When you say “the fix is in” what do you mean?

[Brady_to_Moss]

oh...the fix...is IN

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Im not that concerned about bias to be honest.

Probably in the minority but I think if the perception is out there among general NFL fans and the media that there is a bias against NE - and we are seeing some evidence that perception is starting to form- then the NFL will put a stop to whatever is driving it really quickly. They don't want any sympathy for a team and QB they're still trying to get in court.

And they do care about perception and the narrative as we saw with the 11 of 12 thing...

You are applying everyday common sense and average people's conversation to the echo chamber of the NFL office. I believe that is a mistake. IMHO the league office is not a 'bounce ideas around'. They are not a 'let's go around the table to hear what everyone thinks' culture. Behind their walls you will not hear "hey Roger, I disagree with our plan/course of action" or "I think we should always consider what's most fair and not let media blow back/PR alter that value".
I think we all agree that these guys have acted pretty terribly. Not even counting bountygate or deflategate they have acted pretty badly repeatedly. Now consider Bountygate and Deflategate: lying, smearing, diminishing of careers/income, making up the rules as they go, acting completely on 'whatever will make us look good in the media'. Now consider -- with the exception of some media blowback directed specifically at MSM PC hot topics -- they have not paid any price whatsoever fr their actions. Have they lost their jobs or titles? Have they had their documented authority altered or diminished in any way? Have they seen their huge compensation lowered? Have they been publicly (or even privately) rebuked for their behavior by their managers?? Has their been a wide media focus on them except for MSM favored topics??
I have found this to be one of the certainties of human behavior: when you repeatedly act badly and there is no consequence for it, acting badly will continue and eventually become part of the thought process norm (an offshoot of absolute power corrupts absolutely).
These guys are angry at the Patriots. These guys are getting pressure from their managers (owners) to stifle the Patriots. These guys see the Patriots as a wrench in the works. The untouchable dog's ego is bruised because it got wagged by its tail. And since these guys have not paid any tangible price for their behavior -- the media is largely an NFL suckup machine -- exactly why would you think they are concerned perception will cause them enough harm that they must reverse course on the points of emphasis for the Patriots?
Bottom line: They did not pay a price for the perception they scoff'd at a big powerful player giving a woman a thrashing. So now they are going to be concerned about bad calls against the Patriots when most fans think "the Patriots? F 'em. The cheaters deserve it" and most media that can't wait to pile on the Patriots?? Again exactly why would you think they'll be concerned about it when the repercussions are nothing but a handful of boston media thinking they unfairly targeted Gronk for some bad calls?

 

[TheBostonStraggler]

Pats fan since 1963. I am sick of the whining about the refs and the league targeting the Pats. First, Gronk, naturally other teams are going to tell refs to look for him pushing off. They did the same thing with Ben Coates and he started getting called more frequently. I'm certain Bill does the same. Gronk does run people over. This crap about not extending his arms is bs. He runs people over, stop doing it. Don't get me wrong, the refs stink but its incompetence. They are inconsistent. But it also depends on where they are looking or not looking. Our offensive line gets called for hands to the face. They did the same thing on the last TD in regulation and it didn't get called. It happens all the time. Refs were bad enough before replay, now they are gun shy. I was disappointed to hear Patriot players calling out Corrente saying his teeth were chattering etc. Shut Up!! Make the block, the catch, the tackle, quit whining. The good news is that Bill wasn't whining and he will tell the players to stop it. Locker room quotes from Jones and Butler show that is already taking place.

I know you would like to believe when the teams take the field the game is pure. The league is no longer involved, let the best team win, mano y mano, integrity and purity of the sport when the clock starts. But holy cow is that one grossly naive view. I mean damn! is that a view that is off the charts naive.
For one to believe the league office is about the integrity and fairness of the game (off field and on), I would ask have you been living in a cave? The league has clearly shown they will not be fair. They will coax, cajole, kneed, urge, dissemble, press to gain control of the process and outcome. To not believe that is astonishing given their track record.
So these guys lie, twist, smear, bully, act unfairly -- we all know this to be absolute truth -- yet this badly behaving group that is able to act with near impunity now becomes virtuous because the integrity of the game is what's important to them? Wow, this league office is one amazing group of people to be so bad but still be so good....

