Once again, retired players got all excited a couple of months ago when we received a new offer for long-term care insurance from the League through the New NFL Alumni – no strings attached! .
So I spent well over an hour filling out all of their paperwork in great detail, including my medical history, medications, surgeries and everything else they could think to ask for in their questionnaire/application. . And here’s the reminder card I got from TransAmerica with the expiration date highlighted (click on the image to enlarge): . .
After over a month-and-a-half of waiting, this is what I got back in the mail (we’ve posted a copy of the correspondence to Scribd for viewing and to make it downloadable. You can also click the Fullscreen button in the left corner to enlarge it for easier navigation (hit the ESC key to close): . Dave Pear TransAmerica NFL LTC Rejection Letter .
We started getting calls and e-mails from a lot of other players who had also been rejected. Steve Baack – who lives and works down in Oregon now – sent this in: . “I just thought it completely laughable what I just went through to get the League’s LTC insurance for myself. I actually completely bought the line that the League was finally going to do something on our behalf by paying for a LTC benefit for us. I figured it would be some limited benefit but at least it was something… . “Well, after jumping through all the hoops to submit the application I just received a notice in the mail from Transamerica that my application had been rejected due to my medical history. I’m wondering if anyone else had this occur, I’m assuming it’s a likely probability. And to think I could have spent the 45 minutes answering questions about my health doing something productive instead.” .
Steve Baack
Detroit Lions
1984-1989 . Steve Baack TransAmerica NFL LTC Rejection Letter .
We’ve heard from a lot of other guys who have identical rejection slips and, of course, the offer is now expired. We’ve also heard from some disability experts with suggestions: . “In the law, we might call this an “illusory” benefit – i.e., an illusion that there is an actual benefit there. And I think that has been the game plan for years – create a program here, and a program there, and it looks like we are really doing something for retired players! However, the reality is that without a livable pension – accessible and meaningful health care – and a disability system that meets the needs of those engaged in a collision business for the amusement of the masses and the profit of billionaires, programs like this fall well short of meeting the sustenance needs of retired NFL players. . “When you get your written denial, please share with us. We might then want to also share it with the Insurance Commissioner for the State of Washington. . “I know that TransAmerica did NOT have permission to issue such policies in some of the states as of a couple of months ago. It may be because some states think that such policies are a scam!” .
And some remarks from a few other retirees who have also gotten denied: . “I agree with your assessment of the Long Term Care Insurance offering and its application process. I was suspicious of the offering because of its timing, coming as it did just as the new CBA was being negotiated. To me it felt like a potential PR gimmick from management saying ‘Yes we care about our retired guys and as proof, we are offering this program to them.’ . “Out of curiosity, I arranged for an interview. Because of the nature of our group, I was told, pre-existing conditions were fair game. And then came the withering questions and the actual cognitive tests aimed at ascertaining the slightest mental difficulties. Afterwards, I felt that they were attempting to identify those players least likely to require LTC, if any existed, and then offer the program to them. At the same time, I wondered if the League wouldn’t end up with the data yielded by these tests. What better way to get a handle on the collective underlying condition of retired players and thereby devise new ways of skirting the real costs of playing this game.” .
Pat Toomay
Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders
1970 – 1979 . Dave: . “Thanks for your input. Programs like this are an insult to our intelligence. Do retired NFL Players – who are the foundation of this business – get so little respect that we are expected to accept “phantom” disability plans?” . As of right now, it appears that this program will likely be withdrawn (if it hasn’t been already) for lack of participation or qualifying applications – several insurance experts have told us that in order to launch, programs like these need to have at least 75% participation of the group. We doubt that 75% of the qualifying retirees applied let alone qualified. .
And for those of us with shorter attention spans, the highlights are now up on YouTube from our June 20th 2011 Retired Football Players Press Conference. We’ve uploaded it to YouTube in HD – you can enlarge it to full screen for easier viewing using the enlarge button in the lower right corner of the video window. .
And once again, thanks to Jennifer Thibeaux and her crew. We’re working on shorter individual clips to also be posted daily on YouTube over the following weeks to keep this issue front and center with the fans and general public. Retired Players are NOT going away! .
And for those of us with shorter attention spans, the highlights are now up on YouTube from our June 20th 2011 Retired Football Players Press Conference. We’ve uploaded it to YouTube in HD – you can enlarge it to full screen for easier viewing using the enlarge button in the lower right corner of the video window. .
And once again, thanks to Jennifer Thibeaux and her crew. We’re working on shorter individual clips to also be posted daily on YouTube over the following weeks to keep this issue front and center with the fans and general public. Retired Players are NOT going away! .
. And a little something extra: Hall-of-Famer Gale Sayers is mad too! .
