Gridiron Greats Media Alert

****MEDIA ALERT ***MEDIA ALERT*** MEDIA ALERT***MEDIA ALERT****

MIKE DITKA’S, GRIDIRON GREATS ASSISTANCE FUND
OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!!!

NFL RETIRED PLAYERS MEDIA FORUM FEATURING FIVE RETIRED NFL PLAYERS SHOWCASED IN THE NEW MEN’S JOURNAL COVER STORY: “CASUALITIES OF THE NFL”
"How The NFL Destroys And Abandons Its Heroes"
An in-depth special investigative report

PRESS FORUM, DALLAS TEXAS AUGUST 20, 9:00am, Dallas Marriott Las Colinas

Former DALLAS COWBOY, THREE TIME SUPER BOWL CHAMPION DARYL JOHNSTON & RETIRED, DISABLED, NFL PLAYERS IN DIRE NEED

DARYL JOHNSTON WILL REVEAL HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCES & DISSATISFACTION WITH THE NFLPA DISABILITY SYSTEM AND SHARE HIS THOUGHTS REGARDING HOW THE NFLPA ADDRESSES DISABILITY ISSUES AND THE NEEDS OF RETIRED PLAYERS

PARTICIPANTS ANNOUNCED!
FORMER DALLAS COWBOY DARYL JOHNSTON
PRO BOWLER, ST LOUIS CARDINAL/BUFFALO BILL, CONRAD DOBLER
FORMER JACKSONVILLE JAGUAR/CINCINNATI BENGAL, BRIAN DEMARCO
FORMER TAMPA BAY BUCCANEER/OAKLAND RAIDER, DAVE PEAR
FORMER BUFFALO BILL/, MIKE MOSLEY
*Participants will be added daily, a complete and updated list of attendees can be found at gridirongreats.org

What: Mike Dikta’s Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund will hold a press forum featuring former DALLAS COWBOY, DARYL JOHNSTON who left football with a broken neck after 11 brutal but stellar seasons. Johnston will reveal his first hand experiences and frustration with the NFLPA disability system. A group of NFL retired players and family members, will also disclose their experiences with the NFLPA benefits system. The group of players in attendance are featured in this months issue of Men’s Journal Magazine as part of an in-depth special investigative report, “Casualties of the NFL,” written by Pulitzer Prize nominated writer Paul Solotaroff. He will also be in attendance to discuss his findings with regard to the abandonment and betrayal of former players by the NFL/NFLPA and the possible corruption and grotesque conflict of interest that many retired players feel exists at the NFLPA.

WHO: DARYL JOHNSTON, former Dallas Cowboy, CONRAD DOBLER, three time Pro Bowler and dire need player who has been turned down multiple times for NFL disability despite 13 surgeries, BRIAN DEMARCO, dire need player, suffers from a cracked back and nerve damage has yet to have a claim opened after four years, DAVE PEAR, pro bowl nose guard, Tampa/Oakland, dire need player, after seven operations on his spine had also been denied, MIKE MOSLEY, former Buffalo Bill, severely disabled due to his NFL career, several years ago his lifetime NFL disability was revoked by the NFLPA, PAUL SOLOTAROFF, Men’s Journal contributing editor.

WHY: The purpose of the Gridiron Greats Press forum is to bring together and provide media access to the individuals who will openly discuss the inner workings of the NFLPA disability process from their first hand experience and address retired NFL players’ rights issues. Also to detail the mission of the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, a non-profit organization which focuses on the humanitarian side of post football related issues.

The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund is a not-for-profit corporation that provides financial assistance and social services to retired NFL players who are in dire need. The Board of Directors includes Mike Ditka, Gale Sayers, Joe DeLamielleure, Harry Carson, Willie Davis, Tom Nowatzke and others. BOARD MEMBERS ARE AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS VIA PHONE, TAPE & SATELLITE


When: MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 2007
Press check-in opens at: 8:30 AM
Photo, video opportunities and interviews available.

