Do you trust the NFL to keep our games fair this year?

The games are not fixed but I do believe they are heavily influenced. But that is true of all non timed "game" sports. The NFL is no different than boxing. Unless there is a knockout, you know the fix is in.

The thing is, outside that Jet FG attempt, there are going to be head-scratcher plays that every team suffers through. It would have to take something statistically significant and get attention outside of "whiny patriot fans" level and be brought up by other teams/media.

The problem being, other team fans will only be focused on 1-2 games vs the Patritos per year and won't have the investment/incentive to call it out.

I don't believe the officials will be bought out. There might be a ref or two that could sway from the norm, but I still say that is unlikely. But, it wouldn't surprise me if there was some extra emphasis placed on certain players or play calls.

Prepare for a new "Offensive Charging Foul" rule to be created & invoked for after Gronk catches a pass.

patsinthesnow said:

2013. Never Forget.

First time ever calling a FG block penalty on Chris Jones. Jets re-kick. Patriots Lose.

Gronk mugged in the endzone. Ref throws flag. Flag picked up. Patriots lose.

14-2 and homefield advantage was stolen from us then. Why would I trust them now?

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robertweathers said:

Totally. The uncalled PA on Gronk vs CAR was a killer...

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The referee Clete Blakeman responsible for that no-call was the referee during Deflategate that measured the Patriot footballs as being so much lower (unfavorable) than the other referee's numbers and the Colt footballs as being so much higher (favorable) than the other referee's numbers.

http://thornography.weei.com/sports...easured-air-pressure-screwed-patriots-before/

Curiously, though, the two men came up with different numbers on every ball they checked. Even curiouser, Blakeman’s were consistently worse for the Patriots than Prioloeau’s.

Patriots footballs in psi:

• Prioleau: 10.80, 11.20, 11.50. 11.00, 11.45, 11.95, 12.30, 11.55, 11.35, 10.90, 11.35
• Blakeman: 11.50, 10.85, 11.15, 10.70, 11.10, 11.60, 11.85, 11.10, 10.95, 10.50, 10.90

So in all but the first ball tested, Blakeman’s measurements were well below Prioleau’s. But his numbers were just as consistently favorable to Indy.

Colts football, in psi:

• Prioleau: 12.35, 12.30, 12.95, 12.15
• Blakeman: 12.70, 12.75, 12.50, 12.55

In three of the four, Blakeman’s numbers were higher. Using the same gauges, seconds apart. Apparently. Reportedly. We don’t know for sure, because what we’re going on is two junior varsity refs barking out the numbers to the room. No one checked their math. No one asked them to re-measure. No one bothered to ask why Blakeman could be way low on the Pats‘ footballs and then high on the Colts’.


Now before you start accusing me of being paranoid and measuring me for a tinfoil hat, I’ll point out that Clete Blakeman is also the guy responsible for the worst call/non-call by an NFL ref in the 21st century:

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patsinthesnow said:

2013. Never Forget.

First time ever calling a FG block penalty on Chris Jones. Jets re-kick. Patriots Lose.

Gronk mugged in the endzone. Ref throws flag. Flag picked up. Patriots lose.

14-2 and homefield advantage was stolen from us then. Why would I trust them now?

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For me, it was playing the Giants in the Superbowl. Manning was caught behind the line of scrimmage. By rule, he should have been declared "In the grasp" and the play gone for a loss. However, the refs let the play continue, Manning manages somehow to get loose, and tosses the ball into the endzone for a circus catch. You cannot ever convince me that the refs weren't trying to weight the scales in favour of the Giants, just to hold back New England from a 4th Lombardi.

Hell, I'd also offer up Faulk's 4th & 2 catch. Any objective view of the catch shows that his forward progress was over the 1st down marker. But it was ruled by the refs as short. Again, the league wanted Manning to win. I am convinced of that. If it were just the odd ruling, then I'd accept it and move on, but too many times, in too many important games, there's been one (or MORE) shady rulings, phantom calls, etc, to just pawn it off as "human error". When a pattern becomes visible, then it isn't accidental anymore.

Call me naive but I choose to use the SB win as evidence the NFL does not fix games. If they did why would they let us win wouldn't they just prefer their SB Champion not be under investigation.

But the radar is up for sure.

signbabybrady said:

Call me naive but I choose to use the SB win as evidence the NFL does not fix games. If they did why would they let us win wouldn't they just prefer their SB Champion not be under investigation.

