Sammy Sosa

[Guest Ripper]

Tom, a actors day can start from anywhere from 2-3 AM and not be over until midnight. They can have to put in 15-20 hour days. And don't let it be a actor that is doing 2 projects at once. You could be shooting on 2 different coast and get little to no sleep for days. The work load that actors take is very VERY underated. And people wonder why they all get hooked on uppers.

[Guest gthureson]

Ripper sez:

 

"And you know what I hate?? Shit like that stuff at the end of your post. Its time to realize that professional athletes, actors and most in any form of entertainment WORK HARDER than most people."

 

 

And you know what?

 

They are compensated for it. Very nicely. And you know what you should realize? Their chosen profession, what they want to do and work hard at, puts them in the spotlight and under scrutiny. One goes with the other. You don't want the spotlight, don't play professional sports. You have a fragile ego or a sensitive soul? It might not be the best job for you. Deal with it, shut the hell up, take your paycheque and play the game.

 

I will not feel bad for someone collecting that much money *to play baseball*, let me repeat that, *to play baseball* because he has to deal with some assholes.

 

I have to deal with assholes every day for far less money, and I don't rip them a new asshole.

 

Or, to put it succinctly: You can have the sympathy, or you can have the money. Choose one.

[Guest DrTom]

"Tom, a actors day can start from anywhere from 2-3 AM and not be over until midnight. They can have to put in 15-20 hour days. And don't let it be a actor that is doing 2 projects at once. You could be shooting on 2 different coast and get little to no sleep for days. The work load that actors take is very VERY underated. And people wonder why they all get hooked on uppers."

 

How common do you think that is among the bigger-name actors? Long days are part of the trade, but it's not like baseball players only work from 7:30-10:30 at night. A player who competes in a fifteen-inning game on a Saturday night, then comes back to the ballpark at 10:00 the next morning for practice, then plays in a 1:00 game, is probably working harder. During that long day the actor has, there are numerous breaks in the shooting, and scenes where not all actors are involved. An actor who's not needed on the set for a while can catch a two-hour nap in his trailer until it's time for his next shot. Alex Rodriguez can't fall asleep at shortstop.

[Guest Spicy McHaggis]

Even though he usually does

[Guest Ripper]

Ripper sez:

 

"And you know what I hate?? Shit like that stuff at the end of your post. Its time to realize that professional athletes, actors and most in any form of entertainment WORK HARDER than most people."

 

 

And you know what?

 

They are compensated for it. Very nicely. And you know what you should realize? Their chosen profession, what they want to do and work hard at, puts them in the spotlight and under scrutiny. One goes with the other. You don't want the spotlight, don't play professional sports. You have a fragile ego or a sensitive soul? It might not be the best job for you. Deal with it, shut the hell up, take your paycheque and play the game.

 

I will not feel bad for someone collecting that much money *to play baseball*, let me repeat that, *to play baseball* because he has to deal with some assholes.

 

I have to deal with assholes every day for far less money, and I don't rip them a new asshole.

 

Or, to put it succinctly: You can have the sympathy, or you can have the money. Choose one.

And it sounds like you are saying that because they are getting paid a lot of money, it some how takes away their right to have basic human respect.

 

They are paid to PLAY BASEBALL...not to be treated and disrespected anyway you want. They have just as much right to blast back at assholes as anyone else. No amount of money takes that right away.

 

And Tom...acting is really a tough job. I understand how it can be viewed as not being one, but really, it can be draining... I mean think about it. Ben Aflek probably hasn't slept this year yet. What has he done, 2000 movies so far this year.

[Guest DrTom]

"Ben Aflek probably hasn't slept this year yet. What has he done, 2000 movies so far this year."

 

That's his choice to do all those movies. A baseball can't pick and choose the games he plays. An actor who makes $10-$25 million per film could easily do one film a year -- which would involve working for three or four months, most likely -- and take the rest of the year off. Professional athletes don't get that luxury.

[Guest Ripper]

Yeah I know I was joking...I fogot to put the smiley of sarcasm defining goodness on the end.

[Guest gthureson]

Actually, I would argue that a baseball player has less right to blast back.

 

What are they paying him for?

 

1) To play baseball on the field.

 

2) To promote the team and the sport through his play on the field, and his actions off of it.

 

While it might spell it out in the big, bold letters that you seem to need to understand the point, teams sort of hope that their players won't be complete and utter jackasses when dealing with the media.

 

But just so I have this straight....lets say I'm an owner of a baseball team. I'm paying Sammy Sosa eight or nine million a year for the next seven years (or whatever god-ugly amount he makes to hit a ball with a stick), I can put in his contract that he can't hang-glide, can't defuse bombs in his spare time, and loads of other stuff, but I can't reasonably expect him to deal with the media in a civil manner.

 

'Cause, you know, for my eight or nine million, I would be hoping that he wouldn't be an asshole towards the guys who cover my team on TV and the newspaper, and give free advertising that might boost sales and merch and help me pay his fat cheque.

 

Thats just completely out of line.

 

See, in 1922, when they made dick playing baseball, I might have agreed with you. I would have nodded my head, and said, "They aren't getting paid enough to put up with crap like that."

