Still playing hurt Conrad Dobler

KingPriest2 · 01-24-2007, 10:02 AM

Summary: The plight of Leawood, Kansas' Conrad Dobler, recently profiled in the December issue of Kansas City Sports & Fitness magazine, is featured this month on HBO's award-winning program "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel" on a segment analyzing how the NFL treats its former players. Dobler concluded the interview by saying that he has contemplated suicide so that he is not a burden to his loved ones.

Still Playing Hurt
To a large degree, today's NFL was built by decades of athletes who played for low salaries and endured pain, rarely making excuses. Endorsement money was a long shot at best. Their toughness and sacrifice made them the NFL's "greatest generation," and they never once suspected that the league they helped build would one day leave them in less than ideal shape. Today, with their health deteriorating and medical bills piling up, many former players are looking to the NFL for answers as their pension and disability plans fail to provide sufficient help. REAL SPORTS correspondent Jon Frankel looks at this highly charged story.

http://www.hbo.com/realsports/index.html

Kansas City Sports & Fitness

"Every time I say it's a game, you say it's a business. Every time I say it's a business, you say it's a game."--- O.W. Shaddock (John Matuszak), “North Dallas Forty”

By John Landsberg, Dec. 2006

You’ll never hear the P.A. announcer at Arrowhead say, “Ladies and gentlemen, let’s introduce the products who will be representing the Kansas City Chiefs in today’s game.” That would take all the fun out of it.

But, in reality the NFL is a business. And a business is designed to make a profit for its owners. The “product” in reality is its players. And, for the NFL, business is very good and its current batch of products is very popular.

However, just like in a normal business, once the product is no longer useful in making a profit there is no need to put money into it. That’s how many of the 7,000 former NFL players feel today. Many feel that since they are no longer useful to the league except to be paraded out for an occasional old-timers halftime show, they are tossed on the scrap heap.

That’s pretty much how Conrad Dobler, who once had the reputation as the “dirtiest player in all of football,” feels these days. An offensive lineman, he played 10 years in the NFL, mostly with the St. Louis Cardinals and was in three Pro Bowls. It was fun.

But today life isn’t so much fun for Dobler. He sounds bitter. And even a bit fatalistic. Forget any hint of political correctness from the 56-year-old. He uses a cane just like his close friend Dan Dierdorf does. During a recent event the league asked Dierdorf and Dobler if they would not use their canes because it might make the league look bad. Both did anyway.

Those fun football days in the 70’s and 80’s have resulted in three knee replacements for Dobler, and he is scheduled for a fourth. This year he has spent 90 days in the hospital. He almost died from a pulmonary embolism. He takes narcotics every day. The pain is constant.

He can still tell great football stories. As an example, playing against famed 14-time Pro Bowler Merlin Olsen, Dobler dominated Olsen so badly that he boasted, “ If you wanted to see it on instant replay, you had to go to the kitchen because I knocked him so far out of the TV frame.”

Olsen went on to do FTD flower commercials and even had a popular TV series “Father Murphy.” In one graveyard scene one of the tombs said, “CONRAD DOBLER. GONE, BUT NOT FORGIVEN.” Funny story.

When you talk to Dobler you get mixed messages. He thinks it’s funny that Olsen still resents him. It doesn’t phase him a bit. He still enjoys reminiscing about his playing days.

But these days Dobler is resentful the NFL doesn’t really care for its scrap heap of former players like him. “Of about 7,000 former players who played in the NFL, only about 118 are considered eligible for disability,” he says, adding with disdain, ‘They deny everything. Statistically, that makes the NFL the safest profession in the world. It is even safer than being a greeter at Wal-Mart.”

His personal medical bills are astronomical. Add to it that his wife, Joy, was paralyzed in a freak accident in 2001 when she fell climbing into a hammock, and things have piled up on him. He is grateful that that golfer Phil Mickelson learned of his situation and is currently paying his daughter’s tuition at Miami University of Ohio.

Sometimes folks think these old-timers made millions of dollars like they do today. Dobler's first contract was for $17,000 and his last was about $50,000.

He will slip into the conversation if you know any nurses refer them to his small business---Superior Healthcare Staffing---and he can find them positions. Or, if any businesses need group flu shots he can arrange it if they call him at (913) 383-0991.

And then he adds that if you know anyone interested in a nice home in Leawood…

htismaqe · 01-24-2007, 10:05 AM

I know we spend alot of time on here bashing the Chiefs about the "business" aspect of the game, but something really needs to be done about it.

siberian khatru · 01-24-2007, 10:09 AM

I was a big fan of those Cardinal teams of the 70s. I loved Dobler, even though he was a dirty player. That St. Louis O-line was terrific -- Dierdorf/Dobler/Banks/Young/Finney.

