Poll: New scandal/major distraction/national noise watch

[Marko]

You left out

• Games are fixed, that is why the Steelers aren't in the Super bowl
• They got to play the easiest teams, because the Steelers (who lost to the Jags, and never beat the Pats) would have won if they played

 

[supafly]

Oh, I almost forgot they’ll pound out the doom and gloom scenarios for Gronk not playing. That will be another big one.

 

[captain insano]

I don't think the Pats will be affected in any way by any kind of allegations and accusations leading up to the Big Game. I expect to see more coverage of the demise of the NFL, calls for boycotts of the Superbowl, and almost real time scrutiny of the game's ratings.



The NFL has not helped itself. NBC (which is hosting the game) just ran a story about the NFLPA nominating Kaep for an award and I have seen a lot of coverage of a vet ad being rejected by the NFL Here are some recent distractions the NFL is dealing with...

1. NFLPA announces Colin Kaepernick finalist for "Whizzer" White Community MVP award
2. NFL rejects veterans group's Super Bowl ad urging people to stand during the national anthem
   
3. Ratings for NFL conference title games down 8 percent
   
4. 49er claims NFL plans to shift money from breast cancer awareness and vet support criminal justice reform and police accountability programs

The Patriots will be fine.

if the pats were not playing in this game. I wouldn't be watching.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Who cares? It won’t impact the Pats...

 

[Soliel]

They have eaten up the ozone layer and are cheating by using the energy of the solar system and have referees who smile when they score. They have been perched on top of us from birth to death and laughed at our pain so they made us lose to jags. Signed Ben rothlisburger

 

[Mike the Brit]

I'll take Bill Polian for $100.

EDIT: And Don Shula for another $100

 

[DarrylS]

Gotta go with the local guys, any story whether it is corroborated or not that points to some sort of Pats malfeasance or controversy is good enough for these guys..

Now their efforts are about being the story, instead or discussing the story.. how many times have we heard "Felger says" or "Bertram says" it has descended to the lowest common denominator..

They tried to read between the lines and understand the body language of Brady, Belichick and Kraft after the Wickersham article... and then last week spent considerable time on the hand injury of Brady, they have all sought the sensational rather than the factual..

 

[sphen22]

Saw someone post a stat in a comments sec of an article saying that the pats have more flags on them then their opponents in all playoff games combined.

But the NFL is rigged boo hoo

But the next controversy won't be about the officials, cuz the NYJFL doesn't get good press in any light by it.

 

[Koma]

I think someone will try to mine the Alex Guerrero angle again. It seems like those negative stories have been coming out for 2 or 3 years now, so you would wonder what's left to discover, but I think someone will try.

I would not be surprised to see a story creating a link, however tenuous, between Guerrero and a PED/HGH distributor with the goal being to implicate Brady. It would provide a convenient answer when people wonder how Brady can play so well and be a favorite for MVP at 40.

Of course, all the people who thought the Manning/HGH story was no big deal or demanded more proof will believe this story immediately. It doesn't matter if the incriminating link is that Guerrero and the PED guy both had booths at the same fitness conference 10 years ago, that will be concrete evidence of cheating by Brady.

 

[Kontradiction]

Someone actually posted this not knowing what satire meant. Very well done.

Yeah, I actually have a few idiots on my Facebook feed that reposted that. The comments were comedy gold.

 

[Vatahala]

I went for a local media story and keeping with the times I will go with some type of inappropriate sexual behavior.

 

[Nikolai]

I went for a local media story and keeping with the times I will go with some type of inappropriate sexual behavior.

If Edelman's story from several years ago came out today, the man would have been pilloried...no chance for the truth to come out and exonerate him. I'd say this suggestion would be the worst case scenario. I don't trust that there's any real burden of proof for that to take off and become something crazy.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Haters already have this SB run layered with an asterisk. Refs rigging games for us!

Yep, I have now tuned everything out because these a-holes are going to talk sh.t about them non stop regardless of the truth. All I have for the haters is both middle fingers. It’s a shame because there was a time where you could talk football with friends and acquaintances, and give each other crap when the teams are facing each other, now they immediately go to the cheater bullish.t so I don’t even bother anymore.

 

[jam757]

Ref/pay off gambling ring gate. This would serve the purpose of trying to completely discredit the greatness. Even if they print a total fabrication/false article fans of other teams will be on it like flies on ****. I expect this the Friday before the Super Bowl. BSPN probably already has it in the works.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

The new angle of controversy is that we cannot win because Gronk is hurt.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Ref/pay off gambling ring gate. This would serve the purpose of trying to completely discredit the greatness. Even if they print a total fabrication/false article fans of other teams will be on it like flies on ****. I expect this the Friday before the Super Bowl. BSPN probably already has it in the works.

That won’t happen. ESPN and any network that carries the NFL also carries their water, so while they will happily malign the Patriots 24/7 they won’t impugn the NFL itself.

 

[jam757]

That won’t happen. ESPN and any network that carries the NFL also carries their water, so while they will happily malign the Patriots 24/7 they won’t impugn the NFL itself.

I want to believe you are right but it would be so easy to pull off it's scary. You don't need proof, sources, anything anymore. Simply print it and it's a rock solid fact. Works every time.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Rumor has it that Tomase has gleened some scoop from Scooby. Tomase's dog has obtained real inside scoop from Scooby and it will be released next week.

 

[pwes]

Did we have one last year? I honestly can't remember.

 

[Huckleberry1]

I want to believe you are right but it would be so easy to pull off it's scary. You don't need proof, sources, anything anymore. Simply print it and it's a rock solid fact. Works every time.

It’s not that they wouldn’t want to it’s that they risk getting blocked out of future TV rights negotiations. The NFL is nothing if not vindictive.