Those Women Testifying in Congress
Jane Arnett
Don’t let anyone fool you. Some of the toughest players in the retirees’ struggle with the NFL… are the ladies. No one needs to tell football players or their families about pride, determination, intelligence, grit and the heart it takes to engage in battle. Recently in Washington DC, it became openly clear that women are fearlessly standing up for what is right, breaking through the barriers to take care of the business of football and it’s impact on the lives of our men and our families.
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The hearing in Congress on Wednesday, Oct. 28 showed America some new heroes. Ladies, whether you know it or not, you changed the face of the game and not only are the NFL retirees in your debt, but you’ve given comfort and hope to the women in our pro football retiree family.
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Rep. Maxine Waters
About 2 hours and 40 minutes into the afternoon testimony (listen to it on the C-SPAN video click HERE) Congresswoman Maxine Waters gives the sort of summation that made many people I know stand up and cheer! Everyone should hear those words …direct, simple, knowing and strong. This powerful lady on the Hill has a lot vested in football at all levels. Maxine Waters is one of the main reasons we’re having these hearings today! Her husband, Sid Williams, played in the NFL for six years in the ’60s for four teams, including the Cleveland Browns.
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Goodell began, “We have identified that it is a priority of the owners to take better care of the retired players.” He then cited a study that the NFL had commissioned to find out which priorities the players need addressed. “Some of them are medical, some of them are financial…”
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Waters interrupted him. “We have heard from the NFL time and time again. You’re always studying. You’re always trying. You’re hopeful,” she said. “But I want to know now — what are you doing in the negotiations that are going on now to deal with this problem and other problems related to the injuries of football players and the impact on their health?”
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“Well again, we’re in the very early stages of negotiations, but I believe we will be addressing these matters in a responsible fashion,” he said. “In the meantime…”
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Waters cut him off again. “I think it’s time for the Congress of the U.S. to take a look at your antitrust exemption,” she said. “You’re an $8 billion organization who has not taken seriously your responsibilities to the players.”
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She said the NFL needs to recognize that injuries will always result from professional football, no matter the rules or the equipment.
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“The question is, what are you going to do? Are you going to pay for it? Are you going to pay the injured players and their families for the injuries that they have received helping you to be a multibillion operation?” she asked. “I know that you do everything you can to hold onto those profits. And I think the responsibility of this Congress to take a look at the antitrust exemption that you have, and in my estimation, take it away.”
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Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the chairman of the committee said, “I thank the gentlewoman for her modest suggestions,” and continued the hearing.
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Read the rest of the piece on Maxine Waters from Politics Daily (click HERE).
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AP - Gay Culverhouse
That “rebel with a cause,” Gay Culverhouse, has people still searching for words. Who would have expected such honesty? Is there a team executive out there who would stand up to confront what is “business as usual” in the treatment of the men who play? Not only did she shed light on the deeply worrisome issue of head injury, but on the general attitude regarding player care. Who out there can imagine arguing with a woman whose desire is to speak the truth as she knows it before a time comes too soon where she may no longer be able to do so.
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“I am shocked at their deteriorating health and their inability to receive disability compensation from the NFLPA. When these men played, there were no huge salaries. They walk through our lives looking like old men crippled by arthritis and in some cases dementia. My men have headaches that never stop. They cannot remember where they are going or what they want to say without writing it down.”
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Rep. Linda Sanchez
Congresswoman Linda Sanchez has stood as tough and determined as our men on the line. Two years after the first hearings she participated in, her understanding and awareness are still right on point. It’s as if she sees through the chaos, the manipulations, the obfuscation and gets to the heart of the matter.
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“…this sense that the NFL is ‘slow walking’ this issue to death, by saying, ‘Well we’ve been studying the issue for 15 years, we’re going to study it maybe another 15 years…’”
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“Essentially, these former employees, or players, are being forced to lobby help from the new employees that took their place. While these are certainly positive steps, I fear that the bottom line may not have changed. The NFL, which provides an excellent entertainment product and profits handsomely from doing so, should treat its employees who played a part in making what it is today with equal respect. While last year’s hearing prompted new insight, it is clear that the questions of whether retired players actually benefit still needs to be addressed. I and several of my Congressional colleagues are investigating ways that we can continue to disentangle this situation. But what we are really hopeful for is that by the time of the next Super Bowl, we can celebrate secure in the knowledge that active and retired players are getting a fair deal.”
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Read the rest of Linda Sanchez’ piece from Huffington Post (click HERE).
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Thank you, Ms. Sanchez!!
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Whenever the pain and the protests of the pro football retirees become distracting to the “powers that be,” it always seems there’s another meeting that excludes those who cry out or those who advocate and money spent on yet another study conducted without a realistic vision of the WHOLE group.
