Legacy Benefits Update: Carrot-and-Stick Time?
So this just came in from Sam McCullum yesterday afternoon. And now it turns out that they don’t want you to sign ONE form before you get YOUR money. Nope. They plan on sending you TWO forms. We caution everyone to wait until everyone’s had a chance to review these documents. We wonder if the active players had to jump through any hoops before they got their checks. Somehow we don’t think so…
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By the way, Sam mentions the word ‘hide‘ (as in ‘hiding your money’ from child support and ex-wives) in his update (my red highlights below). He advises us like we’re a bunch of criminals.
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At the rate this is going, is Sam talking about March of 2012? Or 2013? And will our checks include interest from August? Someone is making interest.
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From: Sam McCullum
Date: Thu, Dec 8, 2011 at 2:54 PM
Subject: Legacy fund update
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Northwest members.
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Wanted to give you an update as the plan benefit office has been getting overwhelmed with calls from player asking for updates, and looking for a time line when they will be getting their checks. I got a call today from our plan attorney and from the director of the benefit office to fill me in so I can pass it along to you.
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A letter was sent out late yesterday from the benefit office that you will need to fill out and send back. The letter is self-explanatory, but you will need to update your status, married, divorce, kids, etc. and return this to the office.
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Then once you return that letter you will get another one that will spell out your level of benefits adjustments and asking you how you want to proceed, meaning if you have taken your benefit as a joint survivor, then you can decided to make a change to a different category if you want, only for the new money. But know that the issue with divorced folks and their want/wish to hide or exclude your ex-spouse from these dollars is not going to be clearly spelled out. But they are working on it.
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If both letters are signed and returned in an expedited fashion, they are hoping/ planning on sending out the checks or include it in your February payments. They have to let the folks at Mellon Bank know the distribution on the 15th of January to hit the February 1st checks. So remember this time line, so if you delay and don’t return the info, then you will be in the March run. We talked about a separate run in mid-February and they said it would need to be voted on by all the trustee, so it is still on the table, but the cost associated with this will need to be weighed out.
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We discussed a situation if a large number of players don’t return their information would that slow things down for those that do respond, and the answer is no. Once they get the information back from the individual players, they will process and not wait for a majority of folks to return their information.
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Remember, these mailing and time lines only applies to the folks that have started taking payments, if you have not these letters will not be applicable.
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Also you will be paid the total amount due from the increase that was signed in August until you actually gets the check.
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Guys we are getting closer, but like I have said before, don’t spend the money until you have the check.
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Just a reminder about the meeting next Tuesday the 13th at the Westin Seattle, in the St. Helen room, starting at 6:30.
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ONE MORE TIME: We plan to post those form letters along with some legal opinions as soon as we receive them. On the side of caution, we remind all of you NOT to sign anything until you’ve had advice of legal counsel (good advice any time!). Remember how everyone signed those Group Licensing Agreements from your “friends” at the NFLPA and Players Inc. only to have to sue them in court to get some of our money back.
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Burt Grossman
December 9th, 2011 at 11:24 AM #
Thanks, Dave. I also received the latest email you sent me from Sam. I find it surprising that Sam continues to tell our members not to call our own benefits department with fund questions because they are over whelmed with requests? Here’s an idea: Hire more people to serve us instead of say proposing a $1 million bonus for De Smith, or funding a college bowl game, or paying law firms to keep skeletons in the closet. I find it also interesting that the only lawsuits against the NFLPA – ever – are ALWAYS filed by the very members it’s supposed to be in existence to represent.
As always, we’re given great advice from our representative Sam not to spend the money before we get it.
Sad…
Burt Grossman
San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles
1989 -1994
Bruce Laird
December 9th, 2011 at 12:01 PM #
Dave,
We should ask the question: If letters are to be sent out, why wasn’t the first letter sent out soon after August 4th when the CBA was settled? I know the amount wasn’t worked out until much later but that first letter could have been sent out months ago.
Remember the NFLPA refused to attend our meeting in New York. I have it on good info the union wanted one amount for ALL retired players. They did NOT want the makers of the game to get more (played in 50′s-60′s-70′s guys ). By the way, the NFLPA also wanted a $500 Floor.