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Thanks to Jennifer Thibeaux and her crew, we now have the full video of our June 20th 2011 Retired Football Players Press Conference held at the Washington Press Club. We’ve uploaded it to Veoh in HD – you can enlarge it to full screen for easier viewing using the enlarge button in the lower right corner of the video window. You can turn the volume up using the sliding volume bar next to that Full Screen button .
. Be sure to click on the Sign Our Petition link at the top of the sidebar on the right to let everyone know you support these guys! .
Our good friend and videographer Jennifer Thibeaux finally made it back to Dallas after a 28-hour drive from our press conference in Washington DC on Monday. Here’s her recap on the retired players’ lawsuit and battle to get access to their earned benefits and pensions: .
Negotiations between the NFL and its current players are near conclusion. Reliable sources are reporting that a deal to end the current lockout is imminent. .
Left outside of the negotiating process has been the NFL’s retired players. Retirees are routinely forgotten by both the league they helped build and a Union that has abandoned them. We must not forget these heroes of our youth, the titans who built the game and turned the NFL into the multibillion-dollar industry that it is today. Most retired players played the game at a time when big money did not rule the sport, but nonetheless the names of these athletes are burned in the memories of fans forever. Johnny Unitas, Bart Starr, Y.A. Title, Lenny Moore, Lem Barney and Art Donovan to name a few. .
Fans of the game would be shocked and saddened if they knew the harsh realities faced by NFL retirees:
A majority of NFL retirees never made the millions of dollars being paid to current players;
A majority of NFL retirees have spent more money on medical expenses than they ever made playing football;
The NFL’s disability system currently provides money for only 4% of its retired players;
Draconian rules set-up by the League and a Union that does not represent the interest of its retirees, leave most former players needing to rely on Social Security to fix their broken bodies;
Underfunded pension benefits have left even some Hall-of-Famers receiving less than $200 per month to live on.
We’re back from attending the Press Conference at the Press Club in Washington DC. Thanks to the incredible efforts of the teams at Hausfeld LLC and Zelle Hofmann Voelbel & Mason and Carl Eller, everything came off even better than anyone could have expected. Retired players who attended the conference included Carl, Irv Cross (who moderated), George Visger, Joe DeLamielleure, Lem Barney, Conrad Dobler, Paul Krause, Elvin Bethea and Greg Koch. For the first part of the conference, the retirees were also joined by a group of active players who also made statements in support of the retired players efforts, which included Brendon Ayanbadejo, Duane Starks, Will Witherspoon, Hannibal Navies, Sean James, Anthony Adams, Duane Starks, Stalker McDougal and Mike Dean. We had a strong media presence and there was also a lot of attendance on the conference phone line provided. . We have video of the entire event and will be posting clips from the news conference over the next few days along with a full version of the entire meeting (thanks to our friend, Jennifer Thibeaux, and her young assistant, Elizabeth). And here’s a slideshow of pictures from Reuters News Service at the conference (Click on the picture to open the slideshow in another window): .
Posted with the express consent of Evan Weiner: THE BUSINESS AND POLITICS OF SPORTS . Former New York Jets great Marty Lyons says retired players need health benefits now
Thursday, 19 May 2011 BY EVAN WEINER NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM . THE BUSINESS AND POLITICS OF SPORTS . NEW YORK. N.Y. — In October 1987, New York Jets defensive lineman Marty Lyons decided to cross a picket line and play football because he didn’t like the way National Football League Players Association Executive Director Gene Upshaw was conducting the association’s business. The NFLPA went on strike looking for a liberalized form of free agency and more money. The NFLPA didn’t bother asking for after-career lifetime health benefits. . Lyons has never looked back at his decision to cross the picket line and in hindsight thinks the 1987 four-week strike was a waste of time. . “I don’t worry about it, I got more important things to do than worry about a labor dispute, worry about a lockout” said Lyons on Tuesday at the announcement that he was elected into the College Football Hall of Fame. “I got four kids, I try to be the best father, best husband that I can to them. Whatever happens in this dispute, they will settle it. .continue reading »
Dr. Barry Sears is a leading authority on the dietary control of hormonal response. A former research scientist at the Boston University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Sears has dedicated his research efforts over the past 30 years to the study of lipids. He holds 13 U.S. Patents in the areas of intravenous drug delivery systems and hormonal regulation for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. .
Dr. Sears continues his ongoing research as the President of the non-profit Inflammation Research Foundation in Marblehead, MA. In addition to continuing research on the hormonal effects of food, Dr. Sears has expanded his research in developing innovative dietary approaches to treating cancer and neurological conditions, as well as his on-going work in treating neurological disorder, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. .