01-24-2007, 10:12 AM

I really, really struggle with the business side of the sport. It makes it hard to be a fan sometimes. I've often considered tossing the NFL to the wayside. Sometimes I've even thought about writing an investigational tell-all. I dunno - maybe one day I'll crack.

htismaqe · 01-24-2007, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phobia

I really, really struggle with the business side of the sport. It makes it hard to be a fan sometimes. I've often considered tossing the NFL to the wayside. Sometimes I've even thought about writing an investigational tell-all. I dunno - maybe one day I'll crack.

Most of the "business" stuff I can handle. But this isn't one of them - the way the league sweeps health and injury issues under the rug is reprehensible.

crazycoffey · 01-24-2007, 10:15 AM

I don't go back that far, to have watched them live, seen a few bits on past games when I can. don't know much about him, but I have heard about this problem with retired players.

It is quite ugly, if a Microsoft did this to their retirees, there would be riots. The NFL is a huge corporation, yes I agree it should be fixed. I don't know how.

I reckonize the problem and demand action without giving solutions.

Dammit, I just turned into John Kerry!!!!!

**HemiEd** · 01-24-2007, 10:16 AM

Pathetic situation, owners are being to greedy.

01-24-2007, 10:19 AM

If you want to cancel your season tickets for any reason, it's not because the Chiefs suck - this should be the most compelling reason out there.

crazycoffey · 01-24-2007, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phobia

If you want to cancel your season tickets for any reason, it's not because the Chiefs suck - this should be the most compelling reason out there.

It would only work if you really organized it and had everyone cancel on the same day at the same time.

Get someone to head it up, get everyone real serious, get everyone to give you the power of attorney over thier tickets for a set period, then you could go to Carl and see his face personally (take a small camera) when you are there to threaten to cancel the season tickets for a set percentage of ticket holders if he doesn't start a drive to change this retirement situation. It would have his attention if that was a high number, that's for sure.

01-24-2007, 10:37 AM

I'm not suggesting that I'll organize anything at all. I just think that their treatment of the old-timers is much worse than not putting a winning product on the field. They put the screws to everybody they can in their business methods and forget about the product that made them what they are in the process. The NFLPA doesn't represent them - they need to organize, clearly.

HonestChieffan · 01-24-2007, 10:40 AM

On the other hand...and there are two sides to this...

Its fine to have feelings for the ex players. But when you read of mutimillion dollar paid players who in a matter of a couple years are broke...

Or when you realize that the pay levels for EVERYONE was low in the 60s compared to today...

And that had those early players invested with some smarts they would be far better off today no different than the guy who workde at Ford or poured concrete in the dead of winter for $1.35 per hour....

Seems to me these guys are not really any different than the cattle rancher who worked 12 months out of the year, rain snow cold heat to barely make it with NO health care and no benefits and on and on and on..He now suffers from the same joint issues, the same health issues.

Sad Dobler is going through what he is going through, but is it really someone elses responsibility?

crazycoffey · 01-24-2007, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phobia

I'm not suggesting that I'll organize anything at all. I just think that their treatment of the old-timers is much worse than not putting a winning product on the field. They put the screws to everybody they can in their business methods and forget about the product that made them what they are in the process. The NFLPA doesn't represent them - they need to organize, clearly.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insinuate. I just had a thought of 75 % of the ticket holders, coming to carl with the threat that if he doesn't start some waves with the owners, the income from ticket sales, comes to a stop, the media gets ahold of it, other markets start the same thing, it's like an updated sit-in.

Sorry, my mom was a hippie, it comes out from time to time, I can't help it.

Must fight these damn liberal instincts.....

..............excuse me while I go watch old war movies and play with my guns.

01-24-2007, 10:49 AM

The Doblers and Websters made it possible for elite players to cash 8 figure checks, sign 9 figure contracts, and for owners to collect BILLIONS in revenue. If they can't take better care of the pioneers of the sport then I have a problem soliciting their products in the future. I don't care what their contracts stated or what legal obligation they're under, there's no reason for these guys to walk around with little or no healthcare.

vincent · 01-24-2007, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HonestChieffan

On the other hand...and there are two sides to this...

Its fine to have feelings for the ex players. But when you read of mutimillion dollar paid players who in a matter of a couple years are broke...

Or when you realize that the pay levels for EVERYONE was low in the 60s compared to today...

And that had those early players invested with some smarts they would be far better off today no different than the guy who workde at Ford or poured concrete in the dead of winter for $1.35 per hour....

