When people think of the names Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Alex Rodriguez and Oscar de la Hoya, they think of "superstar", "professional athlete" and "rich". Some even think they are “overpaid,” while others feel they deserve every penny they earn. In 2010, NBA player Kobe Bryant signed a three-year, $90 million extension with the Los Angeles Lakers (Source 2), which equates to $30 million per year. In 2009, Kobe Bryant's contract was worth $25 million per year (Source 2). He received a five million dollar salary increase despite being an aging player. Between 2009 and 2010, professional golfer Tiger Woods earned an incredible $111 million (Source 1). This huge salary took Woods from multi-millionaire to billionaire. In 2010, professional boxer Oscar de la Hoya earned $55 million (Source 2). These big salaries lead some to really question whether the check is worth the work done. For an NBA player, the job typically lasts eight to eleven months depending on whether or not they make the playoffs. An NBA regular season consists of 82 games. When the math is done, Kobe Bryant makes almost $365,000 per game. When he plays on average less than 40 minutes per game. Professional boxers like Oscar de la Hoya receive huge sums of money for one to three fights a year. Even though athletes teach essential lessons like sportsmanship, pride, and teamwork, none of these things show up on an SAT or college admissions test. When someone watches a sporting event, they learn nothing that has to do with world history, important literature, essential scientific knowledge, or necessary math skills (other than watching the score). These are four of the most important things to succeed in life. None of this comes from watching a professional athlete...... middle of paper ......ies. Internet. August 19, 2010. .4. "Firefighter." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Internet. August 19, 2010. .5. Division, para. "NBA.com - NBA Tickets." Where the incredible happens. | NBA.COM. Internet. August 19, 2010. .6. NFL Tickets - Football Tickets." Ticket Brokers - Sports Tickets - Concert Tickets - Theater Tickets. Web. August 19, 2010.7. "Baseball Tickets | MLB.com: Tickets." The official website of Major League Baseball | MLB.com: home page. Web. August 19, 2010. .8. "Overpaying | Define overpaid at Dictionary.com. » Dictionary.com | Find meanings and definitions of at Dictionary.com. Web. August 20. 2010. .