Pro Athletes On Strike?

Remember about a week ago, how people who were fed up with the most wealthy 1%? The whole "Occupy" movement? It seems to have lost a lot of steam in my neck of the woods. Not sure how it's doing over the rest of the USA. But, did we forget about one demographic that makes up that top 1% of the wealthy?

I'm not going to name names. I'm not going to post salary figures. But most of us know what kind of money these folks make ... to play a game.

BUT ... Professional athletes are heroes ... They aren't thought of as the evil rich as are bank CEO's and Stock Brokers. And arguably, they deserve the compensation the receive in many cases. But when someone is paying you 10 million dollars a season to play a game, and you go on strike because you want MORE money, that sticks in my craw. I grew up playing sports ... Basketball, Football, Wrestling and Kickboxing were my favorites to participate in ... And I was given in return the fitness that comes from years of participation, a great sense of sportsmanship and fair play, teammates who became friends for life and a few scars and war stories. I was never good enough to go pro. Most aren't. The few who are, however, need to remember that they are being paid to play a game they obviously loved enough to become really good at and eventually go pro at.

Key words ... game ... loved ... Before it became a job.

When I was a kid, I could get a box seat behind the home dugout at a Cubs game for $8.
And I doubt ANYONE in the Cubs Organization made 1 million dollars a year, let alone 10.
And Mike Jordan was in grade school.
And a whole family could go to a football game together on a Sunday afternoon without taking out a second mortgage on the house.
And the only guys who punched each other were the Hockey players.
And your heroes didn't get arrested on gun charges or rape charges or drug charges.
Basketball stars told kids to drink milk, not where they could get cool sneakers.
Sports Stars were looked to as pillars of good sportsmanship and community leaders.
You guys were heroes ... not rock stars.
But now ...

Look ... I'm not trying to paint with such a broad brush that I malign players who still believe in the game. I applaud them. They are that which I believe all the rest should aspire to become.

I don't know for sure who is to blame. Greedy Owners? Greedy Agents? Greedy Players? Greed in general?
Again ... I don't know. But I do know the vast majority of professional athletes make more than enough already. Going on strike just detracts from everything they are supposed to represent.

'Nuff said.

Thanx for spending a little time with me.
I appreciate it.
Billy