Commissioner Goodell – Once again, you testified to Congress that things were improving for retired players and everything was so much faster and more improved than ever. Here’s what you said on Wednesday morning (your comments are in the first minute of the clip).
I think we’re long overdue for a short time out. I don’t often post personal editorials on this blog but after following the posts and comments back-and-forth since The Summit at the end of May, I’ve been thinking long and hard about taking a few minutes of everyone’s time to ask everybody to chill for a moment. In other words - time for a time out.
I believe there’s no doubt that everyone has good intentions for the plight of retired players. Of that, I have absolutely no doubt after having known Dave Pear as a good friend over these past years and being honored to have been invited to The Summit. After finally meeting many of you face-to-face for the first time (and I certainly hope not the last!), I got to hear your stories firsthand and I experienced the passion that made this game what it is today. And it’s that passion that clearly drives each and every one of you guys today.
One point I do want to make is the fact that The Summit came together as quickly and as smoothly as it did. It was truly a team effort with some good organizational and hands-off management skills from a small team that included people like Dave, Bob Grant, Marvin Cobb, Bruce Laird and Jane Arnett. What many of you may not realize was that The Summit actually came together with a small, part-time volunteer group that wasn’t paid to get the job done. And the decision was made early on to waive attendance fees for all who wanted to attend. Our attendees managed to find inexpensive flights to Vegas. Then our good friend, Dave Humm, managed to secure first-class facilities at the South Point Resort & Casino in Las Vegas to provide us access to some of the nicest accommodations in Las Vegas at incredible rates. In fact, the South Point even donated that large meeting hall as part of the package. And one of the retired players – who shall remain anonymous at his request – was generous enough to cover the $2,000+ rental cost of that A/V equipment for the entire Summit.
It was a lot like being back in high school: Bob Grant and Jane Arnett contacted and cajoled the various speakers into showing up; Marvin Cobb was frantically printing out the attendance badges on his printer (which he dragged along with him in the trunk of his car for that drive from LA!) the night before everyone started to show up (among the hundreds of other tasks Marvin had on his plate!); and I spent a couple of nights – right up until Marilee and I finally got packed for the trip – laying out and printing the Summit programs. Half of what happened actually came together during that last frantic week before The Summit! Small donations covered the cost of materials and The Summit was on! Without spending the small fortune like those Annual NFLPA and Owners’ conferences, everyone involved chipped in and managed to pull off a first-class gathering that outdrew the NFLPA meeting down in fancy Palm Springs.
But what I found more important beyond the wide range of topics covered was the amazing sense of camaraderie that I experienced in the hallways and the restaurants in the hours outside of the meeting room. Senior statesmen from the golden era recounting their tales and sharing them with the younger retired players; old adversaries enjoying a laugh about past games (and shenanigans); and old friends just finally having a chance to see one another again. It was a remarkable experience for us personally and we thank you for allowing us to share in it with you.
It looks like the NFLPA is realizing that more retired players may end up going to the First Annual Independent Retired Football Players Summit (to be held in Las Vegas) than they’re expecting at the annual Retired Players Convention (to be held in Palm Springs) this year at the end of May this year again. So to make up for the fact that there’s no fee to attend The Summit, the NFLPA is now generously offering to waive your registration fee giving you savings of up to $300 a couple! They’ll even pay your next year’s dues to save you another $100!
But it’s not the cost of registration that’s prohibitive. Read our earlier post about the cost of attending one of their meetings in Palm Springs (clickHERE).
Here’s a copy of that personal invitations from NFLPA Steering Committee President Gene Fugett himself:
