OK, so the money came from people like me that bought souvenirs and tickets. But why? What about professional sports makes us pay out so much money? Well, there is marketing, sure. But, there is more to it. When we watch a professional sporting event, we see people do what are for most of us, amazing things. Now, God made most of these folks with some degree of natural athleticism. But even that wouldn't make someone great at that level. The fact is that professional athletes can do what us mere mortals can't because they do what we won't. Most of us won't ever commit that fully or work that hard at anything in our entire lives. That's the difference. The work these folks must put in to be good enough to play at a professional level is amazing. Every play they take the risk of injury. And every day they train and train hard.
So, I will say that of course we look up to them. It only makes sense. But there are others who take those risks and work that hard. When you talk to a soldier who put himself in harms way to save his buddies, he will tell you, "I was just doing my job." A buddy of mine injures his hand every few months largely because that hand is numb following an altercation with a bad guy when he was a cop. Mark's neck was damaged affecting the nerves to his hand. Sure, he'll tell you about it. But, he's not bragging or whining. It just is.
The guys and gals that put their lives on the line every single day through the military, law enforcement, and fire fighting do things every day that most of us simply wouldn't. Those are the heroes. Those are the ones we forget to admire and appreciate. Those are the ones that deserve our praise. They are not out there for fame or fortune. They are only reluctantly heroes.