DIGNITY AFTER FOOTBALL

"SHINING THE LIGHT OF TRUTH"

Page 1 2 3 4 5

DAF ARCHIVES

FULL ARCHIVE PAGE

IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER

STRAP IT ON, WE ARE READY TO FIGHT!!!

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

SEE FULL CRS RELEASED APRIL 9 2008, BELOW

***Senate Leader Harry Reid's full speech video also below***

Latest News, Pictures, and Commentaries below- don't miss any of it!

--DAF is your easy source for all the information needed for retired NFL players--

---READ BELOW FOR THE LATEST NEWS AND NEWS ARCHIVES

Dignity After Football, NFL Disability Benefits, NFL Pensions, homeless disabled nfl players, nfl congressional hearings, brent boyd, kenny easley, col. jack kelly, rigged nfl disability system, dignity for Disabled and under-pensioned NFL Players, Delay Deny Hope We Die, Roger Goodell, Gene Upshaw

FOUNDED BY KENNY EASLEY, BIG ED WHITE, COL. JACK KELLY USMC RETIRED, AND BRENT BOYD; WITH PLENTY OF GRASSROOTS HELP FROM COUNTLESS OTHERS

THIS IS YOUR SITE!

WE ARE UNITED, NOT COMPETING, WITH ALL OTHER WEBSITES AND GROUPS WHO ARE ALSO FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHTS OF RETIRED NFL PLAYERS...

WE ARE ATTACKING FROM MANY SIDES, BUT WE ARE ALL OF THE SAME GOALS AND PURPOSE OF MIND, WE ARE ONE UNIT.

NFL, NFLPA, Dignity After Football, Disabilities and Under Pensioned Funding Needs

Brent Boyd testifies to U.S. Senate, Sept. 18 , 2007, with Garrett Webster,Mike Webster's son, left...also testifying for us that day were Mike Ditka, Gale Sayers, and Daryl Johnston and Webster.

Read the CRS, Congressional report resulting from these hearings, below. The CRs substantiates all of our grievances.

Also further below is the LEADER of the U.S. Senate, Harry Reid, taking our issues to the Senate floor and fighting for us - and making REAL threats for change or more serious hearings..

see full video of Reid's speech honoring Boyd linked below

Brent Boyd, left, testifies to House Judiciary subcommittee, June 26, 2007 on behalf of some 10,000 NFL Retirees.

as Mike Ditka watches on.

In February 2007, Boyd coined the phrase in an interview that became our effective Battle Cry---

"DELAY, DENY, AND HOPE WE DIE!

Senator Byron Dorgan Chaired the Commerce NFL hearing.

We thank Sen. Dorgan (and his wonderful staff) for his interest and diligence in his preparation,

and we have all the confidence in the world he will follow through with

what his investigation uncovered.

Senator Reid and others are surely willing to step up and bring justice if others waffle.

Rest assured, we have no shortage of Senators ready to

protect your rights and give you back your Dignity.

send in your pictures!

and your own horror stories of dealing with this system

please email ASAP to bboyd62@aol.com

DAF Proudly Welcomes

to the DAF Family

"www.disabilityrightslegalcenter.org"

Welcome DRLC to the DAF Family

SPORTS LEGACY INSTITUTE

Brent Boyd would like to thank the prestigious SLI and Chris Nowinski for adding Brent to the Board as an Athlete Advisor

Please check the SLI site, dealing with sports concussions

Please support Chris and the SLI

Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Calif., is still looking

for answers from the NFL and the NFLPA.

Brent Boyd, Mike Ditka,and Harry Carson

testify before Congress in June 2007. Thanks for the dignity provided by Coach

Ditka and Harry Carson, and Curt Marsh, in their testimonies.

DONATIONS NEEDED!

we are close to winning, please support DAF so we can help finish the job. DAF has been amongst the leaders in this fight, and our voice and message is being heard by the right people.

Just look at the tremendous gains we have made in the past months. We have to continue, we have to get PENSIONS drastcially improved and disability to all who need it.

please send even small donations to:

Dignity After Football

10580 N. McCarran Blvd

#115-226

Reno, NV 89503

775-560-7746

we are about to put them away and finish this with a great victory, please help us keep the pressure on and "shine the light of truth" on the problems

DAF supports ADAWatch and other disability advocacy groups,

and seeks a mighty coalition that will benefit both sides.

DIGNITY AFTER FOOTBALL co-founder and Board member,

another sure Hall of Fame future inductee-

the great Kenny Easley

NEWS AND COMMENTARY

NFL and union will cough up $100

a month towards Medicare supplement

4 comments December 9, 3:17 PM

by Paula Duffy, Sports Examiner

Dignity After Football logo (in Examiner)

Don't get me started on the latest magnanimous gesture of the NFL. And I say that with all the sarcasm I can muster.

The league has been humbled by the plight of retired players who have a difficult time making ends meet, keeping a roof over their heads and getting necessary medical care. They believe that most of that care is related to the toll on their bodies from their years in the NFL.

We have heard Mike Ditka speak on the subject as well as former Packer great Jerry Kramer. Wives of retired players like Sylvia Mackey have taken center stage at times to raise awareness about the condition of their husbands.

The league and its union have pitted the active players against the retirees by insisting that the money for needy older men must come from the the salary cap numbers that apply to those on NFL rosters today. That has caused undue stress between the active union members and the men who claim they gave up their bodies so that the youngsters can make millions a year. It's not pretty.

The former head of the NFL Players Association, the late Gene Upshaw was from that older generation of former players and the animus that existed between him and some of his former teammates was palpable. The league and union, in the last few years have established some programs to address the needs of players with dementia and those who require joint replacement.

But the biggest issue for the retired players who are approaching or already at the age of 65 has always been medical coverage. In its latest move to try and satisfy that vocal group, the union and league announced a monthly stipend for all players over the age of 65 and who are fully vested in the pension plan. It is to be used towards a Medicare supplemental plan. If you know anything about the cost of medication today, that small stipend doesn't get you very far. But as the league likes to say, it's better than anything that other sports organizations offer their retired players well after they have retired.

What they never seem to want to address is the difference between the shape of one's body after a career, no matter how long, in the NFL vs. say Major League Baseball.

http://www.examiner.com/x-426-Sports-Examiner~y2008m12d9-NFL-and-union-will-cough-up-100-a-month-towards-Medicare-supplement

STAY UNITED!

RETIRED NFL PLAYERS TO ATTEMPT

TO ORGANIZE INTO ONE UNITED GROUP,

ONE GROUP-DIVERSE, REPRESENTATIVE OF DIFFERENT GROUPS,

DIVERSITY OF AGE, RACE, GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION

A DEMOCTATIC GROUP CONTROLLED BY YOU, THE RETIREES-

NO THUG DICTATORSHIP AS WE HAVE SURVIVED WITH "OUR"

NFLPA

HERE IS A CHANCE FOR YOU TO GET OFF YOUR REAR

AND DO SOMETHING TO HELP YOURSELF

NFL/NFLPA HAVE $BILLIONS-THEY WILL TRY TO SUBVERT

WE WILL HAVE PLAYERS ON OUR OWN SIDE SABOTAGING

THIS ADMIRABLE EFFORT

BUT, WE HAVE THE STRENGTH OF OUR

POWER OF NUMBERS ON OUR SIDE!

DON'T LET ANY ONE PLAYER OR GROUP TELL YOU

THET ARE IN CHARGE UNTIL YOU VOTE THEM IN.

WE DO NOT HAVE A"KING"-

WE WILL FAIRLY FORM OUR GROUP

AND

APPOINT OUR LEADERS OURSELVES

to register- send email to bboyd62@aol.com

give your name, teams and years played

Dec 2, 2008

Players Inc trial

OPENING STATEMENTS

thanks to lead attorney Ron Katz for selecting info for you to read-

today, here is Day 2 of the trial

Read the great Opening Statement by Peter Parcher!