In his presentation to the Independent Football Veterans, Dr. Sears talks about his ongoing research and studies on inflammation and its correlation with concussions. His Zone Labs most recent focus has been helping athletes diagnose these levels of inflammation and treat them with positive results through individually-tailored combination of diet and supplements. . (Our videos are hosted on Veoh in HD and you can watch them full screen by clicking on the Expand button in the lower right corner of the video window.) To follow the entire slideshow, we suggest starting the video and then opening the slideshow full screen so you can hear the accompanying narration. . . And here’s his Powerpoint presentation on SlideShare: .
Attorney Carl Lopez graduated from Georgetown University Law School in 1975 and is a member of the Washington State Bar and President of Lopez & Fantel, a Seattle law firm. He has been named multiple times to Law and Politics Magazine’s list of Washington Super Lawyers. He’s also a member of the Million Dollar Advocates and Multimillion Dollar Advocates. Selected for “The Best Lawyers in America.” Carl is a certified Contract Advisor, with his first NFL contract negotiation in 1978; among players represented are Jack Thompson and more recently, Robbie Tobeck. . On very short notice, Carl managed to fly in just for the day from Seattle and gives an overview on the current CBA and the Union’s decertification with an emphasis on how it will affect retired players directly. Carl also reveals some fascinating anecdotes from his many years of dealing with the NFLPA and the NFL while representing many players. . (Our videos are hosted on Vimeo in HD and you can watch them full screen by clicking on the Expand button in the lower right corner of the video window.) .
This past week, we’ve probably seen even more media coverage on concussions than all past years combined. It’s been like a huge tsunami of people, events and timing all converging to drive interest in a subject that’s been hidden away by years of denial. . Terry Bradshaw had already made some side comments publicly last year while he was on the air and just as suddenly as he blurted them out – and as with all things NFL on network television – nothing more was ever brought up again until this past week. Bradshaw mentions his recent visit to the Amen Clinic in Newport Beach as part of Dr. Amen’s continuing studies on concussions and the brain. Here’s the clip from FOX Sports: . Video: Terry talks treatment .
And you can read the full article on MSN/FOX Sports – click HERE.
George Visger, 52, earned the ultimate prize in professional football: a championship with the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XVI in 1982. The former defensive tackle also bagged an Orange Bowl victory while playing with the University of Colorado. .
But now he’s paying the ultimate price for all those years on the gridiron. After thousands of on-field hits to his head, hydrocephalus, and multiple brain surgeries, he is struggling with memory problems. And he receives absolutely NO benefits whatsoever – pension or disability – from the NFL in spite of his Super Bowl ring because he doesn’t meet their arbitrary 3-year vesting rule! .
George is currently an environmental consultant in California. . Dan Bunz is a former American Football linebacker who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions in an eight-year career that lasted from 1978 to 1985 in the National Football League. .
As a linebacker for the 49ers in Super Bowl XVI, he made one of the most famous defensive tackles ever witnessed. On a critical 3rd-and-goal from the one-yard line, Anderson passed to Charles Alexander in the right flat, but Bunz came up fast, grabbed the receiver around the waist, and hurled him backward before he could break the plane of the goal line. “The Stop” is regarded as “The Best Thing Witnessed On TV Ever.” He was a member of the San Francisco 49ers Super Bowl XVI and Super Bowl XIX winning teams. .
Dan currently teaches Physical Education at Sutter Middle School in Sacramento. He also teaches people of all ages in being healthy and fit. .
Here are George and Dan telling the audience about the reality of their lives after football with an emphasis on the long-term effects of concussions and the failed disability process and system that the NFL and the NFLPA continue to impose on its retired employees. .
Since leaving our Conference in Las Vegas, our friend Jennifer Thibeaux has been diligently working away night-and-day at editing and improving the sound quality of the video material recorded at our First Conference at the South Point Resort in Las Vegas – and she didn’t disappoint us! Jennifer’s obviously put a lot of work into ensuring that our message gets out clearly. Here are the first talks from Friday morning, March 25th. We’ll have all of the videos posted up through the weekend as they’re completed. . Dave Pear was born in Vancouver, Washington and grew up in Portland, Oregon. Dave attended the University of Washington on an athletic scholarship and played defensive tackle for the UW Huskies from 1971 – 1975. He graduated with a degree in Political Science. .
He was the first Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-26) player to be selected to the Pro Bowl in 1978 and played in Super Bowl XV in 1980 for the Oakland Raiders (first wild card to ever capture the title –Oakland Raiders 27 – Philadelphia Eagles 10). . After leaving football with severe injuries following Super Bowl XV, Dave has been fighting the NFL for his earned disability and medical benefits since 1979 and since his first application was turned down in 1983 and has become a vocal advocate for retired players’ rights. .
(The videos are hosted on Vimeo in HD and you can watch them full screen by clicking on the Expand button in the lower right corner of the video window.) .
Dave opens the Conference and talks about some of his personal battles for himself and his retired brothers: .
