Bob Grant: NFL Already Diverting Retired Player Funds
President Harry Truman had a sign on his desk that read “The Buck Stops Here.” I always liked him when I was a kid because he was a plain and simple, straight-forward guy who was willing to take full responsibility for solving problems.
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With Apologies to President Harry Truman
The NFL Owners should have signs on their desks that read The Buck STARTS Here because all of the monies generated by the Game start with them and flow through them. The advertisers pay them first and directly, as do the television industry and anyone else who uses the Game to promote their products and/or services.
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If you are to reach an intelligent decision on any issue you must investigate for yourself, evaluate the facts for yourself and then reach a decision and conclusion for yourself based on your investigation and the facts. The bottom line is “You should always think for yourself.” Unfortunately, we live in a time where powerful people all over the world either tell us what to think, how to think or they trick us into thinking the way that they want you to think. Once they’ve accomplished that, the logical conclusion is that you’ll always behave just the way they want.
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There is much going on behind the scenes in the NFL/NFLPA/Active Player/Retired Player battle for balance and fairness that most of you are probably not aware of. Those of us in the INDEPENDENT Retired Player Movement are always working to uncover the things that the Big Boys would hide from you. How else would Congress, Fans, the NFL and the NFLPA come to finally admit that there’s a problem with Brain Trauma present in the Game? They’ll never admit it but Independents forced their hand on that issue after they acted like it didn’t exist for some eighty-five (85) years.
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Recently, Roger Goodell announced that the League has agreed to make an INTEREST-FREE LOAN to the so-called “New NFL Alumni” guys. The NFLPA might not want to admit it because they don’t want to complicate the secret CBA negotiations that they and the NFL are involved in, but the fact is that the NFL and its Owners have refused – for months now – to come up with their contribution to the PAT Fund (Players Assistance Trust) for Retired Players. It seems they’ve now decided to divert that money to George Martin and the Alumni group to help them build themselves up. The plain and simple truth is that the NFL-funded and -supported Alumni has always been an Aristocratic Minority. While I think it’s wonderful that they raise money for kids, my primary concern is with Retired Players and their needs. According to their tax returns, in 2005 The Alumni only gave about $800 (Eight Hundred Dollars) to ONE (1!) Retired Player in dire need after raising well over $3.5 million and paying high salaries and expenses for its staff. That makes no sense at all.
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Now, because the NFL Owners want to appoint a group to think for and represent you, they’ve obviously decided that the best way to force you back to the Plantation is to give those guys bags full of money. I understand that they have fewer than 400 men who were actually Players as Members and now they’re desperately trying to get us to join up with them so that they can help the Owners wound, cripple or destroy our Union. I don’t know about you but after extensive conversation with the NLRB (National Labor Relations Board), I’m committed to getting my vote back in our Union. Don’t let anyone tell you that we can’t because we can and it’s “Legal as long as it is within the scope of the purpose of the Union.” That’s what the Owners fear more than anything else, as do the holdovers from the old “Upshaw Show.”
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The NFL is better than a “riverboat cardsharp” at doing tricky things with the money. They haven’t bothered to tell you that as things stand now, even the 88 Plan is about to be ended. Hopefully something will be worked out but as of now it ends with this Agreement that the Owners are opting out of. I understand we have just over one hundred men in that program. When I think of all the other ills that our Retired Players are already fighting through, I think that we need a 78 Plan, a 98 Plan, a 51 Plan, and a 35, 22 and 64 Plan!
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And we already know that their meaning of the word ‘STUDY’ has meant nothing more than ‘A New Kind Of Stall.’ I’m sick of their ‘Studies.’
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Roger, how about giving the Independent Retired Players an INTEREST-FREE LOAN and kicking in something extra so that we can pay ourselves big salaries with big expense accounts? If you’re going to take money from the PA that they probably won’t admit you’re taking, why not just cut a check to each one of our men and send it directly to us? I’m sure that George will give his to charity the same way that he should the Thirteen Thousand Dollars ($13,000.00) that Bernie got for him in the Parrish vs. NFLPA trial.
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Roger, De – if I’m wrong about that money not having been placed in the PAT Fund for Retired Players, I suggest you tell everyone that “It Ain’t So” and Bob Grant is making stuff up.