--Also, Clifton McNeil begins his testimony

click here for transcripts

Dec 1, 2008

SF TRIAL TRANSCRIPTS

THANKS TO LEAD ATTORNEY RON KATZ--

DAY ONE OF TRIAL

JURY SELECTION

CLICK HERE FOR TRANSCRIPTS

Nov 26, 2008

BRENT BOYD APPEARS LIVE

ON BLACK ATHLETES SPORTS NETWORK

(BASN)

FOOTBALL REPORTERS ONLINE SHOW

LEGEND LEONARD MARSHALL AND

LIFFERT HOBLEY ALSO APPEAR

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THE SHOW,

BOYD APPEARS AT ABOUT THE 50 MINUTE MARK

Nov 25, 2008

INDIANA UNIVERSITY STUDENT PAPER WRITES

ONE OF BEST EVER REPORTS ON NFL RETIREES' PLIGHT.

ABOUT BRENT BOYD, AND ANDRE WATERS' SUICIDE

"CARRIED OFF IN A COFFIN"

(excerpt)
What would it be like to play God? The NFL might know.

If I were God, I would do three things: end world hunger, cure all forms

of cancer

and give Brent Boyd $960,000 dollars.

Boyd is a former offensive lineman for the Minnesota Vikings.

He only played seven seasons, but he should have played more.

To say Boyd was smart is to say that Helen of Troy was average-looking....

And while the health of its former players have declined,

the NFL has skyrocketed in dollars and demand.

It has the highest revenues of the four major sports, earning nearly $6 billion a year.

The NFL's latest contract, which will run until the end of 2011,

will bring in $3.7 billion a year for television rights alone.

But they won't pay Boyd a dime more than $1,550 per month.

He deserves the minimum $4,000 that retired players receive if they can prove

that their disabilities stem from football-related injuries.

If I were God, Boyd would receive $960,000 -- for the 20 years the NFL has ignored his paralyzed pleas.

The NFL turned its back on Waters, too. The repercussions of concussions

were too much for him. He finally gave in, as Boyd's teammate had once put it,

the only way an NFL player can.

Waters was carried off in a coffin, having done as he was told.

click here for Indiana U story "Carried off in a Coffin"

Nov. 24, 2008

JEFF NIXON WRITES LETTER TO NFL RETIREES

RE:GLA'S AND LICENSING

PLEASE READ!!

an excerpt:

"Obviously, the revenue generating capacity of current superstar players

and Hall of Fame players is greater than that of most players both active

and retired, but all of them would acknowledge that football is a team sport

and that their achievements on the field could only be made possible

by the hard work and contributions of their teammates.

When the NFLPA first issued the GLA's, I thought that

they were finally recognizing this fact.

Unfortunately, they did not follow through with their end of the agreement.

please click here to read Jeff Nixon's important letter

Nov. 19, 2008

A Developing EA Sports Scandal?

Players, Inc. helped Electronic Arts buy rights to the likenesses

of nearly 150 Hall of Famers for far less than those rights are worth.

by Peter Keating

ESPN MAG'S PETER KEATING

WRITES ABOUT HOW EA

SCREWED HOF'ers

OUT OF MONEY IN A BELOW-MARKET-VALUE

SECRET DEAL

- IT ALSO PUT THE COMPETITION OUT OF BUSINESS

We sent an email with the attachment containing

all the pertinent emails, courtesy of

Ron Katz...

if you missed that email, let me know and I will send it to you

write me at bboyd62@aol.com for a copy

click here for Peter Keating's ESPN Article

Nov. 18, 2008

A "MUST-READ" LETTER FROM FORMER BALT. COLTS'

BOB GRANT

-PLEASE DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND READ THIS LETTER!

click here for Bob's letter

Nov. 16, 2008

"THE SMOKING GUN LETTER"

as called by lead attorney Ron Katz,

this is one of the most important pieces of evidence

in the SF trial between retired NFL players v NFLPA/ Players Inc

This is a letter from Players Inc (NFLPA) Asst. VP Lashun Lawson

to Electronic Arts (EA) - the makers of the Madden video games,

warning them not to use actual "real" retired players,

but to scramble identities instead,

in order to prevent having to pay the retired players

Remember, Madden games have 143 "vintage" teams,

made up of you retirees from decades past, and only 32 "current" teams

please click here to read this letter

Nov 15, 2008

RON KATZ, LEAD ATTORNEY, SENDS

DIGNITY AFTER FOOTBALL

A COPY OF THE CLOSING ARGUMENTS-

IN HIS WORDS---

"Fyi attached is closing argument that generated $21 million in punitive damages"

After the Jury found for the Plaintiff's, the next and last hearing was on Punitive damages.

The jury had already awarded $7.1 mil, but would they add to that figure with Punitive damages

to set an example for ALL Unions not to behave in this type of malicious misconduct?

Or would they award nothing additional?

This is Ron Katz argument that added the additional $21 mil in punitive damages

to the existing $7.1 mil, giving us a total of $28.1 mil-

a VERY strong message sent by the jury, thanks to Katz' closing comments

click here to read Katz' closing argument

Nov.14, 2008

RON KATZ' STATEMENT TO NFL RETIREES

WE HAVE RECEIVED COUNTLESS EMAILS SINCE WE RELEASED

THE LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE CLASS ACTION SUIT-

MANY ARE ASKING, "WHY WASN'T I INCLUDED? WHY WERE SOME OF MY TEAMMATES WHO

PLAYED ONLY A YEAR INCLUDED; WHAT WAS THE CRITERIA FOR BEING INCLUDED; AND MOST IMPORTANTLY,

WHAT WAS THE CRITERIA FOR GETTING A GROUP LICENSING AGREEMENT (GLA) TO SIGN FROM THE NFLPA

IN THE FIRST PLACE? IS IT TOO LATE TO ADD MY NAME? ETC

IN ORDER TO HELP REPRESENT RETIRED PLAYERS, WE AGAIN CONTACTED LEAD PLAINTIFF ATTORNEY

RON KATZ

AND ASKED HIM TO PROVIDE DAF WITH A STATEMENT ADDRESSING THSE QUESTIONS

WE THANK MR. KATZ FOR HIS PROMPT REPLY, AND FOR ALL HIS

DEDICATED WORK IN WINNING THIS CASE

REMEMBER, WE WERE NOT PART OF THIS CASE, WE ARE JUST

HELPING IN COMMUNICATIONS WITH RETIREES AND ACTING AS YOUR REPORTERS

AND NOW, THE STATEMENT FROM RON KATZ TO DIGNITY AFTER FOOTBALL-------

, " to Brent Boyd,

The list of those who signed GLA's that were effective between February 14, 2004 and February 13, 2007

was provided to the class action law firms by the NFLPA. The class action law firms

then retained a professional

mailing firm to send first-class letters to those 2074 players on the list,

who then had until August 15, 2008

to opt out of the class.

Twelve players opted out.

The NFLPA decided who received GLA's. From the evidence, it appears that

the union made solicitations of retired members to sign GLA's from time to time,

both by mail and at meetings of retired players.

The class list is now a public record. If someone has a signed GLA for the relevant period

but is not on the list, the class lawyers will make the Court aware

of that and will ask that that person be included."

(end of statement)

Nov. 13, 2008

HERE IT IS, WHAT YOU'VE ALL BEEN ASKING-

"WHO IS INCLUDED IN THIS CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT?"

A Dignity After Football exclusive report

Here is your first look at the entire class list, given to Dignity After Football

today by lead Plaintiff Attorney Ron Katz (thank you, Mr. Katz)

we have received countless inquiries to see who was included.

I was NOT, for example.

We were not a part of this case, we just reported the facts to you.

Special thanks to Herb Adderly for being lead plaintiff and painfully

sitting and suffering thru the trial , with Dignity,

and thanks to attorneys Ron Katz and Peter Parcher

and their wonderful support teams.

