Man, I’m about on my last straw with pro sports

[18IsTheMan]

I was never huge fan of the NBA, but I followed my Knicks. But then the league gave up on defense, the Knicks went in the toilet and the league is now a puppet for the PRC.

I was more of an NFL fan, but my Bills went into a prolonged funk and now the league is going the way of the NBA.

I still had MLB, which has always been my favorite pro sport. It wasn’t a sacrifice to stop caring about the NBA or NFL. But, man, another work stoppage? I’m just about done. I don’t care what it’s about or who’s right or wrong. Whatever line of work you’re in, if the MINIMUM salary is $570K, you have NOTHING to complain about. There’s not a single imaginable grievance to justify it.

Millions of Americans are stressed right now with insane inflation and gas prices and wondering how to make it work, and these guys can’t go to work for a salary no less than $570K. Absurd.

 

[Fried Chicken]

I was never huge fan of the NBA, but I followed my Knicks. But then the league gave up on defense, the Knicks went in the toilet and the league is now a puppet for the PRC.

I was more of an NFL fan, but my Bills went into a prolonged funk and now the league is going the way of the NBA.

I still had MLB, which has always been my favorite pro sport. It wasn’t a sacrifice to stop caring about the NBA or NFL. But, man, another work stoppage? I’m just about done. I don’t care what it’s about or who’s right or wrong. Whatever line of work you’re in, if the MINIMUM salary is $570K, you have NOTHING to complain about. There’s not a single imaginable grievance to justify it.

Millions of Americans are stressed right now with insane inflation and gas prices and wondering how to make it work, and these guys can’t go to work for a salary no less than $570K. Absurd.

At the same time, the owners make a crap load of $$…so you can see the players frustrations.

It’s sad what sports have turned out to be. It really is. Lebron basically admitted he plays for $$ right now, and you have to wonder why. Does he really need more? I get it for some of these players…they spend a lot of their prime working to get the league minimum which is a lot. But if they only play 2 years, that’s not enough and they’re starting all over.

Its just crazy considering this time 2 years ago sports shut down. Fans, players, and owners would’ve given anything to just play. Yet here baseball is…

People in this world are so forgetful. They don’t remember ****. All they can remember is they gotta get what’s theirs. It’s a sad reality of life.

 

[Dod Rangerfield]

I was never huge fan of the NBA, but I followed my Knicks. But then the league gave up on defense, the Knicks went in the toilet and the league is now a puppet for the PRC.

I was more of an NFL fan, but my Bills went into a prolonged funk and now the league is going the way of the NBA.

I still had MLB, which has always been my favorite pro sport. It wasn’t a sacrifice to stop caring about the NBA or NFL. But, man, another work stoppage? I’m just about done. I don’t care what it’s about or who’s right or wrong. Whatever line of work you’re in, if the MINIMUM salary is $570K, you have NOTHING to complain about. There’s not a single imaginable grievance to justify it.

Millions of Americans are stressed right now with insane inflation and gas prices and wondering how to make it work, and these guys can’t go to work for a salary no less than $570K. Absurd.

Right there with you.

I’m a hard core Braves fan. Go to several games a year. When they did their early bird pre-sale in late November, I jumped in there & bought some tickets to a game in early April, early June, & Labor Day weekend. Now it looks like the greed is gonna cause the schedule to be altered, screwing up our plans. If they don’t fix this, they’ll be done getting my hard earned money. I know it won’t matter to them, but hopefully there’ll be a lot of like minded folks.

 

[ToddFlanders]

I was never huge fan of the NBA, but I followed my Knicks. But then the league gave up on defense, the Knicks went in the toilet and the league is now a puppet for the PRC.

I was more of an NFL fan, but my Bills went into a prolonged funk and now the league is going the way of the NBA.

I still had MLB, which has always been my favorite pro sport. It wasn’t a sacrifice to stop caring about the NBA or NFL. But, man, another work stoppage? I’m just about done. I don’t care what it’s about or who’s right or wrong. Whatever line of work you’re in, if the MINIMUM salary is $570K, you have NOTHING to complain about. There’s not a single imaginable grievance to justify it.

Millions of Americans are stressed right now with insane inflation and gas prices and wondering how to make it work, and these guys can’t go to work for a salary no less than $570K. Absurd.

