Yeah, but like every other rabid football fan, I want to know if the Jets are going to get away with vilifying Bilichek.

fred call

Sent by fred call | 11:01 AM ET | 09-13-2007

Mr Upshaw certainly could have chosen his words a bit more wisely. If i were a current player in the NFL, I would certainly be talking to my union rep about "retiring" Mr Upshaw in favor of someone who actually has the interests of ALL players in mind. And at a more apprpriate salary!

Sent by Gary Hardin | 12:12 PM ET | 09-13-2007

This is another example of a capitalistic imbalance. The NFL is so extraordinarily profitable in part because it doesn't take care of its ex-players. There could be a fund to cover future wage losses or a special payor insurance policy to protect players who suffer life-altering injuries. I'm sure that the players contracts contain an arbitration clause that prohibits them from suing the league in court. The players should be outraged at this state of affairs, the union should be outraged and the public should outraged. This is an unbelievable travesty.

Sent by Maurice Ruffin | 12:27 PM ET | 09-13-2007

Regardless of income, wage-earners must plan for their future with or without a union. If a wage-earners is in a harmful career, then the wage-earner should find a less harmful career. I was in a harmful career and I made a change. Nobody forced me into my past and present careers. I CHOSE and DECIDED. I've found my current career to be un-harmful. I've learned to take responsibility for my social, professional, and financial decisions in life. Is there a reason why a professional athlete is unable to do the same that I've done and learned? Why should professional athletes be held unaccountable for their decisions in life? Are professional athletes enslaved or coerced into their profession? Professional athletes should be grateful they have the abilities to live a luxurious llfe and they need to remember there is life after their career is over.

Sent by kevin pensoneau | 4:40 PM ET | 09-13-2007

Oh Boo Hoo Hoo, those poor football players, those poor millionaires!!!
Look they know that it's a violent, rough, and demanding sport so there's no one to blame but them if something happens to them. They were fully aware of the risk but took the chance anyway.
Besides as much money as they make then whose fault is it if they squander all the money away and wind up broke. Some of them wind up getting divorced, once again they and in this case their wives knew the risk and they took a chance anyway. If a marriage is strong then seperation during the season should'nt be able to break them up. Could it be that some of the players bring marriage problems on themselves by sleeping with the football groupies that are in each city that they play in. Time to start taking responsibility for their own lives. That's why lots of people prefer college football over professional football, the professional football players are a bunch of rich crybaby's.

Sent by Paul McClung | 1:22 AM ET | 09-14-2007

I think it is disgraceful Gene Upshaw thinks this way. Its obvious he has forgetten where he comes from as well as what these players have to go through to get into the NFL. The physical punishment they have to endure and the difficulties these plaeyrs hev after their time in the NFL is over has to be taken into account. I think there needs to be some type of government involvement to insure the retired players get a fair deal.It is obvious mr upshaw will never have to deal with the problems the average retired player does, he sounds more like a king than a rep. Time to truly send him into permanent retirement.

Sent by Luis Garcia, MD | 3:15 PM ET | 09-14-2007

I understand that this is a violent sport and that the injuries they deal with are no joke. However, the comment that these guys squander their money on million dollar homes, 100 of thousands of dollars cars clothes and women, is absolutely correct. Listen, if you make $3million a year, put $1million in a diversified portfolio, made sure you had a decent exit plan (rental property, shops, whatever), you could live pretty well still for 3 years and continue so if you had to get out. These guys are still kids most of the time. They have no guidance except their greedy agents and their role models are other guys who will soon end up losing everything as well. They forget the Bill Gates' of the world worked very hard to get where they're at and are working even harder to maintain they're position and secure it before they get out. THis is a huge systems problem, we fans are willing to pay these rediculous ticket prices, jerseys, sneakers and the like to support these fabulous lifestyles and ultimately laugh at these guys once they fall from the lofty heights we've help put them.

Sent by Roy | 11:03 AM ET | 09-16-2007

U.of Florida

NCAA Football National Champions

NCAA Basketball National Champions

NCAA Tasering National Champions

Goooooooooo!!! Gators!!!!!

Sent by fred call | 10:07 AM ET | 09-19-2007

I've had the very pleasant and interesting experience of being around Don Shula, both as a coach, and in his retirement. I still call him 'Coach,' and he loves it.

When one is around Don Shula talking football, one has the distinct impression that they are talking to an NFL God, and that players are, well, players. Except for Johnny Unitas and Dan Marino.

