What are you reading?

[Massacre 7646]

For any of a massive number or reasons and variables that common sense should tell you.

[beatnicpie 825]

It makes me so mad to read about athletes that sign multimillion-dollar contracts. Paid all that money just to play a children's game for a few years...

There are a lot of factors we don't take into consideration when it comes to a pro athlete's pay day. First of all, their career will be short lived, maybe stretching an entire decade. and they'll probably be injured at some point, and that injury will probably effect them down the road. Second, they've busted their asses in ways I can't imagine, even if they play for the Cleveland Browns. Third, not many pro athletes get huge contracts, and those that do get paid shit tons of money are paid for their celebrity more than anything else. They sell tickets, concessions, and ad time in an indirect manner.

Don't get me wrong, I'd like some of that money to else where, but people vote with their money, and it's clear the world likes a celebrity.

[GunSmith 2452]

Thats not creativity. Its admiration.

No, that's creativity. I'm respecting the Housers' creativity, not their admiration. I wish that I could possess such creativity, not such admiration.

[Massacre 7646]

Thats not creativity. Its admiration.

No, that's creativity. I'm respecting the Houser's creativity, not their admiration. I wish that I could possess such creativity, not such admiration.

Reinterpret his post before you make yourself look stupid. Even when you're on the right side of the argument, you can still be wrong if you don't know what you're saying.

[Qdeathstar 1763]

You are admiring their creativity, not creating something yourself.

[GunSmith 2452]

Reinterpret his post before you make yourself look stupid.

Too late. ._.

You are admiring their creativity, not creating something yourself.

It's inspiring creativity in me. It instills in me a desire to create.

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHAT WE'RE READING

[Massacre 7646]

Nice job, dumbass. You'd better recover from that, I don't have enough interest in this debate to be right all by myself.

[GunSmith 2452]

I think hope I did.

[beatnicpie 825]

When this settles down, I have a couple of recommendations for Dozy.

[Qdeathstar 1763]

For any of a massive number or reasons and variables that common sense should tell you.

Ok troll...

There is no way you can tell me that as an highschool student, had i worked really hard and went to college and played football, that at the end of 5 years I could be the next Adrian Peterson.

[beatnicpie 825]

Well, if we're talking about you QFact, then yes.

[Qdeathstar 1763]

You think you could have been Adrian Peterson?

[beatnicpie 825]

In all seriousness I don't know who he is, but I'll go ahead and say no.

[GunSmith 2452]

ALSO: *Housers'

[Massacre 7646]

For any of a massive number or reasons and variables that common sense should tell you.

Ok troll...

There is no way you can tell me that as an highschool student, had i worked really hard and went to college and played football, that at the end of 5 years I could be the next Adrian Peterson.

Not posting every conceivable situation that could prevent someone from becoming a professional athlete doesn't make me a troll.

Also, I have no idea who Adrian Peterson is (probably because I have good taste in entertainment), but yeah, as long as you were motivated and you weren't fat enough to be bed-bound, you could have.

[beatnicpie 825]

I've never been a sports guy though, and when I tried as a teen, I fucked up my knee pretty bad. I have respect for anyone who distinguishes themselves in a given field, even killers. But I am biased in this conversation.

Anywho, Dozy, you should look into the works of Max Brooks, as he deals with zombies in my favorite literary light. Confederacy of Dunces is one of my favorites and has good examples of stylized speech.Good luck with the writing, boss!

[Qdeathstar 1763]

I don't believe that you really think anyone can become a professional athlete. If you're not a troll you must be an imbecile. I know you are not an imbecile, therefore you must be a troll.

A boy and his dog vs game of thrones vs prince of thorns....

Which should i read next?

[Ginginho 1613]

Jenna Jamesons autobiography - she gives good blowjob tips....

[Qdeathstar 1763]

Already a pro, sister.

[Massacre 7646]

I don't believe that you really think anyone can become a professional athlete. If you're not a troll you must be an imbecile. I know you are not an imbecile, therefore you must be a troll.

No, not anyone can become a professional athlete, I never said that. I said you don't need to train your whole life for it. Academic performance, social status, family, lack of motivation, etc. can prevent you from becoming a professional athlete. Any number of things can prevent it. But if you're in decent shape and are in your later years of high school, it wouldn't be too terribly difficult to end up in the NFL, or the NBA, or gay porn.

[Qdeathstar 1763]

You said "a kid in average shape"

Of course, if you have a superhuman athletic ability you don't need to train your entire life, but thats far from "average" as you say.

Also, excuse me for assuming average meant anyone who was average.

[gtagrl 4317]

Dozy, here are a couple of recommendations:

Fantasy:

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin, more commonly known as Games of Thrones after the first book in the series. Epic must read for everyone.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, it's a classic and an easy read, not like GoT which has a 20-page index at the back to help you keep track of all the characters.

Since you like some humour, try out the Death Gate Cycle by Weis and Hickman. It has humans, elves, dwarves, dragons and a sausage-loving dog. Each of the first four books are cool standalone stories, but the payoff comes after you've read those and get to the last three books.

David Brin's The Practice Effect is a great little read, if you don't feel like starting a 7-book series like above.

Fiction:

You're a budding writer that likes poetry, so try out Margaret Atwood. Suggested titles for you: Year of the Flood, Alias Grace and The Handmaid's Tale. She's an incredible writer of prose and poetry, you will be inspired.

[beatnicpie 825]

David Brin also wrote The Postman, which became Kevin Costner's best film.

[cuda 939]

Why only hate pro athletes? Athletes entertain me, I like to watch sports and spend money watching sports, so I have no issues with them getting paid (and I have an engineering degree), pro athletes, much like people in the music industry, movie industry, show business, etc, are all just giving out entertainment.

How are they not contributing to society? How can you say that when you're posting on a website dedicated to a video game?

Massacre, you say it wouldn't be terribly difficult to get into professional sports if you're in decent shape in high school, do you really have any idea what it is to get to the top of those sports? It's not just being fit, I would even go out and say that being fit is the easiest thing to achieve if you want to go pro, you go on pointing out factors that could prevent you from becoming a pro, those are the exact factors present in many pro athletes - making something our of nothing.

I grew up with sports around me, and although it was never my objective to make a living out of sports, I know exactly what kind of effort it demands - some are lucky to be born with a gift, but most go through a very hard selection, and unless you have the physical, mental and emotional requirements, you will never triumph in sports.

I can understand an argument that questions the amount of money professional athletes say, but saying it's an easy thing to achieve... sorry, that's just ignorant. I'd rather go through 10 different engineering degrees than make a goal to play elite level football.

[Massacre 7646]

That whole discussion would have gone better had anyone correctly interpreted what I said. My point, initially, was simply going to be that athletes don't earn their ridiculous paychecks, because they don't. Then I saw Q's comment about how they train their entire lives, and I pointed out that that isn't even remotely necessary, because it isn't.

So, my points were:

1. They don't deserve the money they make.

2. It's not hard to get in good enough shape to do what they do.

Then everyone else made the argument longer than it needed to be.