Heroes today... Forgotten Tomorrow

[Phoenix-Talon]

Just finished listening to Bryan Gumbel on Real Sports. I'm not a fan of Bryan Gumbel, but this particular segment of the show would probably be interesting to most football fans.

The show made a comparison of how former football players and their respective families are treated unfairly by the NFLPA. These forgotten players incur major injuries (knees, shoulders, back and other disabling injuries) and are either unable to work or receive SSI/SSDI benefits, but are disallowed from receiving any financial support from the NFL; even though those benefits were written in to their contracts when they were active NFL players.

Here's some write-up ...

..."To a large degree, today's NFL was built by decades of athletes who played for low salaries and endured pain, rarely making excuses. Endorsement money was a long shot at best. Their toughness and sacrifice made them the NFL's "greatest generation," and they never once suspected that the league they helped build would one day leave them in less than ideal shape. Today, with their health deteriorating and medical bills piling up, many former players are looking to the NFL for answers as their pension and disability plans fail to provide sufficient help. REAL SPORTS correspondent Jon Frankel looks at this highly charged story.


Correspondent: Jon Frankel
Producer: Nick Dolin, Josh Fine, Andrew Bennett

One stat was unusually alarming ..." Out of approximately 9,000 retired NFL players, only 119 receive disability compensation for injuries received during their active years as NFL players!"

Gene Upshaw, President of the NFLPA stated that his allegiance is to "active" NFL players only ...and that they alone pay his salary (several million per year).

Compared to other sports like baseball, who have insurance plans for former players, the NFL keeps raising the bar on standards that define former player disability. Apparently ..if a person can do any type of sedentary work (office jobs, that require minimum physical labor), they do not qualify for NFL disabled benefits.

Bottom line ...if you play long enough in the NFL, injuries from impacts, and high intensity hits will create long term, injuries that could have huge impacts on motor skills and the ability for former NFL players to obtain employment.

Is the NFLPLA is turning their backs on former NFL players ...regardless of the franchise affiliation?

 

[Biggems]

IMO, every player today should donate 10% of their annual salary to a retired players fund...so what if you make 10 million and you have to give 1 million to the fund...........if not for the sacrifice of all those players in the past, who is to say you even get that 10 million to begin with.....

Not only should each player pay 10% of their annual salary, but the owners should pay 10% of their annual profits each year, and the league should pay in 10-15% of its annual profits.

This would bring a ton of money on a yearly basis to be allocated equally to the retirement and health issues of former NFL players.

This is one area where Gene Upshaw is lost and totally separated from the peers of his era....

 

[THUMPER]

I have said for years that Upshaw was a jerk and he proves it yet again...

Gene Upshaw, President of the NFLPA stated that his allegiance is to "active" NFL players only ...and that they alone pay his salary (several million per year).

How he stays in office I'll never understand because he has done nothing to benefit the players, current or former, and has done a lot to hurt the game itself. All he has done is to line his own pockets with millions and guarantee himself a position that will continue to do so indefinitely.

The current crop of players may disagree with me that he hasn't benefited them but the only benefit they receive is monetary and when they retire the union will not be there for them. God help them then if they have blown their dough on "bling bling", tricked out Escalades, throwing money around at clubs and parties, etc. Also, too many players think they will play for 10+ years when in fact most only play a few and are gone. Where is their union then?

It kills me to see the guys I grew up watching just wasting away with no help from the very league they gave so much to make great. Bob Hayes in particular comes to mind but he was only one of thousands.

Upshaw has betrayed his own former teammates in this (Jim Otto comes to mind here) as well as all the guys from his own era. What a colossal jerk.

 

[zrinkill]

How about those players use their money wisely instead of blowing it on cocaine and booze?

Why is no one wanting a program like this for Firemen, Policemen, and Soldiers ..... ya know the real heroes?

If we are talking about guys who played in the beginning when they also had regular jobs ..... then I am all for it ....

