Peter King’s News on Disability Benefits During a Strike
While the cat’s away, the mice will play. There seem to be lots of conflicting public comments floating around these days. Since when did Miki Yaras-Davis become a spokesperson or advocate for retired players benefits and rights?
From Peter King’s Monday Morning Quarterback on SI.com:
“The NFL is refuting the assertion by NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith that benefits for needy retired players would be slashed in an uncapped year. Smith told me over the weekend that he’s highly motivated to get a deal done with the owners in the next 10 months to avoid the league slashing benefits to some handicapped veterans by as much as three-quarters if the league ever came to the imposition of an uncapped year, which the league says would happen if no deal is reached by next spring.
I’m told by a league official that the NFL does have the option to reduce payouts to retired players in an uncapped year, but there is no requirement to do so. “We have never said that we intend to reduce funding for disability benefits … and the union has not raised this issue with us,” the spokesman said.
Any decision on this is a ways off, I’m told. In addition, with the strides Commissioner Roger Goodell has made in repairing bridges with retired players, I’d be surprised if he imposed such a heavy cut with the retirees. The union told me players injured in games and having to go on permanent disability would have their benefits reduced by $224,000 per year to $48,000.
The response from the union today — Smith is in San Diego preparing to meet with the Chargers players — came via NFLPA director of benefits Miki Yaras-Davis: “The one and only way to guarantee these benefits is to get a successful CBA signed before an uncapped year. Otherwise we fear that they will go the way of coaches pensions.”"
And an earlier update from King’s news about that fire in DeMaurice Smith’s office. So the REAL question is: Who left a candle lit in DeMaurice’s private bathroom at 5:00 a.m. in the early morning hours while he was away from his office most of the week?
Tuesday June 2, 2009
“As you read this, NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith might still be assessing the damage in his Washington office after what can best be described as a bizarre fire in the bathroom adjacent to his office around 5 a.m.
I’m told Smith was approaching Washington at that time, on a red-eye flight back to D.C. after spending Monday with the San Francisco 49ers, filling in the players on the upcoming negotiations with owners. A union spokesman told me the fire was started from a candle in the bathroom, and that far more damage was done by water from the sprinkler system in the office than by the actual fire. The office and bathroom were drenched by the sprinklers, and apparently the computer system and files in the office are safe, but some of the memorabilia from Gene Upshaw‘s era — which Smith kept intact in the office — might be damaged.”"
John Hogan
June 9th, 2009 at 1:07 PM #
If DeMaurice Smith wants to help disabled retired players, he should act immediately to correct the problems with the disability system. Had he been with us in Vegas, he could have heard what those problems are. I know they all sang “We are Family” over in Palm Springs, but did anyone discuss specifics about disability, pension reform and concussions? Have any of the active players or players’ reps asked what they might do to help improve relations with the guys who paved the way for their success?
John Hogan
Disability Attorney
Dave Pear
June 9th, 2009 at 2:11 PM #
If Dee Smith and his posse are serious about getting up to speed about the REAL issues facing retired players, they need to have a sit down with disability attorney (for 31 years) John Hogan and correct the disability debacle now! Mike Wagner about pensions; Dr. Amen about concussions. And until some prominent active players also come out and APOLOGIZE for the way they’ve mistreated the guys who paved the way for them to become the selfish millionaires they are, it’s all just hot air!
Regards,
Dave Pear