Dyzcko tells it like it is
One of my favorite figures in all of football is Hall of Fame legend Mike Ditka, the retired tight end and coach of the Chicago Bears.
Last week Mike went before a U.S. Senate committee looking into pro football's anemic disability benefit system, which is becoming ever more significant as scores of retired players discover that they've been permanently injured by the violent game they played. As usual, he left a strong impression without make a jerk of himself. His remarks, some of which are recounted here, are well worth considering.
| Posted at 11:24 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (4)
What, these guys who get fabulously wealthy playing football (even the "nobodys" make loads of money every year) can't put aside some of their earnings for a rainy day? Sheesh!
Posted by al | September 24, 2007 6:38 AM
Al, you couldn't be more wrong. Most NFL players from the pre-1980 era did not make much money at all. Even the stars, prior to 1970, made squat.
I am close friends with a guy who played 10 years as running back for the Rams and Bears in the 1960's, a 5 time pro-bowler. He is very involved in helping ex-NFL'ers who are disabled from their playing days. I have had many discussions with him about the situation. The stories, many about players we all grew up watching, are heart-wrenching.
What the NFL is doing is shameful. They routinely deny disability claims to the point where their disability claim percentages are lower than McDonalds! They are playing a waiting game, running out the clock with all sorts of legal and bureaucratic maneuvers, literally until they die.
The blame lies jointly with the players union and the NFL, who make sure the $8 billion annual revenue all goes to current players and their retirement benefits.
Meanwhile, the NFL Players Association president, Gene Upshaw, makes $7 million per year!
Ditka is right on here.
Posted by Rob Kremer | September 24, 2007 9:09 AM
The NFL, especially, seems to be failing here -- the NFLPA I think is getting a bit of a bad rap. If you look closely at several of the seemingly egregious disability denials, the claims were denied on a 3-3 vote, with the NFL's three members of the board voting no and the PA's three members voting to approve. The NFLPA has asked Congress for legislation to change the composition of the disability board (apparently it is federally regulated as a CBA).
On the matter of pensions, current players are overwhelmingly (and in some cases, exclusively) financing the pensions of retired players. In the past year, players gave $96 million to fund the pensions for retired players. Now, it's true today's players make a ton of money so they can afford it, but that still worked out to about $50,000 apiece given up in current salary.
Posted by Pete | September 24, 2007 9:33 AM
I think it's pretty shameful, given the violent nature of the sport. One of my problems with it is, aside from the obvious tragedies such as the stretchers we've seen this season, is that some of the most serious effects are really things that hit 10-30 years after retirement. Then it gets into BS legalities about whether or not the deleterious effects are really football related. As Rob pointed out above, it really is running out the clock. And it's convenient for the NFL that these players are well out of the limelight when the truly serious health problems are occurring.
The NFL should be going way, WAY above the call of duty for retired players, not dragging their feet. It's entertainment that trades on violence, after all.
Posted by Sebastian | September 24, 2007 9:57 AM