Truth & Rumors > NFL

Why ex-NFL players sued union

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When Kirk Wright was found dead last weekend, suspended from a rope improvised from bedsheets in his jail cell, the book seemed all but complete on a tale of greed and betrayal. Wright, a hedge fund manager from the Atlanta area, was convicted May 21 of 47 counts of fraud and money laundering for taking more than $150 million in investments from clients that included several former N.F.L. players. He faced up to 710 years in prison and $16 million in fines, and could have been ordered to repay clients' losses. But the story of Wright, 37, has shifted to another legal battle. Six former players, including the star defensive backs Steve Atwater and Blaine Bishop, are involved in a two-year-old civil suit against the Players Association and the N.F.L. The lawsuit accuses the union of improperly allowing Wright onto a list of financial advisers provided to members, even though liens had been filed against Wright.

New York Times

Gene Upshaw, Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images Gene Upshaw, Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
June 2, 2008  07:57 AM ET

710 years in prison? $16 million in fines? No wonder he hanged himself.

June 2, 2008  08:40 AM ET

710 years in prison? $16 million in fines? No wonder he hanged himself.

AURORA | 06/02/08, 07:57 AM

Oh, c'mon now. With good behavior, he might have got out in 325 years.

June 2, 2008  08:43 AM ET

Maybe a jury can convince Gene Upshaw he has an obligation to the future of the current players, since he won't take responsibility for the retired ones who paved the way for the huge dollars we are talking about today.

localboy54 | 06/02/08, 08:32 AM

It will probably take a court of law to convince Upshaw & the NFLPA the error of their ways. On the other hand, it will probably take a SWAT team to convince the NFL & owners that change is needed.

Comment has been removed
June 2, 2008  08:59 AM ET

casper the satan ghost is back.

June 2, 2008  09:25 AM ET

710 years in the legal system is months not years..

June 2, 2008  09:25 AM ET

I used to have a great Hedge Manager back in California...His name was Tito and he brought his own hedge clippers......didn't speak a lick of English though.....

I wonder how bad this guy messed up his clients lawn that he thought hanging himself was the answer?

June 2, 2008  09:38 AM ET

His clients may have been in jail waiting on him... sad all around.

June 2, 2008  10:11 AM ET

Hortag, once you mess up hedges, its YEARS before they are decent. Also, can we all work on getting pole dancing the recognition it deserves? None of our wimpy presidential candidates want to touch it....well, Bill Clinton might but then he has to lie and everything.

June 2, 2008  01:01 PM ET

Outofshapeandinjred,

Perhaps we just need to start a write in campaign for pole dancing to be an official sport with it's own association.

Lots of pitfalls with that though. We can loosely use NFL football as a model for a Dancers Association...obviously some NFL policies would have to be eliminated or adjusted....FOR EXAMPLE

Yes..The National Pole Dancers Association (NPDA) does indeed allow for recruiting candidates from the local colleges...

No, we will not allow Dancers over the ages of 30 to dance in the league

Yes, NPDA does permit the augmentation of body parts through surgical means

No we won't super impose John Maddens voice in a play by play for Pole Dancing Competitions...as his voice and image is counter intuitive and counter productive to the purposes of Pole Dancing.

June 2, 2008  01:14 PM ET

the union is selling out these old players big time.Upshaw should resign or be fired and elect someone who will give a fair shake to these players.The y must reform the sytem instead of gerrymandering.The league makes way to much money for excuses

June 2, 2008  02:01 PM ET

come on who can't do 710 years?

June 2, 2008  02:11 PM ET

Sounds like this guy was murdered.

June 2, 2008  06:38 PM ET

the nfl doesn't want this story to have any legs.
if you recommend a crook to help someone,
you are 100% at fault for not being more forthright.
this dude was bad news and they new it.
this alone is a good reason to dismiss Gene (the owners house boy) Upshaw.

June 2, 2008  06:52 PM ET

So much of this goes to the incompetence of Gene Upshaw, the players need to get rid of this guy!

June 2, 2008  07:35 PM ET

Low Risk Investing & High Risk Investing List.

Kirk Wright was misprinted on the Low Risk Investment List.....Oops Sooorry Guys. I will correct it on the next list...again sorry.

 
June 2, 2008  09:04 PM ET

If these players win their case are you going to call for a strike Gene ???

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