"Isn't it odd....?"

[Gumby]

If the league wanted to take the Pats out they could take em out of competition no problem. What conspiracy is there currently against a team that's been in all the SBs since deflategate?

Deflategate itself was clearly a hit job.

Check the logs and timelines of annual rule changes, points of emphasis given to officials (sometimes between the championship weekend and SB weekend) and look at what team would be 'nominally' most negatively impacted by those changes. That seems clearly targeted, if not a hit job.

Then there is simply 'what we don't know'. This is point where I proudly don my tin-foil hat and say "I'm with Joker!"
GotoHell has manipulated and morphed the product for his own purposes for years now. The kind appraisal is akin to ' chicks dig the long ball ' baseball-steroids years. (I.e. NYJFL is just trying to hype offense to pump ratings.). [And patriots dominance is bad for ratings in other markets. ]

But, I was convinced of manipulation of officials back in the scandalous Manning-Squeelers-Seahags playoff sequence where rapistburger overcame in AFCCG and then became golden child for SB. The manipulation and lying of rules, officials, draft picks, etc. has continued unabated since, but mostly at levels where guys like me can be written off by guys like you as nut Jobs.

So believe what you want, I'm ok with that. But I think GotoHell will be demise of league at some point.

 

[Belichick8384]

Deflategate itself was clearly a hit job.

Or the league legitimately believed the Pats cheated because they're so obsessed with integrity that they miss the forest for the trees. Like I said, they can take the Pats out of contention if they feel like it without having to conspire secretly about it. They literally have the power to do that. And honestly, the league is too busy trying to cater to everyone's complaints against "unfair-ness" to actively attack a team to take em out of competition.

But I digress, you've still yet to answer my question. What conspiracy is there currently against the Patriots who've been in all the SBs since deflategate? The league fought for deflategate. But what have they done since Brady's suspension other than hand the Patriots the Lombardi? This whole fairy-tale narrative many of you have conjured up is silly. The Pats haven't "triumphed over the man/system" and the league isn't pursuing to take them out of competition. The league can take Pats out of contention at any time if they want to. Its clear that they don't or the Pats wouldn't have been in any Super Bowls since deflategate.

 

[Belichick8384]

Also, cut out the "NYJFL" nonsense. Its absolutely ludicrous. If the Jets were running this league, or if the league was helping the NYJ's, they wouldn't be one of the most helpless and pathetic organisations in the league. They'd be winning the SB every year, or at least in the conversation for it. That's gotta be the dumbest mouth diarrhea I've heard floating around this forum. The Jets suck and do not have any leverage in the league.

 

[TB_Helmet]

Or the league legitimately believed the Pats cheated because they're so obsessed with integrity that they miss the forest for the trees. Like I said, they can take the Pats out of contention if they feel like it without having to conspire secretly about it. They literally have the power to do that. And honestly, the league is too busy trying to cater to everyone's complaints against "unfair-ness" to actively attack a team to take em out of competition.

But I digress, you've still yet to answer my question. What conspiracy is there currently against the Patriots who've been in all the SBs since deflategate? The league fought for deflategate. But what have they done since Brady's suspension other than hand the Patriots the Lombardi? This whole fairy-tale narrative many of you have conjured up is silly. The Pats haven't "triumphed over the man/system" and the league isn't pursuing to take them out of competition. The league can take Pats out of contention at any time if they want to. Its clear that they don't or the Pats wouldn't have been in any Super Bowls since deflategate.

I’m pretty sure the refs could have prevented that 25 point Falcons comeback if they had been “instructed to”. There were 40-something odd plays during the comeback, any one of which would have ended the game if it hadn’t gone our way due to a questionable penalty. And yet somehow we still won! So if we lose Sunday due to this conspiracy, it’s one of the more selective nefarious plots I’ve seen.

 

[Pats1989]

Good points.

 

[Soliel]

I want to explore the narritive of "the Rams are only good because the NFL has been helping them so they can get a fanbase in LA to pay for the new stadium." That was an awful lot for me to type. Seems like such a complex idea, the NFL standing behind a team and rigging games in plain sight for them so they can get a fanbase going in their new home. Is it really possible? Or more importantly, what is the point to watching if it really is rigged?

But is it really that odd that the Rams made it to the Super Bowl after moving? Do teams need game-time success to garner a fanbase?

On the surface, we can say its odd that in 4 years after moving to Baltimore the former Browns - who had never been to the Super Bowl - brought Baltimore its first Lombardi trophy in decades. But if that were true, wouldn't that mean the league was rigged all the way back in the mid 90s?
Well, it does seem odd that this very Rams team won a Super Bowl soon after moving from LA 2 decades ago, no? After all, it only took them about 4 years to get on the "greatest show on turf" status and steamroll their way right to a Super Bowl behind a grocery bagger. So maybe the league was rigged even then. Right?

