Dave Pear's Blog

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thurs. May 9, 2012 10:40 pm PST
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Uploaded complete 896-page study to Scribd ; go to bottom of this post to read.
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How many of you even remember that way back in 1991, the Dept. of Health & Human Services sent out questionnaires to a large group of us retired NFL football players who played professionally since 1959? The study was to verify or counter a popular belief at the time that retired football players had shorter life spans. Like myself, many of you have also confirmed that you were told years ago to take your pensions early as you would not survive past the age of 55. It meant that your pension checks were discounted for taking early retirement but – based on a false interpretation of a so-called law by management that included those at the highest levels – it also disqualified those who took their pensions from receiving disability benefits as well. You can read about how Gene Upshaw had his words handed back to him in this early article from Michael Leahy in the Washington Post (Feb. 2008): Click HERE to read that article with attorney Lanny Davis’ answer. You can also read about how even Johnny Unitas was cheated out of his earned – and badly-needed – disability benefits by his own Union: Click HERE to read that post.
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Here’s a copy of the original letter from HHS in 1991. (We uploaded a copy of the original letter as well as the recent correspondence to Scribd for viewing and to make it downloadable. You can also click the Fullscreen button to enlarge it for easier navigation – just hit the EXIT FULLSCREEN button key to close):
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1991 Dept HHS Letter RE: NFL Football Players
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Dept of HHS NFL Study
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What’s not covered in this study that took over 20 years to complete? Concussions, brain injuries and long-term effects. While some of us may be happy to now hear that we’re going to be living longer, for too many of our families already seeing the memory loss and symptoms of dementia in many of you, this means that you may end up in need of longer assisted care than the average male. Small pensions, little or no access to disability benefits and the prospect of expensive long-term care for those with declining mental capacity. Sounds like one more heads-we-win-tails-you-lose proposition from the NFLPA and the NFL. Again.
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May 9, 2012 • Here’s the entire 896-page study from the NIOHS:
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Complete NIOHS NFL Study
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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.
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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.
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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.

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Posted with the express consent of Evan Weiner:

THE BUSINESS AND POLITICS OF SPORTS
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Covenant between fans and sports is a facade
Thursday, 12 May 2011
BY EVAN WEINER
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
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NFL Smoke & Mirrors

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Mr. D. Smith,

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UPDATED JAN. 1, 2011 WITH VIDEO CLIP BELOW:

It’s been nearly 3 years since Dave and I first ventured into blogging about professional football and what actually happens behind the scenes in the lives of those men who have played the game once they leave that field for the last time. Dave’s been at this for over 30 years since being sidelined after Superbowl XV in 1980 with a broken neck and subsequently denied his disability benefits several times – even in spite of the NFL’s own doctor declaring him to be 80%+ disabled in 1995.

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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!

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Aaron Hewitt: Dave at Home

Dear Dr. Benjamin,

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Reprinted in its entirety with permission from Evan Weiner:

Discarded NFL players are often forgotten in retirement

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I just received the current renewal form for my annual membership in the NFLPA Retired Players. For belonging, most of us retired players actually only receive an annual membership directory and a fancy plastic wallet card claiming how the NFL supports Past – Present – Future (yeah, right!). continue reading »

I was watching the Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins game where Peyton Manning surpassed the great Johnny Unitas’ record for all-time franchise wins. Manning later said that he was “Humbled.”

But aside from this minor mention of Johnny Unitas’ long-standing achievement, little is said or acknowledged of the shameful treatment that he endured over his lifetime from his own Union, the NFLPA. Many of the players like Peyton Manning who have followed in Unitas’ big footsteps never truly recognize the sacrifice and abuse that this sports legend put up with while he was alive so that future players could make the big bucks they do today.

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My e-mail back to a touching letter from Sandra Unitas, widow of NFL Great, Johnny Unitas.

Dear Sandra,

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Thank you for your inspiring letter. You have my promise that Heidi and I will continue to fight the good fight.

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