Is the NFL Fixed?

[ZigZagRam]

I'd like to see Anonymous hack into Goodell's E-mail and see if they can find any evidence.

I would not put it past the NFL to influence games to boost ratings. They are the kings of revenue.

While I haven't bought into a total reffing conspiracy, I do believe that the referees are told to keep the games as competitive as possible.

The game on Sunday really looked like evidence of that.

 

[ChrisW]

While I haven't bought into a total reffing conspiracy, I do believe that the referees are told to keep the games as competitive as possible.

The game on Sunday really looked like evidence of that.

So you're agreeing with me right?

 

[Rambitious1]

I don't think so completely. I think there are favorites and disliked teams, by the NFL.

But I think to a degree it is (see 2001 Super Bowl) though.

Also, look at the Rams schedule, year after year, after year, a top five most difficult schedule.
And what now, four out of the last five years or so, our last game is Seattle AND always IN Seattle!?!?
Hard to believe something that happens that often is a coincidence.

 

[ZigZagRam]

So you're agreeing with me right?

Yep. Tighter, more interesting games = higher ratings.

 

[VegasRam]

i voted yes for the same reason 16 x said. Money is involved as in vegas!

Easy there cowboy.

 

[thirteen28]

Fixed as in the way professional wrestling is? No.

But I do believe that the NFL has its preferred narratives/outcomes and probably takes an active hand in trying to sway things. In other words, they put their thumb on the scales.

I remember the Super Bowl that the Seahawks lost to the Steelers, there was the pre-game narrative of Jerome Bettis going back to his hometown and winning a Super Bowl in his last game. Great story, huh? And during the game, any time the Seahawks got some momentum going, the refs would absolutely fck them. That's just one demonstration.

And of course, there is Super Bowl 36, which needs no elaboration.

Basically, as long as games are close, the officials can sway the outcome. I don't think they do it every game, but I think they do it some games, and it's not beyond them to do it in a Super Bowl or the playoffs. I'm convinced we've actually seen it.

A lot of people won't want to believe it. But human beings are inherently prone to corruption, even moreso when they have power. Look at so many other big organizations - governments, large corporations, religions, charitable organizations - and you will find countless examples of corruption. Anyone who thinks that the NFL is immune to this is being naïve.

When you have a commissioner that routinely destroys evidence and have a league that has virtually zero transparency in its officiating, and yet still maintains its popularity, you have given the NFL and its commissioner a lot of power. Other than bad publicity, there really hasn't been any negative consequences for abusing their power.

So to summarize, while I don't believe the NFL actively and rigidly fixes games, I think they do actively try to influence the outcome of games and seasons. They are not always successful in doing so, but that rebounds to their benefit by giving the appearance of a level playing field, when there is anything but.

 

[-X-]

Games aren't fixed in the sense that the outcomes are predetermined. But I do know that players and officials can be bought.

 

[yrba1]

I don't think so, but Goodell's agenda of promoting player safety has gotten out of hand. Too many missed holding calls just so QBs can be protected, maybe our O-line should do that too.

 

[HE WITH HORNS]

The "tuck rule" being made up on the field is proof positive that the game is fixed. It was never used before that, and only a few times afterwards, and now it went away.

 

[thirteen28]

Yep. Tighter, more interesting games = higher ratings.

Close games = more controllable outcome.

 

[wrstdude]

No-something would've leaked by now. The NFL can't cover up something like that. It's just full of grossly incompetent officials. To steal a hashtag I use on twitter all the time for baseball: #robotumpsnow

 

[Yamahopper]

No.
Not for the top level no.
The owners absolutely not in on fixing. Bunch of Billionaires do not want to be associated with anything shady. It would kill their other business interests instantly and put them under scrutiny they wouldn't like. Just don't them see and other high ranking league officials enjoying life as prison bitches.
But it's not a fix., but it sure seems like in football and other sports some refs, umpires sure seem to have it in for a team. And not even teams I root for.

Then who would have thought the NBA would have had a cheating scandal involving Refs. I still have a hard time with that being a honest man.
So leaving to possibility open at lower levels just a crack.

 

[Angry Ram]

Fixed, I'd like to think no.

But the refs tend to make the most ridiculous calls at the worst possible times.

Some of the rules need to be tweaked. Like roughing the passer should exlude taps and grazes to the head. It should actually be a "rough play" for it to be roughing.

Or maybe allow teams to challenge one penalty per game. Or let team's have the option to use one of their regular challenge flags for judgement calls. IDK. Something needs to be changed regarding that.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Funny, my mom told me a long time ago, everything in sports was fixed...I have always believed hell no....too many variables....That said, the game is too fast for old guys to run up and down the field and not miss calls....should start training guys right outta college, who can't make the league, and have them ready at 27-28 to officiate games...retire them at 40....too many old ass refs...missing calls, making too many calls....JMO

 

[A55VA6]

Games aren't fixed in the sense that the outcomes are predetermined. But I do know that players and officials can be bought.

This.

 

[Stranger]

Funny, my mom told me a long time ago, everything in sports was fixed...I have always believed hell no....too many variables....That said, the game is too fast for old guys to run up and down the field and not miss calls....should start training guys right outta college, who can't make the league, and have them ready at 27-28 to officiate games...retire them at 40....too many old ass refs...missing calls, making too many calls....JMO

did u ever ask ur mom why she said this?

 

[Rams and Gators]

No-something would've leaked by now. The NFL can't cover up something like that. It's just full of grossly incompetent officials. To steal a hashtag I use on twitter all the time for baseball: #robotumpsnow

The game is probably too complicated for robots. But I do think every decision being reviewable (with the standard 2 challenges, but changed to unlimited if as long as you're correct) solves a lot of the problems.

 

[Stranger]

what makes u think tech (ie robots) can't be gamed? actually, it's easier, and more challenging to detect.

 

[thirteen28]

Since this thread is throwing out solutions, I have another idea - transparency.

Every single week, the NFL should not only review the officiating from all games, but should also publish those results for all to see.

For every game, publish the names of the officiating crews. List all the calls they got wrong, and the official that was responsible. Don't only list the ones where flags were thrown, also list the ones where flags were not thrown but should have been (e.g., the obvious hold on Langford). Over time, you could build a database and see which officials did the best job and which ones did the worst. You could give grades for the overall crew, and grades for individual officials as well. This would create a much larger feedback loop that put pressure on the NFL and the officials themselves to get it right, holding them accountable in a very public way for their mistakes. It would also give the officials incentive to avoid unnecessary scrutiny by putting more pressure on them to get it right and to call games evenhandedly.

Another thing - require ALL officials to meet the press and take questions to explain themselves and their calls/non-calls.

And another thing - lift the absolutely insane prohibition against coaches and players criticizing officials. This prohibition just makes it look like the NFL wants to sweep bad officiating under the rug.

I seriously doubt the NFL would ever do this though, because that diminishes (if not removes outright) their ability to put the thumb on the scales to sway the outcomes the way they want them to go, particularly in very close games.

Of course, someone like Pro Football Focus or another organization could do this ... it wouldn't be as effective as the NFL doing it, but it could embarrass them at times and maybe force them to be a bit more transparent about officiating.

 

[Rambitious1]

wow freaking wow..

Are you just now hearing about this?
Ya, pretty bad. I heard it some time ago and thought the same thing.....just WOW!