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We know about the aforementioned Tom Condon conflict of interest because Condon's name was mentioned in a Chicago Tribune item regarding comments of another member of the disability benefit committee, former Bears defensive back Dave Duerson.

Duerson finds the criticism of the process from Hall of Fame tight end Mike Ditka to be "funny," in light of Ditka's alleged behavior as a head coach.

"Mike was not one who gave a damn about the players or their injuries when he was coaching," Duerson told the Tribune. "He was very disrespectful of guys who got hurt and now he's trying to champion for a couple of guys. The fact of the matter is he's way off base and he's late in the game."

Ah, nothing like a good, old-fashioned ad hominem attack. Under Duerson's logic, Ditka's current compassion regarding the plight of players who were hurt while playing pro football should be ignored because Ditka wasn't boo-hooing when the players he coached were getting hurt.

If anything, Duerson's attack on Ditka makes his case even stronger. If Ditka didn't give a damn about player injuries when he was an NFL head coach, does anyone think that Ditka was the only guy who behaved that way? Or is it more likely that every NFL head coach has a "suck it up" and "walk it off" attitude when it comes to getting his best players on the field?

And that disregard for a player's overall health during his playing career makes it even more imperative that the league and the union help players who, after their careers end, have health problems arising in part from the fact that they didn't allow their bodies to heal before jumping back into the fray.

So thanks, Dave, for helping prove in a roundabout way Da Coach's point.

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