NFLPA and NFL need to do more for the old guys!

[Cringer]

Just say a Sportscenter story on former Colt TE, Hall of Famer, John Mackey, talking about how he has dementia, and doesn't remember crap, even what he did 30 minutes ago. He was being interviewed by ESPN, and when asked if ESPN had talked to him that day, he had to ask his wife. I guess his family, and good friend Jack Kemp started noticing 5 years ago. Jack Kemp paid to have him get testing to figure out what was wrong.

Anyways, at the end of the piece, they said that since he was diagnosed AFTER the age of 55, he doesn't get anything from the NFL dissability fund. He only gets $2000 a month from his pension, and so his wife has to keep working. They never said it, but i get the feeling Jack Kemp probably trys to help them out too. This is a guy who can't sell his autograph, or do anything else to make money. I think it's a shame. There is enough money in the NFL these days i think they could do something to help guys like Mackey out.

[Anthony]

for insurance purposes i think they'd hvae a hard time proving that his dementia was brought on by his years in the NFL, being that he was diagnosed after his mid-50's. a number of factors could be the cause, i don't see how this makes the NFL responsible for his medical costs.

while the NFL wasn't the money maker back then that it is now, i would bet that he was more than properly compensated (compared to an average worker) for his services - it's no one's fault he didn't properly save or invest his money to plan for his old age and the costs that come with them. NFL is a business, not a charity.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

for insurance purposes i think they'd hvae a hard time proving that his dementia was brought on by his years in the NFL, being that he was diagnosed after his mid-50's. a number of factors could be the cause, i don't see how this makes the NFL responsible for his medical costs.

while the NFL wasn't the money maker back then that it is now, i would bet that he was more than properly compensated (compared to an average worker) for his services - it's no one's fault he didn't properly save or invest his money to plan for his old age and the costs that come with them. NFL is a business, not a charity.

So how does that prevent you from helping out? Regardless if the NFL should or should not help out, there is never an excuse that would prevent you and I to help out our fellow humans. It seems that we spend too much time blaming institutions and relying on govt to do what we selfishly refuse to do.

[Cringer]

Originally Posted by Hell Atlantic

for insurance purposes i think they'd hvae a hard time proving that his dementia was brought on by his years in the NFL, being that he was diagnosed after his mid-50's. a number of factors could be the cause, i don't see how this makes the NFL responsible for his medical costs.

while the NFL wasn't the money maker back then that it is now, i would bet that he was more than properly compensated (compared to an average worker) for his services - it's no one's fault he didn't properly save or invest his money to plan for his old age and the costs that come with them. NFL is a business, not a charity.

Yes, i understand your points here. I do not want them to just hand out money, but they should create more of a support system. If there is one that he benefits from then its a shame the ESPN never mentioned it. I understand the story can be shown in a way to create a bias against one side, and creat sympathy for the other. The way they showed it though is that its his wife and Jack Kemp who are the only ones to help him out. And Jack Kemp even is from a distance now. He may not get disablitly from the NFL, but does he get health insurance coverage from them? They never said so, so i am assuming he doesn't.

This is one of those touch subjects, because it comes down to where you draw the line. Do you give a little more for guys who played in a certain era and not another? Do you make the cut off line for benefits at 5 years in the league or more/less? There will always be a story about a guy who is down on his luck because he missed being eligible for benefits by 2 months, or 2 weeks, something like that. Unless you make it so everyone who ever played gets benefits, which is unreasonable. I guess all i'm saying is that there are going to have to be certain lines of what kind of benefits you get, and for how long you get them, and what makes you eligible for them. IMHO, these lines are not where I think they should be, i know other have thier own opinions.

[The_herd]

In this situation you can't really blame the NFL. They are a business about making money, and you don't make money by handing it out. They have set fair guidlines that clearly show that he isn't eligible for any payment from them.

If someone really wanted to do something, the NFLPA (since he was a former president) could step in and start foundation for people that develop neurological disorders after they finish playing, or something of this sort. I don't think giving money directly to Mackey would be a good way of running things.

Mackey's situation is bad, no question about that, but its also a situation where you can't throw blame in any one direction.

[Anthony]

So how does that prevent you from helping out? Regardless if the NFL should or should not help out, there is never an excuse that would prevent you and I to help out our fellow humans.

this is so freaking retarded i'm going to make this my last post on this topic, because the sheer stupidity of this statement has sapped my desire to continue on in this discussion.

you want me to help out Mackey, a guy who made his fair share of money playing a game for a living? did you even see this piece? did you see his house? we're not talking about a down and out guy who squandered his money and is now living on the streets - were talking about a guy who has a huge roof over his head.

you want to be a good Samaritan - go send your money to the hungry kids in Africa or go join the Peace Corps. i don't know what Mackey's situation is but i do know things can't be too bad based on the house he's living in. let the NFLPA worry about how to take care of their own. let the dues that those milionaires pay go to help subsidize the living costs of those who missed out on the current cash-cow that the NFL is.

this is like people trying to donate their kidney's to Alonzo Mourning. what the fuck does Mourning care about you or your problems? meanwhile you got people who are dying cuz they're waiting on some list to get a kidney, and some millionaire makes his problmes public and all of a sudden there's a huge outreach to save him. i don't ever feel bad for people who got rich playing a game for a living.

[Buccaneer]

The statement was more rhetorical than specific. It is an attitude of caring and loving others, even if you physically cannot do something specifically. Too many times, myself included, we sit in our comfortable environment and criticize others for somehow how they ended up or saying that an institution (like the NFL) is the blame (which may or may not be accurate). It doesn't matter because I believe the best response (of anyone in need) is either 1) to figure out if I can make a difference, even a tiny bit or 2) to wish and pray that there could be those around him (anyone) that could help. It is easy to place the blame but it is much better the expend the energy and time to care and hope for personal solutions, regardless who the person is. Imo.

[Bubba Wheels]

Heard an interview with a former cattle-raiser that got Oprah sued by the cattle industry when she told him she would 'never eat another burger' after listening to him on her program. Point is, this guy is a Vegan today, even though he RAISED cattle in Montana for years! He claims alot of this 'Alzheimer's Disease' we are seeing today may really be untested Mad Cow. According to him, cows in the U.S. never live past 3 or 4 years before slaughter, and those that cannot walk get slaughtered and put into the food chain without testing same as the others. Some tried to change this law and influential lobbyists 'got to' certain Senators to kill it. What really makes me think their may be some fire to this smoke is another completely different study put Alzheimer's cases in the millions, when it was barely 500,000 only a few years ago.