Professional Sports

There were a couple of things in today's newspaper that explained a lot why I don't really follow professional sports any more.  Yeah, I know, "Then why were you reading the sports section?"  I do read it, maybe two or three times a week.  But that's about it.  Oh, I used to be a big fan of all three Detroit teams, the Tigers, Lions, Red Wings, and Pistons.  Now, of the four, only the Tigers get my passing attention.  I think that's because of baseball, which I still think, if played right, is a terrific game to watch.  Also, there's the Miguel Cabrera factor; I enjoy watching him hit a baseball.  Going down to Tiger Stadium (or whatever it's called) is still a fun time.

One of the things was an article on the Tigers, specifically the mediocrity of their outfielders' arms.  I will have to plead ignorance to that.  I don't know what kind of arms they have, but if it's brought up, maybe there's something to it.  In some ways, I think strong outfield arms are overrated, esp relative to other aspects of playing the outfield.  Of course, that might be because I had a very average arm when I played.

But what struck me was this, the number of coaches.  The article mentioned the outfielders' coach and then a defensive coach/coordinator (Yes, "coordinator" and this is the Tigers, not the Lions).  I'm assuming that there is a pitching coach, a catching coach, a bullpen coach, an infielders' coach, a hitting coach, and a bench coach.  Can we include the ubiquitous (with every sport now!) strength and training coach?  Did I miss any?

At Michael's baseball banquet, like his basketball banquet, there were two coaches, at least, for every level--varsity, junior varsity, freshman.  And this was high school ball!  Back when, I was the varsity baseball coach and there was a JV coach and a freshman coach--one for every level.  Coaching football, there were three varsity coaches, two JV coaches, and two freshman coaches.  I'll bet if we checked high school football coaching staffs today, we would find at least 5 or 6 coaches for football, on the varsity level alone.  I guess, with all of these coaches, we can assume that the players are getting better coaching/teaching??????  I think my question marks tell my thoughts on that.

The other article focused on contracts recently signed by NHL and NBA players.  OK, I'm sure I know a lot of folks who disagree with me, but to give some of these guys millions, tens of millions of dollars a year to play hockey or basketball (or any professional sport) is ridiculous.  I know how talented these guys are, the best in the world.  I know some of them have worked very hard to achieve what they have.  And I don't at all begrudge the players.  Who wouldn't take the money?  And if people want to continue to support the salaries by purchasing tickets, sports wear, etc, by patronizing sponsors, good for them.  I harbor no gripes.  It just all seems ridiculous in light of my next paragraph.

For more than a month now, the Wayne County Sheriff's Department is advertising for recruits.  Like some other positions, apparently there is a shortage.  And, touting the job, the starting pay is included:  $29,000 a year!  You read that right--$29,000 to deal with scum, to have every doo-gooder (and I mean "doo") waiting for the slightest misstep (until the "doo-gooders" need police help!), to put their lives on the line every day, to take heat from the media and politicians, etc.  And compare this $29,000 to the millions, the tens of millions professional athletes are getting.  Let's toss in another job and pay: teachers.  The average, state by state, is pathetic.  (I know what you are thinking, some of my past blog posts.  Yep, bad teachers, and there are more of them than most of us would like to admit, don't even deserve this starting pay.  But there are some good and great ones out there.  Their pay, even with the step raises they get, is misguided and downright stupid.)  Do a check of starting teacher pay by state.  Most are in the low to mid $30,000 range.  I think DC and NJ are close to $50K.  A handful of others are in the $40,000s, but not many.  But even those are offset by several still in the upper $20.000s.  I was out with several teachers a short while ago, current and retired.  One of those NBA guys (actually far more than one of them and just the ones who signed recently, not the entire gamut) makes more in a year than all 8 of us did throughout our decades-long careers. (The total had to be in well in excess of 250 years cumulative teaching.  Eight times 30 years equal 240--I used my calculator.  And I myself already have 45 years in.)  I don't at all, to repeat, the athletes for taking the money.  I would; who wouldn't?  I think society has values that are all messed up.