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>> AND NOW, REPORTING FOR
LINES," BOB LEY.
>> YOU MIGHT NOT BELIEVE SOME OF
TO HEAR TODAYOUT
ABOUT THE WORKERS' COMPENSATION
BENEFIT THAT'S BEEN AVAILABLE TO
A PRO ATHLETEH AS
WHO EVER WORKED A DAY IN THE
STATE OF CALIFORNIA.
EQUIVALENT OFTHE
A RETIRED ATHLETE FINDING A
WINNING LOTTERY TICKET EXCEPT
IT'SRS WILL TELL YOU
DEADLY SERIOUS, IT INVOLVES
THEIR HEALTH AND THEY NEED ALL
THEY CAN GET WHEN
THEY'VE PLAYED PROFESSIONAL
FOOTBALL AND LIVED WITH THE
YEARS.OF THAT FOR
ALL OF THAT IS COMING TO A HEAD
FOR MANY IN SACRAMENTO,
CALIFORNIA.
WITHHUGE STATE COPING
SKYROCKETING TAXES AND MUNICIPAL
BANKRUPTCIES, THIS IS CAST AS
INH ATHLETES RACING TO CASH
ON A LUCRATIVE LOOPHOLE AND A
GENEROUS LAW.
THE PLAYERS COUNTER THAT NOT
ONLY DO THEY PAY INCOME TAX IN
CALIFORNIA, THE INSURANCE IN
QUESTION IS NOT FUNDED BY
BUT BY THE FOOTBALL
CLUBS.
STILL, CALIFORNIA'S LIBERAL
OF WORKERS' COMP
RIGHTS HAS LED TO SUCH CASES AS
SETTLEMENT TO TERRELLE DAVIS
OF THE DENVER BRONCOS AND NEARLY
QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS
MICHAEL IRVIN OF THE DALLAS
COWBOYS.
SOME PLAYERS ARE
DOUBLE DIPPING, COLLECTING FROM
TWO STATES, AND SOME WHO ARE 60
YEARS REMOVED FROM THE PLAYING
FIELD HAVE FILED CLAIMS.
THE UNION MAINTAINS PLAYERS HAVE
NO RECOURSE BECAUSE THE CLOCK
RUNS OUT IN MOST STATES TO FILE
WHILE FOOTBALL-RELATED
HEALTH COMPLAINTS LIE DORMANT
FOR YEARS.
THE CURRENT BILL WOULD RESTRICT
CLAIMS FOR CUMULATIVE TRAUMA
OUT-OF-STATE ATHLETES TO
THOSE EMPLOYED IN CALIFORNIA FOR
90 DAYS OUT OF THE LAST YEAR AND
WOULD BAR OTHER CLAIMS FROM
PLAYERS UNLESS THEIR FINAL
SEASON IS WITH A CALIFORNIA
TEAM.
UNLESS CEMENTED, THE BILL WOULD
ERASE PENDING CLAIMS, EVEN THOSE
NEITHER RESOLUTION.
THE CALIFORNIA STATE ASSEMBLY
THIS BILL RECENTLY
OVERWHELMINGLY, 61-4, AWAITING
CALIFORNIA STATE
SENATE.
A VOTE COULD TAKE PLACE ON THE
FLOOR THERE WITHIN A MONTH.
HEAR FROMT, YOU'LL
BOTH SIDES OF THIS ISSUE,
INCLUDING A PLAYER FROM TWO
BOWLS WHO SAYS HE'S BEEN
LEFT WITH HUGE UNINSURED MEDICAL
PLAYING CAREER.
FIRST, A CONFERRING WITH LESTER
MUNSON WHO SKETCHED SOME OF THE
STORY.S ON THE
YOU'VE BEEN REPORTING THE STORY,
THIS IS BIGGER THAN SPORTS, THIS
BILL ON THE TABLE IN CALIFORNIA.
BUTNVOLVES ALL INDUSTRIES
WORKERS' COMPENSATION IS A HUGE
MATTER FOR THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL
LEAGUE.