Where:
DALLAS MARRIOTT LAS COLINAS/Britain & Brown rooms
223 West Las Colinas Blvd
Irving, TX 75039

Contacts:
Jennifer Smith, Executive Director GGAF
(920) 499-7133 Office * (920) 819-1560 Cell
gridirongreats24@aol.com
or
Richard Stenard, GGAF Press Coordinator
(920) 499-7133

• Advance interviews are available for morning shows
• Some players will be available the afternoon and evening of August 20th for in studio radio/ TV interviews in Dallas
• Phone in radio and or satellite interviews are available for all markets.
• Gridiron Greats board members not attending the press event will also be available for phone or satellite interviews.
• Advance copies of the Men’s Journal cover story “Casualties of the NFL” are available on request

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A Go-To Guy Sees Himself in a New Role

By WILLIAM C. RHODEN
New York Times
July 27, 2007

"If I had an enemy and I was trying to conquer him, I would give him money, fame and power. They are three things that are extremely difficult to deal with."

Yesterday, as always, you could count on Curtis Martin to put the moment in perspective. He always had an appropriate answer for every situation.

When the Jets lost a classic heartbreaker of a game as only they could, and members of the news media predicted that the sky would fall, Martin would coolly say: "The sky is not falling. We lost a game. We'll come back stronger next week."

If the Jets won a big game, Martin would temper the urge to make the moment seem larger or more important than it was. With typical grace, he'd acknowledge the victory and add, "We still have a season to play." He always converted on first down.

Martin was the go-to guy for reporters, and for two N.F.L. teams (the Patriots and the Jets). He continues to be the go-to guy for a number of organizations in Pittsburgh, his hometown. And he is the go-to mentor for a number of professional athletes who seek him out for a levelheaded perspective about a world of sports in which the lines between fantasy and reality often blur.

Everyone's go-to guy officially announced his retirement from the N.F.L. yesterday. Martin made a whirlwind, daylong retirement tour, speaking with print, radio and television reporters, saying goodbye, offering retrospectives.

Was the N.F.L., I wondered, in better shape today than it was when he entered the league in 1995?

"I think the league has better athletes," Martin said at the Jets offices in Manhattan. "But I think the rise of talent, the rise of money and the rise of fame and the rise of power has affected the character."

·

Martin, a five-time Pro Bowl selection, is not leaving the game. In fact, he announced that he planned to own a piece of the game. He wants to buy an N.F.L. team.

Martin said that he approached his career like an internship for ownership, studying management styles and all of the components of operating a multimillion-dollar franchise.

"Even the way I've carried myself off the field, my reluctance to do a lot of commercials and a lot of publicity," he said, explaining that he always tried to set himself apart from the activities of most star players. "While most people have seen me as a low-profile player, I've always seen myself as a high-profile owner."

The notion of Martin as an N.F.L. owner is intriguing, particularly in the current sports climate, in which owners and the men and women they hire seem baffled by the young athletes they pay handsomely to run and jump. Increasingly, the method of bridging the gap is a strong-arm, might-is-right approach.

"One of the key differences is that I will be an owner who understands what the player thinks, feels, why he does what he does," Martin said.

"I'll be able to empathize, sympathize and advise athletes in a way that I believe can help out the league as a whole."

I wondered how Martin the owner would deal with Michael Vick the player. Martin played in New York and did the impossible: He stayed out of the limelight. You rarely, if ever, heard about Martin outside of game articles or his various charitable works. No one is saying that Martin is a saint or that he never crossed the line. It's just that you never heard about it. That's a major victory in the current climate of real-time, all-the-time news.

As Martin announced his retirement in New York, Vick, the Atlanta Falcons' quarterback, pleaded not guilty to charges that he and three other men operated an interstate dogfighting ring at a house Vick owned in Virginia.

"I wouldn't turn my back on him," Martin said of Vick. "I wouldn't suspend him. I wouldn't say, 'You know what, Mike, you're out of here.' I would try my best until I knew I could not work with him anymore to give him the support that he needed to succeed."

·

Martin said that Vick reflects the difficulties facing a younger generation of athletes.

"Society equates money with maturity," he said. "Society feels that if you have money and material things, there is no way in the world you should do this or do that. But money gives you more of an opportunity to do what you would normally do.

"When you have all that money and all that fame, people assume you don't need help."

Great players come and go. Indeed, the N.F.L. is built on a steady infusion of great young talent. But in Curtis Martin, the league has lost one of its great go-to guys. His presence will be difficult to duplicate.