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Bob Grant
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Like so many other “programs”, the PAT Fund was announced not that long ago in July 2007 with great fanfare. If you want to read the joint NFL/NFLPA press release announcing the formation of the PAT Fund, click on the page images below to enlarge for reading:
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Dave Pear
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:19 am #
Dear Commissioner Goodell,
In your opinion, do you think it is wrong for the NFL to steal?
Why do you think Maxine Waters recently said, “it is time to remove the anti trust exemption from the NFL”?
We’re still waiting for an answer.
Sincerely,
Dave & Heidi Pear
Robbie Jones
December 2nd, 2009 at 6:23 am #
Why attack the NFL Alumni? Why attack others that intend to advocate for retired players? It is my understanding that a retired player can participate in both the NFLPA and the NFL Alumni (or any other group). Don’t you think time would be more wisely spent on a pure play involving only improving pension and disability? What’s up with all the “Plantation” accusations? Is this divisive? Why not look to work with anybody out there who wants to advocate for an improvement in pension and disability. That’s what I intend to do.
Robbie Jones
New York Giants
1984 – 1987
Larry Kaminski
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:14 am #
Bob:
You have a great ability to communicate the issues. I ask you and Dave: How can we take this piece and put it in News Release form for the purpose of getting it out to the wire services and directly to people like Rep. John Conyers’ group?
I can tell you after the NFL was so proud to say they had John Mackey on the 88 Plan that this would be a direct contradiction to their PR machine that says they do so much for all of us retired players and all they get is a lack of appreciation and respect.
Drew Brees is in the limelight now. How do we get his remarks published to show that he may be a superstar but has little regard for the former players character or health issues?
Keep up your efforts to keep us all informed. I am amazed on how something so blatantly wrong can be just cast aside.
Thanks,
Larry Kaminski
Denver Broncos
1966 – 1973
Earl Thomas
December 2nd, 2009 at 8:53 am #
Can you provide the list of players that received money from the court case?
Earl Thomas
1971 – 1976
Chicago Bears, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Oilers
RobertinSeattle
December 2nd, 2009 at 9:15 am #
For Earl and all the other players looking for that list of players who were included in the GLA list for the settlement – here’s the link on Dave’s blog:
http://davepear.com/blog/2008/11/the-players-inc-trial-gla-list/
To Robbie Jones – You do understand what Bob is actually saying? The NFL is now siphoning money that’s supposed to go to you retired guys and using YOUR money to try and expand the Alumni to keep retired players divided and fighting among themselves enough so you don’t notice the real game that’s going on. Every time there’s money that’s supposed to be set aside for retired players, they always seem to find another way to swindle you out of it. That PAT Fund was only started a little over 2 years ago and they’re already finding ways to steal it back. Did you get to vote for a leader to follow? When was the last time a retired player was ever invited to vote independently for anything?
Patrick Scoggin
December 2nd, 2009 at 10:30 am #
Both as an individual and as representative of an organization long involved with a select group of alumni, we have followed Dave’s blog for some time. With our publication of an independent alumni newsletter that focuses on subjects of interest to that group, we have taken the opportunity to highlight several specific individuals in need to help raise the awareness of the plight that they (and so many others) face in terms of medical and financial hardship.
As an organization with limited revenue generation, what little funds that we do raise are passed on directly to one of two organizations which we believe to be better suited to pooling smaller contributions and distributing funds to those most in need—the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund (GGAF) AND the NFL Alumni (NFLA) Dire Need Charitable Trust. As the GGAF is a relative newcomer, I admit that we have supported the NFLA Dire Need fund for a longer period of time, only because they’ve been around longer. While we appreciate the NFLAs “Caring For Kids” mission, it’s secondary mission of providing dire need assistance to former players & staffers is the arm of this organization that we felt most compelled to assist.
While a member of this organization, I don’t want to be perceived as a “lackey” for the NFLA. I feel, however, that it’s unfair to trivialize or misrepresent their efforts in the area of alumni assistance. To correct a couple of mis-statements… A review of pages 15-16 of the NFL Alumni Dire Need Charitable Trust’s 2005 Form 990 tax filing identify a total of 22 recipients having received a total of $92,718 covering needs including drug rehab, housing expenses, medial expenses, moving expenses and senior care. Revenues for this fund (not for the NFLA organization as a whole) were stated as $36,693 with most of this being generated from interest on financial assets. Operating expenses of $115,253 resulted in a $78,560 operating loss, end of the year (as of 3/31/06) with assets listed at $886,832 (this tax document can be reviewed at http://dynamodata.fdncenter.org/990_pdf_archive/137/137206686/137206686_200603_990.pdf).
