Pay and Greed

I noted Tiger pitcher Justin Verlander signed a new contract.  I don't know what the annual payout is, but it averages to about $28,000,000 a year.  I don't begrudge him his money and he is one of the two Tigers I don't mind paying to watch.  But doesn't $28,000, 000 a year seem excessive?  Isn't that close to $1 million a start?  Good for him.

I read where some Hollywood-types make (earn?) more than $20,000--an hour!  No doubt some bankers and CEOs of companies brought home equally large amounts.  Again, I don't begrudge them their incomes as long as it is gained legally.

I just wonder, as I've written before, where is the anger, the protest with athletes' and Hollywood-types' income?  Oh, we see how "greedy" the corporate world is--and it might well be; I'm not arguing one way or the other now--but we never, ever see about any "greed" in professional sports, movies and television, hippy-rock music, etc.

And the income that CEOs, for instance make stems from things we actually need.  The head of Fords leads a company that builds cars; the CEO of Mobil runs a company that provides gasoline.  We clamor against their incomes.  Perhaps it's because we feel trapped, that we have no option but to buy cars and gas.  Where do the incomes of movie stars, NFL players, the latest gangsta rappers come from?  They come from us, just like the corporate incomes.  But there's a difference, to me at least. 

We don't need movies or the latest American Idol episode or an NBA game.  Yet, we continue to pay such exorbitant salaries by buying tickets, game shirts, DVDs, etc.  We pay for tickets--most of which are outlandishly priced.  $10 to see an evening movie?  Have you tried taking your grandkids to a ball game lately, tossing in a hot dog and pizza and soda?

I wonder how many nasty letters-to-the-editor I will see next week about the signing of Verlander by the Tigers.  I'm guessing there will be no nasty ones, but plenty of good ones.

Sometimes I sits and wonder and sometimes I just sits....