TNBillFan Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Former Bills great Joe DeLamielleure is once again showing the leadership abilities he exhibited as a 6 time All Pro and leader of the Electric Company back in the day. His campaign to help the older veterans should have the support of all NFL fans and Gene Upshaw should hang his head in shame for not being part of a solution to this shameful issue. I've got a feeling, maybe totally naive, but I believe that today's players could, should and would help the older vets, if they knew how bad it is for a lot of them. Congratulations again to a great Bill for doing the right thing. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/p.../702220334/tbd/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Former Bills great Joe DeLamielleure is once again showing the leadership abilities he exhibited as a 6 time All Pro and leader of the Electric Company back in the day. His campaign to help the older veterans should have the support of all NFL fans and Gene Upshaw should hang his head in shame for not being part of a solution to this shameful issue. I've got a feeling, maybe totally naive, but I believe that today's players could, should and would help the older vets, if they knew how bad it is for a lot of them. Congratulations again to a great Bill for doing the right thing. http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/p.../702220334/tbd/ Ah, unions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Ah, unions. Yeah, non-union shops do such a great job of obtaining healthy pensions for retirees. BTW, the NFLPA ain't a union, it's a guild, in the old fashioned 17th-18th century sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TNBillFan Posted February 22, 2007 Author Share Posted February 22, 2007 Yeah, non-union shops do such a great job of obtaining healthy pensions for retirees. BTW, the NFLPA ain't a union, it's a guild, in the old fashioned 17th-18th century sense. The screwing the old timers received without a collective labor organization is one of the big reasons why the NFLPA exists today. I just wonder why, in recognition of its own roots, the NFLPA doesn't step up and do the right thing today. It would take very little diversion of today's assets to get survival money to the remaining guys who built the foundation today's players and owners are enjoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pine Barrens Mafia Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Yeah, non-union shops do such a great job of obtaining healthy pensions for retirees. BTW, the NFLPA ain't a union, it's a guild, in the old fashioned 17th-18th century sense. pensions are dead in just about all industries, with the exception of pro sports and education. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Griffin Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!! Nobody held a gun to these older players' heads to choose football as their career - they should take accountability for their actions. I'm sure they weren’t complaining when they were scoring all the chicks and being recognized on the street and driving the fancy cars. If I retired from my company tomorrow they could either (a) fizzle and go bankrupt or (b) become the next Microsoft - but if they became the next Microsoft you can bet I wouldn’t come back 30 years later looking for a bigger piece of the pie - because I helped lay the groundwork? I know – I’m a heartless guy, but hey, that’s me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt in KC Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 AAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!! Nobody held a gun to these older players' heads to choose football as their career - they should take accountability for their actions. I'm sure they weren’t complaining when they were scoring all the chicks and being recognized on the street and driving the fancy cars. If I retired from my company tomorrow they could either (a) fizzle and go bankrupt or (b) become the next Microsoft - but if they became the next Microsoft you can bet I wouldn’t come back 30 years later looking for a bigger piece of the pie - because I helped lay the groundwork? I know – I’m a heartless guy, but hey, that’s me. I would hope that if because of your support your company got so rich it started using gold toilet paper, and you became disabled or unemployed later in life because you chose to work there, that they would have the courtesy and compassion to tear off a square for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJ (not THAT RJ) Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 pensions are dead in just about all industries, with the exception of pro sports and education. Joe, are you saying this is a good thing? I think it is a sign of the breakdown of the generational compact that made broad-based postwar prosperity possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuffaloWings Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Nobody held a gun to these older players' heads to choose football as their career - they should take accountability for their actions. I'm sure they weren’t complaining when they were scoring all the chicks and being recognized on the street and driving the fancy cars. If I retired from my company tomorrow they could either (a) fizzle and go bankrupt or (b) become the next Microsoft - but if they became the next Microsoft you can bet I wouldn’t come back 30 years later looking for a bigger piece of the pie - because I helped lay the groundwork? I know – I’m a heartless guy, but hey, that’s me. Nobody held a gun to the heads of potential Enron employees and look where they are now. Either way, that's not the point here. To me, it all depends on whether or not the players had the option to start saving for their retirement. If they had the option and didn't take it, then I don't see what the NFLPA can do right now. If it's being dropped because of a re-negotiated CBA, then that's a completely different story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Griffin Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 Nobody held a gun to the heads of potential Enron employees and look where they are now. That's different - what ENRON did was illegal. (1) If my company gave me lung cancer because they had asbestos in the walls would I come back 30 yrs looking for money? Hell ya!! (2) Would I sue a ski slope cause I broke my leg skiing on their hill? Hell No! