Below you will find stories of retired NFL players who were assisted by Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund during the month of January 2012. Names have been removed for confidentiality.

• Former Wide Receiver with the Buccaneers and Rams suffering financial hardship because he had to take medical leave from his job. Has fallen behind on bills. GGAF helped with rent.
• Former Cornerback for the Cardinals and Chiefs suffering financial hardship because of multiple medical procedures and expenses. GGAF helped with rent.
• Former Defensive End with the Chargers who has many football related injuries that affect his mind and body. GGAF helped with utilities.
• Former Quarterback with the Jaguars, Chiefs and Bears suffering financial hardship due to very high deductible with his insurance, but needing to have surgery and pay off bills. GGAF helped with car payments to keep his car from being repossessed and utility bills.
• Former Offensive Tackle for the Detroit Lions suffering financial hardships. GGAF helped with car payments.
• Former Defensive End with the Buccaneers and Jaguars suffering financial hardship. He is physically unable to stand for any amount of time and has limited use of his hands. He has many medical and dental bills from himself and his family that he is having a hard time paying. GGAF helped with rent.
• Former Quarterback with the Raiders, Bills and Colts suffering financial hardship due to medical issues related to football and also has multiple sclerosis. Was self-sufficient until late in the year when he fell. He is now totally dependent on others. GGAF helped with his many medical bills.

We are proud to have helped so many retired NFL players. We could not provide assistance to these men without support and donations from corporate partners and supporters like you.
Thank you to everyone who worked so hard to make positive things happen for these Greats. Thank you to our corporate partners who provide us with free and discounted services, making all things possible. Thank you to our medical program partners who provide pro bono services for these Great men. Thank you to our supporters who send us their generous donations. Thank you.

Let’s keep creating positive outcomes for these well-deserving players. We’ll post an updated list for the last few months of assistance in next week’s blog post, so stay tuned.
 
 

By: Cookie Gilchrist and Chris Garbarino
Forward by: Booker Edgerson

“The Biography of Canadian Football League and American Football League superstar Cookie Gilchrist. The book covers his triumphs on the gridiron with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Toronto Argonauts of the CFL, as well as his record setting days with the Buffalo Bills of the AFL. Cookie’s football prowess also brought him a front row seat to many historic events during the 1960s, which are chronicled within the book. In addition to covering Cookie’s exploits on the field the book highlights his battles off the field for civil rights and player health benefits, while giving insight into his personal fight with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy or CTE as it is commonly known.” – Source:  http://www.amazon.com

“Cookie was the first superstar player in the history of the Buffalo Bills, and also was the most
enigmatic. His three amazing seasons in Buffalo left an indelible imprint on local fans who still
revere him as one of the team’s all-time greats.

Chris Garbarino was one of only a handful of people, and the only writer, Cookie allowed into his
inner circle. Cookie entrusted Chris with the task of telling his fascinating story, providing
unprecedented access to his home, family and unfinished memoirs. Chris has done Cookie proud,
offering a biography that goes so much deeper than the typical retelling of the life of a sports figure.
It’s a no-holsd-barred (sic), riveting account of one of the most fascinating figures in the history of the game.

Jeffrey J. Miller, author of Rockin’ the Rockpile,
Buffalo’s Forgotten Champions, and Game Changers.”

– Source (http://www.buffalobillsalumni.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=COOKIE)

Purchase your copy of The Cookie That Did Not Crumble from Amazon Today.

This evening will be a celebration of the fabulous careers on the field and the equally outstanding deeds off the field of:

• Dan Dierdorf
• Marv Levy
• Joe DeLamielleure
• Bobby Bell
• Angelo Mosca
• Billy Sims
• Gary Moeller
• Al ‘Bubba’ Baker
• Arch Matsos
• Hank Bullough
• Kyle Turley

We will be honoring current Detroit Lions Tight End, Tony Scheffler, who is the unsung hero of the 2011 Detroit Lions and receiving the Ron Kramer Award.

 
We also will be giving an award in honor of Tim Pendell, retired Director of Community Affairs for the Detroit Lions, to former Lions Coach Rick Forzano in appreciation of his giving back to the community.

Mike Ditka, Chairman of the Gridiron Greats says, “This is a great way for us to honor deserving individuals not just because they were great players but because they have given so much back to the community”.

 
Kyle Turley, former NFL Legend and sits on Gridiron Greats Board of Directors, will be entertaining us that evening (also at our VIP party afterward) along with former voice of the Detroit Lions, Mark Champion, who will be emceeing the dinner.

