MARCO RIVERA UNHAPPY WITH GENE UPSHAW

[woodbuck27]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

POSTED 2:19 p.m. EDT, June 7, 2007

MARCO RIVERA UNHAPPY WITH GENE UPSHAW

by Michael David Smith

It hasn't been a good week for NFL Players Association executive director Gene Upshaw. When he's not threatening to break the neck of a fellow Hall of Famer, he's being told that members of Congress have some questions they'd like him to answer.

And now an active player is speaking against him.

Cowboys guard Marco Rivera tells Matt Mosley of ESPN.com's Hashmarks blog that he's upset with Upshaw for failing to do more for retired players.

"Retired veterans were left out in the cold," Rivera told Mosley.

"You go back to guys like [Johnny] Unitas, and those are the guys that put professional football on the map. They laid out everything for the gigantic contracts that we have today."

Per Mosley, Rivera said Upshaw's comments about Hall of Famer Joe DeLamielleure have Rivera thinking it's time for the players to replace Upshaw as the head of their union. And Rivera says he knows he's not the only player who feels that way.

"I've come across a lot of players who are unhappy with our current union situation," Rivera said.

If a lot of players are unhappy, though, it's hard to understand why more of them aren't saying so. Upshaw, after all, works for them.

But so far only two active players, Rivera and Vikings center Matt Birk, have questioned Upshaw's leadership publicly.

And Rivera might not have any say in union matters for much longer. Although he started all 16 games in Dallas last season, there's a good chance that Rivera, who is 35 and has a history of back problems, will retire before the 2007 season.

If he does, the NFL players' union would lose a member with two important qualities:

The ability to think independently and the willingness to speak publicly.

[woodbuck27]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm

POSTED 7:00 a.m. EDT; LAST UPDATED 8:03 a.m. EDT, June 7, 2007

CONGRESS ENTERS DISPUTE BETWEEN NFLPA, RETIRED PLAYERS

The Washington Post reports that the U.S. Congress will hold a hearing later this month regarding one of the primary sources of friction between the NFL Players Association and retired NFL players.

Specifically, the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Commercial and Administrative Law will examine on June 26 the procedures for players to attempt to recover disability benefits.

"The NFL is a billion-dollar industry and yet the players who built the league are too often left to fend for themselves," said Committee Chairperson Linda T. Sanchez (D-Calif.) in a Wednesday night statement.

"The subcommittee has seen recent reports that the benefit plan offered to retired players may be stacked against players who need serious medical care."

Both NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell have been invited to attend the hearing.

To date, neither man has agreed to attend.

Others who have been invited include Mike Ditka, Harry Carson, and Curt Marsh, whose right foot and ankle were amputated in 1994, which he claims was the result of football injuries.

The problem in this regard seems to be that the powers-that-be might be setting the bar too high for proof that a former player is genuinely disabled based on things that happened on the football field.

With Congress sniffing around, the message is that the parties responsible for this system can fix it on their own, or risk that Congress will fix it for them.

[The Leaper]

The blame should be placed squarely on the CURRENT PLAYERS, not Upshaw. How much of Rivera's massive deal with Dallas has gone to help out those old veterans? How much of ANY of the massive deals signed by players today have gone toward helping those who paved the way?

I'm sorry, but Rivera should open his wallet...not his mouth. Upshaw doesn't work for retired players, he works for CURRENT players. If the current players do not have the generosity and gratitude toward the previous generations, then Upshaw won't either. As the article points out...the players do not report to Upshaw, Upshaw reports to the players. If they want him to do something, they have plenty of ability to get him to do it.

[woodbuck27]

The blame should be placed squarely on the CURRENT PLAYERS, not Upshaw. How much of Rivera's massive deal with Dallas has gone to help out those old veterans? How much of ANY of the massive deals signed by players today have gone toward helping those who paved the way?

I'm sorry, but Rivera should open his wallet...not his mouth. Upshaw doesn't work for retired players, he works for CURRENT players. If the current players do not have the generosity and gratitude toward the previous generations, then Upshaw won't either. As the article points out...the players do not report to Upshaw, Upshaw reports to the players. If they want him to do something, they have plenty of ability to get him to do it.

You make a sound point there.

[Charles Woodson]

The blame should be placed squarely on the CURRENT PLAYERS, not Upshaw. How much of Rivera's massive deal with Dallas has gone to help out those old veterans? How much of ANY of the massive deals signed by players today have gone toward helping those who paved the way?