IFV Conference – Dave Pear from Jennifer Thibeaux on Vimeo . Attorney John Hogan is a well-known speaker on Social Security disability and frequently makes presentations throughout Georgia and nationally. He serves on the board of directors of the National Organization of Social Security Representatives and is a former co-chair of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Social Security section. You’ve seen John’s posts and comments frequently on Dave’s Blog and many others as a proactive advocate for retired football players. .
John has been advocating for a total reform of the current NFL/NFLPA Disability Plan and has been successful in many of his cases representing retired NFL players in their Disability and Social Security Disability cases. .
Here’s disability attorney John Hogan discussing the NFL/NFLPA’s broken Disability Plan as well as highlights from some of his past year’s experiences: .
Posted with the express consent of Evan Weiner: THE BUSINESS AND POLITICS OF SPORTS.
Tuesday, 5 April 2011 .
BY EVAN WEINER
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM COMMENTARY . Portions of this column are by Evan Weiner and Heather Rascher from ”A Business History of Professional Football,” unpublished manuscript (2005). . The biggest game on the NFL season starts on April 6 when National Football League owners and the remnants of the now defunct National Football League Players Association face off in a Minneapolis courtroom. In a script that looks like a sequel to the days after the National Football League Players Association imploded in October 1987 when the NFLPA decided to sue NFL owners for free agency, the NFLPA is back in a Minneapolis courthouse and suing NFL owners. Ten players, including one college player who was not even a part of the defunct NFLPA, Von Miller, are suing the league in an antitrust action hoping the court will lift the owners lockout. .
Miller’s name is on the suit but he is planning to attend the National Football League Draft, an act that restricts the freedom of college players in finding jobs. The only reason the draft is legal is through collective bargaining. The owners and players have agreed to a draft. Miller plans to be in the courtroom while New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees, one of the 10 plaintiffs, will not attend the opening day festivities. Brees will be at a golf fundraiser. .
Brees last week sounded a conciliatory note to retired and discarded players after being blasted by Sam Huff for criticizing former players who are down and out because of football related injuries. Brees apparently learned well from the late Gene Upshaw (who was the NFLPA Executive Director) who once said that the association could not worry about every problem. While the NFL and the NFLPA duke it out in Minneapolis, the former NFLPA may be involved in another action as former New Orleans and Miami defensive back Gene Atkins is suing the NFL’s retirement board after being denied additional health benefits by the group which included the late Dave Duerson. The former defensive back, Duerson, was on the board which said ‘no’ to Atkins’ football degenerative claim in 2006. Duerson’s suicide in February 2011 raises questions according to the brief filed about Duerson’s competence in light of statements that came out after the suicide that he had memory loss and difficulties spelling words. .continue reading »
“I just thought it completely laughable what I just went through to get the League’s LTC insurance for myself. I actually completely bought the line that the League was finally going to do something on our behalf by paying for a LTC benefit for us. I figured it would be some limited benefit but at least it was something…
“I agree with your assessment of the Long Term Care Insurance offering and its application process. I was suspicious of the offering because of its timing, coming as it did just as the new CBA was being negotiated. To me it felt like a potential PR gimmick from management saying ‘Yes we care about our retired guys and as proof, we are offering this program to them.’
As of right now, it appears that this program will likely be withdrawn (if it hasn’t been already) for lack of participation or qualifying applications – several insurance experts have told us that in order to launch, programs like these need to have at least 75% participation of the group. We doubt that 75% of the qualifying retirees applied let alone qualified.
Negotiations between the NFL and its current players are near conclusion. Reliable sources are reporting that a deal to end the current lockout is imminent.
Dr. Barry Sears is a leading authority on the dietary control of hormonal response. A former research scientist at the Boston University School of Medicine and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. Sears has dedicated his research efforts over the past 30 years to the study of lipids. He holds 13 U.S. Patents in the areas of intravenous drug delivery systems and hormonal regulation for the treatment of cardiovascular disease.
George Visger, 52, earned the ultimate prize in professional football: a championship with the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XVI in 1982. The former defensive tackle also bagged an Orange Bowl victory while playing with the University of Colorado.
Dan Bunz is a former American Football linebacker who played for the San Francisco 49ers and the Detroit Lions in an eight-year career that lasted from 1978 to 1985 in the National Football League.
Dave Pear was born in Vancouver, Washington and grew up in Portland, Oregon. Dave attended the University of Washington on an athletic scholarship and played defensive tackle for the 
Attorney John Hogan is a well-known speaker on Social Security disability and frequently makes presentations throughout Georgia and nationally. He serves on the board of directors of the National Organization of Social Security Representatives and is a former co-chair of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association, Social Security section. You’ve seen John’s posts and comments frequently on Dave’s Blog and many others as a proactive advocate for retired football players.