While the NFL Alumni organization as a whole may well have raised in excess of $3.5 million, it is important to remember that this organization’s primary mission over the past several years has not been one of player advocacy or assistance, but that of “Caring For Kids”. The finances of the organization as a whole should not be confused with the good being done by the Dire Need Charitable Trust who distributed nearly three times its earnings in the subject year.
As somewhat of an outsider, in the time that I have studied these issues, I have certainly come to learn that that there are a number of folks who remain vocal and passionate about the issues facing former players. I thank them for their efforts. We also remain encouraged that some are channeling this passion into moving these issues forward in a positive light in hopes of bringing about meaningful and much needed change. And if indeed such change is to come, is my belief that such positive actions, rather than the divisive rhetoric, will better serve the collective goals of all involved.
Sincerely,
Patrick Scoggin, Exec. Dir.
Endzone Sports Charities
RobertinSeattle
December 2nd, 2009 at 12:18 pm #
Patrick -
Thanks for your detailed and thoughtful comments. With Dave’s blog, we’ve tried our best to provide an open forum to discuss ideas and disseminate news and information. I think you’ll see that we’ve had some open – and sometimes heated – discussion about so many of these issues dogging the retired players and how best to serve them.
That said, I’ve recently been reminding a lot of people to remember what they tell you when you first buckle up in your plane seat on any flight: “Be sure to put YOUR face mask on FIRST before turning to help the person sitting next to you.” That one piece of safety advice is probably the most important thing to keep in mind. If you don’t take care of yourself, you’re not going to be any use to anyone else. While none of us have any issues with causes like helping children or walking across America for the 9/11 First Responders, historically it always seems to be at the expense of the retired players. And what little they do get shouldn’t have to be coming out of dire need funds or special charities if they had access to the benefit funds that they paid into and had set aside for them over the years (and paid for dearly with their bodies and brains).
And while many of your numbers may show a higher amount of money going to a greater number of players, I still believe it’s shameful that 22 recipients got a total of $92,000 in one year. Regardless of the numbers, the fact that in the same year, Director Frank Krauser was paid in excess of $200,000 including a nice expense account and lots of Superbowl tickets to spread around should still make anyone with a conscience take notice. I’m just not sure if pointing out that they gave away $92,000 was a good choice of example in helping those retired players. (It worked out to what? Around $4,000 a player?)
Then there was the promise made early on that Frank Krauser would be gone when the new NEW Alumni was formed. Well, now it’s here and they’ve hired George Martin at a 6-figure salary AND Frank is nowhere near the door. Which means now you have close to a half-million dollars’ worth of paychecks going out the door for just these two executives before you pay out the first pennies to players in need. We’ve made it a point not to take personal issues with George Martin or any other players who may sincerely believe they’re serving in the best interests of the retired players; only time and results will be the best way to see if something was the right thing to do. But history does provide some good ideas on what does and doesn’t work – there’s no doubt in most people’s minds that the NFL has historically needed to be dragged kicking and screaming when it comes to paying their fair share to the retired players who built the game.
Patrick Scoggin
December 2nd, 2009 at 2:31 pm #
Robert:
Points taken… And again, I’m certainly not tooting the horn for the NFLA.
We were originally drawn to supporting this organization several years ago as it was the only collective resource providing alumni assistance (even if only being a rather insignificant portion of their activities). Being able to contribute to the Dire Need Trust was something in which we felt we could take pride. Conversely, I also agree that the often deplorable state of affairs for the former players that led them to be in such a “dire” position is certainly nothing for the league to take pride in. Now no longer the only game in town, we currently split our contributions between the Dire Need fund and the GGAF
For all the issues that may be perceived as dysfunctional with this organization, I was simply wanting to point out that it seemed somewhat unfair to specifically blast the Dire Need Trust for the sins of the father. And if kicking and screaming is what it takes, so be it says I!
Sad to say that there seems to be no short-term solution immediately in sight, in terms of the greater pension & disability issues. As our contribution of few thousand $$ a year are not likely to put a dent into the larger problem, we can continue to hope that one or two may be helped.
