conspiracy thread dedicated to ridiculousness

The league attempting to influence outcomes of some games is not the only conspiracy being posited. Deflategate would be an example of a potential conspiracy by a coach to cheat again. Vegas insiders have been accused of conspiracies, etc etc. Corruption makes its way into most everything to some small or large degree. Sports are not immune to that as history shows us. And corruption in whatever form is never advertised, it is hidden (which entails conspiracy).

One last thing: you had made a prior comment about proof vs circumstantial evidence......well, compelling circumstantial evidence is still evidence and many people have been convicted in courts of law for even something as nefarious and awful as murder based on compelling circumstantial evidences of various things. I mention this only to point out that you cannot just laugh off circumstantial evidences nor can you say that circumstantial evidences cannot prove things beyond a reasonable doubt....they have in fact done that in courts of law.

 

no shit, sherlock as long as you're not using this to support some other argument, like a league conspiracy to orchestrate the outcomes of entire seasons. i freely stipulate cheating happens.

sure, and tons of them later had their convictions overturned when actual evidence showed they were innocent. i'm laughing off any mindset which says "if it MIGHT have been this, it MUST have been."

some people are more comfortable with a rush to judgement than others.

 

"Report: NFL planned to inspect Patriots football before D?Qwell Jackson interception

Posted by Mike Florio on January 21, 2015, 6:57 PM EST
Football
Getty Images
It?s been reported that #DeflateGate got rolling after Colts linebacker D?Qwell Jackson intercepted a ball thrown by Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and took it to the sideline for inspection by the equipment manager, who noticed that the ball was underinflated and passed the information up the flagpole, prompting the NFL to examine the New England footballs at halftime of the game.

According to Jay Glazer of FOX Sports, the NFL already had planned to check the footballs at halftime, based on concerns previously raised by the Colts. It?s unclear whether the Colts noticed that the balls were deflated during the November 16 regular-season game between the two teams or whether the Ravens (as Glazer suggested) shared the information with the franchise that used to be in Baltimore. Regardless, the pressure gauges were going to be inserted into the balls regardless of whether Jackson or any other Colts player had gotten his hands on one of the Patriots? 12 footballs.

Meanwhile, former NFL official Gerry Austin said on ESPN (via Bart Hubbuch of the New York Post) that all 12 of the Colts? footballs were properly inflated when checked at halftime and that the one out of 12 New England balls that was not two pounds under minimum was still underinflated.

Of course, it?s no surprise that the Indianapolis balls were within acceptable limits. If the Colts had tipped the league off to the issue before the game, it would have been stupid for the Colts to show up with underinflated balls."



MORE TO COME......

 

This pretty much comedically sums up my feelings about corruption inherent in everything:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlVDGmjz7eM


It definitely seems more and more rigged (the NFL) to me. Not entirely rigged. But more funny business and refs controlling the game every year.


As for the Patriots potentially getting caught again, I don't think this means the NFL is on the up and up. Maybe the NFL is picking right now to break this story to increase super bowl ratings (making the Patriots the super villain), and/or to distract from the real potential corruption which is perceived league favoritism of different teams and refs officiating being worse than ever, etc. Maybe the NFL thinks the average NFL fan will buy how on the up and up they are because we are investigating ball deflation (a seemingly mundane thing on the surface) so there is just no way they would let bigger things that corrupt the game take place (ya know, b/c they are all over this).

Or maybe a cigar is just a cigar and this just is what it is or whatever the NFL tells us.

I think the NFL lost all benefit of the doubt when they torched the evidence in spygate.

 

Shady Brady?


"John Madden: Blame Tom Brady for deflated footballs

Posted by Mike Florio on January 21, 2015, 7:46 PM EST
images
The week began with Patriots quarterback Tom Brady laughing off the suggestion that the team had deflated footballs used on Sunday against the Colts. When Brady, who said in 2011 that he likes deflated footballs, meets with the media on Friday, he probably won?t be doing much laughing.

He?ll be reacting to a bunch of questions about the situation, and he may specifically be faced with a pointed question regarding the opinions of Hall of Fame coach John Madden.

