Interesting Stuff From the Director of the NFL Alumni

[Hostile]

Within the last couple of days I made a remark about the NFLPA ignoring the needs of the retired players. If you recall Mike Ditka, Joe DeLamielleure, and several other players were upset with Gene Upshaw and the NFLPA about the hoops they had to jump through to get health care.

I've also been very critical of the grandstanding I believe being done by NFLPA director DeMaurice Smith.

Now comes news that Smith does not return phone calls from the NFL Alumni president and the Alumni President finds himself aligned with the Owners and the Commissioner.

Link

The NFL's now-decertified players union has promised not to overlook the needs of retired players in its current labor war against the league. George Martin, the director of the NFL Alumni Association, would like believe it's serious.


He just can't be sure because NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith won't return his calls.

Martin, the former Giants defensive end, said he's been trying to arrange a meeting with Smith since he was elected to his current position with the NFL Alumni Association nearly a year and a half ago. Last week, he even got three congressmen - including former NFL quarterback Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) - to send a letter to Smith imploring him to sit down with the NFLAA.

Martin says he believes the NFLPA thinks his association is "a pawn of the league" - an assertion he said is "asinine" (the NFLPA did not respond to a request for comment). He has, however, developed a much better relationship with the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell, who Martin said had promised in writing that benefits for retired players won't be disrupted during the current NFL lockout.

 

[YosemiteSam]

I said it once, I will say it again. CRUSH the NFLPA.

 

[Hostile]

It made the 14-year veteran player wonder if the union believes he's some sort of owners' spy.

"To me it was a bit insulting," he said. "Here's a guy who played 14 years in the NFL, a 10-year veteran as a player representative, and was the president of the NFLPA for two years. Now my loyalty and allegiance is being called into question before I can come and address the very organization I spent 14 years officially supporting?"

 

[YosemiteSam]

It made the 14-year veteran player wonder if the union believes he's some sort of owners' spy.

"To me it was a bit insulting," he said. "Here's a guy who played 14 years in the NFL, a 10-year veteran as a player representative, and was the president of the NFLPA for two years. Now my loyalty and allegiance is being called into question before I can come and address the very organization I spent 14 years officially supporting?"

The statement above was made by George Martin correct?

 

[Cajuncowboy]

[youtube]dBG8QTtftGg[/youtube]

 

[cowboyjoe]

It made the 14-year veteran player wonder if the union believes he's some sort of owners' spy.

"To me it was a bit insulting," he said. "Here's a guy who played 14 years in the NFL, a 10-year veteran as a player representative, and was the president of the NFLPA for two years. Now my loyalty and allegiance is being called into question before I can come and address the very organization I spent 14 years officially supporting?"

This just shows that de smith and the players now, dont care a flip about former players, they all should realize that one day, they themselves players now will be in same situation, retired players seeking insurance. But oh no, we have de smith trying to make a name for himself and players now only looking out for themselves, what they can get from the owners.

To further this, when the NFLPa stood up and said or ordered rookies in upcoming draft not to go to the draft in NY, thats shows how players feel about the fans. Zip! Then couldnt care less about the fans, unless it makes them look good giving to fans, etc....

All of this stinks and is making me literally want the owners to bust the NFLPA to where it no longer exists. Heck, i might even go (i am ticked off now like hostile was a few days ago) that owners get scrub players that really want to play, and cut all of the high priced players etc, and let them go find another job that gives them that much money. Let them, learn how hard it is out there, like some americans that have lost their jobs, homes, and having trouble feeding their families.

Right now, I am not liking the players at all, when they had the gall not to have rookies at the NFL Draft, that broke the icing on the cake for me with the players.

And they walked away from the table, with seemingly a fair deal on the table. Granted owners are greedy sometimes too, but this not wanting rookies at the draft pushed me over the edge against the players. This just showed to me, that De smith and the players union cares nothing at all about the fan, and if it wasnt for the fans, the players wouldnt have a good job. Just ticks me off!

 

[WoodysGirl]

SBJLizMullen Liz Mullen
Does George Martin's NFLA get funding from NFL or is it independently funded? Does it have ability to use NFL shield for marketing?

ericwinston Eric Winston
@SBJLizMullen what a coincidence huh? Lol. They were funded by a "loan" from the NFL
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TheJetsStream Manish Mehta
#NFL Alumni Association's George Martin says @DeSmithNFLPA treats alums like "2ndClass citizens" & "afterthought" http://nydn.us/gFB2ta #nyg

And interesting discussion between George Martin - NFL Alumni and Nolan Richardson - Sr Director of NFLPA Former Players


NolanHarrison74 Nolan Harrison III
@nflaprguy @gmartinnflaa Still waiting for an answer. Will @nflalumni support the players during a #Lockout? Continuing vet health insurance

GMartinNFLAA George Martin
while your guys are in room fighting for retired players, I'm on Capitol Hill doing the same.. alumni issues demand both

NolanHarrison74 Nolan Harrison III
That does not answer the question George. If you support the PLAYERS then just say it, not that hard 4 me. #BlocktheLockout

GMartinNFLAA George Martin
We at the #NFL Alumni will always advocate for open and honest transparency between labor and management.

NolanHarrison74 Nolan Harrison III
What about the guys who will lose health care they have earned? Will your @nflalumni fight for them to keep it?

GMartinNFLAA George Martin
you're speaking of 5 yr. free hlth insurance for former players?Yes, we will fight for their health insurance to continue.

NolanHarrison74 Nolan Harrison III
Great on the 5yr health care, when will you guys be putting out a statement? This needs to be pushed now.

GMartinNFLAA George Martin
#NFL Alumni's focus is on retired players, as head of the #NFLPA's fmr. players shouldn't that be yours as well?

