Posted with the express consent of Evan Weiner: THE BUSINESS AND POLITICS OF SPORTS .
NFL and NFLPA’s labor woes may not be over yet
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Tuesday, 02 August 2011 BY EVAN WEINER NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM . The National Football League owners have a labor agreement with the present members of the reconstituted National Football League Players Association but it appears that the league still has problems with the players association’s stance on not helping out former players with their medical needs years after their last game in the league. The league apparently informed Carl Eller’s legal team on Friday that the-then decertified National Football League Players Association decided not to take a $500 million offer over ten-years to get retirees life football medical benefits and an uptick in pensions as part of the recently completed collective bargaining agreement. . continue reading »
Thanks again to the good folks at Gridiron Greats for providing a new air conditioning system for Glendora and Gordon Wright who were facing another incredibly hot Summer and Fall in Orlando Florida! .
. Left to Right: Danny, Kaleel, Darryl, Kaleb, Grandpa,Deleon, Kareem, Amaya, Luis & Khari! .
We are also in the process of taking all the donations that have come in to our nonprofit, Independent Football Veterans, on behalf of the Wrights and expect to pass along your generosity to the Wrights later this week! But this is just one more reminder of why retired football players need to stick together and fight for a voice to gain control and access to your earned disability and pension benefits. As a pre-’93 player, Gordon doesn’t qualify for any disability or pension benefits since he didn’t play for four seasons. With early onset dementia, Gordon also doesn’t qualify for the NFL’s 88 Plan either. . If you haven’t already added your name to the growing list of teammates who are demanding a voice of your own, please do it now! And be sure to remind every retired player you know. Thanks! .
[form declaration] .
Dear Mr. Pear, .
I am sending you this message tonight because I am on my last raw nerve. The Wrights’ story prompted me to reach out to others like us. .
I believe you may have already seen some correspondence about my husband, Terry Owens – San Diego Chargers ten years as #76. Terry is a big man, a proud man. We lost his business earlier this year but were actually blessed because we should have lost it much sooner – State Farm stepped up. .
Terry has gone downhill fast. He’s now on the 88 plan. I can’t keep up with him – even with full-time help. We do not need anything financially. YET. But we do need communication and support. I could never have imagined how hard this would be and I pride myself on being a strong cookie. We are living in Crazyland every day! .
Fortunately, Terry is just as sweet as he has always been. But two of us chase him all day long. He has several self-inflicted wounds: eye, thumb, nose. Minor but of concern. He thinks he’s holding something in his hand all day – nothing there but his hand is clasped. It’s crazy. Even two of us cannot keep up. Last night, I went to take a shower and I forgot to lock the front door. Within 10 minutes he was outside with the TV remote in his hand along with 4 or 5 books (anything he could get his hands on) and in his bare feet walking down a long driveway to get into a neighbor’s mailbox! And Terry cannot go into an assisted living facility at this stage as he’s beyond that and needs round-the-clock supervision to keep him from hurting himself or getting into trouble. .
Feel free to post our dilemma on your blog. Others need to know just how bad it is and how ill-prepared we are for all of this. I’m also hoping that others in similar situations will get in touch with me so we can provide support for each other. .
Please count me in on the fight for retired football players’ rights. .
Dave, I thank you, . Respectfully, .
Alison Owens on behalf of Terry and all the other men who are now suffering from their concussions .
(256) 221-0043 . . . . .
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 »
When it comes to dealing with its senior retired players, it seems that the NFL and the NFLPA have consistently been running on a strategy of doing too little too late. And that’s the only thing they seem to do consistently. First, concussions couldn’t possibly cause any long-term problems. Then, they decided they DO cause long-term damage (but only to active players!), so they fired Dr. No and quickly created all those new rules and fancy posters warning all the current players about the dangers of concussions. Those new rules came all the way down from the Commissioner’s office and – if followed to the letter – would completely change the game of football. Even a lot of the players have come forward to point out how ridiculous and confusing this has become – all in a short span of just a few weeks. Sheesh!
Gregg Bingham here. I sure love this blog and I read it every time I get notified of a new post. I’m always amazed to read about the carnage left behind after a career in the NFL and I – like most all others (including active players and fans) – had absolutely no idea about any of it. BUT I DO NOW…
Sometimes you just have to shake your head and laugh when a situation gets so ridiculous and absolutely everyone else can see it except the very people who should be able to see it. Yesterday, Dr. Ken Stoller submitted the first part of his series on HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) and how the treatment for George Visger and Wayne Hawkins has been progressing. When you read Part II today, you’ll realize that Dr. Stoller is now also getting a taste of the typical bureaucratic runaround that retired players have been encountering for years.
The National Football League owners have a labor agreement with the present members of the reconstituted National Football League Players Association but it appears that the league still has problems with the players association’s stance on not helping out former players with their medical needs years after their last game in the league. The league apparently informed Carl Eller’s legal team on Friday that the-then decertified National Football League Players Association decided not to take a $500 million offer over ten-years to get retirees life football medical benefits and an uptick in pensions as part of the recently completed collective bargaining agreement.
Respectfully,