But what about the Houston Oilers who moved in the mid 90s, began building a fanbase in Tennessee of all places, and made it to a Super Bowl? They didn't win, and worst of all they are nary often in the playoffs. But yet Tennessee loves their Titans. Some time before this, the St Louis Cardinals moved to Arizona. They had to build a fanbase way out there. They weren't even in the playoffs for a decade and it took 2 for them to make it to the Super Bowl only to lose. They still got a fanbase, and a nice new stadium, all without sudden success.

I feel like most of the people complaining about rigging and the league purposefully making teams lose games is just sour grapes from a sad sack of sore losers who take a simple game too seriously. Billion dollar corporation or not, they make their money from the way the game plays out not from the way they make games turn out. If the NFL honestly had that much power, the Patriots wouldn't have been in 4 of the last 5 super bowls. They'd have a different city win a title every year to make everything "fair and fun for all" to keep everyone interested.
Everyone wants "their team" to win the big game, some people seem to want it so badly they will cry "foul" or "fix" in public (or nowadays in social media) of all places, ultimately embarrassing themselves. But we love it, don't we? We love the narratives. We love the "Us against the world" thing. We love the whole "the league is against us because we're too good" schpeel. It makes it more entertaining. And that's what sports is, isn't it? Its entertainment. And nothing is more entertaining than an unpredictable outcome. Plus, don't you think a planned outcome would leak at some point, especially in this day-in-age of social media and network hacking? All the stuff wikileaks can get into, but they can't seem to get past a sport league's network security?

Yeah.... I'm not buying it.

Try this idea on for size........................................................................................................
Moving was a smart move and paid off for the organisation.

A fan base in Los angles? Half the population watches socker and the other half is in two groups. People who are too high and people who can’t figure out what bathroom to use

 

[TB_Helmet]

A fan base in Los angles? Half the population watches socker and the other half is in two groups. People who are too high and people who can’t figure out what bathroom to use

I agree. Let's kick these socker loving sissies back to their drug dens on Sunday!!

 

[archstanton543]

"We love the whole "the league is against us because we're too good" schpeel."

But they demonstrably are. What do you think Spy and especially Deflategate were really about?

 

[Belichick8384]

"We love the whole "the league is against us because we're too good" schpeel."

But they demonstrably are. What do you think Spy and especially Deflategate were really about?

Or the league legitimately believed the Pats cheated because they're so obsessed with integrity that they miss the forest for the trees. Like I said, they can take the Pats out of contention if they feel like it without having to conspire secretly about it. They literally have the power to do that. And honestly, the league is too busy trying to cater to everyone's complaints against "unfair-ness" to actively attack a team to take em out of competition.

...

What conspiracy is there currently against the Patriots who've been in all the SBs since deflategate? The league fought for deflategate. But what have they done since Brady's suspension other than hand the Patriots the Lombardi? This whole fairy-tale narrative many of you have conjured up is silly. The Pats haven't "triumphed over the man/system" and the league isn't pursuing to take them out of competition. The league can take Pats out of contention at any time if they want to. Its clear that they don't or the Pats wouldn't have been in any Super Bowls since deflategate.

I’m pretty sure the refs could have prevented that 25 point Falcons comeback if they had been “instructed to”. There were 40-something odd plays during the comeback, any one of which would have ended the game if it hadn’t gone our way due to a questionable penalty. And yet somehow we still won! So if we lose Sunday due to this conspiracy, it’s one of the more selective nefarious plots I’ve seen.

Just to catch you up on things....

 

[Plunkett2Vataha]

In real time the Missed Call(s) play looked like any other bang bang sideline 12 yard pass. And why were the Saints passing anyway, when they could have drilled the clock down to almost nothing by choosing the run over 2 incomplete pass plays. And then, of course, the Saints get the ball First in OT and can't even deliver a field goal, let alone put the game away.

So then THE PLAY. THE PLAY THE PLAY CRY ME A RIVER A FULL WEEK OF FOOTBALL TRAGEDY... W'es the Real Winner!!! The stupid Commish stole the game. Heavy. Conspiracy.

I almost, almost, might agree with the first part of your post. That's the overhead TV shot of the play looks kind of "bang bang" IF the officials were looking not to call anything major or game-changing late in the game. I thought it was both pass interference and helmet to helmet as soon as I saw the play. And the replay certainly confirmed it. And the pictures from the on-field sideline perspective looking toward the end zone makes the official look incompetent. If you watch the replay again, you can see the official seemingly start to reach towards his waist area, almost instinctively as if to reach for a flag. He just as quickly stops the motion and then signals incomplete. Why is that? Was there a directive from the NFL office before the game not to make any critical game-changing calls late in the game and to just let the players decide it on the field? Who knows. But if you think that play was nothing more than a "bang bang" play, I challenge you to review the first play of the 4th quarter. This was the 3rd and 7 pass to Ted Ginn that the same Rams CB blatantly interfered with and wrapped him in a hold on the Rams 39 well before the ball got there. This was even more obvious in real time that interference had occurred, yet the officials ignored the obvious call. Instead of a first down at the Rams 39, the Saints had to punt.
Now I totally agree with your viewpoint on the Saints passing the ball on first down. I don't care what Payton or Brees said, the right call is to RUN the ball and force the Rams to start using their final two timeouts. That was a self-inflicted wound.
One more point that the media has failed to cover, and I feel it is rather significant. After the game, the Rams CB clearly stated that one of the officials told him he didn't call him for the penalty (interference) because he thought the ball was tipped. This means that if he knew the ball WASN'T tipped, he would have called interference. Did the official ask any of the other officials who were closer to Brees to verify this? If so, they clearly would have told him it wasn't tipped. Thus, he should have thrown the flag. If he didn't ask the other officials, why not? If the question of the ball being tipped is the sole reason why you didn't throw the flag, it is only right that you go to the official who would be closest to the play. I don't believe the Rams CB made this up. But I do believe that the NFL may have wanted to downplay the comment by the Rams player and hope no one else brings it up.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

