kdb209
Registered User
- Jan 26, 2005
- 14,870
- 6
The Iconoclast said:Athletes are GROSSLY over-paid for what they provide to society. They no longer pocess many of the positive qualities that made them quality role models for people. The majority of the ones that make the news do so for being insolent jerks or criminals. If it weren't for trash talking they wouldn't have much to say at all. When athletes start providing the same level of service to society that police, fire and medical professionals do I'll believe they are worthy of their salaries. When we see honorariums like this I will believe they are worthy.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2005/03/10/rcmp-memorial050310.html
But hockey players aren't paid by society - they're paid by their teams because they contribute to an entertainment product that people are willing to spent lots of $$$s to watch.
Any comparisons here to teachers, firemen, garbagemen, etc are completely off the mark. Today's professional atheletes are in the entertainment business - you should be comparing them to Bruce Willis, Russell Crowe, etc. You don't see people complaining in the same way that Russell Crowe is overpaid when he gets $20M for a movie.