Malcolm Emmons-US PRESSWIRE

All that being said, the number of former players lining up to sue the NFL is spiraling out of control.

For the record I’m not one of the masses that will argue that “the players knew they were taking a risk”. That has nothing to do with how the NFL handles head trauma these days. It also ignores the fact that the risk of concussion related problems has been well known for years now.

However when this many former players are piling on it can also be speculated that there are other factors at play.

 Ken Stabler is the latest former player to jump into the concussion lawsuit extravaganza. He and 73 others are suing the NFL for the league’s hesitancy to address the problems related to head trauma.

Some view the litany of lawsuits as a cash grab and nothing more. That can’t be the case across the board. Some of the members of all these suits have legitimate beefs that must be dealt with. However, given Stabler’s current debt to the IRS there is an added element of doubt.

Not saying that Stabler’s motivation to sue is derived from his economic circumstances alone. It’s not like legal litigation is an easy way to make quick cash.

The basic problem is that there is already the belief that former players are terrible at handling the money they’ve made. Now along comes the opportunity to squeeze more cash from the NFL and you’ve got a long list of players falling in line to get theirs.

Of course a lot of the public perception of the players favors the NFL’s case. So there is also an element of propaganda to this whole situation.

Overall, it’s just a hot mess. Stabler might not be in this for anything more than exposing the truth. But his situation with the IRS does create some doubt. And as the NFL’s high powered lawyers must already know, where there’s doubt there’s an excuse to have a lawsuit or 30 dismissed.

Recently a few former Raiders have experienced this sad but common tale of hardship during life after football.

Last year Ray Guy had to sell off his Super Bowl rings at a bankruptcy auction. Recently it was revealed that the continued trials and tribulations of Ken Stabler have resulted in a $265,000 tax debt he’s unable to pay. And then there’s the unfolding saga of Anthony Smith who each week it seems is being linked to another murder case.

Of the three men mentioned it is easy to feel sympathy for Guy and Stabler. Both remain beloved figures in the silver and black family. Despite their struggles, especially Stabler, their legacies remain undamaged.

As if it isn’t enough that Ray Guy continues to be ignored by the Hall of Fame now he’s without his two most prized football possessions. Stabler’s struggles have been well documented over the years but to many his troubles only endear him more to the fans that lovingly supported him.

Now Smith is a much different story. Who knows what to make of his legal woes?

For starter’s it’s not like we’re talking about a guy that is considered among the all-time greats to wear the jersey. To be sure he was a very talented and productive defender but his reappearance in the headlines is more closely tied to all the false stereotypes associated with the Raiders.

Then again, when a man stands accused of impersonating an officer to kidnap a pair of brothers in order to carryout a gangland killing he could work for Dairy Queen and the story is sure to gain some traction in this media savvy world we live in.

Aside from Smith, it is easy to sit back and point the finger of blame at immature and irresponsible athletes for these types of transgressions. Many only see the fame and glamor of the sport without fully digesting the nature of being a pro. Most athletes are lucky to get three years out of their chosen field. Only a handful ever gets the mega-paydays we so openly discuss. Not to mention bankruptcy, tax debt and marital issues are problems that plague this country as a whole regardless of profession.

Smith, on the other hand, is just a tragic tale on all accounts. That he continues to be associated with murder trials and is currently poised for a re-trial yet hasn’t served any prison time says a lot. It says either he’s the most unfortunate man on the planet or that our justice system is more flawed than we’d care to admit.

Having yet to even take a snap in an NFL practice Pryor is already being touted as the QB of the future. Never mind that Jason Campbell has forgotten more football in the last two weeks than Pryor will learn in the next year. This is Pryor’s job to lose going forward. Or at least that’s the feeling you get.

Don’t be fooled when Hue Jackson referrers the Raiders as “we” when discussing drafting Pryor. What Jackson really means is “he” – as in Al Davis.

This is Al’s pick. This is Al’s team. And this is Al’s latest scholarship athlete.
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