About Us, Dignity After Football Organization

DIGNITY AFTER FOOTBALL

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Mission:

“DIGNITY AFTER FOOTBALL” is an organization committed to giving a voice to past heroes of the NFL and to finally restoring dignity to the lives of thousands of disabled and under-pensioned former players. We are working with Congress and current players. We plan to work with, unite with, and compliment Bruce Laird's Fourth and Goal, and Gridiron Greats ; (don't forget the new DavePear.com) to help them carry the load, and to move our cause forward in new ways.

We ar committed to help enable the formation of a new group of NFL retirees representatives, with leaders democratically elected by YOU, the NFL retiree.

We have heard from you fellow retirees loud and clear, we will give you a rallying banner and public forum for thousands of yet-unheard from former players, especially in the western half of the U.S.

Objectives:

To “SHINE THE LIGHT” on the problem the NFL pays millions a year to keep in the dark, the suffering of the men who built the league. The one thing the NFL cannot endure is the light of day shining on their shady benefits operations! The best way to shine the light is to keep telling our truths, tell ALL our stories en masse. DAF will be a grass roots effort, encouraging local chapters and your own activity with legislators and media.

Too many men are suffering today, the NFL’s “Delay, Deny, and Hope We Die” strategy is not just a motto, it is the truth. DAF seeks to find the quickest solution to this problem, to reverse unjust disability claims denials. And to dramatically increase pensions that are below poverty level.

Dignity After Football!!!!

ABOUT US

A west coast borne, instantly grown national, grassroots organization created to fight for the rights, pensions and disability benefits,

of the heroes who built the NFL into what it is today

DIGNITY AFTER FOOTBALL

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BRENT BOYD

ED WHITE

KENNY EASLEY

COL. JACK KELLY USMC RETIRED

JOE KAPP

ROMAN GABRIEL

GREG KOCH (GB HOF)

NEAL OLKEWICZ ( 3 SB rings)

ALICIA KRAMER (daughter of GB Packer great Jerry Kramer) as a Board member AND our spokeswoman

ALICIA W/HER DAD/ LEGENDARY JERRY KRAMER

Feb. 3, 2011

MEMBER OF FAMILY THAT WERE ORIGINAL OWNERS OF NEW ORLEANS SAINTS, MARY ELIZABETH MECOM, JOINS DAF BOARD AND JOINS THE FIGHT FOR DIGNITY TO NFL RETIREES

MARY ELIZABETH MECOM

DAF BOARD MEMBER

advisor/ computer tech- Andy Flagg

Others who are crucial to DAF's creation and growth are:

DELVIN WILLIAMS

SHARON HAWKINS

SUZIE HEYWOOD

DAVE PEAR

TERRY LOWEY, MFT

JERRY SHERK

ANDY FLAGG

JEFF NIXON

more names TBA

DIGNITY AFTER FOOTBALL is a grassroots group of former pro football players, their wives, friends, and families. We are fed up with one story after another of rigged NFL disability claims denials, OR of stories of the heroes who built this $Billions per year league wandering the streets or living in shelters due to below poverty level pensions. We are committed to getting every story told in public, every truth told to Congress, and to put all the pressure our old beat up bodies can bear to pit against these greedy billionaires running this league, and the travesty of a players union who long ago sold us out.

DAF is proud to be started off with dignity, as our names suggests, with players such as Brent Boyd, Kenny Easley, Big Ed White, Delvin Williams, Dave Pear, Col Jack Kelly USMC, Jerry Sherk, and more to be disclosed daily/weekly...

but also wives, widows, mothers, sisters, friends and loved ones ofdisabled or under-pensioned former NFL players. these women and children have suffered their own different trauma from the NFL's decision to shove us under the rug...

Brave women...Suzie Heywood, Sharon Hawkins, Jane Arnett, Joann White, Heidi Pear, Gina Boyd, Shirley Regner, Terry Lowey, Erin Warnock, Barbara Tatum; again, more to be disclosed daily/weekly

MAKE NO MISTAKE, MR COMMISSIONER, MOST NFL RETIREES ARE INTIMIDATED BY YOUR ATTORNEYS WITH ENDLESS BUDGETS, AND BY THE RUTHLESS DOUG ELL OF GROOM LAW GROUP, AND OF COURSE LANNNY DAVIS AND NFLPA...and they are staying quiet until the right moment...

HALL OF FAMERS, HOUSEHOLD NAMES, COUNTLESS NO-NAMES,... ALL OF THEM ARE PEOPLE OF OUTSTANDING CHARACTER, ARE WAITING TO BE PUT IN THIS GAME, BUT ONLY WHEN AND IF NEEDED, HEALTH PERMITTING. MR. GOODELL, DON'T PUT THEM THROUGH THIS NEEDLESS WAR.

