Semi-OT: Tank Gate

[Simpelton]

Hue Jackson has now joined Flores with his own allegations of being incentivized not to win

Hue Jackson suggests Browns' Jimmy Haslam paid him to tank during his time with Cleveland

Hue Jackson suggests Browns' Jimmy Haslam paid him to tank during his time with the Browns

www.cbssports.com

Feel like this side if things should be broken away from the Flores megathread because it's not just Flores anymore.

This may be way way bigger than just Flores. If other coaches break silence it could be a league wide thing that gets the whole NFL in deep water, especially with the dependence the league has on gambling interests.

Of course it doesn't really come as a shock to those who have paid attention but it's kind of surprising that the code of silence has been broken.

 

[Ras-IR Dowling]

We all know tanking goes on in this league but paying your coaches to lose is some next level sh**. If proven there should be massive fines, loss of multiple high draft picks and ownership should be forced to sell.

 

[sb1]

There's different ways to tank. Not making moves to improve your team or playing an inferior roster are acceptable ways to do it and I think that happens all the time. Maybe playing guys who you want to get a look at and not because they are the best team is another way. Like the Patriots if they wanted to go with Jarrett Stidham at the end of 2020. That's "acceptable" tanking.

Losing games on purpose? That doesn't happen in the NFL. Colts in 2011 finished 2-14 and their coaching staff and front office were all fired. There's no incentive to do that for anyone. They didn't lose on purpose I believe they were really that terrible without an NFL QB and Caldwell at the time was not an NFL level coach.

Unless a team is paid to lose. That's different and I think the NFL has a real problem if Flores can back up what he's saying. Will the league investigate Irsay?

Also if Flores accepted the alleged bribe how would he make his team lose without looking obvious?

 

[BTTA]

We all know tanking goes on in this league but paying your coaches to lose is some next level sh**. If proven there should be massive fines, loss of multiple high draft picks and ownership should be forced to sell.

Being able to provide enough evidence to create doubt about NFL competition makes it worse than any other "thrown games" incident in sports history. Baseball had players doing it, basketball had refs doing it, but having it wired into ownership is, as you say, an entirely different level.

One owner can be seen as an aberration, especially if he's removed from ownership as a result. But two?

Literally everyone in history who has ever lost money on an NFL bet becomes an aggrieved party. The NFL is put in the position of having to prove a negative. A PR nightmare.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Putting forth an intentionally crappy roster so draft position is improved is one thing.

Owners providing financial motivation for coaches off the books to make decisions so the likelihood of losing a game(s) is dramatically increased is a criminal offense.

That is the very definition of point shaving.

 

[Triumph]

Makes you appreciate the Jets even more.

 

[Triumph]

What if Vegas got the heads up on this stuff and they cleaned up making hundreds of thousands of dollars?

Was Harbuagh being paid off this past season when he kept going for 2 points?

 

[sb1]

Kraft "Good of the 32" should be screaming really loudly at this whole thing and demand franchise crippling punishments for anyone involved.

But he won't.

 

[Simpelton]

On the other hand, this is Hue Jackson who talks a lot of ***. if it was him alone no one would take it seriously.

But Flores is widely considered a competent coach and most fans don't understand why he was fired. if it was because he refused to tank this goes into a whole new level.

If literally ANY other coaches come forward with stories like this I don't see how the NFL avoids instituting a draft lottery, at a minimum.

 

[BTTA]

Putting forth an intentionally crappy roster so draft position is improved is one thing.

Interestingly, this issue (purposely having crappy teams, and just making a ton of money as a mediocre franchise) is at the core of the MLB players union negotiating stance with MLB. They see a handful of owners who don't spend anywhere near what they need to on salaries to be competitive, but are making $$ hand over fist, so are essentially just riding on the backs of the other teams. This artificially suppresses players' salaries and thus corrupts the agreement about revenue sharing.

I heard Max Scherzer talk about this and he was so passionate you'd think someone had accused him of throwing spitballs.

 

[Jim Beankie]

Kraft "Good of the 32" should be screaming really loudly at this whole thing and demand franchise crippling punishments for anyone involved.

But he won't.

After his tantrum response to the Brady farewell thing, I'm wondering if not being able to water his Orchids is making him a little more fired up than usual. We might just see a pinch of fire and brimstone.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Man, this sport needs:

-A relegation system
-More team prizes than a league champion (like other tournaments, cups)

Yeah, I get that I sound like a European soccer fan; I don't love that sport, but the system makes a lot of sense. It's such an all-or-nothing league, and you really are better off overall going 5-11 than 7-9.

Here's a totally mind-blowing idea for all of American sports...ready for it?

-Teams shouldn't be rewarded (draft order, waiver order) for losing.

Yes, it is very possible to do this. Not every professional sports league awards the worst teams, or at least not to the extent as American sports, which often seeks parity moreseo than others.

 

[italian pat patriot]

Makes you appreciate the Jets even more.

Jets Jaguars Lions...seriously...i have respect

 

[PatsDeb]

LOL, tanking has worked out so well for so many...

 

[italian pat patriot]

Losing games on purpose?

If true it is really ugly...horrible...terrible because it would have implications for all other franchises

This looks really really bad

Something not needed after this fantastic playoff season we saw

 

[XLIX]

Considering the legal gray area these allegations exist in, Hue Jackson would be very wise to keep his yap shut.

 

[MahomestoKelce]

Meh. I think Hue Jackson was an awful coach. His team would've stunk regardless.

One of the issues is one of the lawyers gives names of people implicating tanking. The problem? Said people weren't associated with the organization at the time. I believe it was Brown & Berry?

 

[BTTA]

LOL, tanking has worked out so well for so many...

Let's keep in mind that when it comes to the owners, winning is in service to financial gain. The other gratifications are incidental.

 

[BTTA]

That is the very definition of point shaving.

Good catch on the terminology.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Nobody did it better than the San Antonio Spurs. Duncan made Popovich.