SO?SO AND HOW
>> WORKERS' COMPENSATION
PROVIDES THAT ANYBODY INJURED AT
THEIR MEDICAL AND
HOSPITAL BILLS PAID BY THE
EMPLOYER.
THEHIS CASE, THE OWNER OF
NFL TEAM.
WORKERS' COMPENSATION IS ONE OF
GREAT PUBLIC POLICY
BREAKTHROUGHS IN THE UNITED
STATES.
AND THERE WITH MEDICARE
SOCIAL SECURITY.
IT'S A SYSTEM THAT IS SUPPOSED
OF WORKERS WHO,
WHILE ON THE JOB AND DOING THEIR
JOB, ARE INJURED.
FOOTBALL PLAYERS HAVE ALWAYS HAD
DIFFICULTY COLLECTING ON WORKERS
COMPENSATION.
SOME STATES ARE VERY STINGY WITH
THE PLAYERS, SUCH AS INDIANA AND
TENNESSEE.
CALIFORNIA IS THE STATE OF
LIBERAL BENEFITS, AS YOU HAVE
DESCRIBED, BOB.
>> AND OF COURSE, AS FAR AS
CALIFORNIA'S CONCERNED WITH THE
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, IT IS
THIS LAW WHICH IS AN
ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE MATTER OF
OF PEOPLETHE NUMBER
INVOLVED BUT THERE ARE A NUMBER
OF FRONTS WHERE THIS CONTENDED
RIGHT NOW.
ARE, INDEED.
THE OWNERS OF THE TEAMS AND THE
LEAGUE ARE FIGHTING THE PLAYERS
ON THREE FRONTS.
THEM IN STATENG
COURT, THEY'RE FIGHTING THEM IN
FEDERAL COURT AND AS YOU
FIGHTING, THEY ARE
THEM IN THE LEGISLATURE.
THE OWNERS OF THE TEAMS ARE
TIRED OF PAYING WORKERS
COMPENSATION BENEFITS.
NEVER WANTED TO PAY
THESE BENEFITS EVEN THOUGH ALL
EMPLOYERS IN THE REMAINDER OF
THE U.S. ECONOMY MUST PAY THEM
AND NOW THIS IS AN ALL-OUT WAR
INT WE HAVE GOING ON
CALIFORNIA.
>> LESTER, STAND BY.
LET'S HEAR FROM BOTH SIDES ON
THIS ISSUE.
WHEN WE ASKED THE NATIONAL
FOOTBALL LEAGUE FOR A
REPRESENTATIVE ON TODAY'S PANEL,
INVITEGGESTED WE
ATTORNEY BOB CORKER.
WE'RE HAPPY BOB IS JOINING US
FROM CINCINNATI.
ESPN BUSINESS
REGGIE JOINS US AND
WILLIAMS, WITH BOTH HIS KNEES
WITH SEVERE AND CHRONIC PROBLEMS
AFTER HIS LAST NATIONAL
FOOTBALL LEAGUE GAME.
BOB CORKER, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF
LAW?
I KNOW YOU REPRESENT LEAGUES AND
ON WORKERS' COMP
ISSUES AND THE CHARACTERIZATION
BEEN A STRUGGLE IF
NOT DENIAL TO PAY RIGHTS AND PAY
BENEFITS.
NOT JUST A FOOTBALL
ISSUE, BOB.
THIS ISSUE HAS CAPTURED THE
ATTENTION OF THE NATIONAL
BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION, MAJOR
THE NATIONALLL,
HOCKEY LEAGUE AND OF COURSE THE
NFL, AS WELL.
FOCUS FROMILE THE
THE PLAYERS' SIDE HAS BEEN ON
THE FOOTBALL ISSUES, AS WE SIT
TODAY, THERE ARE MORE
CLAIMS BEING FILED TODAY BY
BASEBALL PLAYERS THAN THE
FOOTBALL PLAYERS THEMSELVES.
