Are Professional Athletes Overpaid?

I believe that professional athletes are drastically overpaid. We see athletes getting paid millions of dollars just to throw or kick a ball. I mean what importance are they to society beyond entertainment? They aren't.

I think that the athletes being overpaid issue begins in school with high school and college. Schools place an emphasis on sports, making students neglects their studies and grades because it is reinforced that from a young age
 that supports are an important part of life. Students who excel in sports have inflated egos because the schools are telling them that they are good at sports and should focus on it.

I am disabled and participated in many high school academic activities and competitions. Many able-bodied students also were involved with these activities. I remember lots of times when the teacher advisors for these activities try to ask the school district for our money to run our activities, including transportation, supplies, promotion, among other things. Most of the time the school gave us a limited budget or not at all, while sports was well-funded and received funds at the snap of the coaches' fingers. What does this tell students? It tells them that it pays to play sports more than it does to use one's mind to compete. I think this is the sad reality of school life.

High school athletes see professional athletes on TV received millions of dollars in salaries and the idolization my millions of fans. This makes them really want to become professional athletes later in life and so they neglect their studies and focus on sports.

During the junior and senior years of high school, the college recruiters start looking for great athletes to sign up with their college to play sports for large amounts of money. The colleges bribe the athletes with scholarships, cars, money, and many other perks to go to their schools. Of course, to young people at this age, the lure of big money and fame is a great attraction for them and they will aim for it.

 
Comments 1 - 10 of 32 Next >>
Comments
Type in Your Comments Below

you think you dont need your mind to play a sport? you need coordination and skill. its harder than you think.they might be paid too much but its for something you probably cant do.

Posted on 06/02/2009 at 10:06:37 AM

Hey I agree with John, athletes are overpaid. His article has some grammatical errors but that doesn't matter. Some of his arguments are flawed but who's aren't? I have Duchennes Muscular Dystrophy as well and John being disabled doesn't have anything to do with this article. Saying that this article had many grammatical errors if fine. But if you spell article (artilce) then your a hypocrite, because you can't spell either!

Posted on 05/07/2009 at 4:05:02 PM

They are overpaid it's rediculous

Posted on 04/23/2009 at 1:04:06 PM

Everyone seems to use disability as their argument. That has nothing to do with this subject, and by doing so and are creating a red herring fallacy.

Posted on 04/22/2009 at 9:04:13 AM

To mike, academic competitions are televised. Locally, we have scholastic scrimmage. Jeopardy is an academic competition. Spelling bees are televised. A new sport that is becoming popular is called chess boxing and involves boxing in the same game. Playing chess is similar to baseball if you want to get technical. To Jack, sure I'm cripple but far from stupid. It plays no part in my argument. I watch pro wrestling, ufc and hockey.

Posted on 04/22/2009 at 9:04:28 AM

John, I don't even know why I wasted my time reading this. This article to me seemed like a very biased affair, as if by mentioning you are disabled means able bodied persons should do nothing with their lives but study and read. You may or may not be jealous of professional athletes, I don't really care, but if you put yourself in their positions, wouldn't you feel like you earned the money? You would have been the one spending countless hours perfecting a passion. Also, I'm sorry if not everybody would love to join the school debate team or the chess club like you, but those things are simply not as popular as sports. There's a reason why sports are funded more, it's because more students enjoy playing sports, it's healthy, it's fun, and it's competitive. Furthermore, howcome you don't see any professional athletes among the richest people in the world? It's because these people are all entrepeneurs, CEO's of large corporations, etc. so before you continue ranting about,

Posted on 04/22/2009 at 9:04:25 AM

Stupid crip!

Posted on 04/22/2009 at 9:04:25 AM

You are just a cripple that hates athletes.

Posted on 04/22/2009 at 9:04:43 AM

Sports are a very important part of the society that we live in. Your opinion is very biased since you were not able to partake in athletics. It is not the fault of the athletes that they are bringing in that amount of revenue. Whether you like it or not they are very important figures for the public, especially young kids who need someone to idolize or need guidance. Sports teach so many life lessons and can shape people to be extremely stong individuals, but I guess chess and math competitions do the same..Not! Let me know when the next academic decathalon is on tv?

Posted on 04/02/2009 at 1:04:05 PM

your opionion is very unethical, it does not relate to their pay, the do what they do for a living, just as everyone else. If you do not agree with their pay, do not support the teams/players.

Posted on 03/31/2009 at 1:03:12 PM

Comments 1 - 10 of 32 Next >>