How Much Money Do Professional Athletes Really Make?

Everyone knows that professional athletes make a lot of money. No matter what sport they play or how good they are, they make more than most of us can ever hope to make working a 9-5 job. I sometimes think it is fascinating to look at just how much money professional athletes make because I don't really see what they do to deserve their pay rates. Yes, they provide entertainment for us all, but does that really merit millions of dollars a year in endorsements and contracts? Couldn't that money be put to better use in, oh I don't know, the economy??? (I never use more than one question mark in an article, so you know I'm heated). Let's take a look at just how much money is flying into athletic pockets.

Highest Paid Professional Athletes in America

I figured I would start things off right at home. If you're reading this from another country, you can still feel the general disgust for how much money people are making around here. It's ridiculous, don't you think? I'll let you decide…

1. Tiger Woods - Pro Golf: $127,902,706 career total
2. Phil Mickelson - Pro Golf: $62,372,685 career total
3. LeBron James - Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA): $40,455,000 career total
4. Floyd Mayweather Jr. - Boxing: $40,250,000 career total
5. Kobe Bryant - Los Angeles Lakers (NBA): $35,490,625 career total
6. Shaquille O'Neal - Phoenix Suns (NBA): $35,000,000 career total
7. Alex Rodriguez - New York Yankees (MLB): $35,000,000 career total
8. Kevin Garnett - Boston Celtics (NBA): $31,000,00 career total
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9. Peyton Manning - Indianapolis Colts (NFL): $30,500,000 career total
10. Derek Jeter - New York Yankees (MLB): $30,000,000 career total
11. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Auto Racing: $27,221,970 career total
12. Allen Iverson - Denver Nuggets (NBA): $27,109,375 career total
13. Kevin Durant - Seattle SuperSonics (NBA): $25,950,000 career total
14. Jeff Gordon - Auto Racing: $25,926,687 career total
15. Ben Roethlisberger - Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL): $25,200,000 career total
16. Dwyane Wade - Miami Heat (NBA): $25,041,250 career total
17. Tracy McGrady - Houston Rockets (NBA): $25,014,187 career total
18. Carmelo Anthony - Denver Nuggets (NBA): $22,541,250 career total
19. Tim Duncan - San Antonio Spurs (NBA): $22,514,187 career total
20. Manny Ramirez - Boston Red Sox (MLB): $22,500,000 career total

I would gladly take 1% of any of the numbers above and live off it for the rest of my life. Pay off my car, buy a house, and go to sleep as long as I want throughout the day. Yep, sounds like a good plan. Are ya with me? Sigh…

Highest Paid Athletes in the World

America isn't the only place in the world that has overpaid athletes. There are plenty of other countries that pay their athletes more than they are probably worth. Let's look at the numbers for proof…

1. David Beckham - Los Angeles Galaxy (Soccer): $48,200,000 career total
2. Kimi Räikkönen - Auto Racing: $46,000,000 career total
3. Ronaldinho - FC Barcelona (Soccer): $37,500,000 career total
4. Lionel Messi - FC Barcelona (Soccer): $35,800,000 career total
5. Roger Federer - Tennis: $35,130,620 career total
6. Fernando Alonso - Auto Racing: $35,000,000 career total
7. Valentino Rossi - Motor Sports: $34,000,000 career total
8. Yao Ming - Houston Rockets (NBA): $31,762,775 career total
9. Cristiano Ronaldo - Manchester United (Soccer): $30,300,000 career total
10. Ichiro Suzuki - Seattle Mariners (MLB): $27,602,149 career total
11. Lewis Hamilton - Auto Racing: $27,600,000 career total
12. Thierry Henry - FC Barcelona (Soccer): $26,100,000 career total
13. Maria Sharapova - Tennis: $21,758,550 career total
14. John Terry - Chelsea (Soccer): $21,600,000 career total
15. Michael Ballack - Chelsea (Soccer): $21,500,000 career total
16. Ronaldo - AC Milan (Soccer): $20,800,000 career total
17. Johan Santana - New York Mets (MLB): $20,750,000 career total
18. Dirk Nowitzki - Dallas Mavericks (NBA): $20,360,095 career total
19. Kaká - AC Milan (Soccer): $20,100,000 career total
20. Hideki Matsui - New York Yankees (MLB): $19,000,000 career total

As you can see, professional athletes have nothing to worry about financially. Sure there are those that don't make nearly that much money, but most people in professional sports make more than the average FBI agent salary, and they don't even have a college degree. No matter how disgusting this may be though, it is something we all have to deal with. The next time you go to buy a piece of sports memorabilia, think about where all of that money is going. It may make you rethink the purchase in the future.

