If the boycott fails, they can try kneeling.
Coinstartled
Posts: 10,135 ✭✭✭✭✭
Members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame are threatening to boycott future induction ceremonies unless their demands are met.
A group of Hall of Famers sent a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, NFL Players Association Executive Director DeMaurice Smith and Pro Football Hall of Fame President C. David Baker to inform them they would not make the trip to Canton anymore unless they were given health insurance and an annual salary that includes a share of the league's revenue.
The following signed off: Eric Dickerson, Marcus Allen, Mel Blount, Derrick Brooks, Jim Brown, Earl Campbell, Richard Dent, Carl Eller, Marshall Faulk, Mike Haynes, Rickey Jackson, Ronnie Lott, Curtis Martin, Joe Namath, John Randle, Jerry Rice, Deion Sanders, Bruce Smith, Jackie Smith, Lawrence Taylor, Kurt Warner and Sarah White (Reggie White's widow).
Comments
If they get the health insurance, I will know that there is a double standard. My wife had health insurance from her employer when she retired, but then she lost it because the government ruled that it was a "Cadillac plan" under Obama care. That cost us about $10,000 a year.
Well then it's settled...they won't be going to any future HOF induction ceremonies. LOL
I can't believe Jackie Smith is in the HOF! What a freaking DIRT BAG!!!!!!!
Once again everything boils down to money, these old timers want more money and benefits, just like the concussion settlement it was always about the money.
What do the old Hall of Famers have to do with the new inductee and what do they say to the prior inductee who showed up when they had been introduced. Heads spinning on this one. Looking over that list seems they should be able to use Medicare by now.
Best place to buy !
Bronze Associate member
Don’t get me wrong the fact that that scumbag Goodell gets 40 million a year is just ridiculously stupid. If I was doing anything for the NFL I would be like “Sure Pay me first”
you guys caring about hall of fame stuff are cracking me up.
If you are too old or too hurt to play then go away
I'm not even sure what is going on here. So what is it like if a Jets player is inducted, and perhaps the Jets or the Hall of Fame would invite Joe Namath to participate because he is a Jets icon or something like that?
I'm guessing that they think and maybe they are right, that more Jets fans and football fans would attend the ceremony because they would also get to see or meet Joe Namath? So because of that, they want a salary and health benefits?
There's probably more to it, but in any event, I can't fathom the NFL going along with this.
Besides, going back to Jim Brown and Joe Namath, two of the oldest players on that list. They made a lot of money at the time for playing, they made a lot of money after their careers were over, and unless they foolishly spent it all, then they should be well able to afford their own health insurance and not need any salary from the NFL.
Frankly, in my opinion, these players are degrading themselves in this request. They should be grateful and willingly participate in the HOF ceremony honoring not only the new inducted players, but the game itself that has brought them such fame and fortune.
do i need to post the namath drunk on MNF clip?
I remember that...Namath trying to kiss Howard Cosell, I think was a little bit out of line.
thats a different one
, I should have been more specific , I was thinking of the one where he declared his love for Suzy Kolber
I’ll tell you exactly what’s going on here, they are angry and jealous of the stupid money these players are getting and want a piece of the NFL pie. When guys like Joe Flacco and the rest of the subpar players are multi millionaires the HOF players who are probably broke or just getting by want to exploit what they accomplished for MONEY
plus they are half crippled and it hurts just to roll out of bed in the morning. They probably also have CTE issues or depression or substance problems and are just counting the days until they die.
Used up and thrown away with nothing to show for it. Meanwhile they see that it costs $1000 for a family of four to go to a game and players that are not as good as they were killing it.
Same old story though , no one figures out how life really works until they have one foot in the grave and its too late
At least half if not most of these players could contract to go to an autograph show, and for a few hours "work" if that can be called work, make enough money to pay for an elite health insurance plan for a year.
They've lived rich, elite, pampered lives filled with huge amounts of money and countless numbers of women...and now they want to be further pampered.
F* them.
i agree with all the comments here.
would love to know what percentage of these guys are back to fondle the golden goose due to mindlessly squandering beaucoup dinero
Bottom line , no one is prepared to suddenly make or just have a ton of money . I bet 95% of them are broke.
No one offers them any advice before they make it , or advice on planning for the end of the career , and in fact the second they sign a big contract a cloud of scumbags descend on them to riffle every last dollar away.
I used to agree with you steve but now I think anyone famous is doomed the second they hit it big. Sports figures , actors , musicians they all become prey of family and friends and smooth operators .
It happens to regular people too. My neighbor got injured at work , wound up with a 300,000 dollar settlement and 3 years later its all gone and he only has trash to show for it. He was dumb with his money for sure , but his family picked his pockets from the word go, and he did not account for how medical bills stemming from his injury , would devour the rest. He should have held out for more money , but at the same time , he was unable to work and couldn't hold off any longer .
I think its the same with a lot of players, uncle bob manages the money for them or they buy mom a house or find themselves the father of 8 kids because gold diggers are launching themselves at them from day one. When you are a star in some field all these low class people fling themselves at you for your money and bug out when its gone . On the other hand never trusting a soul once you hit it big probably is no way to live either.
I'm not shedding any tears for them but I can see how it happens. Money is pouring in the front door of the league like a river and none of it trickles out the back
I don't disagree with a word you said.
I mainly said "F* them" because in my view, not honoring the game and the achievements of the new inductees at the HOF, is absolutely the wrong time and place to do what they are doing.
i have the same viewpoint for snowflakes who disrespect their parents for no apparent reason other than the parents didn't give them everything they always wanted, especially more money. The game of football gave these football player snowflakes, and sorry but they are acting like snowflakes in this particular instance...the game gave these football player snowflakes so much, they shouldn't act like snowflakes when it comes to attending and honoring the HOF.
I just disagree with the idea that the halls of fame even mean anything to begin with. Its a flawed system by who gets in , a lot of politics behind the scenes , grudges , and the fact that as time goes by quite a few people who are already in look like scrubs 50 years down the road.
I don't think boycotting the hall will work for these people because no one actually cares about it. I mean if I was in town I might visit it, but if I went and it was closed I wouldn't care.
If glicker doesn't start the thread does anyone even notice? I mean nobody is going to watch or DVR that show , and I don't get to vote so who cares who gets in or misses or shows up or boycotts .
Nobody cares one way or another if any of these guys actually show up to a ceremony, look at T.O and his fiasco he pulled. Yep absolutely NOBODY cares. To echo what SteveK said if they were idiots with their riches then that’s on them. Don’t get me wrong I would be jealous too if so played Pre 2000’s and didn’t make all that much and I now watch subpar players getting paid huge money. I said money was the real hidden agenda with that whole concussion thing, if you look at the percentage of guys who were crying CTE that were broke compared to the rich guys that didn’t get involved you would have to agree.
Have the old, broke, players sign up for an Affordable Care Act health insurance plan on one of the state or federal health insurance exchanges.