IN AMERICA...

ONE TOUCHDOWN TO PEACE?

Besides, factoring the cost [which is millions and billions and trillions] there’s a murky but likely parallel between war and sports. Either fighting for territory on a battlefield or fighting for points on a football field there’s a possible adaptation that could be made between waring countries sans bullets. It’s costly launching a military invasion [Iraq War cost about 1.9T] or buying then maintaining a sports franchise [Dallas Cowboys about 10.1B] the amount of so-many zeros is staggering. And the ‘value’ for the vast amount of mind-numbing dollars is what? Let’s look.

Once considered leisure pursuits - are now recognized professional careers for which people are paid—and ohhh - how they're paid...!

In 1922 Babe Ruth signed a 3year contract for $52,000 per season. [Average price of a 3bdrm home in 1925 at the end of his 3yr contract was $6,000] Six years later the Yankees' executives gave Babe a 'wee' raise to $80,000--which was a higher annual salary than President Herbert Hoover!

Steadily since 1970, there's 'money' in sports—lots of it. Besides sports betting [legal or not] after the development of television - sporting events promoted by mega amounts of advertising sent 'money' sprawling and blossoming like bindweed. Since Vietnam, there’s money in war—lots of it [for private contractors]. Though perhaps not for accountants as one-billion-dollars is still unaccounted for from the ledgers of the war on terror. [Afghanistan—U.S. cost $2.61 T].

As of 2022 New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole was 3 years into a 9-year contract for $36,000,000 [M] per year! [Average price of a 3bdrm home in 2025 $460,500] Again--a higher annual salary than the President - like, 90 times higher!

We have the Greeks to thank for [besides a phonetically creative alphabet] sports. The first Olympic games that started much of this - might be considered a mixed blessing...

In 776 BC there was no television. Well - there was no electricity yet either, but that's not my point. Without television people of ancient cultures used what leisure time they had -often- begetting or warring... Since the Greeks were more inclined toward poetry and less inclined toward invading other territories they redirected the pent-up energy of their youth with competitions like foot races, wrestling, discus and javelin throwing, long jump and chariot racing.

Those who know me - or just as accurately know 'my' athletic ability might point out that I've focused on this particular feature [at this particular time] because my abilities are limited to--curling.

I tried figure skating, but balance and falling seemed to be an issue. I tried softball but swinging and missing seemed to be an issue. I tried tennis, but the net got in my way and with racquet ball all those rebounds from all those walls seemed to be an issue. I tried golf, but somehow, I managed to defy several laws of physics to the point that a golf pro begged me not to tell anyone he had given me lessons. However, for some reason I am able to get a 40pound chunk of polished granite down 93 feet of ice to rest at the correct spot in a group of concentric circles--? Go figure...

That aside—I question the thundering emphasis on so much money on [war] and sports. My concern is not due to my own lackluster athletic talents - I question the bloated mismanagement of financing war -and- the salaries of coaches and players from a value-to-life perspective...

War has never had ‘value’. Entertainment has value - at least I like to think so since I write mystery-suspense novels - but in balance how 'much' value? How much is a book worth compared to the teacher who shares insight with young minds from that book? Will a Basketball Center or a Hockey Goalie be able to tutor someone who seeks to be the first in their family to finish college? A teacher with 5 to 15 years of experience makes an annual salary of between $40,600 and $51,290.

How much are the players in any sport worth compared to a Registered Nurse who administers medication and/or adjusts patient's oxygen levels? Will a Quarterback or a Shortstop be able to monitor the vital signs of someone on life support in ICU? A registered nurse with 5 to 10 years of experience makes an annual salary of between $49,600 and $56,800.

Our security is just one Border Patrol Agent/Officer away from an illegal immigrant who already has a criminal record -or- one U.S. Marshal away from a belligerent passenger on an airplane. The annual salary of a Border Patrol Agent [GL-7 to GL-9] is between $49,508 - $78,269. The annual salary of a U.S. Marshal [GL-7 to GL-9] is between $46,471 - $61,937.

In researching this I read: Games are a structured form of Play usually undertaken for entertainment or fun and sometimes used as an educational tool [experiencing teamwork and learning sportsmanship]. Games are different from Work, which is usually carried out for renumeration or from Art, which is more often an expression of aesthetic, creative elements. ...Play was described as: activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than for serious or practical purpose... For Practical, how about military training. A Sergeant First Class earns between $3,300 and $5,900 monthly. A Captain earns between $6,900 to $10,500 monthly.

Some sports celebrities argue they require higher than average salaries - due to the physical demands of sports - they can't work for forty years. Well gee, sorry not valid. [Thousands of soldiers don’t make it to retirement.] So, just because an elbow won’t let you pitch - or your knees won’t let you skate, you’re still able. *Dr. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif who left football to practice medicine, proves my point. A second career aside, do you know anyone on your street who makes $36,000,000 [M] in their lifetime…

Okay - fellow-travelers, I have another suggestion to merge SPORTS and WAR, sort of from the Ancient Greeks. Twenty-five years into this messy century, instead of tanks and guns and missiles and bombs and submarines and battleships let's compete against other nations in archery or swimming or cycling—anything. What if a best out-of-five soccer match resolved trade issues, immigration issues, territory issues, tariff issues… Just a thought. Besides the United Nations needs to revise its outdated Charter anyway.

HAPPY 250TH BIRTHDAY and THANK YOU TO THE U. S. ARMY…!