This Just In! UPDATED
The NFLPA/Players Inc. lawsuit has just been leaked as settled for approximately $26 million! Read more on ESPN (click HERE).
(Oh – and what was that about your Grandmother, Jeffrey Kessler?!! Read his quote way back HERE.)
UPDATE:
Today, Herb Adderley was in a press conference confirming that the lawsuit was finally officially settled between the retired players and the NFLPA/Players Inc. for $26.25 million of the $28.1 million awarded from the trial in November 2008. It indicates that the NFLPA may have realized the high risk involved in pursuing an appeal. It may also have been a sign of a new direction in the NFLPA leadership as well as a clear denunciation of Jeffrey Kessler’s years of a combative style of litigation.
The retired players have been solidly proven to be right in their stand and while their Union – the NFLPA leadership – was clearly proven wrong in what they did in misrepresenting and defrauding them. Bernie Parrish’s years of tireless work in leading to this conclusion is finally vindicated.
Dave Pear
June 4th, 2009 at 12:34 pm #
Thank you Bernie Parrish!
We all need to put $1,000 into a war chest so we can continue our battle for justice and vindication!
Bernie, please let me know where to send the money once we receive a check.
Sincerely,
Dave & Heidi Pear
Kathy Smith
June 4th, 2009 at 3:06 pm #
Congratulations to all of the recipients! Many deserving vested retired players were conspicuously left off of the list by the NFLPA and the chapter members who controlled the list.
Lucious & Kathy Smith
Ron Katz
June 4th, 2009 at 6:14 pm #
Kudos to a great team effort: Bernie Parrish for getting the case started; Walter Beach, Bruce Laird and Clifton McNeil for testifying; Herb Adderley, perservering against all odds in the spirit of Curt Flood; eloquent bloggers like Jeff Nixon and, of course, Dave Pear; and all of the players too numerous to mention who attended the trial and provided moral support with emails and phone calls.
Also Walt Roberts deserves special mention. His participation in the lawsuit was crucial, his attendance at the trial was a great moral support, and, in my opinion, he is a great representative of retired players.
I hope that De Smith’s campaign slogan will now become a reality: one team; one locker room; one voice. It won’t/can’t happen overnight, but a moment had to come when reconciliation became possible, and I truly believe that this is that moment.
Ron Katz
Frank Middleton
June 4th, 2009 at 8:16 pm #
Exactly who benefits from the Adderley lawsuit??
Frank Middleton
1985 – 1987
Indianapolis Colts, San Diego Chargers
chris burford
June 4th, 2009 at 8:46 pm #
Good decision on D Smith’s part. It will aid greatly in bringing together all who played the game, but remember, it’s only a start. I applaud the Arnetts, Lairds, Nixons, McFarlands, Hayneses, Parrishes, Adderleys, Roberts, Davises, Ditkas, and those I’ve forgotten… You’ve all been so important thus far and will be in the future! Let’s get it together, Dave, Brent, Bob, ….all of this to reach a just and forward-looking approach. It can be done.
You’re all the best!
Chris Burford Texans/Chiefs 60-67
Angelo Coniglio
June 5th, 2009 at 5:58 am #
So ESPN thinks $12,000 is “chump change”? Maybe to today’s athletes, but $12,000 is equal to several years’ retirement for some retired Professional Football players.
Ange Coniglio
Michael - Louis Ingram
June 5th, 2009 at 8:44 am #
In speaking for the rest of our staff at the Black Athlete Sports Network, we collectively wish to convey our sincere relief that this first hurdle has been cleared for the Old School Brothers and their loved ones.
It’s ironic that Mortensen would spit out the copy; frankly where the hell was he and all the other mainstream media when this needed suitable pressure to conclude this in a timely manner?
However, that is a story for another time; and now that this first stone has been unturned, BASN and The Football Reporters Online will continue to be a vehicle where any and all players can voice their concerns if they need to…
Kudos to Bernie, Herb, Marvin, Bob G, Dave & Heidi (sorry I couldn’t get to Vegas, my friend) and all the other Brothers and their loved ones.
Take a moment to catch your breath – because I know there’s more to come.
Michael – Louis Ingram
Associate Editor
BASN
NFL Players Union Reaches $26.25M Settlement with Retirees over Madden… Is EA Lawsuit Next? : LoadedFun.com ::: The Source of All News
June 5th, 2009 at 9:05 am #
[...] end Parrish urged the establishment of a legal war chest. We note that former NFL?player Dave Pear wrote on his blog yesterday: We all need to put $1,000 into a war chest so we can continue our battle for justice and [...]
Bernie Parrish
June 5th, 2009 at 3:29 pm #
Delay, Deny and Hope They Die!
A lot of guys can die before the payout date of April 15, 2010.
First step, my ass – a lot can happen by April 15, 2010.
The number of players participating in the class is down to 2056 from 2062. Did six of them die already?
Ron Katz
June 6th, 2009 at 11:10 am #
The schedule for finalizing the lawsuit is set by the Court, not by the parties. Herb Adderley and De Smith were both very eloquent at the press conference, which can can be seen at the following link:
http://www.nflplayers.com/user/video.aspx?pid=1327&aid=0&sh=0&type=v
Ron Katz