I've always been more of a fan of pro football than the college game.The 100+ teams in college, the players who only shine for two years, the train wreck of the BCS—it all wears me out.
But given the state of the NFL, I might just have to switch my allegiance.
The NFL, the corporate king of the pro leagues, is becoming unwatchable. And there may be a conspiracy behind its decline.
I've never been a conspiracy theorist myself—but after watching Monday's Patriots-Ravens game, I'm starting to believe.
The "Golden Boy"—Tom Brady—and the "Golden Franchise"—the Pats—simply weren't allowed to lose.
Twice the Ravens stopped Brady and the Pats on fourth down in the final minutes of the game—only to have both plays nullified. First, with 1:46 left, a Ravens timeout wiped out the stop. Then, a false start on the Pats pushed New England back to 4th-and-6.
After Brady scrambled for a first down, the Pats stalled in the red zone. On fourth down with under a minute left, the Ravens knocked down a desperation pass in the end zone.
Game over, right?
Wrong.
Flag on the field. Holding in the secondary. Half the distance to the goal, first down.
Of course.
Brady proceeded to throw a touchdown to Jabar Gaffney with :44 left. After the score was upheld on review—and we all know it had a snowball's chance in hell of being overturned—the Ravens got the ball back.
On the game's final play, Ravens QB Kyle Boller completed a Hail Mary inside the five yard line to Mark Clayton—who was practically raped by several Patriots and just barely kept out of the end zone.
And so the Chosen Ones secured their victory.
The NFL's credibility is at stake here. We can trace the favoritism of New England back six years to the "Tuck Rule" game, which could have stopped the Pats dynasty before it even started.
As it stands, the league's pro-Patriots bias is painfully obvious—and it's starting to get tiresome. Maybe next year Saturday will be my football day, not Sunday.
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10 months ago
HERE HERE TO THAT SIR, THE PATS ARE TH BIGGEST PACK OF CHEATERS EVER SEEN.
10 months ago
If you watched the Pats / Colts game, the idea of a conspiracy in favor of the Patriots would be laughable to you. Maybe you didn't catch that game...
10 months ago
I agree with Chris, the Ravens threw this game away with their 4th quarter penalties.
10 months ago
I just think it's funny that all the Pats fans who visit Colts fan sites to talk about the Colts bias are now accused of the same thing. And the evidence is at least a good for the Pats conspiracy case. If there is any conspiracy (which there isn't) it would be to keep both Colts and Pats winning for the sake of the league. Not one or the other. Also, the government did not blow up the world trade center towers either. But maybe the NFL did.
from 10 months ago
lol nice with the nfl world trade center conspiricy
you should inflate that so much more
10 months ago
Everybody on earth hates the Patriots. Despises them. I was so disgusted by how the play by play guys last night were so obviously routing for Baltimore I watched the second half with the tv muted.
Conspiracy? What conspiracy would that be? The one where the league strips the team of their 1st round pick and costs the coach half a million dollars for doing nothing different than any other team? Why would the NFL conspire to keep the team that everybody wants to lose undefeated? The Pats are public enemy no. 1 in the NFL - about the farthest thing from being the "Chosen Ones". As a fan of the team I am frustrated by this week after week.
IMHO the Patriots won the game. End of story. In the end Tom Brady adjusted to the wind, Kyle Boller proved yet again that he is not an elite quarterback.
Maybe if Baltimore didn't commit holding in the secondary the stop would have stood. The last time I checked teams are allowed to call timeouts whenever they want and they can't "cancel" the call just because the play didn't go their way.
New England performed when it mattered, late in the 4th quarter. They are a clutch team. I'm sure that this week all the new "blue print" garbage heat up again, and now apparently conspiracy theories as well. Nobody seems to even contemplate the fact that maybe this team is just plain good?
10 months ago
Chris is right. I really didn't see a problem with the way this game was called, and the Colts game was far worse than this one.
I'm beginning to think that there's just no pleasing some people. Win games by more than a couple touchdowns, and people will say you are big fat meanies who wear hoodies and run up the score. Win them by a field goal (Indy, Philly, Ravens), and someone will say the other team was somehow robbed by a conspiracy.
Penalties that were deserved - and these were - are NOT evidence that anyone is out to get you. On-field tantrums don't help either.
Please, either sit back and enjoy the game, or put your tin foil hat on and go stay in the corner quietly.
from 10 months ago
Good call - I guess the Pats should try to win every game by about 10 points and decline every penalty that is called against the other team. Oh yeah and ONLY second string players allowed after half-time. Then they should all individually make a public apology for winning...
What a joke.
10 months ago
Oh, yes. There's a conspiracy all right! Can someone please explain to me how Rex Ryan calling a timeout before the play (and the whistle could clearly be heard before the play fully took place) is a sign of "the league's favoritism of New England?" Did the league tell Baltimore to call that timeout?
