The NFL is fake. I'm not watching any more NFL football.

[shotgun styles]

I have the NFL ticket. I used to watch or go to multiple games per year. I have been the NFL's biggest fan for many years. But I can't abide a fraud.

The NFL is a lie.

I have complained mightily about the pro-QB/pro-offense bias of the NFL rules. But I could always watch the games because the league had made the overall games themselves competitive, even if the rules heavily favored the offense.

Today's NE/BAL game was the straw that broke the camel's back. I believe that the NFL uses it's referees to manipulate the outcomes of games. I believe that the outcomes may be pre-determined. This is possible because the NFL rules allow so many "judgment calls" to be made by the Refs on the field that cannot be challenged by instant replay.

I have suspected this for some time, but never really wanted to believe it. But today Tom got not one, but TWO huge phantom roughing calls after big plays by the Ravens' defense. Flacco was called for grounding while throwing the ball out of bounds OUTSIDE the pocket. In the meantime, Mason was blatantly interfered with in the endzone by the Patriots defense, Tom Brady grounded the ball, and the Pats offense was holding on a crucial 3rd down scramble in the red zone, none of which was called.

Like the vast majority of you who will flame me for this thread, I believed that the close games and seemingly high turnover rate of playoff teams was due to the NFL's parity. Parity caused by the salary cap working with free agency to spread the talent thoughout the league. But it seems clear now that the NFL, after suffering so many blowout games during nationally televised games in the late 1990's (resulting in poor ratings) has decided to boost it's value by making sure that the games are much closer in score (especially nationally televised prime time games) and that the "right team" will win. Or rather, the "right team" will be given the most opportunities to win.

After all the talk about how the NFL "needs" Brady, it's no surprise that after his weak start the NFL is trying to rebuild his legend by any means necessary.

It's time for a new league. Real hardcore football. No ref manipulation. No talentless QBs. No anti-defensive bias. A real league, where the outcomes are decided on the field, not in the competition committee, or the marketing boardrooms, or referee meetings.

[500bloc]

You just now noticed this?

NE vs Oak in the Championship game should've been enough.

[Cebby]

I'm pretty sure you're lying

[shotgun styles]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cebby

I'm pretty sure you're lying

About what?

[LBzrule]

I don't necessarily agree with your conclusion, but I do agree that some of the calls in the Ravens vs Pats game have been weak. Ty Warren was late hitting Flacco which eventually led to the Gaither injury and there was no call at ALL. I am pissed about that. The call on Ngata was iffy. Suggs, I can understand why they called it, but it was sorta a weak call. Flacco out of bounds and Pats defenders put him on the ground, no call. Mehhh

[The C]

Parts of the NFL are too incompetent to keep up a charade like that.

[ProfessaPackMan]

Quote: Originally Posted by 500bloc

You just now noticed this? NE vs Oak in the Championship game should've been enough.

Bingo.

Quote: Originally Posted by Cebby

I'm pretty sure you're lying

BAM!

Quote: Originally Posted by The C

Parts of the NFL are too incompetent to keep up a charade like that.

POW! POW!

[500bloc]

Quote: Originally Posted by The C

Parts of the NFL are too incompetent to keep up a charade like that.

Its a Billion dollar organization, their competent enough.