Some professions make more than others - that doesn't negate unfair circumstances simply because you're in one of the better paying ones. But the players aren't just employees, they are the product. The stadiums, the merchandise, the tv ratings - those are all revenue streams available to the owners because of the product they sell. And when your product is a human, you're going to have to shell out more than if your product was an inanimate object.

 

[KingWard]

I was never huge fan of the NBA, but I followed my Knicks. But then the league gave up on defense, the Knicks went in the toilet and the league is now a puppet for the PRC.

I was more of an NFL fan, but my Bills went into a prolonged funk and now the league is going the way of the NBA.

I still had MLB, which has always been my favorite pro sport. It wasn’t a sacrifice to stop caring about the NBA or NFL. But, man, another work stoppage? I’m just about done. I don’t care what it’s about or who’s right or wrong. Whatever line of work you’re in, if the MINIMUM salary is $570K, you have NOTHING to complain about. There’s not a single imaginable grievance to justify it.

Millions of Americans are stressed right now with insane inflation and gas prices and wondering how to make it work, and these guys can’t go to work for a salary no less than $570K. Absurd.

In times to come, people might get a difficult lesson in what they truly need versus what they can do without. I would miss golf because current performance dictates earnings, but I can live without all spectator sports and especially professional sports if I have to. My auto mechanic, plumber, doctor - I need those.

 

[Cocky99]

I’ve been done with pro-sports for awhile. Other people can contribute their $$$ toward paying them millions and millions of dollars to play catch ball and push false political narratives. I’m not.

 

[The Reel Ess]

I just go fishing instead. It's good for my mental and physical health. Much more rewarding.

 

[NYC_Gamecock]

I am also on my last straw with sports in general with both the professional and collegiate ranks. After watching sports for 40 years, there is nothing new and refreshing anymore to entice my attention and interest. All the player egoism, selfishness, hypocrisy and social political narrative nonsense is rapidly causing my love of sports to wane!

 

[irmococky]

I was never huge fan of the NBA, but I followed my Knicks. But then the league gave up on defense, the Knicks went in the toilet and the league is now a puppet for the PRC.

I was more of an NFL fan, but my Bills went into a prolonged funk and now the league is going the way of the NBA.

I still had MLB, which has always been my favorite pro sport. It wasn’t a sacrifice to stop caring about the NBA or NFL. But, man, another work stoppage? I’m just about done. I don’t care what it’s about or who’s right or wrong. Whatever line of work you’re in, if the MINIMUM salary is $570K, you have NOTHING to complain about. There’s not a single imaginable grievance to justify it.

Millions of Americans are stressed right now with insane inflation and gas prices and wondering how to make it work, and these guys can’t go to work for a salary no less than $570K. Absurd.

3 1/2 hours to 4 hour college football games? No thank you, stopped watching those years ago.

 

[18IsTheMan]

In times to come, people might get a difficult lesson in what they truly need versus what they can do without. I would miss golf because current performance dictates earnings, but I can live without all spectator sports and especially professional sports if I have to. My auto mechanic, plumber, doctor - I need those.

This is certainly true. I used to consider sports essential. Now, as much as I love the idea, I can do without.

 

[18IsTheMan]

At the same time, the owners make a crap load of $$…so you can see the players frustrations.

It’s sad what sports have turned out to be. It really is. Lebron basically admitted he plays for $$ right now, and you have to wonder why. Does he really need more? I get it for some of these players…they spend a lot of their prime working to get the league minimum which is a lot. But if they only play 2 years, that’s not enough and they’re starting all over.

Its just crazy considering this time 2 years ago sports shut down. Fans, players, and owners would’ve given anything to just play. Yet here baseball is…

People in this world are so forgetful. They don’t remember ****. All they can remember is they gotta get what’s theirs. It’s a sad reality of life.

Amen to that.

 

[KingWard]

This is certainly true. I used to consider sports essential. Now, as much as I love the idea, I can do without.

Age brings about experience, introspection, and shifts in priorities.

 

[Lurker123]

Age brings about experience, introspection, and shifts in priorities.

I was about to post something similar.

I cared a lot about sports when I was younger. For me, my interest dwindled when my kids started walking.

Now it's a distant second to a lot of things in my life.

 

[18IsTheMan]

I was about to post something similar.

I cared a lot about sports when I was younger. For me, my interest dwindled when my kids started walking.

