It is a few weeks away from the start of another training camp marking
the beginning of another season in the National Football League.
Some would say it never ended. Although there are many questions
to be answered this season, I would like to address a question from
last season
"Where does all of
the fine money go?" Thanks to great reader response, and
some research, there is an answer.
According to the bylaws of the National Football League, all
fines collected throughout the season must be divided evenly between
organizations dedicated to the betterment of humanity. All are
not for profit organizations whose focus is helping people both
in and outside of professional football. No fine money goes to
the administration of the National Football League except for
the accounting/distribution process. The four organizations are,
The Brian Piccolo Cancer Fund, The Vincent T. Lombardi Cancer
Research Center, The ALS Neuromuscular Research Foundation and
the NFLPA Player Assistance Trust. All are dedicated to making
the lives of others more productive through research, financial
support and plain caring.
Brian Piccolo played for the Chicago Bears, but was never drafted
by the club. Despite leading the nation in rushing, scoring and
being ACC Player of the Year at Wake Forest, he signed as a free
agent in 1965. It happened to be the same year another back, Gale
Sayers, was drafted number one by the Bears out of the University
of Kansas. Despite the competition and their differences they
became brothers. They were the first interracial members of the
organization to room together. Their story is told in the movie,
Brian's Song. In 1970 Brian Piccolo died
of Embrynol Cell Carcinoma at the age of 26. He left behind a
wife, three daughters and a lot of friends who got together to
create a dynamic organization dedicated to researching cancer
to find a cure.
Since it's founding in 1979, The Brian Piccolo Cancer fund has
invested in seeking a cure for cancer. Through the years they
have raised over six million dollars dedicated to the quest. One
indication of their success is ECC, the cancer taking Brian's
life, now has a 50% cure rate. They have funded research into
testicular cancer through the Memorial Sloan Kittering Center;
there is now a 95% cure rate. Since 1991 they have turned in the
direction of finding a cure for breast cancer through the Rush-Presbyterian
Foundation at St. Lukes Medical Center in Chicago. In addition
to cancer research the fund also helps to support the Clearbrook
Center for the Developmentally Disabled. Donations to the fund
can be made at www.brianpiccolo.org.
Anyone who has ever watched the National Football League is
probably aware of the legendary coach, Vincent T. Lombardi. He
came to a hapless Packers team molding them into a dynasty during
the 60's. His teams changed the name from Green Bay to, "Title
Town," with wins in NFL Championships plus the first two
Super Bowls. What many fans may not know is he ended his career
coaching the Washington Redskins. He was also a victim of cancer.
Perhaps for this reason the Vincent T. Lombardi Cancer Research
Center is located in the city at Georgetown University. Since
1970 the Center has had one goal, "To provide the most advanced
treatments available to Lombardi patients." The Lombardi
Center is one of only forty broad based cancer centers in the
United States. They are involved with research, treatment, care,
genetics, clinical trials, support, education and application
of the latest cancer fighting techniques. Working in association
with Howard University since 1974, they are the only full facility
cancer center in the region.
Out of the four organizations, The Vincent T. Lombardi Cancer
Research Center is the most high profile. They provide free testing
for prostrate cancer. They also support education for breast,
colon and prostrate cancer. The president of the United States
personally appoints their board of directors. The guest list for
their $350-500 a plate galas read like, "Whose Who,"
of Washington society. The events are annually on the "A"
list for the nation's capital. Though the organization is very
public, they do accept private donations at http://lombardi.georgetown.edu.
The search for a cure to Amotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is being
conducted by some of the finest institutions in the country. The
work is being carried on at Northwestern, John Hopkins, UCLA,
UCS, Drexel and Harvard Universities. This is just a short list.
There are also private organizations like the Les Turner Foundation
in Chicago who fund research into this life ending disease.
ALS is probably better known as, "Lou Gehrig's Disease
after the legendary Yankee. Since the death of the, "Iron
Horse," research to find a cure has accelerated. ALS usually
attacks people in their 40's. The disease attacks neuron cells
from voluntary muscles to the point where they cease functioning.
Eventually they die. The disease is progressive beginning with
weakness, then leading to atrophy and death. ALS is also known
as Motor Neuron Disease (MND) and Charcot's Disease. At any given
moment more than 30 thousand people in the United States suffer
from this affliction.
The National Football League Players Association, other wise
known as the "Player's Union," has a trust fund set
up for former players and college bound individuals. Aside from
player fines, they obtain their funds from Chapter Events, Individual
Events, A Speakers Bureau, member donations and an annual grant.
They don't ask for, nor apparently receive, any outside donations.
So far they have given $1,250,328 to over 300 applicants plus
scholarship recipients. The Players Assistance Trust provides
two scholarships, one male, one female, for college bound students
in each of their charter cities. Though they were contacted for
this article, there was no response.
Though it has been difficult to have any of these organizations
respond; I would like to think one comment sums up the commitment
for all of them. I am not certain if UCLA receives any funding
from the National Football League, neither is Dr. Edward Anthony
Oppenheimer. Dr. Oppenheimer spearheads the ALS research and care
program at the university. In response to funding sources his
response was, "Sorry. I have no information
on this. My role has been entirely focused on clinical care of
people with ALS." The money does matter, the people do.
When I first had the idea for the article I figured perhaps I
had missed something. Perhaps the rest of the world knew what
happened to the fine money and I was just out there in the cold.
Not so. The response to this article was the biggest of any article
I have written. It was quickly apparent people did not know where
the money went, they too were curious. The question remaining
is, with all of this great work going on to save people's lives
or help them with an education, why is none of it publicized by
the NFL? More publicity might promote more funding and interest
to these pivotal causes.
The only article I found on the subject of fine money distribution
came from the Associated Press in November of 1996. Following
a Monday Night game between the Cowboys and the Packers, $64,000
in fines were collected from seven players from each team for
an after game brawl. The fight broke out after a record tying
seventh field goal by Chris Bonoil of the Cowboys. The score was
already 18-0. With only 20 seconds left in the game Troy Aikman
took a knee stopping the clock with Dallas on the Packer 20-yard
line, the kick was successful, the Packers took offense. Apparently
the Packers felt the Cowboys were running up the score and embarrassing
them on a nationally televised game. The league issued a statement
through Gene Washington, Director of Football Development. "The
league's policy on fighting is very simple. Don't fight and if
a fight breaks out involving other players, stay away." In
the article all four of the funding targets were mentioned as
equal recipients of NFL fine money. The league never mentioned
the destination of funds.
The league does not deny they give money in support of worthy
causes but, outside of The United Way, they don't advertise it.
With all of the P.R. the NFL gives regarding community involvement,
drug prevention and education, advertising the saving of lives
should be right up their alley.
The league works diligently on their image. The players are
scrutinized from their headbands to their footwear. Every possible
attempt is made to create a clean image. If the league is so concerned
over a clean image, why not come clean about contributing to the
cure of some of the most debilitating diseases known to the human
race? The answer to this question, along with others, resides
in the hallways of the Park Avenue offices of the National Football
League. Information is power; perhaps sitting on this information
is why in 2002 Commissioner Paul Tagliabue was voted the most
powerful executive in America by one publication. He was also
voted recipient of the Brandies Award presented by the American
Jewish Congress for excellence in law and the public good. Given
the atmosphere regarding corporate executives of late, I hope
he is worthy of the trust. If actions speak louder than words,
he is.
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