The Ultimate Trade in Pro Ball

The Trade

It was only 6 years ago that A Rod signed a ten year contract with the Yankees for $275 million dollars and most recently was almost forced to voluntarily retire early. His early retirement consideration breaking headlines a week ago was reportedly stopped by JayZ and his insistence to fight MLB’s historic 162 game suspension for illegal doping. A decade ago Kobe signed with the Lake Show for $136 million, dropping many peoples jaws into their laps, yet now that contract is buried at #34 of the biggest athletic contracts-inflation one can surmise.

There’s no doubt that there is corruption on all major league sports teams, they are for profit businesses after all. Even college athletes once held safely behind ivy covered institutional walls were kept from being tainted with endorsements, or perks-now a union is being considered for the BCS to handle this non-existent “player” money correctly and professionally.  Is it unfair that college players get paid or should they abstain before a marriage with the big leagues? All morality aside in games with balls, the actual cost of professional sports has been sinfully and irreproachably ignored on the whole. Just this year the NFL considered owning up to some responsibility for the head banging concussions of football players and the possibility of long term effects. Wow.

Retired athletes, professional to a high level or not, are just like veterans, without the VA. Aside from the fact that the VA is surrounded in their own corruption charges, as President Obama stated today, that goes without saying or giving credit to the thousands of veterans and family members of those veterans that the VA does help every day. At least this country recognizes the responsibility of taking care of our military after they give their live as a sacrifice in protecting and serving this democratic country.  So athletes don’t do anything nearly as chivalric as our service men and women, they entertain the masses. Unfortunately this talented form of entertainment, live TV and games are not the root of all evil, entertainment is a necessary part of life for us humans.

Athletes are idols, they are role models, they are on the Wheaties box, and we are programmed to live vicariously through them if we are not talented ourselves.  If you are “lucky” enough to be athletically talented you can devote your whole life trying to be in the less than 10% that makes it to the professional level. Ah-but when you do make it to that level your entire identity is wrapped up in being the best athlete possible, then what happens when these lucky people retire? Yes, many coach and a few are sportscasters, but what about the post traumatic stress syndrome? Help finding themselves again? There is no RAC (Retired Athletes Coalition) for counseling….

What about the physical toll, often inseparable from the physical history of the athlete, for extreme but real example the death of the beloved Junior Seau?

The three former Cardinals players whom are suing the NFL in a controversial painkiller lawsuit are nothing short of brave and finally have given mention to a problem that is as old as sports. Not the painkiller part, but making players play hurt, lying to them about their injuries or making them at least feel that they have no choice. This are the real souvenirs professional athletes get along with their large dollar contracts, they are left broken, addicted and often with medical ailments solely blamable on the professional sport or league of affiliation.  

Now back to the writing on the wall, or the fine print of those hefty contracts we all are so envious of. Millions to play with a ball-seriously?

The real trade for any athlete is perhaps not stated clearly between all those zeros is “your life”, especially when a drug problem can eat through those pennies like a termite. Even in college level sports, where these young men and women, often in their physical prime, still play for the love of the game, they play for the fans, for school pride, are subject to “cortisone” shots and “vitamin supplements”.

It’s sad. Sports are the only good reality TV anymore, but the message we are sending our kids with their morning cereal and Gatorade commercials is sounding more like peer pressure and not inspiration. 

*Image By Goodbar73 (talk)Goodbar73 (Own workOwn work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons. (*image does not represent writers personal favorite College Football team )