Professional Athletes Need to Stop Being Soft

The average NBA player makes roughly $6 million per year. The average MLB player makes about over $4 million per year. The average NFL player earns above $2 million per year.

The great players in these leagues make much more than the league average.

For example, James Harden just signed a massive contract that would have him making around $40 million per year. Clayton Kershaw is the highest paid MLB player, making $32 million per year. Andrew Luck signed a contract that pays him about $25 million per year in the NFL.

People often complain about professional athletes making too much money. However, if you complain about athletes making a lot of money, then you should complain about any performer who makes millions of dollars. You should complain about actor George Clooney or rapper Eminem for their large salaries.

All of these professionals are paid to entertain an audience.

For some reason, it is the fact that these professional athletes play sports that bothers people.

But if you aren’t bothered by George Clooney making $20 million dollars, then you should not be bothered by Andrew Luck making $25 million.

These professional athletes have a specific talent, and people want to pay to see them perform their skill.

Here is the problem: Many athletes want the fame and fortune of being a professional athlete, but do not want to be critiqued by the public.

They cannot handle being scrutinized or criticized by the fans or the media.

The fans and the media are why these athletes make so much money in the first place.

If the fans were not passionate about their sport, they would not show up to games. If there were no media members, writers, or TV personalities, then the massive television contracts that ultimately benefit the players would not exist.

Athletes are public figures, whether they like it or not. For whatever reason, many athletes do not realize that public figures face criticism.

It makes sense in a way.

Our generation is often thought of as “soft.”

We always hear that our parents’ upbringing was more difficult than ours was. We all heard the story that our parents had to walk “uphill” both ways to get to school.

Due to this tough upbringing, many parents now coddle their kids and treat them as extra special from a young age.

NBA players, for example, often played AAU when they were kids. AAU focuses on individual achievement, and only reinforces one’s own ego as being a special player. These kids are rarely criticized and are constantly told how amazing they are in their sport.

There are many athletes who do have tough upbringings and do not have loving parents. But this does not stop coaches from making sure the kid knows that he is special.

Once these “extra special” athletes turn professional, they cannot seem to handle public scrutiny.

Take Kevin Durant for instance.

After leaving OKC in a cowardly act to join one of the greatest teams of all time in Golden State, Durant was ripped apart by the media and fans.

He could not handle it. A used-to-be likable kid is now an angry athlete who appears to hate everyone.

Take LeBron James.

After leaving his hometown of Cleveland to form a “big 3” in Miami, fans burned his jersey and media members ostracized him.

LeBron had a difficult time with the criticism and backlashed at the media.

Take David Price.

After having a subpar first year and a half with the Red Sox and after getting booed by the fans and criticized by the media, Price has not responded well.

On Sunday, the Boston Globe reported that Price yelled at NESN broadcaster Dennis Eckersley for criticizing his teammates.

The examples of professional athletes acting self-entitled and “soft” are endless, and it is infuriating to watch.

You are getting paid because people care enough to complain about you, David Price, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant.

Suck it up. Take some accountability.

Stop blaming Dennis Eckersley, other media members, and the fans.

You are a public figure in the spotlight, and it is time for you to start realizing that criticism comes with the territory.

Until then, you will continue to look like a weak, overly-sensitive athlete.