Football players love pain. You can't play football, or be a prize fighter, if you don't in some way ask for pain. Need pain. Relish pain. Green Bay Packer linebacker Ray Nitschke once told me he trained by running full speed through a forest while blindfolded, sans pads. He was not exaggerating. He was my football hero. Even better than Dick Butkis or Mike Ditka in their insanity filled playing days.

I tell every young man contemplating high school football to first read George Plimpton's "Paper Tigers." The part where Alex Karras got Plimpton drunk, them put him in a garbage can upside down until he threw up was pure NFL hilarity.

That's why I tell young high school kids with athletic ability to contemplate golf or tennis or baseball if they want maybe a college scholarship, or a longer, better paying sports career.

After that, there's always the football, or motorcycle gangs. Or even professional wrestling?

Fred call

Sent by fred call | 1:47 PM ET | 09-23-2007

"How is it that a sport that grosses nearly $6 billion a year can leave some of its finest players physically busted and financially destitute?"

Really, who cares about the players except for the players themselves, their friends\families, and a few nutty fans? No one. No sympathy because they're not firefighters or policemen; they get millions for playing a game. Play for three years and you'll be set for life. Plus pension. Oh my, the tragedy. I bet policemen who get shot get compensated less.

Why is it that the NFL makes so much profit, yet fails to aid former players? Probably because it doesn't make business sense. NFL is about making money. Football players are needed to make money. Football players will come even if there was no pension, because they get paid well to play a game(not to mention the extra pay from eating Wheaties in front a camera) :

From WikiAsk:

"The average NFL salary in 2006 was $1.4 million. The Falcons had the highest payroll at $110 million, the Bills the lowest at $60 million."

1.4 Million. The best players make a good deal more. If they should suffer physical hardship and become destitute because they squandered a good deal of their money, too bad. Is it good or fair? No. Is it capitalism? Yes.

This reflects a good deal of modern societies problems today. Too utilitarian, too excessive, too impulsive. Helping a dozen or so retired NFL players in a world with billions of people living in poverty is not going to abate the injustice of it all.

Sent by William Kensington Toddlewagon III | 3:01 PM ET | 09-24-2007

If the average salary is 1.4M, then the lowest salary is much less no? Seems to me that it all goes back to a faulty educational system. These guys only know how to do one thing... very well. All the money means nothing if you don't know how to handle it. Maybe the league should require the players to take money management classes?

Sent by mark grizzle | 10:44 AM ET | 09-25-2007

110 million team payroll?

Shaq or Kobe make that much by themselves. So does Arod.

The NFL is made up of the bottom tier of minimum salary for the linemen and linebackers, while the franchise player gets 105 of the 110.

The cowboys just picked up Tank Johnson for something like 225,000. Even Jerry Jones admitted he couldn't believe he's getting away with such a deal for so much muscle.

Yeah, I agree with the part about cops and firemen not getting that kind of cash. What I'm saying is that in the world of pro sports in America, for the owner, an NFL franchise is a sweet, sweet deal.

It's why Wayne Huzienga paid top dollar for franchise players long enough to win the World Series, then right after that sold the Marlins for a big bucks, then stuck with the Dolphins. Less headaches, more profit for the owner.

fred call

Sent by fred call | 12:21 PM ET | 09-25-2007

I see that Ricky Williams is applying for reinstatement. Scott Linehan of St. Louis is interested. Hopefully the media doesn't chew Ricky up once again. Or that Ricky has found the inner solace to handle the media onslaught. Anybody who has ever spoken to Ricky Williams has rarely had a bad thing to say about the man. Hope it works out for him.

fred call

Sent by fred call | 10:50 AM ET | 09-28-2007

When you talk about the millions that the current players make you are correct. But what the big arguement is about is the retired players who played in the 60's, 70's and 80's where the minimum salary was 12,000.00 A big pay check was $85,000 but not to the defensive and offensive linemen. The public forgets what it was like then only remember what they read today. Other industries take care of the retired employees but the NFL does not. I agree with the average salary of 1.4 million today and the benefits the the NFLP has given to all players since 1993 they should all be very happy with their future after football. We did pick this profession and we have a right to ask for fair treatment or same treatment the current players are receiving. So please before you start to talk about the millions the current players are making make sure you understand that was not always the case. cd

Sent by Conrad Dobler | 10:52 AM ET | 01-02-2008

If Gene Upshaw were Italian he would be doing life.This guy does not care about anyone but himself.These young players should listen to the older guys because when it is their turn it will be to late.

Sent by mike | 1:17 AM ET | 02-23-2008