 

But then again, guys in those days knew how to deal with the press. They, you know, talked to them. Got a good relationship with them, and in return, those press guys would cover their asses if something happened that they didn't want to hit the news. 'Cause they weren't jackasses towards them.

 

Now they make in the millions, plus endorsements of course, and you can't be bothered talking to the press. Instead you hide in the back and take an antaganistic stance whenever you deal with them, and turn around and look shocked when the press is hostile to you back?

 

Come on.

 

But the bottom line is this: Superstars get superstar money and superstar attention. Ergo, a superstar had better learn how to deal with it, 'cause thats part of the reason they are getting superstar money. You want respect? Thats earned, not given. You'll get respect when you learn how to deal with the media without 'blasting back'. Everybody else in the public eye seems to learn this lesson. The actors that seem to be so deserving of respect. Musicians. Politicians. They all know what the score is. Deal with the press, and they'll deal with you. Act defensive and go at them guns blazing all the time, and they'll shoot back.

 

Why is it atheletes can't figure out it out?

[Guest alkeiper]

But just so I have this straight....lets say I'm an owner of a baseball team. I'm paying Sammy Sosa eight or nine million a year for the next seven years (or whatever god-ugly amount he makes to hit a ball with a stick), I can put in his contract that he can't hang-glide, can't defuse bombs in his spare time, and loads of other stuff, but I can't reasonably expect him to deal with the media in a civil manner.

 

Curious thing is, the owners ARE the media. The Chicago Tribune owns the Chicago Cubs. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch owns part of the St. Louis Cardinals. There's a conflict of interest. Why doesn't the press go up to the owners and pester them about their finances? There's so many blatent lies there I don't know where to start. Especially when owners continuously ask us for tax dollars to build stadiums. At least with players, you have a choice whether to pay them. What about me, a non-Yankee fan, paying an extra fee to get the YES Network? Was that my choice? Of course not. WHo forced that on me? Derek Jeter? Jason Giambi? Nope, it was George Steinbrenner. What about the state tax bill that called for the construction of four sport stadiums in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, three of which I'll never go to? Was that Brian Giles? Bobby Abreu? No, it was the owners. Baseball players have never asked anything of me besides my entertainment dollar, which they reciprocate by playing baseball. Meanwhile, thanks to Pirate ownership, I'm paying tax dollars for sports stadiums 400 miles away.

[Guest Ripper]

Actually, I would argue that a baseball player has less right to blast back.

 

What are they paying him for?

 

1) To play baseball on the field.

 

2) To promote the team and the sport through his play on the field, and his actions off of it.

 

While it might spell it out in the big, bold letters that you seem to need to understand the point, teams sort of hope that their players won't be complete and utter jackasses when dealing with the media.

 

But just so I have this straight....lets say I'm an owner of a baseball team. I'm paying Sammy Sosa eight or nine million a year for the next seven years (or whatever god-ugly amount he makes to hit a ball with a stick), I can put in his contract that he can't hang-glide, can't defuse bombs in his spare time, and loads of other stuff, but I can't reasonably expect him to deal with the media in a civil manner.

 

'Cause, you know, for my eight or nine million, I would be hoping that he wouldn't be an asshole towards the guys who cover my team on TV and the newspaper, and give free advertising that might boost sales and merch and help me pay his fat cheque.

 

Thats just completely out of line.

 

See, in 1922, when they made dick playing baseball, I might have agreed with you. I would have nodded my head, and said, "They aren't getting paid enough to put up with crap like that."

 

But then again, guys in those days knew how to deal with the press. They, you know, talked to them. Got a good relationship with them, and in return, those press guys would cover their asses if something happened that they didn't want to hit the news. 'Cause they weren't jackasses towards them.

 

Now they make in the millions, plus endorsements of course, and you can't be bothered talking to the press. Instead you hide in the back and take an antaganistic stance whenever you deal with them, and turn around and look shocked when the press is hostile to you back?

 

Come on.

 

But the bottom line is this: Superstars get superstar money and superstar attention. Ergo, a superstar had better learn how to deal with it, 'cause thats part of the reason they are getting superstar money. You want respect? Thats earned, not given. You'll get respect when you learn how to deal with the media without 'blasting back'. Everybody else in the public eye seems to learn this lesson. The actors that seem to be so deserving of respect. Musicians. Politicians. They all know what the score is. Deal with the press, and they'll deal with you. Act defensive and go at them guns blazing all the time, and they'll shoot back.

 

Why is it atheletes can't figure out it out?

That would be good in the theory that the press were being saints and not doing anything to warrent someone lash out at them.

 

A press guy says "Hi, Sammy, How you doing" and he says "Hey mutha fucker get the hell away from me" then you are right.

 

But you get what you give. If a report is being disrespectful I expect him to be disrespected.

[Guest Spicy McHaggis]

Why do you act like all athletes are being Saints?

[Guest Ripper]

I'm not. But the guy is matter of factly saying that the athletes shouldn't be able to defend themselves because they make a lot of money. Why anyone that is disrespectful expects to be respected is beyond me.