 

[RayClay]

 

[fumbrunner]

Teams I'm sure complain to the league about numerous things. I'm sure the patriots do the same.

It's up to the league to determine whether it should be a point of emphasis or not (ie with the refs on the look out for certain actions).

I suspect that things involving the patriots are disproportionately focused on. It's ********, but owners are likely up the leagues ass with complaints and the league is more than happy to oblige.

# integrity

 

[The Brandon Five]

What would you be looking for?

Total of Pats penalties to Opponents penalties. The Pats are generally a pretty disciplined team, so they tend to be at or near the top of that list, so I'd like to see if the Denver game resulted in a noticeable change.

I guess it doesn't really matter. The non-calls and the timing of some of the calls were the real issue, not the aggregate amount of penalty yards.

 

[sevengables_2207]

Total of Pats penalties to Opponents penalties. The Pats are generally a pretty disciplined team, so they tend to be at or near the top of that list, so I'd like to see if the Denver game resulted in a noticeable change.

I guess it doesn't really matter. The non-calls and the timing of some of the calls were the real issue, not the aggregate amount of penalty yards.

Pretty much this.

If you are going to judge the block Jackson had on the 50 yard completion as a hold that negates the play, then the Broncos held on the Thomas long reception (that made the cover of SI) and on Anderson's game winning touchdown run.

Furthermore, if the was hands to the face on Seabass, then where was the call on the Broncos lineman who had a handful of Patriots helmet on the go-ahead touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter?

The OPI on Gronkowski was questionable at best and the timing was brutal, as it was with the aforementioned instances above.

And finally, I can't remember seeing a defender launch into a quarterback's face and not get called, like what happened to Brady in the fourth quarter.

Overall, the referees became seemingly blatantly inconsistent in the fourth quarter, and the beneficiary was the home team. At what point does the line between "home-cooking" and "the fix is in" deteriorate and it all means roughly the same thing? I am not sure, yet Sunday night was about as close as I have seen in a few years.

 

[Rawky77]

Here's one way it could happen. I'm not saying it does just theorizing as to possible ways,,, Goodell tells Blandino, it would be terrible if the Patriots repeated as Super Bowl Champs.."wink wink nod nod"
Blandino calls the refs on a conference call and sends out one of his "points of emphasis" memos detailing penalties that ought to be scrutinized and called more often. He notes offensive pass interference and uses video of Gronkowski as examples of OPI...Without even telling the refs to call more on him, the refs know:
1) the league is looking as him (Gronk) and we need to put him under heightened scrutiny which will result in more calls.
2) they are judged and rated every game and if they fail to call the "appropriate/requisite/unofficial quota" number of OPI on Gronk, it will negatively impact their prospects to get called to ref a post-season game.....
3) There is no downside to calling the penalty but there is a downside to NOT calling OPI on him...

That is how the fix can be done..........with no fingerprints tracking back to Goodell.....

EDIT- didn't see fnordcircle's post but essentially we said the same thing...

Your scenario is plausible only if one ignores the "NO CALLS" on our opposition. In order to do what we suspect they have done their has to be much more than a non and wink.
IMO there were far too many non-calls on Denver for this not to be a bag job.
I do believe had we had been healthy this could not have happened. If we were healthy or even at 90 percent this game could not have been fixed by the Refs. But Circumstance and Evil are often close Kin.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Will never happen, but here's something I'd love to see...

After a game the ref pool reporter would have the right to question the refs on up to three calls of the pool reporter's choosing. The reporter would have the right to question the specific ref who threw the flag or made the call. If the reporter invoked this right the questioning would happen in public in one of the post-game press conference rooms. As a concession to the refs, no questions would be taken from the crowd -- just from the pool reporter.

There would be a video monitor up in front and the ref being questioned by the pool reporter would have to stand there in front of the replays of the call in question and explain specifically why he made the call he did.