 
Tickets for the dinner cost $125 per person or $1,100 per table of ten. Proceeds from the dinner will go to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund.

 
Over 60 players will be present at the dinner and over 20 players available for an autograph session, which will take place between 10am and 4pm at the Monaghan Council Knights of Columbus in Livonia on Saturday, May 19, 2012.  Please go to www.detroitcitysports.com for players’ times and autograph pricing.

 
“We are thrilled to once again host this dinner in the Detroit area to honor these men and thank them for all of their efforts. This event has tripled in size over the last three years and the monies raised have helped a lot of retired players who have fallen on hard times” said Shannon Jordan, President of the Gridiron Greats.

 
For ticket information you may contact us at gridirongreats313@gmail.com or call Mark Lewis at (248) 444-2241.
 

Gridiron Greats has teamed up with Viking Capital and we’ve come up with a great way to raise money via merchant processing.  Viking is working with a number of charities across the country.  They will match your current merchant processing fees.  They will never raise your rates.  Viking will then pay 50% of their net profits off your account to the Gridiron Greats!

Did you know that every time that a business accepts a credit card from a customer a sales representative gets paid a commission?   In most cases this commission is 50% of net fees.  With Viking, they will match your current credit card rates and fees penny for penny, never raise your rates, and re‐direct the funds that are generally paid as a commission every month to some sales rep you probably don’t know to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund.   This passive charitable donation will continue as long as you continue to process with Viking.  Now you can continuously support us without it affecting your bottom line.

It’s just that simple.  Switch to Viking and enjoy the same fees, no raised rates, and the feeling of knowing your company did something good to help someone in need.  Please check out the below website:  www.vikingcares.com/gridirongreats/

It’s that simple.

Here’s a list of even more reasons to make the switch:

1. Viking will match your current processing rates.
2. Viking will pay 50% of net fees to Gridiron Greats.
3. Gridiron Greats will receive a donation on a monthly basis.
4. The Business Will Process With The Largest Banks in the World.
5. The Business Will Receive Free 24 Hour Customer Service.
6. Beneficial “Cause Marketing” for the business.
7. Viking will NEVER raise their rates.
8.  All with No Reduction of Services and Benefits.

Please Contact NFL Veteran Mike Sherrard With Any Questions.  Mike played in the NFL for eleven years (1986-1996).  He was a former first round draft pick of the Dallas Cowboys.  The wide receiver out of UCLA also won a Super Bowl with theSan Francisco49ers in 1990.  Sherrard has campaigned to help the plight of past players and he is really passionate that charitable gifting through merchant services is the best he’s ever seen.  You can reach Mike Sherrard at (310) 709‐9349.

Thank you for your time and we hope you’ll be switching to Viking today!

What do you have to do?  It’s easy!  Just watch the video on the Old Forester Facebook page and Old Forester will donate $1 to Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund.

Up to a total of $10,000!!

We can do this together!  Help us bring that dollar amount higher by watching the video and sharing this promotion with your friends.  The more people who know about the promotion, the more the video will be viewed, and the more money will be raised for Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund.

How many people can you tell?  Show us what you’ve got!  Please, take a minute or two of your time to watch the video and share the promotion.  Every view and share means a lot.  Thank you for your support.

Click Here to Watch the Video on Facebook.

Pro Football Hall of Fame Finalist Chris Doleman

Endorses Browser App To Make Online Shopping Rewarding

Former NFL star and 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame finalist Chris Doleman and his company Pro Auctions will work together with the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund (GGAF), to create a unique online shopping experience.  Gridiron Greats provides financial and medical assistance to retired NFL players in dire need.  With the help of the GIVING ASSISTANT, a revolutionary new browser app that directs a portion of the proceeds spent by online shoppers to non-profit organizations in need, Doleman aims to raise funds and awareness for GGAF. The GIVING ASSISTANT is a free download powered by GlobalMojo, a socially conscious technology company based in Seattle and San Francisco.
 

The GIVING ASSISTANT installs seamlessly into your favorite browser in seconds (available for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Internet Explorer) and notifies you of more than 1,000 participating partners when you are shopping.  Each time an online purchase is made with an approved merchant, a percentage of sales is automatically redirected to programs supported by the GGAF, at no additional cost to the shopper. Whether shopping for yourself or buying gifts for others, planning travel, or making simple household purchases, a simple click of a button helps to provide hands-on assistance and financial support to retired NFL players who are dealing with hardships encountered after life on the football field.

