June 30, 2011

Someday I hope to understand why in the world professional athletes are in need of collective bargaining.  Union members who earn (not make, but earn) more money than about 99% of the population, are part of a competitive process.  They are gifted athletes who can move from one team to the next.  They are even able to form their own competing leagues.  They can refuse to play, they can play poorly, even badly.  They can choke in the clutch and are paid their full contract.  They could relieve the owners of all risk and have contracts solely based upon performance.  That would be a great day.  The owners create a pool and that pool is divided amongst the players depending on their production.  No negotiation, no athlete being paid more or less than he is worth.  The players could decide how to divide the money.  And the owners would never own a Ralph Sampson contract.  The owners would never need to take a risk on a prospect, protect an investment, give the player they had more money invested in more opportunities than the other players.  How this union was ever hoisted on the public is a mystery to me.  From a respect perspective, these players are important to our kids and therefore they are important to us.  But there is no morality in this kind of unionization, this is a money grab, this is lawyers seeing an opening and taking advantage of the law.  I cannot endorse these unions of millionaires.  I cannot respect these unions.