The other day, President Obama gave Stan Musial, a very reknowned baseball player, the Medal of Freedom. In his speech, he said that Musial was making the grand sum of $100,000, and was not happy with his level of play, and had thought of not taking the money. WOW...how things have changed...
Today, as in the past few days, Albert Pujols is in the news for not talking to the Saint Louis Cardinals about what salary he wants after his current contract expires. A figure offered in the article was $300 million over 10 years. Break it down to $30 million a year.
Albert is 31. Do we believe he'll play to the same level when he's 41? Do we think he'll need that kind of salary to "get by" after he retires? I do realize that professional athletes have a shorter career span than most people, but are their salaries commensurate with that span? There are many, many people who would not even come close to making $30 million during their entire career, even if they retire at 65! Let alone 41 or earlier...
There is a petition on the internet to try to convince the Saint Louis Cardinals owners to keep Pujols at any cost! They want him to remain a Cardinal for the rest of his career. Would they want it if the price of tickets doubled? If the price of those Pujols jerseys doubled? If the price of a beer and peanuts at the ball park doubled? If they lost their jobs and were on unemployment?
If Pujols loved his job, and the city he plays for, he'd play for the fun of it. If he were smart, he should already have enough money to keep him in a nice lifestyle for the rest of his life. If he were greedy, he'd hold out for a mega-salary and hold St. Louis hostage.
Professional sports is getting a lot more complicated, and expensive, on this Day 87!
Today, as in the past few days, Albert Pujols is in the news for not talking to the Saint Louis Cardinals about what salary he wants after his current contract expires. A figure offered in the article was $300 million over 10 years. Break it down to $30 million a year.
Albert is 31. Do we believe he'll play to the same level when he's 41? Do we think he'll need that kind of salary to "get by" after he retires? I do realize that professional athletes have a shorter career span than most people, but are their salaries commensurate with that span? There are many, many people who would not even come close to making $30 million during their entire career, even if they retire at 65! Let alone 41 or earlier...
There is a petition on the internet to try to convince the Saint Louis Cardinals owners to keep Pujols at any cost! They want him to remain a Cardinal for the rest of his career. Would they want it if the price of tickets doubled? If the price of those Pujols jerseys doubled? If the price of a beer and peanuts at the ball park doubled? If they lost their jobs and were on unemployment?
If Pujols loved his job, and the city he plays for, he'd play for the fun of it. If he were smart, he should already have enough money to keep him in a nice lifestyle for the rest of his life. If he were greedy, he'd hold out for a mega-salary and hold St. Louis hostage.
Professional sports is getting a lot more complicated, and expensive, on this Day 87!
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