Thursday, December 4, 2008

Plaxico's Blues


Let me say this... I do not in any way begrudge professional athletes their multi-million dollar salaries. I would be a hypocrite if I did because I would trade places with them on any day of the week, if I could, and so would most people, if they are honest. I'm a big sports fan... I love football and basketball. Here of late, collecting jerseys of my favorite players has become my thing (like Nike sneakers were back in the day).

I don't begrudge them. Actually, I kind of envy them. You see, the majority of people have jobs that they absolutely hate. Some people have to pray or have a drink before they go to work everyday, just to get through the day. These people don't make a quarter of what the average professional athlete gets for one game, let alone a superstar. These people go to their jobs everyday, some dress a certain way, and follow rules and regulations that they think are stupid yet, they follow them anyway because they need that short money they are getting at the end of a week or two weeks.

They need that money because they gotta have a place to lay their head at night, eat every once in awhile, buy that new Beyonce CD or pay for the downloads, see a movie, and buy some clothes every now and then. The point is they get paid far less to do something that, if they had another choice, they probably wouldn't do. It must be great to get paid to do something that you love to do... something you would do for free. Michael Jordan said as much. He said that he loved the game of basketball so much that he would have played for free if they weren't paying him and I believe it.

And, this is where I have a problem... let's say you're Plaxico Burress, you're a wide receiver for the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, you're making more money this year than you can spend in a lifetime, and your team is in first place. There are kids on some street corner or some field in a small town who would kill to be in your shoes and you've just thrown your blessing away. I have a problem with people who do that... I really do.

Only a few people born in this world are going to be blessed with the opportunity to get paid millions of dollars to do something that they love. You got two blessings right there... a job you love to do and crazy loot to do it. The least you could do, if you are that fortunate, is to make the best of such a great opportunity. There are people who come to see you and spend a quarter of their earnings just to get a good seat and not to mention, eat something and drink a beer too... and you go into a club with a gun that is not registered (I guess the law only applies to those fans and other people, not you), that you obviously don't know how to use (If you knew how to use it, you'd know that the safety should be on at all times when not in use.) and shoot yourself in the thigh!

I'll admit, I laughed about this for days when I heard about it but, I've stopped laughing now because it's not funny. It's sad. This guy is in the hospital. He is facing criminal charges and ironically enough, the only person he hurt was himself. And now, there's a possibility that his pro football career is down the toilet. Somewhere, Michael Vick is shaking his head and saying, "Man, I now how you feel."

I don't know what your major was in college Plax but, I surely hope it's something you can make a decent living at, if you should have to spend the mandatory "three years in the slammer" that the mayor of the city you play for is recommending. Ahhh, how soon they forget, huh Plax?

21 comments:

Somebodies Friend said...

You are right on with this one as usual Keith.

How many people are fortunate enough to do something that they would do for free, and get paid millions to do it?

And the answer is: NOT MANY!

I know for a fact I would never screw up such a thing, it just seems so stupid on every level.

I guess some of these guys come from a place where this kind of behavior is not only acceptable, but encouraged, and they don't know how to turn it off when their good thing ship comes in!

It really is a shame, the way some of these people in the spotlight behave.

All I know is I would be on my best behavior at all times if I was in the public eye!

Just sayin'

Anonymous said...

You are absolutely right on this Keith, Some of these athletes don't know how good they have it.

Anonymous said...

Can I ever be first? Lolol....I don't know if I feel sorry for him
or if I'm angry that he blew such an opportunity.

Anonymous said...

HE's fine though..I don't care how stupid he is.-lololol.

Anonymous said...

@-Angie B-lolololol-I hear ya girl,I would have volunteered to be his bodyguard..lololol..Good Post Keith

Anonymous said...

And there lies the point...These guys get away with this kind of stuff because there is always enablers around to justify their stupidity...You hit the hammer on the nail Keith.

Anonymous said...

Not Really a Sports fan, but I get where you're going with this Keith.

Anonymous said...

How many people truly are blessed to be paid for doing something they love? Not me,I know that..and like you said..many would kill to be in the place of not only these athletes but these singers and actors too.

Anonymous said...

He is a cutie...a dummy, but a cutie just the same. I can dig where you comin from Keith.

Anonymous said...

Have some sympathy for the brother..None of us our perfect, we
all do things we shouldn't from time to time.

Anonymous said...

Another Good Post Keith..You make very valid points here without being judgemental...well, not too
judgemental.

nikki said...

my thing is, how many folk out there make dumb decisions like this? if we gonna vilify him for poor decision making, check the rest who do the same. he shouldn't get special treatment in that area just cuz he's in the spotlight. in the end, he's a regular human being just like the rest of us who is just as vulnerable to mistakes as the rest of us.

