Ex-players DeLamielleure, Ditka rip league, union head
by CHARLES CHANDLER
Charlotte Observer
Fri, Feb. 02, 2007
MIAMI - Gene Upshaw's commitment to helping retired NFL players came under fire Friday on the sport's biggest stage.
Pro Football Hall of Famers Mike Ditka and Joe DeLamielleure of Charlotte didn't mince words, ripping Upshaw and the league players association Thursday morning, just hours before the NFLPA's annual Super Bowl week news conference.
"For guys who made this league, who built it on their backs, their knees and their legs, and now they're all broken down and they can't even get a decent pension," said DeLamielleure, the former Bills and Browns guard. "It's wrong. It's dead wrong."
Upshaw sternly defended himself and the NFLPA at his news conference.
"For anyone to say that Gene Upshaw and the NFLPA does not care about retired players is not (being) responsible," he said. "They don't know the record. They don't know the body of work."
"We do what we can do. We will continue to do what we must do. We're not turning our back on anyone -- and haven't."
In the most recent collective bargaining agreement, payments from the pension fund were raised by 25 percent for players who retired before 1982 and 10 percent for those who retired after 1982. Ditka, a star tight end before becoming an NFL coach, said league owners also are to blame for the plight of retired players who don't have enough money to pay medical bills or living expenses because of meager pension amounts and difficulty getting disability funds.
"It could have been remedied a long time ago," Ditka said. "It should be remedied now. If they don't, then there are going to be a lot of people who get embarrassed."
Ditka and DeLamielleure spoke at a news conference promoting fund-raising efforts led by Hall of Fame guard Jerry Kramer, formerly of the Packers.
Ditka also raises money to help needy retired players, including through an annual golf tournament.
"They need it and they're tired of begging," Ditka said of older ex-players. "We don't make them jump through hoops and we don't make a bunch of red tape. We send them a check."
Ditka said he had dinner Wednesday night with the owner of a pro sports team not in the NFL and received a donation of $100,000. He contrasted that with gifts of $5,000 and $10,000 from two NFL owners, which he said he mailed back.
-- The Associated Press contributed
Upshaw File
AGE: 61 PLAYING CAREER: 1967-1981, offensive guard, Oakland Raiders
CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
POSITION: Executive director, NFL Players Association (since 1983)
ANNUAL SALARY: About $3 million (in 2006)
NFLPA CRITICS: Former players Howie Long, Joe Montana, John Elway, Ronnie Lott, Marcus Allen and Joe DeLamielleure have expressed dissatisfaction with the pension and healthcare benefits.
-- Sources: profootballhof.com, nflpa.org, Charlotte Observer.
by CHARLES CHANDLER
Charlotte Observer
Fri, Feb. 02, 2007
MIAMI - Gene Upshaw's commitment to helping retired NFL players came under fire Friday on the sport's biggest stage.
Pro Football Hall of Famers Mike Ditka and Joe DeLamielleure of Charlotte didn't mince words, ripping Upshaw and the league players association Thursday morning, just hours before the NFLPA's annual Super Bowl week news conference.
"For guys who made this league, who built it on their backs, their knees and their legs, and now they're all broken down and they can't even get a decent pension," said DeLamielleure, the former Bills and Browns guard. "It's wrong. It's dead wrong."
Upshaw sternly defended himself and the NFLPA at his news conference.
"For anyone to say that Gene Upshaw and the NFLPA does not care about retired players is not (being) responsible," he said. "They don't know the record. They don't know the body of work."
"We do what we can do. We will continue to do what we must do. We're not turning our back on anyone -- and haven't."
In the most recent collective bargaining agreement, payments from the pension fund were raised by 25 percent for players who retired before 1982 and 10 percent for those who retired after 1982. Ditka, a star tight end before becoming an NFL coach, said league owners also are to blame for the plight of retired players who don't have enough money to pay medical bills or living expenses because of meager pension amounts and difficulty getting disability funds.
"It could have been remedied a long time ago," Ditka said. "It should be remedied now. If they don't, then there are going to be a lot of people who get embarrassed."
Ditka and DeLamielleure spoke at a news conference promoting fund-raising efforts led by Hall of Fame guard Jerry Kramer, formerly of the Packers.
Ditka also raises money to help needy retired players, including through an annual golf tournament.
"They need it and they're tired of begging," Ditka said of older ex-players. "We don't make them jump through hoops and we don't make a bunch of red tape. We send them a check."
Ditka said he had dinner Wednesday night with the owner of a pro sports team not in the NFL and received a donation of $100,000. He contrasted that with gifts of $5,000 and $10,000 from two NFL owners, which he said he mailed back.
-- The Associated Press contributed
Upshaw File
AGE: 61 PLAYING CAREER: 1967-1981, offensive guard, Oakland Raiders
CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Elected to Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.
POSITION: Executive director, NFL Players Association (since 1983)
ANNUAL SALARY: About $3 million (in 2006)
NFLPA CRITICS: Former players Howie Long, Joe Montana, John Elway, Ronnie Lott, Marcus Allen and Joe DeLamielleure have expressed dissatisfaction with the pension and healthcare benefits.
-- Sources: profootballhof.com, nflpa.org, Charlotte Observer.
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