Comments on: In Case You Missed Nightline http://davepear.com/blog/2009/10/in-case-you-missed-nightline/ • the unofficial blog for independent football veterans • Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:33:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bob Grant http://davepear.com/blog/2009/10/in-case-you-missed-nightline/comment-page-1/#comment-20694 Bob Grant Sun, 18 Oct 2009 01:23:19 +0000 http://davepear.com/blog/?p=3940#comment-20694 <img src="http://www.davepear.com/images/Bob_GrantSM.jpg" alt="Bob Grant" /> Well, as you might have guessed another person has now stepped forward to claim credit for the Amen Clinic Brain Scan Project that was arranged and organized by our Independent Retired Players. Dave Pear and Robert Lee have helped to spearhead the project and have been working very hard to promote this wonderful opportunity that Dr. Daniel Amen is offering Retired Players. I believe that Brent Boyd publicly announced that the organizing groups were the NFL Alumni and others. That is <strong>ABSOLUTELY</strong> untrue. Now we have Marvin Smith, Los Angeles Chapter President of the NFLPA Retired Players - who, incidentally, never suited up for a single game as a Player in the NFL - announcing that he is, in fact, the organizer of the Amen Project. I believe he made his announcement this third weekend in October at a Meeting of the NFLPA Retired Player Presidents and Steering Committee. I'm not sure as to whether or not those present bought it but I would like to thank Reggie Berry, my friend and Steering Committee Member, for telling all of those at the Meeting that Marvin Smith was lying about his association with the Amen Project. It is my understanding that Reggie explained to them how the Project came to be. I am no longer a Member of the NFLPA Retired Players or their Los Angeles Chapter but Reggie has invited me to some of their Chapter Meetings from time to time. A few months before the May Summit, I received a call from Reggie inviting me to one of their meetings to hear Anthony Davis and a Doctor that had pretty much saved A.D's life. That Doctor was Dr. Daniel Amen, world-renowned Brain Scan Specialist. I was so impressed with Davis' introduction and Dr. Amen's presentation that I asked him if he would be willing to attend a Summit of Retired Players that we were organizing. He said that he would if it worked into his schedule. Since we were going up against the Palm Springs NFLPA Retired Players' Convention that was scheduled for the same weekend as our Summit, my Plan - with the support of many other Retired Player Advocates - was to capitalize on a head-to-head competition with the NFLPA event and just flat out put on a better "Show" than they did by bringing a battery of Experts in from different fields along with wives, caregivers, Retired Players who were fed up, along with some of the media (including the 60 Minutes crew who taped Kyle Turley in the hallway of the South Point for that recent episode that aired last weekend). After I had discussed what I had in mind with Retired Player Leader and friend Bernie Parrish, I got back to Reggie Berry and told him what we were going to do. I knew that many of the guys at the PA would underestimate us and that their arrogance would help us to build our event. Reggie Berry recommended that I get Marvin Cobb to come on board as Co-Producer and Chief Organizer because of his organizational skills and acumen. Marvin accepted and helped to convince Dr. Amen and Dr. Sponaugle along with our other experts to attend while bringing all of the other logistics together. Through the tireless work of our "in-house Mr. Make-It-Happen," Robert Lee, and Dave Pear, the Amen Clinic Project and organized outreach to all Retired Players is now a reality and I urge each and every one of you to take advantage of it if you can. For those of you who cannot quite swing the airline ticket, Robert is now working on finding some funding for that. If you know of anyone who would be willing to sponsor a ticket please let us know. We now have four of the most respected and knowledgeable Doctors in the Country who have come on board with our Independent Movement. They will hopefully be able to help us in front of Congress, The Courts and in our fight for fair treatment, evaluation and compensation. I would like to thank Reggie Berry for speaking up for us at that PA Meeting this weekend. If he continues doing that kind of thing I am sure that they'll do their best to force him out. That's the old Upshaw way of doing things, isn't it? Let's see how long it takes them to do it. He would be an excellent addition to our Independent Movement. I seriously doubt that Director Smith will stand by and let it happen though. Nor will smart guys like Nolan Harrison and Mark Washington, because they know that a person like Reggie, who stands on truth, is always an asset. Guys like Marvin Smith are a liability and they are going to find out that he is soon enough. I hope that the Alumni offers him a position if the PA ever takes the L.A. Chapter back from him. I suspect that some dialog already took place between them some weeks back. Bob Grant Independent Retired Player Advocate Bob Grant
Well, as you might have guessed another person has now stepped forward to claim credit for the Amen Clinic Brain Scan Project that was arranged and organized by our Independent Retired Players. Dave Pear and Robert Lee have helped to spearhead the project and have been working very hard to promote this wonderful opportunity that Dr. Daniel Amen is offering Retired Players.