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“…the second thing that really troubles me are sort of self-selected; you sent out phone calls and letters. Well, homeless people don’t typically have addresses and people with cognitive impairment – they’re going to be unlikely to respond to a phone call or to a letter. I think you need to go back and rethink how you are selecting the participants in this so-called “unbiased” study…”
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It always seems the real effort is to stall until there is silence. No one needs more programs designed to placate rather than solve the real problems. Retiree families are very grateful for programs which assist those whose problems have reached the point of utter crisis. But no one wakes up suddenly with dementia, knees, hips and shoulders that won’t work, back pain that is literally crippling. All current programs do little to nothing as men slide into the darkness of pain, depression and ultimately disaster.
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Dr. Ann McKee
Another gift to our cause is Dr. Ann McKee and her testimony. Most of the people I know watching the testimony were riveted by her information and how easy she made it to understand. Her confidence, intelligence and professionalism not only make senses sense of her findings but it takes special skills to explain things in plain English. Perhaps I’m biased, but I’ve hear many interviews and explanations regarding CTE. There are some terrific doctors on various sides of the issue, but so far there are no significant challenges to her information. We, the big family of NFL retirees finally have unbiased and “un-paid for” medical experts conducting research that doesn’t brush off the evidence so many live with.
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Rep. Sheila Jackson-Lee
Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee drew an easy connection between the condition of Chris Benoit, wrestlers and football players which – although different circumstances and a different degree of “abuse” – show a disturbing connection. She also expressed the sentiments most of us passionately agree with: “We want the sport to last. We want to see more boys playing. We want to see more people playing and more people lasting.” Absolutely right! Let’s be sure we take care of them. Please.
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Dr. Eleanor Perfetto
Last but certainly not least, on behalf of hundreds of retired pro football players wives, girlfriends and significant others, I would like to give deep heartfelt thank you to Dr. Eleanor Perfetto (wife of Ralph Wenzel, former linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers). What an amazing and beautiful balance of loving wife and an intelligent, professional woman. It was her testimony – so honest and clear – that told a version of the story so many are living today, that brought some of us to tears. I’ve spoken with Eleanor and with dozens of other wives, girlfriends and partners. The journeys of love and suffering are frighteningly similar. The pattern is undeniable. Her grace in the face of this tragedy is an inspiration. Thank goodness Eleanor was selected to represent a very important part of the story that the NFL and the NFLPA turns it back on every time they deny the obvious and push aside our men.
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Maxine Waters, Linda Sanchez, Sheila Jackson-Lee, Gay Culverhouse, Dr. Ann McKee and Dr. Eleanor Perfetto: With regard to the tough business of football, you are heroes to those who walk the often difficult walk with the men on whose shoulders today’s NLF has been built. The issues between the NFL, the NFLPA and the retirees can be categorized as business, science, medicine, entertainment and, of course, as dollars, dollars, dollars. But to those of us who love a retired NFL player it’s personal, and for some it’s heartbreaking – even agonizing; an unnecessarily high price to pay for the contributions our men gave to the mega business of the NFL.
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We’ve included the public transcripts below of the testimony heard last Wednesday. You can click on the Full Screen button for easier reading. (Or you can also go directly to DocStoc to view and download the document by clicking the link below each document window.)
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Gay Culverhouse Testifies to Congress –
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Dr. Ann McKee Testifies to Congress on Effect of NFL Brain Concussions –
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Dr. Eleanor Perfetto’s Congressional Testimony –
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John Hogan
November 4th, 2009 at 8:46 AM #
Great post, Jane -
I couldn’t agree more. And to think that Commissioner Goodell did not want to hear from Dr. Perfetto or any other wives when he met with retired players! Perhaps he knew how tough and knowledgeable you all are! Maybe the NFL and the NFLPA should get some women into positions of authority!
Rather than having active players and retired players get together over lunch or dinner to form a better bond, we should be trying to get the wives of these guys together!
John Hogan
Disability Attorney
Dave Pear
November 4th, 2009 at 12:30 PM #
Great Idea, John!
Thanks for your irrefutable logic.
Commissioner Goodell has worked for the league for over 25 years and he should certainly be aware of the gross misrepresentation by the NFLPA Leadership towards retired players.
The real issues are PENSION/DISABILITY! Then MEDICAL after football. We must not take our eyes off the ball.
But what’s he doing instead? His 20 new programs are nonsense and offer little or next-to-nothing unless you consider 2 seat cushions and a $5 co-pay for a total left hip replacement a benefit (as in my case). This gibberish is whitewash and is only intended to mislead Congress.
