Setting priorities

Yesterday afternoon I punched in the numbers for ESPN and came across the tail end of an interview with a NFL player. I didn’t catch his name. They were showing some video of him running the ball. I have to say it was impressive, but it was comment at the end of the video that literally blew me away.

His goal is to be the highest paid NFL – offensive or defensive – player … period. He expects 38 to 40 million dollars per year … guaranteed! Can you imagine? I was shocked. Is anyone worth that much money? I don’t think so, but reality is that there will be some stupid owner willing to fork over an insane amount of money for this athlete to run a few plays on Sunday afternoon in the hopes that a Super Bowl championship can come their way.

When will it end? Because after this one receives 40 million there will be another player that will think that he is “underpaid” and will demand more than that – etc., etc., etc.! Could our sports figures be entering into a “housing” type bubble that will eventually burst? Let’s hope so … but as long as fans are willing to pay an ever increasing amount for tickets which brings in some of the cash and as long as those of us who are not willing to buy tickets, but are willing and ready to turn on the TV to watch the games which generates the advertising dollars … the BIG BUCKS! … the players will have their demands met. When will it end?

How do we begin to bring some priorities back into life? That is the real challenge isn’t it? We are a profit driven society as witnessed by the shortcuts taken by BP on their oil platform resulting in the Gulf Oil Disaster or the financial Wall Street disaster or the mortgage industry bust … the willingness to do anything in order to make a larger profit … ethics be damned! When will it end?

The only conclusion that I can arrive at is this … it ends as we, as individuals, make those simply personal decisions about our priorities. What is it that we desire out of life … and at what price? Where am I willing to invest my time and energy? How much am I willing to “buy” into the agenda being set by corporate America … the so-called “sports heroes” … and society in general? When will it end? When we are willing to say – loud enough – no more! And, then back it up with our actions and the every day decisions that we make.

Quote for today: Someone once asked Tom Landry why he had been so successful as a football coach. He said, "In 1958, I did something everyone who has been successful must do, I determined my priorities for my life — God, family, and then football." Source unknown