Respectfully,
Patrick Scoggin, Exec. Dir.
Endzone Sports Charities
Thane Gash
December 2nd, 2009 at 3:00 pm #
Thank You, Mr. Dave Pear:
Without you site where would we all be? Would we have a place to find out the latest news or updates? Once again, I thank you for the site and information!
Sincerely Yours
Thane Gash
NFL Retired Player
Cleveland Browns (1988-1991)
San Francisco 49ers (1992-1993)
Bob Grant
December 2nd, 2009 at 7:33 pm #
Great responses, fellas, and I think that it’s great that more of you are speaking up. Still, I am going to have to stick by the facts that I presented above. Please keep in mind that Roger and the guys who initiated the Alumni coup were the first to say that they intended making the NFL Alumni group the single group that would speak for Retired Players. Never mind that very, very few of us were consulted first to see if that was okay with us and never mind that the NFLPA as shown in its corporate filings has in fact represented some 4,000 Retired Players since 2006.
The Independents have been responsible for the first lawsuit ever to recoup any meaningful cash award for Retired Players (Parrish vs the NFLPA) as well as been the PRIMARY force in creating Congressional interest in a number of issues affecting us, including but not limited to the Brain Trauma actions. I will add that the men who executed the Alumni coup have publicly said that they are not going to sue anyone and are not going to call on the Owners to open their books so that we can get a real look at the money pie. That is not the way I feel.
For many years, I was a card carrying member of both the Alumni and the PA. I no longer am. As a real Independent, I’m free to investigate and call to account all who claim to represent us.
If we count every man who ever played in the NFL, we probably have in excess of 15,000 men living. Yet the Alumni, in all of these years, remains stuck at a membership of just a few hundred men and the NFLPA Retired Player Chapters are lucky when they can get 15 to 20 men to show up at one of their local meetings.
This is a new day, men, and I really do believe that we can all work together if we get all of the cards out on the table.
Bob Grant
Retired Player Activist and Advocate
Robbie Jones
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:52 am #
To: RobertinSeattle
All I am saying is be surgical with the punches. Don’t swing blindly at everyone in sight. You may hit a friend. If you’re giving D.Smith a chance, G. Martin deserves a chance too. G. Martin, unlike D. Smith, is not currently surrounded by holdovers from the “Upshaw Show”. Holdovers who were advisors and counsel to the “Upshaw Show” when the subject egregious actions were taken. If you are gonna give D.Smith a chance — then give G. Martin a chance too.
Robbie Jones
New York Giants
1984 – 1987
RobertinSeattle
December 3rd, 2009 at 8:26 am #
Robbie -
Thanks for following the discussion. Different opinions and ideas are always open for all. As I’ve said earlier, this isn’t a personal thing with George Martin; what he does and how he does it will be how he gets judged by those it affects. I think you’ll see that most people are more suspicious of the organization and the organization behind the organization, as well as its timing and motives.
Outside of Terry Bradshaw’s recent bold comments on brain concussions, we have yet to hear much from any other NFL-approved announcers anywhere. As with anything the NFL and owners touch, it’s always about control and one can only wonder why there now seems to be a total blackout on what was discussed and proposed at last month’s recruitment dinner in New York. No press releases, no announcements on the Alumni’s website, no word from George Martin himself. From what I understand, there were a few people attending this well-funded event (they were expecting an overflow crowd of at least 160) and now there’s absolutely nothing public for all of you retired players to read about. In this day-and-age of instant access to all information, one would hope that we would hear any good news immediately and transparently so all of the retired players that they want on board could hear about it. We will gladly post anything George Martin might want to send in to Dave’s blog for everyone to read and comment on openly. Instead, Bob Grant now reports that the NFL is now diverting much-needed assistance funds to building up the New Alumni at a great personal cost to families like the Mackeys and the Hawkins. This win-at-all-costs mentality has to stop before anything good starts.