WE DON'T HAVE THE DEPTH AND RESOURCES OF THE NFL/NFLPA, BUT WE HAVE "RIGHT" ON OUR SIDE, "TRUTH" IN OUR STORIES, AND CHARACTER IN THE PEOPLE TELLING OUR TRUTHS.

We former players are proudly joined in this fight by a wonderful friend and allie, one of our country's highly decorated combat vets from Vietnam, and a man who's life in retirement is devoted to helping our returning war heroes in uniform. DAF would like to thank and introduce you to one of the founders of DAF,

COLONEL JOHN "JACK" KELLY, USMC RETIRED

"I have been working for many years in providing support for wounded and retired military personnel who have sacrificed themselves to defend our country. After the abysmal treatment afforded the returning troops from Vietnam, I have sworn to do all in my power to insure that such treatment never occurs again!

After attending the senatorial hearing on the NFLPA treatment of retired and disabled NFL players, I was appalled to see that injured players are being treated in such a similar and disgraceful manner. It reminds me how, sometimes, humans are used for political and/or monetary purposes and then "disregarded" when of no further use! Men who have given of themselves for others should NEVER be allowed to suffer as these men are!

The NFL and the NFLPA can easily solve this problem if they truly want to without an undue amount of effort and money. To do otherwise is to illustrate the greed and lack of compassion of those in charge! How much money do the owners really need? The public and their representatives need to know the facts. Indeed, they need to demand them!"

Colonel Jack Kelly, USMC Retired

October 29, 2007

We will be hearing much from Col. Kelly and thank him for his service to our country, his devotion to our troops, but also to his special attention to our cause of former NFL players who have been cast aside by the league and so-called players union.

MARK GRACE, RICK SUTCLIFFE, JEFF BAGWELL, MARK HARMON, BILL WALTON, BRUCE WALTON, FRANK MARSHALL, STEVE KLOSTERMAN, STEVE GOLDBERG, JIM RYAN, AND MOST OF ALL BARRY AXELROD

Here is baseball great Mark Grace, a fielding and hitting wonder, ironically making a rare "relief" appearance on the mound. Pitchers or not, Mark, Rick Sutcliffe, and Jeff Bagwell, and the names listed above, all are credited with a "save" in the lives of Brent Boyd and his son Anders,... all this was after the NFL was provided with indisputable brain scans, and TWO of their own NFL doctors approved Boyd's disability claim.

While the NFL was using their "DELAY, DENY, AND HOPE WE DIE" strategy on the Boyd's, only MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL players took immediate action to keep Brent and his son alive....shame on the NFL!!!

click here -read article and see video clips accompanying ESPN'S "Outside the Lines" feature on Brent Boyd, by John Barr and Arty Berko

MORE ... ABOUT US AT DAF

DAF is the group that is at the forefront in fighting our issues in Wash DC. Because we are grassroots, we seek no leadership nor large amounts of money...we ARE you and I, we represent our needs and will fight to the end to ensure we get justice.

You have returned that trust by sending Brent Boyd OVER 650 LETTERS to hand to Congress, to date. These are our most powerful weapons, and be prepared to put together one more writing campaign this spring 2008

We are NOT a dire need fund financially, so we encourage you to donate to Fourth and Goal, and Gridiron Greats, and the Mike Ditka Hall of Fame Assistance trust, (see links) and we will work closely with these groups, as one family, in this battle against the NFL.

We are NOT 501(3)C because of the politicla limitations..we could collect much more money by keeping our 501(3)c, but then we and Brent Boyd would not be free to raise hell in DC for your rights..please keep that in mind.

BUT keep in mind Dignity After Football has linked those in spiritual dire needs with professional counseling ,a valuable service we are most proud to provide. There are different types of "desperation", and not all are financial...we are committerd to families and wives of former players and helping whole families deal with the issues dealt to us by the NFL. Too often, wives and family are overlooked, all attention goes to the ex-player.

DAF is just here to help.

OUR WIVES AND FAMILIES:

In addition to bringing relief to former players, DAF will concentrate on how our disabilities and losses also have grave effects on our loving wives. DAF pays great tribute to the wives of former NFL players, their children, families, and friends, and we hope to provide resources to help you cope with your unique problems,... which are an offshoot of the same bigger problem, the absolute power and greed of a few who are ruining the lives of thousands.

If we can finally unite, TELL ALL OUR STORIES, we can win this in a short amount of time and get on with our lives...with DIGNITY!

THE NFL BENEFITS TRAVESTY IS A BIPARTISAN OUTRAGE!!!

To those who have paid attention to the Senate and House hearings, it has been unanimous support in favor of the players to a person in Congress... a uniquely bipartisan issue, diverse members of Congress have been bound together at least for this one cause, to force the NFL to fix the disability farce and to create pensions befitting the richest sport in the world.

Here, Brent and Gina Boyd discuss the issue with Ohio Republican Congressman Steven LaTourette. LaTourette is one of many Republicans who are a champion of our cause.