Dispute between former NFL players, union escalates

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-nflpension5oct05,1,66796.story?coll=la-headlines-sports

Former NFL players are encouraged to use a website to express their concerns over retirement plan. The move comes in response to the players' union setting up its own website to "get the facts out."
By Greg Johnson, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 5, 2007

The public relations battle between retired NFL players and their former union escalated again Thursday when a Chicago-based retiree group encouraged former players to publicize gripes about the union's pension and medical disability plan on its website.

The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund described its move as a counter to "dirty play tactics" by the NFL Players Assn., which on Sept. 27 established a website to help correct what it described as false allegations by retirees who believe they have been short-changed by the league's retirement system.

Former NFL player and coach Mike Ditka, who invited former players to post their stories on gridirongreats.org during a news conference in Chicago, described the union's website as "deplorable" and "despicable." Ditka, who last month testified about alleged medical disability plan shortcomings during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing, called upon union leaders to "focus their attention on fixing a pathetic disability program."

Ditka said that NFLPA Executive Director Gene Upshaw "should be ashamed" by the NFLPA's "deplorable tactics."

But Upshaw has stated that the union website is simply an attempt to "get the facts out" in the increasingly heated debate with former players.

Word that the NFLPA had created the so-called "truth squad" website infuriated some retired players because it debuted less than 24 hours after a meeting in New York City that was attended by retired players and top NFL officials, including Upshaw and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.

FULL story at link.