how shady or legit is the NFL ?

[Crying Ramtard]

http://spaces.covers.com/blog/Maximu...or-Profit.html

http://thefixisin.net/nfl.html

I'm not betting my farm on how true this is but it makes a lot of sense to me. The NFL is an entertainment business and can bend a games outcome when they so choose.

So during a game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the San Diego Chargers the Steelers were favored by 3. Nearly 70 percent of the betting public was on Pittsburgh, with a reported $100 million in potential earnings. The score with less than a minute to go, 11-10 Pittsburgh and SD with the ball. After an errant lateral gets knocked away by Troy Polamalu, he scoops it and scores. The score is now 17-10, there is no time left, all teams head to the locker room, fans go to cash their tickets.

After several minutes of debate, the refs overturn the call, restoring a meaningless TD off the board making the final score 11-10, the Steelers win, the public loses. What I found to be most odd about it is the league's explanation of a "forward pass". The pass was ruled forward although it is obvious it was a backwards lateral. When I got home, I starting thinking that things were just to good to be true.

Sportscenter reported the money lost in Vegas and almost joked about it. They were literally laughing. So after this bad beat, I held around some serious thoughts about the legitimacy of pro football.

An opportunity came up in my graduate school where I was to write my project on any topic I was to choose. So I chose researching the "Showbiz manipulations of the NFL". I picked up several books including Dan Moldea's "Interference: How Organized Crimes Influence Professional Football", Brian Touhy's "The Fix Is In" , Roger L. Martins "Fixing the Game". I checked out several TV Marketing books from the college library and also several TV Business books.

I utilized my rights under the Freedom of Information Act passed by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966 to access over 40 years of FBI files on the NFL although some information was redacted. Here's what I found:

.

Contrary to popular belief and to what he NFL wants you to think, there have been fixed games in league history. On page 308 of Dan Moldea's book "Interference" he lists over 70 NFL games that have been fixed and includes the names of the 2 referees involved in fixing those games. He also lists interviews with NFL HOF players most notably KC Chiefs QB Len Dawson. He, in detail with documented facts supported by FBI documents, has interviews with NFL players and known gambling associates to uncover massive game fixing in the league. He also notes, with evidence, throughout the book that no fewer than 26 NFL team owners have or have had continuous and developing relationships with the gambling world, most notably the Rooney, Bidwill, and Mara families all getting their starts as Bookmakers for established mid-west crime families and buying their NFL franchises with moneys earned from gambling. So that in and of itself is a hypocrisy number 1 on the NFL's "lilly white" reputation.

NFL Referees are part-time employees of the NFL. They are not employees of any team nor do they get paid anywhere close to the sums of NBA refs. NFL refs make between $25K to $70K per season. They work for the league and do what the league tells them to do. They are not there for "the integrity of the game". Referees, unlike other sports, are bound by NFL mandated gag orders which prevent them from talking to the media.

2. The NFL possesses an Anti-Trust Exemption to the law granted to it by President John F. Kennedy, which ultimately allows the NFL to classify itself as "entertainment" rather than sport, as well as incorporate itself as a single entity instead of the 32 separate "franchises" they would want you to believe. Contrary to the perception of the NFL being 32 separate franchises battling it out for gridiron supremacy. In a franchised environment, such as McDonalds (Business 101), each franchise is individually owned and operated and can participate in national promotions, have its own local promotions, or abstain from participating (hence the fine print in commercials saying "at participating locations".

This keeps the regionality of competition in tact without having to compete on a national level. MLB has this status, the NFL does not. Instead, since the NFL has this Anti-Trust exemption, it is able to package its teams in order to sell to national television companies, which today totals $6 Billion in revenue for the league. That is 75% of the leagues total annual revenue. In a 2004 lawsuit vs the NFL, the NFL attorney Gregg H. Levy argued that "the NFL is not a collection of 32 individual teams, but rather a single entity. And as long as the NFL teams are a unit, and they compete as a unit in the entertainment marketplace, then they should be deemed a single unit and not subject to any Anti-Trust laws."

There is only another "sports" organization that I can think of that follows this, the WWE. Levy also argued that the league markets its products and merchandise as a whole to promote the NFL as a whole. These arguments led all the way to lockout during the 2011 offseason. The league would still earn $5 Billion in revenue, even without a single game being played.

Professional sports is the only industry without ANY federal oversight. Therefore the league can do and go as they see fit, this is something the players were concerned about going into the lockout, the NFL players themselves sought help from US Congress asking for oversight of the NFL. And NFL players wanted an explanation as to why the NFL owners were granted an Anti-Trust exemption in the first place. They didn't get it.

The NFL proved in this lawsuit that they see themselves as a single unit in the "entertainment" industry and the unique league revenue sharing strategy is not common amongst professional sports leagues.

