Former Bruin Fighting On Behalf Of Disabled NFL Players

While TrOJie alums are being exposed as (alleged) murderers, punk Dads, cheaters, Bruin alums are taking leadership on a number of front fighting for their colleagues and doing what they can to make the communities they live in better places.

Brent Boyd is one of those Bruins who is fighting on behalf of NFL veterans. His recent effort is producing results:

"It's hard to say this without sounding like a jerk, but it's a slap in the face to retirees when there's $80 million for Pop Warner football, but not enough for people in dire need," said Brent Boyd, who was a guard for the Minnesota Vikings between 1980 and 1986 and ties his inability to hold down a job to having suffered so many concussions during his playing days.

Boyd received $5,000 from a charitable trust operated by the NFL Players Assn. several years ago when he was homeless and has said he is grateful. But the 50-year-old former UCLA star said the cash-rich sport must do more.

"Charity begins at home, right? But I guess the camera opportunities are not good for the league when they're having to deal with homeless, crippled ex-players."

That football's charitable giving practices are under attack is just another measure of the growing anger among retired gridiron stars, including Hall of Famers Herb Adderley, Mike Ditka and Sam Huff.

The meeting follows months of pitched rhetoric.

The meeting that article is referring to is a meeting is a closed door one with a number of former players and representatives from the league and NFL-related charities, which will include NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Here is the key issue: But it was in that hearing on Capitol Hill that Rep. Linda T. Sanchez (D-Lakewood) zeroed in on the heart of the matter, asking why only 3% of past and present NFL players receive disability payments even though "half of all players retire because of injury [and] 60% of players suffer a concussion." Sure hope NFL finds a way to resolve this matter.

Good to see a Bruin taking up a good cause and fighting the good fight. Again quiet a contrast from the news we read re. the degenerates from cross-town.

Go Bruins!!!