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NFL, union unveil plan for needy retired players

Fund to cover costs of joint surgeries

By Ken Murray
Baltimore Sun Reporter

July 27, 2007

For the third time in the past 13 months, the NFL and the NFL Players Association this week announced new initiatives designed to relieve financial strain on needy retired players.

One day after league commissioner Roger Goodell and union executive director Gene Upshaw met with 11 former players, the NFLPA unveiled a $7 million fund that will offer free surgery for joint replacement to uninsured retired players.

It was part of a four-point plan that also will attempt to simplify and expedite the application process for disability benefits, a major complaint of aging retirees.

While the financial commitment promised to lessen the burden on retirees, it did not entirely satisfy the rank and file who feel they have been treated unfairly by the union.

"I think that's a very good start," Hall of Fame linebacker Harry Carson said. "But ultimately it's going to come around to the pension issue for the players. Even if a guy isn't dealing with the problems of disability, when you look at the pension of retired NFL players, it still lags behind other sports that don't have the same brutality as professional football."

The $7 million comes from unspecified contributions from each of the five factions in a program Goodell introduced in May to coordinate medical support services for former players. Those factions include the NFL, the NFLPA, the NFL Retired Players Association, NFL Alumni, NFL Charities and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

In a statement issued by Fourth & Goal, a national advocacy group in Baltimore for retired players, organization president Bruce Laird, a former Colt, questioned how far the $7 million would stretch in medical payments.

"I'll defer comment on the details of any proposed plan until I've had a chance to read the document," the statement said. "I'm surprised, though, that the NFL and the NFLPA have found $7 million for the more than 9,100 retired players who built both the league and the union.

"Seven million dollars - an amount equal to what the union's executive director reportedly earned last year - works out to about $760 per retired player."

Dr. Andrew Tucker, Ravens team physician and chief of sports medicine for Union Memorial Hospital, estimated that joint replacement surgeries may cost between $20,000 and $30,000.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an e-mail that the $7 million represents an "initial pooling of funds into a central fund. The fund will be built from there."

The launching of the fund nevertheless appeared to show Upshaw's willingness to work toward alleviating the problems of retired players. In a statement issued by the NFLPA, Upshaw acknowledged the need to expedite the process for disability benefits, which can sometimes take as much as two years.

"Today's announcement builds on our record of continually improving retired players' benefits for well over a decade," Upshaw said. "Both the NFLPA and NFL recognize that disabled former players need to get the benefits they deserve more quickly, and we've committed to doing just that."

This week, Upshaw retained former President Bill Clinton's special counsel Lanny Davis and his law firm, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe, to advise him on legal issues and media coverage related to NFL retirees' benefits and other matters.

When the league and union announced pension increases a year ago, they also started a program to help former players with dementia and Alzheimer's disease. The 88 Plan - named for former Colts tight end John Mackey, who suffers from dementia - will provide up to $88,000 a year for institutional care or up to $50,000 a year for in-home nursing care.

"We all recognize the contributions made by those who played in the NFL," Goodell said in a statement. "I fully share Gene's commitment to those men and their families. These programs will be part of a continuing package of improved medical-related services for retired players."

Former union leader and ex-Baltimore Colts linebacker Stan White was appreciative of the new coverage.

"I think these are areas that needed to be improved, the disability and the red tape to get to disability," White said. "Disability is unfair to former players at this point, the way it's executed. There was no reason [for the union or league owners] to fight it the way it's been fought."

NFLPA spokesman Carl Francis said the union was in discussion about different options for improving the disability process.

"As we continue to explore the area of disability, we'll continue to listen to ways to streamline that area," he said.

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DITKA AND RETIRED PLAYERS RESPOND TO NFLPA & NFL ANNOUNCEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 27,2007

For more information contact:
Jennifer Smith (920) 499- 7133 gridirongreats24@aol.com

NFL RETIRED PLAYERS ADVOCACY GROUPS SPEAK OUT ON ALLIANCE MEETING WITH GENE UPSHAW AND ROGER GOODELL

DITKA & GRIDIRON GREATS ASSISTANCE FUND SAY: MEETINGS ARE ANOTHER NFL DIVERSION TACTIC
INVITED ATTENDEES ARE JUST MORE SMOKE AND MIRRORS
ANNOUNCED INITIATIVES LACK SUBSTANCE, DON’T ADDRESS REAL ISSUES

Chicago, Illinois, July 27th -Today MIKE DITKA and the GRIDIRON GREATS ASSISTANCE FUND issued a strong statement in response to a meeting held by NFLPA Union Chief Gene Upshaw and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell regarding issues facing retired NFL Players and an announced alliance to deal with those issues.

