Ravens' NFLPA rep trying to bridge divide with retired players
By Ken Murray
Baltimore Sun Reporter
April 20, 2007, 8:00 PM EDT
Matt Stover achieved a temporary truce this week with the leader of the Baltimore Colts alumni group after an NFL Players Association memo threatened to exacerbate a conflict between retired players and the union.
Stover, the Ravens' kicker and player representative, met with Bruce Laird, president of Baltimore's NFL alumni chapter, on Wednesday, trying to restore dialogue between the two factions.
At the heart of the retired players' discontent is their belief they do not have a voice in union decisions, and their distrust of the efforts of Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFLPA.
"We've always known the perception [of retired players] is that Gene is insensitive to their concerns," Stover said today. "I've been a player rep for 16 years, and I don't believe that's true. One of the things I'm trying to do is change that perception."
Stover's approach with Laird, a former Colts safety, was to offer help in reestablishing communication with the union and among retired players.
"I told him the union can facilitate that communication," Stover said. "As long as [retired players] are making the NFLPA an adversary, then it's not going to work.
"We can set up a chat room for the alumni, an information Web site. We can begin to partnership with these guys more and more."
Laird seemed receptive to the idea today.
"We agreed that I will work within the confines of the system to try to work this out," he said. "And I want to say again that we as retired players are grateful for what the active players have given us since 1993, when they [improved pension benefits]."
What Laird wants is representation at the NFLPA's annual convention in Hawaii each March with two retired players.
"My stance is, I want a full democratic election for two retired players to interact with the active player reps," he said.
At last month's NFLPA convention in Maui, active players passed a resolution introduced by Stover to invite two members of the retired players' steering committee to address the general session of the board of reps. Stover estimated they would be given 20 to 30 minutes to speak.
Laird is in disagreement with how the two retired players would be selected. Steering committee members are required to attend the retired players' convention each June, be nominated and then elected.
He contends that 50 percent of retired players who go to the convention are not vested in the union, with at least four years of service. "My feeling is, that is not democracy."
Laird also said he did not feel qualified for the two positions, effectively removing himself from consideration.
In a March memorandum sent out by Andre Collins, who is director of the NFLPA retired players, the union passed a resolution that it can remove an officer of a retired players chapter for conduct detrimental to the union. The memo also said it could dissolve a chapter whose leaders had engaged in such conduct.
Last spring, the active players voted to designate $116 million toward pension increases for retired players, including a 25 percent hike for vested players who played before 1982.
Despite those raises, retired players continued to complain about Upshaw and the union. One retired player, Bernie Parrish, went so far as to sue the union's Players Inc. department for revenue he says was unfairly withheld.
"We, as player reps, were saying, 'What's the deal?'" Stover said. "We just got them $116 million. We understand they want to be whole, but that would take over $1 billion. It isn't going to happen.
"I want the retired players to understand that whatever we do, it's not going to be perfect."
Retired players are trying to improve their lot with fundraisers. The Baltimore alumni are planning a Sept. 20 salute to Colts' Hall of Famer Art Donovan, with proceeds going to help struggling retired players.
By Ken Murray
Baltimore Sun Reporter
April 20, 2007, 8:00 PM EDT
Matt Stover achieved a temporary truce this week with the leader of the Baltimore Colts alumni group after an NFL Players Association memo threatened to exacerbate a conflict between retired players and the union.
Stover, the Ravens' kicker and player representative, met with Bruce Laird, president of Baltimore's NFL alumni chapter, on Wednesday, trying to restore dialogue between the two factions.
At the heart of the retired players' discontent is their belief they do not have a voice in union decisions, and their distrust of the efforts of Gene Upshaw, executive director of the NFLPA.
"We've always known the perception [of retired players] is that Gene is insensitive to their concerns," Stover said today. "I've been a player rep for 16 years, and I don't believe that's true. One of the things I'm trying to do is change that perception."
Stover's approach with Laird, a former Colts safety, was to offer help in reestablishing communication with the union and among retired players.
"I told him the union can facilitate that communication," Stover said. "As long as [retired players] are making the NFLPA an adversary, then it's not going to work.
"We can set up a chat room for the alumni, an information Web site. We can begin to partnership with these guys more and more."
Laird seemed receptive to the idea today.
"We agreed that I will work within the confines of the system to try to work this out," he said. "And I want to say again that we as retired players are grateful for what the active players have given us since 1993, when they [improved pension benefits]."
What Laird wants is representation at the NFLPA's annual convention in Hawaii each March with two retired players.
"My stance is, I want a full democratic election for two retired players to interact with the active player reps," he said.
At last month's NFLPA convention in Maui, active players passed a resolution introduced by Stover to invite two members of the retired players' steering committee to address the general session of the board of reps. Stover estimated they would be given 20 to 30 minutes to speak.
Laird is in disagreement with how the two retired players would be selected. Steering committee members are required to attend the retired players' convention each June, be nominated and then elected.
He contends that 50 percent of retired players who go to the convention are not vested in the union, with at least four years of service. "My feeling is, that is not democracy."
Laird also said he did not feel qualified for the two positions, effectively removing himself from consideration.
In a March memorandum sent out by Andre Collins, who is director of the NFLPA retired players, the union passed a resolution that it can remove an officer of a retired players chapter for conduct detrimental to the union. The memo also said it could dissolve a chapter whose leaders had engaged in such conduct.
Last spring, the active players voted to designate $116 million toward pension increases for retired players, including a 25 percent hike for vested players who played before 1982.
Despite those raises, retired players continued to complain about Upshaw and the union. One retired player, Bernie Parrish, went so far as to sue the union's Players Inc. department for revenue he says was unfairly withheld.
"We, as player reps, were saying, 'What's the deal?'" Stover said. "We just got them $116 million. We understand they want to be whole, but that would take over $1 billion. It isn't going to happen.
"I want the retired players to understand that whatever we do, it's not going to be perfect."
Retired players are trying to improve their lot with fundraisers. The Baltimore alumni are planning a Sept. 20 salute to Colts' Hall of Famer Art Donovan, with proceeds going to help struggling retired players.
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