ARTICLE: Ditka back on the attack

[Angus]

Ditka back on the attack
Rails against NFL, NFL Players Association: 'It's about right versus wrong. Do the right thing.'

By Fred Mitchell
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 11, 2007, 12:08 PM CDT

NFL Hall of Famers Mike Ditka and Joe DeLamielleure continued their war of words with NFL Players Union boss Gene Upshaw on Monday, and introduced hobbled former offensive lineman Brian DeMarco, 35, as a prime example of the union's indifference to the medical needs of scores of ex-players.

"This is unacceptable," Ditka thundered at a news conference organized by "Gridiron Greats" at his downtown restaurant. "We are past having committees. It's about right versus wrong. Do the right thing. Just do the right thing."

Spearheaded by Ditka, DeLamilleure and former Packers star Jerry Kramer, GridironGreats.org has been providing direct financial assistance to needy former players such as DeMarco, who is unable to work and barely able to function as a result of lingering football-related injuries. Monday's media event coincided with the launch of a major public donation drive.

Ditka also used the occasion to fire back at former Bears safety Dave Duerson, a member of the union's pension and disability board, who was quoted in a Tribune article Sunday as saying Ditka "was not one who gave a damn about the players or their injuries when he was coaching. He was very disrespectful of guys who got hurt and now he's trying to champion for a couple of guys. The fact of the matter is he's way off base and he's late in the game."

Ditka called Duerson's charges "an out and out, outrageous lie."

Meanwhile, DeLamielleure again took issue with Upshaw, who dismissed DeLamielleure's outspoken advocacy for "Gridiron Greats" as misguided and was quoted as threatening him in a recent Philadelphia Daily News article.

"He threatened to break my neck," DeLamielleure said. "I say that he stunk as a union leader for 20 years. Screw Upshaw. He stuck it to us for 20-some years."

Fiery rhetoric aside, the main attraction at Monday's event was DeMarco, who needed a cane and two able-bodied assistants to help him stand up and walk to the podium, where he spoke emotionally about how the NFL and the players union have turned their backs on him after injuries ended his once promising career as a second-round draft pick out of Michigan State.

"My right leg is completely numb. I have extreme nerve pain in my arms," DeMarco said before pausing to gather his emotions. "I have lost my grip … my ability to hold my kids."

Accompanied by his wife, Autumn, DeMarco described how he and his family were homeless three times because he could not work. He exhausted his savings paying medical bills and was uninsurable after suffering multiple fractures in his spine during his career that ended in 2000.

"I am not the only one," DeMarco said. "Whether you played in the NFL or not, poverty is poverty."

DeMarco started all 16 games as a rookie for Jacksonville in 1995. Before the 1999 season he signed a three-year, $3.1 million free-agent contract with the Cincinnati Bengals, but he was cut after one season because of back and elbow injuries.

Ditka appealed to new NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to step up and assist the pioneers of the game as well as younger, ailing retirees such as DeMarco.

"The commissioner is a fine man," said Ditka. "He has a chance to right a wrong. If he has no other legacy...the legacy can't be that 'I made millions for millionaires.'"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sport...35.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

 

[ZeroClub]

Thanks for posting this.
--

Iron Mike for President!










(of the players' union)

 

[BouncingCheese]

The only thing Ditka has done or said in or around the proximity of the NFL in the past, oh say entire life of his that I applaud. Really appreciate what he is doing.

 

[tunahelper]

All the money we spend for the NFL and they cannot take care of their own?

 

[BouncingCheese]

All the money we spend for the NFL and they cannot take care of their own?

10 percent of the NFL revenue for this year alone can cure this problem altogether.

**** these old money grubbing *******s. These guys destroyed their bodies for the league, and how are they repaid? It is a shame

 

[Cochese]

10 percent of the NFL revenue for this year alone can cure this problem altogether.

**** these old money grubbing *******s. These guys destroyed their bodies for the league, and how are they repaid? It is a shame

And Ditka was one of the coaches making sure that hurt guys played, as a coach he contributed to the same thing he is now fighting against. Duerson has it right, Ditka is way off base and has little credibility on the issue.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

And Ditka was one of the coaches making sure that hurt guys played, as a coach he contributed to the same thing he is now fighting against. Duerson has it right, Ditka is way off base and has little credibility on the issue.

alot of players don't need a coach telling them to play w/ pain

and not all of the disabilities are direct result of playing through pain, the NFL is a brutal sport that takes a toll on player's bodies, so the fact that Ditka was a proponent of playing through pain doesn't mean he has no room to talk

 

[Cochese]

alot of players don't need a coach telling them to play w/ pain

and not all of the disabilities are direct result of playing through pain, the NFL is a brutal sport that takes a toll on player's bodies, so the fact that Ditka was a proponent of playing through pain doesn't mean he has no room to talk

""Mike was not one who gave a damn about the players or their injuries when he was coaching," Duerson said in a Tribune interview. "He was very disrespectful of guys who got hurt and now he's trying to champion for a couple of guys."


