‘NFL Players Boss DeMaurice Smith, Eric Holder’s Pal, Major Bad Guy in National Concussion Saga’ … today at Beyond Chron
Concussion Guru Chris Nowinski’s Silence on Corrupt NFL Doc Maroon’s Ridiculous Statements Speaks Sad Volumes
August 10, 2011Concussion Blogger Dustin Fink on Austin Collie’s ‘Helmet 4.0’
August 12, 2011And now for a heartwarming anecdote from last weekend’s Pro Football Hall of Fame festivities that you probably didn’t know: The executive director of the National Football League Players Association, DeMaurice Smith, crashed the dinner in Canton, Ohio, which is traditionally reserved for Hall of Famers and new inductees, and started to speak. According to NFL legend Joe DeLamielleure, blogging for Dave Pear’s Independent Football Veterans, around a dozen guys walked out in the middle of Smith’s remarks.
The NFLPA chief “had no idea that this audience consisted mostly of pre-1993 players,” said DeLamielleure, who estimated that the Hall of Famers in attendance included around 40 guys who receive monthly pension checks of exactly $176 from the $9-billion-a-year NFL. Confronted by the retirees, Smith said the “legacy fund” negotiated in the new collective bargaining agreement would increase them to between $1,000 and $1,500 a month.
But here’s the thing, football fans: A lot of NFL veterans, for good reason, don’t trust the NFLPA to negotiate on their behalf and honorably administer the new centimillion-dollar legacy fund.
CONTINUED TODAY AT BEYOND CHRON, THE SAN FRANCISCO ONLINE NEWSPAPER: