Thursday, April 10, 2008

Athlete Salary: Before the Search

Growing up in the Emilianowicz house few things were expected. You work hard in school, get your share of house work done and watch every sport possible. And if you watch a sport, then you normally have a favorite team, and the house dictates that you like the Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres and the New York Yankees. Being younger, I was just following what my brothers were doing, but as I got older I started to really like these teams. Of course I don't like when they lose, but that comes with the territory.

For years now I have wondered why some of my favorite players on my favorite teams would leave. Then maturity set in, and now I understand that money makes the world go 'round. Every time I read the sports page I see stories about athletes making more and more money. Consistently, there is always someone who is complaining about how much they are getting paid. Athletes are getting paid to play to the best of their ability for a set number of games, but how many actually give you there very best every time they play. When I actually look at certain teams, such as my favorite team, the Yankees, they just go out and buy people.

Why does Alex Rodriguez make $27,000,000 a year and $252 million over his contract? Who makes the decision of how a player should actually make? What makes two pro athletes different from each other? If your at top notch form with peak performance, what makes a lacrosse player different than a baseball player? (About $2,542,476.) True, if your playing at a top-notch level, then you should get paid well. But then again, if you're playing terribly, shouldn't you get paid terribly? Basically, in my search I want to figure out if the salaries of major league athletes are justified.


Essential Question
Are the salaries of Athletes justified?
Foundation Questions
Who makes the standards for player salaries?
What makes a difference between two athletes, that turns out to be millions?
Who actually puts worth on a man's (woman's) talent?
If big sports are paying there players exorbitantly, how do alternate sports get paid?

1 comment:

Mr. Malley said...

Dan, you know what I've decided? I no longer like professional sports. I like football because I love (nonprofit) fantasy football, but I have completely lost interest in professional baseball (around 1997) and hockey (last year). You know why? Free agency. Players don't stick around. I can't develop an unhealthy fascination with a quarterback or rough left winger because chances are they will be gone within four or five years.

Things didn't used to be like that. People stuck with the same teams for their entire careers. Look at Kirby Puckett, Steve Garvey, Jim Kelly, Wade Boggs (almost), Don Mattingly, Tony Gwynn, LT. The list goes on and on. I think that free agency and the dogged pursuit of the next contract that it inspires has ruined professional sports.

Anyway...my two cents.