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 (1) If my company gave me lung cancer because they had asbestos in the walls would I come back 30 yrs looking for money? Hell ya!! What if your company gave you post concussion syndrome, degenerative disk disease and forced you to undergo periodic knee and/or hip replacements? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Griffin Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 What if your company gave you post concussion syndrome, degenerative disk disease and forced you to undergo periodic knee and/or hip replacements? If said company held a gun to my head to work for them I would sue, else I would scold myself for being a fool. If the old players can state their case and convince the league to "do the right thing", then fine. It's like me giving some $$ to my drunk uncle because he's on hard times, but I certainly don't think the ex-players are "entitled" to anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Griffin Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 What if your company gave you post concussion syndrome, degenerative disk disease and forced you to undergo periodic knee and/or hip replacements? Also, being a pro athlete has inherent risks that everyone knows about prior to enlistment, just like being a cop, soldier or fireman. The family of a fallen soldier can't sue the US Army because their boy died in combat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ropeerasers Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 So, cops, soldiers and firemen don't deserve pensions after they retire? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Griffin Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 So, cops, soldiers and firemen don't deserve pensions after they retire? not beyond what they signed up for at the outset. A fireman can't go back 30 yrs after retirement and say "today's firemen have such killer pension plans, give us more money too" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave mcbride Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 pensions are dead in just about all industries, with the exception of pro sports and education. and you see that as a good thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DieHardFan Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 pensions are dead in just about all industries, with the exception of pro sports and education.And every fugger that sucks the goverment's tit at the local, state and federal level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted February 22, 2007 Share Posted February 22, 2007 not beyond what they signed up for at the outset. A fireman can't go back 30 yrs after retirement and say "today's firemen have such killer pension plans, give us more money too" Try another analogy. That ones weak. The foundation some of these players laid, is for a BILLION dollar industry, that's with a "B". There are Millions of Fireman in this country, and they've had retirements in place for decades and decades. Where as there are only thousands of NFL Veterans. It can be done. So try a little harder, because your analogy is BAD, STRONG BAD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Griffin Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 Try another analogy. That ones weak. The foundation some of these players laid, is for a BILLION dollar industry, that's with a "B". There are Millions of Fireman in this country, and they've had retirements in place for decades and decades. Where as there are only thousands of NFL Veterans. It can be done. So try a little harder, because your analogy is BAD, STRONG BAD. It's a perfectly good analogy 'erynthered'. The guy who built my house 20 yrs ago has played a part (i.e., laid a foundation) in my financial success because without him I wouldn't get a good night's sleep to go to work to get that promotion - but do I owe him anything? If the old players have such a cut and dry case then why don't they just go and sue and claim the millions of dollars they clearly deserve? Because they have no case. If anyone feels strongly about supporting the old players they should open up their own wallets and donate some money instead of sitting back and telling others how things should be. I'm sure Donnie Green would appreciate $300 or $400 and I'm pretty sure you all can afford it. (qeue the sound of crickets chirping.........chirp.........chirp.........chirp.........chirp) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erynthered Posted February 23, 2007 Share Posted February 23, 2007 The guy who built my house 20 yrs ago has played a part (i.e., laid a foundation) in my financial success because without him I wouldn't get a good night's sleep to go to work to get that promotion - but do I owe him anything? HOLY SHIIT?! You have to be kidding me? Your next analogy is the guy who built your house?? You compare that to the NFL players who have retired or were forced out of the game due to injuries? Let me ask you a question, does it say Moron, on the side of that mailbox you have at the end of your drive way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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