Now, we have the pleasure of being the first to announce to you

the members of the Class Action suit v NFLPA/Players Inc.:

click here to see the full official list, see if you are included

Nov.12, 2008

New York Times reports on NFL retirees & NFLPA

Brent Boyd speaks to the New York Times

distinguished writed Alan Schwartz

"Court Verdict for N.F.L. Retirees Starts New Era"

by Alan Schwartz

"One retired player, the former Minnesota Vikings lineman Brent Boyd,

said on Tuesday that he hoped a new era of cooperation could be forged, p

articularly in the wake of the death of the longtime union chief Gene Upshaw in August. Upshaw,

whose replacement has not been selected, had been a lightning rod for criticism by retirees.

“I think definitely it will have ripple effects,” Boyd said of the verdict. “I’m hoping it will cause some fresh thinking

and cooperation with retired players instead of all-out war,

which is what we’ve been getting.”

click here for full NY Times article

or-

if that link forces you to a subscription,

click here for a copy

Nov.11, 2008

Los Angeles Times reports on Players Inc. verdict

(Greg Johnson reporting)

"If you do the math, it comes out to $13,000 per class member," said Ron Katz, the Bay Area attorney

who represented 2,062 former NFL players, including 17 Hall of Fame members.

"I think the former players are going to be very satisfied."

However, the lawyers and judge must still decide how to divvy up the award,

some of which will go toward paying attorneys.

Herb Adderley, the former Green Bay Packers great and Hall of Fame member

who initiated the class-action lawsuit more than two years ago,

said Monday that the financial award will

"help a lot of guys, and, hopefully, change the union's ways of taking advantage of the retired players."

Katz said that language in the counts that jurors found the union to be guilty of included such phrases as

"malicious and oppressive conduct with evil motive," and

"conduct that was outrageous and grossly fraudulent."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," Adderley said.

The jury's verdict "opens the door for Congress to revisit the many wrongful denials of disability benefits,"

said former Minnesota Vikings player Brent Boyd, who wasn't part of the class-action lawsuit but has been lobbying in Washington

for a federal investigation into how the union and league treat former players.

click here for full LA Times story

Nov. 10, 2008

4:50 p.m. Pacific time

Retired NFL Players Get $28.1M,

Including $21M in Punitives

Dignity After Football was the first

to report this great news to NFL Retirees-

visit us for the latest news and opinions

click here for story

Nov. 4, 2008

GOODELL ANNOUNCES MEETING WITH RETIREES

IN CHICAGO ONLY A DISGRACEFUL

5 DAYS IN ADVANCE

the meeting is in Halas Hall this Sat. Nov 8,

--the cowards refuse to give advance notice,

they don't want us to attend-

but gleam rave reviews for the meetings anyway

from media

Oct 31, 2008

Senators want more NFL games on TV

By KIMBERLY HEFLING, AP
30 October 2008 @ 12:38 am EST

WASHINGTON - Senators have asked the NFL commissioner to make game

broadcasts on the NFL Network available on free television to more fans.

The league has said it provides free broadcasts in the home cities of competing teams.

But 13 lawmakers said in a letter this week to Roger Goodell that the NFL

is too narrowly interpreting what a home city is.

for full article click here

Oct. 25, 2008

AS A REMINDER, HERE IS COPY OF NFL DISABILITY REFORM CALLED

"THE BOYD PLAN"

-A RESPONSE IN JULY 2007 TO DIRECT WRITTEN FOLLOW-UP QUESTION

FROM CHAIR LINDA SANCHEZ-

SOME MAY SEE SIMALARITIES TO SOMETHING ELSE RECENTLY,

AND FINALLY,

MADE PUBLIC

CLICK HERE AND SCROLL TO BOTTOM OF PAGE

FOR THE "BOYD PLAN" FOR NFL DISABILITY REFORM

SEE FOR YOURSELF THE ORIGINAL IDEAS....

Oct. 21, 2008

---IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR ALL NFL RETIREES----

JUDGE ALSUP IMPOSES GAG ORDER

ON OVER 2,000 NFL RETIREES

IF YOU ARE, OR EVEN THINK YOU MAY BE, ON THE LIST OF SOME 2,067

NFL RETIREES IN CLASS ACTION,

PLEASE REMAIN SILENT!

A LETTER FROM IN-COURT ATTENDEE BRENT BOYD:

Fellow NFL Retirees,

I have been in attendance at the trial in U.S. district court in San Francisco, pitting retired players against NFLPA/Players Inc (Parrish, Adderly et al v Players Inc)

Today, Judge William Alsup ( a great Judge) made a gag order preventing any of you who are part of this class action suit (and there are approx. 2067 of you) from speaking to any media. The attorneys, NFLPA and all parties involved are similarly ordered to silence until the end of the trial, anticipated to be just before Thanksgiving..

Judge Alsup runs a tight ship, and we have a great case based on merit, so we want to make sure we let the attorneys win this case.

I was somehow dropped from the class so I am free to contact all of you.

Herb Adderly has heroically sat in for all of us at the lawyers table despite great pain and long hours and the temptation to speak out against the weasel attorneys for NFLPA. (he was discouraged by the Judge from standing and stretching his bad back for fear it would "look" football related..which of course it is.)

Out of the other main plaintiffs, Walt Roberts has been in the audience, and the catalyst for this lawsuit, Bernie Parrish, has been absent so far. Judge Alsup has removed Bernie as lead plaintiff in this case.

Other retirees in the crowd (and I apologize if I leave anyone out, I am sure I have but I am not a pro reporter) are Walter Beach, Clifton Mcneil, Bob Brown, Ben Lynch, Kathy and Lucious Smith, Troy Auzenne. Again, there were more in attendance that I didn't know or have forgotten. Bruce Laird is scheduled to testify next week.

From the bad guys, Dick Berthelson, Clark Gaines, and NFLPA attorney Joe Nora have been sitting in.

Today we had opening statements from both sides and Clifton McNeil testified.

The Judge expects this case to be turned over to the jury around Nov 7 and a verdict possibly Nov 14 or later.

Of great interest to me today was a NFLPA exhibit showing different "star" players and the amounts they have made from their licensing...we have long wondered why so many big names have remained silent on the issue of NFL retirees' suffering, now we know why.

Pick a big name and they are making 10's of $millions per year from licensing alone.

If you are near homelessness, can't walk from football injuries, or don't recognize your family due to NFL concussions..well, screw you I guess..there is money to be made on stupid video games!!!

so much for brotherhood, it's time for unabashed "me first" greed.

To hell with former teammates and fellow retirees. These heroes apparently performed alone during their NFL careers. Shame on them .

follow the money!

That's it, tomorrow is all Doug Allen testifying.

The main point is that anyone who is part of this class lawsuit must remain silent publicly about the case until it is over.

Love to all,

Brent Boyd

Oct. 20, 2008

RETIRED PLAYERS TRIAL VS NFLPA AND PLAYERS INC

BEGINS TODAY IN SAN FRANCISCO

Sept 23, 2008

FORMER VIKES GREAT WALLY HILGENBERG DIES AT 66

CLICK HERE FOR STORY

Star Tribune

Wally Hilgenberg

Sept 22, 2008

EX-LONGTIME NFLPA EXECUTIVE DUBERSTEIN

FIRES OFF ANGRY RANT AGAINST RETIRED PLAYERS

IN WALL STREET JOURNAL

(CLICK ANYWHERE ABOVE FOR DUBERSTEIN'S UNCONTROLLED RANT)

THIS TELLS YOU WHAT YOUR UNION REALLY THINKS OF

RETIRED PLAYERS AND OUR PLIGHT

-HEARTLESS RANT FROM SUPPOSED ADVOCATE ATTACKS RETIREES,

WITH POTENTIALLY LEGALLY SLANDEROUS AND UNNECESSARY

PERSONAL ATTACKS

DUBERSTEIN HAS JUST HELPED GEL THE COMMUNITY OF RETIRED PLAYERS

AS ONE UNIT, WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE SAME COMMON GOALS

READ HERE A RESPONSE FROM GRIDIRON GREATS TO

UNWARRANTED ATTACKS BY DUBERSTEIN

GRIDIRON GREATS Response to Duberstein Wall Street Journal Blog about retired players

Mr. Duberstien, despite your "credentials", you, like the union and league, have missed the point. You have also not done all of your research, despite that being your stated profession. In fact, the words you have written are the bases for a pretty strong defamation lawsuit from all those you have defamed, Gridiron Greats and Mike Ditka being just two of them. As a "researcher", you should know better.