Bruce Laird
President
Fourth & Goal
Baltimore Colts, San Diego Chargers
1972 – 1984
Burt Grossman
December 9th, 2011 at 4:18 PM #
Sweet hair and pose in that card, Bruce!
I would force Dave and Robert to take that picture down.
Burt Grossman
Tom Beer- Denver
December 9th, 2011 at 4:24 PM #
Dave-
Thanks again for the timely information.
Like many of my retired brothers, I still am baffled at the final monthly dollars allocated to vested pre-’93 retirees of $124 per season when we all received letters during CBA negotiations from the NFL Management team saying they made an offer to the NFLPA brain trust that would allocate a Legacy Fund amount of $2000 per month for us. As we all now know, DeMaurice Smith rejected this proposal. And now we’ll be receiving funds far less than the NFL’s very fair offer.
Can somebody please explain to me why our Union chief decided to settle on a monetary figure for pre-’93 retirees far less than the NFL’s proposal?
Borrowing a line from the classic Broadway musical, The King and I: ‘Is a Puzzlement’!!!
Tom Beer
Denver Broncos,New England Patriots
1967 – 1973
Tessie Lee
December 10th, 2011 at 2:57 AM #
Dave,
I find that word “hide” so funny when the Legacy Fund is all out there for the world to see. I was married for 23 years to a former player who played in the league for 14 years.
Hide… just like all the affairs were hidden.
Hide… just like all the other children outside the marriage were hidden.
Hide… just like a person collecting benefits who knows that QDRO (Qualified Domestic Relation Order) is in place and not honoring it.
But thank God someone in the Benefits Office was smart enough to catch the deceit.
So hide… to me that means retroactive alimony and child support. Because everything that was “hidden” I got it back!
The League and the Union need to do the right thing if a QDRO in place.
Thank You,
Tessie Lee
Gordon Wright
December 10th, 2011 at 6:14 AM #
I did not renew my NFLPA Union membership this year because they didn’t represent me in the new CBA. I’m saving that $100.00 plus to hire some realistic representation.
Gordon Wright
Philadelphia Eagles & New York Jets
1967 – 1970
Rick Sanford
December 12th, 2011 at 1:12 PM #
I’m with you, Gordon. I did not renew for the same reason. The NFLPA does not represent us. We need one unified group of former players who will give their all for us. The NFLPA represents active players. We need our own representation.
My fear is that by the time that occurs, the active players of today will get all the rewards. How ridiculous!
Rick Sanford
New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks
1979 – 1985
Gregg Bingham
December 12th, 2011 at 11:02 PM #
Tessie -
I hear ya, my dear. When I read this: “But know that the issue with divorced folks and their want/wish to hide or exclude your ex-spouse from these dollars is not going to be clearly spelled out. But they are working on it”, I put the writer (Sam McCullum) into the outhouse for being a pinhead for saying it. The system absolutely WON’T make that error and leave you out. I can assure you: Even a first-year lawyer can tell you that!
And once again, I’m warning all of the coming tidal wave of higher prices thanks to Washington`s willy-nilly money printing that’s been going on for the last 5 years! The Big Mac which I use as a barometer that can be extrapolated into all other items we buy will be 20 Dollars before the CBA ends. So do the math: No COLA was dumber than dumb and a MAJOR blunder by the NFLPA. Gas down here in Texas is now $3.00 a gallon and I can assure you that next year it will be $4.00 which is a 33% increase. So once again, do the math.
Gregg Bingham
Houston Oilers
1973 – 1984
Joanie Hardy
December 14th, 2011 at 4:31 PM #
Mr. Bingham:
I was married to a now former player for 20 years and I’d like to thank you for your thoughtful attitude.
Joanie Hardy
Cyril Pinder
December 16th, 2011 at 9:18 AM #
Why are they taking so long with the legacy checks?
Cyril Pinder
Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears, Dallas Cowboys
1968 – 1974
Jan Addison
January 11th, 2012 at 6:12 PM #
Well, Ladies (Widows of NFL & AFL players),
I finally got my questions answered today! I called the 1-800-638-3186 number and spoke with Lashay Rose and Program Director Sarah Gaunt.
Both were very kind and helpful and so sorry to have to inform me that:
WIDOWS WILL GET NOTHING MORE!!!
Jan Addison
widow, Tom Addison
Boston Patriots
1960 – 1968