According to the bylaws of the National Football League, all fines collected throughout the season must be divided evenly between organizations dedicated to the betterment of humanity. All are not for profit organizations whose focus is helping people both in and outside of professional football. No fine money goes to the administration of the National Football League except for the accounting/distribution process. The four organizations are, The Brian Piccolo Cancer Fund, The Vincent T. Lombardi Cancer Research Center, The ALS Neuromuscular Research Foundation and the NFLPA Player Assistance Trust. All are dedicated to making the lives of others more productive through research, financial support and plain caring.

Brian Piccolo played for the Chicago Bears, but was never drafted by the club. Despite leading the nation in rushing, scoring and being ACC Player of the Year at Wake Forest, he signed as a free agent in 1965. It happened to be the same year another back, Gale Sayers, was drafted number one by the Bears out of the University of Kansas. Despite the competition and their differences they became brothers. They were the first interracial members of the organization to room together. Their story is told in the movie, Brian's Song. In 1970 Brian Piccolo died of Embrynol Cell Carcinoma at the age of 26. He left behind a wife, three daughters and a lot of friends who got together to create a dynamic organization dedicated to researching cancer to find a cure.

Since it's founding in 1979, The Brian Piccolo Cancer fund has invested in seeking a cure for cancer. Through the years they have raised over six million dollars dedicated to the quest. One indication of their success is ECC, the cancer taking Brian's life, now has a 50% cure rate. They have funded research into testicular cancer through the Memorial Sloan Kittering Center; there is now a 95% cure rate. Since 1991 they have turned in the direction of finding a cure for breast cancer through the Rush-Presbyterian Foundation at St. Lukes Medical Center in Chicago. In addition to cancer research the fund also helps to support the Clearbrook Center for the Developmentally Disabled. Donations to the fund can be made at www.brianpiccolo.org.

Anyone who has ever watched the National Football League is probably aware of the legendary coach, Vincent T. Lombardi. He came to a hapless Packers team molding them into a dynasty during the 60's. His teams changed the name from Green Bay to, "Title Town," with wins in NFL Championships plus the first two Super Bowls. What many fans may not know is he ended his career coaching the Washington Redskins. He was also a victim of cancer. Perhaps for this reason the Vincent T. Lombardi Cancer Research Center is located in the city at Georgetown University. Since 1970 the Center has had one goal, "To provide the most advanced treatments available to Lombardi patients." The Lombardi Center is one of only forty broad based cancer centers in the United States. They are involved with research, treatment, care, genetics, clinical trials, support, education and application of the latest cancer fighting techniques. Working in association with Howard University since 1974, they are the only full facility cancer center in the region.

Out of the four organizations, The Vincent T. Lombardi Cancer Research Center is the most high profile. They provide free testing for prostrate cancer. They also support education for breast, colon and prostrate cancer. The president of the United States personally appoints their board of directors. The guest list for their $350-500 a plate galas read like, "Whose Who," of Washington society. The events are annually on the "A" list for the nation's capital. Though the organization is very public, they do accept private donations at http://lombardi.georgetown.edu.

The search for a cure to Amotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is being conducted by some of the finest institutions in the country. The work is being carried on at Northwestern, John Hopkins, UCLA, UCS, Drexel and Harvard Universities. This is just a short list. There are also private organizations like the Les Turner Foundation in Chicago who fund research into this life ending disease.

ALS is probably better known as, "Lou Gehrig's Disease after the legendary Yankee. Since the death of the, "Iron Horse," research to find a cure has accelerated. ALS usually attacks people in their 40's. The disease attacks neuron cells from voluntary muscles to the point where they cease functioning. Eventually they die. The disease is progressive beginning with weakness, then leading to atrophy and death. ALS is also known as Motor Neuron Disease (MND) and Charcot's Disease. At any given moment more than 30 thousand people in the United States suffer from this affliction.

The National Football League Players Association, other wise known as the "Player's Union," has a trust fund set up for former players and college bound individuals. Aside from player fines, they obtain their funds from Chapter Events, Individual Events, A Speakers Bureau, member donations and an annual grant. They don't ask for, nor apparently receive, any outside donations. So far they have given $1,250,328 to over 300 applicants plus scholarship recipients. The Players Assistance Trust provides two scholarships, one male, one female, for college bound students in each of their charter cities. Though they were contacted for this article, there was no response.

Though it has been difficult to have any of these organizations respond; I would like to think one comment sums up the commitment for all of them. I am not certain if UCLA receives any funding from the National Football League, neither is Dr. Edward Anthony Oppenheimer. Dr. Oppenheimer spearheads the ALS research and care program at the university. In response to funding sources his response was, "Sorry. I have no information on this. My role has been entirely focused on clinical care of people with ALS." The money does matter, the people do.

When I first had the idea for the article I figured perhaps I had missed something. Perhaps the rest of the world knew what happened to the fine money and I was just out there in the cold. Not so. The response to this article was the biggest of any article I have written. It was quickly apparent people did not know where the money went, they too were curious. The question remaining is, with all of this great work going on to save people's lives or help them with an education, why is none of it publicized by the NFL? More publicity might promote more funding and interest to these pivotal causes.

The only article I found on the subject of fine money distribution came from the Associated Press in November of 1996. Following a Monday Night game between the Cowboys and the Packers, $64,000 in fines were collected from seven players from each team for an after game brawl. The fight broke out after a record tying seventh field goal by Chris Bonoil of the Cowboys. The score was already 18-0. With only 20 seconds left in the game Troy Aikman took a knee stopping the clock with Dallas on the Packer 20-yard line, the kick was successful, the Packers took offense. Apparently the Packers felt the Cowboys were running up the score and embarrassing them on a nationally televised game. The league issued a statement through Gene Washington, Director of Football Development. "The league's policy on fighting is very simple. Don't fight and if a fight breaks out involving other players, stay away." In the article all four of the funding targets were mentioned as equal recipients of NFL fine money. The league never mentioned the destination of funds.

The league does not deny they give money in support of worthy causes but, outside of The United Way, they don't advertise it. With all of the P.R. the NFL gives regarding community involvement, drug prevention and education, advertising the saving of lives should be right up their alley.

The league works diligently on their image. The players are scrutinized from their headbands to their footwear. Every possible attempt is made to create a clean image. If the league is so concerned over a clean image, why not come clean about contributing to the cure of some of the most debilitating diseases known to the human race? The answer to this question, along with others, resides in the hallways of the Park Avenue offices of the National Football League. Information is power; perhaps sitting on this information is why in 2002 Commissioner Paul Tagliabue was voted the most powerful executive in America by one publication. He was also voted recipient of the Brandies Award presented by the American Jewish Congress for excellence in law and the public good. Given the atmosphere regarding corporate executives of late, I hope he is worthy of the trust. If actions speak louder than words, he is.