Seems to me these guys are not really any different than the cattle rancher who worked 12 months out of the year, rain snow cold heat to barely make it with NO health care and no benefits and on and on and on..He now suffers from the same joint issues, the same health issues.

Sad Dobler is going through what he is going through, but is it really someone elses responsibility?

good point. But I hardly think anyone was paying money to watch the cattle rancher work for entertainment. Also, about the guys who make millions and piss it all away, they brought that on theirselves, but at least they had the opportunity to do so.

Pitt Gorilla · 01-24-2007, 10:57 AM

I don't know what to think here. It seems clear that the NFL and the current players cashing HUGE checks should do something for the guys who made it all possible. On the other hand, it's not like someone forced these guys to play in such a violent sport.

01-24-2007, 10:02 AM
KingPriest2 Super Grover Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: KCMO Casino cash: $9125135	Still playing hurt Conrad Dobler Summary: The plight of Leawood, Kansas' Conrad Dobler, recently profiled in the December issue of Kansas City Sports & Fitness magazine, is featured this month on HBO's award-winning program "Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel" on a segment analyzing how the NFL treats its former players. Dobler concluded the interview by saying that he has contemplated suicide so that he is not a burden to his loved ones. Still Playing Hurt To a large degree, today's NFL was built by decades of athletes who played for low salaries and endured pain, rarely making excuses. Endorsement money was a long shot at best. Their toughness and sacrifice made them the NFL's "greatest generation," and they never once suspected that the league they helped build would one day leave them in less than ideal shape. Today, with their health deteriorating and medical bills piling up, many former players are looking to the NFL for answers as their pension and disability plans fail to provide sufficient help. REAL SPORTS correspondent Jon Frankel looks at this highly charged story. http://www.hbo.com/realsports/index.html Kansas City Sports & Fitness "Every time I say it's a game, you say it's a business. Every time I say it's a business, you say it's a game."--- O.W. Shaddock (John Matuszak), “North Dallas Forty” By John Landsberg, Dec. 2006 You’ll never hear the P.A. announcer at Arrowhead say, “Ladies and gentlemen, let’s introduce the products who will be representing the Kansas City Chiefs in today’s game.” That would take all the fun out of it. But, in reality the NFL is a business. And a business is designed to make a profit for its owners. The “product” in reality is its players. And, for the NFL, business is very good and its current batch of products is very popular. However, just like in a normal business, once the product is no longer useful in making a profit there is no need to put money into it. That’s how many of the 7,000 former NFL players feel today. Many feel that since they are no longer useful to the league except to be paraded out for an occasional old-timers halftime show, they are tossed on the scrap heap. That’s pretty much how Conrad Dobler, who once had the reputation as the “dirtiest player in all of football,” feels these days. An offensive lineman, he played 10 years in the NFL, mostly with the St. Louis Cardinals and was in three Pro Bowls. It was fun. But today life isn’t so much fun for Dobler. He sounds bitter. And even a bit fatalistic. Forget any hint of political correctness from the 56-year-old. He uses a cane just like his close friend Dan Dierdorf does. During a recent event the league asked Dierdorf and Dobler if they would not use their canes because it might make the league look bad. Both did anyway. Those fun football days in the 70’s and 80’s have resulted in three knee replacements for Dobler, and he is scheduled for a fourth. This year he has spent 90 days in the hospital. He almost died from a pulmonary embolism. He takes narcotics every day. The pain is constant. He can still tell great football stories. As an example, playing against famed 14-time Pro Bowler Merlin Olsen, Dobler dominated Olsen so badly that he boasted, “ If you wanted to see it on instant replay, you had to go to the kitchen because I knocked him so far out of the TV frame.” Olsen went on to do FTD flower commercials and even had a popular TV series “Father Murphy.” In one graveyard scene one of the tombs said, “CONRAD DOBLER. GONE, BUT NOT FORGIVEN.” Funny story. When you talk to Dobler you get mixed messages. He thinks it’s funny that Olsen still resents him. It doesn’t phase him a bit. He still enjoys reminiscing about his playing days. But these days Dobler is resentful the NFL doesn’t really care for its scrap heap of former players like him. “Of about 7,000 former players who played in the NFL, only about 118 are considered eligible for disability,” he says, adding with disdain, ‘They deny everything. Statistically, that makes the NFL the safest profession in the world. It is even safer than being a greeter at Wal-Mart.” His personal medical bills are astronomical. Add to it that his wife, Joy, was paralyzed in a freak accident in 2001 when she fell climbing into a hammock, and things have piled up on him. He is grateful that that golfer Phil Mickelson learned of his situation and is currently paying his daughter’s tuition at Miami University of Ohio. Sometimes folks think these old-timers made millions of dollars like they do today. Dobler's first contract was for $17,000 and his last was about $50,000. He will slip into the conversation if you know any nurses refer them to his small business---Superior Healthcare Staffing---and he can find them positions. Or, if any businesses need group flu shots he can arrange it if they call him at (913) 383-0991. And then he adds that if you know anyone interested in a nice home in Leawood…
Posts: 6,266

