I was not actually attributing that all to you. I just happened to quote your post. For the record, I agree that the league is trying to do everything it can to slow the Pats off the field with the ridiculous witch hunt and the taking of our draft picks. Others are suggesting they are trying to manipulate the game on the field. I really don't see it. Pats games haven't been the only games with some piss poor and questionable officiating this year.
Just to be sure Kontra, you are attributing Gronk's big OPI number outlier vs the rest of the league's TEs to the coincidence of oft repeated and very specific/focused bad officiating?
There can only be two explanations: a large and conspicuous number of coincidences of bad officiating instances on this specific player for this specific type penalty, or the league has coaxed-cajoled-kneaded (call it whatever) to single out specific players such as Gronk (for OPI).
If it is the second explanation then haven't they already demonstrated they will dp 'on field' things to get their desired results??
I don't understand the viability of your POV. You are saying (paraphrasing) "they would never do that because they fear they might get in trouble". No offense brother but you been living in a cave the past several years? . It is all but documented these guys will do nearly anything to get the outcomes they want -- coaxing that involves smearing reputations, livelihoods, and even involves lying to the court system. Yet they haven't paid any tangible price for any of it (salary, job, etc). But you are saying they believe on the field is off limits because there is an actual price to be paid there? What leads you to believe that a league accused of things like hiding that men suffer appalling brain injuries, sweeping under the rug as best as possible a torrential beating of spouses, where they get in front of millions to say "fair, integrity, independent" then hire Wells, where they get up in front of millions to say brady is a fine young man then to say to a legal entity he is almost worse than hitler. These guys who did this are afraid of being accused of coaxing Ref-ing when most people and media bought their deflategate and bountygate lies hook, like and sinker? Where most people and media think "Patriots getting railroaded? Good, who cares! F 'the Patriots".
Deflategate and others clearly indicate these guys live in a warped echo chamber. Fair, concern for players etc don't factor in this echo chamber. These guys are living by a set of principles that do not exist with conventional right or wrong, or with a guy named Kontra who sees that on field things are axiomatically sacred or out of bounds because 'this time they'll pay a price'.
I think you are right that they will not ever write down or speak in open air "let's get the Patriots (or fill in the blank with player or team name)(Patriots aren't the only ones they have a preference against)". Much like the smarts of a rat on a sinking ship they still innately know which way will keep them above water. But through the power of their administrative capacities they will both on and off the field look to get the outcomes that they want. And this is, IMHO, just the way it is. The Patriots need to be in position that their administrative power cannot materially change the outcome otherwise the Patriots will be at the whim of these scumbags. It is what it is....