 

[nflfan123]

In the last 16 years,

But consider how we fare against the average (the NFL Parity Goal).

In the last 16 years (1999-2014) we are:

4 time Superbowl Champions. The average is 0.5 (Eight times as good).
6 time AFC Champions. The average is 1.0 (Six times as good).
12 time Winner of Division. The average is 4.0 (Three times as good).
12 time Playoff Team. The average is 6.0 (Twice as good).
21-8 Playoff record ~ 72.4% . Average is 50%. (Amazing!).
183-73 Regular season record ~71.5%. Average is %50. (Incredible!).

For my money, I really think that it can be said that the the Patriots "Broke Football".

In the last 16 years, how many times have the Patriots benefited from the refs? Every team in the league can point out bias when playing the Pats. How many times have you heard opposing fans and teams say - yep, when playing the Pats ~ you play the refs too.

I could tolerate hearing you all ***** about the refs if you had a little bit more objectivity and humility. But you have been spoiled far too long.

And what is most laughable - Pats fans HATE Goodell! Why? He is nothing more than a puppet for the owners, including Kraft. Goodell has ZERO power - he has 32 bosses that he reports to and represents.

The bottom line - the Patriots have received favorable treatment from the league for years. And every year, Kraft and BB have taken advantage of this favorable treatment - pushing the envelope further and further. I don't need to rehash your history of cheating but the league is tired of it. (And go ahead, say it- "everyone cheats" - yeah, ok, keep telling yourself that - that only works in the 617).

Question - why is that every team that plays @ Gillette have technology and communication issues? It's disgusting.

Where there is smoke - there is fire. And after this loss - it is evident that going 19-0 was the only goal for the Pats season; and the way Brady, Belichick and fans have reacted - this season is clearly ruined.

Cry me river.

No one has sympathy for the Pats and their fans - and outside the 617 - your legacy is forever tainted.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Your tears are most sweet, @nflfan123

Seeing wankers like you cry in your cheerios is the 2nd best thing about being a Pats fan.

 

[aluminum seats]

How many times have you heard opposing fans and teams say - yep, when playing the Pats ~ you play the refs too.

No doubt, you and other fan bases whine all the time. It's always enjoyable for us.

I don't need to rehash your history of cheating but the league is tired of it.

You can't "rehash" because it's so much nonsense. You're smart not to try--your one smart move.

Question - why is that every team that plays @ Gillette have technology and communication issues? It's disgusting.

Revealing the depths of your stupidity there...

Where there is smoke - there is fire.

Such fresh writing. What a clever phrase.

And after this loss - it is evident that going 19-0 was the only goal for the Pats season

No, we'll take the Lombardi again, thanks. Stuff like 19-0 is a fun diversion for us, since we win pretty much all the time, fun to set new challenges for ourselves. But you can go root for whatever team you root for to be "in the hunt" or something.

Cry me river

OK Tonto.

No one has sympathy for the Pats and their fans - and outside the 617 - your legacy is forever tainted.

We'll just continue to enjoy all the real estate we occupy in your head, while not thinking of you at all.

Thanks for playing.

 

[A man named Brady]

I don't think people realize how many people would have to be "in on it" to fix a football game

 

[RayClay]

I don't think people realize how many people would have to be "in on it" to fix a football game

Very few, if they did it right. A quarterback on one team and a DB on another would sufice.


I think the "fix" in question is the league trying to handicap one team so other, less able, teams might win.

 

[The Brandon Five]

Very few, if they did it right. A quarterback on one team and a DB on another would sufice.


I think the "fix" in question is the league trying to handicap one team so other, less able, teams might win.

Or one official.

 

[RayClay]

Or one official.

If you want a circus. I think that would be difficult without being obvious, which was my interpretation.

 

[The Brandon Five]

If you want a circus. I think that would be difficult without being obvious, which was my interpretation.

Doesn't that describe the league this year? It's a circus!

 

[RayClay]

Doesn't that describe the league this year? It's a circus!

Well, we're 10-1