But if we are talking about guys from the 70's and up ..... well those guys made damn good money for their time ..... sorry if they made bad choices.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

PT, I just noticed that was on but decided to listen to the news at noon.

Now I am intrigued.

For the time most of these players made substancial amounts of cash and are you telling me that not one of them saved enough cash to go back to school, or was smart enough to get a career in the field they originally went to school for ? Thats just irresponsible.

As far as the insurance/disability part 9000 retired player but players dont even get any type of retirement benefits (IIRC) until after 3-4 years of play, the average career used to be around the same. But how many of that 9000 were 3rd-7th round draft choices that ended up being busts?

I have to see the show, but I have mixed feelings about this whole thing.

 

[Big Country]

How about those players use their money wisely instead of blowing it on cocaine and booze?

Why is no one wanting a program like this for Firemen, Policemen, and Soldiers ..... ya know the real heroes?

If we are talking about guys who played in the beginning when they also had regular jobs ..... then I am all for it ....

But if we are talking about guys from the 70's and up ..... well those guys made damn good money for their time ..... sorry if they made bad choices.

are you saying charity should be conditional?

 

[zrinkill]

are you saying charity should be conditional?

Lol yes ...... crazy concept .....

I hate socialism.

 

[Big Country]

Lol yes ...... crazy concept .....

I hate socialism.

Why not make the mega billion dollar corporations and the TV networks pour a fraction of those billions of dollars into a fund for those guys who made their existance possible... If it weren't for the old school guys, the athletes today wouldn't be making those nine digit salaries.

 

[zrinkill]

Why not make the mega billion dollar corporations and the TV networks pour a fraction of those billions of dollars into a fund for those guys who made their existance possible... If it weren't for the old school guys, the athletes today wouldn't be making those nine digit salaries.

They were paid from the 70's and beyond ..... they wasted their money or made bad decisions ....

A guy like Troy Aikman or Darrell Johnston should not have their wages garnered because LT had a crack problem .........

If they want to ..... thats fine .... but it should not be mandatory ....

 

[zrinkill]

If anything .... programs should be started to teach these rich idiots how to use their money .......

But it should not turn into some kinda NFL welfare ..... which is what "programs" that involve money turn into nowadays .....

(See Katrina)

 

[SkinsandTerps]

If anything .... programs should be started to teach these rich idiots how to use their money .......

But it should not turn into some kinda NFL welfare ..... which is what "programs" that involve money turn into nowadays .....

(See Katrina)

And now in turn I agree with you it seems. Talk about a rare occurrence.

The rookie symposium dedicates some time to the players talking about finances and investing, and the NFLPA has given players options to learn more about these type of things. Players have to choose to want to learn more and be smart with their money. Just like I cant tell you what to do with your money, you cant tell me, but we can feed off of each others advice and experiences if we so choose.

Problem is that some players get that money and feel like the money will never stop flowing. Its an extremely bad approach to finances. Kinda the same thing that got Donald Trump a little hung up 10-15 years ago where he was overextended.

 

[zrinkill]

Problem is that some players get that money and feel like the money will never stop flowing. Its an extremely bad approach to finances. Kinda the same thing that got Donald Trump a little hung up 10-15 years ago where he was overextended.

And noone felt sorry for old Donald ......

Lets say you work at a factory and one or your fellow employess has a drinking problem and after he quits or is fired goes broke ......

Would you want your wages garnished because the idiot could not take care of himself? Not me ....

if they had a collection plate going around i would put some in that ...... and that would be my choice.

The NFL and NBA needs to teach these kids how to handle their money ..... but you cannot force them to do anything .....

The only think I could see is forcing them to have personal insurance before they are eligible to sign a contract ..... depending on their base salary.

 

[Phoenix-Talon]

It's not Like these former players are begging for anything, or they have to file suit to obtain the right to obtain disability compensation. The disability is already written into their contracts.

Like one former player stated, you have to be taped-down to a gaurney before you're even considered for compensation. Real Sports interviewed on former Player who had 4 surgeries on one knee and 7 operations on his other knee. Both knees were agregiously swollen twice their normal size and he was taking pain medication during the interview. He told the reporter that he was denied NFL disability compensation. Other former NFL player friends of his were telling him "what's the use of applying if you can't even get it with your knee conditions."