Robert Kraft and John Mara are two of the most business savvy and highly respected NFL owners. Kraft is in charge of the NFL TV broadcast committee and also leads all television negotiations for the NFL. Kraft also is on the board of directors for Viacom, the parent company of CBS, one of NFL's broadcasters. This past Spring, Robert Kraft negotiated a record TV deal for the NFL which will result in $24 Billion in revenue with CBS, FOX, ESPN and NBC. Kraft and Mara also brought both parties to the table and led all negotiations in ending the lockout.

Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank was interviewed saying "It is predetermined that these two teams would be here, I wish my team was selected to be in the Super Bowl one day, but these two gentlemen deserve it". And the Giants posted themselves as victors before the game, the NFL claimed it was "an overzealous employee".

The 49ers need a new stadium, with the same players as Mike Singletary, and a Alex Smith in a contract year, the 49ers post a 13-3 record and make it to the NFC Championship. But what they don't tell you is how the stadium deal is structured. 80% of the funding comes from Bank of America and US Bank. 20% financed by the State of California using tax dollars.

The 49ers have pledged to pay back the State in 5 seasons with help from revenue sharing from NFL owners. What better way to pay someone back quickly than with packed stadiums and extra playoff game revenue.

On MNF they found themselves in a blackout. Steelers safety Ryan Clark said "it was to show the league they need a new stadium and the 49ers caused the blackout". Why would he say this if shadiness wasn't common practice? You can view his opinions here: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/9...off-his-rocker.

Ravens players complained that the 2007 Patriots were " being handed games by refs" in their quest for perfection. And I have over 40 years of information on NFL business dealings and how these owners "miraculously" found themselves holding the Lombardi Trophy.

Let's look at the 2011 season and see how television ratings connected with some of the league's most important games, and quickly view how the referees controlled games.

Week 1: NFL Announces ESPN will pay $1billion per game of MNF through the 2021 season. In a tribute to 9/11 20 million + viewers tuned in as the Jets mounted a magic 14 point comeback over the Cowboys. Number of penalties called the Jets = 0

Week 2: The NFL's rule changes make for a more exciting game as scoring is way up. Much like the AFL days of the 60's, 72% of the games went over the total and TV ratings are now through the roof. The league emphasises "the year of the QB".

Week 3: Packers vs Bears: The Bears return a punt return for a TD which would've ultimately allowed them to cover the spread. Instead a fantom holding call overturned the TD. It was the 10th penalty of the game for the Bears vs. 1 penalty for the Packers. You can see the play here: http://youtu.be/_w-pXfjbYHk

Week 6: The Beginning of the Tim Tebow Era. Tim Tebow has a HUGE, and I mean HUGE Christian following. The guy can't hit a barn, but a decent athlete. Yet as the third string QB he is thrust into the starting role and the team magically "changes the entire offense" in a matter of weeks to suit him? Tebow was the number 1 jersey seller for the league without even stepping foot on the field. It was time to make him a star and they did ripping off several "magical" victories with poultry statistics. These teams were handing them games. If you didn't notice this, all I need to say it two words : Marion Barber. All the while the NFL is forcing religion down our throats with God's quarterback.

Week 7: The Jags are close to a sale, the possible new owners just need one more hint of encouragement to prevent buyers remorse. In come the Ravens. After the Saints destruction of the Colts on SNF. Vegas was in trouble. ESPN was in trouble because no one was going to watch this snore fest. The Ravens didn't get a first down until late in the fourth quarter and the Jags win with 4 FG's. Sale complete, Vegas wins. You lose.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by durtyrute

Have you seen the amount of times Tamba is held and never gets the call? If so, do you think that is human error, over and over and over?

Yes. I think it's normal football play and referee calls.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by durtyrute

Have you seen the amount of times Tamba is held and never gets the call? If so, do you think that is human error, over and over and over?

I've seen it and have bitched about it.

However, I'll bet you I could watch any other NFL team for an entire season and see the same thing happen to one of their players.

[kcfanXIII]

Do you watch any other teams besides the Chiefs? Every edge pass rusher gets held like Tamba. Its nothing out of the ordinary.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by Sully

Bullshit. I read those exact things from you, and now they are gone. Why did you delete them? What are you trying to get by with?

Absolutely nothing.

Originally Posted by Sully

Found it!

An exact quote.

I didn't post that.

That's a sarcastic response to something I posted lol

Epic fail on your part Sully.

Originally Posted by TEX

BINGO! That's EXACTLY what I've been saying. The game was basically over and the calls against Denver came so "even things out." I laugh every time someone says the Donx are one of the most penalized teams in the NFL, and use that as justification to argue that they don't get the benefit of calls or non-calls. It's all just a smoke screen. It's not just the number of penalties called, it's what type, where and when and the abundance of NON calls at key junctures of games.

