June 10, 2011

CLASS ACTION

Class-Action, Confidentiality, Gag Orders, and the Uncertainty That Comes with Our Current Situation

Brothers, we had an outstanding conference call yesterday with our Former Player leaders. Chairman Cornelius Bennett led the call. Letting everyone know that that there is information he just can’t share due to the confidential nature of the mediation in court proceedings he gave his breakdown of the court proceedings last week. One of the greatest things that NFLPA Executive Director De Smith and the current player leadership has done was to vote to have two former players Board of Directors sit on the Executive Committee of the current players leadership, thereby allowing them to be an integral part of the mediation and court proceedings. With these positions comes greater responsibility and our brothers, board member Jim McFarland and chairman Cornelius Bennett have done an outstanding job not only advocating for former players but owning and embracing the responsibilities that these positions come with. From what they have been able to share, we should have no doubt that we are being represented at an unprecedented level.

The NFLPA Former Players is here for all of you to answer any questions you may have. While we might not be able to give you the answers you seek at times, I encourage you to still reach out to us. It’s better to have an open dialogue than to sit in the dark and wonder, or just digest what the media is feeding the public. Come to the source. That is what One Team is all about. Stay strong, stay together, stay One Team.

Nolan Harrison III
Senior Director
NFLPA Former Players Services
@NFLPALegends / @NolanHarrison74

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CHAPTER NEWS

School of the Legends

Brothers, this month many former and current players will be receiving their first royalty payment from School of the Legends, an official licensee of the NFLPA. If any of you have not taken advantage of this outstanding opportunity to promote your own brand, build your brand, or just to have your own fully functional personal website at no charge to you that you’re leaving money on the table. Our individual sites enable us to post videos, photos, full bios, and to interact through social media on twitter and Facebook as well as the school of the legends community. Coming soon you’ll be able to sell your memorabilia through your own personal site as well. Usually something like this would cost a large amount of money. Not only are you getting it for free, but if you participate by updating your site and interacting with fans you will earn revenue. Your revenue will be dictated by your participation level, so like our playing days, the more you participate the more revenue you will generate. It’s a win-win. Click the link below which will take you to the site so you can learn more about this opportunity.

Click to view the site.

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‘Stripped’ A Play About Transitioning

‘Stripped,’ a play starring former players Dorsey Levens, Ryan Stewart, Karon Riley and ED Hartwell, will be performed at the Ferst Center for the arts on the campus of Georgia Tech July 27th – 31st.

‘Stripped’ peels away the layers of the life of the lead character Jayden Dorsey a professional football player, revealing the true charge and sacrifice of being a high profile athlete. Along with Jayden, the lives of four other ball players are scrutinized, quickly offering a true fly on the wall perspective of the price that is paid by these men and their mates. What must you give up in order to have the fame and fortune that comes along with the limelight? And who stands beside you when the flame is fleeting and the fortune has dried up? ‘Stripped’ is riddled with intense dramatic scenes, tested faith, unyielding perseverance and comedic overtures that will lighten the heavy moments and have you falling out of your seats. This uniquely crafted storyline will capture the attention of all audiences, taking them on a ride they won’t soon forget! ‘Stripped’ is not your average stage play; it’s an experience.

Dorsey Levens is excited about the upcoming performance and says, ‘Stripped’ is about a newly retired pro football player who is currently facing the many issues former players face upon retiring from the game. Levens adds, “I want to use this platform as a way to educate younger players about the many pitfalls we face as well as entertain them in the process. Our brand of ‘edutainment’ will tackle finances, relationships, infidelity, groupies, alcohol, drugs and STD’s.” Considering the fact that many former players struggle with some of the topics discussed in the play, Levens believes it would be a great way to show how to avoid mistakes made in the past so younger players entering the game and active players in the game won’t follow the same course.

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Ernie Barnes Artist in Residence Program

Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center in Silver Spring, Maryland is the home of the ‘Ernie Barnes Artist in Residence Program.’ Inspired by the late Ernie Barnes, one of the leading African-American painters of his generation and former professional football player, the goal of this program is to provide current and/or former players a unique professional artistic opportunity.

Artist Ernie Barnes played football from 1959 to 1965. Shortly after his final football game, Mr. Barnes attended the 1965 NFL owners meeting in Houston, hoping to become the league’s official artist. He met New York Jets owner Sonny Werblin, who was intrigued by Barnes and his art. In what was undoubtedly the most unusual assignment in the history of the NFL, Werblin retained Barnes as a salaried player, but positioned him in front of the canvas, rather than on the football field. Werblin told Barnes “You have more value to the country as an artist than as a football player.” The goal of the Ernie Barnes Artist in Residence Program is to do for a whole new generation of players what Mr. Werblin did for Mr. Barnes.