“We are very excited that Chris Doleman and GlobalMojo will work together with our charity on this revolutionary program,” said Shannon Jordan, Gridiron Greats President. “Our collective goal is to get these great men and their families back on their feet, and we believe this program could significantly contribute towards reaching that goal.”

Doleman, a former defensive end who played for the Minnesota Vikings, Atlanta Falcons and San Francisco 49ers from 1985 to 1999, is no stranger to philanthropy. His company, Pro Auctions (http://www.chrisdolemanproauctions.com/), is an online service to charitable and non-profit companies that integrates social media and fundraising by hosting online auction events in order to raise awareness, increase exposure, and ultimately raise more money for GGAF and other organizations. Doleman is currently one of 15 finalists for induction into the 2012 Pro Football Hall of Fame.

“I am very excited to be working with GlobalMojo to create the Gridiron Greats Giving Assistant,” says Doleman. “The real life stories of hardships of some of the leagues former players is heartbreaking and I want to ensure that I do all I can to help.”

To download the GIVING ASSISTANT and for more information about Gridiron Greats, visit http://www.gridirongreats.org/givingassistant.
 
 
 

Now’s your chance to get to Indy!

Bid on ultimate Super Bowl VIP ticket packages from Gridiron Greats!

Be there when the New York Giants take on the New England Patriots, plus participate in VIP experiences and events leading up to the big game, including:

• Super Bowl XLVI Tickets
• Once-in-a-lifetime experience with Coach Mike Ditka at ESPN’s NFL Countdown in Indy
• Meet and greet with Kyle Turley at The Gridiron Super Hoedown featuring The Kyle Turley Band
• Super Bowl XLVI Official NFL Tailgate Party tickets
• VIP tickets to Jim McMahon’s Swang N’Super Bowl Bash 2012
• Tickets to Diamond Crown Cigar Bar Party
• Limited Edition Hall of Fame Medallion Set

All proceeds benefit the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund.

Head over to the eBay Auction Cause and Bid on Gridiron Greats Super Bowl Packages Today!

First Auction ends in 2 days!  The second auction ends in 4 days!
 
 
 

“You Can’t Catch Sunshine By Don Maynard and Matthew Shepatin - Foreword by Joe Namath

Contact: Bill Ames, Triumph Books, 312.252.1248, b.ames@triumphbooks.com

From his days as a youth in rural Texas to his brilliant football career with the New York Jets to his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987, talented wide receiver Don Maynard’s love of football is what made him a legend. Maynard writes of his treasured time as a football player in the NFL, AFL and CFL and most notably, his role in getting to and eventually pulling off the most unlikely upset in football history in his brand-new autobiography, You Can’t Catch Sunshine.

Maynard was an NFL ‘reject’ known for his improvised running patterns as an AFL star receiver. His retired #13 jersey for the New York Jets proved those NFL scouts to be very wrong. Maynard shares many of these intriguing stories and the most memorable of his personal life and playing career, including:

• Playing in the ‘Greatest Game Ever Played’ during his rookie season in ’58
• Being the first man to touch the ball in that historic first overtime
• Jumping off a high board into the hotel’s freezing pool on a dare from his teammates
• The following day, having his career-best game in the regular season in the Heidi Bowl
• The great tandem, partnership and friendship with quarterback Joe Namath
• Maynard’s ‘Million Dollar Catch’ in the AFC Championship Game in ’67
• Doing the impossible with the incredible Super Bowl III upset of the Baltimore Colts

This endearing story of perseverance and determination in You Can’t Catch Sunshine sheds new light on both the memorable performances Maynard achieved as a football player while winning an unlikely Super Bowl ring with close friend Joe Namath and becoming one of football’s greatest playmakers. As the first wide receiver (NFL or AFL) to gain 10,000 yards, a four-time Pro Bowl selection and All-Time AFL Team member, the Hall of Famer holds an incredible individual record of excellence.

Maynard, with his notable humble personality, lays it all on the line and reflects on all of his amazing experiences while sharing insights about behind-the-scenes moments in the locker room and what went on between teammates who played together for months at a time each season. He accomplished his dreams, fought through the hard times and will inspire others to do the same in You Can’t Catch Sunshine.

About the Authors:
Don Maynard was the first wide receiver to eclipse more than 10,000 yards in his career. He caught more than 50 passes for more than 1,000 yards in five different seasons. A member of the All-Time AFL team, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987.

