Well said, Kiwi brother. I've always been a big sports fan, but as I get older I care a little less each year. I still enjoy watching sports, reading articles, and following my teams, but I realize there are much more important things in life. I think this is the best way to be a sports fan--because it's a lot of fun when your team wins, but when they lose, it's not the end of the world. For many of the die-hard fans, the pain of losing is worse than the joy of winning. But if one of my teams lose, I think "Oh well, too bad" and that's it.
Rinus....I don't follow EPL (or any soccer), but here's my opinion on players being paid....Though it is indeed excessive, I don't have too much of a problem with athlete salaries. Why? Because they are entertainers, and people are willing to pay to be entertained by them. Who wants to pay $75 to watch someone paint a house? Who will pay $150 to wear a jersey of his favorite cashier? Who will pay $50/month for cable so he can tune in and watch accountants crunch numbers for three hours a night? Same thing with movie stars....if every theater ticket was $1, then movie stars shouldn't get paid $15 million for one film. But if millions of people are willing to pay $10 or $13 to watch one movie, well...
Also, the top athletes have had to work hard to get where they are, and the percentage of athletes making obscene salaries is actually quite small. After you get past the few making millions, the drop-off is steep. For every Major League Baseball player making big money, there are 20 or 30 minor league and independent league players making $1500 a month; and most of them will never make it to the big time. The No. 1 tennis player in the world is set for life, but the No. 100 player---or even the No. 50 player--very well might have to "work" after he retires from tennis.
Finally, excessive amounts of wealth can be used for good. Obviously there are a lot of greedy athletes, but a great many rich athletes have given millions of dollars to charities, started their own foundations, etc. Ray said in one of his audios that he didn't begrudge Bill Gates at all his vast wealth, because he's given billions(!) of dollars away, and done a lot to improve world conditions. This is quite different than the prosperity preachers who swindle people so they can buy private jets and stay in 5-star hotels.