To the retired player community, our guess is that the asbestos and lead-paint producing folks had a bit of a public relations issue on their hands for a while. But, we know that that eventually got resolved.

There are many former football players that are hurting and living in stark conditions. How has it become an act of piracy to call attention to and try to help them?. The American system allows us as citizens to call attention to problems and inequities. That is what the former player community is doing, whether it be through Bruce Laird, Bernie Parrish, Mike Ditka, Fourth and Goal, Heroes of Texas, Brent Boyd, Kyle Turley, many others, and, yes, the "Gridiron Greats" (please spell our name correctly). All organizations stand united and of a single purpose -- to address the conditions and needs of former NFL football players. Each group has a specific focus, but the general goals are the same. In response to your blog, we can only comment on the purposes of the Gridiron Greats, which are humanitarian.

If you want to engage in spurious and untruthful comments about Mike Ditka, then you need to print the truth (or it is defamation). The same applies to the Gridiron Greats.

The Gridiron Greats is a non-profit organization that has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars to help dire-need players. We are not an issue advocacy group. If you, Mr. Duberstein, had placed one call to the Gridiron Greats organization, you would have found out that in less than two years of existence, we have assisted approximately 80 former ball players with direct financial aid and indirect social service support of around $800,000.00. You also would have found out that we now have a voluntary medical referral program that is beginning to facilitate pro-bono medical services to former players. The first one is actually taking place today. You also would have found out that a growing number of current players such as Matt Birk support the organization.

Mike Ditka did not call Congress to testify -- they called him as well as Gale Sayers adn Daryl Johnston and the son of Mike Webster. Mike Ditka is not required to give tens of thousands of dollars of his own money, not to mention countless hours of his time, to help former players; yet, he does. Mike Ditka is a member of the Board of Directors of Gridiron Greats. He is an extremely caring human being, that, despite malicious comments from someone like you, will continue on his mission to help former players. The others such as Parrish and Laird are not required to spend the countless hours away from their jobs and families to work on these issues, but they do . The Union, with its employment of such examples as "the Truth Squad", have made this a dirtier dialogue than need be.

Your chief argument, when all is said and done, is that fixing the problems is too expensive. We acknowledge addressing these issues will be expensive and a lengthy process. But, that does not mean that we should not begin the journey. Gridiron Greats, Dignity After Football, Fourth and Goal, Heroes of Texas, Retired Players for Justice, and other groups will not give up.

Our organization is a not-for-profit Section 501(c)(3), and we are fully public. We realize that this is an emotional issue for parties on both sides. We find it hard to understand why a group, such as ours, whose only mission is to help people living in poverty -- and who in many cases cannot afford food, medicine, or clothing -- has drawn such ire.

We, for one, feel we have a duty to those that have suffered and come before us like Mike Webster and players who are suffering now like Willie Wood, and for players that will come later.

You are certainly free to write what you want. We only suggest that if you are writing publicly, you print the truth.

Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund

www.gridirongreats.org

Sept 21, 2008

SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE REPORTS

52 PRO-BOWLERS LINKED TO STEROIDS-

185 NAMES ALTOGETHER

CRISTINA MARTINEZ BYVIK
/ Union-Tribune

CLICK HERE OR ON SYRINGE LOGO FOR UNION-TRIB STORY

Sept 17, 2008

JEFF NIXON Writes Open Letter to NFL Retirees-

gives thoughtful and precise review of our current state

"NFLPA SCRAMBLES RETIRED PLAYERS AND HALL OF FAMERS"

click here to read this- it's a must!

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Sept 13, 2008

MEMORIAL SERVICES HELD FOR FORMER

NFL COACH AND PLAYER, SERVICES HELD IN RENO, NV

R.I.P.

FLOYD PETERS

Floyd played at the defensive tackle position for twelve seasons (1959 to 1970) in the National Football League

with the Cleveland Browns

, Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins.

His career highlights include three-time All-Pro status (1964, 1966 to 1967)

and three-time Pro Bowl selection (1964, 1966 to 1967),

including outstanding lineman for the 1967 Pro Bowl.

He went on to become one of the most successful defensive coordinators of his time

____________________________________________________________________________

Sept 1, 2008

We thought he was gone, WE WERE RESPECTFUL....

what do we get????

ALL NFL PLAYERS MUST WEAR PATCH ON

UNIFORM HONORING GENE UPSHAW

FOR ENTIRE 2008 SEASON;

SOME STADIUMS TO PAINT REPLICA

OF PATCH ON FIELD

IS THIS APPROPRIATE OR PISSING IN OUR FACE?

CLICK HERE FOR ESPN ARTICLE ON THE UNIFORM PATCH

_______________________________________________________________________

Aug 30, 2008

VIRGIANIAN-PILOT RUNS SERIES OF ARTICLES

EXPLAINING PLIGHT OF RETIRED NFL PLAYERS

thanks to ed miller and the virginian-Pilot for having the courgage to

continue to tell our truths; some in media have gone mysteriously silent;

are they bought off, tired of our suffering; or appeased by false announcements

by the "Alliance"?

Please encourage your local papers to keep on our stories, to tell

our truths...it's called "journalism"

"NFL disability hassles add to pain of lingering injuries"

By Ed Miller
The Virginian-Pilot
© August 30, 2008

***link to main article- click here***

link to the three related articles below

***link to article #1***

(After-effects of NFL concussions)

***link to article #2***

( Despite changes, NFL benefits claims fraught with red tape)

***link to last article #3***

( NFL disability hassles add to pain of lingering injuries)

_______________________________________________________

Aug 26, 2008

GRIDIRON GREATS, COACH DITKA HOLD GREAT WEEK OF EVENTS;

RAISE MONEY FOR THE HURTING AND AFFECTED FORMER NFL PLAYERS

THANK YOU GRIDIRON GREATS

THANK YOU COACH DITKA FOR YOUR OUTSPOKEN LEADERSHIP

(picture courtesy of Gridiron Greats-

for more info go to www.gridirongreats.org)

_____________________________________________________________________________

AUG 21, 2008

***EXTRA NEWS SPECIAL***

R.I.P.

GENE UPSHAW DIES AT AGE 63

IRONICALLY, UPSHAW DIES A FEW MINUTES FROM BRENT BOYD'S

RENO/TAHOE AREA HOME

SOME FIRST MEDIA NEWS REPORTS:

WASHINGTON POST, AUG 22-

LINK HERE

DAF QUOTE FROM THE POST-

Former Minnesota Vikings offensive lineman Brent Boyd, one of the players who had clashed with Upshaw over benefits for retirees,

said yesterday he didn't feel the blame for the dispute rested entirely with Upshaw.

"I would say no life is easily reduced to one issue, and we had our issues and he's caused some suffering,

but there's still some humanity and our hearts and prayers go out to his family," Boyd said.

"Upshaw was an easy target, but the problem was bigger than him. It is the institution itself and the commissioner.

He would be the piñata and take the beating and make it seem that one man was taking the shots,

but the problem is more than just him."

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS - AUG 22

LLINK HEREE

DAF QUOTE FROM NY DAILY NEWS:

Former Minnesota Viking Brent Boyd, who became homeless due to depression caused;

by football concussions, ;remembered Upshaw, who died Wednesday night at age 63 from pancreatic cancer,

as the leader of a union that was intent on keeping him from receiving benefits.

"My thoughts and prayers are with his family," said Boyd, who testified before Congress last year on his battle with the NFLPA.

"That's more than he did for retired players and their families. He didn't lift a finger to help me."

Huff, Boyd and other former players say the NFL's disability and retirement plan,

which is run jointly by the league and the union,

is designed not to assist players who suffered debilitating injuries but to stonewall them.

Senate LEADER Reid with Brent Boyd.