Now it's a distant second to a lot of things in my life.

Yep, having kids changed everything.

There's a part of me that wishes I cared about some sports as much as I used to. College football is still hanging in there, for now. I still have great anticipation every year when fall rolls around. If the sport keeps trending the way it's going, it'll probably fall off as well. I'm still holding onto the ideal of college football, even if it really no longer exists.

 

[TheRoo]

I was never huge fan of the NBA, but I followed my Knicks. But then the league gave up on defense, the Knicks went in the toilet and the league is now a puppet for the PRC.

I was more of an NFL fan, but my Bills went into a prolonged funk and now the league is going the way of the NBA.

I still had MLB, which has always been my favorite pro sport. It wasn’t a sacrifice to stop caring about the NBA or NFL. But, man, another work stoppage? I’m just about done. I don’t care what it’s about or who’s right or wrong. Whatever line of work you’re in, if the MINIMUM salary is $570K, you have NOTHING to complain about. There’s not a single imaginable grievance to justify it.

Millions of Americans are stressed right now with insane inflation and gas prices and wondering how to make it work, and these guys can’t go to work for a salary no less than $570K. Absurd.

Totally agree but my concern is where are you going to place your downtime attention? Music and Sports are still my favorite outlets. I try to stay away from Politics and News because it eventually eats people alive. Not a big reader. Wish I was.

 

[TN-Gamecock]

The only PRO sport I will consider watching is Hockey...I'm dying to get to a Nashville Predators Hockey Match...They say, it's so much fun
and the crowd gets into it. They too say a lot of Country Music Stars show up. I know Carrie Underwood's husband plays for the team and she's
at all the matches/games.

Hockey players love the game and don't seem to be political at all.

One of my other bucket lists things to do before I exit the earth is to see the Toronto Maple Leaf's play in Toronto.

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

But the players aren't just employees, they are the product.

I feel differently about that. To me the GAME is the product. I remember thinking during the last work stoppage that they could of brought up minor leaguers and played the games. We would have found new favorite players to root for after awhile and the striking players could try to make their multi-million salaries selling cars or whatever else they'd be qualified to do. Which in most cases would be nothing. But I'm sure some labor law would have prevented it.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Totally agree but my concern is where are you going to place your downtime attention? Music and Sports are still my favorite outlets. I try to stay away from Politics and News because it eventually eats people alive. Not a big reader. Wish I was.

Kids. With a 5 year old, 3 year old and 7 month old, it's more a question of where would I find time for sports? As much I still love college football, I already have to intentionally carve out time for it now that we have kids. MLB has the advantage that it's most every day from spring through fall so it's not as hard to catch a game here and there, but it's just difficult to get enthusiasm up when they don't care. If they don't care, why should I?

 

[18IsTheMan]

I feel differently about that. To me the GAME is the product. I remember thinking during the last work stoppage that they could of brought up minor leaguers and played the games. We would have found new favorite players to root for after awhile and the striking players could try to make their multi-million salaries selling cars or whatever else they'd be qualified to do. Which in most cases would be nothing. But I'm sure some labor law would have prevented it.

Yes. As with any employee/employer relationship, it's the employer/owner who carries the financial risk. People wonder why owners make more money. It's an easy answer: they shoulder the financial risk.

 

[Dod Rangerfield]

I feel differently about that. To me the GAME is the product. I remember thinking during the last work stoppage that they could of brought up minor leaguers and played the games. We would have found new favorite players to root for after awhile and the striking players could try to make their multi-million salaries selling cars or whatever else they'd be qualified to do. Which in most cases would be nothing. But I'm sure some labor law would have prevented it.

This.

 

[atl-cock]

The only PRO sport I will consider watching is Hockey...I'm dying to get to a Nashville Predators Hockey Match...They say, it's so much fun
and the crowd gets into it. They too say a lot of Country Music Stars show up. I know Carrie Underwood's husband plays for the team and she's
at all the matches/games.

Hockey players love the game and don't seem to be political at all.

One of my other bucket lists things to do before I exit the earth is to see the Toronto Maple Leafs play in Toronto.

Sadly, there's a bit of a racist legacy in ice hockey......

 

[atl-cock]

I feel differently about that. To me the GAME is the product. I remember thinking during the last work stoppage that they could have brought up minor leaguers and played the games. We would have found new favorite players to root for after awhile and the striking players could try to make their multi-million salaries selling cars or whatever else they'd be qualified to do. Which in most cases would be nothing. But I'm sure some labor law would have prevented it.

