Friday Morning News
Dr. NO!
Lead story for Friday morning: NFLPA Executive Director DeMaruice Smith calls for ouster of Dr. No. – Ira Casson. New York Times‘ Alan Schwarz writes:
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“Ouster of N.F.L.’s Voice on Concussions Sought
The National Football League Players Association is calling for the removal of Dr. Ira Casson as co-chairman of the league’s committee on concussions, saying that he is too biased to lead the research and policy group.
The viewpoints and role of Casson, the league’s primary voice trying to discredit independent and league-sponsored evidence that has linked N.F.L. careers with heightened risk for dementia and cognitive decline, were a particular point of contention at last month’s hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on football brain injuries.
Several committee members criticized Casson for his stated opinions on the matter as well as his leading the N.F.L.’s study of retired players.
The N.F.L. spokesman Greg Aiello said the league would not comment specifically on Casson or the union’s request. Casson did not return a message left with his office’s answering service.
The union’s executive director, DeMaurice Smith, was unavailable Thursday night because he was traveling. George Atallah, a union official, said in a telephone interview that Smith had twice spoken with Commissioner Roger Goodell about Casson being removed from the committee on mild traumatic brain injury.”
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Read the rest of the article by clicking HERE.
And in case you missed it, here’s the clip from the Congressional Hearings (we LOVE HBO’s piece!):
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Then Mike Florio from ProFootballTalk reports on behind-the-scenes strategy on licensing rights and the GLA (Group Licensing Agreement), including a short history lesson for those who may have forgotten.
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Florio’s article does a great job of summarizing the highlights on why the NFL has continued its attempts to control ongoing licensing rights for the players – especially the rookies. Under Gene Upshaw, the PA had done an F-minus job of managing the retired players’ licensing rights that culminated in the successful Parrish vs. NFLPA/Players Inc. lawsuit. (By the way, wasn’t the final agreement supposed to have been approved yesterday in San Francisco by Judge Alsup?) There wasn’t anything that belonged to the retired players under Upshaw’s control that wasn’t treated like a personal piggy bank: licensing rights, retirement funds and disability benefits. So it’s made us wonder what the real reasons were behind the termination of the long-standing licensing deal with Topps. Often, it’s the stuff that never makes it into the public press release that makes for real news.
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“Union’s fears of group licensing attack are legitimate
After reading the memo from the NFL Players Association to certified player agents instructing them to prevent their clients from signing marketing deals that would contain provisions duplicating the contents of the union’s Group Licensing Program, we did some digging on the question of whether the fears of an attempt by the league to intercept group marketing rights are justified.
They are.
Per a league source, the concerns arise from the experiences of the early 1990s. While the antitrust lawsuit that gave rise to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement was still pending, the league established the “Quarterback Club” via NFL Properties. The goal was to accumulate the marketing rights for as many players as possible, in the hopes of drying up one of the key sources of funding for the antitrust litigation.”
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Read the rest of the article by clicking HERE.
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Dave Pear
November 20th, 2009 at 12:15 pm #
I’ve always wondered what the deal was with the NFL calling their PR study group the MTBI Committee? MILD (!) Traumatic Brain Injury. MILD?!! There was nothing mild about OUR traumatic brain injuries!
Sincerely,
Dave & Heidi Pear
Irv Cross
November 21st, 2009 at 9:15 pm #
Dave:
I went to Newport Beach, CA this weekend to meet with Dr. Amen for a brain scan. WOW!! What a fabulous experience! After several tests and a brain scan using the latest technology, I now know the condition of my brain. I had a bunch of concussions during my playing career, and now nearly 50 years later, I finally know what my brain looks like and how to treat it. Dr. Amen is an independent, highly respected expert and a man whom I highly recommend to anyone with ANY concerns about the condition of their brains. It’s my guess that 100% of the retired and active NFL Players should see a Dr. Amen. Find out the condition of your brain today; don’t wait fifty years.
Hey guys! The Amen Scan is free for retired players…. just GET there! The worst thing that can happen is for you to be diagnosed for whatever your issues are and improve your lifestyle.
Hip Hip Hooray! Dr. Daniel Amen!
Irv Cross
1961 – 1969
Philadelphia Eagles & LA Rams
John Houser
November 29th, 2009 at 12:25 am #
Hey Dave:
Following your lead, I’ve scheduled Dr. Amen’s clinic for a brain scan and memory tests on Dec. 11, 2009.
Now I can learn if I sustained any brain damage when Ordell Braase and I collided while attempted a trap block on him during the Rams/Colts game in 1958… I say attempted because when I woke up I found I was blind in one eye and had tunnel vision in the other! George Menefee, the Rams trainer, restored my vision by twisting my helmet around to the front. It seems that from the collision most of the rivets holding the helmet’s suspension webbing in place popped out, collapsing and turning the helmet sideways over my head causing me to look through an ear hole with one eye and the inside of the helmet with the other. To see if I was coherent enough to understand the plays, George gave me the two finger test. I said four, they said close enough and sent me back in the game with a new helmet and a pass play.
See you at SUMMIT II…
John Houser
Independent Retired NFL Player Advocate
1957 – 1963
LA Rams, Dallas Cowboys, St. Louis Cardinals