I am all for giving De Smith a shot at getting the job done. If he doesn’t produce, treat him like they did us: Cut his butt and shove someone else in his position ’til we get someone who can get it done. After 9 brain surgeries, several grand mal seizures, 3 knee operations, a GoreTex ACL, fractured C6 & C7 and not a dime from the NFL. So I really don’t have time to wait ’til next season to see what De can do.

I would like to see Dave Pear get his $1,500/month to offset his prescriptions, and the countless others out there get what they paid for and are still paying for with not only their flesh and blood, but their families’ sanity.

George Visger
San Francisco 49′ers
1980 & 1981

Like Bob Grant, I have a lot of medical bills for my monthly prescriptions as well. I would certainly appreciate it if you would send me $1,500 a month from your large salary to offset my $1,500 a month prescription bill.

Thank you in advance!

Sincerely,
Dave & Heidi Pear

I still don’t belong to any of the Groups and I’m not looking for a position or a paycheck. What I am is a Member of the Bernie Parrish Team and I make no apology for that. I’m an independent Advocate, Activist and Fighter for Retired NFL Players and NOTHING MORE.

Director Smith and I have been in touch since May of 2009 and to date he has been willing to talk with those of us who are the more militant wing of the Retired Player Movement. He assured me back in May that he would be making some changes and he has come through on a number of things so far. I’m waiting to see if he comes through on other things that we discussed.

He has been under constant attack by some of the Players, and others, who are promoting the New Alumni that the NFL is supporting while they pretend that Roger Goodell is darn near the “Second Coming.” They’re entitled to their opinions and positions but I don’t agree with them or their positions. I’ve spoken out against them and their efforts and I’m entitled to do that. At times, they’ve accused me of ranting and raving and I plead “Guilty” to the charge. What else should I do? We have honest men who are hurting and deserving of better than they’re getting. We are dying off every year. You can darn well bet that I’m upset.

I remember how upset most of us were when Gene came out saying that he did not represent us. We came down hard on him for saying that. On the other hand, we now have a new Director who says that he WANTS TO represent us and work with us and some of you are upset at him for saying that. He hasn’t threatened to “break any of our necks” the way that Upshaw did to Joe D and he doesn’t come across as a bully.

He’s in a pretty tight spot right now as I see it, because he’s going up against the most powerful Sports Owners in all of history. I believe they really intend to finally break the back of the Union and take some of the money back from the Active Players that we ourselves created in the labor strikes we launched many years ago. I remember the one we had back in 1969 under John Mackey with our little headquarters at the Lamplighter Motel in Baltimore.

Gene gave a big share of what we should have received to the Active Players to buy their loyalty. Forget about having the Owners take that portion back because they need to make more money. I want De to hold on to it and pass it on to us the way that Gene should have.

Do you really think that the Owners didn’t know that Gene was using a lot of our money to pay himself millions every year as well. Now that their PARTNER is gone, they don’t want to pay that money each year.

In my own talks with the NLRB, I’ve been assured that a Retired Member of a Union can have a right for life to vote in that Union if the Active Members vote for it and it can be shown that it is within the scope of the purpose of that Union.

Thane, it’s not too late. I believe that we can make a case to Active Players to give themselves and all of us the right to vote for life.

I, for one, am going to give Mr Smith his chance but I won’t just give him a pass.

It seems as if there are a lot of folks running around saying that they represent you and all of the rest of us even though we didn’t cast a single vote for them to do so. Somebody over there SELECTED their new Executive Director and they will probably pay him a tidy little salary to go along with a fine expense account. “Gene Martin” is probably a fine man but I’m not going to send him any membership money. Actually, I would appreciate it if he would cut a hundred out of his check and send it to me. I could pay for two of my prescriptions with it.

As always, I urge you to investigate for yourself, think for yourself and then decide for yourself. That’s the way a Free Man conducts himself.

I remain a strong supporter of Bernie Parrish, the real leader for almost fifty years now of the independent movement, who has himself been attacked by those who are siding up with the Owners.

Director Smith deserves a chance.

Bob Grant
Independent Activist and Advocate for Retired NFL Players

( I should have done more when I had a voice!!!

Thane Gash
Cleveland Browns (1988-1991)
San Francisco 49ers (1992-1993)

John Hogan
Disability Attorney