SO IT'S INDEED BEEN A GOLD RUSH
CALIFORNIA -- EXCUSE ME -- TO
FILE FOR WORKERS' COMP BENEFITS
HAPPENINGLY ISN'T
ANYWHERE ELSE IN THE COUNTRY.
RUSH?GIE, IS THIS A GOLD
>> NO.
I THINK IT'S MORE LIKE A SCAR
RUSH.
REASON THAT I AM BEFORE
YOU IS BECAUSE OF THE CUMULATIVE
SUFFERED FROMVE
PLAYING 14 YEARS FAITHFULLY FOR
ONE EMPLOYER, THE CINCINNATI
BENGALS.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT HOLDING
CALIFORNIA TAXPAYERS ACCOUNTABLE
THE INJURIES OF PLAYERS
THROUGHOUT THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL
LEAGUE OR OTHER LEAGUES.
IT'S ABOUT HOLDING YOUR PREVIOUS
EMPLOYER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE
INCURRED PLAYING TO
WIN A SUPER BOWL FOR THEM.
IS ABOUTASE, ALL IT IS
THE CINCINNATI BENGALS
APPROPRIATELY BEING RESPONSIBLE
LONG-TERMRE OF THE
CUMULATIVE DAMAGE THAT I
SUFFERED PLAYING ON THE HARDEST
ASTROTURF, RIVERFRONT STADIUM,
FOR 14 YEAR.
THE VERY PREMISE --
THERE IS AN APPEARANCE ISSUE
HERE AT THE VERY LEAST, THE WAY
IT'S BEING PRESENTED, BY
PROPONENTS OF THIS BILL.
AGAIN, THIS BILL WANTS TO, IN
LOOPHOLEDS, CLOSE THE
AND THAT UNTIL RECENTLY, THIS
MIGHT ACTUALLY ALSO BE IN
SIMPLY PAY OR PLAY
ONE GAME IN THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA OR EXHIBIT THAT SOME
OF YOUR CUMULATIVE TRAUMA
HAPPENED THERE EVEN IN A MINUTE
YOU TO GO INTO
CALIFORNIA AND FILE A CLAIM.
YOU WILL ADMIT THAT ON ITS
PEOPLE'S JAWS WILL
HIT THE FLOOR WHEN THEY REALIZE
THAT.
THE FOCUS OFT
PLAYERS WHO ARE HURT NOW.
THE 1970'S PLAYED IN
AND 1980'S WHEN THE GAME WAS
THE LESS REGULATED, WHERE
RULES CONTRIBUTED TO INJURIES,
HIGH AND HITTING LOW WAS
HORSE CLIPPING WAS LEGAL,
COLLAR TACKLES WERE LEGAL,
WAS LEGAL, PLAYING
ON HORRIBLE FEELS WITH LESS THAN
ADEQUATE EQUIPMENT SO YOU HAVE
IN CONTEXT OF POOR
PLAYER SALARIES DURING THE
1980'S COMPARED TO
THE SALARIES NOW.
GETTING BACK TO THE ABUSES, THIS
IS ABOUT THE WHOLE SYSTEM OF
HOLDING TEAMS ACCOUNTABLE.
THIS IS ABOUT TRYING TO PRESERVE
BEFOREM OF JUSTICE GOING
A JUDGE WHO CAN MAKE THAT
DETERMINATIO BN,OB.
ELIMINATE THE PLAYERS WHO
LIVED THE AMERICAN DREAM AND
THABLED IF YOU GIVE OF YOURSELF
100% TO AN EMPLOYER AND YOU
DAMAGE, THATRABLE
THAT EMPLOYER WILL STAND BY YOU
THROUGH THE LOYAL TEST OF TIME
THEM.IKE YOU DID FOR
>> BOB CORKER, TELL US WHY
REGGIE WILLIAMS WOULD BE GETTING
IF THIS LAW IS PASSED.
