I often ask myself why I enjoy the National Football League so much.
There’s actually so many things to dislike about the league. On one hand, you have a bunch of millionaire athletes who, if you really boil it down, don’t care about the fans. Oh, they say they do and they even go out and do things in the community to show they care, but come on. I think we all know down deep how much you or I cross their minds.
Second, it constantly irritates me when my favorite team loses but the players react as if they won. Even when the most heartwrenching of defeats take place, you’ll see members of the losing team smiling, shaking hands, laughing it up and reacting as if they just WON the game. When you know what’s coming in a few days in terms of a paycheck, what’s a loss on the field.
Finally, there are many weeks when teams simply don’t show up. Don’t get me wrong, they are there in person. The players go out on the field and go through the motions. However, millionaire players are hard to motivate. Win and you get paid millions. Lose and you get paid millions.
It’s why this latest battle between the owners and players really hasn’t caused me that much worry. I predict in the end this whole issue will be settled. It may even be by the time this newspaper is in your hands.
However, a battle between billionaires and millionaires over money just doesn’t seem worthy of my time. As a common, blue-collar worker who has zero understanding of making a million dollars a year, I can’t find myself too concerned with who wins this battle. In theory, I suppose, it’s the players who are right. Yet, when so many Americans remain out of work or live paycheck to paycheck, how can you possibly feel sympathy for millionaire football players? The answer: you can’t.
I remember back in 1994 when Major League Baseball went on strike. The players were led by those like Atlanta Brave Tom Glavine who directly insulted the fans by saying we didn’t understand what a millionaire athlete goes through. Hmmm, let’s see Tom. You’re right. I don’t know what it’s like to stay in luxury hotels and have everything under the sun from meals to laundry to travel taken care of despite the fact I get paid more than 99 percent of Americans.
I have never viewed Major League Baseball the same since that year. I did not enjoy the Braves winning the World Series in 1995 because I could not could get Glavine’s arrogance out of my mind. It just hasn’t been the same since that strike.
I suppose I continue to follow the NFL mainly because I am such a die-hard football fan. I grew up cutting my teeth on the Atlanta Falcons and my first live game was between them and the New Orleans Saints back in the 1970s. I take pride in being a fan of the organization although at times I wonder if the organization takes pride in having me as a fan.
This whole issue will be settled one way or another. I can’t imagine there not being an NFL season this fall. Yet, we should all take notice of what is transpiring here. Millionaires with a powerful union fighting for more money, more privileges.
Meanwhile, school teachers who make $50,000 are vilified by talk show hosts for wanting to make a decent living. Where has our society gone when we have sympathy for a millionaire athlete’s cause but not for those who want to be justly compensated for teaching our young people.
As always, something seems off in the universe.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. You can reach him at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