Keith said...

@Nikki-Point Taken..but check it out..There are guys sitting in jail now, doing three years for just the same thing that he's accused of..Carrying an unregistered and concealed weapon..
Who never had the opportunities in life that he was blessed with..It doesn't make either person right,but still...I'm even betting that because he is who he is..he won't spend a day in jail. A person
shouldn't press their luck..That's my real point here..He's got a good thing going, He should make the very best of it..I know I would
If I were him.

Beautifully.Conjured.Up said...

Good post...

I'm not the one to quickly judge people, especially when I wasn't there/don't know the person's situation/etc., for we all fall short sometimes.

Anonymous said...

If you need to carry a loaded gun to the club, you don't need to be at that club. Some of these athletes are just stupid. All that money and no commen sense.

I'm not saying this just b/c he's an athlete but I don't think he should get 3.5 yrs. He has no record. The same should apply to anyone with NO record. That's just a waste of taxpayers money. The city would be better off letting them pay a hefty fine and doing community work. And the next time it happens then jail time.

And Bloomberg needs to sit down somewhere. Where was he and his stance on justice when some of his NYPD boys opened fire on an innocent man like Sean Bell? Plax accidently shot himself with a gun, and Bloomberg wants to make sure he is prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Yet his cops purposely shot Bell with no just cause, and they walked. Some other cops ran a broomstick up a man's butt, and never received jailtime for that. But Plax is a dangerous criminal that needs to be put away for putting a bullet in himself. Whatever! Plus I refuse to believe every person in NYC that gets caught with an unregistered gun gets 3.5 yrs. If so NYC would have more jails than Starbucks. I'm sure some people are coppijng pleas to reduce their sentence. Plus he's yelling it's the law. It's the law you can only serve two terms but he's trying to serve 3. I don't like Bloomberg!

Me said...

I hate he may loose it all over this. I also hate what happened to Michael Vick. When will these young men learn...yes you have money, fame, good looks (maybe), plenty of women, but to those that despise you, the money you make, your talent, your speed...they wait for things like this to happen. They just sit back, shake their heads and say..."they never should have gave you ni99ers money!" Just a little joke...
Um...in unrelated, but sort of related news...GO COWBOYS!!! Hey, I'm sorry you gotta kick people when they are down! I think the Giants should go on a retreat and think things over about how they want to move forward...if at all

Anonymous said...

My thoughts, exactly! Just ignant if you ask me.
dsp
p.s. he is a cutie! LOL

SLC said...

Right on Southern Girl.
If he's prosecuted to the fullest extent, it'll be to make an example of him, or to give the public the impression the authorities don't play favorites. Plaxico may get a break since he had an expired Florida registration, and I'm surprised he had that.
What makes this worse is Plaxico has gone from Super Bowl hero, to 35 million dollars, to missing practice without calling, to being fourth on the team in receptions, to shooting himself in the thigh.
Plax no longer has the luxury of anonymity, so every stupid thing he does will be magnified. I'm actin' a fool right now and nobody knows it but me and God. He should be thanking God because Sean Taylor was also shot in the thigh and basically bled to death; a tragic victim of a crime. Plax is lucky to be alive after such a careless incident.
SLC

Blu Jewel said...

I so completely agree with you on this post. I've often said the same thing about athletes and celebs who squander their talents and ability to work their passion.

I know they're human too and not exempt from the temptations and such that are out there, but dammit, do you really lack that common sense God gave you to want to blow all you've worked for? *SMH*

I pray upon prayers that I'll one day be able to have my passion support and sustain me and the money to boot!

Love!

Kofi Bofah said...

Here you go Keith:

Plaxico Burress Shoots Self in Foot, Literally

Yup.

Pro athletes are just microcosms of society. Check it out:
What is it 30 pro teams - 60 on the roster I think.
1,800 players.
Not all of those 1800 make the megabucks.
Let's say 1,000 make $1 million plus.
Even that is a stretch.

Now you show me the profession where the top 1,000 employees make LESS than $1 million.

(Teachers and Government officials, maybe but the top workers often write books and find jobs in the private sector that elevate their net worth into $1M+)

Show me a profession where out of these top 1,000 producers making $1M+ where there isn't the same amount, if not higher level of scandal.

Are the issues really relegated to pro sports, or society at-large?

Anonymous said...

I'm agree with this too...dope post!!!




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