For the Love of the Game or Money?!?

Let’s remember as I write this blog that I am a diehard, born and bread Yankee fan.
Scott Boras is known as a cut throat agent who gets what his client wants and more. But recently the New York Yankees and Alex Rodriguez gave this agent a “gut check.” Now let’s be serious as much of an egomaniac Mr. Boras is and just as much is true of ARod if not more so, the gut check I referred to isn’t nearly as bad as some would say either of them deserve. The hit that Boras and his reputation (some disagree) took is merely nothing compared to his ability to get the job done, I mean he still gets a check for 14 million dollars and this time he was told to stay home for the negotiations. I would rather have seen Alex fire Boras and publicly apologize for the ridiculousness that came from the negotiations and decisions that were made back before the World Series even began. Alex might not have gotten his $350 million that was said to be what he was demanding but instead he receives $27.5 million plus incentives for the next ten years (some call him “Pay-Rod”).
I guess the main concept i am trying to get at is whatever happened to “for the love of the game.” I know it is too much to ask to bring the big business that sport has become back to the reality of the everyday person. Don’t get me wrong sport is a tapped market that has unlimited potential for growth hence the unlimited potential to make more money. I think of the days when I was younger playing little league not thinking of the almighty dollar and the ultimate long term contract. It would be naïve as a young man to grow up and not start to think about providing for one’s self or family but the greed that is blinded by what some call the increase in living costs among other things has become ridiculously absurd.
With player agents and player associations we will never see the necessary change to alter what is now. Though if it were possible to clear the slate and start from scratch one of the more optimal scenarios for player contract would be a base salary that is the same for every player at a particular position with incentives to be earned per game per season. Some say the Torre incentive based contract was an “insult” but even as someone who praises Joe Torre for what he did in pinstripes I still believe on the business side of things it is what have you done for me lately and with the ridiculousness of contracts incentive base contracts seem to be the only true way to leave the absurdness that is the size of contracts from continuing to grow.
As a fan of baseball I welcome Alex back to the pinstripes and the Bronx, as a fan of the Yankees all I ask is that on and off the field you show respect for the game, the uniform, and mostly yourself by striving to become a better athlete, teammate, and ultimately a better person!