But the radar is up for sure.

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One can make a very solid argument that the NFL not bothering to correct Mort's report was, in effect, an attempt to fix the game.

robertweathers said:

Biased incompetence wins. This team is in the heads of everyone.

Heck, they haven't even worked out the process in measuring game balls.

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Though it doesn't apply to the crucifixion of Brady, a lot of players and teams have benefited form the suspicion that they cheated, or knew something the othe teams didn't. Gaylord Perry, for sure. Red Auerbach was accused of lots of things, yet other teams killed themselves worrying about that special "thing" he had over them.

Non cheating story about Auerbach being in other teams heads. In 1970, Celts needed a center drafting 4th. Dave cowens seemed too short, and as a forward, he had less away from the basket skills. It was a risk that high.

Aurebach personally scouted him, along with other team scouts. At half time, red makes a dismissive gesture with his newspaper and leaves. Teams pass on him with the 2nd and 3rd pick, assuming Red has judged him not center material, Red picks him 4th and gets a hall of fame center.

In...their...heads. BB plays this game as well as anyone and Brady is a fierce competitor with a chip on his shoulder.

Screw this tainted legacy crap, the Patriots are going to rewrite the record book and NFL history. There isn't going to be any comparable legacy and people will just have to deal with it.

KontradictioN said:

One can make a very solid argument that the NFL not bothering to correct Mort's report was, in effect, an attempt to fix the game.

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Absolutely. The preparation time before a super Bowl is precious. Forcing one of the teams to deal with this stuff, study air pressure and give press conferences confers a tremendous disadvantage.

Unfortunately for the evil NFL, they have created a Frankenstein monster that cannot be distracted or confused.

RayClay said:

Absolutely. The preparation time before a super Bowl is precious. Forcing one of the teams to deal with this stuff, study air pressure and give press conferences confers a tremendous disadvantage.

Unfortunately for the evil NFL, Bill Belichick is the coach of the Patriots and wipes his ass with off the field distractions.

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I fixed your post for you.

Gwedd said:

For me, it was playing the Giants in the Superbowl. Manning was caught behind the line of scrimmage. By rule, he should have been declared "In the grasp" and the play gone for a loss. However, the refs let the play continue, Manning manages somehow to get loose, and tosses the ball into the endzone for a circus catch. You cannot ever convince me that the refs weren't trying to weight the scales in favour of the Giants, just to hold back New England from a 4th Lombardi.

Hell, I'd also offer up Faulk's 4th & 2 catch. Any objective view of the catch shows that his forward progress was over the 1st down marker. But it was ruled by the refs as short. Again, the league wanted Manning to win. I am convinced of that. If it were just the odd ruling, then I'd accept it and move on, but too many times, in too many important games, there's been one (or MORE) shady rulings, phantom calls, etc, to just pawn it off as "human error". When a pattern becomes visible, then it isn't accidental anymore.

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Gwedd I believe that's the helmet catch you are referring to, which wasn't in the endzone. He somehow escaped because every Patriot was dragging a blocker behind them. There were at least 3 blatant holds on that play...

You could also add calling IG in round 2 of Pats v. Giants... Or faceguarding. Or the 100+ yds called against the Pats in 07 to try to help the Colts win...

I don't think the game day officials are in on it, but I think it's pretty clear that some in the front office think it's their job to 'influence' the game. I think those people are definitely using their pull and power to pressure/influence the officials.

I now know beyond a shadow of a doubt that the NFL is not a legitimate honest sport. That's why I have made the decision to stop watching it.

KontradictioN said:

I don't expect them to blatently fix games. If I see some shady **** over the course of multiple games (like questionably bad or phantom P.I. calls), though, I'm out.

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I saw those phantom calls for years regarding p manning. At times they were so blatant i posted that it seemed the fix was in. After what ive seen over the last seven months all the lying and manipulation i could see certain games being manipulated with none calls and phantom calls to get the best ratings matchups.

I wouldn't be surprised if NFL offices make life difficult for the Pats this season. They will certainly be under increased scrutiny by Kensil and his "game operations" cronies. But the refs on the field will be harder to manipulate. About the only leverage the NFL offices have against them would be to massage their evaluations negatively if they don't "cooperate".

