Priorities

[Don G]

I would like to voice my political views on this forum but I too do not want to offend anyone.

I do,however, think we have had our priorities wrong in this country for the past several years. I read the other day that 2 Doctors shared the Pulitzer Prize for some medical procedure. I don't recall the exact procedure. It was told that they would share an $800,000.00 gift. I agree that is a lot of money but it is $59,200,000.00 less than our VA Tech quarterback got to sign with the Atlanta Falcons. I think we had better direct our energy and interest in something that will improve the status of our country. My wife retired from teaching 5 years ago and felt, at that time, more emphasis was put on athletics rather than academics. It seems a lot of kids now have the feeling that "if it's not fun, don't do it".

I hope this message did not offend anyone but I just thought it needed to be said. We have 3 granddaughters and I can only hope we get back on the right track soon.

[KILLER]

I would like to voice my political views on this forum but I too do not want to offend anyone.

I do,however, think we have had our priorities wrong in this country for the past several years. I read the other day that 2 Doctors shared the Pulitzer Prize for some medical procedure. I don't recall the exact procedure. It was told that they would share an $800,000.00 gift. I agree that is a lot of money but it is $59,200,000.00 less than our VA Tech quarterback got to sign with the Atlanta Falcons. I think we had better direct our energy and interest in something that will improve the status of our country. My wife retired from teaching 5 years ago and felt, at that time, more emphasis was put on athletics rather than academics. It seems a lot of kids now have the feeling that "if it's not fun, don't do it".

I hope this message did not offend anyone but I just thought it needed to be said. We have 3 granddaughters and I can only hope we get back on the right track soon.

Don we will be on the right track soon when Kerrys IN. :D

[Big Zig]

I would like to voice my political views on this forum but I too do not want to offend anyone.

I do,however, think we have had our priorities wrong in this country for the past several years. I read the other day that 2 Doctors shared the Pulitzer Prize for some medical procedure. I don't recall the exact procedure. It was told that they would share an $800,000.00 gift. I agree that is a lot of money but it is $59,200,000.00 less than our VA Tech quarterback got to sign with the Atlanta Falcons. I think we had better direct our energy and interest in something that will improve the status of our country. My wife retired from teaching 5 years ago and felt, at that time, more emphasis was put on athletics rather than academics. It seems a lot of kids now have the feeling that "if it's not fun, don't do it".

I hope this message did not offend anyone but I just thought it needed to be said. We have 3 granddaughters and I can only hope we get back on the right track soon.

The funny thing is, everyone I talk to feels the same way, yet nothing changes. I always question when playing a professional sport became such an outrageously high payed profession. Why do we pay someone to chase a ball (football, basketball, baseball, golf, etc) around more then we pay someone to repair our bodies? I was never a diehard sports fan, but now just flat out won't support them. Don't tell me that they work hard for their money either - walk a day in any blue collar worker's shoes, then learn about working hard. Ever watch a training camp for professional sports? It's certainly not worth $30,000 a day.

We idolize those that teach us nothing, yet criticize those that want to teach us something valuable. We patronize sports arenas that are overpriced and un-personable, while at the same time all the business' that were started with a dream are ending in a nightmare. I don't get it either Don, I just don't get it..........

[chaunc]

If you haven't realized it yet, let me take a second to inform you. Professional sports is no longer a game. It's a buisness. Coorporate sponsorship has changed the way things were. They pay outrages money to have their names posted out there. Everyone wants a slice of it. Team owners have no choice but to put quality teams on the fields, courts, links, or wherevever, or they dont get the money. The players realize this so they ask for outrages salaries and receive them. Are you saying that educated people dont make outrageous money? Teachers may not, unless they're teaching surgeons and such. Ever wonder how much they make for an operation? and they'll get paid whether they save the patient or lose them. I'm a steelmill worker. I work hard to make $45, a year. If i had the chance to make outrageous money like athletes do, do you think i would complain? If they can get it, for playing" a game", by all means, do so. Just my opinion.

[Big Zig]

Are you saying that educated people dont make outrageous money?

No, I'm saying educated people aren't making the money that your "professional" athletes are. Which is a shame, as I believe the payroles should be reversed.

If you haven't realized it yet, let me take a second to inform you. Professional sports is no longer a game. It's a buisness

Exactly the point! The problem is seen at the ground level - my son played on a soccer team this fall. We had a great coach, the children had fun playing the game. Another team wasn't so "lucky" - the emphasis was on winning the game, which involved more then one child being in tears when they missed a goal. Is this how we teach the proper "priorities" to children - bringing them to tears because they don't win? Because if they don't win, they don't make the money like their "idols" hanging on the back of their bedroom doors? Please. FYI - these children were 4-6 years old; I believe we need to put the game in front of the business.

If i had the chance to make outrageous money like athletes do, do you think i would complain?

Why not, they do.

[Barnacle Bill]

I normally don't participate in conversations like this, but Big Zig, you are the first person I've ran into that feels the same way I do about sports. And the the schools wonder why they can't keep good teachers!

[S10CHEVY]

My other favorite thing is racing, but will not pay the price to go watch one, when sitting in front of my tv, and have the best view in the house. NA$CAR has gotten just as bad as the rest of the sports. It all has to end somewhere, and if the common man can't make a decent living anymore, and have health care and benefits, then eventually it will end.

NA$CAR and others own the tracks they race on, but are all of you aware that football, baseball, and basketball, the owners of the teams, don't own their respective turfs. It is the little man who lives in that area, and pays taxes, that actually owns the turf. Pittsburgh tore down 3 Rivers Stadium, and built both a football and a baseball fields. They asked us who live in Mercer County to help pay for it and our answer to them was NO WAY!!! It would not benefit our county in any way, with it being two counties south. Why should we pay for fields, for them to play on, and make money off of, with them getting richer? They talk about capping lawsuits, well they had better cap these ridiculous salaries. Keith

[chaunc]

Now dont get me wrong. I dont think atheletes should be role models. Kids will emulate them and idolize them basically if their parents permit it. We instill the values in our children, or we should anyway. If we are cheering for athletes and talking about how great they play, with young kids present, sure, they will want to be like them. They may believe that, that's what it takes to impress us, and want to be like that to get the same feeling from us. It's really up to us to mold our kids to be be the type of people we'd like them to be. Does it always work? NO, but if we give it our best shot, we have to live with it. I love sports. I played semi-pro football for quite a few years. It was still a game back then (70"s). It's just not the same anymore, in any sport. Rule changes to put more points on the board. Salary caps to change the teams. And by the way, thats why so many athletes are getting that crazy money. Even tho i still watch them on TV and once in a while i'll go to a game, the sporting world is out of control. It's just entertainment now. ASK Terrell Owens........

[fatboy]

Chaunc, you a United Steelworker? Steelworker member here.

[url]www.uswa.org

[fatboy]

I for one stands up and gives a big handshake to Chaunc. Well said. I know guys at work who spent 2,200 dollars a year on season tickets, parking passes and tailgating passes for the Tennessee Titans games. Hmm, not me. Watch them if i can, if i can't, no biggy. Back when i played college ball and was known as Damn your a big rascal, instead of Fat Boy, i knew all the teams, all the players, all the stats. Then somewhere along the way i got married, had children and got a life.