It even seems like the National Basketball Association wants their share of the Obama hand out money.
I read with unrestrained interest the recent news article concerning the borrowing of 175 million dollars by the NBA to serve towards teams which might be in financial difficulties at this time.
They blame the weak global economy for the issue, however let's review how much these players actually take home.
  The NBA All Star crew tends to do very well in our damaged economy.
Let's start our paycheck list with Wesley Person who plays for the Trail Blazers.
His personal take for the sport is approximately $7,700,000 per season.
Not bad for an ailing economy.
  Now let's talk about Eddie Robinson of the Bulls who brings in a cool $6,246,960 per season.
Another pay check that I would certainly not mind having.
From the Pacers we have Austin Croshere who happens to be under contract for the sum of $7,610,000 per season.
  Those listed were only a few of the little guys now let's consider Vitaly Potapenko, Jerome James and Calvin Booth from the Sonics and they have a combined take home check of $15,700,000.
 Of particular note is that these three players switch center duties for the Sonics so they actually play less then most players but still manage to bring in those huge checks.
Potapenko makes a nice figure of $5.
7 million and he averages 4.
2 points and 2.
8 rebounds when he rarely plays.
Booth scored 5.
4 points and 4.
6 rebounds per game making $5.
4 million.
Now we have James with his abilities to obtain 3.
3 rebounds per game and his take on this venture is $4.
5 million dollars.
  Incidentally we will also see Potapenko and Booth during the next session and I might add they will be happily visiting the Bank of America with their salary increases.
  Keith Van Horn and Anfernee Hardaway with the Knicks bring in a healthy $13,500,000 dollars each.
Van Horn is not exactly your superstar player and look at the salary that he brings in.
Hardaway who is a grandfather by NBA age standards represents a player from the past at the age of 32 but he still manages to bring home the big bacon.
  We can add Kelvin Cato of the Rockets to these big paycheck takers with his $7,344,000 per year.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas from the Cavaliers takes home paychecks in the amount of $13,350,000 annually.
Here we have a man whose salary accounts for at least 30 percent of the total team's payroll.
Allan Houston of the Knicks is happy with his $15,937,500 dollar paycheck.
Another Knicks player, Dikembe Mutombo makes $17,894,738 per year.
Lastly we have to consider Vin Baker of the Celtics who graciously accepts his $12,975,000 annually.
  Add to this list players such as Juwan Howard, Scot Pollard, Tim Thomas, Theo Ratliff, Alan Henderson, and Damon Stoudamire whose salaries range from a low of 4.
9 million up to 14.
4 million.
  My major point here is why does the NBA need its share of a bailout? These super jocks have made a very comfortable living with the NBA and I feel that the time has come for them to give back a slight portion in support of it.
  The news report stated that the teams who received the money from the NBA would use them to cover their operating losses.
What I see here is that they should start by cutting some over paid ball players paychecks and alternately let the players become part of the solution.
  The Bank of America who manages to always be the first in line when Uncle Sam is dishing out funds were also very quick to jump on the opportunity to sponsor a deal with the Yankees after they got our tax money in their hands.
The bank spokesman Mr.
Joe Goode said that the bank sees tremendous value sitting silently with the Yankees however the Bank of America would not have needed bailout money if they had good judgment in the first place.
The Bank of America has currently given about $20 million dollars per year to the team.
  Citigroup who is also being bailed out with yours and my tax dollars recently paid an equal amount to the Mets.
  I find it very amusing that the spokesperson for the Yankees has stated that in view of the recent events concerning the downward turn of the economy and its effect on financial institutions and this includes the government support of those financial institutions the team has determined that it would be better to enter into some sort of traditional business arrangement between the team and the financial institution.
In other words let's graze upon the golden grass while the government is giving the money away.
  Kenneth Lewis who is the CEO of the Bank of America recently promised Congress that his bank would most certainly use the bailout money in a very careful manner.
Even after the bank came under attack by our lawmakers when they spent $10 million for the NFL venture they still seem to take and do as they please with complete disregard as to whose money they are actually spending.
In addition it is spending $140 million for the NFL's Carolina Panthers new stadium.
Since the Bank has recently pocketed $45 billion of our tax dollars in bailout money it appeasers that they still have a sufficient amount to waste as they feel fit.
  These actions by the banks which have recently been bailed out and to the sports teams are a slap in the face to the tax payer who is trying to make ends meet in our depressed economy.
I encourage everyone to contact their representatives and demand an end to these wasteful actions.
It seems that bank promises are not acceptable any longer and as such should not be construed as a point in providing the funds.
  Copyright @ 2009 Joseph Parish