NolanHarrison74 Nolan Harrison III
We at the @NFLPA are for all players of the @NFL with no reservations. That is #Solidarity and not divisiveness.

Our guys are in the room right now fighting side by side with the players to create a better quality of life for all players.

SO that brings us back to the first question, will @nflalumni stand with the players in a #Lockout? #Solidarity

*End*

------------------------------

NolanHarrison74 Nolan Harrison III
Two great conference calls today, former players were thrilled when De Smith popped out of mediation to address, Cornelius Bennett also. #dated Mar 10

 

[WoodysGirl]

So to clarify for those who don't understand the tweets, George Martin is with the NFL Alumni which is basically funded by the league. He seems to be pushing congressional intervention. Not sure about that specifically, tho.

Nolan Richardson is part of the Former Players group under the NFLPA.

What is notable is that they're both supposedly fighting for the same thing, but under different umbrellas.

 

[YosemiteSam]

If this doesn't post correctly, go to the youtube video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBG8QTtftGg&feature=player_embedded

[youtube]dBG8QTtftGg[/youtube]

 

[Cajuncowboy]

[youtube]dBG8QTtftGg[/youtube]

Thanks NYC. Don't know why I couldn't get it to post.

This video was brought to my attention by John Niland. Forgot to mention that prior.

 

[Doomsday101]

The NFLPA and the active players do not want to share any of the money that could go to their salary and benefits and that is why they are proposing a Legacy fund that is paid for “outside” of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. I’m not going to go into all the reasons why this stance really upsets a lot of retired players, but if anyone wants to indulge themselves, then please read this, this and this!

Andrew Brandt, writer for the National Football Post said in a recent article that “The NFLPA has its own retired player arm, headed jointly by former players Nolan Harrison and Cornelius Bennett. It has proposed that the NFL use money saved in benefits this season — about $320 million, or $10 million per team — towards retired players, a proposal entitled the Legacy Fund. That offer has not been accepted.”

That proposal was accepted by the owners on the condition that it be paid for jointly by the NFL and the NFLPA. What was the active player response to that offer? Silence!


http://fourthandgoalunites.com/2010...-using-former-players-as-cba-bargaining-chip/

 

[trickblue]

Thanks NYC. Don't know why I couldn't get it to post.

This video was brought to my attention by John Niland. Forgot to mention that prior.

I fixed yours... you need the number after the equal sign... do not include the equal sign, just the numbers/letters after it...

 

[Cajuncowboy]

I fixed yours... you need the number after the equal sign... do not include the equal sign, just the numbers/letters after it...

Ah! Duh! New fangled interwebs.

Thanks.

 

[Cajuncowboy]

The NFLPA and the active players do not want to share any of the money that could go to their salary and benefits and that is why they are proposing a Legacy fund that is paid for “outside” of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. I’m not going to go into all the reasons why this stance really upsets a lot of retired players, but if anyone wants to indulge themselves, then please read this, this and this!

Andrew Brandt, writer for the National Football Post said in a recent article that “The NFLPA has its own retired player arm, headed jointly by former players Nolan Harrison and Cornelius Bennett. It has proposed that the NFL use money saved in benefits this season — about $320 million, or $10 million per team — towards retired players, a proposal entitled the Legacy Fund. That offer has not been accepted.”

That proposal was accepted by the owners on the condition that it be paid for jointly by the NFL and the NFLPA. What was the active player response to that offer? Silence!


http://fourthandgoalunites.com/2010...-using-former-players-as-cba-bargaining-chip/

Their silence speaks volumes.

 

[casmith07]

NFLPA = really making me upset.

 

[YosemiteSam]

NFLPA = really making me upset.

I hope the retired players show up in court against the NFLPA.

 

[Doomsday101]

Former Players Inc. CEO, Doug Allen used to boast about how the NFLPA would spend half a million dollars just on the retired player convention. NFL Players Inc. paid 14 million to retired players between 2002 and 2007 and they control which players - active and retired – get called for endorsements, autograph signings, golf outings and meet and greets. Now you can begin to see how they have been successful in building their membership. The NFL Alumni is having a hard time competing with an organization that currently has 311 Million in assets!

I find it interesting that Kevin Mawae is accusing George Martin of being in the NFL’s pocket because the NFL Alumni receives a 1 million dollar loan from the NFL, while at the same time, he and the active players are receiving 44 million annually in royalties from the NFL.

If the NFL Alumni ever wants to truly compete for the hearts and minds of retired players, they will need to start prying even more money from the owners hands by gaining a piece of the NFL’s intellectual property rights pie and by obtaining more corporate sponsorships and licensing agreements.

The NFLPA currently generates over one hundred million in licensing fees from companies that use active and retired players to market their products and services. Is the NFLPA afraid that retired players may jump ship and swim over to the NFL Alumni which is now looking at getting into the licensing and marketing business? Of course they are.

The NFLPA is using the anti-union and anti-player rhetoric as a red herring and diversionary tactic to disguise their true motive: Revenue, Royalties and Riches!

As I said, the NFL pays the NFLPA almost 44 million annually for the rights to active players images and marketing. The NFLPA also has license agreements with EA Sports, 31.14 million; Adidas 13.8 million, Upper Deck, 5.2 million; Tops, 4.97 million and Panini America, 4.3 million. Those are just a few of the licensing agreements. If you don’t think this is about money, think again!

http://fourthandgoalunites.com/2010...awae-need-a-history-lesson-on-the-nfl-alumni/

 

[burmafrd]

Smith and the leadership clearly care squat about nothing but themselves.

 

[Hostile]

The statement above was made by George Martin correct?

Yes sir.

 

[Nightman]

When Martin was the head of the NFLPA did he fight for higher benefits for retired players as hard? Did they sit down regularly with the former players or did they concentrate on maximizing their own deals?