The NFL and NFLPA held meetings this week that were touted as bringing together pro football’s leadership on retired player’s issues, eleven retired players were invited to attend the meeting. Roger Goodell stated that he thought it was productive and said, “We had people in attendance who have taken issue with what has been done for retired players. I think we had all the stakeholders there.” The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund and other advocacy groups are more than suspicious.

The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund is a nonprofit, humanitarian organization which is overseen by a board of directors consisting of many players who are advocates of retired NFL players’ rights including: Mike Ditka, Gale Sayers, Joe DeLamielleure, Harry Carson, Willie Davis, and Tom Nowatzke. The organization provides immediate aid and support services to retired NFL players who are in dire need due to lack of adequate disability, medical, and other issues.

In response to the "meeting," Mike Ditka, other board members of the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, and a variety of long-time advocates for retired player’s reacted viscerally.

“I don’t believe any of the stakeholders where there. The meeting had no substance. If Gene Upshaw and Roger Goodell wanted the meeting to have substance, members of the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund board would have been invited to attend. Not one member of our board was asked to attend that meeting,” said Mike Ditka, GGAF Board Member. “If they wanted the meetings to have substance, NFL Players who have been long-time advocates of retired players rights such as former Baltimore Colt Bruce Laird, GGAF board members Joe DeLamielleure or Harry Carson would have been there. Most importantly, players and their families who have had to fight an inadequate disability system and bad pensions would have been there such as Brent Boyd, Mike Webster’s son Garrett, Mike Mosley, Brian Demarco, Conrad Dobler, and Herb Adderley. I could name countless others. Were any of them there? Judging by the attendees invited to this meeting it was clear that the NFL and the NFLPA are not that interested in conducting meetings with substance that will bring about the major changes that are needed. Where were the owners?”

“While the NFL and the NFLPA may have good intentions I feel the owners of these franchises need to step up and take some action”. said Hall Of Famer and GGAF Board Member Gale Sayers. “These players helped to build the individual franchises and were a vital part of the organizations they played for. They gave themselves to the team and the communities they played in. The owners should support and care for the players in need who played for their franchise.”

In response to Gene Upshaw’s statements: “There will be a joint effort and one single place to go as it relates to retired players; we are in a position to move forward as one in the alliance. We want to work as one single voice,” The Gridiron Greats organization issued this statement:

The Gridiron Greats as an organization is not standing alongside of Gene Upshaw and not speaking with one voice. The voices that need to be heard are those of the retired players who are suffering, have lived on the streets, used up all their earnings on medical payments, and have to deal with these desperate situations day in and day out –not some hand picked NFL committee of retired players that were selected for their name recognition, celebrity status, and political correctness. It is the opinion of The Gridiron Greats Organization that the meetings held by the NFL and the NFLPA were yet another diversion tactic by the NFL and an attempt to not deal with core issue of overhauling a broken, and what some call corrupt, disability system. The results of the meeting, an announcement of “new retired player’s benefits initiatives” lacked substance, details and does not address the core issues.

Brent Boyd, a retired, dire need player to which GGAF will be providing assistance, had these comments about the meeting and those who were chosen to attend as so called representatives of retired players like him. “I have never seen more smoke than what came out of Tuesday's meeting at NFLPA headquarters. Not only was it a smokescreen to keep real problems out of view, it was a "controlled back fire" intended to burn some of the fuel that has been catching the attention of Congress, the fans, and former players. Did this meeting address fixing the fraudulent NFL Disability claim processes, or how to go back and reverse the most egregious false denials? Did they invite ONE former player who has had to pick asphalt out of their hair after a homeless night's sleep? Have any of Frank Gifford’s or the others in the room had their kids' teeth pulled because they didn't have money to fix a minor dental problem? All because the NFL disability Board was dragging their feet. If not, then don't blow more smoke by telling everyone that retired players and the NFLPA speak as one voice. That is yet another insult to all of us who have suffered without a voice, we are not willing to let these dog and pony shows take the public, the media, or the United States Congress off the scent of their fraud and corruption”

Gene Upshaw stated that “these meetings were a first step in identifying players in need.”