One cannot REFUTE the pathological nature of Roger Stokoe Goodell nor whisk away his obvious, biased transgressions against the NEP

...nor his transgressions against the sport itself, and the good people in it

His henchmen are just as despicable, and should also be brought to justice

 

[Redman443]

none of that matters. it just matters on who is going to execute and do their job

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

No they could NOT have drilled the clock down to "almost nothing."
If the Saints had run the ball 3 straight times without gaining a 1st down, and the Rams had used their final 2 time-outs, then there would've been approximately 1 minute plus a few seconds remaining in the 4th quarter. Still a lot better for the Saints than what actually happened, but by no means the game-ender you make it out to be.

The Rams used TO#2 BEFORE the non-call, so...
I don’t see how that is possible.

Rams vs. Saints - Play-By-Play - January 20, 2019 - ESPN

From the play-by-play:

(1:49 - 4th) Timeout #2 by LA at 01:49.

3rd & 10 at LAR 13

(1:48 - 4th) (Shotgun) D.Brees pass incomplete short right to T. Lewis.

If PI is called, it is 1st and goal with 1:48 left and LA has to call TO#3 because the clock will start on the spot of the ball.

1st down run, no TOs left, 40 seconds run off before the next snap at ~1:05

2nd down run, no TOs left, 40 seconds run off before the next snap at ~0:25.

3rd down run, no TOs left, 22 seconds run off before NO calls TO at ~0:03.

4th down, kick FG. Clock remaining: ~0:00 seconds

???

 

[captain stone]

If the league wanted to take the Pats out they could take em out of competition no problem. What conspiracy is there currently against a team that's been in all the SBs since deflategate?

What conspiracy? Wait until Sunday evening, and you'll have it.

 

[captain stone]

The Rams used TO#2 BEFORE the non-call, so...
I don’t see how that is possible.

Rams vs. Saints - Play-By-Play - January 20, 2019 - ESPN

From the play-by-play:

(1:49 - 4th) Timeout #2 by LA at 01:49.

3rd & 10 at LAR 13

(1:48 - 4th) (Shotgun) D.Brees pass incomplete short right to T. Lewis.

If PI is called, it is 1st and goal with 1:48 left and LA has to call TO#3 because the clock will start on the spot of the ball.

1st down run, no TOs left, 40 seconds run off before the next snap at ~1:05

2nd down run, no TOs left, 40 seconds run off before the next snap at ~0:25.

3rd down run, no TOs left, 22 seconds run off before NO calls TO at ~0:03.

4th down, kick FG. Clock remaining: ~0:00 seconds

???

I'm not referring to the sequence of plays following the 3rd-down pass if it had been correctly ruled DP; I'm referring to the sequence of plays if the Saints had run the ball, starting at 1:57.

 

[NE_Zealot]

A fan base in Los angles? Half the population watches socker and the other half is in two groups. People who are too high and people who can’t figure out what bathroom to use

Anthony Davis to the Lakers is a much bigger storyline than the Rams in L.A.

That city will always be run by the Lakeshow. Every other team runs far behind.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

I'm not referring to the sequence of plays following the 3rd-down pass if it had been correctly ruled DP; I'm referring to the sequence of plays if the Saints had run the ball, starting at 1:57.

OK, thanks, you're right....

1st & 10 at LAR 13
(1:58 - 4th) (Shotgun) D.Brees pass incomplete short left to M.Thomas.
If they had run the ball, LA takes TO #2 after the play

in that case...
2 & 9 w. ~1:54, run again, LA takes TO #3

3&8 w. ~1:50, run again, no TOs, 4 sec for play + 40 sec til next snap

4th & 7 w. ~1:06, kick FG

KO would then be receiving the KO at ~1:02 left

Certainly enough time for a FG to force OT

This is assuming 4 sec for every run & the FG, it usually takes more time than that before the play clock starts though, but it would still be >50 sec at least

 

[Soliel]

...nor his transgressions against the sport itself, and the good people in it

His henchmen are just as despicable, and should also be brought to justice

I was thinking the firing squad should be ok

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

I was thinking the firing squad should be ok

I prefer torture

 

[n6249c]

I prefer torture

Torture him with several more Brady-led Lombardi celebrations by the NE Patriots.