?That would have to be driven by the quarterback,? Madden told The Sports Xchange on Wednesday. ?That?s something that wouldn?t be driven by a coach or just the equipment guy. Nobody, not even the head coach, would do anything to a football unilaterally, such as adjust the amount of pressure in a ball, without the quarterback not knowing. It would have to be the quarterback?s idea.?

Madden?s position makes a lot of sense. Quarterbacks are particular about their footballs. Anybody doing anything to the footballs without the quarterback?s knowledge or consent would be asking for a tongue lashing. In Brady?s case, his tongue wouldn?t be needed to formulate the various ?F? words that would be hurled at he who messes with the quarterback?s primary tool.

?He is the effected,? Madden said. ?He is the only guy. I heard some of the pundits saying the ball is easier to catch, but that would never, ever, ever be done for that unless the quarterback wanted it. You wouldn?t do something for a receiver to catch the ball if the quarterback couldn?t throw it. So it?s going to be done for the quarterback.?

Madden?s compelling, commonsensical take will make the potential conclusion that a ball boy went rogue ring hollow. The ball boy would be going rogue not only against the rules but also against the wishes of the quarterback. So if anyone connected to the Patriots was taking air out of the footballs, Madden?s explanation makes it clear that the quarterback either knew about it and did nothing to stop it ? or deliberately requested it.

Now here?s the part where hundreds of Patriots and Raiders fans argue in the comments regarding whether Madden?s remarks were motivated by the tuck rule."

 

"USA Today writer Chris Chase said that the appropriate response would be to bar the Patriots from the big game, though he admits it may not be realistic.

?The penalty should be simple: Ban ?em.?

?Of course, it?s not realistic to disqualify New England from the Super Bowl. What?s the NFL going to do, bring back the Colts to replace them? Hold a loser-bracket between Denver and Indianapolis? That?s not feasible. Just because the Pats should be DQ?d doesn?t mean they will or could.?

?But, again, they should. The evidence is all there, assuming Chris Mortensen?s report is correct. Former NFL referee Gerry Austin was on Mike and Mike this morning and said officials check the PSI of all footballs two hours before the game. At halftime, New England?s footballs (each team has different balls during the game) were found to be two-to-three pounds lighter. Someone deflated the balls. There?s no debate here.?


Read more at http://www.inquisitr.com/1775216/new-england-patriots-disqualified-from-super-bowl-momentum-growing-to-kick-patriots-out-after-cheating-scandal/#sYZeAPbsrZ6c3A0y.99\"

 

Very interesting topic.

NFL is a multi-billion dollar business. The only thing the NFL is really concerned with is protecting the "Shield" which is code for(Money). The last thing the NFL wants is do is lose money. I believe there have been games won and lost as a set up. By no means do I believe most games are decided by conspirators, but there are lots more to "fixing" games than just determining the winners and losers.

There are many ways to bet on football. There are lines and totals for example. If The Steelers win a game by 1 or 45 pts. most players and owners probably could care less as long as their team wins. So to "shave" points in a game and still win the game, only the gamblers and bookmakers care. If the NFL found there to be "shaving pts." in games. It would be in their best interest to cover it up. The last thing the NFL would want is to lose money, and having the integrity of the game being put in question would definitely harm the "Shield". To have a controversial penalty that doesn't affect the outcome of the game happen to be called and make the game closer than it should have been. No big deal.

Now on to the totals. Average NFL totals are in the 40s. If a game ends up 23-20 and the total was 44. Who cares??? Just the degenerate gambler. So when a team has 3 straight holding penalties called on them near the end of the game when they are trying to get back into a game and end up turning the ball over on downs to see the winning team take a knee and run out the clock and just so happen to keep the score under the total, not many notice or care. I have personally seen many games where the clock is run. It may not be obvious to the average fan or the non-gambler, but when 2 seconds are clicked off the clock after every incomplete pass, TD, turnover or out of bounce play, it adds up. By the end of the game you can easily run 2-3 minutes off the clock without anyone giving it a second thought. I have seen games where the clock was started, when a play wasn't run, but a penalty was called after halftime. There are many tricks that can and are used to control the score of a game. To say it's a conspiracy? It takes 1 or 2 people here. The official time keeper and the official on the field who is supposed to keep the time on the field.

There are millions bet on every game in the NFL. Greed is a reality. To believe all the games are on the up and up is a bit naive IMHO.