The Most Memorable Super Bowl Commercials of 2012

The thing I love about the Super Bowl is that it always has great commercials to look forward to. Even if the game is complete crap one year, the commercials are funny time and time again. I wasn't a huge fan of the game this year, so I didn't think an article with a breakdown of its "big moments" would be very enjoyable. Instead, I decided to dedicate this post to the most memorable Super Bowl commercials of 2012. Let's look back on some of the best moments, shall we?

I'm Sexy and I Know It



You Didn't See Nuthin



The Party Has Arrived



Yaaa Boyeeeee



Possibly the Best Yogurt in the World



You Want One? Sorry!



Best Gift Ever! Best Gift Ever!



What Do You Mean You Want a New Contract?



What I Liked about These Commercials

The reason why I think these are the most memorable Super Bowl commercials of 2012 is because they're all really simple in concept but still really funny to watch. They have little unexpected twists that transcend multiple generations, making anyone watching them giggle involuntarily. I don't care if you're a 300 pound guy with an Italian accent. I guarantee you laughed for at least one of the commercials above – probably more so than you are willing to admit.

Are Super Bowl Commercials Effective?

The average Super Bowl commercial this year cost $3.5 million, which is a lot of money to pay for a TV ad. The reason why people pay so much for a commercial slot is because they know that a lot of people are going to be watching the game. If all of those people leave the TV screen with a certain commercial in mind, they are more likely to buy a product or service featured in the commercial. That just makes sense from a business perspective.

Here are some stats to keep in mind about the 2012 Super Bowl, courtesy of Bloomerang.com:

• The game was seen in an average of 47 percent of U.S. homes, the best rating since 1986 when the Chicago Bears’ win over the Patriots drew a 48.3 rating.
• An average of 114 million viewers watched the halftime show.
• This was the seventh straight year of Super Bowl-record viewership. It peaked at 117.7 million during its final half-hour.
• This was the sixth highest viewed Super Bowl in history.

With numbers like those backing the commercials, there is no doubt that they were effective. You can see a lot of the ones listed above on TV now, and they are just as funny as they were on that fateful Sunday. Heck, I still remember the Snickers commercial with Betty White, and that was from two years ago. If that's not good advertising, I don't know what is. Let's close with that commercial, just so you can laugh along with me.

A Review of the Logo Board Game

I realize that playing board games isn't exactly a sport, but it is one in my household. My husband and I bought the Logo Board Game right before Christmas, but we haven't had a chance to play it until this past week. After a few rounds of the game, I think I have a pretty clear understanding of its good and bad qualities. As a whole, it is definitely worth the money you may pay for it. You just have to determine if it fits your family dynamic. Here is my take on the Logo Board Game so you can figure out if you want to play it or not.

How to Play the Logo Board Game

Playing the Logo Board Game is pretty simple. There are 400 cards in the game with 4 questions a piece on them. Each question has a certain color: purple, green, yellow, or red. Those colors correspond to colors on the board. If someone answers a question correctly, he or she gets to move to the next appearance of that color on the board. The colored squares are randomized, so there's no telling how far a person is going to go in one turn until that person answers the questions.

The question cards all fit some sort of theme, which can be a general category or a picture of some sort. For instance, the theme may be "Animals," and one of the corresponding questions may be "Name the Ford sports car." The answer to that question would be "Mustang." Get the idea? Any time someone answers a question correctly, he or she gets a chance to answer the next question on a card. If that person cannot answer it, the question goes to the next person playing the game.

Here is a video that may explain all of this a little further:



What I Like about the Logo Board Game

The Logo Board Game is a lot of fun because it challenges your memory about somewhat stupid topics. Who cares what color the FedEx emblem is? Who cares what BP stands for? Who cares which auto maker develops the cars used for police officer training? These are topics that don't normally come up in casual conversation, so it is nice to try racking your brain just to see what comes out. This is also a game that bridges the age gap, since most of us are exposed to logos at a very early age. Overall, I think it is a ton of fun to play as a family.

