WE THE FANS NEED TO STEP IN AND HELP THE PLAYERS OF THE PAST

[texansfan4life]

I have a proposal to offer to the fans of the NFL. I feel that if you were a true fan, you do remember the great players that created this leauge. Burt Jones, Larry Sconka, Jim Kick, Mercury Morris, Earl Cambell, Charlie Taylor, and Darrell Stingley. These players, and many more, have contributed a great deal to what we have now, which is the National Football League. The league that everyone wants to see in the fall. We have a major problem. These players needs benefits and there is a lack of communication between the owners and the players association. Without the players of the past, the NFL would not be what it is today. We, the fans, should organize our own way of showing the NFL and the players and the association that we hear their cry and organize our own way of giving back to some of these great players. My proposal is that we find a way to have a way to contribute. I have thought of having a rotating donation to whereas three games the fans would be able to give a donation. This donation will go strictly to the players and to the league office. and to each team. It will take at least three Sunday's (I think) to whereas all 32 stadiums can be involved. If you feel like this is a great idea, leave a message to help out. I added this up, if each fan attended a game and gave 10.00 donation at 70,000 fans in a stadium, it would generate 224,000.00. This could show our appreciation toward what we cheer for each Sunday.
Thanks,

TexansFan4Life

[texansfan4life]

thank you . i have discuss this on the nflradio and if we can get enough support here iam willing to network with other fans across the league to get this going . i will also send a letter to each of the 32 teams and to the league office. In referance to letting the fans not congress. help the players that made the nfl what it is today.

[ObsiWan]

I heard on NFL Live today that every current player contributes some of his salary to a fund to help out the former players that are in a bad situation. The total amounts to a $22,000,000 fund. The issue seems to be that the process for applying for help is screwed up. Its not that the money isn't there, it is. They need to streamline the application and distribution process so guys that need help can get it in a timely manner.
That said, if the owners want to take 5 or 10 bucks out of the price of each ticket and dump it in the fund, all they have to do is say the word to make that happen. Its unclear to me that the owners have done that.
All that Gene Upshaw - Joe DeLamielleure (sp?) drama is a sideshow being egged on, as usual, by ESPN. Because they think that drama will get more attention (ratings) than explaining the root issue to the fans.

[ObsiWan]

Saying the guys knew "it was a violent game" is like saying police officers or firemen know they're in a dangerous profession. That's a lame excuse. How many of these old guys can be left around. If they took the $20,000,000 the league spent fighting claims. They could help a lot of former players. And that $20 mil was quoted by Mike Ditka's - no idea if its accurate or what.
And ESPN could do some digging and find out how much the owners actually paid out in claims vs. what they paid the legal dept. to duck claims. Instead, they'd rather blow a verbal confrontation out of proportion - relative to the real issue - to grab some headlines.
Sometimes they make me sick.