Bringing up the MiLBers is contractually problematic, and then such players would be affected by the strike or lockout, I think.

Remember, right now this is a lockout, not a strike.

 

[atl-cock]

Probably the purest form of collegiate sports is D-III and the NAIA. Those folks know that they are not and will not become professional athletes.

The closest in D-I which I recall being publicized was a few years ago when Davidson won a baseball Regional in Chapel Hill, and used a (senior) pitcher for way too many innings than is the current norm. Said pitcher knew that when the Wildcats' playoff run ended, he was continuing his education as a graduate student in Pharmacy, i.e., no pitching arm to ruin.

 

[GCJerryUSC]

Totally agree but my concern is where are you going to place your downtime attention? Music and Sports are still my favorite outlets. I try to stay away from Politics and News because it eventually eats people alive. Not a big reader. Wish I was.

Stopped watching politics/news decades ago. Was tired of the agenda pushing and the exaggeration and the sky is falling.

Have to restrain myself from replying to some posters because I am very opioniated and outspoken so I have to just sulk silently which is very hard for me to do.

 

[Dod Rangerfield]

Sadly, there's a bit of a racist legacy in ice hockey......

Get outta here with that ****!!

 

[Gamecock Jacque]

Get outta here with that ****!!

What in this country doesn't have a racist legacy? The past is past. It's about moving forward. The NHL has more black players today than ever.
EDIT: I think I replied to the wrong poster. Sorry about that.

 

[TN-Gamecock]

Sadly, there's a bit of a racist legacy in ice hockey......

Well.............sports where that may be perceived is still; somewhat fun to go to, has less crowd violence, no players kneeling during the anthem, and players who do not get in trouble with the law...ie golf, hockey, tennis, swimming, NASCAR, horse racing, skiing, bowling, bicycling, croquet, handball, polo, gymnastics, fishing, cross country running...etc etc...

The sports that gives all sports a bad name come from the NFL and NBA (by and large)...foul language, legal trouble, fighting, gun violence, sex, political BS, and on and on.....IMO

 

[Maccmaine12]

I was never huge fan of the NBA, but I followed my Knicks. But then the league gave up on defense, the Knicks went in the toilet and the league is now a puppet for the PRC.

I was more of an NFL fan, but my Bills went into a prolonged funk and now the league is going the way of the NBA.

I still had MLB, which has always been my favorite pro sport. It wasn’t a sacrifice to stop caring about the NBA or NFL. But, man, another work stoppage? I’m just about done. I don’t care what it’s about or who’s right or wrong. Whatever line of work you’re in, if the MINIMUM salary is $570K, you have NOTHING to complain about. There’s not a single imaginable grievance to justify it.

Millions of Americans are stressed right now with insane inflation and gas prices and wondering how to make it work, and these guys can’t go to work for a salary no less than $570K. Absurd.

I mean the players know their worth. Can’t be mad at them for wanting things to be fair

 

[Importcock]

At the same time, the owners make a crap load of $$…so you can see the players frustrations.

It’s sad what sports have turned out to be. It really is. Lebron basically admitted he plays for $$ right now, and you have to wonder why. Does he really need more? I get it for some of these players…they spend a lot of their prime working to get the league minimum which is a lot. But if they only play 2 years, that’s not enough and they’re starting all over.

Its just crazy considering this time 2 years ago sports shut down. Fans, players, and owners would’ve given anything to just play. Yet here baseball is…

People in this world are so forgetful. They don’t remember ****. All they can remember is they gotta get what’s theirs. It’s a sad reality of life.

I really don't understand this line of thinking. On every job I've ever had except when I owned my own business, I expected the owner of the business to make a lot more money than me. And when I owned my business I felt like I should be making more than my employees. In most cases the owner is the one who takes the risks. Yeah in a good year they can make a buttload of money. But what about a year where the owner loses a buttload and still has to pay the employees? JMHO

 

[18IsTheMan]

I mean the players know their worth. Can’t be mad at them for wanting things to be fair

I understand all that, but when the median MLB salary results in a player taking home more in a day than most Americans would take home in a single paycheck, it looks a bit tone deaf. It's just rich people bickering with richer people.