Senate Leader Harry Reid CARES about you NFL retirees!

-quotes from Reid's speech, the first time our issues have been brought to the Senate FLOOR-

“But Brent Boyd and so many others like him still suffer the pain of their injuries

and still struggle to pay their bills on far less disability assistance than they deserve.

In the coming weeks, I will work with the NFL and Players’ Association

and other retirees to ensure that progress is being made.

If needed, we will call for more hearings.

“As the bright lights shine on Super Bowl XLII this Sunday, I want Brent

and his injured brothers to know that they are not fighting in the shadows.

They deserve a spotlight too.” by Sen. Harry Reid

(see below for video and details of speech)

Best Wishes to Bob Schmidt for a speedy recovery

from surgery

--- STAY TUNED FOR HUGE ANNOUNCEMENTS!

COMING VERY SOON

SPECIAL THANKS TO COACH DITKA AND GRIDIRON GREATS (www.gridirongreats.org)

Bob Schmidt and the Vince Lombardi Foundation

And to Jane and Jon Arnett and their Retired Professsional Athletes Association

(www.therpaa.com)

--------

ARCHIVED NEWS UPDATES

Aug 15, 2008

NFL VP OF COMMUNICATIONS, OF ALL PEOPLE,

ADMITS TO NY TIMES HE DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOUR SUFFERING

AS NFL RETIREES,

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO HIM IS WHAT HIS NEIGHBORS SEE

PARKED IN HIS DRIVEWAY!!!

GOODELL, TIME FOR RAMIFICATIONS!

HOW MANY MORE?

HOW MANY MORE WILL BE HOMELESS, LIVE IN TEMPORARY SHELTERS,

DEPEND ON GRIDIRON GREATS FOR THEIR OUTSTANDING WORK..

HOW MANY MORE SUICIDES DUE TO HOPELESSNESS?

AND THESE SELFISH BASTARD EXECS ARE WORRYING ABOUT THE

BMW VS MERCEDES CONTEST

IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THIS IS LIFE OR DEATH TO HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS.

PINKY FINGER UP, NFL EXECS CARE ONLY ABOUT WHAT THE NEIGHBORS THINK?

TAKE AWAY THEIR COMFY ANTI-TRUST EXEMPTIONS, CONGRESS.

(YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT)

(click here for NY Times article)

Aug 8 2008

Anders Boyd, unconcious firefighter, rescued by Blackhawk helicopters

fighting outrageous CA wildfire

(see below for details)

BUT WHO IS THIS MAN SAVING???

WHO IS NFLPA SAVING???

Their own ass???

Upshaw and NFLPA should be our own "Blackhawk" rescue copter,

not stuffing his pockets with our retirement money

(Gene Upshaw golfs at Lake Tahoe)

Aug 7,2008

PAUL HORNUNG SAYS HIS ERA IGNORED

CLICK HERE OR ABOVE FOR STORY

Aug 5, 2008

SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL REPORTS ON

THE PARRISH/ADDERLY/ROBERTS LAWSUIT

AGAINST NFLPA & PLAYERS INC

" Now, the plaintiffs are for the first time accusing one of the union’s licensees of participating in defrauding retired players,

though Katz said he has no plans to sue EA.

And he is now saying the case is about more than just whether the GLA triggers license payments,

but how thousands of retired players have been directly used by EA without compensation

CLICK ANYWHERE ABOVE FOR ARTICLE

Aug 3, 2008

HALL OF FAME CEREMONIES GO OFF WITHOUT A

MENTION TO OUR PLIGHT

...WHILE YOU AND I WERE SUFFERING, A GOOD TIME WAS HAD BY ALL

-SHAME ON THOSE WHO KEPT SILENT!!!

----------------

Parrish/Adderly v Upshaw & Players Inc

coming to San Francisco Sept 22!!!

witnesses must show up, books must be opened

more to come about this all important trial

------------------------------

Also on the positive side, Congress is in recess for August,

but will return to work with a vengeance against

the NFL corruption

Congress is working with us to protect YOUR

dignity!!!

HOUSE JUDICIARY, SENATE LEADER REID HAVE PROMISED JUSTICE FOR

RETIRED NFL PLAYERS

stay with us at DAF,

we cannot lose

July 6, 2008

Former Player, Announcer, BILL MAAS announces NFL-related brain injuries

(click here for story)

July 4, 2008

A 4th of July message calling for unity and to keep up the fight from Brent Boyd

(click here)

July 2, 2008

Here's another story worthy of interrupting our hiatus-

Washington Times headlines---

NFLPA seeking Upshaw's successor

Board, director remain at odds

David Elfin
Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Getty Images The NFLPA's executive board has started its own search for

executive director Gene Upshaw's successor against his wishes.

Guys and wives, in DAF's view, it's too late to care if Upsaw is gone

(although we all want to see that, WITHOUT the huge severance package).

He has set up a regime, so all we will get is the same crap, just from a different set of buttcheeks.

CURRENT PLAYERS, TAKE HEED, WE MUST CLEAN HOUSE TOP TO BOTTOM

OF THIS CORRUPT REGIME!!!

EXTRA!! EXTRA!!

SPECIAL "OUT OF

HIATUS BONUS EDITION"

June 24, 2008

CHARLES CHANDLER OF CHARLOTTE OBSERVER RELEASES TWO

DAMNING ARTICLES AGAINST NFL/NFLPA;

CONGRESS ABOUT TO ANNOUNCE CHANGES TO BE MADE

WITH HELP FROM DIGNITY AFTER FOOTBALL

AND OUR PARTNERS SOON TO BE ANNOUNCED

1) Congress invokes antitrust

HOUSE SUBCOMMITTEE CHAIRWOMAN LINDA SANCHEZ

TAKES UP FIGHT FOR NFL'S RETIRED, DISABLED PLAYERS

BY CHARLES CHANDLER

(CLICK ANYWHERE FOR ENTIRE ARTICLE. CHAIR SANCHEZ SAYS

SHE HAS NO PROBLEM WITH PULLING THE PLUG ON NFL'S ANTI-TRUST EXEMPTIONS,

SOMETHING BRENT BOYD CALLLED FOR AT LAST JUNE'S HOUSE JUDICIARY HEARINGSS

2) NFL Players Association

FEDERAL PAPERS REVEAL SHREDDING BY NFL!!!

In year of move, scrutiny concerning retirees,

union pays more than $12,000 to destroy documents last fiscal year

(click above for full charles chandler article)

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

MANY OF OUR MEDICAL FILES, INCLUDING MY OWN,

"DISAPPEARED".

WE BELIEVE THEY WERE DESTROYED BY THIS GANG

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(NOW, FOR THE ABSURD)

HERE IS THE CHART, FROM LAST MARCH 2008 SO IT

HAD FALLEN NEAR BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE,

(chart exlusive property of DIGNITY AFTER FOOTBALL)

The increase in disability pay coincidentally came shortly after this chart posted on this website showing that TWO men,

Goodell at $11.7 million, and Upshaw at $7 million and growing..2 men made the same amount roughly as the NFL admitted

they paid annually to ALL disabled players, $20 mil

(research, creative ideas, and pie-chart artwork all belong to Brent Boyd)

This chart helped embarrass the "alliance", such as it is, to make the changes they announced in March.

Those changes are not enough, and in fact take back some of our basic and biiggest rights..

WE MUST FIGHT THESE GUYS! DON'T LET THEM LULL YOU INTO COMPLACENY

ALSO, "THE BOYD PLAN" FOR FIXING DISABILITY PROCESS, AN ORIGINAL DOCUMENT,

SUBMITTED TO CONGRESS AUGUST 5, 2007,

HAS ALWAYS BEEN AVAILABLE ON THIS SITE AND STILL IS LINKED NEAR BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE..

IN ADDITION, IT HAS ALWAS BEEN POSTED ON THE U.S. SENATE COMMERCE WEBSITE

FOR ALL INTERESTED PARTIES TO VIEW---WE SUGGEST EVERYONE READS IT CAREFULLY;

THE KEYS TO OUR FUTURE ARE CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT

for your convenience,

PLEASE READ THE BOYD PLAN HERE (scroll to end of testimony)

UNITE AND FIGHT!

