Thread: Gale Sayers challenges current players

Originally Posted by dabears54

Gale Sayers challenges current players

NOVI, Mich. -- Gale Sayers sent a stern message to NFL players, challenging them to help those who paved the way.

"Some players of today's game think that they made the game what it is today. I beg to differ," Sayers said Friday night at an event hosted by the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund. "The players who are playing today are standing on the shoulders of those who made the game what it is that played the game for peanuts.

"If today's players cannot help these players, shame on you."

The former Chicago Bears running back was honored along with retired stars such as Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau and 1997 Super Bowl MVP Desmond Howard.

NFL players asked a federal appeals court earlier Friday in St. Louis to declare the lockout illegal almost three months after it started. A lawsuit filed by current players against the league has been amended to included complaints from retirees led by Hall of Famer Carl Eller.

Hall of Fame player and former Chicago coach Mike Ditka said before the dispute can be settled to save the season, both sides have to be willing to negotiate at the bargaining table instead of trying to make legal arguments in court.

"You can't let egos get in the way of negotiation," Ditka said. "You have to give to take."You can't figure out a way to $9 billion? It's kind of goofy. The American public can't feel sorry for either side because they can't relate."

Retired players are pushing for better pension and health benefits from the league and players in the next collective bargaining agreement.

"If they want to fix the pension for former players, all they have to do is match what baseball does for their former players, they have the best pension in all of sports," Ditka said. "I'm fighting for the disability and the medical help that we need. One thing the current players should be fighting is for medical care for after their careers. Not for five years, but for 20, 30, 40 years. We're finding guys who are 50, 60, 70, they're suffering from head injuries and everything else."

The Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund has contributed more than $2.5 million over the past four years in financial and medical help for retired players.

LeBeau, defensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Steelers, was in the same room at the gala dinner with one of his players, linebacker Larry Foote.

During the lingering lockout, NFL employees are not allowed to communicate with players.

"I can talk to Larry -- just not about football," LeBeau said. "It's not uncomfortable for me because I learned a long time ago not to worry about things that are not in my control."

Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press

As much as I have a lack of respect for some of the tongue lashing of Gale Sayers and the lack of originality in Mike Ditka's words, I think both men are doing a wonderful thing by championing the plight of the retired football player. Sadly, it's not just the owners who won't help out the retired players -- in the past, it has also been the NFLPA under that bastard Gene Upshaw that screwed over retirees, even accepting kickback money from owners in order to "take it easy" on them.

Can't say that I disagree with the principles behind their comments and to me both are legends as players. But as spokespersons from the past, Sayers is the Grinch and Ditka is Oz, the wizard.

You can't let egos get in the way of negotiation," Ditka said. "You have to give to take."You can't figure out a way to $9 billion? It's kind of goofy. The American public can't feel sorry for either side because they can't relate."

I couldn't agree more.

Originally Posted by soulman

Can't say that I disagree with the principles behind their comments and to me both are legends as players. But as spokespersons from the past, Sayers is the Grinch and Ditka is Oz, the wizard.

That's an awfully kind analogy for Mike Ditka, soul. The guy flip-flopped his opinions in interviews regarding Jay Cutler's injured knee in the NFC Championship Game like John Kerry flip-flopped campaign stances on the issues in the 2004 election. That being said, I agree wholeheartedly with what he said here with regards to the labor issue. Nobody, and I mean NOBODY, can relate to try to divide a $9 billion cash revenue, certainly not you, and certainly not me.

Originally Posted by Jimmors

Shut up Sayers, we get it...youre mad youre not loved like Payton and you want more credit.

Show me where "Some players of today's game think that they made the game what it is today." Go ahead, name em. Or stop making shit up just to make a point.

And yes, in my fantasy world, Sayers actually reads my posts.

In my opinion, Sayers doesn't even belong in the Hall of Fame because he only played in 68 games. He had great statistics while he played, but to me the idea of a great NFL player is in terms of the length of his career and how long that player was effective as a team contributor. He suffered two knee injuries, and couldn't quite get back up to the lofty standards he set for himself, and therefore, he, in my mind, is not a Hall of Famer in the traditional sense.

I'm sure that I'm probably going to catch all kinds of hell for saying that, but that's my opinion.