whether we should be spending any $$ to attend these modern charades instead of paying teachers, nurses, etc.. more. I guess I did tweak the question towards something more palatable to my personal philosophy on life which is more "how much" versus "yes or no". I think there is a lot to be gained from professional sports, number one, getting all the little obese children off their asses and out in the parks trying to emulate their favorite athletes. I also think sports in general serve as a great teaching tool for discipline and teamwork, which are life lessons. I also think many little kids wouldn't be near as excited about playing team sports if they didn't have sports heroes. So if I assume that there is value in sports, then I can assign a figure as to how much that is to me. That said, I do find it horrible that Alex Rodriguez is going to make some $26 million this year. Personally, I find it horrible that anybody is going to make that much this year. Salary caps seem to have done little to curb this trend in pro sports though, so what else can be done? Fan strike? I think all the fan threats from MLB that didn't pan out kind of shot that momentum in the foot. What to do?
Ufez, there is nothing you personally can do about it and I am of the mind that if you worry about it you lose twice. Forget fan strikes or letter writing campaigns. Just close your wallet. Don't buy tickets and don't go to games. Every single Stanley Cup final, NBA final and semifinal, the NCAA tournament, Super Bowl, Monday Night Football can all be watched from your couch in your house. Drink your own beers at $1 per bottle. Eat good Polish Dogs right off your own grill, not a hot dog that was first put in the oven on opening day and has been reheated until home game # 22 when you finally drew the short straw. Crap in you own toilet, no line, no cold urine from 30,000 strangers before you already on the seat. Invite some friends over. Make them chip in for the pay-per-view events. Make them bring the wings. Pass the joint around at halftime. Don't begrudge people who make more than you because everywhere you go for the rest of your life some guy will be making millions at a much cooler job than you make peanuts for at your job. I know, I know, it's fun to witness history with 65,000 of your fellow fanatics. But it sucks to spend 2 hours trying to leave the parking lot. Going to games isn't all it's cracked up to be. Watching from home with your boys is an overlooked pleasure. But most of all, play the sport you love.
"I'm fully in favor of getting drunk with college girls." I whole-heartedly concur.
Plenty of good advice, vito. It's kind of funny, usually this isn't something I get worked up about. Just this thread sparking something funny in me and a really shitty day at work that needed a nice diversion. Like I said, I attend very few games (it'll probably be far fewer next year, Burn again excepted, as I want to keep the team here and I know they're going to struggle with attendance, not even selling out the opening game). But most of all, play the sport you love. In 40 foot flaming letters. Playing will beat out watching any damn day of the week.
I think there is a lot to be gained from professional sports, number one, getting all the little obese children off their asses and out in the parks trying to emulate their favorite athletes. This is a pretty poor argument given that the rise in salaries has pretty much paralleled the rise in American obesity. Sorry, Ufez.
But most of all, play the sport you love. Y'know, I play the sport I love (basketball), and it doesn't even vaguely resemble what I see on TV. Some is good: no refs to whine at after every single damn whistle. Some is bad: a fast break means two defenders are taking a beer break, but the offense still manages to miss three straight layup attempts.
I don't know what you're talking about, dusted. I'm usu. dunking behind the head, alley-ooping and air-jordaning every pickup game I play. And sometimes I even break the board. Of course, I should mention that I am playing against my two-year-old and the board is hanging up over his changing table.
Only on Sportsfilter can a conversation about a coach partying with college girls end up with argument on the pay scale for nurses!
This is a pretty poor argument given that the rise in salaries has pretty much paralleled the rise in American obesity. Sorry, Ufez. Hey, your opinion is your own and I would never ask you to apologise for it. I will say though, that correlation does not always lead to causation. I would say though, that if someone took the time and money (and this would take years and be very controversial) that if we didn't have a pro sports obsession like we do, that possibly the already increasing obesity rating in children would be rising at an even faster rate. Just a premonition with fuck all to back it up, but it seems a bit intuitive to me. And I instantly regretted posting that about the obese kids anyways. With school programs cutting gym classes (along with other funds with arts, etc.) and fast-food chains paying to be able to serve kids meals in school, I really feel bad for the kids of today growing up and I really shouldn't say negative things about the overweight ones. It's one of the last stereotypes I'm trying to cleanse myself of.
Kids today are fat and lazy, OK? There's nothing wrong with pointing that out! They're spending all their time on their asses playing the Nintendo and watching crap TV and stuffing their faces with cheese pops and green ketchup and stupid spreadable cheese on cracker combos. And their parents are too tired and overworked to prepare proper healthy meals for them. Stupid little lard asses! Stupid corporations! Bwwaaaaaaaargh!
As an afterthought, the Des Moines Register called for Eustachy's ouster in an editorial this morning, citing his lack of leadership. He's also married with two kids. Did the original story even mention that?
He's also married with two kids. OK, now this guy's dorkmeter reading has just hit the red bar.
From espn's page2: Larry's Guide to Party Schools
Eustachy just came out with a press conference stating that he is an alcoholic, and is currently seeking treatment for such. He has stated that he will not resign from his coaching post, and I'm guessing the school won't fire him as of now...
I don't mean to disparage the guy if he truly has a drinking problem, but this smacks of major spin. If his sorry butt isn't in a twelve step program by Tuesday then Iowa St. should can him.
IIRC, at most state schools, the athletics department's funding is wholly separate from the University. The athletics department gets almost all their funding from revenue sports (football and men's basketball (UConn excepted)), alumni donations, and a variety of other places (conference revenue sharing, tv/radio rights, sneaker endorsements, etc.), so the state itself probably pays almost money for the coaches.
If anyone is still in here,
Iowa State University officials, seeking to short-circuit brutal national publicity, moved Wednesday to dismiss men's basketball coach Larry Eustachy in the wake of reports that he drank and partied with students after games at the University of Missouri and Kansas State University.
Keep in mind that every college basketball coach imaginable goes to the Final Four for the coaches' convention. If he skipped New Orleans this year, I hold out hope that he's not full of shit about getting help. If he went, those Mizzou frat party pics might be nothing compared to what's floating out there right now.
