Dawn Dugan, Salary.com contributing writer

Americans love their professional sports. According to recent survey done by ESPN, 74% of Americans watch four or more hours of professional sports on television per week!

As we root for our favorite teams and players, it’s hard to remember that professional athletes are just that: professional. Yes, as tough as it is to believe sometimes, and despite the envious lifestyle of guys like LeBron James, shooting hoops is a J.O.B. Just like the rest of us, professional athletes change jobs, get promoted, get fired, have bad days at work, and make moves that can make—or break—their careers. And they do it in a very public manner. Continue Reading