This is definitely an issue that you will be hearing about more and more.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Absolutely. I have no responsibility for the guys who worked with me or for me after they are no longer employed with me or for me. Nor are they responsible for my finances, nor would I expect them to be in any way shape or form.

Now as you say, if someone fell upon hard times, I would certainly give money if that was needed to help their situation, but at the same time I shouldnt be forced to, or obligated to either.

 

[Crown Royal]

One of the issues that is being ignored is that a reasonable person would enter the league with the knowledge of potential injuries down the road. I am skeptical about someone who would not have had the foresight to see that he might have medical problems in the future, and further, failed to address the financial needs of these injuries.

 

[bbgun]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/01/21/SPG6JNM6MN1.DTL

 

[Phoenix-Talon]

According to Real Sports ...the benefit clause is already written into the player contracts. The problem is that the bar is being raised and players aren't meeting the criterion. Even when the Giovernment say a person (who happens to be a former NFL player) is disabled, the NFL is sayIng they are not disabled enough to receive benefits.

 

[Biggems]

So basically you are saying that if you worked for a factory that paid you 100,000 starting out, you wouldnt feel a little obligated to give a portion of your salary to a fund for the workers who started the factory about 80 years ago....worked for little to no money, but busted their humps to help make the factory what it is today?

You sir are one cold mutha....


oh and whoever brought up firemen, police, etc.........lame argument. Those are government jobs, paid for by every tax payer.

the NFL is a corporation, a business.......not a government funded entity. Since the NFL is a business, they have a responsibility to to their employers to provide quality health and retirement services. I know legally they don't have to provide either, but the players are the reason the league is even around. The players are the reason the league makes money. The players are the reason the owners make money. I feel the players (mainly the past ones for the NFL and AFL prior to the merger, deserve some of the money that is being made today. Those guys played for basically free and built the NFL into the greatest sports league in this country. Did several players piss their money away on stupid stuff, YES.......but a lot didn't. Many players had to have a second job just to make ends meet.

It sucks seeing the current state of Earl Campbell healthwise...and he made decent money...not much but decent....However, the generations before him are filled with guys with severe health issues and have no money.....

The League should have their back...........btw, if the league did take care of them, imagine what a great PR move it would be. The NFL would totally get a huge public following for this....The popularity of the league would become even greater than it is now.

 

[Phoenix-Talon]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/01/21/SPG6JNM6MN1.DTL

Everyone should read that bbgun ...good find, good read!

 

[SkinsandTerps]

It's not Like these former players are begging for anything, or they have to file suit to obtain the right to obtain disability compensation. The disability is already written into their contracts.

Like one former player stated, you have to be taped-down to a gaurney before you're even considered for compensation. Real Sports interviewed on former Player who had 4 surgeries on one knee and 7 operations on his other knee. Both knees were agregiously swollen twice their normal size and he was taking pain medication during the interview. He told the reporter that he was denied NFL disability compensation. Other former NFL player friends of his were telling him "what's the use of applying if you can't even get it with your knee conditions."

This is definitely an issue that you will be hearing about more and more.

Like I stated previously PT, I havent seen the show and dont know how compelling arguments may be for either side of the debate. Nor do I know this players circumstances. Maybe he failed to take his rehab seriously and felt invincible, maybe the team rushed him back to the field before he was truly healthy. And like I said earlier it also depends on how long your career is.

I have 2 nephews right now that are destined to be football/basketball/baseball size guys. But because of the potential for injury and the uncertainty of career length, I am certain they (the parents) will promote basketball and baseball more than football; even though they are both die-hard football fans.

My nephews will be forced to have an education first and foremost. Hell my brother-in-law is 6-7 and about 240. But he is a highly sought after potential employee for his mind. Now he isnt making NFL type of money, but pulling down a great 6 figure salary.