However, it seems that Congress is not going to be duped again by the NFL.
Maxine Waters said, “remove the anti trust exemption.” That would certainly be meaningful legislation!
These impostors continue to stand behind laws that either don’t exist or misconstrue and constitute their own laws.
The indignation by retired players will continue until justice is finally served and retired players are vindicated.
Sincerely,
Dave & Heidi Pear
Bob Grant
November 4th, 2009 at 9:50 PM #
Wow!
Mrs. Williams-Waters doesn’t beat around the bush, does she? And all the other Ladies who spoke did a fantastic job too; they actually saved the day for Retired Players.
We’re the ones that they were standing up for, we’re the ones that they were fighting for. Hopefully, their testimony will inspire more of our guys to get into the fight. Hopefully, you’ll all go on and stand up and speak out for what you know is right.
And Jane Arnett has been a tireless fighter for Retired Players for a lot of years now. Her post was written from a perspective that speaks to the fact that there are many people out there who will fight for us if we’ll just fight for ourselves and stop sitting around “waiting for the funeral.” Like the rest of us Independents, Jane doesn’t have a big fancy office, a PR firm backing her, the NFL funding her OR a big law firm behind her. She – and the Independents – are doing pretty well working with little more than a few stones and a slingshot for now.
Finally, I’d just like to thank those Ladies who spoke up for us by going in there and giving those folks with the money a real “Beatdown.”
Bob Grant
Independent Player Advocate
Valerie Thomas
November 7th, 2009 at 6:31 PM #
Jane,
Thank you for highlighting these outstanding women. They are great mentors and leaders in our communities. Their efforts are appreciated and provide an awareness to issues that need reform. Their commitment to ensuring higher integrity in amateur and professional sports is commendable.
Valerie J. Thomas
Independent Player Advocate
former NFLPA Research Analyst and Paralegal
“The administration of justice is the firmest pillar of government.”
- George Washington
George Visger
November 8th, 2009 at 10:42 PM #
Great job to all the ladies who stood up and voiced their opinions about the great injustice which continues to be shoved down not only the retired players’ throats, but their wives and families as well. I’ve watched my family suffer more through my 12 surgeries since I “retired” than I have. I’ve always said it’s much harder on our loved ones looking in, than it is on us going through the injury or surgery. It’s about time the wives had a say in what’s going on.
I recently fought for over 3 months to not only get myself approved for a 3-day evaluation at Dr Amen’s clinic, I insisted my wife needed to attend, as I can’t remember what I did this morning, much less what happened 14 years ago when we first got married. The wives and family have a much clearer view of what’s going on in our lives than we do. Most of us are still brain-washed with the football mentality that if we can stand, we’re all right.
To all of you wonderful ladies who have and are carrying the fight for US, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you and keep up the fight!!
George Visger
San Francisco 49′ers
1980 & 1981
Reggie Berry
November 12th, 2009 at 3:30 PM #
Listening to the Congressional Hearing on concussions got real interesting when my Congresswoman Linda Sanchez took the microphone. I like the way she laid it out. One of my former Coaches used to tell me that if you learn how to ask questions, no one can stop you from knowing the truth. Congresswoman Sanchez asked the right questions and that made the truth inarguable.
When the Congresswoman spoke, I thought about my former teammate Lionel Aldridge who spent his late thirties on skid rows from Milwaukee to Salt Lake City and died before he reached forty. She brought back memories of teammate Travis Williams who also died broke, living on skid row in Richmond California. As I watched this courageous Congresswoman speak to power, tears flowed from my eyes when I saw my former Coach, my mentor, my idol, my friend, Willie Wood, mentally disabled by Traumatic Brain Syndrome, sitting in a wheel chair in the back of our new leader of the Players Association, DeMaurice Smith, while the hearing took place.
When I heard this audacious Congresswomen address the all-powerful Commissioner of the National Football League my heart went out to two other teammates: the powerful John Mackey and the unforgettable Ralph Wenzel. Remember if you will, one man couldn’t tackle John Mackey – 3 or 4 guys would be hanging on to John. And it took Dementia to bring him down. Then there’s Ralph Wenzel; he and I shared a lot of laughs together and he too suffers from the same illness.
All these players help build this great game that I love but they can no longer function because of hits they received to their brains.
I am not ashamed to say that Congresswomen Linda Sanchez is my hero. She is the hero of all of “America’s game” called football. She is our hero because the devil that messes with us football players known as concussions, not only impacts us professionals, it affects our College, High School and yes – our Junior All-Americans – our youth.
Reggie Berry
San Diego Chargers
1972 – 1974