Bob in STL Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 Joe D has been leading the fight to improve pensions for the older NFL players. Many are poor and broken down and live in pain. I think the NFL and the Players Union should subsidize the pensions of these players to improve benefits. The money is there, how much do todays players, coaches and owners really need to make? They have the opportunity to cash in big and they have the awareness and resources to invest wisely for the future. Players from the 70's and back did not. Every time the NFL shows a clip of the great players of the past they are leveraging off of the era that built the NFL into the league it is today. Everytime I watch a game today I still think back to the 60's and 70's and the great players, their attitudes, and the selflessness of the majority. I am not a socialist I but think that Joe D is correct in his fight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jester43 Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 I am not a socialist I but think that Joe D is correct in his fight. why do you need to make a disclaimer? he's correct and that's it. don't be a victim of the right-wing media industrial complex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob in STL Posted May 2, 2010 Author Share Posted May 2, 2010 why do you need to make a disclaimer? he's correct and that's it. don't be a victim of the right-wing media industrial complex. True. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malazan Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 People are really confused about what socialism is.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob in STL Posted May 2, 2010 Author Share Posted May 2, 2010 People are really confused about what socialism is.. Yes. In a very broad sense of it I am referring to "sharing the spoils", as opposed to "you get what you earned". It is not important. My point is I would like to see these older players get some help and there are plenty of resources to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthernMan Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 right-wing media industrial complex. Exactly where is that located? Was it built using union labor? I understand what he was trying to say about not being a socialist. Everyone's so frigging sensitive today, you almost have to have disclaimer's to reduce the risk of engaging in politcal debate. I'm all about capitalism and the redistribution of wealth isn't ideology I subscribe to. That said, it would still be a nobel thing for the incredibly wealthy NFL machine to take care of it's aging veterans that established the foundation of today's league. They sacrificed their bodies in an era of inferior medical procedures, and many are left with chronic pain and other football-related health issues that make their daily lives a challenge. It would only be a temporary contribution by the NFL; though attrition, the older players who fall into this category will mostly be gone in the next 30 years or so. Apart from any political position, it would just be the right thing to do. It's not a legal or political thing. Simply a moral obligation. The NFL, who is always so protective of their wholesome image, needs to get on the right side of this. By "right", I mean "correct". : -) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extrahammer Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 I interviewed a very candid Joe D on a podcast last year. He spoke about the league, the union, and more. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/BillsFanRadio...amielleure-Show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RealityCheck Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 I just hope that these guys achieve what they are after. The NFL wealth needs to be applied to it's older casualties, and there are many of those men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob's House Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 why do you need to make a disclaimer? he's correct and that's it. don't be a victim of the right-wing media industrial complex. So true, Everywhere I turn I see right wing news. WTF? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 I interviewed a very candid Joe D on a podcast last year. He spoke about the league, the union, and more. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/BillsFanRadio...amielleure-Show Joe doesn't mince words, that's for sure. Last time I spoke to him at length was the day Jim Ringo died, which naturally led to a discussion on how many o-linemen end up suffering from Alzheimer's (or some other form of dementia). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRC Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 Right now, the union is the biggest stumbling block to getting retired players more help. The league has actually done a lot and the commissioner wants to see more get done for the older players. They can still do much more, but the union is dragging their feet. As someone who spends a lot of time talking with retired players, this is something that is very important to me. I constantly hear their stories about their pain and suffering. There are also many players who have not collected a pension because they did not think that they were eligible. There is a lot of misinformation coming out of the NFLPA and the older players are suffering as a result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr_Blizzard Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 Joe D has been leading the fight to improve pensions for the older NFL players. Many are poor and broken down and live in pain. I think the NFL and the Players Union should subsidize the pensions of these players to improve benefits. The money is there, how much do todays players, coaches and owners really need to make? They have the opportunity to cash in big and they have the awareness and resources to invest wisely for the future. Players from the 70's and back did not. Every time the NFL shows a clip of the great players of the past they are leveraging off of the era that built the NFL into the league it is today. Everytime I watch a game today I still think back to the 60's and 70's and the great players, their attitudes, and the selflessness of the majority. I am not a socialist I but think that Joe D is correct in his fight. The NFL was built on the contributions of the older players and the TV business. I don't think a reasonable pension is too much to ask from the league. There really aren't that many former pro players out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRC Posted May 2, 2010 Share Posted May 2, 2010 Joe doesn't mince words, that's for sure. You have that right. We started talking about the retired players and he union with Gene Upshaw and the f-bombs went flying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lori Posted May 3, 2010 Share Posted May 3, 2010 You have that right. We started talking about the retired players and he union with Gene Upshaw and the f-bombs went flying. He spared me the profanity -- partly because of my gender, I imagine, but also because we were at a public event. His description of Mike Webster's final days has stayed with me, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leh-nerd skin-erd Posted May 3, 2010 Share Posted May 3, 2010 The NFL was built on the contributions of the older players and the TV business. I don't think a reasonable pension is too much to ask from the league. There really aren't that many former pro players out there. i was pretty amazed by the numbers quoted in the joe d story about the 401k, annuity payout, health insurance and so on. i recognize the vast resources rolling through the league, but that's a substantial future liability. i also recognize the numbers quoted were for a ten year veteran, of the league who earned $15m, and i wonder how many players fit that description. i'd think the owners have crunched those numbers back and forth, and the union has as well. the odd man out is the retired player, since they have the least amount of juice at the table. all that---and while the battle has waged for some time--this past few years is not a great time to ask the owners for concessions. you don't have to look to deeply into the media--right wing or otherwise----to see companies wrestling and ultimately being crippled by the issue of future benefits to past employees. there was a time that GM looked every bit as strong as the NFL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KRC Posted May 3, 2010 Share Posted May 3, 2010 He spared me the profanity -- partly because of my gender, I imagine, but also because we were at a public event. I talked with him over the phone, so he didn't hold back. His description of Mike Webster's final days has stayed with me, though. It breaks your heart, doesn't it? Unfortunately, stories like that are not uncommon among the older players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim in Anchorage Posted May 3, 2010 Share Posted May 3, 2010 poor poor NFL players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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