The Gridiron Greats Organization invites Gene Upshaw, or his staff, to contact our office. We would be happy to provide them with a long list of players who are in immediate dire need so the NFLPA can immediately start assisting them. The Gridiron Greats office takes calls all day long from retired players in need. It is our experience that you do not have to have a meeting to identify players in need; unfortunately there are many, many such players all over the country. While Upshaw and Goodell were noticeably absent from the recent Congressional hearings about retired players issues, members of Upshaw’s staff were in attendance. They could have identified a lot of retired players in need from the many that traveled to Washington DC and were in attendance that day hoping that the United States Congress would step in and help them to get the benefits they need.

Neither the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, nor any of its board members, is a part of this NFLPA, NFL alliance; neither are members from any of the others advocacy organizations who have been involved in retired players’ rights issue for many years. The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund is an independent organization and it will remain that way. The organization is committed to raising money and providing immediate financial support and services to retired players in dire need and working with others such as Bruce Lairds, Fourth and Goal group and the Retired Players for Justice group to help bring about significant and major changes in the area of retired players rights and benefits.

Jerry Kramer facilitated the start of the GGAF organization but is not a member of the Gridiron Greats Board of Directors. But, his heartfelt, humanitarian, efforts got the GGAF started. Kramer was invited to attend the meeting and he participated in the meeting as an individual and not as a representative of the Gridiron Greats Assistant Fund. Kramer’s choice to attend the meeting, and his comments, are reflective of his personal opinion and not that of the Gridiron Greats Organization.

“I am grateful to Jerry for asking me to be a part of the GGAF Board but I called Jerry and told him that I, along with some of the other board members, did not think it was a good idea for him to attend the meeting. It was my feeling that nobody from our board was going to the meeting and neither should he. I felt the meeting was a PR ploy,” said former Super Bowl winner with the Colts and GGAF Board member Tom Nowatzke. “The Gridiron Greats are out there helping many players who are suffering because of the inadequate systems that are being administered by the NFLPA. It is my opinion, and that of some others on our board, that we need to stay focused on our mission and that it is pointless to join them in these meetings.”

“The meeting was pointless because the right people were not asked to participate and the outcome was, as I expected empty gestures that don’t fix the overall problems with disability and pensions,” said GGAF Board member Joe DeLamielleure. “The GGAF is also working with and supporting the efforts of advocacy groups such as Fourth and Goal and Retired Players for Justice. We are committed to supporting their efforts to bring about the significant and meaningful changes that are needed.”

“It’s certainly not our first step in addressing the issues and concerns of retired players. Fourth & Goal has advocated and raised funds for retired players for more than three years, since witnessing how the union turned its back on John Unitas and John Mackey and dozens of other retired players,” said Bruce Laird, president of Fourth & Goal. “We’re extremely disappointed that those of us who have been out in front of these issues were again excluded from any dialogue. Thus, retired players continue to have no representation, no vote and no voice in the NFL or the NFLPA. Fourth & Goal will continue to partner with Gridiron Greats to address the needs of our teammates and to change a flawed system.”

“These meetings are just more of the NFL strategy of delay, deny, and hope they die,” said Bernie Parrish of Retired Players For Justice. “Google the names of the 11 players that were invited to attend this meeting as representatives for retired players, you will find that 10 out of the 11 have never been connected to, or significantly involved in, the issues of retired players rights and one was mentioned only in conjunction with dire need issues.”

“There are a multitude of problems facing retired players,” said Jennifer Smith, Executive Director of the Gridiron Fund. “The problems are vast and range from inadequate disability benefits and pensions to depression, addiction to pain medications, homelessness, and poverty. We are helping players who are dealing with all of these issues.”

The GGAF fund has provided financial aid and support services to retired players who have had their lifetime disability revoked, players who have been denied disability multiple times, players in need of shelter, and families who need support just so they can care for a former player or bury a spouse. The Gridiron Greats organization relies on public and corporate support. Currently, there’s a donation drive underway. The public can learn about specific players in dire need, make a donation, read in depth reaction, and post comments at gridirongreats.org. Donations can also be made by calling 1-800-708-1078.

