value and economics
By Keith Goad March 30, 2006
WOW Greg! I am impressed, but I am certain blogs are not supposed to require CliffsNotes to understand. You make a great case of justifying these salaries based on a comparison of what Americans are willing to pay for goods. Does this really tell the whole story of how much we value these guys?
People pay $25-1,000’s of dollars to watch athletic games (and then $20 for a hotdog and Coke), wear their jerseys and specialized shoes, emulate their moves, buy the products they endorse, and hang their posters on the wall at home. Teachers get yelled at, cursed, slandered, and marked out in the yearbook. Do you really think we value them 66 times more than basketball players?
I am astonished by how much we Americans value the opinions and lifestyles of the rich and famous. There are multiple channels designated to sports and numerous shows that help the average Joe keep up with the latest celebrity news. PBS cannot even get funding.
Enough I say. These salaries (while justified on a comparison basis) are godless. One person accumulating this much wealth for playing a game so that, in many cases, they will become a bad role model for young people is not healthy for him/her or society. I do confess I may be bitter because I miss the glory days on the gridiron–if only I could get paid for tackling people!