18 seconds inexplicably missing from MNF game

[Koma]

I was listening to Pat Kirwan this afternoon and, of course, this topic came up. He said something interesting, that he has people come up to him in public and tell him they think the league is rigged. Like the grocery store manager will tell mention a bad call to him and how he thinks the games must be fixed. Kirwan said he never heard any talk like that 20 years ago. Now, there are people who believe and are willing to say it.

Part of the reason is the Internet. I think the ability of the average fan to post a 5 second clip of a pass rush, declare that holding was missed and this is evidence of a conspiracy against their team is something that couldn't happen in the 90s. We might hear someone talk about that, never see the highlight and then go back to enjoying the games.

The bigger factor, to me, is we have a commissioner who thinks that his personal feelings about a rules violation are much more important than the actual violation and how it might impact the game. He's created an atmosphere where teams can make accusations, especially to the media, without fear of any repercussions.

He fully committed to prosecuting one player/team on a violation unsupported by any real evidence (and even if it did occur, had been handled with a written warning in similar cases) and also authorized a media smear campaign* against the same player and his team. If the league and the media are telling the fans that one of their most successful teams and current champion is cheating, people are going to wonder if any game is on the up and up. That's how you end up with people telling Kirwan the games are rigged. All because Goodell confuses his vendettas with integrity.

*If you need more evidence of the NFL's power over the media, witness their requests in the last couple days that the Deadspin and Barstool twitter accounts be suspended for posting football gifs. Oh, the horror. How the league must have suffered from those unauthorized clips.

 

[Betterthanmost]

Goodell on Tuesday monring: What is the ruckus on sports stations this morning about some play clock?
One of the Minnows: It appears the clock operator allowed the game clock to run down when it shouldn't have.
Goodell: Was it at Foxboro?
Minnow: No, it was in at Qualcomm Stadium.
Goodell: Nevermind then, it was a mistake by the operator. We don't need Wells for this. Ahhh. I wish it was at Foxboro. I am sure they do that over there. Tell Vincent to watchout for game clock manipulation at Foxboro.