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Goodell and Upshaw Meet With Ex-Players

By Les Carpenter
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 25, 2007

After months of complaints from retired NFL players who believe the league and the players' union have abandoned them, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NFL Players Association Executive Director Gene Upshaw met with a group of former players yesterday to discuss those issues.

But in the collection of past players at the meeting that included Frank Gifford, Merlin Olsen and Cornelius Bennett, only former Packer Jerry Kramer represented the vocal group of retirees who have spoken out about the league's pension plan and a disability system they insist is designed to deny most claims.

Three hours later, when they emerged, Upshaw and Goodell had little to announce other than that they had talked. They said they would focus on joint replacement, a dire-needs fund, a cardiovascular health program and the establishment of some kind of assisted-living arrangement. But they said they would not build a retirement home for disabled football players, something that has been discussed by the
league and union for years.

"We didn't solve all the problems," Kramer said. "We've got some more things to do."

In many ways, the meeting -- pushed for by Goodell -- seemed to be an effort by the league and the players' association to show they are addressing the issue of retired players. The subject flared up at the Super Bowl and never died down as studies came out showing potential long-term effects of concussions and former players told stories of their difficulty in obtaining disability payments. Many blamed the
league and the union for creating a system that blocked them from collecting.

Upshaw and Goodell said that by bringing together the NFL Alumni organization, Pro Football Hall of Fame and NFL Charities into a group they call "the alliance," more money will be available to provide assistance to players who need it. When asked how much that would take, Upshaw said, "It's the $64,000 question, maybe the $64 million
question." Then he said that by pulling together the various league entities along with Kramer's Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, they would be able to draw money from several entities and put them under a single umbrella.

Goodell and Upshaw already have agreed to let those players who have qualified under Social Security disability standards receive NFL disability, saying this could help solve the problem of injured former players. But because those standards have yet to be applied, it's hard to know how many players it will help.

Kramer has been chastised by many in his organization, including former New York Giants star Harry Carson, for agreeing to take part in yesterday's meeting. Many in the retired players movement have looked skeptically at the meeting as a public relations ploy by the league and union to deflect criticism. Kramer said he too was concerned about his decision and worried about it on Monday night in a conversation
with Olsen.

As the meeting convened yesterday, Kramer said Olsen accosted Upshaw by asking if the meeting was "a dog and pony show or are we going to come up with a solution?"

Upshaw replied, "Forget the yelling and see if we can intelligently look at it."

Kramer said he was encouraged by Upshaw's response.

Bernie Parrish, the unofficial leader of the retired players movement, was not.

"The people they had there are a bunch of self-promoting, owner kisser-ups," said Parrish, who was not invited to the meeting.

Parrish has repeatedly said he wants the NFL players' pensions to match those of baseball (which are significantly higher but also require players to wait until they are 62 to collect) and have the disability system overseen by a firm other than the Groom Law Group, which has done work in the past for the NFLPA.

"When the owners open up their checkbooks and start writing checks for a pension plan like baseball's and trash the disability plan and rewrite it, then they will be doing something," Parrish said.

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Sides take first step

by Ron Snyder, The (Baltimore) Examiner
2007-07-25 07:00:00.0
WASHINGTON -

Former Green Bay Packer Jerry Kramer is willing to give NFL Players Association Executive Director Gene Upshaw the benefit of the doubt when it comes to aiding retired players.

At least for now.

Kramer was among 11 retired players who joined Upshaw and NFL commissioner Roger Goodell Tuesday to discuss improvements for former players dealing with financial problems stemming from medical conditions sustained during their NFL careers.

It marked the first official meeting of a new alliance formed in May.

Assisted living, joint replacement surgeries and cardiovascular care were three areas the alliance pledged to improve. Upshaw said the meeting was the first step toward identifying players in need and bringing the many factions fighting for the same cause together.

"This will be the first time there will be a joint effort one single place to go as it relates to retired players," said Upshaw following the closed-door meeting. "We are now in a position as a group to move forward as one in the alliance."

The meeting represented the latest chapter between the NFL, the NFLPA and former players on how to improve medical benefits for former players.

Many former players, including former Baltimore Colts defensive back Bruce Laird, have criticized Upshaw's handling of the issue. Laird was not invited to participate in the meeting.

However, former players at the meeting view Upshaw more favorably.

Still, several former players acknowledged the issue is far from being resolved.

