Of course, the National Football League (NFL) is not the king as in chief of state in a monarchy, but the NFL is the king of American sports. The TV ratings for the recently completed NFL Draft are further proof. From this tweet by Joe Pompliano:
The first round of the NFL Draft had 11.29 million viewers. That’s more than the:
Daytona 500
Indianapolis 500
Stanley Cup Final
Games 2 & 3 of the World Series
Wimbledon
French Open
Australian Open
US Open
PGA Championship
British Open
Pompliano didn’t mention that the number of viewers for the 2023 first round of the NFL Draft was almost twice the average number of those who watched the 2022 NBA conference finals, the playoff series that determine the participants in the NBA championship. An eight-digit number of people (myself included) watched an event that is not a game or a match, but basically consists of player names being read and a few of those players hugging the league commissioner.
When people complain about the salaries of professional athletes, they seem to forget that we still live with the remnants of a capitalist economy, where the standard of value for something is what people and other entities are willing and able to pay for it. Over the next ten years, the NFL and its teams will receive more than $100 billion in national media rights fees. People don’t watch the games to see the owners own, but to watch the players play. If you think player salaries are inappropriate, then you can not watch sports and try not to buy the products of companies that sponsor the games. Good luck with the latter, though.
I hope I don’t live to see the day where the government determines everyone’s pay. Oh, being resentful and envious of people who are wealthier than you is not a sound basis for public policy.
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Here a couple of links to posts from Why Evolution Is True, once again posted without comment:
Our big paper on the importance of placing merit over ideology in science and an op-ed in the WSJ
Mishigass (or Mishigas as I have spelled it) is Yiddish for craziness, lunacy, etc.
That’s all I have for today. I will publish a guest post by Dirty Dingus McGee either Monday or Tuesday.
#TheNFLIsKing
#somanyCARSjustonelife
#disaffectedmusings
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Disaffected Musings 
On our recent cruise, the 24 hour sports channel had much soccer and the Miami tennis matches but what I found most fascinating were the Rugby matches being broadcast. It was my first introduction to the sport and I was impressed at the hard hitting and the lack of safety equipment. As near as I could tell, only mouth protectors.
The games made American football look like a game for sissies. Well, maybe I exaggerate. 😀
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Thanks, JS. Equipment or no, American football is hardly a “game for sissies.” Watch a game from an NFL sideline and you will be amazed that any player gets up after being tackled.
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Indeed. My comment is only tongue in cheek. 🙂
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“we still live with the remnants of a capitalist economy”
At least for a little bit longer we do. I foresee a day when we no longer do, given the strident demands of “equality” from an increasing amount of the population. Far too many think that sitting on their ass is equal to someone who actually produces something of value, so therefore they “deserve” equal money. Those thoughts have been around forever, jealousy goes back beyond biblical times, they just nowadays have a more visible platform, IE social media.
I have no problem offering a “hand up” to someone who has had an unanticipated hardship. Where I have an issue is the ones who want a “handout”, just for the fact that they exist. I work/worked for what I have, get off your butt and make something of yourself. I did and I’m probably not any smarter or luckier than 90% of the rest of the population.
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Well expressed, DDM. I couldn’t agree with you more.
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DDM, it is not “equality” that is being demanded but “equity”. In other words, for some perceived wrong in the past, some group will be treated better than the others of us, in order to create “equity.” The only word that can be applied to those pushing “equity” is they are discriminating against the others of us. And if they are pushing “equity” because of the color of someone’s skin, they are racist. Do not let them twist the true meaning of the words.
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Many thanks, Philip.
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Philip
Why I used equality in this instance is the demand for money equal to what more qualified individuals receive. Prime example being the burger flipper that “deserves” $15 an hour. Anyone with more intelligence than a turnip should know that is not even a semi skilled position and is not designed to be a living wage. It’s an entry level job to give you experience that can be used to better yourself at your next job or to move up into management there. The other point was that many folks get a degree that is useless in the current job market. Not a lot of demand for poets these days, or other such art degrees. These folks think because they have that education, they should receive a stipend, equal to what maybe an engineer makes.
The equity folks are a whole “nother story, that requires a chapter of it’s own.
Just my $.02, and worth what you paid to read it.
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DDM, I understand fully. Thanks for your explanation.
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