Many years ago, professional athletes were role models, with the greats like Babe Ruth, who was paid a combined $785,900 for 14 years in Major League Baseball, as compared to some of today’s players, such as another popular Yankee, Alex Rodriguez, who made roughly $33,000,000 this year, without endorsements, as compared to Babe Ruth who made only $785,900.

People such as Doctors, paramedics, Dentists, policemen, and firemen don’t make close to what the "great" athletes make. Some professions require a person to save lives, and, in some cases, risk their own life to save the lives of others.

It’s okay to give players a cut of the revenue gained, but some players, like Michael Jordan in the 1996-1997 NBA season was paid $33,450,000 for the year, or just over $1.06 per second, an outrageous amount of money for a player to play a game that he loves to play.

Quite possible the worst decision in a contract was giving Stephon Marbury, point guard for the New York Knicks and bench player for the Boston Celtics $21.11 million dollars last year, yet he only appeared in 23 games.

Even in times of economic hardship, players such as Tiger Woods is making a combined salary(winnings, salary, and endorsements) of $111,941,827 in 2007, or $4.06 per second, $243.40 per minute, and $14,604.28 per hour to play golf, a game played by many for enjoyment and relaxation. At $111,941,827 in 2007, he made more than double the money of any other athlete, or celebrity in this case in 2007.

Another outrageous salary is that of David Beckham, midfielder for the Los Angeles Galaxy and A.C. Milan, who has a salary of $250,000,000 including endorsements for 5 years, or $50,000,000 per year. This breaks down to an outrageous salary of over $136,986.30 per day, and over $38.05 per second.

But, it has not always been this way. In 1910, in the early days of the NFL, Hall Of Famer Jim Thorpe made only $250 per game that he played in, much less the gargantuan salaries by today’s players. By contrast, football players today who played in the Arena Football League make what he made per game.

Even the best Olympic athletes don’t make as much as these American sports athletes, such as Usain Bolt, who won gold in every event he participated in, yet makes substantially less than any of the American Athletes. Bolt's only income comes from endorsements and non-Olympic/non-charitable track meets.

One of the reasons that the players are able to be paid so much is because of the money that the average person pays to come to a game. At the new Yankees Stadium, the price of tickets in the Field Level sections between 3rd base and 1st base is $375 per game.

One of the most outrageous salaries are rookies in the NFL. Matt Stafford, who was drafted by the Lions, was put on injured reserve by Week 16, and is guaranteed to make $42 million this year, even though his stats were below par for a number one draft pick.

Today’s salaries of players are outrageous. The players make an excessive amount of money that is not necessary, as even the more important people in today’s society such as: Doctors, paramedics, dentists, policemen, and firemen make less than these athletes do to play a game that many people play for enjoyment.