Derek Jeter $189 Million contract makes me sick

[FrogDog]

<< Yeah, I guess I am jealous. I wanna be one of those guys out there that can hardly read, but get hundreds of millions of dollars each year to chew tobacco, spit, and scratch their asses and crotches on national television, and swing a stick/throw a ball. You call that athletic? Bullsh!t. >>

Then why are you here?! Go out, throw a ball, swing a stick, scratch your ass and make your millions!

Edit: Btw, if baseball players aren't athletes, who is? Football players? They throw a ball, run and tackle. Hockey players? They swing a different stick in a different way. Basket players? They throw a ball and run. Soccer players? They kick a ball....

 

[Bryan]

Sure, it's a great start (also things like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, etc...), but it doesn't help the economy.

 

[Bryan]

<< Then why are you here?! Go out, throw a ball, swing a stick, scratch your ass and make your millions! >>



I have a terrible hole in my swing. I'd rather just sit and bitch about it, if it's all the same.

 

[Demosthenes]

I'm kinda with Loogie on this one, what you guys seem to be demanding is Communism. If people are willing to pay the high ticket prices that fill these player's pockets, then our great Democracy will allow it to be so.

People are willing to pay for these guy's salaries.. and I'm sure they're more then willing to accept it. Not only that but the work these guys pour into their sport goes far behind &quot;swing a stick/throw a ball&quot;. I'm guessing at a forum like this you'd be hard-pressed to find many jocks who know of physical sacrifice for their sport, and these guys do it their entire lives.. maybe not worth 200 million, but the league average is far far below that.

 

[jaydee]

Someone obviously thinks he deserves that much money, and he's the only one that counts It doesn't bother me. I'm with reitz.

 

[Bryan]

<< Edit: Btw, if baseball players aren't athletes, who is? Football players? They throw a ball, run and tackle. Hockey players? They swing a different stick in a different way. Basket players? They throw a ball and run. Soccer players? They kick a ball.... >>



I was thinking more along the lines of Olympians, but whatever. A lot of baseball players are overweight nowadays. Show me a pasty, tubby football or basketball player that dips and stands around for half the game. Some baseball players don't even break a sweat. Women who Jazzercise work harder.

Also, I'm glad we have this great democracy. Unfortunately, as the old saying goes, the rich are getting richer, and the poor are getting poorer. It's a pity that baseball players' salaries are now higher than the GNP of some small nations.

 

[yakko]

<< Then there are those hard working family men and women who can't even feed their children. >>


If they can't afford to pay their kids way then they shouldn't have had the kids. Next you'll be spouting off about how you should be able to work at Taco Bell at the lowest position possible and be able to raise a family of four of the one income and have a beautiful house on the beach with a Porsche in the garage that is just for weekend drives to go skiing. Face it there will be people who have more than you.



<< They get the money from the people >>


People give that money freely.



<< Sure, it's a great start (also things like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, etc...), but it doesn't help the economy. >>


So you are saying that if every job related to baseball and other sports their would be zero effect on the economy. Their would be no one out of a job just a few sports players right.

 

[FrogDog]

The only thing you've proven is that baseball is not a game where high endurance is required. So what? It's not a requirement of a lot of sports.

 

[convex]

<< Sure, it's a great start (also things like the Make-A-Wish Foundation, etc...), but it doesn't help the economy. >>

that's right, i suppose they're hording their money rather than spending it... if they spend that money in any way, it's helping the economy (from the construction workers that build the 44 room mansions to the caterers that provide food for the lavish parties). Start looking at the whole picture and it boils down to something you can't have that you're trying to justify is wrong by citing all this bs that just doesn't hold water.

