Here’s the video on YouTube on Mike Ditka’s press conference for the disabled retired players.

(Re-printed in its entirety  with permission to Dave from Charlie McElheney)

I had the opportunity and privilege to participate with the Gridiron Greats in their events recently in Arizona. I fully support this heart felt fund for retired NFL players, all including yourself Mr. Upshaw who inspired me throughout my childhood and my football years as a young man. This game of football taught me valuable lessons that prepared me for adulthood.

The greatest lesson of “TEAM” all working together to achieve one or more goal(s), responsibilities making the play, depending on each individual to execute their assignments, to play by the rules, to protect/respect each other on and off the field, and to be their for each other in time of need. It brings to mind the word “FAMILY” and those lessons learned apply in each of our daily life’s.

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7th Request: Gene Upshaw, “I have never turned my back on a retired player.” Please contact me.

Feb. 12, 2008

Dear Gene,

Would you kindly contact me so we can discuss the following:
1) Wash Post magazine article on Super Bowl Sunday 2/3/08 (The Pain Game)
2) Mishandling of my 1983 line of duty disability; (LOD)
3) Mishandling of my 1995 total and permanent disability; (T&P)
4) Early Retirement or Early Payment Benefit

When you call, please have a copy of the Bert Bell Plan document
so we can discuss the following:

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From Page 26: The Washington Post Magazine February 3, 2008) – Super Bowl Sunday

Gene Upshaw: “Once he took that pension, that was it. He can’t get a disability (benefit). That’s not only the rule of the retirement plan — it’s the law.”
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Michael Leahy from the Washington Post: I ask if he is certain of that.
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Gene Upshaw: “Yes,” he answers. “It’s not just the NFL; it’s the law.”
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But it’s not the law, says the attorney Upshaw himself retained. Lanny Davis, in a separate interview, says the NFL could grant both a pension and a right to a disability payment. “It’s discretionary,” Davis says, “which is the way it is with most corporations.”
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Link to the Washington Post article HERE.
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Dave spent countless hours trying to contact people within the NFL and the NFLPA about its disability and benefits programs. Up to this point, he’s received no clear answers from anyone, especially from those who are supposed to be in charge and who should know. Even worse, Gene Upshaw has taken it upon himself to take personal swipes at the very players he’s supposed to help, including re-interpreting the law on disability benefits. You’d think that with all those high-priced attorneys, someone would be able to straighten him out on Federal laws as well as provide the players with a current (old past) copies of the Plan. We’ll post a copy of Upshaw’s re-interpretation of Federal Labor Laws in a separate post to follow.

Here’s a post of Dave’s unanswered requests to Gene Upshaw to date:

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Poor Gene Upshaw – the poor guy just can’t get a break. Nobody seems to like him so he has to cry all the way to the bank. Some players are even making it more personal as you’ll see in the article. Read Gary Smith’s Bitter Battle for the Old Guard.
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CRO: Corporate Responsibility Officer. They even have a magazine with that title. But they definitely don’t have a CRO in the NFL or the NFLPA! CRO Magazine wrote a piece about Mike Ditka’s personal crusade to help the disabled retired players. The article cites more incriminating links on the incestuous role Gene Upshaw has with insiders who have no interest in anything other than the bottom line. Read Mike Ditka flags NFL on its CR Gameday.
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The Portland Tribune‘s Kerry Eggers writes a detailed piece before SuperBowl Sunday about the Catch-22 process that disabled retired players face before they get turned down by the NFLPA’s secretive review committee. Read Local Ex-Pro Fights NFL.
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Here’s a piece that was published on RetiredPlayers.org that gives you a better idea of how much the NFLPA’s Gene Upshaw gets paid. Let’s see: If Gene got paid $1 million a year instead, that would leave $5.6 million a year left to pay 100 disabled retired players a little over $50,000 a year. Or 200 disabled retired players a little over $25,000 a year! Just what are they paying HIM $6.6 million a year to do exactly? Not represent the players, that’s for sure! Oink Oink!

NFLPA’s Upshaw Paid More Than 96 Percent of Current NFL Players

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Los Angeles Times’ Sports writer, Bill Plaschke, posted a pre-game piece:

These guys aren’t feeling super

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Even Canada’s National Post drew attention in this pre-SuperBowl Sunday Sports piece by Sean Fitzgerald entitled, Gridiron Greats Tackles Hardships of Former NFL Players.

Greg Bishop wrote a piece in the SuperBowl Sunday Sports section of The Seattle Times with an in-depth piece – Life After Football: No Game, Still Pain – on the suffering that just a few of the other NFL players have been enduring over the years. Another dramatic slideshow HERE.
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The New York Times‘ Harvey Araton wrote a pre-game piece on the plight of disabled NFL retirees from Phoenix.

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  Late last year, Washington Post writer, Michael Leahy, spent several days following Dave around to see just what his life is like on a day-to-day basis. His article also appeared as a cover article in the SuperBowl Sunday edition of The Post Sunday Magazine, along with another dramatic collection of photos taken by The Post’s Brian Smale. Read The Pain Game and check out the Slideshow in the sidebar.

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