Many players have not had access to professional training in the visual arts, and this residency opportunity is designed to grow and develop their artistic abilities. The players qualified for the program by participating in the NFLPA’s annual Smocks & Jocks art exhibition at the Super Bowl. The review panel consisted of the Pyramid Atlantic’s Artistic Director, Pyramid Atlantic’s Executive Director, Luz Rodriguez from The Company of Art, LLC, and Ms. Bernie Barnes, Mr. Barnes’s widow. The primary criteria used for selection was based on artistic excellence and the impact of the residency on the player. Former Washington Redskin Markus Koch, Detroit Lion Matthew Rice and former Washington Redskin and New York Jet George Nock were honored with the opportunity.

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Tim Dwight’s First Triathlon

They called him “White Lightning.” At 5 feet 8 inches tall, former NFL star Tim Dwight was one of the smaller guys in the league, but possessed something other players couldn’t size up to: speed.

While at the University of Iowa, Dwight earned three Big Ten championship titles in 1999 in the 100-meter dash, which he ran in 10.3 seconds, and in the 4×400 and 4×100-meter relays. He also broke Big Ten records in punt return yardage and punts returned for touchdowns. That speed prompted the Atlanta Falcons, who dubbed him “The Kamikaze Kid,” to draft him in 1998.

Now the 35-year-old is transferring that electricity off the field and into endurance events.

Click to view the article.

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MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

GotProHealth NFLPA Member Discount Program

GotProHealth has launched a new member discount program as part of the NFL Players Association’s (NFLPA) member discount programs. GotProHealth will help educate players and their families on the use of complementary and natural medicine. GotProHealth is also developing a national network of qualified and licensed professionals in the field of complementary medicine so that players will have access to experienced practitioners around the country. “This endeavor has tremendous potential to change the way professional athletes and their families think about getting and staying healthy,” says Amy Lewis, CEO, and licensed acupuncturist.

Complementary medicine includes modalities such as acupuncture, massage therapy and body work, herbal medicine, energy work, chiropractic, and naturopathic medicine. Ken Jenkins, President, and a former NFL running back, knows firsthand how important complementary medicine can be on and off the field. “I suffered many injuries during my career. I used acupuncture, massage therapy, and chiropractic regularly during my career and it helped me recover. Even now – off the field – I continue treatments to maintain my overall health.” Jenkins adds, “Our job is to provide legitimate and accurate information about complementary medicine and to make qualified professionals easily accessible.”

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HEALTH

Manly Myths Quiz: The Truth About Men’s Health

Here’s a fun quiz to see just how educated you are about men’s health. There are some pretty revealing questions and I dare not elaborate. Are you educated on the myths, or the facts? Check it out…

Click to take the quiz.

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Men’s Super Foods

Guys, there so many diets out there. We’ll have to have a PhD in dietology to make sense of it all. One diet suggests that you eat zero carbohydrates, another diet suggests that you eat just vegetables, another diet has you weighing and counting food and calories. The fact is that a diet is only as good as the will you have inside of you to stick with it and the tools you have been given to help you achieve your goals. Many of you know that, during my time on the Board of Directors, I helped to create a more inclusive health screening in Scottsdale at the Mayo Clinic. One of the key components to the daylong physical was finding out how many calories my body burned at rest. Once I found out my set point it was much easier for me to control my caloric intake and to shed the extra pounds from 315/290 pound playing weight to the 255 pounds that I am today. The benefits of losing weight are immeasurable. It’s enabled me to keep my body moving, continue to fight off a third back surgery, stay away from diabetes, heart disease or high blood pressure and most importantly for me to have a better quality of life with my wife and children. Like the rest of you my body is still wracked, and I still live off Motrin and supplements, but I was able to take control of one of the most important aspects that affects everything else, excess weight gain. Of course using technological tools like the Lose It app on my iPhone/iPad And knowing what foods to eat has helped me on my journey. This is a journey that you all must take, if not for yourself, for your family and the ones that love you. Below is a link that will give you some great and healthy, powerful foods that can help you on your way to being a more healthy former player. Here’s to making this summer your healthiest.

Nolan Harrison III
Senior Director
NFLPA Former Players Services
@NFLPALegends / @NolanHarrison74

Click to view the slideshow.

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