Ramen to Ruinous Riches

“He is the most coveted amateur player in the history of the Draft and a potential front-line starting pitcher for the Washington Nationals,” said Washington Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo of Stephen Strasburg who finally signed a contract worth $15.1 million. The financial language of the big leagues is foreign to us because they deal in the millions on a daily basis and well…we kind of don’t. “We” would mean most of us. But when you’re the “most coveted amateur” doesn’t that mean you’ve never been paid to play before?

I can’t imagine being Strasburg, Blake Griffin (#1 overall NBA draft pick 2009) or someone of the sort and here’s why. When I was between 19 and 21 years of age, I ate Hamburger Helper a lot and chased it with water or Pineapple soda if we were rollin’ in the dough that week. My roommate and I inherited furniture from one of his deceased relatives during our senior year, which explained the candelabras on the dining room table. The only reason we didn’t starve was because of financial aid. In the words of Dave Chappelle, “We were broke…” But if you are the #1 prospect of any sport as you prepare to make the jump to the pro level, I imagine the transition to be perilous.

You hire an agent, all the while still eating your Ramen Noodles and he says something to the effect of, ” we can get $15 million from this baseball team.” You say, “OK,…(slurp).” Tell me $15 million resonates in the world of an amateur and I’ll laugh you off the planet. The truth is that no one who doesn’t grow up in the “Hamptons” understands that kind of money and getting it suddenly must be, at minimum, dangerous. Rich, young and powerful was the combination that led the protagonist of an ancient parable to his demise because he demanded and was suddenly granted an exorbitant amount of wealth that exceeded his maturity. In the story, the kid returned home after squandering the riches and was celebrated by his father simply because he returned to the home he should never have left so abruptly. The son who wasted his money is typically referred to as “prodigal” which means wastefully or recklessly extravagant.

There’s something to be said for patience in acquiring wealth. Contrary to the misquoted axiom the correct version goes, “The Love of money is the root of all sorts of evil.”  But then again, most obsessions lead to evil do they not? So why are we surprised at the failures of superstar athletes? I think there’s a brave confrontation scheduled between professional sports and the words of Socrates that ask, “Are you not ashamed of caring so much for the making of money and for fame and prestige, when you neither think nor care about wisdom and truth and the improvement of your soul?”