Scott Fujita's wife, Jaclyn Fujita, pleads the case for health care for NFL players.
View full sizeScott Fujita has been a spiritual and vocal leader of the New Orleans Saints and the Browns, as well as the NFL players during the current labor situation. His wife, Jaclyn, made a calm but impassioned plea for health care for players in a piece for The Nation.
When linebacker Scott Fujita went down with a knee injury last season, he was leading the Browns in tackles. His loss probably cost Cleveland at least two games. He called the defensive plays, MADE the defensive plays. Since then, he's been on the forefront of the current labor situation, generally is thought to be a smart, head's-up player. A good teammate and a good team player.
Who knew his wife, Jaclyn, is the true brains in the family?
Actually, we're pretty sure Fujita himself would make that same joke. But there is no denying one thing: that like attracts like. Fujita's on- and off-field intelligence have manifested themselves in many ways. But possibly the smartest thing he ever did was marry Jaclyn.
Now we don't know Jaclyn Fujita from Adam (or Eve, which seems more appropriate). We're not best buddies, don't share recipes or swap wallpaper swatches. But we really -- and we mean REALLY -- like her blog about what it's like to be an NFL wife. And specifically, an NFL wife whose husband is a key player in an ongoing labor dispute.
In the blog, originally written just for "cathartic" purposes and eventually published in thenation.com, Jaclyn Fujita delivers an articulate plea for owners not to make nice, but to accept their responsibility in providing health care for the men who've turned many of those owners from millionaires to billionaires.
The best part is that she does so unapologetically. This is our lot, she says. We chose this, she writes. We knew that the business of football means that you can lead a team to the promised land -- i.e. the Super Bowl -- and be released just weeks later, and the Fujitas discovered right after the Saints improbably won the Lombardi Trophy.
It's a fascinating plea from a woman who seems to be just as fascinating. Doesn't matter who you think is right in the labor situation; this is worth a read just because of the backstory information you'll get.But the day will come when they decide to walk away from the sport they played for the last twenty years of their lives. The sport which taught them to play through pain, to never complain, to never stop, to yell, to scream, to hit, to fight, to destroy the man in front of them, to work until they puke, to lay their body on the line every Sunday and just hope that they walk off that field and aren’t carried. That day will come when they leave this game—the game that used them and abused them, yet the game they loved so passionately.
Each man will walk away thinking that if his knees are to give out, hopefully it happens in the next five years before his health coverage expires. And if he has to cover himself with money from his own pocket, he will hope it doesn’t break him. Insurance companies aren’t looking to cover the ten-year veteran pro football player with the pounding migraines and ALS or severe depression that could be lurking just around the corner. His knees and back are sure to give out faster than the average person, and he may lose his mind due to all the concussions.
And here they are, simply asking the men who profit from their work, to please
look after their health, as they should have done throughout their
career. They ask this so that someday, the young boy who chooses this
path knows he will be protected the way he deserves.
Another option
If nothing else, Phil Dawson and Colt McCoy, Texas alums both, should feel like Cleveland is becoming the North Coast campus of the University of Texas, if the Browns go after a cornerback whose status is rising on many draft boards: the Longhorns' Curtis Brown.
Now frankly, we remain convinced that the Browns SHOULD go after someone who lines up closer to the ball -- DL Nick Fairley or Marcell Dareus or linebacker Von Miller -- but Craig Lyndall of WaitingForNextYear.com makes a pretty convincing case:
A 4.4 40 is pretty flippin' fast. But the thing is, you could draft Ricochet Rabbit and unless you get some pressure on the quarterback, he's not going to be able to cover a wideout who knows where the route's supposed to go. Seems like the only sacks the Browns got last season were on shopping sprees to the West Side Market.If the Browns don’t draft Patrick Peterson up at No. 6, (Curtis Brown) is one of those names that could start to look interesting in the second round. Even if the Browns bring back Eric Wright, they will need to find some more depth at corner this off-season. Tom Heckert has indicated that the Browns will focus a lot on finding players with exceptional speed and athleticism on defense. Curtis Brown could fit this mold.
Curtis Brown is another player who is considered top ten at his position in the draft. He ran a 4.4 in the 40-yard dash and was at Texas for four years. He had been a wide receiver in high school prior to being a defensive back in college. He has plenty of special teams experience. He even returned some punts during his career.
Return the favor
The reality is that until we discovered that Colt McCoy really CAN play quarterback (which we contend President Mike Holmgren and GM Tom Heckert smugly knew all along) Peyton Hillis was the best (and often only) reason to watch the Browns last season.
So now, it's time to return the favor: Hillis is one of 32 players in the running to be on the cover of the new Madden '12 video game. Who's gonna pick the eventual winner? Well, we're not SURE it'll be legit, but the company says YOU are.
Fans can just visit the company's website and vote. What's more, it's kind of like a Cuyahoga County primary -- you can vote early and often. Here's what a press release from the publicist for EA Sports had to say:
Come on, vote. Do you REALLY want your kids playing a game with Hines Ward on the cover?Through April 27, fans can participate in a bracket-style voting
campaign on www.ESPN.com/MaddenVote and choose among 32 candidates, one
representative from every NFL team, to appear on the cover of Madden NFL
12. Fans' votes will determine which NFL players advance through the
seeded bracket, culminating in the reveal of the Madden NFL 12 cover
athlete winner on April 27th at 4 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN's "SportsNation."
From the Plain Dealer
Tony Grossi is in New Orleans covering the NFL owners meetings and, as you might expect, the labor situation is paramount. Right now, the talk is about the various court motions -- claims and counterclaims from both sides -- that are supplanting the X's and O's of real football.
Source: http://www.cleveland.com/ohio-sports-blog/index.ssf/2011/03/pm_cleveland_browns_links_98.html
Australasia US healthcare Mafia Weather Blackpool Horse racing
No comments:
Post a Comment