Exactly.

The numbers don't tell the whole story. The stats are misleading.

Some people don't understand the concept.

Maybe Detroit and Dallas had the same number of penalties for the same amount of yardage; the key penalty is still the one that altered the entirety of the game.

No will remember Tony Romo with the clutch 4th downs or DeMarco closing it out with some gutsy 4th qtr running :

That will forever be 'The Picked Up Flag Game'

[blaise]

Yeah, I've lived in like 5 NFL markets. Guess what? They all think the refs and announcers are against them.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

Absolutely nothing.



I didn't post that.

That's a sarcastic response to something I posted lol

Epic fail on your part Sully.




Exactly.

The numbers don't tell the whole story. The stats are misleading.

Some people don't understand the concept.

Maybe Detroit and Dallas had the same number of penalties for the same amount of yardage; the key penalty is still the one that altered the entirety of the game.

No will remember Tony Romo with the clutch 4th downs or DeMarco closing it out with some gutsy 4th qtr running :

That will forever be 'The Picked Up Flag Game'

I'm thinking you're not as perceptive as you believe.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by blaise

Yeah, I've lived in like 5 NFL markets. Guess what? They all think the refs and announcers are against them.

So, those markets aren't Denver, Boston, Seattle, San Fran or Green Bay I take it.

The NFL hates Oakland, KC, Buffalo, Cleveland and Jax.

Are those the 5 cities you lived in??

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by 13and3

The NFL is tantamount to religion for lots of people who spend their whole Sundays watching football games. They are going to absolutely refuse to believe it and look the other way rather than shatter their belief system. They have changed so many rules over the years to ban defense and give the refs more opportunity to control the flow of the offensive side of the game. More holding calls, more roughing the passer calls, move the kick off back, they want to absolutely control the flow of the game. All of america has invested so much love and energy in this game for the last 30 years, but they have subtlety and slowly changed it in front of our eyes. Its not the same game as it once was. It was a time you could win a super bowl with great defense and a run game, ( The 85 bears would not stand a chance in the modern nfl) The NFL has all but legislated defense,run game and hard nose football out of existence to favor high powered Qbs. Lets remember NFL has covered up the Ray Rice situation and the whole concussion debacle to save face and continue to make money, straight up lied to the fans, nation, and media. But I'm expected to believe with the slant of offensive rules is not a reflection of their desire to engineer games to lean toward a certain outcome that will generate millions of dollars more revenue that other match-ups?

Nailed it.

[rabblerouser]

Originally Posted by blaise

I'm thinking you're not as perceptive as you believe.

I know I what I posted, thanks.

And it never once mentioned Dan Snyder.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

So, those markets aren't Denver, Boston, Seattle, San Fran or Green Bay I take it.

The NFL hates Oakland, KC, Buffalo, Cleveland and Jax.

Are those the 5 cities you lived in??

Why would the NFL hate them?

"Some teams lose a lot. CONSPIRACY!"

- rabblerouser

[blaise]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

I know I what I posted, thanks.

And it never once mentioned Dan Snyder.

Yes, I know what you posted too. You're not very perceptive.

[splatbass]

Originally Posted by blaise

Yeah, I've lived in like 5 NFL markets. Guess what? They all think the refs and announcers are against them.

Yup.

[notorious]

You don't notice when the Chiefs get "lucky" breaks?


It happens all the time. The St. Louis game went our way early due to a flurry of shit flags.

[Dartgod]

Originally Posted by notorious

You don't notice when the Chiefs get "lucky" breaks?


It happens all the time. The St. Louis game went our way early due to a flurry of shit flags.

The NFL didn't want St. Louis to win. Duh.

[splatbass]

Originally Posted by rabblerouser

So, those markets aren't Denver, Boston, Seattle, San Fran or Green Bay I take it.

The NFL hates Oakland, KC, Buffalo, Cleveland and Jax.

Are those the 5 cities you lived in??

I've lived in three NFL cities - KC, SF and Wash DC, and currently live in a city with no team but work for the military who come from all over the country, so I know fans of nearly every team in the NFL. He is absolutely right, every team has fans that believe the refs are against them.

My close friend that is a Lion fans has been bitching about it for YEARS. The Lions/Cowboys game really set him off.

My good friend that is a Seattle fan says the same thing about his team.

It is human nature to see conspiracies, but some of us try to rise above our base feelings and be objective instead. You should try it sometime. Leave your emotional response out of it, and look for objective evidence for both sides (instead of trying to prove your preconceived ideas) and you will see it is ridiculous to believe that it is rigged. That means you have to look at all the teams objectively and you will see bad calls go both ways in almost every NFL game.