Judge dismisses suit against NFLPA

[Cntrygal]

A judge has dismissed a lawsuit accusing the NFL players union of inadequately representing 3,500 retired players.
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[YardRat]

Retired players should get together and start their own marketing firm. Old school is so 'in' right now, they could make a bundle.

[Gunzlingr]

WASHINGTON -- Under fire from injured retirees who say they were denied sufficient benefits, the head of the National Football League Players Association asked Congress on Tuesday for greater authority to approve disability claims.
Gene Upshaw, director of the players association, said the union currently is limited in what it can do for the scores of former players who are battered and broken from years of playing the violent sport.
At the same time, Upshaw and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said league pensions are improving.
"We have made great progress, and we are not finished," Upshaw told a Senate committee. "Congress can help."
It is the first time the union has asked Congress for help with the problem, which was the subject of a House hearing earlier this year.
Retired football players have been openly critical of the NFL and the players' union over the amount of money that older retirees get from a $1.1 billion fund set aside for disability and pensions.

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Ditka was on 'Opening Drive' this morning, and he was very critical (and rightfully so, IMO) of the NFLPA and the way the union has handled this matter. He said Congress has nothing to do with it, the Union, Owners, and League have plenty of money and they should take care of their own. He suggested that the NFLPA set it up so each player pays in a share of their salary for retirement/disability, and that the board that determines who gets it be made up of independents instead of Union members and Owners. He made several other good points as well as giving examples were the union themselves screwed over former players. 1 guy applied and they turned him down so he went to court over it. He ended up losing, and the NFLPA took what pension money he was getting away, and are forcing him to pay back their court costs.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Da coach has been very outspoken about this. Several players from his old Bear teams in the 60's (Doug Atkins for one) have serious problems and can't get past this stupid board. With all this dough floating around, you'd think that they could help these guys out.

[Gunzlingr]

The union members don't want to part with any of their money. Ditka said that he and some other players all chipped in and created The Gridiron Greats Trust fund to help, but he said that they don't have enough money to do it all, and they shouldn't have to.

[Earthquake Enyart]

Plus da coach hates Upshaw. On the radio in chicago a whike back, he more or less accused Upshaw of stealing money form the union personally.

[Night Train]

That was the first time I saw Goodell look weak.

After the Senator explained how absured certain Vets were being denied benefits, Goodell played the pollyanna concerning the future practices and the old timers just rolled their eyes.

He looked no smarter than Upshaw and an obvious pawn of the Owners.

[YardRat]

This isn't a management issue related to the commissioner or the owners, IMO. It's a union issue and up to them to resolve it.

They can handle it themselves, or, if they want the league to be part of the funding of the program I'm sure the details could be negotiated between the two parties.

[Gunzlingr]

Moose Johnston was on Sirius yesterday and said that the Union has over a billion dollars in the disability fund, but never pay anything out.

[Cntrygal]

A House committee that criticized the NFL’s retiree benefit system ordered the league and the players’ union Friday to turn over information on football injuries, the disability and retirement system and what’s being done to help battered and broken retirees.


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