Is Mike feeling guilty or something? Ditka is a windbag, he probably just wanted to be in the media doing something other than getting shouted at by Michael Irvin, or talking about a football team from 22 years ago.

 

[03EBZ06]

I always say it's better late than never. Ditka may have pushed injured players when he was coaching as many coaches have but that doesn't mean he can't stick up for them. The NFLPA have the means to support ailing retirees but haven't done so and it's time voices be heard and for the NFLPA to step up to the plate to take care of ailing retirees.

 

[JackMagist]

And Ditka was one of the coaches making sure that hurt guys played, as a coach he contributed to the same thing he is now fighting against. Duerson has it right, Ditka is way off base and has little credibility on the issue.

His actions as a coach may indeed cut into his credibility as a spokesman on this issue. But that does not make him "off base" on what he is trying to accomplish. Duerson might need to rethink his own position.

A person's perspective can change through the course of a lifetime (those of us who have been around for a few decades realize this). It could even be that he sees now that his actions of the past might have been wrong and he is trying to make amends to the extent that he can. The guy is NOW trying to do what is right and that is what counts.

 

[Royal Laegotti]

His actions as a coach may indeed cut into his credibility as a spokesman on this issue. But that does not make him "off base" on what he is trying to accomplish. Duerson might need to rethink his own position.

A person's perspective can change through the course of a lifetime (those of us who have been around for a few decades realize this). It could even be that he sees now that his actions of the past might have been wrong and he is trying to make amends to the extent that he can. The guy is NOW trying to do what is right and that is what counts.

Very well said, this could be the case.

 

[ZeroClub]

Ditka was a courageous player who played with considerable pain and significant injury. Ditka didn't ask his players to do anything that Ditka was unwilling to do himself.

Ditka expected players to give everything for their love and honor of the game. And now he expects that game to love and honor its players.

There isn't any hypocrisy here.

 

[burmafrd]

Ditka was hardnosed as a player and as a coach. He never changed.
I guess SOME people here have very little knowledge of the NFL pre 1990.

 

[Cochese]

Ditka was a courageous player who played with considerable pain and significant injury. Ditka didn't ask his players to do anything that Ditka was unwilling to do himself.

Ditka expected players to give everything for their love and honor of the game. And now he expects that game to love and honor its players.

There isn't any hypocrisy here.

You dont know this. I think a quote from a player who played under him for 6 years is a little more telling than someone guessing randomly on a message board.

Poor poor Demarco, he only gets one fat check from NFLPA members a month and only breaks out his cane for special occaisons like whenever Ditka wants to hear himself talk.

 

[Cochese]

Ditka was hardnosed as a player and as a coach. He never changed.
I guess SOME people here have very little knowledge of the NFL pre 1990.

And whats your point? That 'hardnosed' and oldschool coaches like Ditka directly contributed to what he is now fighting against?

 

[ZeroClub]

You dont know this. I think a quote from a player who played under him for 6 years is a little more telling than someone guessing randomly on a message board.

Seriously, you should educate yourself on Ditka's playing career. He was called Iron Mike for a reason. The knee surgeries, at least one delayed. The significant shoulder injury that he played through. Did you know that Ditka later required hip replacement surgery?

 

[Cochese]

Seriously, you should educate yourself on Ditka's playing career. He was called Iron Mike for a reason. The knee surgeries, at least one delayed. The significant shoulder injury that he played through. Did you know that Ditka later required hip replacement surgery?

And your point is....

 

[ZeroClub]

And your point is....

That you apparently don't have a clue.

EDIT: What I mean by this is that you cannot evaluate whether Ditka is a hypocrite without a solid understanding of Ditka's playing career. Ditka asked as a coach for the same things that he provided as a player. He was not a hypocrite.

 

[jay cee]

That you apparently don't have a clue.

EDIT: What I mean by this is that you cannot evaluate whether Ditka is a hypocrite without a solid understanding of Ditka's playing career. Ditka asked as a coach for the same things that he provided as a player. He was not a hypocrite.

I see what you guys are saying, but none of that means Duerson does not have a legit reason to take what Ditka is saying with a grain of salt.

 

[burmafrd]

Well then I ask what has Duerson done?