Tuesday, November 10, 1998
Overpaid athletes not necessary for continuation of life in
universe
COLUMN: Americans should take a stand against overpaid players,
boycott sporting events
Athletes have a special place in society. They are above the
law, exempt from common trivialities that annoy regular citizens
and privileged beyond comprehension.
But is it their fault? No. They take what is handed to them.
America whines while these athletes sign multi-million dollar
contracts, moans when they get in trouble with the law and points
fingers when the athletes do not live up to the standard of "role
model."
Yet these fans that whine, moan, and point fingers are the same
ones that pay hundreds of dollars to see these athletes play. They
are the same ones that berate the justice system if an athlete is
ever convicted, and they are the same ones that buy the shoes and
other products endorsed by an athlete who claims to be anything but
a "role model."
Society needs to reprioritize.
Doctors, teachers, law enforcement officers, professors, judges
and nurses deserve to be getting all of the media exposure and
endorsement money.
Sports should be regarded as originally intended: strictly as a
form of entertainment. These days, while it is considered
entertainment, it is actually much more serious than that.
People live and die vicariously through their home teams,
professional athletes are routinely stalked and the personal lives
of these superstars are infringed upon with the regularity of
Metamucil.
I know that the reprioritizing of society is strictly a pipe
dream, but it’s a wonder how we allowed the state of our
civilization to get so out of hand.
What happened to rewarding those that actually benefit society
somehow? On the surface, athletics serve no constructive service to
the common citizen.
Upon further review, however, sports are an outlet – an outlet
to let go of frustration, to convey emotion, to bond with one
another, share tears of joy and the agony of loss.
Sports are productive – to a certain extent. When people cross
the fine line between fan and fanatic, that’s when sports are
brought into a new dimension. That’s also when the business side of
this entertainment approaches the spotlight.
Fans are so loyal, so "die-hard," that they will do anything to
support their team. Even if it means sleeping in the snow for a
week to get tickets or taking a road trip cross-country in the ’72
Econoline to see their team in the postseason. These fans are so
engrossed in their team that they do not mind the lack of loyalty
shown by many athletes.
Granted, it cannot be expected for a fan to just switch his
allegiance simply because Joe Malaka signs a $120 million, six-year
contract with the division rival, but why even bother getting so
riled up in the first place?
Sports are not worth it. It’s just a game. It’s good to get out
there and have something to support, but don’t make it a larger
than life situation. Athletes should be working-class Americans
with working-class lives.
They have their comparative advantages, and they have found
their niche in life. But I am not disputing the fact that every man
needs to make a living. I am disputing the fact that these athletes
are making more than what they are worth, based on a true
value-to-society scale.
The fact remains that athletes deserve the money and the
accolades if society is willing to reward them for their services.
When people complain about "overpaid, selfish crybabies," they are
inevitably referring to professional athletes. But if owners are
willing to give them these "outrageous" contracts, why shouldn’t
they take the money and smile?
The players deserve the money more than the owners do. The
players are not at fault for being the beneficiaries of the fans’
misguided spending. Fans who complain about the salaries and the
behavior of the players should not support them. Fans who write
letters to newspapers, send e-mails to teams and call front offices
should not waste their time with such antics. They should actually
do something that to catch the attention of those involved in the
business formerly known as sports – boycott these events.
Don’t attend the games if you are going to complain.
Yes, athletes are coddled. That is only because of the average
fan’s willingness to allow this to happen. The fan who spends $50
for a ticket in the nosebleed section is as guilty as the owners
are for letting salaries escalate to the point where there are no
tax brackets left this side of Bill Gates.
Look at the example of Tyson Chandler, a 15-year-old sophomore
at Compton Dominguez High School. He is already seven feet tall and
would be a basketball phenom based on height alone. Add that to the
fact that he has skills, talent and athleticism to match his
height, and Dick Vitale can’t wait to get this "Diaper Dandy" into
the realm of college basketball.
Take a closer look and see that Chandler already has a personal
bodyguard and an insurance policy. At 15 years old.
He is all but guaranteed to have a full scholarship to any
college of his choice. That is, unless he decides to declare
himself draft eligible for the NBA after his senior year, in which
case he would be a millionaire at 17.
Only in America can you find a 17-year-old millionaire. The land
of opportunity has presented a child with the luxuries that should
only be afforded to those who are assets to society.
So while America whines about the lofty salaries and the
questionable actions of these quasi-heroes, we still continue to
pay the absurd ticket prices that the owners demand, in essence
condoning the skyrocketing salaries that the players receive.
Athletes are not the ones to blame. For those looking for a
scapegoat, there is only one place to look – a mirror.
Lovett is assistant sports editor for The Bruin. Any questions
or comments can be emailed to [email protected].
Evan Lovett
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