What I Don't Like about the Logo Board Game

I think that the game can get a little long at times, especially if there is a series of cards that no one knows anything about. For instance, there is a card in there devoted to Spinmaster, the makers of the game. Even though they have made a lot of other popular games on the market, most people don't know them by name. A card like that can make the game pretty boring, but there are plenty of other ones in the deck to spice things up.

As a whole, I think this is a great game to play with your friends and family. Whether you're a doctor, a high school student, or something in between, you can probably find enjoyment and entertainment out of the Logo Board Game. Pick up one at your local Target or Walmart and see for yourself.

How Much Money Do Professional Coaches Make?

Are you a sports nut with a passion for helping other people succeed? Do you understand the physics of sports and how a human body is supposed to operate when playing one? Can you make quick decisions, even in high pressure situations? If so, you may think about becoming a professional coach in the future. Every sport needs a set of coaches to teach players how to succeed. Thus the question is whether or not this sort of job is going to be able to pay well enough to keep your family fed later on in life. The statistics below are courtesy of PayScale.com, and they show some of the different salary ranges you can expect in this profession. Use them to determine if this is the right path for you.

Salary by Years of Experience

• Less than 1 year: $22,626 - $44,908 per year
• 1-4 years: $15,049 - $48,015 per year
• 5-9 years: $20,214 - $62,220 per year
• 10-19 years: $20,273 - $74,880 per year
• 20 years or more: $28,539 - $97,871 per year

Salary by Industry

• College/University: $20,439 - $62,087 per year
• K-12 Schools: $20,213 - $69,043 per year
• School District: $25,000 - $49,132 per year
• Sports Agency: $22,900 - $51,456 per year

Salary by Company Size

• 1-9: $7,946 - $74,065 per year
• 10-49: $10,213 - $97,871 per year
• 50-199: $24,025 - $75,662 per year
• 200-599: $24,083 - $105,289 per year
• 600-1999: $38,884 - $55,955 per year

Salary by Employer Type

• Local Government: $22,500 - $55,000 per year
• Non-Profit Organization: $20,553 - $56,171 per year
• Private Practice/Firm: $21,000 - $58,000 per year
• School District: $19,765 - $64,962 per year
• Team: $10,137 - $14,864,852 per year
• University: $20,252 - $61,887 per year

Salary by Gender

• Male: $29,530 - $50,145 per year
• Female: $25,014 - $39,877 per year

Salary by Benefits

• 401(k): $23,672 - $74,338 per year
• Casual Atmosphere: $23,976 - $74,497 per year
• Cell Phone: $29,467 - $89,873 per year
• Education Reimbursement: $17,452 - $77,338 per year
• Life Insurance and Disability: $26,863 - $79,129 per year
• Paid Holidays or Vacations: $26,531 - $83,674 per year
• Paid Sick Leave: $26,104 - $83,865 per year

Salary by Location

• California: $20,553 - $61,277 per year
• Florida: $10,304 - $193,916 per year
• Missouri: $10,137 - $83,838 per year
• New York: $25,498 - $58,723 per year
• North Carolina: $20,273 - $83,838 per year
• Pennsylvania: $17,617 - $47,010 per year
• Texas: $30,067 - $97,871 per year

Salary by the Hour

• Less than 1 year: $8.00 - $13.84 per hour
• 1-4 years: $7.22 - $30.20 per hour
• 5-9 years: $6.80 - $38.78 per hour
• 10-19 years: $7.57 - $79.46 per hour
• 20 years or more: $10.75 - $32.50 per hour

How much money do professional coaches make? A lot. If you manage to find work with a really good team, you could make just as much as some of the players do. A few years ago, I lived next to the basketball coach for a local college. He drove a brand new Cadillac Escalade that the school bought for him, and he didn't have to pay the $900 a month in rent it cost for a place in that area. On top of all that, he got a huge paycheck and paid vacation from the college – and he didn't even work for a big team. Snag a good coaching job, and you could easily be involved with a well-paying career.