Dave Pear's Blog

Wow! It always seems so incredibly hard just getting what should be a very simple answer to a really simple question. But in their usual manner, the NFLPA always manages to make things ridiculously difficult. If you recall, all I wanted to know was why I wasn’t getting the net T&P Benefits I was granted earlier last month after my application had been approved (click HERE to read the earlier post). And my attorney, John Hogan, also wrote a formal request to inquire about the discrepancy. (I don’t want to get into the discrepancy of what they REALLY should be paying me on this post.)
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(Click on each image to enlarge.)
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And here’s the letter I got back late last week:
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We’ve just fax’ed in another letter to Paul Scott letting him – and the NFLPA – know once again that John Hogan is my attorney of record in this matter. John Hogan was, after all, the attorney who formally filed my recent request for my disability benefits during this last round of applications. DUH!
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There are Federal laws that mandate full disclosure of any and all deductions that are taken from paychecks and benefit payments. I certainly know that if I ran a business and I didn’t disclose deductions on a paycheck to an employee, the IRS would be probably be knocking at my door!
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Here’s a thought – Would everyone who has received any benefits from the NFLPA – whether it be pensions or benefits – please consider writing to them and asking the following questions:

• How did you calculate my pension and/or benefits?
• Were deductions taken from my pension and/or benefits?
• How did you calculate the deductions taken from my pension and/or benefits?

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As Retired Players, we all NEED detailed and specific answers to the following questions concerning our earned benefits:

1. Are you receiving a pension or a disability benefit?
2. If so, how much and when did you start receiving these benefits?
3. Ask the NFL Player Benefits for documentation as to how they calculated your benefits.
4. Please call Paul Scott (Benefits Coordinator) or Sarah Gaunt (Director of Player Benefits) at: 1(800) 638 3186 and make a verbal request.
5. Then send your request in writing to: 200 St. Paul Place – Suite 2420 – Baltimore, MD 21202-2040

If you can keep us informed of your progress on getting this information, we can use it to get a better idea of what’s been going on over the years.

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Dear Larry -
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I received your first letter of May 14, 2008 by overnight courier after we posted details of that anonymous comment that originated from within your law firm. Your letter arrived over the weekend just before I went in for my hip replacement surgery. I appreciated your honesty in acknowledging this activity from one of your staff as well as your taking responsibility for this underhanded attempt to threaten our efforts.
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While it fell short of making an outright apology, your letter certainly helped to highlight the ongoing range of attitudes and emotions on the different sides in this long-running struggle of disabled retired NFL players and those who vehemently oppose our efforts. If this gives you a small glimpse into the feelings of just a few people, then I can only hope that you and others might begin to understand what it will take to bring everyone to the table to resolve this issue once and for all. While there may be a few who have ulterior motives and agendas, we truly believe that most people understand and empathize with those of us who have sacrificed everything for the game in the past to make football what it is today. Whenever our story gets heard, the general opinion is a resounding ‘Why? Why is this happening to the men who helped to build this sport when the business grosses billions every year even as rookies continue to get signed up for multimillion dollar contracts even before they hit a field?’
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I’d also like to remind you that as much as you may want to dismiss my inquiries and requests for information (that should actually be readily available to all players), I never considered you to be my attorney or representative. You were assigned to work with me by Commissioner Roger Goodell to provide me with the Plan documentation that all players are entitled to receive as well as to help oversee my new application for benefits to which I have been entitled for over 25 years. I don’t consider you to be relieved of your duties until Commissioner Goodell informs me that he has officially asked you to stop assisting me.
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In any event, I received another letter from you on June 19, 2008 with more details on your employee’s actions and consequences. I’m also grateful to the Commissioner’s office for continuing to make your assistance available.
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Regards
Dave Pear
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