Once again, greed rules. This one’s pretty self explanatory, so I’ll let it speak for itself. I’d love to hear your feedback on this whole free agency thing. It’s going to be crazy.
Had a (I hope you think) funny thought. If a player from any sport said he’d sign a contract for less money to save the fans their money would they put a straightjacket on him and send him to the mental hospital?
This is the reason, I am turning in to a soccer fan bit by bit every day. Even after the World Cup is over, I am going to start following the European pro leagues in addition to the MLS. It would be a change to follow s pro-sport where the millionaire athletes don’t hold out from camp, no contract controversies, no steroids scandals, and the only non-sport controversies are officiating errors. With the increased TV coverage of soccer, I feel as if a whole new world of sports entertainment has opened up for me. Now I can just turn off LeBron James’ greed and Terrel Owen’s “feed my family” tears. and Barry Bond’s juiced up “records”. Never thought I would say this.
Good Morning from Omaha-
Great cartoon, Drew. Its true that all this money for the ballplayers, football, basketball baseball, has sto come from somewhere. It has to come from either the fans, in ticket prices or hike in the cost of concessions or from ad revenue like schick, coors, budweiser etc, which in turn causes the prices of those products to go up…leading eventually back us, again.
Look at it this way, Drew, its apparent you love to make your living drawing great cartoons, just like ball players really enjoy playing any kind of game. All of sudden the Post, the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times all decide they want you to work for them exclusively. Would you take the best offer or say, Hey I really love doing what I am doing here on the web and a bunch of free lance? Oh and you wouldn’t have to move from Denver or Santa Fe. We would all take the money and run!
Yes sports is the sand box of life but its a great diversion even soccer.
Strive for excellence, nothing but your best.
Gene
I don’t begrudge anyone, including athletes, making as much money as they can. After all, it’s an honest living. I have yet to see Kobe, Jeter or Peyton make their paycheck at the expense of a massive oil spill or millions of purloined 401Ks. LeBron’s greed may be greed, but is nowhere near as malignant as Bernie Madoff’s.
That said, actually attending a pro sporting event is becoming a white-collar activity, save the minor leagues. Most of us would rather eat and watch at a sports bar for a quarter of the price of actually going to an event.
As for soccer, yes, I’m a huge fan, but the top Euro teams are almost the same way, and are not regulated by any sort of salary cap.
Like the Toon Drew. I am in favor of free agency because it allows players to be able to get out of a bad situation for them. The atheletes do make way too much money and it is now hard to take a family to a game because of it. One day the ticket prices will become too high and people will quit buying them. My daughter wants to go to a football game and I can’t afford the tickets to take her along with the price of the concessions. The only thing I can take her too are baseball games. Out here in Baltimore they at least have the Jr Orioles Dugout club which at least makes it affordable to take her to many games.
But at one point in the future all the tickets will become too high and people will stop buying them and turn their backs on the sport. But as long as fans are willing to pay for it the prices will keep increasing.
The odds aren't good. Simply put waiting for an NBA player to make a free throw is a bit like waiting for the Cubs to win the World Series. It just ain't gonna happen. At least in our lifetimes. It reminds me of one of my favorite stories. Legendary basketball coach Don Haskins, all 250 plus pounds of him, had a player who apparently thought a bit highly of himself and didn't find his deficiency at the free throw line to be that big of a deal. Haskins challenged him to a free throw contest and let the kid go first. The kid hit a couple out of 10 or so and proudly handed old man Haskins the ball. After the coach hit his 100th in a row without a miss the kid learned his lesson. Don't argue with the Bear. And learn to shoot free throws.
There isn't a way to leave comments in the Bull Pen (that I've found yet) so please feel free to leave your comments under the latest cartoon that I post.
Dear Mr. Litton,
Had a (I hope you think) funny thought. If a player from any sport said he’d sign a contract for less money to save the fans their money would they put a straightjacket on him and send him to the mental hospital?
Louis
This is the reason, I am turning in to a soccer fan bit by bit every day. Even after the World Cup is over, I am going to start following the European pro leagues in addition to the MLS. It would be a change to follow s pro-sport where the millionaire athletes don’t hold out from camp, no contract controversies, no steroids scandals, and the only non-sport controversies are officiating errors. With the increased TV coverage of soccer, I feel as if a whole new world of sports entertainment has opened up for me. Now I can just turn off LeBron James’ greed and Terrel Owen’s “feed my family” tears. and Barry Bond’s juiced up “records”. Never thought I would say this.
Good Morning from Omaha-
Great cartoon, Drew. Its true that all this money for the ballplayers, football, basketball baseball, has sto come from somewhere. It has to come from either the fans, in ticket prices or hike in the cost of concessions or from ad revenue like schick, coors, budweiser etc, which in turn causes the prices of those products to go up…leading eventually back us, again.
Look at it this way, Drew, its apparent you love to make your living drawing great cartoons, just like ball players really enjoy playing any kind of game. All of sudden the Post, the Chicago Tribune and the New York Times all decide they want you to work for them exclusively. Would you take the best offer or say, Hey I really love doing what I am doing here on the web and a bunch of free lance? Oh and you wouldn’t have to move from Denver or Santa Fe. We would all take the money and run!
Yes sports is the sand box of life but its a great diversion even soccer.
Strive for excellence, nothing but your best.
Gene
I don’t begrudge anyone, including athletes, making as much money as they can. After all, it’s an honest living. I have yet to see Kobe, Jeter or Peyton make their paycheck at the expense of a massive oil spill or millions of purloined 401Ks. LeBron’s greed may be greed, but is nowhere near as malignant as Bernie Madoff’s.
That said, actually attending a pro sporting event is becoming a white-collar activity, save the minor leagues. Most of us would rather eat and watch at a sports bar for a quarter of the price of actually going to an event.
As for soccer, yes, I’m a huge fan, but the top Euro teams are almost the same way, and are not regulated by any sort of salary cap.
These are FANTASTIC insights you guys!
Like the Toon Drew. I am in favor of free agency because it allows players to be able to get out of a bad situation for them. The atheletes do make way too much money and it is now hard to take a family to a game because of it. One day the ticket prices will become too high and people will quit buying them. My daughter wants to go to a football game and I can’t afford the tickets to take her along with the price of the concessions. The only thing I can take her too are baseball games. Out here in Baltimore they at least have the Jr Orioles Dugout club which at least makes it affordable to take her to many games.
But at one point in the future all the tickets will become too high and people will stop buying them and turn their backs on the sport. But as long as fans are willing to pay for it the prices will keep increasing.