I'm sorry, but Rivera should open his wallet...not his mouth. Upshaw doesn't work for retired players, he works for CURRENT players. If the current players do not have the generosity and gratitude toward the previous generations, then Upshaw won't either. As the article points out...the players do not report to Upshaw, Upshaw reports to the players. If they want him to do something, they have plenty of ability to get him to do it.

yea so take about 4% out of each current players deal... or something to that sort

[Brando19]

The Cowboys have just released Marco Rivera. I wish we could get him for one day so he could retire a Packer where he belongs.

[FritzDontBlitz]

The blame should be placed squarely on the CURRENT PLAYERS, not Upshaw. How much of Rivera's massive deal with Dallas has gone to help out those old veterans? How much of ANY of the massive deals signed by players today have gone toward helping those who paved the way?

I'm sorry, but Rivera should open his wallet...not his mouth. Upshaw doesn't work for retired players, he works for CURRENT players. If the current players do not have the generosity and gratitude toward the previous generations, then Upshaw won't either. As the article points out...the players do not report to Upshaw, Upshaw reports to the players. If they want him to do something, they have plenty of ability to get him to do it.

the leaper makes a valid point. one way to change the situation is to allow retired players to retain their voting rights, similar to what happens when uaw (united auto workers) employees retire. as long as retirees dont have a voice in the process no one will speak on their behalf.

i also agree that a certain percentage of the leagues revenues be put into a post-retirement health plan of some sort. the nfl has a responsibility to those players: they still milk their images for every penny they can get, so why shouldnt they be expected to share it with the foundation of the league?

[green_bowl_packer]

From profootballtalk.com

POSTED 6:26 p.m. EDT, June 7, 2007

MARCO GETS WHACKED

Hmmm. On Wednesday, Cowboys guard Marco Rivera speaks out (scroll down) against NFLPA executive director Geno Upsharrino. On Thursday, Rivera gets cut.

Could there be a cause-and-effect thing going on here?

Consider these facts: Upsharrino is represented by Tom Condon of CAA. The Cowboys' starting quarterback and running back are represented by Ken Kremer of CAA. The Cowboys' starting quarterback has one year remaining on his contract, and negotiations on an extension are looming.

Are we suggesting that Condon or Kremer let it be known that a swift conversion of Rivera from active to inactive player would be remembered with fondness at the bargaining table? No.

We'll just call it a coincidence. A hell of a coincidence.

[green_bowl_packer]

The Cowboys have just released Marco Rivera. I wish we could get him for one day so he could retire a Packer where he belongs.

Amen to that!!!

[Patler]

As the article points out...the players do not report to Upshaw, Upshaw reports to the players. If they want him to do something, they have plenty of ability to get him to do it.

Riiighht....Just like Jimmy Hoffa reported to the Teamster membership and did what they told him to do!

[Scott Campbell]

As the article points out...the players do not report to Upshaw, Upshaw reports to the players. If they want him to do something, they have plenty of ability to get him to do it.

Riiighht....Just like Jimmy Hoffa reported to the Teamster membership and did what they told him to do!

Normally I wouldn't compare Upshaw's influence on his membership to Hoffa's. But after he took Tags to the cleaner on this last CBA, he's got to have an impressive amount of stroke.

[The Leaper]

Riiighht....Just like Jimmy Hoffa reported to the Teamster membership and did what they told him to do!

So you are suggesting that Upshaw is in kahoots with organized crime?

Hoffa was a CRIMINAL...which is why he did whatever the hell he wanted, and why law abiding workers in his union could not stand up to him without fear of retaliation.

I don't think it is fair or logical to compare Upshaw to Hoffa. Granted, there can also be retaliation in the world of football (see Rivera's release) but in reality Marco was broken down and was likely to be released anyway...and riding off into a lavish retirement sunset is a little different than the end people met who stood up against organized crime.

[OS PA]

The Cowboys have just released Marco Rivera. I wish we could get him for one day so he could retire a Packer where he belongs.

Amen to that!!!

Could some brave soul call Bob Harlan today in order to suggest this happening?

[The Leaper]

I don't know that Rivera's career is over yet. He's not a reliable starter any longer, but he probably could be a dependable backup at the vet minimum for a few years.

Whether or not he wants to do that, I don't know. If he's ready to hang them up, then I'm sure Green Bay would have no problem letting him retire as a Packer.

[Tarlam!]

The Cowboys have just released Marco Rivera. I wish we could get him for one day so he could retire a Packer where he belongs.

Amen to that!!!

Could some brave soul call Bob Harlan today in order to suggest this happening?

Bullshit! Let's get him back in a uni and into the huddle!!!

We let him go for dollars, not ability! And, it woul be a dagger in Upshaws neck-breaking behind!