01-24-2007, 10:05 AM	#2
htismaqe 'Tis my eye! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Chiefsplanet Casino cash: $10269900	I know we spend alot of time on here bashing the Chiefs about the "business" aspect of the game, but something really needs to be done about it.
Posts: 100,022

01-24-2007, 10:09 AM	#3
siberian khatru 21st Century Schizoid Fan Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: The Gates of Delirium Casino cash: $2504950	I was a big fan of those Cardinal teams of the 70s. I loved Dobler, even though he was a dirty player. That St. Louis O-line was terrific -- Dierdorf/Dobler/Banks/Young/Finney.
Posts: 69,196

01-24-2007, 10:12 AM	#4
Phobia Guest Casino cash: $	I really, really struggle with the business side of the sport. It makes it hard to be a fan sometimes. I've often considered tossing the NFL to the wayside. Sometimes I've even thought about writing an investigational tell-all. I dunno - maybe one day I'll crack.
Posts: n/a

01-24-2007, 10:15 AM	#6
crazycoffey .......... Join Date: Dec 2006 Casino cash: $5187901	I don't go back that far, to have watched them live, seen a few bits on past games when I can. don't know much about him, but I have heard about this problem with retired players. It is quite ugly, if a Microsoft did this to their retirees, there would be riots. The NFL is a huge corporation, yes I agree it should be fixed. I don't know how. I reckonize the problem and demand action without giving solutions. Dammit, I just turned into John Kerry!!!!!
Posts: 28,331

01-24-2007, 10:16 AM	#7
HemiEd Supporter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ozarks Casino cash: $3240564	Pathetic situation, owners are being to greedy.
Posts: 33,431

01-24-2007, 10:19 AM	#8
Phobia Guest Casino cash: $	If you want to cancel your season tickets for any reason, it's not because the Chiefs suck - this should be the most compelling reason out there.
Posts: n/a

01-24-2007, 10:37 AM	#10
Phobia Guest Casino cash: $	I'm not suggesting that I'll organize anything at all. I just think that their treatment of the old-timers is much worse than not putting a winning product on the field. They put the screws to everybody they can in their business methods and forget about the product that made them what they are in the process. The NFLPA doesn't represent them - they need to organize, clearly.
Posts: n/a

01-24-2007, 10:40 AM	#11
HonestChieffan Seeking the Truth daily Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the Country in MO Casino cash: $2184309	On the other hand...and there are two sides to this... Its fine to have feelings for the ex players. But when you read of mutimillion dollar paid players who in a matter of a couple years are broke... Or when you realize that the pay levels for EVERYONE was low in the 60s compared to today... And that had those early players invested with some smarts they would be far better off today no different than the guy who workde at Ford or poured concrete in the dead of winter for $1.35 per hour.... Seems to me these guys are not really any different than the cattle rancher who worked 12 months out of the year, rain snow cold heat to barely make it with NO health care and no benefits and on and on and on..He now suffers from the same joint issues, the same health issues. Sad Dobler is going through what he is going through, but is it really someone elses responsibility? __________________ “Make no mistake. If you try anything to raise the cost of vishessavatubs, I will veto it.” - Joe Biden, SOTU 2023
Posts: 53,356

01-24-2007, 10:49 AM	#13
Phobia Guest Casino cash: $	The Doblers and Websters made it possible for elite players to cash 8 figure checks, sign 9 figure contracts, and for owners to collect BILLIONS in revenue. If they can't take better care of the pioneers of the sport then I have a problem soliciting their products in the future. I don't care what their contracts stated or what legal obligation they're under, there's no reason for these guys to walk around with little or no healthcare.
Posts: n/a

01-24-2007, 10:57 AM	#15
Pitt Gorilla Banned! Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: NOT Columbia, MO 65201 Casino cash: $2910194	I don't know what to think here. It seems clear that the NFL and the current players cashing HUGE checks should do something for the guys who made it all possible. On the other hand, it's not like someone forced these guys to play in such a violent sport. __________________ Your son is a bench warmer because of your weak genetics not because of the coach Norlin Mommsen is disgusting.
Posts: 46,051