Posted by EnySpree:

That's some bull****. Still not a bad gig though. The season is only 4 months, if that, so its a lot of money really.

A lot of the players play overseas in the off season to get extra cash. Top wnba players could make around 80k for a season in isreal. So they could pull 170k a year playing basketball. Far cry from the millions the NBA players make.

I know you guys probably don't give a damn so I will throw a curve into this convo.

Growing up when you realized you were not going to play in the NBA, did anyone ever think they could possibly play in one of the lesser pro leagues?

I'm asking cuz even the low level leagues for men, they can get 30k up to 90k a season just like the women. Was I the only one sleeping on this? Have any of you guys played in a low level pro league?

I was pretty good up until I was about 21-22 when I had to start working full-time. I think I could have made a team somewhere.

Just another random off-season/off-topic thread.

The WNBA just doesn't have the makerting or the popularity to justify the ridiculous salaries in the NBA. All the same though, $80,000 for professional athletes just seems horribly, horribly low.

Posted by Bonn1997:

Posted by K22:

Posted by EnySpree:

That's some bull****. Still not a bad gig though. The season is only 4 months, if that, so its a lot of money really.

A lot of the players play overseas in the off season to get extra cash. Top wnba players could make around 80k for a season in isreal. So they could pull 170k a year playing basketball. Far cry from the millions the NBA players make.

I know you guys probably don't give a damn so I will throw a curve into this convo.

Growing up when you realized you were not going to play in the NBA, did anyone ever think they could possibly play in one of the lesser pro leagues?

I'm asking cuz even the low level leagues for men, they can get 30k up to 90k a season just like the women. Was I the only one sleeping on this? Have any of you guys played in a low level pro league?

I was pretty good up until I was about 21-22 when I had to start working full-time. I think I could have made a team somewhere.

Just another random off-season/off-topic thread.

The WNBA just doesn't have the makerting or the popularity to justify the ridiculous salaries in the NBA. All the same though, $80,000 for professional athletes just seems horribly, horribly low.

You think so? It's not like they have advanced degrees. I think what teachers, professors, and nurses make is horribly low. I wouldn't say $80K for an athlete is horribly low.

Exactly. By comparison, anything under a million is considered low, but I think it's very deserving. $80,000 is still alot of money. Or even if you wanted to give them $200K - $300K a year, I don't see how 8 digit figures are warranted in sports. I'd rather see more money go to someone who is saving lives or preparing the next generation than someone who can throw a ball through a hoop. Just shows where society's values are...and I say this as someone who makes sure to catch as many of the 82 Knick games a year as they can.

[Edited by - Matt4281 on 05-14-2007 11:27 AM]

Posted by MaTT4281:

Exactly. By comparison, anything under a million is considered low, but I think it's very deserving. $80,000 is still alot of money. Or even if you wanted to give them $200K - $300K a year, I don't see how 8 digit figures are warranted in sports. I'd rather see more money go to someone who is saving lives or preparing the next generation than someone who can throw a ball through a hoop. Just shows where society's values are...and I say this as someone who makes sure to catch as many of the 82 Knick games a year as they can.

Highly agree. Well put.

That's why I find it disgusting when ballplayers making multimillions a year make excuses for why they stopped trying... or worse talk as if they are, when they're clearly not.

C'mon Temujin, you really don't think Pro Athletes salaries in the major sports leagues are a little too high.

Posted by kam77:

C'mon Temujin, you really don't think Pro Athletes salaries in the major sports leagues are a little too high.

No I don't. If you do, stop giving them your money.

What I do think is that we should be reducing or eliminating income taxes for those of us that earn way less than pro athletes. Paying no taxes on the first 50k anyone earns would be a hell of an income boost. That being said, teacher, police, etc should still be paid more.

They play like two months worth of basketball.......... LOL.

Posted by TemujinKnick:

What's warranted is whatever they are able to get others to pay for. The problem isn't that athletes' salaries are too high, but that we don't pay our teachers, police officers, and other essential workers enough.

exactly, the money that athletes are being paid is from private ownership, so it's not like the government is shortchanging civil servants in favor of a 19 year old who can hit a ball or what have you. I don't think societies priorities have anything to do with how much pro athetes, or actors or entertainers in general, get paid, because I don't think anyone really believes that they should be paid as much money as they get for what they do. like he said people like teachers and civil servants are clearly underpaid, not to mention that they don't have very good benefits, but the fact of the matter is that the high salaries of pro athletes are more of a function of competition between owners in the NBA to get marquee players, and obviously that kind of dynamic from a financial standpoint doesn't exist in the public sector job market because it just doesn't operate that way. fed-ex,UPS and the USPS aren't going to enter a bidding war over my mailman Ted (even though he's probably the best mailman ever) because it's not that hard to replace him. on the flipside of that, I'm sure the owners of the Cavaliers would prefer to not pay LeBron James nine zillion dollars, but if they don't, someone else will offer him more and take him, so his price goes up.

Posted by kam77:

Posted by TemujinKnick:

Posted by kam77:

C'mon Temujin, you really don't think Pro Athletes salaries in the major sports leagues are a little too high.

No I don't. If you do, stop giving them your money.

What I do think is that we should be reducing or eliminating income taxes for those of us that earn way less than pro athletes. Paying no taxes on the first 50k anyone earns would be a hell of an income boost. That being said, teacher, police, etc should still be paid more.

Don't tell me what to do. It aint cool. Pro athletes are paid too much. Owners are too greedy. Cities should own teams and pay their salaries. Players would be civil servants like firefighters or cops. Otherwise I think they oughtta take the "New York" off the jersey and replace it with "Cablevision."

It would be more realistic if they did do that actually

Posted by holfresh:

Posted by kam77:

Posted by TemujinKnick:

Posted by kam77:

C'mon Temujin, you really don't think Pro Athletes salaries in the major sports leagues are a little too high.

No I don't. If you do, stop giving them your money.

What I do think is that we should be reducing or eliminating income taxes for those of us that earn way less than pro athletes. Paying no taxes on the first 50k anyone earns would be a hell of an income boost. That being said, teacher, police, etc should still be paid more.

Don't tell me what to do. It aint cool. Pro athletes are paid too much. Owners are too greedy. Cities should own teams and pay their salaries. Players would be civil servants like firefighters or cops. Otherwise I think they oughtta take the "New York" off the jersey and replace it with "Cablevision."

U must want to see guys with pot bellies playing basketball...Who would play basketball and stay int he best shape on earth to be payed like a civil servant???






[Edited by - holfresh on 05-14-2007 6:57 PM]

People who actually love the game?