Lefty Just Apologized For Being Like The Rest Of Us

Last week, Phil Mikelson said he would have to make some drastic changes because of taxes; then quickly apologized for making such a statement.

He was wrong. Not about the taxes, or about speaking out. He should never have had to apologize or even felt like he had to.

If anybody needs to apologize, it is the politicians at every level who need to apologize.

Currently, Phil has to pay out 63% of his income in taxes. Think about that for a minute: $.63 out of every $1.00 he earns goes back to either the state, local or federal government.

Lefty earns an estimated 60 million a year in winnings and endorsements. Even at a 63% tax rate, he has more than $20 million left over. Yes, that is a lot of money. Yes, Phil is rich. But he, like the rest of us, does not get to keep most of the money he makes.

When it comes to taxes, he is just like the rest of us. The 99%.

Yet we just held a presidential election where one of the candidates – OK both candidates, were rich. Mitt Romney, the really rich one, paid just under 15% in taxes.

Why?

Why is Mitts tax return different than Phils?

Because Phil works and earns his money. He is paid in prize winnings and endorsements. Mitt pays taxes on wealth that he owns and sells. In other words, Mitts money is tied up in wealth in the form of investments. And that is the big difference. Our tax code taxes the working money, not the passive money we call wealth.

And no, Mitt shouldn’t have to apologize either. His returns are perfectly legal and fair as far as the system is concerned.

It is the politicians who have created and maintained this system, and still refuse to do anything to correct it, who need to apologize.

Three And Out For June 9th 2012

Professional Sports Returns To Kansas City: Kansas City hosts the MLB All Star Game Tuesday June 10, 2012.

• Not since 1985 World Series has there been this much professional sports talent in Kansas City for any sport! Enjoy it while it lasts. . .

This Recession Will Last 7 years: According to latest research; when a recession is accompanied along with a financial crisis, it lasts – on average – as long as the preceding economic boom.

• The good news, we are half way through the slump!

Get Paid For Just Showing Up: Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods missed the cut at the Greenbrier Classic Golf Tournament this past weekend.

• They still got paid $1 Million and $1.5 Million in “appearance fees” by the tournament sponsors. Not bad for playing 2 days of golf.

Do You Feel Lucky

Clint Eastwood, in typical Eastwood fashion, is following one of his passions. Golf.

This past weekend he was seen in and around Pebble Beach as well as on the airwaves. An avid golfer and fan, Eastwood also owns the Tehama Golf Club in Carmel California and is an investor of Pebble Beach Golf Club.

In his latest endeavor, Eastwood is creative board chairman and founding shareholder of the forthcoming golf lifestyle TV network, Back9Network which is scheduled to start later this year.

The network has already started on it programming line-up with a daily magazine style show called the Scorecard. The network is also planning to roll out nine other pilots. Among them: Extreme Golf, which features celebrities and athletes going head-to-head on the wildest golf holes imaginable (think tops of building); Lucky Me with Jackie Flynn, starring the blue-collar comedian as he travels to the ritziest of courses; and Hole Lotta Love, a Bachelor-style dating series in which pairs play with three dates and eliminate one at each hole.

Check out one of the promotional videos!

All Quiet Please

Apparently when tournament officials raise their hands for silence, they don’t mean just the spectators….

Tiger to be fined for criticism of official

CHASKA, Minn. — Tiger Woods will be fined by the PGA Tour for his public criticism of a rules official after winning the Bridgestone Invitational, a tour official said Monday.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the tour does not publicize fines.

Woods was bothered after his four-shot victory Sunday because he and Padraig Harrington were put on the clock at the par-5 16th. He said that caused Harrington to rush three difficult shots, leading to triple bogey.

European Tour chief referee John Paramor told Woods and Harrington they were being timed.

Woods said he told Harrington after it was over, “I’m sorry that John got in the way of a great battle.”

Paramor said the final pairing was well behind most of the back nine, but officials gave them time to catch up. They were still 17 minutes out of position on the 16th tee, when they were put on the clock.

