Bad Officiating vs. Rigged NFL

[AvengerRam]

We all hate bad officiating.

When it helps your team, it can diminish the joy of winning and gives naysayers an excuse to deny credit for the accomplishment.

When it hurts your team, it’s just downright infuriating.

But there’s a big difference between human error (or even incompetence) and deliberate skewing of results.

Those who take to social media (ie PFT) and spread the mantra of “NFL RIGGED”… I have no use for you.

The league is not rigged. It’s, frankly, downright silly to think the NFL would do the one thing that could destroy its multi-billion dollar golden goose.

So…if you’re advocating better training, more officials, enhanced replay usage…I’m all ears.

If you’re looking to undermine the game we love with unfounded accusations, count me out.

 

[Faceplant]

Not sure if this threat was created to just state your opinion or if you are looking for discussion, but I'll play along. I think the NFL knows a good story line when it sees one, haha. If poor officiating literally steers or affects the outcome of these games, then why would the NFL not try to correct that with "better training, more officials, enhanced replay usage"? I mean...is it that they cannot afford it? I don't think so either. Human error will always be a part of the game...I just feel like we see a LOT more of it in big games these days. That's all. It is frustrating.






















































Also....FUCK THE CHEESE AND WHINERS!!!!!

 

[Merlin]

Every sport there's fans ranting about officiating. The problem is human beings are not perfect and the refs believe it or not are human. Meanwhile we have technology and frame-by-frame analysis giving armchair heroes like us full power to see every mistake so we can whip them into big deals on social media.

It's never gonna change. Even someday when there are AI refs who get everything perfect fans will be fans.

 

[tempests]

If the NFL was rigging games, players from both sides would be in on it. QBs missing throws, defenders missing tackles or taking the wrong gap, deliberately committing fouls if need be.

 

[Allen2McVay]

The problem is human beings are not perfect and the refs believe it or not are human.

On behalf of @CGI_Ram, @Selassie I, @RamFan503 and myself ... Speak for yourself!

Now, if you're talking about @Loyal ... You have a point .

 

[AppeasFBlGods]

I think it's crazy to think there isn't some form of manipulation. Every major sport has had officiating scandals. People were shutting down others who believed the NBA had a problem for years.. until we found out it was true. And the NFL has made no move to protect the integrity of the game. The average NFL ref makes 27k. They literally depend on other jobs. With how close the league is to gambling this is a huge issue. Also, like we found in the NBA.. it's not always pure.. "make this team win" the league uses points of emphasis and hides behind rules when it suits them to increase entertainment in games. There are ref crews that call the games entirely differently.. (some crews call lots of offensive holding while rarely calling secondary calls, and vice versa) one features helping offense and one defense. Shawn hoccullis crew over the last 5 years has hit the under 68% of the time. Guys like Jamal Williams of the lions do the same TD celebration every time. Williams was penalized on 6 of his 17 tds. No league memo to sort out wether or not it's legal. I'm sure next year it will be the same random timing for the calls

 

[majrleaged]

There is an ulterior motive to not using all avenues to improve the consistency of officiating. It is not being to cheap to spend the money, but it is all about the money. It could be they love the NFL being constantly talked about, good or bad. It could be keeping certain games competitive. Mostly the SB, where some of the most obvious bullshit has taken place. What ever it is. It is about the owners reaping every possible dollar and not for the fans of the game.

 

[dieterbrock]

The average NFL ref makes 27k. They literally depend on other jobs

Not true.
Average NFL ref makes over 200k
The "part time" argument is silly and way overblown.
As it pertains to the NFL, the game is just too fast and needs technology integration, there's just no way around it. The problem then becomes two fold, how does the increase in "accurate" calls change the game? How does it affect the pace of game? IMO the most egregious calls, or no-calls, involve pass interference and holding. (roughing the passer is gaining)
Do they throw a flag on every play?
I think the solution is fairly simple, allow coaches to review any play or call and with the technology advancement, they should be able to make a decision significantly faster than they do. And if a coach wins a challenge, they should be granted an additional one.

 

[nighttrain]

Not true.
Average NFL ref makes over 200k
The "part time" argument is silly and way overblown.
As it pertains to the NFL, the game is just too fast and needs technology integration, there's just no way around it. The problem then becomes two fold, how does the increase in "accurate" calls change the game? How does it affect the pace of game? IMO the most egregious calls, or no-calls, involve pass interference and holding. (roughing the passer is gaining)
Do they throw a flag on every play?
I think the solution is fairly simple, allow coaches to review any play or call and with the technology advancement, they should be able to make a decision significantly faster than they do. And if a coach wins a challenge, they should be granted an additional one.

coaches right now can challenge calls, they get three per half, isn't it?
It SHOULD be on any play, if not, they should make a rule change
train

 

[Corbin]

NFL is a multi-billion behemoth and to think they wouldn’t do anything shady to risk “ the golden goose” is downright hysterical and lazy.

Let’s look at other organizations that are huge behemoths: The US Government, The Catholic Church….

They are too big to fail and regardless of the shady things going on people will participate in them, and will go at any lengths to cover up a scandal to maintain ‘integrity’.

Now back snap back to the NFL, the only thing I have to say is the 2002 Super Bowl for the 2001 season and I’ll rest my case. Goodell and his cronies covered up that BS to ‘ protect the shield’ and it only involved denial, burning of tapes, payoffs, and silence. It’s been a shit show since.

Now is everything a planned call by a ref? No. There is natural game play, but there is combined horrible human error and a steered discourse at times to help a team get over a couple of humps. As in ratings are best with a close game not a blow out.

