NFL union asks that suit by retirees be dismissed

[Omaha Steve]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/04/04/sports/s161502D50.DTL

NFL union asks that suit by retirees be dismissed

Wednesday, April 4, 2007

(04-04) 16:56 PDT WASHINGTON, (AP) --

The NFL players Association's licensing arm is asking a court to dismiss a suit accusing it of inadequately representing 3,500 retired players.

Players Inc., which handles licensing agreements for the NFLPA, announced Wednesday that it had filed the action.

The suit was filed in February by Bernie Parrish and Herb Adderly. It alleged that Players Inc. has done little to secure licensing deals with clothing manufacturers, video game makers and other venues and also seeks class-action status to represent the 3,500 retired players, which it says may be owed "tens of millions of dollars."

Parrish was a defensive back with the Cleveland Browns and Houston Oilers from 1959 to 1966. Adderley was a cornerback for the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboys from 1961 through 1972. The lawsuit claims that $7 million was given to 358 retired players in 2005, meaning a small percentage of players have been compensated.

The union said in a statement that its motions to dismiss are based on what it called "the frivolous nature of the suit."

It also sought sanctions against the firm that fired the suit, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips. The union claims the firm is "apparently taking the lead in establishing a commercial entity called 'Retired Professional Football Players for Justice," which will compete directly with Players Inc. for the licensing of former NFL players' names and images, and thus has interests that are directly adverse to the purported class they seek to represent.'"

FULL story at link.