N

[QUOTE="pianist"]The real question here is "should society place so much worth on athletic entertainment?"double_decker

Notice how he clarified that statement by specifying "ATHLETIC entertainment"?

I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but movies are a multi-billion dollar industry. Same with videogames. And CDs. Yet a movie ticket costs about $7, a CD costs about $15 and a videogame costs about $50.

And I'm sorry if it offends his charitable sensibilities, but I work hard for my money. If I want to spend a measly $7 every once in a while to have a little bit of fun, then that's what I'm gonna do. What, just because I have money and other people don't means that it's wrong for me to have fun? That's a ****ed up attitude to have.

Notice how he clarified that statement by specifying "ATHLETIC entertainment"?

MrGeezer

It's the same thing with movie stars and rock stars as it is with this. People love their entertainment, and they collectively will often pay millions to get it, especially for people who are great at physical arts, are creative, imaginitive, and just really good at keeping things looking exciting and having people wanting to cheer them on.

It is different for people who work hard at blue collar jobs and the like, mostly because even though they effectively keep society together, they are often viewed as nothing more than the equivalent of elements of a machine, having nothing to offer but physical or menial labor, and will be replaced by new people with each new generation, like new parts of a machine. They may also be thought of as dirty and undesirable despite their importance (bats and insects are instrumental to the ecological system to this planet, but I'm sure you have an idea of how much people despise them). You don't get that so much with high profile people like those in entertainment. In fact, it's probably the industry where monotomy is the least common.

Of course, that is only a matter of society values, and in this case, people want to give their gratitudes specifically to those that distance themselves away from menial labor and more to those who can make adrenaline run, be something different, creative, interesting, expressive, and just different than the horror of working that so many people, whether they choose to reveal it or not, despise to the very core.

[QUOTE="Renegade_Fury"] When guys like Arod are getting 20 million + per year and are still whining, then I might get pissed. Second_Rook

A-Rod isn't whining, he even admitted making a mistake by opting out. I think you just had a dream that he would come to the Giants with Bonds contract out of the way.

What do the Giants have to do with it? The fact that they he opted out of his contract in the first place shows just how greedy the guy is.

Difficult to say really.

Personally...no. But I understand why, and I just don't care.SOedipus

[QUOTE="double_decker"][QUOTE="pianist"]The real question here is "should society place so much worth on athletic entertainment?"MrGeezer

Notice how he clarified that statement by specifying "ATHLETIC entertainment"?

I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but movies are a multi-billion dollar industry. Same with videogames. And CDs. Yet a movie ticket costs about $7, a CD costs about $15 and a videogame costs about $50.

And I'm sorry if it offends his charitable sensibilities, but I work hard for my money. If I want to spend a measly $7 every once in a while to have a little bit of fun, then that's what I'm gonna do. What, just because I have money and other people don't means that it's wrong for me to have fun? That's a ****ed up attitude to have.

[QUOTE="double_decker"][QUOTE="pianist"]The real question here is "should society place so much worth on athletic entertainment?"MrGeezer

Notice how he clarified that statement by specifying "ATHLETIC entertainment"?

I mean, correct me if I'm wrong, but movies are a multi-billion dollar industry. Same with videogames. And CDs. Yet a movie ticket costs about $7, a CD costs about $15 and a videogame costs about $50.

And I'm sorry if it offends his charitable sensibilities, but I work hard for my money. If I want to spend a measly $7 every once in a while to have a little bit of fun, then that's what I'm gonna do. What, just because I have money and other people don't means that it's wrong for me to have fun? That's a ****ed up attitude to have.

You're taking my statement out of context. Again, I'm not suggesting athletes shouldn't be paid what they are paid. What I'm suggesting is that it is perfectly fair for athletes to be paid what they are paid because people are allowing for these salaries by attending the events. And thus, the OP shouldn't be asking whether or not it is fair, but rather whether or not we should value athletics to the point where athletes can earn millions of dollars for playing a game. If it so deeply offends your sensibilities for me to single out athletics in a thread about sports athletes, by all means think of it in a more general sense and include all entertainment. :roll:

Comments made in later posts refer to the nature of our society and of capitalism, and are certainly not intended to be limited to athletics. Henry Kravis is not an athlete. Obviously, I personally don't believe people should place as much value on athletics as they do, but I could frankly care less what you or anyone else does with your spare time, nor am I suggesting you don't go to these events.

[QUOTE="Second_Rook"]

[QUOTE="Renegade_Fury"] When guys like Arod are getting 20 million + per year and are still whining, then I might get pissed. Renegade_Fury

A-Rod isn't whining, he even admitted making a mistake by opting out. I think you just had a dream that he would come to the Giants with Bonds contract out of the way.

What do the Giants have to do with it? The fact that they he opted out of his contract in the first place shows just how greedy the guy is.

Lot's of Giants fans wanted him, are you saying that you wouldn't want A-Rod on your team?