How to put their bloated salaries to good use

[BC867]

Ichiro Suzuki of the Seattle Mariners had donated $1.23 million -- 7% of his salary this year -- to the relief efforts in Japan.

How I wish that some celebrity would start a charitable organization within our country (all year round) for sports and entertainment figures to donate portions of their extremely bloated salaries to charities such as cancer and heart research, AIDs, education, etc.

Mediocre sport figures, for example, earn more for one game than many teachers, cops or firemen earn in a year while providing much more needed services.

That is evidently not going to change. So they'd keep their status seeking salaries but, at least, put it to good use.

It is still being channeled from us, who have a need to be entertained more than ever. But at least it will go to good causes.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big...?urn=mlb-wp884

 

[Krangodnzr]

Why don't you donate 7% of your salary before you suggest they do?

 

[BC867]

Why don't you donate 7% of your salary before you suggest they do?

I see the smiley face. And I do donate to charities. No, not 7%.

Honestly, if I were an athlete getting paid $8 million per year, I wouldn't alienate my teammates by saying they're overpaid. I'd live a comfortable life and set up a retirement plan for my family.

But I would also give back to society a good portion of the net from $8 million.

The Jordan's and the Ichiro's have made big donations. I'm thinking about the average players who would find it easier to channel their contributions through a sports oriented charity organization.

Not just for one-time catastrophies, but on an ongoing basis.

The easier you make it for them, the better chance more players will do it.

Maybe Donald Trump would be a good candidate to set it up for sports and entertainment figures, as well as company executives -- anyone earning millions of dollars per year. Perhaps I should change earning to getting paid.

The neuvo riche can't all be expected to contribute to humanitarian causes on their own.

 

[Magnus]

This is very true. In Europe in soccer, even players that are below average get incredibly overpaid. I never understood how a sportsman who one could easily outperform on some odd days could get paid more than a doctor, or construction engineer, or college professor. For that kind of money I'd expect incredible results night in and night out, and everyone knows that never happens.

For example, there's one striker Fernando Torres who got transferred from Liverpool to Chelsea in England for a fee of 81 million dollars. He was one of the best a couple of years back, but his past 2 years weren't that good, and I don't understand who in the right mind would settle for that kind of a deal. Not to mention so far he hasn't scored a single goal, and that is what strikers are supposed to do. For that kind of money, I'd expect a goal every game, it's just insanely much.

However, I don't think much of them care about charities more than they care about getting a new car or something. It's just human mentality, looking out for yourself and that's it. Also, they get payed the same even if they perform bad so many of them just get to the point of not caring any more.

I'd certainly give back to the community in that kind of position though, and if most people thought that way, this would've been a much better place.