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The potential salary for today's athlete, is phenomenal! Dave Winfield in the early 80's, was the first player is sports history to earn 1 million dollars for a single season. The response was similar to the response you hear today. People who feel that athletes are earning too much, need to pay attention to detail. Sport is not a game. When a player suits up for football, he is going to have to do a little more than just carry excess baggage, literally, on his shoulders. Any "game" that can hurt, paralyzed, even kill you, is not recreational, it's competitive. Injury is the primary reason, for today's sport star salaries.

When a player get injured, his incentives are on the line. No player with a nine figure sports salary, can "afford" to get hurt. Most incentives, and signing bonuses, are based on an unusual form of integrity. It reminds me of a cell phone plan, instead of pay as you go, it's like earn as you go. Football players do deserve these salaries. Darryl Stingley was paralyzed in a game. Many baseball players get hit in the head from "chin music". Basketball requires reflexes, so your ACL could get torn making precision movements. In one play, your life could change dramatically for you if you are not paying attention. When a player signs this lucrative deal, he will have plenty on his plate to finish to earn those dollars.

Peyton Manning and Micheal Vick both earn over 100 million dollars in several seasons, Alex Rodridgez, just signed a record breaking 10 year 270 million dollar deal, his agent wanted 300 million! These salaries are in fact ridiculous! Although I am not opposed to these athletes particular earnings, I am opposed to gluttony. Agents are too greedy, and are in fact, killing the sport as we speak! The Golden State Warriors are worth 77 million dollars, how is it that one player is worth more than an entire franchise?!

This 100 million dollar boom has to be controlled. I feel that no sport star is worth more than 100 million dollars, not one penny more. In today's inflation market, the bar will be raised, but don't exaggerate it. Many team owners are alot like fans, easily star struck! Just because a guy has a billion dollar company elsewhere, does not mean that person won't idolized a sports icon. The owner will interview his client with lucrativeness, and the stage is set. The risk comes from not putting a player in the right situation. Don't convert a quarterback into a halfback. Don't let a point guard play center, unless he's Magic Johnson. Athletes are deserving of their salaries, but I feel there should be a salary cap for all sports, don't go paying a quarter of a billion dollars to someone who has never won a championship. Winning a championship, is the "praise that pays"!

Learn more about this author, Brian Williams.
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