SEE FULL CRS RELEASED APRIL 9 2008, BELOW

***Senate Leader Harry Reid's full speech video also below***

Latest News, Pictures, and Commentaries below- don't miss any of it!

Ed and Joann with family on Ed's 60th

Heartfelt and Long-awaited Letter to all of you

from DAF

co-founder Big Ed White

Ed White- hey, next year's Super Bowl voters-

18 seasons

241 consecutive games played -

an NFL record for OL when he retired.

4 Pro Bowls

4 Super Bowls

winner of the most NFL Strongman

Arm Wrestling Contests

one of the most respected MEN to wear an NFL uniform

click here for Ed's Letter

ANDERS BOYD SURVIVES NFLPA'S ABANDONMENT -

RECEIVES

SENATORIAL RECOGNITION AWARD!!!

WHY IS THIS RELEVANT, OTHER THAN A DAD BEING PROUD???

THIS KID ANDERS LOOKED UPSHAW IN THE EYE MANY, MANY TIMES,

AND WAS POLITE DESPITE BEING HOMELESS BECAUSE OF UPSHAW'S GREED;

HE SUFFERED UNDER WAR-CRIMINAL TAGLIABUE,

AND NOW GOODELL---

AND YET HE MADE SOMETHING POSITIVE OUT OF HIS LIFE!!!

ANDERS BOYD BEATS NFL

-once cast off for homelessness and despair as a grade school child, growing up in a life without,- all after

every doctor the NFL sent his Dad Brent to see had approved the disability claim-

Anders Boyd graduated Friday May 9th from the prestigious Nevada Firefighting and Rescue Academy-

-all in spite of the NFL and NFLPA's attempts to beat him down..

CONGRATS ANDERS!!!

In your face Gene and Roger!!!

Your power and corruption can't keep good people down, that's why Anders survived-

THAT'S WHY THE THOUSANDS OF NFL RETIREES ARE RISING UP AGAINST YOU!!!

Aug 8, 2008

Anders Boyd rescued from wildfire by Nat'l Guard BLACKHAWK copter

from CALFIRE and other official Fire agencies:

from http://yubanet.com/fire.php

The Panther fire is located 15 miles south of Happy Camp, CA.

Last night, a successful extraction of three injured personnel was done by helicopter using a hoist.
All three were flown by the Air National Guard Blackhawk helicopter to Mercy Hospital in Redding.
Two injuries were heat-related to crew members and one was an ankle injury to an Emergency Med. Technician.

my son Anders begins his new career- shown in Reno Gazette-Journal. thanks everybody for your support Brent

RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL

Timber Cutting at Incline Village

Firefighter Anders Boyd on Tuesday cuts a sapling

growing next to Third Creek in Incline Village, Lake Tahoe Nevada.

Marilyn Newton/rgj

the article:
http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008806180435

May 4, 2008

DAVE PEAR HIP REPLACEMENT-

SEE ALL THE GORY SURGERY PICTURES

AND UPDATES

click here

LATEST UPDATES

April 29, 2008

PARRISH/ADDERLY CASE

vs NFLPA and Players Inc

Retired NFL Players May Sue as Group, Judge Rules

By Karen Gullo

Blomberg News

April 29 (Bloomberg) -- Retired National Football League players who gave their union

the right to use their names

and images can sue as a group on claims they are owed as much as $100

million in royalties, a judge ruled.

U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup in San Francisco said in an order today

that as many as 3,000 retired players

who signed group-licensing agreements with the National Football League Players Association

from 2003 to 2007

can proceed with a class-action, or group, lawsuit claiming few received

promised payments.

click above for full story

April 27, 2008

SHIRLEY AND TOM REGNER

A letter to DAF from Shirley Regner, another Reno resident. and wife of

Tom Regner of Notre Dame/Houston Oilers Fame re:

farce of new NFL Aliance Prescription cards,

which are worthless

click here

DAVE PEAR.COM VICTIM OF INTERNET ATTACK

FROM

SAME LAW GROUP

ASSIGNED TO THEM FOR HELP BY

ROGER GOODELL

read it here from Dave's own site, you wont believe Akin Gump, the NFL's Law firm,

is caught sending harrassing and prank emails under different name!!!

BERNIE PARRISH LETTER TO CURRENT NFLPA PLAYER REPS

April 19, 2008

PRESS RELEASE
Fact: Hypocritical Union Leaders Overpaid
AFL-CIO report neglects its own exorbitant executive compensation
click here for article and Bernie Parrish's comments

BERNIE PARRISH LETTER TO CURRENT NFLPA PLAYER REPS

Jon and Jane Arnett win DAF March Madness pool!

Congrats to the Arnett's, 2nd place David Allen, 3rd place William Boyd..

extavagant prizes, S.W.A.G. are on their way....

Speaking of the Arnett's, please visit the excting new website

please click below to visit our friends at---

JANE AND JON ARNETT'S

Retired Professional Athletes Association

" The Retired Professional Athletes Association, Inc. has been created to provide assistance to the professional athlete in their post professional sports years.

The focus of the RPAA at this time are the medical needs of many of the retired professional football players from the pre 1980’s.

As a group, their retirement and disability benefits are considered the poorest and most inequitable in the sports industry…by the sports industry."

Latest News from DAF's Valerie Thomas

more from Valerie in a few days,

information to knock your socks off...

April 13, 2008

Read this letter from former NFLPA emplyee Valerie Thomas to DAF

"State of the Union-Gene Upshaw Players Assoc.,G.U.P.A.)

click here or above for Valerie's astute observations

April 10, 2008

Peter Keating's ESPN article

"Judiciary Committee blasts NFL, union over medical care"

click here or anywhere above to read full article

--also read--

New York Daily News Article by Michael O'Keeffe

" House report rips NFL's retiree plan"

click here or above to read O'Keefe's full article

April 9, 2008

CONGRESSIONAL REPORT (CRS) RELEASED TODAY!!!

145 PAGE REPORT FAVORABLE TO PLAYERS, READ IT BELOW

The full text of the CRS Report may be found here. The Committee has also posted on its website (click here)

the full textof the NFL and NFLPA responses to the Committee’s questions as well

as supplemental documents from the NFL and the NFLPA.

For Immediate Release:

Contact:

Jonathan Godfrey

(202) 226-6888

April 9, 2008

Melanie Roussell

(202) 226-5543

Congressional Report Identifies Serious Health Concerns
Not Addressed by NFL and Players Union

House Judiciary Committee to Hold Further Hearings;
Examine Possible Legislative Remedy

(Washington, DC)- House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. (D-MI) and Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee Chairwoman Linda Sánchez (D-CA) today announced the release of a 144-page report from the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service (CRS) recommending legislation to address the health problems faced by professional football players, and also released the responses to questions posed by the Committee to the NFL and NFLPA.

Initiated by a bipartisan request, the CRS report examined the types and severity of health problems suffered by current and former National Football League (NFL) players focusing on the disability benefit programs and the health and safety initiatives of the NFL and NFL Players Association (NFLPA).

“I commend the NFL and NFLPA for having taken some affirmative steps since our last hearing, but in my view they still fall short of the goal line,” said Conyers. “This report identifies major concerns about the long-term health of NFL players that demand further attention. The Committee intends to hold hearings and explore possible legislation to address this matter.”

“This report clearly demonstrates that the NFL and NFLPA need to make serious efforts to collect data on player injuries and eliminate the conflict of interest by team doctors who place the financial interests of their teams ahead of players' health. The NFL cannot expect to simultaneously be team owner and referee,” said Sánchez. “After further reviewing the proposals suggested by CRS, I plan to work with my colleagues on legislation addressing several of the issues raised in the report.”

