Yesterday, the Seattle Mariners signed Ichiro Suzuki on for a $90 million contract for an additional 5 years with the team. $90 million! Wow. Can't say he doesn't deserve it, though. Ichiro's the first major leaguer to have 200 hits in each of his first six seasons, and he's the top hitter this season to date, batting .355 with 5 home runs, 39 RBIs, and 23 bases stolen. Plus he's brought thousands upon thousands upon thousands of Japanese fans and tourists to the US.
Ichiro claims that his dog, Ikky, helped him get to where he is today. Yahoo! Sports reports:
When asked whose counsel he valued most during contract negotiations that began in January, he said, "Ikky, my dog."
"He said, 'Ruff, ruff, ruff,"' a smiling Suzuki said through an interpreter. "That means, 'Stay, stay, stay."'
I guess the dog likes living in Seattle. Or maybe Ichiro's giving him filet mignon and caviar cookies to snack on.
It's great that he's getting recognition, but I think they pay professional athletes way too much here. That money would serve better being paid to teachers. I wish our country could figure something out to pay them more!
Posted by: Jenanime | July 14, 2007 at 11:04 AM
Um... you've created a false dichotomy. The government isn't paying these contracts; a private company is. The money isn't being taken from teachers; it's being paid by fans of whatever sport is at issue. (And the athletes are the ones drawing in those fans.) We should pay teachers more, absolutely. But that has nothing whatever to do with how much a private company chooses to pay a commercially valuable employee.
Posted by: Jarrett | July 14, 2007 at 01:10 PM
Oh, yes. I know that, it's just a frustrating comparison I notice.
Posted by: Jenanime | July 14, 2007 at 04:32 PM
That was mean and uncalled for.
Posted by: Jarrett | July 14, 2007 at 11:48 PM