There’s always a lot going on behind the scenes that we all need to be cautious of, Robbie. Former NFLPA employee Valerie Thomas and player advocate Jane Arnett (wife of Jon Arnett) were recently on the L.A. Batchelor show and had some comments to say about this:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/la-batchelor/2009/12/01/the-batchelor-pad
Robbie Jones
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:16 am #
To: RobertinSeattle
I find the statement “Bob Grant now reports that the NFL is now diverting much-needed assistance funds to building up the New Alumni” interesting. What constitutes a “diversion” of funds? How can I be sure that this truly is a “diversion” and not an new budgetary line item? If it is indeed a diversion, how can I be sure that the funds were not diverted from some other line item and NOT from “assistance funds”? I know how to fight — but rather not if I don’t have to.
Robbie Jones
New York Giants
1984 – 1987
RobertinSeattle
December 3rd, 2009 at 10:28 am #
Good questions, Robbie. Perhaps we’ll be hearing from Bob and others on this.
And yes, you’re right. Picking one’s fights carefully is a good idea. One of my favorite sayings:
“There are some battles that are not worth fighting even if you can win with ease and then there are others that are worth fighting even if you know you will lose in the face of overwhelming odds.”
Dave Pear
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:47 pm #
Dear Robbie Jones,
When NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell finally returned one of my numerous phone calls to him back on 10/17/07, I explained my grievance to him and when I was finished his response was, “Who do you think I am – god?” My response was, “NO, but you have the power to fix the problems facing retired players.” He said that he would look into my grievance and get back with me. However, I didn’t hear back from him until June 18, 2009 when he sent out a mass mailing to retired players addressed, “Dear former NFL Player” and he was asking retired players to join the NFL Alumni.
Click HERE to read about that.
The NFL Alumni is Roger Goodell’s organization and it is designed to further control retired players and their beneficiaries by not allowing them access to their benefits.
The real issues have always been pension/disability reform and medical after football.
Pensions need to at least match Major League Baseball (MLB) and we need a disability plan that is unique to our industry that’s truly accessible and refrains from violating ERISA Law. Plus, retired players will require real medical benefits after football and not these phony programs that seem to come out every couple of months from the PR department.
Remember what just happened in Washington DC on 10/28/09? Commissioner Goodell was scolded by The Judiciary Committee!
Next, read George Martin‘s own words following the death of his beloved friend, Gene Upshaw, benefactor to all retired players:
Ex-Giant George Martin on the death of Gene Upshaw
By Paul Needell/The Star-Ledger
August 21, 2008, 10:23AM
Just got off the phone with former Giants DE George Martin, the team’s player rep and the president of the NFL Players Association in the ’80s. Obviously, he worked closely with the late Gene Upshaw, the union’s executive director since 1983.
Here’s what Martin had to say about the stunning news earlier this morning of Upshaw’s passing from pancreatic cancer, which was diagnosed only on Sunday:
“‘Shocked’ would be more appropriate in my case. … I’m deeply saddened by Gene’s loss, not only as the head of a great organization but as a very close friend on mine. My heart goes out to his entire family.
“I’ll tell you this unequivocally: America has truly lost a giant in the labor movement. His legacy is going to be one of a tremendous ground breaker, a tremendous champion on behalf of players. I think now without bias — because the personality will be taken out of the equation — that objectively people will see his accomplishments are unparalleled, without question.”
Regarding the controversy in recent years surrounding complaints by a faction retired players that Upshaw did not do nearly enough for them in terms of disability issues, Martin was dismissive.
“It’s been very much overblown, not only at this juncture but since the inception of it,” Martin said. “When you look at the tremendous gains active players have gotten since the beginning of Gene’s tenure, if it’s judged objectively, Gene Upshaw will go down as one of the greatest labor leaders in the history of this country, no question about it.
“When you look at the fact that Gene always had to go through a very delicate balancing act, between satisfying his primary constituents — the active players — versus the discontent of the retired players, I think you’ll see that if history judges him fairly, he did an outstanding job.
“You look at the incremental gains that have been made for retired players since Gene’s tenure, I will say there’s not another labor union in the country – I dare say in the world – that can compare to what we as retired players have received.”
A powerful take somewhat blinded by friendship? Martin argues not.
“Now, does that mean Gene was perfect? No,” Martin said. “Were there some issues relative to the disability process? Certainly there were. But that wasn’t as a direct result of only Gene Upshaw.
“You’re talking to one of the biggest fans of Gene Upshaw, and I’ve always made that pronouncement.”
By his actions, Gene Upshaw had proven himself to be a ruthless enemy of retired players. We are still waiting to be paid from the Players Inc. trial. You know the one where Gene compared retired players to: “dog food” and failed to pay us one penny for stealing our images for over 14 years!