Woods hooked his tee shot, punched out to 178 yards and hit an 8-iron that stopped a foot from the hole for birdie. From the right trees, Harrington hit a 5-iron to the edge of a bunker, went over the green, then hit a flop shot too hard and into the water. The four-shot swing took the drama from one of the most compelling final rounds of the year.

“I don’t think that Paddy would have hit the pitch shot that way if he was able to take his time, look at it, analyze it,” Woods said. “But he was on the clock, had to get up there quickly and hit it.”

Harrington conceded he was rushed, although he said it would be unfair to give the final group preferential treatment.

Section VI-D in the PGA Tour’s player handbook says, “It is an obligation of membership to refrain from comments to the news media that unreasonably attack or disparage tournaments, sponsors, fellow members, players or PGA Tour.”

There is no such thing as bad publicity…

except your own obituary. (BRENDAN BEHAN)

Oh yeah?
Just ask MJ estate owners, attorneys and his creditors…
In death, MJ is setting all time record sales for his music and performances. And we all know that hype sells. MJ certainly is not the first, nor will he be the last, artist to be worth more dead than alive.
But I digress…

Perhaps I should have started off with a quote from Oscar Wilde…

“There is only one thing worse than being talked about and that is NOT being talked about.”

I saw an article the other day about the NFL, Bad Behavior, and Profits.

I’ll briefly summarize:
“The NFL is a machine that hums 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year…The more people read, listen and watch NFL-related items, the better… the transgressions and drama of a select few (like Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens, and Brett Favre) fuel that machine… the same goes for criminal behavior…Lately, Burress, Stallworth and Vick have been in the headlines. All three made poor choices. All three faced the legal and league music. But all three also kept the NFL in the news and that’s so much the better for them and their bottom line.”

So this got me to thinking about other sports. Their image, the image of their players, teams and management and what, if any, impact this has on their profits.

I will rule out stuff like MMA and UFC.

But I will start with Hockey.

A large part of Hockey’s attraction is the speed and intensity of the sport and yes, the ‘fights’.
Does this detract from the image of Hockey being a good sport?
Does this detract or add to the financial success of a team or league?
What about the basically good players with incredible talent?
The Crosby’s, the Ovechkin’s?

How about Baseball?

Accusations about pitchers targeting certain batters?
Managers charging out of the dugouts arguing a call?
Use of Steroids? And the affect on the record books…
Yes there are the “bad boys” in the field of dreams, but there are a few good ones too.

Manny Acta just got fired. Everyone will say it is because of the performance of his team, and yes the lack talent in key areas (like pitching). But some criticized him for his calm demeanor. When was the last time you saw him charge out of the dugout, veins bulging, and dirt flying?

And yes I believe there are probably some players in every sport who use performance enhancing drugs.

But are good competitive personalities, talent and image good enough? Does any team or league have just the good attributes and still remain profitable?

How about golf?

Certainly the fights, drug use, and bad behavior is less of an issue here. Yet when Tiger is on tour, tournament attendance is up 30%, and TV ratings are up nearly 50%.

So, what are everybody thoughts regarding this?

Yes, the NFL is using a double standard by allowing this kind of behavior to continue. Yet at the same time they try to portray the good image of 3 strikes your out rule(s) – Does this apply to murders, manslaughter and federal offenses too?

Am I being to sarcastic?

Am I being too harsh?

Does this even matter?
Is it a financial reality?

If not, then how come the Jacksonville Jaguars have recently advertised a half off pricing for tickets?

Maybe they should recruit Michael Vick instead of cutting prices?

Of course, Vick will most likely end up playing a year in the new football league.

What better way for Vick to earn enough to pay off his debts…

Or for a new fledgling league to even generate enough interest and sales to get off the ground…

Or for the NFL to let him prove himself in addition to paying his dues and then bringing him up to the big leagues once he has passed probation and gone a whole year on good behavior.

That way they get to publicize the good image and recruit hype all at the same time!