Kaspers Korner

Many former National Football League players that retired before 1993 are struggling to make end meet.

Unfortunately, I know exactly how what they are going through.

Back in eighth grade I suffered a back injury to my back that result in several bulging disks.

For many years doctors for whatever reason over looked them even though I kept complaining about it and as a result of this I have developed arthritis.

It has gotten so bad that I have to take hydrocodone to deal with the pain and are unable to work a job that involves long periods of standing.

Many retired players are going through the same thing as their injuries from playing have deteriorated to the point they cannot even work anymore.

Its not like they don’t want to work its more of the fact they just can’t.

I myself had a job until recently as my employer forced me to quit as the manager took me off my route and wanted me to make two round trips to their base in Gowanda, NY on three days that I was available.

The reason I was available only three days is due to school.

Now, I am without a job and most likely will not be able to find one considering my disability.

On top of that I also suffer from depression from numerous minor concussions.

Even with medication for that there are still days that thoughts of killing myself creep into my head as it is just so depressing when you sit there on the floor trying to play with your kids and enjoy them being just so innocent and full of life, but you can’t due to the amount of pain,

I know there are people out there that don’t understand and whatever you say they call you a retard or a moron, but to those who do care the people that we need to rally around are the retired players that gave up their body to play the game they love and built the National Football League into what it is today.

Former WGR 550 host The Coach Chuck Dickerson showed the power and influence Buffalo has when we came together and convinced Jim Rome to make a Tour Stop here in Buffalo, which of course turned out to be one of the best of all time.

So I ask you of to take five minutes and make your voice heard to National Football League Player Association executive director Demaurice Smith by emailing him at nflpaexecutivedept@nflplayers.com

In the end, after the stunt that they tried pulling last Sunday the retired players need our help more than ever.

Good night and good luck.

According to WWL-TV , via ProFootballTalk.com, 1,200 New Orleans Saints fans will lose their season tickets.

Simply, some Saints fans are getting screwed for the almighty dollar.

According to the report, the Saints are removing three sections of seating to build a new press box.

Wait it gets better.

The reason that they are building a new press box is so that they can turn the old one into luxury suites.

In essence what they are saying is sorry fans your money isn’t good enough.

I don’t blame the owners for this I blame the players and their ever constant growing greed.

In the end, if the National Football League Players Association doesn’t realize that the positions they are taking are pissing people off they will only dig themselves a deeper hole.

According to Pat Yasinskas of ESPN, via ProFootballTalk.com, Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams thinks that 30 is like the new 50 in the National Football League.

The fact of the matter is that is a load of crap and Williams is a fool for believing it.

In the National Football League players start to deteriorate upon reaching 30 years old.

The reason being that testosterone levels in the average male peak in the early 20’s, and then start to drop off.

Testosterone is responsible for muscle building and with all the weight training, practice and games that an average player goes through a 30 year old’s body just cannot keep up with all of it, which is why you see a lot of players that are 30 years or older suffer muscle based injuries.

In the end, it won’t matter how many less carries that Williams takes once he hits 30 years old his days will be numbered.

According to Dan Urban of the Arizona Cardinal’s website, via ProFootballTalk.com the Cardinals have signed linebacker Joey Porter to a three year deal.

However, they still need to address the loss of linebacker Carlos Dansby.

Dansby left as a free agent and signed with the Miami Dolphins when free agency opened March 5th.

The signing does replace the leadership void, but that is about it as Dansby is a middle linebacker and Porter is outside.

Porter will replace linebacker Chike Okeafor who is a unrestricted free agent that is expected to not return.

Even though Cardinals players and media outlets are touting the fact that their pass rush has potentially gotten better the fact is that if the Cardinals don’t address middle linebacker that will mean nothing as offense will devise game plans to take advantage of this weak spot.

In the end, middle linebacker will most likely be one of their picks at the top of April’s National Football League Draft.

New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees issued a statement asking fans to join the players in their fight against National Football League owners after it was announced by the National Football League Players Association that two retired players will be added to the Executive Committee.

When it was first reported by ProFootballTalk.com that these two retired players cannot vote I knew that it was only a matter of time before Buffalo Bills Hall of Fame guard Joe DeLamielleure fired back, which he did Thursday on the Fourth and Goal Foundation’s website.

Joe D’s letter is spot on and raises some great points.

First, the real issue for retired players is reforming disability plans and increasing pension plans and not current players issue with health care.

The pension plan for players that retired before 1993 is just garbage as some of the players from the old American Football League or only getting a couple hundred a month.

Also, getting disability in the NFL is almost impossible as you basically have to suffer an injury like former Bills tight end Kevin Everett to get it.

Secondly, the fact that Brees’s agent Tom Condon is on the NFLPA’s appointments to the board that reviews disability claims.

That is just mind boggling that an agent who has no back ground in the medical profession can sit there and determine if a person is disabled.