"On the game's final play, Ravens QB Kyle Boller completed a Hail Mary inside the five yard line to Mark Clayton who was practically raped by several Patriots and just barely kept out of the end zone."
It's also funny that this is brought up because as a replay was being shown, you could clearly see Asante Samuel being "practically raped" by one of Baltimore's receivers. You people are too much.
10 months ago
I don't know what all your whining is about.
First, the timeout was by the Raven's coach and tape showed it being called before the snap.
Second, tape showed the lineman moved well before the snap.
Third, tape showed the Baltimore defender was holding the Patriots receiver throughout the whole route. A high school ref could have made that call.
As for the touchdown catch, it could have been called either way, and review would not have changed the call in either case (not conclusive). From the ref's vantage, it definitely looked like a good catch so his call was correct.
Now, the last play of the game, why wasn't a flag thrown for offensive pass interference when the Baltimore receiver was holding down the Pats defensive back during that Hail Mary?
A lot of calls could have gone both ways and I don't think anyone got an advantage over the calls. I am neither a Pats nor a Ravens fan. It doesn't matter to me who wins. But the game was an instant classic in my mind. And for the most part, the refs let the players play the game.
10 months ago
All I hear lately is fans of any team spout off detractions and belittle the Patriots about this and that....what I listen to is the jealousy of the fans and lambasting the Patriots for whatever beacuse deep inside they wish that their team was that good. IF the shoe were on the other foot, and (insert you favourite team) were on a tear, try and tell me that you'd take what you hear about your favourite team and consider it without bias etc...
Whatever happens I am a Fan of football and a Fan of the Patriots and happy to be part of an historic run...I am rooting for the Pats and all the naysayer's can b!@# me.
That said, the Ravens plain old blew the game. They should have won, they were given the chance and they could not man up! End of story.
10 months ago
True I think that at some point the refs just needed to let the guys play but being an intramural ref myself, there is a point where letting them play gets too outta hand. There was holding on the Ravens on that 4th down play inside the red zone. It just wasn't called on the right guy. After Gaffney held on to the winning catch, Bart Scott went nuts and deservedly got a 15 yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. Then when he threw the refs flag, he deservedly got another 15 yard penalty. If I were that ref he would have been ejected at that point and time. There is no conspiracy going on here. And I don't even like the Patriots. Go Texans
10 months ago
I would have to agree that the Ravens basically threw this game away in the fourth. You talk about how the Pats aren't "allowed to lose" but the ravens had two drives late(this was before the Pats scored) that they couldn't convert into points or a win. Had they been able to convert it into even 3 they would have gotten it so the Pats could only tie(provided they didn't go for 2) but they couldn't do it. And the ravens screwed themselves over again on the Pats final drive. Miscommunication caused the timeout fiasco and then they caught a break with the false start penalty(even though it looked like they had stopped the Pats) and they can't even stop the QB from running 6 yards(not to mention Rolle tackling the WR to insure the Pat first down. Then they manage to stop them again and actually are able to bat the ball down on 4th but somebody got a little hand happy and can't seem to not hold Watson. I heard people saying that was a BS call, it wasn't. He held him from the LOS all the way to the end zone, you can't do that. Now to the TD play, i don't think he maintained possession but i do believe had they overturned it then the next play would have been a TD seeing as how they were moved even closer because of another stupid penalty on the part of the Ravens. Now to the final pass. As Tony said where was the offensive pass interference. Asante Samual was basically tackled by the WR. Now the WR who did it wasn't the same one who caught it but still. And the last time i checked i didn't see a ref in the pile stopping the TD. Pats came through in the end and the Ravens collapsed. Case Closed/
10 months ago
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/football/bal-maesecolumn1204,0,5734057.story
Check this out...from the Baltimore Sun today...I think he gets it right...the Ravens melted down BUT the refs strangely became flag happy during that drive...the head linesman Phil McKinnely is being investigated for using inappropriate language to Samari Rolle during the game....doesn't matter though....I can't believe I'm defending the Pats and their fans but it was more of the Ravens blowing it, especially Boller throwing that stupid pick late....did the Pats get some nice calls at the right time...sure...but there are bad calls in every game unfortunately...did you see the Jags/Colts game....does the NFL want the Colts and Pats in the AFC Champ game...of course...do BOTH teams get the benefit of some cheap calls....absolutely....if the Ravens weren't such a bunch of loudmouth punks, they might get some love but with all the talking they did all game...they got what they deserved...
look at the bright side...Pats aren't the unstoppable juggernaut everyone thought they were...they had to scrape and claw against two below average teams and barely win by three points each game...had the Eagles and Ravens had QBs that didn't get greedy at the end, one if not both teams might have beaten them......that Steelers/Pats game should be great...and the Steelers have a fast, blitzing defense like the Eagles and Ravens so I'd expect to see another close game...
