Who gives a damned? I don’t. I could give a rat’s tit less what any of these people do. The grand majority of them blow their money before they are 50 and wind up broke or barely making it, going to autograph sessions all over the country to pose for photos and sign their worthless names to make a few bucks. Only the smart ones put it away, knowing there is life after their sport and the need to make a future. I wonder just how many of NFL players who signed for the millions are now broke? Same for the NBA and MLB. MLB probably has a better chance of keeping money as they tend to have longer careers if they are any good and their entire contracts are guaranteed. But, in the end, I don’t give a damned. I don’t watch any of these sports any more. I barely watch any college football anymore. If I want to watch a sport, I go to a local high school game. I played ball from the time I was 8 until I retired from the Army at age 41. I was a sports official for over 25 years, calling basketball, football, baseball, softball, soccer, etc. I called hundreds and hundreds of games over the years. All I got out of it was two knee replacements, bad hips (running up and down hardwood basketball courts are murder on joints), and two back surgeries with spinal fusion. Yup, sports are grand! Not in my eyes anymore. I was flipping through the channels this a.m. and saw a clip of the Cincinnati firstbaseman, Votto, after hitting a home run, was pointing to himself saying “me, me, me” and turning his back and pointing down to his name. What a true narcissi!!
The real power of no; No one cares if you say no.
According to a 2009 Sports Illustrated article, 35% of National Football League (NFL) players are either bankrupt or are under financial stress within two years of retirement and an estimated 60% of National Basketball Association (NBA) players, 78% NFL players, and a large percentage of Major League Baseball (MLB) players (4x that of the average U.S. citizen) go bankrupt within five years after leaving their sport.
When asked by one of his players "What's the most dangerous thing that could happen to us financially?", Carolina Panthers majority owner Jerry Richardson replied immediately, "Divorce." The money stops flowing in. Without a prenuptial agreement, Michael Jordan's $168 million divorce settlement was at the time the largest ever. On the other hand, Dikembe Mutombo canceled his wedding, when his fiancee refused to sign one the day before the ceremony.
Another factor is the sexual opportunities available to athletes during their careers. Players end up being responsible for child support. Shawn Kemp had at least seven children with six women, Derrick Thomas seven with five, Jon Kilgore fifteen with four, and Travis Henry nine with nine. Henry was imprisoned for non-payment of an estimated $170,000 annually.
From a couple of different sources online. RA