Professional athletes bother me...

    Today I read an article in The Buffalo News that both surprised me and yet failed to surprise me at all. This article really got me thinking about a few other articles I had read not all that long ago and really had me thinking... none of it good. I am a huge sports fan, but as I have grown into an adult the utter greed and selfishness that many of the athletes display is absolutely turning me off to the games. Whether it is the complaining about length of games and amount of time they practice, contract holdouts, wanting to re-negotiate contracts, their attitude towards fans, their sense of entitlement while in public... the list can go on and on. They have a job that most people can only dream of having and I am not sure that these people realize how good they actually have it . Yes, professional athletes bother me.

    In a piece written by local columnist Jerry Sullivan http://bit.ly/ohVz5M, the mental strain of being a tough guy in the NHL is discussed with former Sabres enforcer Rob Ray. During Mr. Sullivan’s conversation with Ray, it is mentioned that only one player has ever thanked him for sacrificing his body and watching their backs. Ray states "It was Patty [LaFontaine]," Ray said Saturday, "because he understood it. He knew how important my job was for him to be able to play his game." This comment from Ray is somewhat mind blowing to me. He played 16 seasons and had how many different teammates yet only 1 could thank him? What does not surprise me is that it was Pat LaFontaine who was classy enough to realize what Ray was doing for him. It does not take much effort to thank someone for a job well done... unless you are a selfish athlete.

Earlier this summer Mr. LaFontaine was at an event signing autographs. I had taken my son to get an autograph and a picture with him. Let me tell you, #16 was nothing but class... Not only did he take the time to sign something and take a picture, he engaged in a personal conversation. This event signing was on Father’s Day weekend, he wished my brother and I a happy Father’s Day, was talking about the Red Sox with us as my son was wearing his Sox hat. He was talking about how he was in Boston and attended one of the Stanley Cup Finals games. That type of kindness from Mr. Lafontaine just reinforced to me why he was one of my favorite players growing up... he was classy both on and off the ice. You always see or hear that #16 is visiting children with cancer in the hospitals, and he does it because he actually cares and not because that it is some kind of obligation from being a professional athlete. I did thank him for being such a class act at this signing... I’m not sure how often he is thanked, but I wanted to let this man know that at least I appreciated it.

    This type of kindness from a player can make a lasting impression on children. When I was a young teen, we had the opportunity to see the Chicago Blackhawks practice while in Buffalo for a game. I was a huge Ed Belfour fan growing up, I was a young goaltender, he was one of the best in the league and I was excited to see him up close and personal. As he was coming off of the ice I has asked him for an autograph, and he said that he was going to put his gear away and come back out. I was sure that he was just going to blow us off, but to to surprise he came back out. He signed autographs and had a short conversation with us. Hockey fans know that he has a reputation for not being the nicest guy in the world, but I have nothing negative to say about him. He made a fan for life out of me just by showing some kindness to me when I was a young boy. I am 34 years old and still look back fondly on that day where I had met Ed Belfour. So If Mr. Belfour happens to stumble across this... Thank you!

    And now is where this topic takes a turn... I am sick and tired of these athletes coming across as selfish. Peyton Manning... he is media darling, everybody just loves him. He is on several commercials, hosting ‘Saturday Night Live’ and reportedly turned down an off that would pay him an average of $20 million per season which would have made him the highest payed player in the NFL. in a quote taken from http://es.pn/qxYqVe Manning states "While I appreciate Jim Irsay offering to make me the highest-paid player," Manning told The Indianapolis Star, "I told him I'd rather he save that money and keep whoever it is ... (running back) Joe Addai, (left tackle) Charlie Johnson ... whoever that may be. I'm willing to take less than they've offered if they are going to take that money to keep players we need to keep and go get other players. All I want is for them to have the cap and the cash to keep the players they want to keep and to sign other players." So this sounds like Manning would be taking a deeply discounted contract to help his team... WRONG! He agreed to a 5 year $90 million contract that equals what Tom Brady makes as the highest paid player in the NFL. Lets revisit Manning’s statement... "While I appreciate Jim Irsay offering to make me the highest-paid player; I told him I'd rather he save that money and keep whoever it is” AHHH HELLO... Peyton your owner DID MAKE YOU THE HIGHEST PAID PLAYER, you share the distinction as the highest paid player along with Tom Brady. I am sure that the $2 million less that you took is going to make a huge difference in signing additional talent and help your team. Why are people making Manning out to be a saint for taking this “discounted” contract? It is not like he took a deep discount.... $2 million in the sports world is nothing. What a greedy asshole...

    Mark Teixeira of the New York Yankees is someone else who has caught my attention lately with some comments he has made. Teixeira is in the middle of a 8 year contract that is paying him $180 million dollars, that is an average of $22.5 million per season and he has issues if a baseball game goes longer than 3 hours. In quotes taken from http://bit.ly/p5m8G8 Teixeira states "It's brutal. I can't stand playing a nine-inning game in four hours," the Yankees' first baseman told The New York Times' Tyler Kepner. "It's not baseball. I don't even know how to describe it. If I was a fan, why would I want to come watch people sitting around and talking back and forth, going to the mound, 2-0 sliders in the dirt? Four-hour games can't be fun for a fan, either." OK, I want to touch on a few things here, first of all his “If I was a fan” portion: Mark, I am a fan, I do not get to the ballpark much for MLB games often. When I do go to games, I enjoy my time at the ballpark and do not want to be rushed out because it is an inconvenience for you to play a longer game. For the fan, it is an experience to come to the ballpark. I'm sorry that you are jaded because you come to the ballpark as a job... consider yourself lucky. Also, stop thinking like you know what is "fun" for the fans... you are clueless.

Secondly, have you noticed how much money you make Mark? If I were making the salary you made, I would not be saying a word about how long games take... be appreciative that you have the job you have which pays the salary you make. The moment players like you start complaining about their job, they lose touch with reality and a segment of the fanbase... like me. There is a 9.1% national unemployment rate, the median household salary (yes that is for 2 people) is $54,370 and you are complaining on how long your games with the Red Sox are? This is only one team that drags the length of games out, not all of them. Even if it was a majority of teams, you play a game for a living, try working out in the real world like the rest of us and see how much you will complaining about playing longer baseball games then. You are fucking clueless Mark... How much do you make per game? People across the nation are struggling to support themselves and you insult the fans intelligence by complaining like this... Shut the fuck up! I do not feel bad for you at all. Anytime you want to trade professions and salaries, let me know.

Sometimes I wonder why these athletes even play the game... but the answer is simple. It is all about the money. Where is the love of the game from the players that once existed? I can go on and on about athletes and their selfishness and greed, but this is a blog not a novel. Lets not forget all athletes are not greedy and selfish, it's just the bad stories always sticks out more than the good in my mind. Maybe we can revisit this topic someday, but for now this is where I will leave it. You know what gets me? I am labeled an asshole for the things I say. But, think about it for a moment... who are the bigger assholes? People who are opinionated and speak their mind like I do or athletes that are greedy, selfish and thinks the world owes them something...