• SeanRenaud said on Nov 23, 2006....

  We pay each according to what they are worth.  An athlete is worth worth more than you, or me or your husband to society.  That is just the way it works.  Stop being upset over it, it doesn't help a thing.  The thing that is troublesome is that we don't value certain others more than we do.  Teachers for instance.  I'm not certain what your hubby does so I can't really say if he is unfairly under valued or not.

• Kuni said on Nov 24, 2006....

  He's a mechanical engineer by degree, but that industry is just not hiring right now.  I for one don't think athletes are worth more than the average person, and I do think teachers, librarians, and nurses are all under paid and that is so wrong because without them our communities would fail.  Athletes, on the other hand, are for entertainment and also build the gambling industry.  Is that really what we want for future generations?  I'm certainly not saying that my life is more important than others, but Sean you don't have to be so rude.

• curmudgeon said on Nov 24, 2006....

  Think of how many mechanical engineers there are on the market. Now think about how many people are qualified to play tight end or quarterback or noseguard on a professional football team. How many people can run as fast as your average running back while dodging and/or plowing through a 250 pound defenseman? Now ask yourself - how many teams are out there providing opportunities to play? Then, how much money are the owners making off of these players?
   
  How much physical, emotional and mental committment and dedication does it take to play through the pain and injury, to suffer loss, to endure scathing criticism and heckling and still get up there and get in the game week after week?
   
  Now - how many mechanical engineers have to contend with all those conditions? Excepting the Army Corps of Engineers and those engineers who work on projects in developing countries, I'd say precious few.
   
  It does seem absurd how much some players make, but they sacrifice plenty to get where they are. And they endure a great deal to rise to the top of their profession and stay there. I don't see why they shouldn't be rewarded for it.
   
  Teachers, librarians and all the rest make their career choices. They sacrifice a cut in pay for regular hours, generous amounts of time off and job security. If they want more money, let them curse the union bosses who cut such rotten deals for them. Mechanical engineers need to go where the work is, not wait around for it to come to them.
   
  If folks like this want more money, they should find a way of making it rather than trying to take away from others, and denigrating the value that others provide through their hard work.

• SeanRenaud said on Nov 24, 2006....

  Ditto Cur.
   
  I agree that we undervalue our teachers.  But honestly part of the problem there is that we overvalue our students.  We advance them when they are stupid and we don't accelerate them when they are smart.  At the very least we need to apply a capitalistic "To each according to his worth" instead of the communist "To each according to his need" approach to education.  I'd bet your husband is inteligent if he hadn't been forced to travel at the speed of the school system would probably have more education.
   
  Still your husband is in a field that is obviously over flooded right now.  Its not like your c

• Kuni said on Nov 24, 2006....

  That is so true that the stupid are strung along and the smart are often times left hanging!  I guess that accounts for all the brilliant people out there who are stuck working a retail job or something because they can't find anything more challenging available.  I know there are athletes who do sacrifice a lot to get where they are, and good for them.  That's really not who I'm talking about here when I am disgusted with who gets paid what.  Really, I'm saddened by the children who idolize players and then those same players are the ones who do drugs, abuse their spouses, do illegal activities with the money they make, and basically waste their money on material things.  Is it any wonder why kids in today's world end up following those patterns, because of what they see being done to the rich and famous?  Say what you will, but I really think that there are so many other people out there deserving of higher pay--and I'm sure there are people out there who are in that category who will agree with me.  I wasn't looking to start a debate, just state my observation.  After all, this is my blog.

• SeanRenaud said on Nov 24, 2006....

  While I'm not denying that some smart people are left hanging that isn't what I said.  I said that smart people are not rewarded for their inteligence early on.  I know several people in the education industry and they all agree, we spent an exorbitant amount of money on problem children and can't even find the time to skip grades for those who are above average.
   
  They don't end up that way because they idolize football players.  And honestly their drug habits have nothing to do with their pay or anything else.  Your dragging in side issues here.
   
  The bottom line is that athletes are paid exactly what they are worth to society.  We want to be entertained.  Even during the depression theatre was a good place to be.  Don't be sad that children idolize Micheal Jordon.  Be sad that they don't also idolize Stephen Hawkings.
   
  When you start a blog you put your opinion out there, being criticized, debated with and argued against is part of putting yourself out there.  An old addage about heat and kitchens is coming to mind.

• Kuni said on Nov 26, 2006....

  ok, whatever.  we can agree to disagree and all that.  i guess i'm surprised that you are even reading my posts!  but i do appreciate receiving feedback.

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