George Martin, the leader of the group representing retired NFL players, has complained that NFLPA leader DeMaurice Smith has all but dismissed his pleas for a meeting. Martin, who heads up the NFL Alumni Association, told the New York Daily News that he thinks Smith fears he is a "pawn" for the NFL -- with whom the now-decertified union is locked in an ugly labor war. "It's disconcerting because, yet again NFL alumni, although we appear to be in the discussion, we're still treated as if we're second-class citizens or an afterthought," Martin told the Daily News. "We definitely feel there's a moral imperative for those of us who have paid such an extraordinarily high price to help build this industry to be in the discussion." Martin is advocating for increased benefits for former players, a proposal that has been discussed by the league and NFLPA in the labor talks. The league locked out players on Saturday after talks broke off a day before. The NFLPA invited Martin to its annual meeting this week, but Martin -- who played 10 years in the league -- said he was floored by what he claimed were demeaning questions asked of him. "To me it was a bit insulting," he told the paper. "Here's a guy who played 14 years in the NFL, a 10-year veteran as a player representative, and was the president of the NFLPA for two years. Now my loyalty and allegiance is being called into question before I can come and address the very organization I spent 14 years officially supporting?" Source: USAToday
Demaurice smith doesnt want to have to answer the question of why did he turn down a cba that included about 90 million dollars of that money the owners were "stealing" from the NFLPA going to the NFL Alumni
I'm happy this has finally come out about the NFLPA, they've been talking recently like they are defending the retired players, yet they've been crapping on them for years. About time the Alumni chimed in.
No offense, but why should the current players be fighting for the alumni? Gotta get your "own house" in order first... It's not really the current players' fault that the alumni has a crap deal.
Yeah but part of me thinks that the only way to beat the League in this situation is through solidarity. If execs think there's any kind of subversion there's no way they budge.
Snow, that's true and as you can see by the quote I put up the NFL and the NFL Alumni are effectively "in bed with each other"...
maybe the NFL Alumni wouldnt have to go to the NFL for help if the NFLPA hadnt screwed them on that EA deal that they had to get a lawsuit to even get basically anything