Thirdly, current players get $25 thousand annually to help pay for insurance premiums, co-pays, and other medical related expense.

Finally, players also get a annuity account, second career savings, a severance check, and a pension plan, while retired players that played before 1993 only get a pension plan.

The letter is a fantastic read and people should take time out to read it.

In the end, what the retired players are asking for is just to be able to make ends meet, and everyone is entitled to that.

With the Buffalo Bills signing linebacker Andra Davis and defensive lineman Dwan Edwards their needs are now set

Everyone knows the Bills top three needs, so the question is now in what rounds will they be in?

It is no secret that the Bills are looking to draft a quarterback, nose tackle, and a offensive tackle.

The key quote came from Bills vice president of college scouting Tom Modrak via the Bills website when asked about nose tackles in regards to an article titled Bills Focus: Filling Out the 3-4.

“Everybody goes for them first. That thins it out quick you know and that has been a tradition around this league. You get big people as soon as you can. Your right it is a good year for them.

That means quote, along with the signing of offensive tackle Cornell Green to start at right tackle, means the Bills will take a nose tackle with the ninth overall pick.

In the second round the pick will come down to how the board shakes out, which means the position that is not addressed in the second round will be in the third.

In the end, as much as Bills fans want a quarterback the smart moves are to take either a nose tackle or offensive tackle in the first two rounds.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter San Francisco 49ers general manager Scot McCloughan has been put on temporary leave.

For the 49ers to get rid of their general manager, with a little over a month until the National Football League’s Draft, is one of the worst things to do.

According to reports, the reason for the split is due to personal reasons.

It wouldn’t surprise me that the reasons for the pissing match will be over something stupid.

For this to be happening in the middle of March shows how bad ownership of the team is.

I have read articles before on San Francisco based media outlet’s websites that 49er fans were already upset with ownership before this incident.

I bet the calls for the York family to sell the 49ers are already rolling into sports talk radio stations.

In the end, 49ers ownership should have really kept their mouth shut until after the Draft when front office overhauls are suppose to be done.

Many media outlets have been pointing out the fact that the Denver Broncos and Seattle Seahawks never extended a contract to defensive end Dwan Edwards due to failed physicals.

However, Buffalo Bills fans shouldn’t worry about Edwards’ neck.

Edwards had his c3 and c4 vertebrate fused in 2008 after a preseason injury to his neck, which caused him to miss the entire season.

In 2009 Edwards played the entire season, which included starting from week six on due to injury.

The one athlete that comes to mind that had spinal fusion in their neck and went on to have a successful career after is former Detroit Redwings center Steve Yzerman who had it done in 1994.

According to the Buffalo News, the Bills signed Edwards after Dr. Andrew Cappuccino examined him.

In the end, with the job that Dr. Cappuccino did with Kevin Everett I will trust the Bills on this one.

When Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner retired many thought that the job would be given to back up quarterback Matt Leinart.

According to the Cardinals own website, head coach Ken Wisenhunt confirmed to the media Wednesday.

Wisenhunt met with the media Wednesday after the Cardinals signed quarterback Derek Anderson to a two year $7.25 million contract.

In the conference call Wisenhunt stated that Leinart is the starting quarterback.

However, the most telling quote came from Anderson.

According to the report Anderson stated, “It was (told) to me I was going to be the number two and come in and compete.”

That means even though Leinart is the starter if Anderson is the better quarterback Wisenhunt will not hesitate to make the change.

In the end, it is now or never for Leinart.

When going through college teachers let it be known to prospective journalists that there are people out there that no matter what you do there will be someone who will bash everything you do.

Here is one good prime example of it from Steve Weber in regards to my acceptance into the

“There is a ZERO percent chance that this is true. There is no earthly way that any organization would actually approve you to be a member – ESPECIALLY when it concerns writing. I would wager a large sum of money that they made a mistake & will be correcting it VERY shortly. And when they do, you must print an immediate retraction and apologize. Also, just to show the absurdity of this, you state that this “membership” (which isn’t true) will improve the overall quality of the website, BUT you didn’t bother to even proofread the very post where you claim quality is going up?! “Current Buffalo New Buffalo Bills beat reporter Mark Gaughan is currently vice president.” – HAHAHAHA – I rest my case. My second grade teacher would have a field day with her red pen if I wrote this on a paper back then.

First, wow I forgot a s whoopie freaking doo.

Second, what you are saying is slander and libel as I do have proof of the transaction and a direct email from the president of the PFWA.

Thirdly, if you are the same Steve Weber from Warsaw Country Radio Station WCJW 1140 Am, hopefully you are not stupid enough to call me a liar on air as it would result in your radio station getting sued.

Actually, I do hope you go ahead, because the lawsuit would probably show up on the local news and give me a ton of free exposure.

In the end, next time readers you want to email a journalist to blast them over an article just save it as we usually just laugh at them and then look at it like your an idiot.