Meaningful change and improvement in the NFL veterans lives will only be achieved by an effective effort to counter the power of NFL ownership. Roger Goodell is in place to keep the NFL ownership from having to spend the money to make the NFL pension plan what it should be: Superior to baseball and basketball to compensate for the risk we have all undergone and are now paying for with severe health problems and shorter lives. Ditto with Disability.

Continue to speak out with your strong message. Splinter groups like NFL Alumni aren’t helping because they appease rather than do the difficult work of countering the owner’s power with the ugly truth that you and others are unafraid to tell. Our cause will be advanced when the owners truly feel financially threatened AND NOT BEFORE.

We have three hammers: 1) the media (press and internet); 2) Congress; and 3) litigation. You, Dave Pear, Valerie Thomas and Bernie Parrish are on the right track. PLEASE CONTINUE TO TURN UP THE HEAT!

Thanks for doing the heavy lifting,

Bruce Jarvis
Buffalo Bills
1971 – 1974

Well said! It’s time we all join forces – active and retired players – to pool our strengths and resources to put an end to this CRIMINAL element which has destroyed so many of our lives. How many more years of Delay, Deny and Hope They Die will we endure, before some one is held criminally accountable. Sure, we have old school warriors who set the stage for the young players today knocking down the big bucks, but we must bring everyone to the table or the NFL’s policy of divide-and-conquer will just continue.

This all plays right into their refusal to take responsibility for head trauma suffered by more of us than we will ever know.

I just returned last night from a 2-day evaluation at Dr. Amen’s Clinic, which evaluated me after the 9 brain surgeries I have survived since my final season with the 49′ers in 1981. I’m 51 years old now and my evaluation stated I am 80% disabled (never received a penny from the NFLPA), with a very high risk of developing dementia in the coming decade without intensive intervention. Considering I had to sue the 49′ers for Workers Comp just to get brain surgeries #2 and #3 paid for in 1982 (settled in 1986), and it took me 3 1/2 months of fighting and veiled threats to The Travelers just to get approval to attend the clinic. In addition, I convinced them they needed to approve my wife’s attendance so she could bring them up to speed on what it’s like to live with me.

Men, we need to rally and join forces to fight for what we paid for with our blood and continue to pay for with lost brain cells.

George Visger
San Francisco 49′ers 1980 & 1981

For anyone to publicly attack him – however disguised in confusing dialog – says more about that individual’s intent and loyalty than their true expression of any positive contribution towards our goals.

I find it offensive to have an individual “appointed” and announced to the media by the NFL Commissioner of a “so-called independent” party to represent the NFL Alumni, an organization funded by the NFL. I would hope that the individuals of the NFL Alumni would have a vote in their “independent” public representation!

PEACE with ALOHA,
Rick Hayes
L.A. Rams 1974
UW Huskies 1969-1973

I have already. And in fact, I attended two (2) meetings with Commissioner Goodell (one by invitation from Harold Henderson and the NFL just a few weeks ago) and we have exchanged considerable opinions at both. He and I personally agreed that we like each other personally but that each of us should always speak our positions and opinions frankly if we are to ever get anywhere. Ask him if you don’t believe me.

George is invited to do the same. He might start by taking us up on the same invitation that we have extended to Roger, Harold, De Smith, the NFL, the NFLPA, Harry Carson from the Alliance, the Alumni and Fritz Pollard Foundation and Lawyer John Hogan (Alumni Supporter) to state their positions openly on any issue on Dave Pear’s blog. We will write it just as they say it as long as they don’t use “cuss” words.

Thank you for reading the blog along with our other 350,000+ visitors per month now and I encourage you to continue participating.

If I make an accusation that’s not true – and I did not in the post above – you should always feel free to call me on it. And I, on the other hand, will also continue to call others on things that they say that aren’t supported by fact.

You know, we have a history in our Country of having Citizens who speak out when they believe that something is not right. I’m just carrying on with the principles that I learned back in the 1960’s in the American Civil Rights Movement from many of our Black Leaders who were also personal friends. “Google” me if you want to verify that statement.

Since I received the right to vote back in the 1960’s and have the right to VOTE for who represents me, then I also have the right to criticize anyone who is ELECTED. Should I not exercise my “Right Of Free Speech”? Even against a President of the United States – and he’s always a pretty important man, my Brother.

You surely remember what it was like back in Greenville, TX back in the fifties and sixties: You had better not open your mouth against the “FOLKS” who were in charge. That day is long gone, Earl.

No hard feelings between you and me, I hope.

Gayle and my schoolmate, Brian Piccalo, were the only two Bears that I ever liked but I must admit that you were a fine player and from what I have heard, a fine man.

Bob Grant
Independent Player Advocate

Has Mr. Grant asked for a meeting with the newly appointed NFL Alumni Leader? If not, maybe he should. If you look at our history, we have never had great business leaders to deal with the business issues (and there are many) facing all players.

Once we have an appointed leader, maybe we all should respect them and attempt to work with them. If we want to run for their positions, then compete against them and attempt to have the body elect you.

Correct, we are not stupid. But if you were the Commissioner, would you meet with Mr. Grant?

Earl Thomas
1971 – 1976
Chicago Bears, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Oilers

I like it when you get mad because you do such a great job articulating the truth! We’re considered to be experimental ball players who created wealth but are thrown away after our useful life. I have old trucks and forklifts that I give better care than the NFL does to former players.

Thanks for your great contributions to this battle against the unfair treatment of past players.

We need our own representation and a vote that someone can see is honest because who else knows how we feel other then the person who is ailing. We are not whiners but MEN who want to be treated fair.
Thanks,

Larry Kaminski
Denver Broncos
1966 – 1973

Thank you for having the courage to stand up for the truth and the rights of retired players!

For anyone to say that the NFL Alumni Association is an independent group of retired players is a hoax and preposterous.

This nonsense about the NFL Alumni being independent is a ruse and misleading. It is more whitewash in an attempt to mislead Congress into believing that there have been real changes for retired players.

In 2007, Gene Upshaw and Roger Goodell promised Congress they would fix the disability debacle and make real changes for retired players (I was there in Washington DC and I – along with a packed House – heard both Gene and Roger make this promise). However, the very next week they came out with the Truth squad and the White Paper as a tactic to publicly discredit disabled players. And they posted medical information about nine retired disabled players on their own public web site (http://www.nflpa.org).

However, the Truth squad and White paper are now gone. Where did they go?

Since these 2007 hearings in Washington DC Commissioner Goodell has come up with a lot of new programs for retired players. The problem is, these new programs have a fancy name but are gibberish. They offer little or nothing.

I would be happy to discuss my experience or nightmare in trying to access these so-called benefits.

Now we’re being told that the NFL Alumni is the independent group for retired players? This is more gibberish.

This is more whitewash for Congress in an attempt to create the illusion that there has been real change for retired players. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The issues have always been pensions and disability reform. Pensions must at least match Major League Baseball (MLB) and we need a disability plan unique to our industry (that is legitimate and can be accessed).

Now head injuries and concussions are coming to the forefront. And the NFL wants to continue to do more studies using doctors who are not qualified or trained in this specific area of medicine.

The days of this cosmic trickery are numbered and I don’t think Congress is going to be misled this time around.

Sincerely,
Dave & Heidi Pear