I'm not sure I buy into all the original article has to say. There are many assumptions and some real stretching of the imagination in it. Just my 2 cents.

 

The Ravens claim of potential deflated kicking balls is what really interests me. Unlike the gameballs the kicking balls are balls shared by both teams and from the time they are opened they are never not in possession of the officials? So either the Ravens are full of you know what...or the Patriots almost unquestionably had to have an official on the take to either allow them access or deflate the balls for them. This could be a much much bigger issue that just deflating balls if true.

Of course at this point it's probably too late to prove anything and the stupid Ravens did not file an official complaint after the game when they may have been able to get a hold of one of the balls for testing. And even now Harbaugh for no apparent reason continues to not give an straight answer on the subject like the jack*** he is.

 

But, there is speculation that the Ravens tipped off the Colts to the deflated balls. Coupled with their own suspicions, that is possibly why the league was set to test the footballs at halftime anyway. It's very interesting, but the Ravens may have given the patriots a huge "F You" depending on how this shakes out and what truths are revealed.

 

No honor among cheats? Belichick (perennial micromanager of all things) claims ignorance and bumps Brady closer to an oncoming bus?

"Belichick subtly points finger at Brady
Posted by Mike Florio on January 22, 2015, 10:13 AM EST
Belichick
AP
On Wednesday, Hall of Fame coach John Madden directly pointed to quarterback Tom Brady as the prime suspect in the NFL?s investigation of deflated footballs. On Thursday, Patriots coach Bill Belichick did the same thing, in far more subtle fashion.

Belichick?s extensive comments from his Thursday press conference, fully transcribed by MDS, reveal a clear and unequivocal position from the head coach that he has no knowledge of or involvement in football air pressure. But Belichick also made it abundantly clear that others in the organization may.

?I think we all know that quarterbacks, kickers, specialists have certain preferences on the footballs,? Belichick said. ?They know a lot more than I do. They?re a lot more sensitive to it than I am. I hear them comment on it from time to time, but I can tell you and they will tell you that there?s never any sympathy whatsoever from me on that subject. Zero. Tom?s personal preferences on his footballs are something that he can talk about in much better detail and information than I could possibly provide.?

In other words, take it up with Brady. Brady?s the guy whose preferences may have resulted in tampering with the footballs. (Brady said in 2011 that he prefers the balls to be deflated.)

?[M]y overall knowledge of football specifications, the overall process that happens on game day with the footballs, is very limited,? Belichick emphasized. ?I would say that during the course of the game, I honestly never ? it probably has happened on an incomplete pass or something ? I?ve never touched a game ball. That?s not something that I have any familiarity with on that.?

But Belichick made it clear that Brady does. And Brady is now scheduled to meet with the media at 4:00 p.m. ET on Thursday."


And there is this:
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...e-to-let-visiting-team-provide-own-footballs/

 

It's interesting how all this is being reported. First it came off like the Colts only noticed after an INT, like it was a big surprise type of thing. Then it came out that the Colts mentioned it to the league back in November. And Now it's that the Ravens gave the Colts and NFL a heads up which is why the balls were scheduled to be tested again at half time.

The only thing we do know is that the Patriots definitely took the air out of the footballs after the refs approved them. Green Bay's footballs were also tested, I read somewhere, and stated to be fine.

Belichiek may be throwing Brady under the bus but he deserves that year long suspension anyway. Like Goodell told Sean Payton, ignorance is not an excuse as a head coach.

 

If not for the media (and other sources), the NFL would sweep everything under the rug! The recent rule changes are bad enough, but the commish should definitely be canned after this season.

 

If the NFL would get rid of the stupid rule and let QB's have the weight they like, then none of this meaningless stuff matters. I consider it a non topic and doesn't have anything to do with the outcome of games.......

EDIT: I think no matter which way Goodell rules, there will happy and unhappy fans......But he's still an ass!

 

As a former QB, I completely agree. As a fan, not so much.

 

This is such typical behavior when any corruption is found in anything: now Tahwmmy Brady is throwing the equipment manager under the bus. I'm sure eventually they will try to pin it all on some rogue lowest level employee/ball boy who acted alone? Sound familiar? The rogue video guy, the lone this that or whatever etc etc etc etc etc......so predictable and typical. Cheaters lie and liars cheat and people who conspire lie about it when evidence surfaces of their wrongdoing.


