Epic Drop: Top 10 sports arguments you will be sick of in 2009

Today's link is a good old festival of cynicism and distaste, but honestly, it's all about number one. For those of you who don't visit the Carnival, let me repost it here:

1. ANY Athlete's Retirement Plans. When should anyone ask an athlete if they are retiring? NEVER. When should we hear about this? WHEN THE ATHLETE IS RETIRING. When should the athlete come back after announcing his retirement plans? NEVER. THEY RETIRED. THE REST OF US ARE INCREASINGLY UNLIKELY TO EVER HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

I know, I know, a little bitter.

But I'll level with you here, Dear Reader... I'm a 39 year old guy who supports a family of four. In twenty odd years, I'll have my house paid off, assuming that I'm able to remain employed at my current income level. My kids will have some help with college, but they'll probably take a decade of debt, the same as I did. If Social Security is still around -- and I'm one of those naive people that think it will, if only because I believe in the power of Public Anger over Complete Theft -- and no one in my immediate family develops a debilitating and costly medical condition, I might get a limited and pleasurable retirement with light travel and too much limit poker in some casino.

On the other hand, I could be in the harness until the day I check out.

Now, I have no complaints about this. I'm luckier than 99% of the populace, in that I get to write and think for a living, rather than truly bust my ass doing something physical. I also make reasonable coin, have people report to me, and really do enjoy what I do; the commute kinda sucks, but so be it.

But what we have with athletes now is the only wildly rich people that will all get to retire, and there will come a time -- corrupt media or not -- that the anger from all of the rest of us will become palpable. Maybe it will be from a falling memorabilia market, or dropping jersey sales, or consumer action against endorsements, or just from lower ticket sales and/or increased fan negativity in those settings.

There's one thing, however, that I am utterly certain of: the sports blogosphere, being made up of people who are actually in the stands instead of the press box, will notice it first.