A case of 'Now I can slack off.'

We sports fans care if our team loses. Because we are tied to a team emotionally. Over the years. Often since we were youngsters. But I doubt that players really care that much. They make a living by playing a game. And it's nice to win. But winning isn't everything. Far from it. Some players, I'm sure, get pleasure from playing the game. But in major league sports, it's the pay that counts. It's neat making millions of dollars in a single season. That easily offsets the losing. Taking home all that money. That's the motivation for playing a sport, and becoming one of the elite professionals. Money. And maybe fame, too. Becoming a celebrity. Sometimes, I imagine that the players care. That they really want to excel and win championships just for the sake of it all. But I'm fooling myself. Maybe it happens in amateur sports. But rarely at the professional level. Money. Lots of it. Tends to be a spoiling factor. Many players with extended big guaranteed contracts seem to lose it. Maybe it's the pressure of really wanting to have truly earned all that money. But I suspect it's more a case of, 'Hey, I've hit the big pay day. Now I can slack off. I'm home free. I've got more money than I need for the rest of my lifetime.' --Jim Broede