10 months ago
Do u know why the Pats lost there first round draft pick and the coach got fined?
what team besides the pats has taped the other teams coach to try to steal the signs and learn what play they are going to do
I totally agree with Carl on this one
those penalties were bogus and at the end of the game he did get interfered with which would have meant that the Ravens would have had the ball on the 2 yard line or so and one play left
from 10 months ago
All teams tape their opponents like this, the Pats just happened to get caught.
from 10 months ago
It doesn't matter who else does it......its still wrong!!!
10 months ago
Damn lots of people hate the Pats.Guess thats what happens when your team either gets spanked hard by them.Or when your team blows up on thier own.
Ive heard nothing but whining this season about the Pats running the score.Now when they win a close one well the game must be fixed.People you just have to sit back and enjoy watching history in the making.Pittsburgh fans your next ya might as well start coming up with some kind of theory now for how the Pats cheated or got favorable calls so they could win.Cause you KNOW the Pats will win on Sunday.
10 months ago
I agree with this author. All I have to see is I cant wait till the Pats play the Steelers this weekend. They are gonna get their ass kicked and their won't be enough penalties to save them this time.
10 months ago
I'm a Ravens fan and was obviously diappointed with the outcome. That said, the Ravens had many opportunites to go up big and didn't make it happen. The Ed Reed fumbled interception before the half and the Boller interception late. Plus they couldn't get a first down on their last couple of posessions in the fourth quarter, no to mention the Rex Ryan timeout debacle. Change any of these one things, and they likely win the game.
Did it seem like it was in the stars for the Pats to pull it out? Absolutley. Did the officials give the Pats the game? Absolutely not. The only call that is potentially arguable is the pass interference on the fourth down play. As Steve Young commented afterwards, he's seen tight ends mugged worse than that and not get the call. But that one call is not the sole reason that the Pats won. They won because they're a championship-quality team and champions win, even when they don't have their best games.
Finally, I was disappointed in the comments of the defensive players on the Ravens unit. They played with as much heart as I've ever seen them, and made it a lot of fun to be a Ravens fan Monday night. Unfortunately, they allowed their emotions to lead them to comment publicly in a way that makes them appear to be much less than the good guys that I know some of them to be. I suspect if the outcome were reversed, you would not have heard the same kind of reaction from the Pats players.
Regardless, they're my team and I look forward to them getting a shot at my old favorite team Sunday night.
Cheers to all.
10 months ago
I am willing to admit that i am i Patriots fan. I have been my whole life. When i argue with my friends to defend them, the only thing that they can come up with is the fact that they cheated by taping the Jets plays. Has anyone ever played high school or college football? Obviously not, because even at those levels there is someone trying to figure out the plays of the opponent. They may have gone farther by video taping, but seriously, does anyone actually think that there isnt a single other team out there that doesnt do this? Because you are wrong.
And to those of you that get mad when the Patriots run up the scoreboard, have you ever actually thought that maybe they do this because they are trying to prove that they can win games without "cheating"? And have you ever noticed how they take out their starters by the time it gets to the 3rd or 4th quarter? Obviously you havent.
To those of you that believe that the NFL has rigged the game so that the Patriots win, you are wrong. The Patriots beat your team because they are better than them. They beat the Eagles because they are a 4th quarter team and they always have been. They beat the Ravens because they blew up by causing penalties when they shouldnt have, not because of the refs. For the love of god, man up. You Lost.
9 months ago
Thank you for calling it like it is. There are too many suspicious calls every game—especially in the fourth quarter. Someone in a position of power is making a lot of money off of the Pats. Someone needs to investigate the relationship that CBS (and the corporation that owns them) has with this them. Also, why would people defend cheating? No—it isn’t right and everyone doesn’t do it. I wish people would think a little more about this instead of finding comfort in voting for a guaranteed winner.
9 months ago
THE PATS ARE CHEATERS!!!!
9 months ago
I think the league absolutely has an interest in helping the Patriots win. Consider the fact that they won three recent superbowls and then got caught cheating. It calls into question their superbowl victories as well as the validity of the whole league. What better way to reestablish the league’s credibility than to have the Pats go undefeated “proving” to everybody that, regardless of any cheating, they’re just that good. Yes, I’ve seen enough questionable calls to believe, without a reasonable doubt, that the NFL assisted the Pats in an undefeated season.
9 months ago
Patriots Suck!! Again they got a couple of calls in last nights game against the giants. Moss can't catch a touchdown pass without pushing!! I hope the refs catch that in the playoffs!!
9 months ago
Patriots Suck!! Again they got a couple of calls in last nights game against the giants. Moss can't catch a touchdown pass without pushing!! I hope the refs catch that in the playoffs!!
9 months ago
The so called tuck rule is in the book.
The Patriots benefitted from that call against Oakland.
It's a stupid rule IMO, but hey, it's in the rule book.
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