However I doubt the penalty stats will look that far out of the normal, but as we all know it's not so much how many penalties you get; it's WHEN they are called. More importantly, sometimes it s when they are NOT called on our opponents, that can change a close game.

I would suggest that THIS year the Pats are going to have to pay close attention to every call and non-call AND the officials that made them this season and then connect the dots and see if there is any smoking gun. By that time the defamation case will be about ready to go to court and if there is a "smoking gun" THAT will be the place to reveal it.

In the mean time, there will be a weekly thread about the depredations of the officials against their team on every fan site in the league,, just like last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, etc.....etc.....etc. Of course our complaints about the officials, unlike our peers, will be totally justified.

Gwedd said:

For me, it was playing the Giants in the Superbowl. Manning was caught behind the line of scrimmage. By rule, he should have been declared "In the grasp" and the play gone for a loss. However, the refs let the play continue, Manning manages somehow to get loose, and tosses the ball into the endzone for a circus catch. You cannot ever convince me that the refs weren't trying to weight the scales in favour of the Giants, just to hold back New England from a 4th Lombardi.

Hell, I'd also offer up Faulk's 4th & 2 catch. Any objective view of the catch shows that his forward progress was over the 1st down marker. But it was ruled by the refs as short. Again, the league wanted Manning to win. I am convinced of that. If it were just the odd ruling, then I'd accept it and move on, but too many times, in too many important games, there's been one (or MORE) shady rulings, phantom calls, etc, to just pawn it off as "human error". When a pattern becomes visible, then it isn't accidental anymore.

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Every time i watch the play where manning is in the grasp i think hes either going to be pulled down or the whistle will blow even though i know what happens. Manning was in the grasp for what seemed like seven to ten seconds. That was a blatant none call, the helmut catch was just a fluke.

KontradictioN said:

One can make a very solid argument that the NFL not bothering to correct Mort's report was, in effect, an attempt to fix the game.

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One could certainly make that case but then they would also have to show the NFL is so incompetent they can't even fix it right. Wait I don't think I am helping my point. Still gonna stand by the fact that if they were fixing things the SB would not have gone our way because I have to otherwise what the hell are we watching for?

But as I said the radar is up.

I have a wait and see approach. I would hope the on-field stuff would be as 'fair' as it usually is. But the calls from the booth could be tainted by the slim oozing forth from the NFL's front office!

I can see a concussion check called for on Gronk or Edelman on the final drive of a close game. This new rule will be the one most likely to be abused. It gives some unseen authority the ability to pull a player from the game and directly effect the on-field play of the team. Definitely look out in NY for this to happen!

patriot1136 said:

I'm glad the OP started this. I had been thinking about this for a while now. I tend to be more of a conspiracy theorist than most. I do think the officials will 'modify' some of the flags thrown at us and will do it in a way to benefit the other team. The ones mentioned from 2013 are a good example.

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When it comes to the NFL*, I think we've gone well beyond the "conspiracy theory" zone and into the "conspiracy fact" zone.

PatsWickedPissah said:

I agree with these positions.

I know I'm like Charlie Brown with Lucy (Goodell) holding the football*, but I am in until a blizzard of blatant calls/non-calls or more likely in my opinion, a made up scandal, q.v. the Colts/Jets/Ravens "finding" a bug in their Gillette locker room.


* I'm one of the guys who foolishly expected the Wells report to exonerate the Pats because of the IGL and hoped but did not really expect, a finger pointed at Kensil, et. al., so I do have a propensity for naivety.

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The Wells report did exonerate the Pats.

What's being missed by many fans is the fact that the NYJFL has probably already cost the Pats another SB win or two. Seeing how they've manipulated this current fiasco, I have no doubt that they'll go to any lengths to cheat the Pats and Brady out of another SB win.

signbabybrady said:

One could certainly make that case but then they would also have to show the NFL is so incompetent they can't even fix it right. Wait I don't think I am helping my point. Still gonna stand by the fact that if they were fixing things the SB would not have gone our way because I have to otherwise what the hell are we watching for?

But as I said the radar is up.

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I can't prove it so I don't throw that theory around lightly and it's the reason I will still watch closely while Brady and Belichick are there at the very least. But, that said, I don't think the NFL was going to instruct the zebras to intentionally rig the game in front of an international audience. Them letting that false info get out and simmer was the easiest way they could have done it.