The only one who ends up paying a price are the fans, who are the ones that make the whole operation work in the first place.

 

[Fowlmoodin99]

Our societal dysfunction in many areas has led to Anerican sports becoming a reminder, in one way or another, of all the things going on around us that truly concern us.

About ten years ago I started watching worldwide soccer, in my case, Serie A and English Premier League. What I found is that following foreign sports at least removes me from direct homeland issues. I've got a couple teams reflective of where my ancestors came from and I am all in. It's new, it's diverse, its worldwide, and it makes sports a little less personal and more fun.

 

[GuitarCock]

The commissioner and the owners must hate baseball. Pathetic to see what they're doing to the game

 

[18IsTheMan]

The commissioner and the owners must hate baseball. Pathetic to see what they're doing to the game

They are all culpable. Players, owners, commissioner.

 

[Dod Rangerfield]

I really don't understand this line of thinking. On every job I've ever had except when I owned my own business, I expected the owner of the business to make a lot more money than me. And when I owned my business I felt like I should be making more than my employees. In most cases the owner is the one who takes the risks. Yeah in a good year they can make a buttload of money. But what about a year where the owner loses a buttload and still has to pay the employees? JMHO

This.

 

[GuitarCock]

@Importcock tell us about that year where a MLB owner loses a buttload of money

 

[USCBatgirl21]

They are all culpable. Players, owners, commissioner.

As are the fans for the continued support. They know that the fans will still come whenever they get their crap together.

 

[18IsTheMan]

As are the fans for the continued support. They know that the fans will still come whenever they get their crap together.

To some degree. MLB took a massive hit with fans back in '94-'95 and it took a good while to rebuild their brand, but that was an epic stoppage. Over 200 days. If they get this cleaned up and only miss a few games then fans will probably move on pretty quick, but if it drags on, they will pay a price with the fans. Plus, the last work stoppage happened before the internet was much of a thing. Now, the whole ugly fiasco is on display, blow-by-blow, on social media and all manner of websites.

 

[atl-cock]

I really don't understand this line of thinking. On every job I've ever had except when I owned my own business, I expected the owner of the business to make a lot more money than me. And when I owned my business I felt like I should be making more than my employees. In most cases the owner is the one who takes the risks. Yeah in a good year they can make a buttload of money. But what about a year where the owner loses a buttload and still has to pay the employees? JMHO

It appears that owners are still making far more money than the players do. Now having said that, you are, IMO, correct that the owner ought to make more than the employees, since normally is the employer who's taking the risks.

Decades ago, baseball players would often have to take winter jobs just to make ends meet. Owners would tell the players that they should consider themselves lucky to be playing as a ruse to keep salaries artificially low.

And of course, with the reserve rule, players essentially had zero recourse to seek employment elsewhere.

Has the pendulum swung too far in the other direction? Perhaps. Helps to have a collaborative relationship between management/owners and the players rather than an adversarial one.

 

[18IsTheMan]

It appears that owners are still making far more money than the players do. Now having said that, you are, IMO, correct that the owner ought to make more than the employees, since normally is the employer who's taking the risks.

Decades ago, baseball players would often have to take winter jobs just to make ends meet. Owners would tell the players that they should consider themselves lucky to be playing as a ruse to keep salaries artificially low.

And of course, with the reserve rule, players essentially had zero recourse to seek employment elsewhere.

Has the pendulum swung too far in the other direction? Perhaps. Helps to have a collaborative relationship between management/owners and the players rather than an adversarial one.

From what little I have read on the issue, it sounds like the players demands were pretty reasonable, but I think most publications have a larger agenda in making owners look like the bad guys, so it's hard to tell what's unbiased.

I did see where the owners also want to expand the playoffs and put advertisement patches on uniforms.

If the latter happens, I'll be done for sure.

 

[atl-cock]

From what little I have read on the issue, it sounds like the players demands were pretty reasonable, but I think most publications have a larger agenda in making owners look like the bad guys, so it's hard to tell what's unbiased.

I did see where the owners also want to expand the playoffs and put advertisement patches on uniforms.

If the latter happens, I'll be done for sure.

Playoffs are excessive already as it is.

Lots of ads on the uniforms of soccer players (footballers for those outside of the US/Canada) already. If that happens in MLB, the players for certain are going to want a cut of that additional revenue stream.