I shouldn’t even be writing about this, but need to vent. First, why should a pro ball player get all
the hype (and I know from hype) vs. teacher, firefighter, cop, fisherman and
every other hard-working, low-paid guy/gal out there? Yeah, I know the answer – ticket sales. But, it’s all so backwards. Check out the news – oil gushing in the Gulf,
consumers not spending, guns back on the streets, Greece going under, Somalia
under siege and still not enough new housing in New Orleans.
Not only are we rewarding the wrong folks, but we’re tuning
in (not me) to a TV spectacle out of Connecticut to see this as-of-yet NBA
champ turn down his hometown Cavs to turn up the Heat.
I say put a ring on it.
If LeBron is going to cash a check for over $19 million a year (not
counting endorsements) shouldn’t he already have some NBA jewelry? Is he really
King without bling?
So he’ll make a smidge less than he could have with the Cavs
or NY. He can still spend plenty on
South Beach clubs, hot cars and the greenest golf courses with no state income
tax.
LeBron said “I’m going to take my talents to South
Beach…that was the conclusion I woke up with this morning.” Oh, give me a break.
Somehow our country needs to get a new perspective on all
this stuff. Sports is a guy with big
sneakers and a basketball and a teacher shapes the next generation. Basketball in one hand…brain in the
other. Not a tough choice. Can you imagine the numbers of teachers we’d
be recruiting and landing if we paid them what LeBron is getting paid?
So, bottom line, even with a ring it’s wrong. If kids stopped looking at the pros as heroes
and Wheaties stopped putting them on their box we’d all be much better off.