American Football League fans may be aware
of the fact that recently many retired
Professional Football players have brought
to light the inequity of the retirement
benefits they receive. Several
Hall of Fame players receive less than $300
in monthly retirements. Some players
who suffered concussions have waited so long
for medical benefits from the league or the
players' union that sadly, they have passed
away.
Players too numerous to
mention have had to have multiple
replacements of knees or hips, or both; many
suffer concussion-related dementia.
And the stories of the red tape and
degrading inquisitions they must go through
to get help from the union or league are
enough to bring tears to a strong man's
eyes. Of course, all former American
Football League players are now either
retired or deceased, so they, too have
suffered from the inaction of the Pro
Football establishment. |
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I recently received an e-mail from an
American Football League fan who had asked
my help in contacting former AFL players to
sign their football cards for him. His
name is Martin Davidson, and he found the
AFL players to be gracious and happy to sign
his cards, most of them without any fee.
This generosity led Martin to offer to
donate $500 "to an
organization that supports AFL players".
I suggested that he contact Mike Ditka's
Gridiron Greats organization, which has
a "dire needs" fund for retired
players, regardless of the league they
played in. Martin did so, and found
that he could make a contribution to be
earmarked to help former American Football
League players. Martin asked me to
thank his AFL heroes by posting the letter
below. |
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I would like
to thank all of the
players who signed
my
1965 Topps
card set. Since you
guys declined a
signing
fee I have
contributed $500 to
GRIDIRON GREATS
on your
behalf and
specified that this
money be used to
assist
former American
Football
League
players.
I
can't think of a
more worthwhile
charity to
support.
You
guys are the best!
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Martin Davidson |
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As a result of Martin's
experience, I, too, am sending a
check to Gridiron Greats.
I ask that all fans of the late,
great American Football League
follow suit, and like Martin and
I, make a contribution on behalf
of your American Football League
heroes, to be used to assist
former American Football League
players.
To read about Gridiron Greats,
and to arrange to make a
contribution to their good
cause, see below.
Thanks!
Listed below
after Gridiron Greats are several
other individuals or organized retired player
groups,
and others who are fighting for
improved benefits
for players,
including American Football
League players, who
helped make Professional
Football what it is today,
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Go to
www.retiredfootballplayerslawsuit.com
or call
ex-player Bob
Stein
(612-961-7356)
to learn
about Dryer v.
NFL.
This is the class action on use of your identity and
publicity rights
in NFL Films,
etc.
The case
is for both star
and non-star
players and
includes all
retired
Professional
Football players
whether or not
vested for the
pension. |
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Jon Arnett's
Retired
Professional
Athletes
Association |
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Bruce
Laird's
Fourth &
Goal |
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Brent Boyd's
Dignity
After
Football |
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Independent
Football
Veterans |
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http://www.footballvets.org/blog/ |
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Retired
Players |
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Broncos
Endzone
Sports
Charities |
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A new
venture is
being
started:
SCHOOL OF
THE
LEGENDS.
It will
feature
former
Professional
Football
players from
all eras in
"the
greatest
online
football
experience",
and pay
royalties to
all former
players who
have signed
on to the
venture.
It's sort of
a facebook
for
Professional
Football
players and
fans.
If you register on the site,
you can then
select a
player and
click on
"Add Legend"
to become
that
player's
fan.
Every time a
player's
page is
visited, he
gets a
royalty. I'm
hopeful that
the
marketing
will include
former
American
Football
League
players, and
items like
the AFL
Legacy
gear that
was so
popular in
2009, and
that AFL
fans' "friending"
AFL players
will help
them
benefit. |
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Remember
the
AFL
~
Ange Coniglio |
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