It's All About the Money

As I was reading the most recent issue of Sports Illustrated, an item in the "Go Figure" section caught my eye.  I often skim or even skip that portion and head for the articles, but this time I had to stop.

$3.36
******
Amount--all that was in his piggy bank--that a six-year-old Giants fan mailed to 49ers RB Brandon Jacobs, after the boy had been told that the reason Jacobs left New York for San Francisco was because the Giants couldn't pay him enough.

Doesn't that jump out at you?  Sports has always been about the money in a big way.  The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim set records for their off-season spending to get CJ Wilson ($77.5 million over five years) and Albert Pujols ($240 million over 10 years).  I can't even imagine that kind of money.  It's in the NBA, MLB, NFL--it's in all sports.  In fact, we almost lost our 2012 NFL season over millionaires fighting billionaires for millions.

Now Josh Hamilton is in the final year of his contract with the Texas Rangers.  He's playing a lights-out season--fielding things others can't and hitting more home runs in a single week than Pujols has hit all season (hmm . . .).  What kind of money is he going to get?  The baseball gurus say that we'll never see another contract like the one Pujols got in this off season.  And, with his history of substance abuse and its effects on his body unknown and with his age, a team would be foolish to sign Hamilton to a 10-year deal, but he's still going to command numbers we haven't seen before.

Hamilton has already stated that he doesn't feel he owes the Rangers anything as far as taking less money to stay with them.  Let the bidding begin!  That's basically what he was saying at the time.  And, in last week's issue of Sports Illustrated, his wife did all but confirm that they will go to the highest bidder.  I did appreciate that she phrased it by saying that just because they are Christians doesn't mean they should be expected to take less money.  After all, Josh's talent came from God, his second (third?) chance at baseball came from God, so he should take all the money he can get and use it for God.  I get that.  I respect that.

Obviously Rangers fans are hot over Hamilton's statements.  Didn't the Rangers take a chance on Josh?  Haven't they given grace after two relapses?  Haven't they employed an accountability partner to keep Josh on the straight and narrow path of sobriety?  Doesn't he owe it to them to take what they'll give him to retire as a Texas Ranger?

No.

He really doesn't.  I mean, really, hasn't he paid them back?  Hasn't he stayed off of drugs, given them immediate apologies for his two momentary lapses with alcohol, and worked to stay clean?  He's been a key part in getting his team to the World Series in two seasons and is leading the world (and all of history) in home runs at this point in the season.  He's paid the Rangers back for the chance they took and the salary they offered.  Let the bidding begin indeed.

Yes.  Athletes are grossly overpaid.  But if they can claim it, aren't they entitled to it?  Sorry, dear little Giants fan.  I wish we lived in a world where $3.36 was enough to keep your favorite player on your team.  But these days, $3.36 million isn't even enough to do it.