HUGE SALARIES AND MOTIVATION

A high school Junior stabs at his cereal with a spoon.

His Dad pours coffee into his Thermos.

"Five minutes, we'll take off." says Dad.

"You know Dad, you wouldn't have to go out of your way...if..."

"...if I bought you a car.  Right?"

"Well, yeah.  I'm old enough, and I've taken Drivers Ed already, so I know how to drive."

"I have no doubt, but it's no bother taking you.  It gives us a chance to talk a little in the morning."

"But," says he Young Man.  "There'll be activities at school over the summer, and next year where if I had my own car."  The Young Man raises his eyebrows.

"I think you're doing all right now with school.  A car would I'm sure be a distraction.  You only have one more year of high school.  Remember, you have a 3.4 GPA so far.  I wouldn't want to jeopardize that."

"You know I've been doing real good in school.  So why don't we get the car now, and I'll guarantee the good grades.  How about that?   I'm smart enough.  It would be a lot simpler for the both of us."

Oh, I see," says Dad.  "You want the car first.  But I want your grades to stay up there."

"But they will."  The Young Man shakes his head.

"You know what this is like?  Those huge signing bonuses in baseball, and when a guy is traded and gets a huge salary.  The unwritten deal, of course, is that the player will continue to perform at that same high level."

"Dad, you got noting to worry about."

"The Angeles will pay Albert Puljols  $24 million a year for the next ten years.  Obviously, they want him to continue to perform as one of the best player in baseball."

"Look, Dad.  I'm not going to quit school.  Come on, I want good grades as much as you do."

"How about some of the other huge salaries, based on past performance.  Look a Mark Teixeria.  Ever since he got what he wanted, all that money playing for the Yankees, he's been no better than a Triple A player."

He pulls out his iPhone, and thumbs in Google.  "Salaries...salaries...here it is.  Teixeria, $22.5 million a year.  Maybe he'll perform, but he's getting older, and what's he batting now?  Let's see.  He's batting 221?  Is that worth $22.5 mil?"

"Those are just a few players..."

"How about A. Rod.  What's happened there.  $32 million a year.  Would you pay that for a .277 batter?  He was supposed to get back to his former self, .320 plus.  But he hasn't."

"It won't be that way with me.  With a car I'll be able to schedule my time better, really."

"What happened to these players.  Once they get what they want, life time security, why bust your balls.  And you see some of these guys play all out the year before they are up for a new contract.
 
"They all want to continue at the top of their game, but something happens.  They seem to relax in a sense.   Once you get that reward, ambition, motivation, that fire in your belly seems to slip away.  I certainly wouldn't want that to happen to you.  Puljols is slowly coming back, but we'll see  Does this make sense?"

"Sort of, but I'm not like that."

"I like pay for performance better.  $20,000 for a home run, $1,000,000 if you make the All Star Team.  That's much better.  I think that would be the fair way, don't you?"

"But I wouldn't let down.  I'd keep going, knowing I had a car.  I might even do better."

"That's easy to say, but you don't know.  Do you think Albert Puljols wants to be batting less than .230"

"It won't be like that, Dad.  I'll do summer school, so I'll have a lighter load as a Senior.  There'll be a lot of extra activities...You'd be driving me...and well...I don't think you want me riding around with...I don't' know...the Zinkster.  His Dad bought him a new BMW."

"The Zinkster, huh?" says Dad.   He screws the top onto his Thermos.  "It's about time.  Ready?"

"So?" says The Young Man.

"You've been saving for a car?  You know you'll need more than just the price."

"Well, I thought you'd take care...you want me to buy it?"

"Well, your mother and I were thinking,...just thinking, that as a graduation present...maybe..."

"Well, until then, that's about a year and a half...I've got about $650."

"Insurance, registration fee, cost of gas, Oh Boy.  $650 won't be any where near enough."

"But Dad..."

"Come on, you'll be late.   We'll be discussing this again, I'm sure.  You're right though.  We should start working on this.  We can't just jump into buying a car."

"But..."

"Aren't report cards coming up in a few weeks.   Maybe to help with the costs, we could look at a reward for each good grade."

"That's all good, but Dad...that's not exactly what I was figuring..."

...........................
Help comes from:

WikiPedia/Puljols/ A.Rod/Teixeria,
Google/Images/