 

[Bryan]

<< If they can't afford to pay their kids way then they shouldn't have had the kids. Next you'll be spouting off about how you should be able to work at Taco Bell at the lowest position possible and be able to raise a family of four of the one income and have a beautiful house on the beach with a Porsche in the garage that is just for weekend drives to go skiing. Face it there will be people who have more than you. >>



Hell, why not? I'm already talking about things that aren't ever going to happen anyway. Far be it from me to point out that with a more equal distribution of wealth, this country could be more prosperous than any nation ever has. I'm quite happy with what I have, but I truly feel for those who don't, especially when I see people making more money than they can possibly spend. How much money is too much?

 

[convex]

there is no &quot;too much&quot;. ahh the joys of freedom

 

[convex]

those with skills, luck, dedication, connections, call it what you will are sucessful. It's simply the way things are, I've worked my way into a comfortable living and have seen some friends of mine do the samething. There's no excuse in todays economy. If you don't take consequences for your actions, i won't cry for you.

 

[Static911]

its sad that ppl &quot;scream and kick&quot; when the president of the united states of america got a raise, but when ppl seem to be fine (obviously not everyone like us) to accept these ppl getting outrageous amounts of money to play something they enjoy


i agree, where is the love for the game?

Static911

 

[ForeverSilky]

<< The only thing you've proven is that baseball is not a game where high endurance is required. So what? It's not a requirement of a lot of sports. >>



Maybe not as much as soccer or track, but when you're in 100 degree plus weather in pants, you'll be glad you trained hard. Also, hitting 95mph ball with less than half a second to swing a 33oz. + stick in your hands is no easy task.

 

[yakko]

<< Far be it from me to point out that with a more equal distribution of wealth, this country could be more prosperous than any nation ever has >>


No it wouldn't. There would be more fighting and crime than ever before because if you ever decided that my money should be givin to someone who did not earn it then I am probably going to shoot your sorry ass for stealing my money. Why would the economy be better if those who earend the most would have the most stolen from them? No one would have a reason to try an earn a higher salary knowing that it was just going to be stolen.

 

[Bryan]

Pfft... how about a coal miner who swings a heavier pick in higher temperatures and doesn't make squat?

 

[Bryan]

<< No one would have a reason to try an earn a higher salary knowing that it was just going to be stolen. >>



The fact is that they shouldn't be &quot;earning&quot; ludicrous salaries in the first place, so you can put away your gun, tough guy.

 

[fragarific]

The contract is for ten years, wow. He's signing a legal document saying he'll play baseball for half of the average anandtech users age.

 

[loogie]

<< Pfft... how about a coal miner who swings a heavier pick in higher temperatures and doesn't make squat? >>


Because anyone can mine coal. Go learn some economics.

 

[ForeverSilky]

<< Pfft... how about a coal miner who swings a heavier pick in higher temperatures and doesn't make squat? >>



Because people won't pay money to watch someone mine coal.

 

[Bryan]

loogie

Anyone can swing a bat or catch a ball. Go learn semantics.

Coal miners don't get paid more for better performance.

How about taxpayers who foot the bill for the stadiums, but don't give a hoot about baseball? They're paying for something they don't use. Now, when you come back to argue with &quot;because it benefits the economy of the city&quot;, then I ask why my original idea is so off base.

 

[FrogDog]

Uhhh, ForeverSilky, I wasn't crapping on baseball players, Bryan was. I play baseball and realize that it takes am enormous amount of strength, conditioning and skill.

 

[yakko]

<< The fact is that they shouldn't be &quot;earning&quot; ludicrous salaries in the first place >>


So you're saying that no one should make more than minimum wage? What constitutes a ludicrous salary? Who determines what jobs should pay? You? What a sad place this world would be if that were true. I have done jobs that I consider harder and more skill intensive than what I do now but the job I have now is the highest paying job I have ever had.

 

[loogie]

<< Anyone can swing a bat or catch a ball. >>


But can they do it well?

 

[yakko]

<< How about taxpayers who foot the bill for the stadiums, but don't give a hoot about baseball? >>


That is why I believe that the team owners should pay for the stadiums they use or that all teams are like the Green Bay Packers and owned by the city they are in.