Then there’s Frank Krauser. Frank used to be the head of the NFL Alumni and in 2005 when they grossed $3,700,000 according to tax records and he gave $800 to a retired player in dire need? Quite a sizeable donation.
Retired players were promised that this new NFL Alumni would show Frank to the door but it seems that they promoted him and thanked him for his past years of service. Frank is still on the payroll and is clearly still in charge.
Change? Nothing has really changed!
Sincerely,
Dave & Heidi Pear
Bob Grant
December 4th, 2009 at 12:56 am #
Robbie,
I respect your right to investigate for yourself and then take any position that you are comfortable taking or taking membership in any or every group. Let’s keep the dialogue going and I encourage others from all of the organizations to get involved and express themselves.
We have accomplished more in the last year-and-a-half for Retired Players and reached more folks in the general public with what has been going on with us since I was a part of the John Mackey team on the strike that we had back in the 1960′s.
The men who played in my era and before don’t have a lot of years left to live. We have to make something happen soon.
I am not a lawyer, an accountant or a PR spin man so I am not going to even try to take you on, on the questions and statements that you make above on what constitutes a diversion. A lot of those words and terms that you used are above the heads of most of us regular guys. I can only say that I am trusting in truth and that I’m very open to hearing from the NFL any explanation that they can offer as to why they have REFUSED for months now to deposit their share of funds into the PAT Fund.
I’m not sure about this either but I believe that a loan is not recognized as a loan under the interest-free terms that Roger said that the NFL is making to George, Frank and the Alumni. I don’t think that the IRS recognizes that kind of arrangement as a legal loan. I’m not a Lawyer though so I could be wrong on that.
Bob Grant
Independent Retired Player Advocate
Kathy Smith
December 4th, 2009 at 8:37 am #
On the original comments from Bob Grant, well stated as usual. If more of the retired players commenting had attended the Retired Players Summit we wouldn’t even be having this conversation. The retired players would know clearly that money is exchanging hands for this charade. They would see that a few of our brother retired players are seeking personal gain at the expense of those who are too uninformed, too old, too poor, too injured, and just too tired to continue the effort for transparency and fairness to the retired players who built this football empire. There are smoke screens coming up in all directions offering hope. Certainly, the fish will bite.
Kathy & Lucious Smith
Marvin Cobb
December 4th, 2009 at 11:12 am #
I looked up the word “divert” in my Thesaurus and some other words that meant the same thing are: redirect, reroute, switch, sidetrack, and my favorite, DISTRACT. It appears the NFL (synonymous with ROGER, who represents the OWNERS) feels their commitment to retired players’ dire needs can be met in more than one way. Unfortunately, it also appears that the NFL believes in robbing Peter to pay Paul.
“In God we trust. All others, we monitor.”
Marvin Cobb
Cincinnati Bengals, Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers
1975 – 1980
Bernie Parrish
December 4th, 2009 at 12:47 pm #
Bob:
Just a couple of minor corrections:
1) there are less than 120 retired player NFL Alumni members;
2) Goodell’s balloon boy hoax of a recruitment party at Yankee Stadium only drew 26, leaving George Martin hiding in the attic with Goodell;
3) I have a sworn statement from Upshaw (Berthelsen) submitted during our trial (Parrish et al vs. NFLPA et al Case No. 07-0943-WHA) that there are now 13,000 retired NFL players.
Thanks for your hard work.
Bernie Parrish
REAL Independent Retired Players Advocate
Bob Grant
December 4th, 2009 at 1:52 pm #
I just got a call from Alan Schwarz and he advised me that three of the 88 Plan wives had called him because I had made the following statement: “Hopefully something will be worked out but as of now it ends with this Agreement that the Owners are opting out of.”
That statement is true but I should probably add that I do not believe that the NFL would be foolish enough to actually allow the Plan to lapse. However that being said, the way that the 88 Plan arrangement stands today, I understand my statement as stated is true.
My intent was not to alarm the wives but just to show that there is “small print” in the arrangement that makes it less than the guarantee that it should be for the 88 Plan Families.
Still, at this point I must say that the NFL seems to be holding all of the cards.
Thanks for calling this to my attention, Alan.
Bob
Independent Retired Player Advocate