The report concluded that:

The injury rate for NFL players was nearly eight times higher than that of any other commercial sports league, including hockey and auto racing.1
Neither the NFL nor the NFLPA maintain data on the number or percentage of players who retire because of injury.2
Former players find access to health benefits very difficult.3
The current system is subject to a variety of conflicts of interest which appear to be detrimental to players -- Medical care provided by the team for its players raises serious conflict of interest concerns as a team physician must balance the players’ health concerns with those of the coaches and owners who expect players to play injured.4
The NFLPA has very limited authority and capabilities regarding health and safety issues, devoting only a part-time advisor to attend to these matters.5

The Committee requested the CRS report and documents in response to the testimony at the Commercial and Administrative Law Subcommittee’s June 26, 2007 hearing, “The National Football League’s System for Compensating Retired Players: An Uneven Playing Field?” In that hearing, former players Mike Ditka, Harry Carson, Curt Marsh, and Brent Boyd detailed injuries sustained during their playing days that continue to hamper them today. They also recounted the complex process that deters many former players from receiving disability benefits.

The full text of the CRS Report may be found here. The Committee has posted on its website the full text of the NFL and NFLPA responses to the Committee’s questions as well as supplemental documents from the NFL and the NFLPA.

1. “Reportedly, the 2003 NFL injury rate was nearly eight times higher than that of any other commercial sports league, according to the U.S. Department of Labor — and that includes the National Hockey League, the National Basketball Association, and professional auto racing.” CRS Report p. 8; Carl Prine, “Bloody Sundays,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Jan. 9, 2005, available at [http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/
specialreports/specialnfl/s_291033.html].

2. “Comprehensive data about the health of former players apparently are not collected and maintained, either by the NFLPA or the NFL, or by a third party. Neither the players association nor the league collects data on number or percentage of players who retire because of an injury or injuries.” CRS Report p. 4.

3. “Overall, from July 1, 1993, through June 26, 2007, 1,052 individuals applied for LOD [Line-of-Duty] or T&P [Total and Permanent] disability benefits: 428 applications were approved; 576 were denied; and 48 are pending. The approval rate, which does not include the cases that are pending, is 42%.” CRS Report p. 82.

4. CRS Report p. 115. The NFL has also consistently selected individuals and organizations that are affiliated, either directly or indirectly, with the NFL to conduct research on subjects and issues related to player health. CRS Report p. 123.

5. “The extent of the NFLPA’s authority and capabilities regarding health and safety issues, and its position on such issues are, at times, unclear. For example, the NFL has a number of committees that deal with injuries, safety, and health. Apparently, the NFLPA does not have any similar committees or entities, although, along with the NFL, it is part of the joint committee on player safety and welfare. The NFLPA has a medical advisor; but, apparently, this is not a full-time position.” CRS Report pp. 111-112.

##110-JUD-040908##

end

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The following is DIGNITY AFTER FOOTBALL'S official response to this Congressional Report:

Response from Dignity After Football:

April 9, 2008

We are grateful to Congressman Conyers and Congresswoman Sanchez for requesting the study released today, and we are very pleased that the Congressional Research Service has followed through with such an extensive and thorough review of the issues relating to retired NFL players.

Today’s report validates every criticism we have raised about this system, and underscores the urgent need for reform.

Congress has clearly heard the testimony of numerous retired players, and now the non-partisan, highly-respected Congressional Research Service has exposed the flaws and echoed our concerns.

We are pleased that Congressman Conyers and Congresswoman Sanchez plan to introduce legislation to fix the NFL’s retirement system. We look forward to helping them and urge other members of Congress to join them.

Some key conclusions of the report are (the following list is taken from the House Judiciary Committee’s press elease):

The injury rate for NFL players was nearly eight times higher than that of any other commercial sports league, including hockey and auto racing.

NEEDS YOUR CONFIDENTIAL INFO THAT YOU ALREADY SENT IN TO DAF

WE ARE ALWAYS VIGILANT TO PROTECT YOUR CONFIDENTIALITY,

BECAUSE WE ARE THANKFUL FOR YOUR OVERWHELMING SUPPORT

Dec 11, 2008

DAF Logo used by Examiner

1

Neither the NFL nor the NFLPA maintain data on the number or percentage of players who retire because of injury.2
Former players find access to health benefits very difficult.3
The current system is subject to a variety of conflicts of interest which appear to be detrimental to players -- Medical care provided by the team for its players raises serious conflict of interest concerns as a team physician must balance the players’ health concerns with those of the coaches and owners who expect players to play injured.4
The NFLPA has very limited authority and capabilities regarding health and safety issues, devoting only a part-time advisor to attend to these matters

DAF wishes to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of so many, it is dangerous to start naming names...Bernie, Mercury Morris, Sam Huff, Jim Green, Joe D; to name but a few.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STAY UNITED, WE'VE GOT 'EM BEAT!

SOME THANKS TO SOME WHO HAVE BEEN

FIGHTING AND HELPING FOR A LONG TIME

Special Thanks to Bernie Parrish, who made

the June hearing possible and has worked tirelessly.

Look for his and Herb Adderly's lawsuit in Sept.

I can't think of another man who has done more for our cause then Bernie

please go to our links page and contribute to

www.playersforjustice.org

Thank You to the Great Sam Huff

Thanks to Jane and Jon Arnett- champions of our cause for years!

Thank You to the Senate Leader!

Here Boyd introduces the others to senator Reid in Reid's office just off the Senate floor.

Thanks again Senate Leader Harry Reid (center) for all his help for retired NFL players,and his promised help to come; from left Col. Jack Kelly USMC Ret, Boyd, Sen Reid, Bob Schmidt

who has also gone above and beyond the call of duty,

and Jim Green, who has also worked hard for our goals.

More Bob Scmidt, seen here in USA TODAY acting as guardian for the legendary Willie Wood. Bob is founder of the Vince Lombardi Foundation, and was a founder of C-SPAN.

Bob Schmidt has a heart of gold and has helped our cause immensely.

Thank You to the distinguished Kenny Easley

(see players page for Kenny's bio and letter to you)

CO-FOUNDER AND BOARD MEMBER OF DAF

SPECIALThanks to Eugene Mercury Morris

NO ONE has studied harder or knows our issues better

than this distinguished man

Thank you for your diligence, Eugene!

Thanks to Bruce Laird (left) seen here with Boyd. Thanks to Fourth and Goal,

and all the Baltimote Colts alumni family and community who have been leaders in this movement for years.

we can't say enough about Bruce and the Baltimore alums

please visit http://www.fourthandgoalunites.com/

Thank You to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund.

www.gridirongreats.org

GGAF has become our most visible group under Mike Ditka and Jen Smith; and is involved in giving help to dire needs players, as opposed to DAF just trying in pur small way to get the latest news and issues out and lobbying politically.

Gridiron greats does the heavy lifting....

We at DAF are the little brother/sister of our dear friends at GGAF

www.gridirongreats.org

Thanks from everyone to Abner Hayes steady voice

and giving others a voice.

Abner, the 1960 AFL MVP, has been even more valuable

in the past year or two keeping all involved and informed

with the Heroes of Texas!

more Gridiron Greats; Boyd chats with Charles Chandler of Charlotte Observer

an hour before testifying June 26, 2007.

GGAF held the press conference in the distinguished National Press Club in DC.Karen Slomba and Jennifer Smith have become like family to many of us.

All of us were fighting on same page that day, united for same victory,

all egos were left at the door. All summer.

That's why we have made so much progress.

The highlight was Mrs. Sandy Unitas speech about everbody's hero, Johhny Unitas, and his bitter fight for benefits from NFL, which he never got.

(notice GGAF contact info seen in photo)

Thank you to the great Marvin Cobb

Thank You to Mike Ditka and Harry Carson

(Boyd on left, June 26 2007 House Judicary hearings)

Thanks to Harry Carson for sacrificing his Hall of Fame spotlight time to bring reality to our plight.

Thank you Harry Carson!

Mike Ditka- we would be nowhere without his outspoken leadership

Thank You, Coach!

Thank You to Joe and Gerri D and family.

Joe has been our leading spokesman, when it comes to talking from the heart

and caring about all of us he need not worry about.

