This could simply be a case where the disconnect between generations is now becoming more pronounced for me but I’ve come to the realization of a few things regarding pro sports.  Having grown up a sports fanatic, I’ve really become more of a casual observer and have cooled to just about every sport but hockey as of late.  Moreso than any other era, I think the modern day athlete is completely out of touch with the average fan.  A huge factor in this are the stratospheric salaries being paid these guys to play a game.  As a proponent of capitalism, I have no problem with someone making an assload of money if someone is willing to pay them.  I just find it hard to sympathize, much less relate to, these athletes who, as rookies, make more than most doctors do.  Call me kooky but I think someone who has the capability to save lives takes precedence in the food chain of compensation over a genetic freak that happens to play a certain game well.

Having given up on the NBA after Michael Jordan retired (as a Bull only, since I refuse to acknowledge his misguided years as a Wizard), I have set my sights on being disgusted with the NFL.  It’s gotten to the point where I don’t even want to play FANTASY football because I don’t approve what the general NFL population is doing nowadays.  From the Bengals having double-digit arrest records to certain individuals having that many arrests by themselves to spousal abuse to dog murdering to numerous nightclub incidents to having houses searched and guns found in reach of toddlers to guys crashing their Lamborghinis on the highway and running away and filing false reports, I’m flat out fucking sick of NFL players right now.  And this is coming from someone who is a Chicago Bears season ticket holder (but isn’t going to any of the games this year). 

As great as I think commissioner Roger Goodell has been in meting out punishment, the league is completely out of control.  In fact, I propose that, at least in the Bengals’ instance, if there is any more arrest of team members I would suspend the coach for half a season.  Maybe that will wake up these teams to grab their players by the neck and put the fear of God in them to take accountability for their actions and who they hang out with.

Don’t even get me started on refusing to play unless a contract is renegotiated.  Where else but in the sports world can you get away with not honoring your multi-million dollar contract and not get fired?  Is there really a difference between and 30 million dollar contract and a 50 million dollar contract?  I don’t feel sorry if these jerks are forced to share a private jet instead of having one all to themselves.  My God, the more I think about how pampered these douchebags are the more I want to throttle them by their necks.

Part of the problem stems from star athletes being pampered all their life.  From getting preferential treatment in high school which is then carried on to people doing your homework for you in college which is then followed by keeping your sketchy posse of hangers-on when you become a multi-millionaire, these people are never held to be accountable for anything in their life.  In a way, it’s not their fault that everyone around them is a “yes man” and capitulates to their every need.  But to publicly bitch that you’re not getting every little thing handed to you on a platter is where these guys lose any public sympathy they might have.

The latest thing now I’ve noticed the past few years (and this is especially true of the Cubs and Bears) is that most of the players are publicly grumbling about being booed.  Again, these guys are used to being sycophantically cheered their entire life and then they are surprised when fans boo their subpar performance.  Well guess what?  You bet your ass I’ll boo and I have every goddamned right to as long as I’m not foul and I don’t threaten harm or include your family.  You’re making millions to play a kids game, your salaries are what drives up ticket prices and if you don’t perform the way you’re expected to, it is every ticket payer’s right to boo the living shit out of you. 

Don’t like it?  Wear earplugs.