I've had enough

   The Criticism of Dolphins or whatever is now mature with an expected somebody leading an anticipated team as they tune up for the Ride around France.  

It's all gonna hafta do without me this year'cause I've had it.  It's been coming on for years but spectator sports has become a terrible influence and I will simply not participate. The last straw for me was the day the judge made pregnant lawyers everywhere happy and granted the 

Northwestern University athletes the right to unionize.

      My first reaction was to wonder what happened to the AAU, but Steve Prefontaine pretty well proved that  a corrupt and abusive bureaucracy.  Also, we are no longer talking about amateur athletes.  The schools depend on these performers to provide a huge influx of cash.  I think they have a right, and in today's climate, the need to gather together and garner a bigger share of the pie.  I just don't think the pie should exist.                 Things have developed to this point because we are dumb enough to support it.  Athletes are no longer committing acts of heroism and sacrifice for which they are worshiped.  They are drugged up, overpaid salespeople.  We watch the shows, buy the razors, shoes and t-shirts and have evolved into a society of spectators. 

       Look at the school system.  I came from a maniacal basketball culture and appreciate the experience I had as part of a truly exceptional program, but there were 30 of us on the inside with 2000 trained to watch. I can't help but wonder what would happen if the money spent for those facilities was spent on more teachers and equipment to teach a broader range of participation sports.  Students could be learning racketball, yoga, handball, judo, skiing, skating, skateboarding, golf, bike riding, squash or any number of other activities. Instead we are teaching them to watch.  I remember an interview with Howard Cosell when he retired.  When asked about the growing salary scales he said; " It's obscene.  It's crazy that I should have been paid what I was for what I did.  Obviously, I could not afford to turn it down, but there are simply better forms of entertainment than watching somebody else play games."  When asked what could be done to correct the situation, he said; "Don't watch."