FIRST LET ME SAY, YOU
KNOW I'M HERE IN CINCINNATI, AND
EVERYBODY IN CINCINNATI HAS
GREAT RESPECT FOR REGGIE
WILLIAMS AND GREAT SYMPATHY FOR
THE PHYSICAL CONDITION HE FINDS
HIMSELF IN TODAY.
EVEN UNDER EXISTING LAW,
REGGIE WILLIAM IS GOING TO HAVE
DIFFICULT TIME,
IRRESPECTIVE OF ASSEMBLY BILL
WORKERILING A SUCCESSFUL
COMP CLAMP IN CALIFORNIA FOR
DISCUSS.E CAN
FIRST, WHAT YOU'VE EMPHASIZED,
BOB, THE FACT THAT HE ONLY
OF GAMES INDFUL
CALIFORNIA AND OTHERWISE --
HAD0 GAMES -- AND OTHERWISE
NO CONNECTION TO THE STATE
WHATEVER.
>> I PLAYED 20 GAMES AND I HAD
MY FIRST OPERATION IN CENTINALA
HOSPITAL IN LOS ANGELES.
ALSO, WHEN I WAS WORKING FOR THE
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE FOR YOU
THE IDEA BEHIND NFL
EDUCATION, AFTER SUPER
BOWL XXVII IN PASADENA IN
RESPONSE TO THE RODNEY KING
RIOTS.
I CAN GO ON ABOUT MY INVOLVEMENT
IN CALIFORNIA ON BEHALF OF THE
PLAYERATI BENGALS AS A
IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE,
AS A PERSON THAT CARED ABOUT
KIDS, YOUTH.
>> LET ME BRING ANDREW BRANDT
IN.
TALKED ABOUT, YES, THERE'S
SUBSTANCE HERE, THERE'S EMOTION,
LOBBYINGNCREDIBLE
GOING ON IN SACRAMENTO AND EACH
SIDE FOR AND AGAINST THE
SO-CALLED OF THE
LOOPHOLE WILL EMPHASIZE THE
OUTLIER CASES.
ME YOUR IMPRESSION AS A MAN
THE ROOM WHEN PLAYERS
WERE CUT.
>> WE HAVE A SITUATION LIKE WITH
REGGIE WILLIAMS AND WHAT'S
HAPPENED TO HIM AND YOU MENTION
SAW A LOT OFD I
THE ABUSES.
I WOULD ROLL MY EYES SOMETIMES,
BOB, AS AN EXECUTIVE OF THE
PACKERS, WHERE I WOULD GET ON MY
DESK A CLAIM IN CALIFORNIA FROM
MAY HAVE PLAYED A
PRESEASON GAME THERE OR MAYBE HE
HAS AN AGENT WHO LIVES OUT THERE
HE TRAVELED THERE WITH
OUR TEAM EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN'T
PLAY DURING THE GAME.
AND THESERATES YOU
ARE THE TYPE OF ABUSES THEY'RE
TRYING TO FIX WITH THIS.
THE QUESTION IS, DOES IT GO TOO
FAR.
REGGIE'S ISSUE AND A LOT OF
PLAYERS' ISSUES ARE THESE LATENT
UP LATER,HAT COME
THAT COME UP WAY PAST THE
STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.
CLOSERNIA'S TRYING TO
THOSE AND I THINK WE HAVE GOOD
MINDS OUT THERE BETWEEN THE
BETWEEN THE PEOPLE
WITH THE BILL AS HOW DO WE FIX
THIS SO WE DON'T BUCKSHOT ALL
REGGIE THATS LIKE
HAVE LEGITIMATE CLAIMS AND FIX
THE ABUSES THAT I SEE SO OFTEN
PLAYERS JUST TRYING TO GET
THEIR LAST LICK OF INCOME FROM
NFL ORMITED TIME IN THE
IN CALIFORNIA.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO FIX
HERE.
IS WELLTHE BILL
INTENTIONED BUT THE QUESTION IS,
DOES IT GO TOO FAR.
LESTER, PLEASE.
>> I'M NOT SO SURE THE BILL IS
WELL INTENTIONED.
