Poll: Do you think the fix was in vs. the 49ers?

[LesBaker]

1328 I think you are mixing up shitty calls with intent of the rules. The swipe on the shoulder example a few weeks ago shouldn't have been called because it isn't against any rule. That isn't the NFL "changing the game", that's a ref making a bad call and if the union was doing what the NFL wanted that guy would get a lower grade and with enough of those kind of calls he would be "benched".

Most of the time when I see and hear people complaining about how the game is being ruined it is directly related to a shitty call in a game. Not a rule, a bad call.

 

[rams56]

I believe that every week in the nfl.... the refs make calls according to which team and according to which qb.....is supposed to be better.... ie....the Phantom Romo hands to the head call against Sims. ......But it's up to our team to flip the table on the nfl....the refs.....our opponents. ....forget them all.....we need to forget that play and just smoke them...Win...as fans we need to become the true 12th man..... forget the seachickens.....we need to show them up as fans as much as our team needs to show up they're team....

Go Rams.........

 

[fearsomefour]

First you say it is "delusional" then you conclude that given the league structure it is possible?

In my opinion the NFL has favorite franchises/owners and is all about making money. I guarantee they are already working on future TV deals.

Btw...I did not suggest the Ed was half empty, but that it could get there if the Rams are 2-9.

I was saying structures that have very few people controlling a lot of money makes it more possible.
I do not think it is going on.
Because the structure of the organization makes it more possible to pull off, that does not mean it is happening, no contradiction there.

 

[Boston Ram]

I'm not saying there's a fix per se, but when EVERY SINGLE BAD CALL goes against the Rams, it really makes me wonder

Its does seem that way sometimes, I do agree lol. I think with the Rams is we just never bounce back from the bad calls. Look at the Cook play, a good team can overcome it. We give up the ball and 4 plays later we fail to call a time out and Lloyd goes down the sideline untouched. A good team ID's the play sooner and calls a TO. Fisher even admits a TO should of been called. Take that play away and we are tied with a minute left in the ball game. As bad as the Rams may have played in the 2nd half, you can make a case we could of been tied after regulation.

The Cook play sucked, but the pass to Lloyd was the killer. That play should never happen going into the half.

 

[Boston Ram]

It's actually parity, but strangely applicable.

Fixed is a strong word, as in money didn't change hands, but yes, the word went down. Just like the Super Bowl.

Thanks, that is my Boston College education shining through lol. Completely disagree that the "word" went down though.

 

[Boston Ram]

They make more billions if the games are close, and if the darling teams win. Story lines sell more tickets, and make all the owners rich. No one cares about the Rams, we have the smallest fan base in the league, and as of next year, don't even have a stadium lease. Why wouldn't they screw us over?

I see your point but its not entirely true. The TV deals are in place and money is contracted and ad space is already sold. Look at the Thursday night games, all blowouts, why not "fix" those? Thursday night games are not going away anytime soon and that is the worst football imaginable.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Again....human error...human's...of course there are biases....they have favorites...why, they're human....older guys ref-ing a much faster game...a lil out of breath, and boom....Case in point, I'm sure some of you guys heard them say they had a meeting about the uncalled OPI in the Oct. 5th week. So that was the dreaded Point of Emphasis....Oh Lord, Cookie gets open, against the 9ers and some old guy, probably out of breath/position thinks he sees OPI & throws his effing flag....Game changef? Kinda...when we don't score, then give it to Kaep and the Jenoris Jenkins experience occurs.....So, not quite fixed...Human error/inadequacies and old age...again...And I like @ChrisW suggestion...Time to make these dudes full-time...all they do is worry about the rules of football, and stay in shape to follow the plays....seriously...and my personal peeve...age limit...

 

[Warner4Prez]

I just don't buy a conspiracy against STL. You can say that because we're small fries we're easy to kick aside and all that, but I could make an argument for this team or the Jacksonville's of the world being pushed up just as easily.

I don't think anyone would fight the notion that the 99 Rams were a big shot of adrenaline into the NFL. Their success has a direct correlation in bolstering offensive protection to the nauseating point we're at today. Why wouldn't they want the UDFA QB who was out of football last year to WIN for the same team that's been in the shitter since Warner left?! That's gold, no matter how "important" the 9ers are.

Also, there's been talk of malcontents in the San Fran locker room since the pre-season. So if there was a guiding hand ruling outcomes, wouldn't the more compelling story line being a 9ers loss to a weak division rival therefore fueling discontent from within and shaking loose a winning HC?

I'd think the NFL would be more concerned about propping up a slumping franchise rather than potentially losing 10s of thousands of fans in STL, likely permanently. Officiating has been shitty, no doubt. But I don't think its to drive some sort of narrative in favor of every other team.

 

[beej]

Why did people always "almost" beat hulk Hogan?

 

[Boffo97]

Can't vote , or won't ,if there was a I'm suspicious option I'd vote for that, evidence points in every direction IMO.

You could always vote for option #5...

 

[thirteen28]

1328 I think you are mixing up crappy calls with intent of the rules. The swipe on the shoulder example a few weeks ago shouldn't have been called because it isn't against any rule. That isn't the NFL "changing the game", that's a ref making a bad call and if the union was doing what the NFL wanted that guy would get a lower grade and with enough of those kind of calls he would be "benched".

Most of the time when I see and hear people complaining about how the game is being ruined it is directly related to a crappy call in a game. Not a rule, a bad call.

Not really mixing it up, because the many of the rules as well as the emphasis on the way they are called is a result of the emphasis on player safety - and that's coming from the league offices. Same with the rules on defenseless WR's, ball carriers lowering their head, the illegality of hitting the QB after an INT is thrown, etc. etc. etc. Hell, they have even considered eliminating the kickoff now, although thankfully it hasn't happened - yet. All those things are coming from the league, not the officials.

 

[Jumava1968]

The team shouldn't have to overcome bad calls,this a muti billion dollar business that should be able to put competent referees on the field every week or at the very least have the option to review a bad call and make it right.

 

[Antonius]

This is embarrassing. This Rams did a great job of losing on their own. We got away with holding big time on Cunningham's TD. Harkey (I think it was) had his arm around a guy's neck. It goes both ways. But whatever you guys wanna believe. By the way, if there was some great conspiracy "and when an unpopular team like the Rams starts beating up on a more popular team, it hurts ratings", we never would have won a super bowl. I can't fathom how some people think like this.

 

[Antonius]

This is embarrassing. This Rams did a great job of losing on their own. We got away with holding big time on Cunningham's TD. Harkey (I think it was) had his arm around a guy's neck. It goes both ways. But whatever you guys wanna believe. By the way, if there was some great conspiracy "and when an unpopular team like the Rams starts beating up on a more popular team, it hurts ratings", we never would have won a super bowl.

 

[Boffo97]

This is embarrassing. This Rams did a great job of losing on their own. We got away with holding big time on Cunningham's TD. Harkey (I think it was) had his arm around a guy's neck. It goes both ways. But whatever you guys wanna believe. By the way, if there was some great conspiracy "and when an unpopular team like the Rams starts beating up on a more popular team, it hurts ratings", we never would have won a super bowl. I can't fathom how some people think like this.

The 1999 team came out of nowhere so suddenly that it'd be hard to hold back. Plus, I think it's less holding the Rams down than making sure popular teams do well... as we learned in 2001.

Have a picture of the Harkey hold?