Former NFL star is sorry he ever played football.....

[SMACKDAB]

Truly sad. I'm sure the NFL is providing the best of care for him though.

Dave Pear has a message for you.

"Don't let your kids play football," he says. "Never."

It is an odd thing, hearing these sort of words from a man like David Louis Pear, University of Washington standout, Pro Bowl defensive lineman for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Super Bowl champion with the Oakland Raiders. His five-year NFL career was one thousands of high school and college athletes would envy -- charging out of a darkened stadium tunnel, 70,000 fans screaming for you, loving you, praising you, idolizing you.

"You wanna know the truth?" says Pear.

The question lingers -- the 56-year-old ex-athlete preparing to unload one more skull-splitting hit.

"I wish I never played football. I wish that more than anything. Every single day, I want to take back those years of my life ..."

The words are not subtle. They spit from Pear's mouth, with a blistering contempt normally reserved for drunk drivers. We are speaking via phone. I am in New York, sipping a hot chocolate, leaning back in a chair. My two young children are asleep. A Pretenders song, "2000 Miles," plays in the background. No worries, no complexities. Pear is sitting at his home in Seattle. His neck hurts. His hips hurt. His knees hurt. His feet hurt. When he wakes up in the morning, pain shoots through his body. When he goes to sleep at night, pain shoots through his body. What does Pear do to stay active?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/jeff_pearlman/12/18/pear/index.html?xid=cnnbin

[Sultan33g]

one of the big issues the cba needs to resolve...wish the nfl really cared about their players

[KillerKat]

Damn, sounds like he has other things wrong with him non-football related.

[CharlotteBeer.com]

They spit from Pear's mouth, with a blistering contempt normally reserved for drunk drivers.

What a horrible line that was.

I can sympathize with the guy, but it's not like he didn't know the risks. It's a tradeoff, and I'm sure he was compensated fairly.

After reading the article and seeing he's not receiving health benefits, maybe the guy has a point. Sorry, thought it was just a bitch-and-moan piece.

[Speed]

Stay away from steroids too!

[2jakefansinva]

I know a couple guys that wish they had never become bricklayers. Back and knees kill them. Same thing for carpet layers. Just saying.......

[SMACKDAB]

I know a couple guys that wish they had never become bricklayers. Back and knees kill them. Same thing for carpet layers. Just saying.......

Ceramic Tile Setters also.

[Epistaxis]

He made his choice.

And if you Ebenezer Scrooged his ass and showed him the future reality, he'd still jock up and play.

Bet on it.

[AKPantherFan]

sounds like someone who had to work for a living but got to live the highlife than many will never know.

It sucks he hurts, but considering my mom has had 4 back operations and can hardly walk while only getting $900 a month in benefits;

HE CAN KISS MY ASS...

[Panthers128]

life's tough, healthcare is expensive, the nfl has a lot of money and doesn't care about it's former players

all things i've known for a very long time now. guess it's the typical ignore the problem until the government gets involved attitude from the NFL and the even more typical whine about human rights until the government gets involved by the 'victims'

[88 Bronco]

Who works for a company that will fix all your health problems that came from that job a couple decades after you left that profession?

[AKPantherFan]

Who works for a company that will fix all your health problems that came from that job a couple decades after you left that profession?

military- if you can still get in...

[Lumps]

military- if you can still get in...

Unfortunately you need to be in good health to even be accepted.

I tried to sign up, but I need surgery on my heel of my foot. Other than that I am very healthy and perfect weight and young.

I got denied. I have good health care, real good health care. But the surgery would still cost thousands. It sucks but it is something 90% of us will endure...in our last days. Fighting and finding ways to pay your medical bills without working stuck in the hospital.