I'VE DONE,RTING THAT
FOR EVERY CASE OF ABUSE, FOR
FOR APLAYER WHO WAS THERE
PRESEASON GAME, THERE ARE 30 OR
40 PLAYERS WHO HAVE LEGITIMATE
INJURIES THAT OCCURRED WHILE
THEY WERE WORKING FOR THEIR
TEAMS IN THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL
LEAGUE.
TAKE THE CASE, FOR EXAMPLE, OF
JUNIOR SEAU.
MOST OF HIS PLAYED
CAREER IN SAN DIEGO.
HIS BENEFITS WOULD BE KILLED,
COMPLETELY ELIMINATED, IF THIS
BILL GOES THROUGH AS IT IS
WRITTEN.
I REALLY DON'T SEE HOW THAT IS A
WELL INTENTIONED BILL.
INTERJECT TO WHAT
LESTER SAID ABOUT JUNIOR SEAU.
CORKER.EAD, BOB
>> WE WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE
ASSEMBLY IN THE DRAFTING OF THIS
BILL.
BY WORD, MR. MUNSON SIMPLY
MARK, BECAUSE JUNIOR
PLAYED FOR A SAN DIEGO TEAM, ALL
THE STATE OF
CALIFORNIA, THIS BILL WILL NOT
HIS BENEFITS ONE IOTA.
>> THAT IS NOT TRUE.
I'VE READ THE BILL.
THE BILL. LANGUAGE OF
HE HAS A A CUMULATIVE
TRAUMA CASE AND
IT'S GOING TO END IF THE BILL
GOES THROUGH.
>> LET ME ASK YOU THIS, THE
NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE OUGHT
BE VERY SURE WE ARE VERY
AWARE OF THE BENEFITS THEY APPLY
AND GRANT TO RETIRED AND INJURED
PLAYERS AND BETWEEN THE ARRAY OF
BENEFITS FROM THE RETIREMENT
FROM THEM DISABILITY,
88 PLAN FOR NEURO AND COGNITIVE
PROBLEMS, LIFE IMPROVEMENT,
MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT, LONG-TERM
INSURANCE, THE NUMBERS THEY
PRESENT AS BEING PART OF THEIR
HUGE.TS ARE
IMPLICIT IN THAT IS, WE DO A
LOT, HOW MUCH AND WHERE DOES THE
END, IFESPONSIBILITY
EVER.
WHAT'S YOUR ANSWER TO IN THAT?
IT'S CLOSE TO A $10 BILLION
SUCCESS ANDT
POPULARITY IS PREDICATED ON FANS
AGES EMBRACING THIS
GAME FROM VERY YOUNG FOR THE
AND SO I'MIR LIVES
NOT SURE IF YOU CAN PUT A TIME
LIMIT WHEN THE HEROES WHO PLAYED
FANSAME FOR THEIR
COLLECTIVELY IN PURSUIT OF A
CHAMPIONSHIP AND THE INJURIES
THAT I HAVE, WHILE SIGNIFICANT
THERE ARE SO MANY
PLAYERS WHO ARE WORSE OFF THAN
ME THAT DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO
AN EXECUTIVE FOR WALT DISNEY
WORLD FOR 14 YEARS AND DIDN'T
AN IVY LEAGUE EDUCATION,
WERE NOT COUNSELED BY THEIR
TEAMS OR AGENT ABOUT LONG-TERM
FINANCIALRE AND
RESPONSIBILITY SO I THINK THIS
IS A SHARED EFFORT.
WE HAVE TO GET THE NFL, THE
CINCINNATI BENGALS, EACH TEAM,
THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
ALSO HAS ASOCIATION
RESPONSIBILITY IN THE COLLECTIVE
BARGAINING AGREEMENT BECAUSE AT
DAY, AMERICAE
DOESN'T WANT ITS HEROS IN ITS
MOST POPULAR PART LIMPING AROUND
AND FRUSTRATED AT THE END OF
LIVES.
THIS IS A GREAT GAME AND I'M