You're my hero, Joe!

(more of the D family on theplayers and family pages)

Thank You Big Ed White

CO-FOUNDER AND BOARD MEMBER OF DAF

(see Players page for Ed's bio - his letter is on it's way)

Thank You Delvin Williams

Thank You Dave and Heidi Pear

please visit www.davepear.com

Thank You Steve Wilson

Tony Davis & family

CO-FOUNDER AND BOARD MEMBER OF DAF

This man has helped our cause, In Wash DC and otherwise, more than any non-player. He is one of our highest decrated combat Marines, and only he can bring comparisons of our plight to the current tragedies returning from Iraq. Col. Kelly is the best friend you haven't met yet, but it will cost you a cold Coors Light to meet him.

We are fortunate to have such a man of Honor on our side....

Jon Arnett

stole the DAF March Madness pool

see above for his website

Thank You Jerry Sherk (72)

Thank You Leroy Kelly

Thank You Sen Reid, Chair Conyers, Chair Sanchez, Sen. Dorgan,

and all those hard-working aides..

I wish America could see how hard these Congresssional aides work,

a lot of cynicism would disappear about DC

Brent Boyd #62

(just proving I was once young)

SPECIAL THANKS TO KYLE TURLEY

We love Wayne Hawkins, special thanks to wife

Sharon Hawkins

see "Family" page for pics of Sharon Hawkins, an amazing woman

I wish you all could also meet

Thank You Jim Marshall

Jim Marshall has been a vital supporter of DAF

Thank You Terry Lowey, MFT, who is here

to offer professional counseling to wives and ex-players through

Dignity After Football .

THIS is a REAL hero!if you need help, whether player or wife,

email Brent Boyd for Terry's access

bboyd62@aol.com

Thank You MARK GRACE

Thank You Jeff Nixon

Thank You Rick Sutcliffe

Thank You Don Macek

Thank You Lucious Smith

Thank You Valerie Thomas.

former longtime NFLPA employee,

we consider a great friend of DAF

YOUR PICTURE BELONGS HERE

EMAIL YOUR PIC TO bboyd62@aol.com today!

Stay UNITED, we are SO close to winning!

(And that includes BETTER Pensions)

Update 2008

Brent Boyd and the Dignity After Football organization continue to push forward to communicate the latest news and continuation of wrong doings from the NFL and NFLPA. You help is needed. Write letters to Brent at bboyd62@aol.com so he might gather them and send them on to Congress for continued investigation and correction of the long overdue wrong and failure by the NFL to support disabled and under-pensioned NFL players.

SEND YOUR PICTURES - WE ARE ABOUT TO WIN, YOU WANT TO BE IN THE WINNING PROGRAM!

January 2008

-Senator Reid addresses Congress- Click Here to Watch video of Reid speech on Senate floor

Senate Leader Reid and Brent Boyd

-quotes from Reid's speech, the first time our issues have been brought to the Senate FLOOR-

“But Brent Boyd and so many others like him still suffer the pain of their injuries and still struggle to pay their bills on far less disability assistance than they deserve. In the coming weeks, I will work with the NFL and Players’ Association and other retirees to ensure that progress is being made. If needed, we will call for more hearings.

“As the bright lights shine on Super Bowl XLII this Sunday, I want Brent and his injured brothers to know that they are not fighting in the shadows. They deserve a spotlight too.” by Harry Reid

-from Reno Gazette Journal- " Reid detailed Boyd’s personal story, and the stories of other NFL veterans who struggled financially without, or with limited, disability assistance from the NFL."

Links

visit our links page (on bar above, top of page) and click on ALL our sister sites

(chart exlusive property of DIGNITY AFTER FOOTBALL)

The increase in disability pay coincidentally came shortly after the chart posted on this website showing that TWO men, Goodell at $11.7 million, and Upshaw at $7 million and growing..2 men made the same amount roughly as the NFL admitted they paid annually to ALL disabled players, $20 mil

(research, creative ideas, and pie-chart artwork all belong to Brent Boyd)

know your enemy!

all our woes have been carefully and behind cloded doors, cooked up by Doug Ell and Groom Law Group

his tools below, which hypnotize all courts hamstrung by poorly written ERISA laws, he is now facing the US Congress...guys, he's going down

watch the watch, your eyes are getting heavy....( watch belongs to Doug Ell and Groom Law and should be returned

to these greedy.... well let's be nice and say just return it immendiately

Doug Ell, Groom Law Group

the evil Hypnotist- he has cost countless families so much unecessary suffering.

Want to see him laugh and brag about it, go the Groom Law's website

Doug Ell, Groom Law Group- our main covert enemy

As the Boyd Plan insisted to Congress, both he and he entire Groom firm needs to be fired to resore trust and confidence.

The Alliance has, without giving credit, adopted much of the "Boyd Plan:

but it means NOTHING until Doug Ell and Groom Law are fired - there will never be trust and cooperation as long as groom Law is empluyed to corrupt the system

and to join unrelated lawsuits that take our rights away, such as Nord v Black& Decker, Supreme Court

(click here for the "BOYD PLAN", WHICH WAS AN ANSWER TO A FOLLOW UP QUESTION BY THE JUDICIARY ASKING--HOW WOULD YOU, BRENT BOYD, FIX THE SITUATION?)

Ell hides in his lair directly across from the WHITE HOUSE..paid by fees out of OUR OWN RETIREMENT FUND to deny US benefits, to join cases in Supreme Court that take our rights away

the 1st action of the Boyd plan was to fire Groom Law..most of the other actions recommeneded by Boyd have been implemented (w/o acknowldgent) but not until Groom is fired and long gone can we resume trust

GROOM'S OFFICE FOUND ON THE MAP IS JUST ACROSS FROM THE WHITE HOUSE---our RETIREMENT FUND PAYS FOR THIS RIDICULOUS OVERHEADSO THEY CAN ILLEGALLY TAKE OUR BENEFITS AWAY FROM US..WITH OUR OWN MONEY?

The bridge pictured on the RIGHT is the future "Tom Condon/Gene Upshaw NFL Retirement Home", while they collect several millions a year for themselves.

billonaires and Players Union choose the left, across street from Bush----reality gives former players no choice but the right, find the right bridge to sleep under

when a player is disabled and desestitute, totally helpless, living under a bridge...., THIS is who the NFL/NFLPA sics after us..and then sticks us with the bill..

WE PAY FOR THIS OVERHEADthrough our limited Retitrment Fund to deny our benfits by scaring away all opposing attorneys on contingincies..

.won't any od law firm in Peoria get the job done, if they are so confident they are right???

Why are WE paying for overhead, out of our underfunded retirement Plan, directly across from White House?

If they are SO RIGHT, any ole office in Peoria would do just fine....

Email Requests for Support

bboyd62@aol.com

Brent Boyd
775-560-7746
www.dignityafterfootball.org has been trying to go on hiatus, but this is too much to sit by and watch, we will stay online while we revamp ---

we will be back soon with an even better re-designed DAF site ..please email with your pictures and suggestions bboyd62@aol.com

Dignity After Football, NFL Disability Benefits, NFL Pensions, homeless disabled nfl players, nfl congressional hearings, brent boyd, kenny easley, col. jack kelly, rigged nfl disability system, dignity for Disabled and under-pensioned NFL Players, Delay Deny Hope We Die, Roger Goodell, Gene Upshaw

NFL and union will cough up $100

a month towards Medicare supplement

A Developing EA Sports Scandal?

Players, Inc. helped Electronic Arts buy rights to the likenesses

of nearly 150 Hall of Famers for far less than those rights are worth.

NFLPA seeking Upshaw's successor

Board, director remain at odds

David Elfin Wednesday, July 2, 2008

1) Congress invokes antitrust

2) NFL Players Association

In year of move, scrutiny concerning retirees,

union pays more than $12,000 to destroy documents last fiscal year

Timber Cutting at Incline Village

Marilyn Newton/rgj

1

David Elfin
Wednesday, July 2, 2008