Per latest on PFT/everywhere else:

"Tom Brady: ?I didn?t alter the ball in any way?
Posted by Michael David Smith on January 22, 2015, 4:24 PM EST
Bill Belichick, Tom Brady
AP
Patriots quarterback Tom Brady denied any wrongdoing amid accusations that he or his team broke NFL rules by tampering with game balls in the AFC Championship Game.

?I didn?t alter the ball in any way,? Brady said. ?I have a process I go through before every game where I go in and pick the balls ? the footballs that I want to use for the game. Our equipment guys do a great job of breaking the balls in. They have a process that they go through. When I pick those footballs out, at that point, to me, they?re perfect. I don?t want anyone touching the balls after that, I don?t want anyone rubbing them, putting any air in, taking any air out, to me those balls are perfect and that?s what I expect when I?m on the field.?

Brady said he didn?t think there was anything wrong with the footballs used in the AFC Championship Game.

?I didn?t think anything of it until I woke up Monday morning and answered a question on the radio about it. That was the first I heard of it,? Brady said.

Brady seemed taken aback by a question about whether he?s a cheater.

?I feel like I?ve always played within the rules,? Brady said. ?I would never do anything to break the rules. I believe in fair play, I respect the league and everything they?re doing to try to create a competitive playing field for all the NFL teams. It?s a very competitive league. Every team is doing the best they can to win every week. I believe in fair play and will always do that for as long as I?m playing.?

Brady said he would like to ?figure out what happened? because he was ?as surprised as anybody? to find out that the Patriots had played with under-inflated footballs. Brady insists that if there was anything wrong with the game balls, that wasn?t because of anything he had done."

 

And now this:


"John Harbaugh: Deflating footballs obviously gives an unfair advantage
Posted by Michael David Smith on January 22, 2015, 4:01 PM EST
Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh (R) is congratulated by New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick after the Ravens defeated the Patriots in the NFL AFC Championship football game in Foxborough
Reuters
Ravens coach John Harbaugh says that if the Patriots were letting air out of the footballs their offense used, then the Patriots were cheating.

Harbaugh told Sal Paolantonio on ESPN that he is confident in the the league will get to the bottom of its investigation into the Patriots tampering with game balls.

?I think the league is on it, and they?re going to do whatever is right and proper,? Harbaugh said. ?They?re going to make sure the game is played with integrity, it?s played the right way, it?s fair and there are no unfair advantages for either side in any game. That?s what sport?s all about, that?s what football?s all about, that?s their obligation, and I?m confident that they?re up to that responsibility.?

Asked if deflating footballs would give a team an unfair advantage, Harbaugh said, ?I think there?s an obvious answer to that: Yes, it would be an unfair advantage.?

The Ravens had concerns about proper inflation of footballs in their own playoff loss to the Patriots, but Harbaugh said he believed that was just because it was cold. If it turns out that there was more than weather involved with the Patriots? offensive footballs being under-inflated, Harbaugh isn?t making any secret of the fact that he thinks that?s cheating."

 

I hope that's a joke Remember old tricky leg Tomlin.

The Colts told the league they were concerned about the under inflated footballs before they played. Mike Adams intercepted two balls when they played the first time and gave them to the equipment manager to have checked out.

The fact that we now know the Colts alerted the NFL to their concern prior to AFC Championship and the Patriots were able to get underinflated balls on the field is concerning.

It makes me question what else the Patriots are doing especially after Spy Gate. If the Patriots have been knowing and willingly tampering with the footballs there should be sever penalties. Brady should sit the Super Bowl out since he tampered with footballs during the post season. If it was Bill he should be immediately banned from the NFL.

 

..... football is increasingly becoming the wild west.

 

Mike Tomlin: I was wrong, it won't happen again. I accept whatever punishment comes my way.

Steelers fans: Tomlin was dead wrong, it's embarrassing. He deserves whatever punishment he gets.

Belicheat: I didn't do anything wrong.

Brady: I didn't do anything wrong.

Patschump: It's a witch hunt! Everyone cheats!

See the difference?