Matthew Shepatin is a New York­-based author and journalist. He is the author of Then Madden Said to Summerall: The Best NFL Stories Ever Told. He is also a contributing writer on The Enlightened Bracketologist: The Final Four of Everything and The Mad Dog Hall of Fame: The Ultimate Top-Ten Rankings of the Best in Sports. His stories on American culture, entertainment, and sports have appeared in Esquire, the Los Angeles Times, New York magazine, Playboy, Black Book, Radar, Slate, and the Village Voice.”

Purchase You Can’t Catch Sunshine on Amazon.

Major felt helping great players who paved the way and helped make American Football what it is today was important. When asked why he wanted to acknowledge them and raise money to help, Major’s response was “because it’s The Wright Thing to Do”.

The Major Flavor cupcake is a sheer delight. The buttercream frosting sits atop of a fluffy vanilla cake infused with a light creamy pecan filling, drizzled in caramel. Fans who tasted it say it melts in your mouth.

“Major Flavor cupcakes will be on sale every Friday and Saturday at Swirlz, 705 N. Belden Street, beginning this Friday Dec.16th through Tuesday, January 31st.” Said Swirlz owner Pam Rose. We encourage all Bears fans to but a cupcake as a way of showing their support for former great players in need.

This is all part of Major Wrights Random Acts Of Kindness campaign. Past acts have included treating fans and U.S. service men and women to lunch at Subway and picking 400 families in need to treat with a weeks worth of groceries and turkey dinner for Thanksgiving. Follow Major on Twitter @lilmade21 to see what he’s doing next.

Kyle Turley, who is a member of the Board of Directors for Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that assists retired NFL players financially and medically, has proved to be a serious musician with a big heart.  Kyle has donated proceeds from his Gridiron Tail-Gate Tour to the Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund as well as all proceeds from downloads of his new song “Fortune and Pain.”  Next, he’ll be playing at Gleason Gras, raising money for ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease).

Kyle Turley has been a tremendous help in raising awareness and funds for Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund.  Many people do not understand that pioneers of the game are suffering financially and medically.  They weren’t paid the salaries players today are receiving and most players can’t afford medical insurance. Many former players require several surgeries in order to function on a normal level, but also many suffer from traumatic brain injuries relating to the concussions they received during NFL games.  Unfortunately, Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund sees many cases involving ALS, Dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other serious diseases in former NFL players.  Gridiron Greats Assistance Fund will be donating signed memorabilia to Gleason Gras to help raise money during the silent auction for ALS.

Here’s what Kyle Turley had to say on his website about Gleason Gras:

“This is a call to ‘ALL’ of my Facebook family!…November 27th myself, along with a all star line up of New Orleans music, will be performing in Champion Square next to the Super Dome to benefit one of the Black & Golds finest sons & my friend ‘Steve Gleason’. For those that are unaware, Steve is suffering from ALS (aka Lou Gehrigs disease) & in the biggest fight of his life he has braved the public attention to stand toe to toe with this epic opponent. Please join me & the many others for this event as we raise awareness & give Steve the corner crew he deserves! Tickets are only $20 & the Saints play the Giants the next night for a Monday night football weekend you don’t want to miss! If you live in New Orleans or have been looking for that excuse for that trip you’ve been want’n to take, I’ll see you in the crowd!…Respect & love to all \,,/ – KT”

Musical acts at Gleason Gras include: Better Than Ezra, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Papa Grows Funk, MyNameIsJohn Michael, Theresa Andersson, Stanton Moore, Kyle Turley Band, Paul Varisco & the Milestones, and Kristin Diable.

Gleason Gras is produced by the Louisiana Hospitality Foundation in conjunction with the Saints and Rehage Entertainment.  The event will feature local bands, a silent auction, a children’s area with inflatables provided by the New Orleans Saints, autograph tent with New Orleans Saints players, raffle for a Super Bowl guitar, food from local restaurants, merchandise tents, and a chance for fans to see The Lombardi Trophy from Super Bowl XXIV, all from 11am to 6pm.

Tickets to attend Gleason Gras are $20 plus a $3 service fee and went on sale November 11, 2011.  Attendees can purchase tickets online at www.ticketmaster.com or at the New Orleans Arena box office, weekdays from 9am – 4:30pm.

Gleason Gras is being held in an effort to raise awareness of ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) and to raise money for The Gleason Initiative Foundation and the Gleason Family Trust. The Gleason Initiative Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit founded to help others with ALS and work toward a cure. The Gleason Family Trust is for those who wish to support Gleason, his wife and the couple’s young son.