"This alliance between the NFL, the NFLPA, the Hall of Fame as well as the alumni is a substantial step in the right direction," said former Republican Vice Presidential candidate and Buffalo Bills quarterback Jack Kemp, who headed the AFL Players Association from 1964-69. "There is more that has to be done. We don't want any current player or retired player to think we have solved all the problems today."

Kramer had been one of the more outspoken retirees critical of Upshaw, but is now optimistic Upshaw can improve the NFL's medical benefits for former players.

"I believe we created enough awareness and burs under the saddle to the point that we were noticed," Kramer said. "It appears to me that the new commissioner is working on solving the problem with an open and forthright manner."

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Commissioner Goodell, players union Upshaw meet with retirees

A new assistance program is set up to help former NFL players with critical health and financial issues.

By Greg Johnson, L.A. Times Staff Writer
July 25, 2007

WASHINGTON - NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and players union chief Gene Upshaw sat side by side Tuesday and detailed a planned coalition that will try to ease suffering among former athletes who have fallen on hard times.

Their joint appearance at the NFL Players Assn. headquarters here was an attempt to calm what has been an escalating battle of words.

"The most important thing about what is taking place today is this group of retired players and the players' union understands the plight of retired players and we want to work as a single voice, a single group, to improve the plight of retired players," Upshaw said. "We care about them."

His comments followed a three-hour closed-door meeting that brought together pro football's leadership, representatives from the league's four main charities and 11 former players, including Jack Kemp, Jerry Kramer, Merlin Olsen, Steve Largent and Frank Gifford.

As part of the plan announced Tuesday, a new assistance program will be created that will address several critical health and financial issues, including - in the longer term - some sort of assisted living help. The program will draw an unspecified amount of funding from the league, the union and charities affiliated with professional football.

All of this comes amid a growing wave of protest from former football stars who allege that the pension and disability programs for older NFL retirees are broken and that the league and the players union are not doing enough.

But Goodell was pleased all sides finally had come together.

"I think it was a very productive afternoon," he said. "I think we had all the stakeholders there. We had people who obviously had taken issue with what's been done for the retired players."

The coalition will focus on a handful of broad concerns: an orthopedics program for retirees with knee, hip and shoulder problems; a more-stringent cardiovascular screening system to alert retirees to potential problems; a heftier dire needs fund for retirees facing financial difficulty and, eventually, making assisted living care
available to players with dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

The coalition also plans to continue studying ways to improve pension and medical disability programs offered to NFL retirees.

But those at the meeting acknowledged that big questions remain.

For example, it still must be determined how many former players are in need of medical care and financial assistance and what the price tag will be for such a broad relief effort.

And, while the 11 former players in attendance Tuesday voiced unanimous support for the coalition, it was uncertain how some of the most vocal critics would respond since none were invited.

For example, such former players as Joe DeLamielleure and Bernie Parrish, whose stinging comments helped take the battle public, were not there, prompting one former player to suspect that the coalition "is only going to be so much more window dressing."

Kramer, a former Green Bay Packers lineman who formed Gridiron Greats Assistance Foundation to help NFL retirees in need, acknowledged some of the foundation's board members had cautioned him against attending Tuesday's meeting.

Kramer, though, left the meeting in an upbeat mood.

"Going in, I thought we were going to get snowballed, steamrolled, sandbagged and a bunch of other different things," Kramer said after the news conference. "I'm very encouraged. I think we have a ways to go because I don't think we could solve all of the problems in one fell swoop, in one afternoon meeting."

During the meeting, Olsen, a former Los Angeles Ram, bluntly asked Upshaw whether the coalition really would do what was needed to assist retired players in need.

Kramer said that Olsen cautioned Upshaw against rolling out "a dog-and-pony show."

After the meeting, Olsen said he was confident that the league and union were serious about helping aging former players.

Upshaw said it was time to put aside bickering and hard feelings: "We are now in position as a group to move forward as one in this alliance."

Kemp, president of the American Football League Players Union during the 1960s, said the coalition is "a tremendous step in the right direction. There's more that has to be done, and we don't want any current or retired player to think that we've solved all the problems today."

Goodell, when asked whether the coalition was forged in response to the public frustration being registered by retired players, said it was driven by "our continued focus on always doing things better."

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