 

[dieterbrock]

coaches right now can challenge calls, they get three per half, isn't it?
It SHOULD be on any play, if not, they should make a rule change
train

Cant challenge penalty calls, 2 total for the game

 

[AvengerRam]

NFL is a multi-billion behemoth and to think they wouldn’t do anything shady to risk “ the golden goose” is downright hysterical and lazy.

Let’s look at other organizations that are huge behemoths: The US Government, The Catholic Church….

They are too big to fail and regardless of the shady things going on people will participate in them, and will go at any lengths to cover up a scandal to maintain ‘integrity’.

Now back snap back to the NFL, the only thing I have to say is the 2002 Super Bowl for the 2001 season and I’ll rest my case. Goodell and his cronies covered up that BS to ‘ protect the shield’ and it only involved denial, burning of tapes, payoffs, and silence. It’s been a shit show since.

Now is everything a planned call by a ref? No. There is natural game play, but there is combined horrible human error and a steered discourse at times to help a team get over a couple of humps. As in ratings are best with a close game not a blow out.

So do you think the league rigs outcomes? That’s the topic here…not whether the league tries to cover mistakes after the fact.

 

[dieterbrock]

I believe "The NFL" will cover it's tracks to avoid controversy at every turn, until they get caught covering up and then have to make changes. Ray Rice, Patriots filming fiasco, Giants wife beating kicker, concussion data etc... That's just the stuff they didnt get away with, I cant even imagine what they have. That said, protecting the brand and allowing manipulating games for a desired outcome are two entirely different things, basically polar opposites. If owners were "in on it" then Jerry Jones would have a SB appearance in the last 30 years and for sure Daniel Snyder would rat them all out if he had the intel.

 

[RamsFanCK]

I am at the point in my thinking that across the board in the world there are very few actual conspiracies and a literal shit ton of incompetence that people think are conspiracies.

The NFL in my mind is in the latter.

 

[thirteen28]

I think it would be extremely difficult to rig an NFL game. OTOH, it would be easier for officials to put their thumb on the scales to increase the likelihood of a desired outcome. Does that happen? Who knows. But it could, and it wouldn't necessarily have to be the NFL offices involved. We know what happened with that one NBA official several years ago.

 

[Jacobarch]

I promise you there's crooked officials, owners and players in this league. There's too much money changing hands for there not to be. Corruption and greed work hand and hand together, if you believe otherwise you're not paying attention.

With that said I don't think it's rampid in the NFL like in soccer or the NBA but if the NFL isn't careful it isnt out of the realm of possibilities

 

[Mackeyser]

If the NFL was rigging games, players from both sides would be in on it. QBs missing throws, defenders missing tackles or taking the wrong gap, deliberately committing fouls if need be.

That's 100% not how this works.

The league has enough parity that literally one ref in a game could change the outcome... Typically they are offensive holding or PI.

Ask a Lions fan... I heard about this a few years ago and watched some of their games... Holy shit... Makes the bad calls we got when we sucked seem like grace in comparison. And they lost so many close games, ESPECIALLY to the Packers...

Do I think there's an outright fix? No.

Do I think about week 8 or so the league starts building narratives? Yep. Do I think the NFL tries to steer things to generate the biggest money making narratives? Oh yeah.

Also, when confronted with a fan suing seeking redress as they had bought a ticket to a sporting event where cheating had occurred (there are legal requirements as such), the NFL argued the fan had no standing as the NFL isn't a sport, it's entertainment and no refund should be given in the event of cheating because the ticket only entitles the bearer the seat to the show.

So the NFL doesn't see itself as a sport. Are the narratives as prescribed as in Wrestling, the other “sport” that in lieu of litigation had to declare itself as entertainment? No... not remotely close.

And it's not fool proof, since with injuries, they have to move off of things... and in the Cowboys case, they've choked even with help...

I think the biggest fuel to this is the league’s intransigence to standardize crew calls. With disparate crews calling games differently, it's way more difficult to debate their massaging the calls and different calls are left to interpretation or “human error”

They've gotten better since SB36, which was so ham-handedly managed that folks just shook their heads, but if you look pre and post SB36, it's pretty clear that they are massaging the outcomes.

Outright game fixing? No. Steering? I 100% believe that.

 

[RamFanWA]

Admittedly, is is a challenge to be totally, 100% fair, about this -- but, it is not just the questionable penalties that are called - but also the ones the are NOT called that can benefit one team or the other... right, Aaron ???

I think it may be time to change the referee system and to incorporate a bit more technology into that part of the game, while still keeping game from stalling out...

 

[rdlkgliders]

Avoidable mistakes are made. In place are the means to resolve the mistakes. The bigger the game and larger the impact of the outcome the more focus is placed on the imperfect system.
Can this be fixed and is fixing it even of interest to the machine, that is the question? In order to "Rig" a game you first have to affect game-changing plays and even that doesn't create a certainty.

 

[dieterbrock]

Also, when confronted with a fan suing seeking redress as they had bought a ticket to a sporting event where cheating had occurred (there are legal requirements as such), the NFL argued the fan had no standing as the NFL isn't a sport, it's entertainment and no refund should be given in the event of cheating because the ticket only entitles the bearer the seat to the show.

Not this again...
This was thrown out of court at every level because it was an absurd claim that had no basis. The suit was filed by an attorney who is quite infamous for creating self serving law suits which are merely an avenue for him to claim celebrity.
The entertainment clause was irrelevant, but tin foil hat wearers took the bait and ran rampant with it as if it were some sort of smoking gun. The purpose of that clause is due to some anti trust definition