I believe that Brent Boyd publicly announced that the organizing groups were the NFL Alumni and others. That is ABSOLUTELY untrue.

Now we have Marvin Smith, Los Angeles Chapter President of the NFLPA Retired Players – who, incidentally, never suited up for a single game as a Player in the NFL – announcing that he is, in fact, the organizer of the Amen Project. I believe he made his announcement this third weekend in October at a Meeting of the NFLPA Retired Player Presidents and Steering Committee. I’m not sure as to whether or not those present bought it but I would like to thank Reggie Berry, my friend and Steering Committee Member, for telling all of those at the Meeting that Marvin Smith was lying about his association with the Amen Project. It is my understanding that Reggie explained to them how the Project came to be.

I am no longer a Member of the NFLPA Retired Players or their Los Angeles Chapter but Reggie has invited me to some of their Chapter Meetings from time to time. A few months before the May Summit, I received a call from Reggie inviting me to one of their meetings to hear Anthony Davis and a Doctor that had pretty much saved A.D’s life. That Doctor was Dr. Daniel Amen, world-renowned Brain Scan Specialist. I was so impressed with Davis’ introduction and Dr. Amen’s presentation that I asked him if he would be willing to attend a Summit of Retired Players that we were organizing. He said that he would if it worked into his schedule. Since we were going up against the Palm Springs NFLPA Retired Players’ Convention that was scheduled for the same weekend as our Summit, my Plan – with the support of many other Retired Player Advocates – was to capitalize on a head-to-head competition with the NFLPA event and just flat out put on a better “Show” than they did by bringing a battery of Experts in from different fields along with wives, caregivers, Retired Players who were fed up, along with some of the media (including the 60 Minutes crew who taped Kyle Turley in the hallway of the South Point for that recent episode that aired last weekend).

After I had discussed what I had in mind with Retired Player Leader and friend Bernie Parrish, I got back to Reggie Berry and told him what we were going to do. I knew that many of the guys at the PA would underestimate us and that their arrogance would help us to build our event.

Reggie Berry recommended that I get Marvin Cobb to come on board as Co-Producer and Chief Organizer because of his organizational skills and acumen. Marvin accepted and helped to convince Dr. Amen and Dr. Sponaugle along with our other experts to attend while bringing all of the other logistics together.

Through the tireless work of our “in-house Mr. Make-It-Happen,” Robert Lee, and Dave Pear, the Amen Clinic Project and organized outreach to all Retired Players is now a reality and I urge each and every one of you to take advantage of it if you can. For those of you who cannot quite swing the airline ticket, Robert is now working on finding some funding for that. If you know of anyone who would be willing to sponsor a ticket please let us know.

We now have four of the most respected and knowledgeable Doctors in the Country who have come on board with our Independent Movement. They will hopefully be able to help us in front of Congress, The Courts and in our fight for fair treatment, evaluation and compensation.

I would like to thank Reggie Berry for speaking up for us at that PA Meeting this weekend. If he continues doing that kind of thing I am sure that they’ll do their best to force him out. That’s the old Upshaw way of doing things, isn’t it? Let’s see how long it takes them to do it. He would be an excellent addition to our Independent Movement. I seriously doubt that Director Smith will stand by and let it happen though. Nor will smart guys like Nolan Harrison and Mark Washington, because they know that a person like Reggie, who stands on truth, is always an asset. Guys like Marvin Smith are a liability and they are going to find out that he is soon enough. I hope that the Alumni offers him a position if the PA ever takes the L.A. Chapter back from him. I suspect that some dialog already took place between them some weeks back.

Bob Grant
Independent Retired Player Advocate

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