Another "The Fix is In" fan helps Brian with another rig-job...

I did kind of wonder how they almost made sure that Drew Brees had just beaten Dan Marino's single-season passing-yard record on the season finale of Monday Night Football last week.

In his NFL Season 2011 page, as a 16.5.2 entry, a hat-tip goes out from author Brian Tuohy to an unlisted YouTube video by "Mihai", which documents a number of questionable calls in the game -- as well as the apparent fact that everyone on the field pretty much knew how many yards Brees had needed when.

So let's go over the video (it is unlisted on YouTube, so it is probably not meant to be directly linked to, hence it get too much attention from the Neanderthal Felon League and/or ESPN and get yanked as a result -- hence, the link is to Brian's season page with a note as to where to find it):

• After an introductory notation, we jump to the early second-quarter, with the Falcons leading the game 10-7 -- Brees is at 80 yards toward the 300 or so he needs for the record. A play-action pass is completed on 2nd and 10 for a reasonable gain, would've been a 3rd and 2 or so, but a late flag comes in "from the back" on Curtis Lofton for hitting a defenseless receiver. (As you can see below, he is also fined for this hit.) On the replay starting at the 45-second mark of the clip, the only question one might have is if the call is wrong. It doesn't look like Lofton "hits a defenseless receiver", but it does look like a case can be made for a marginal helmet-to-helmet call on him. The announcers don't seem to agree, and I can understand why there would be question there.
  
• My verdict: There was a penalty on the play, but not the one they called. Yes, Mihai, he didn't lead with the helmet, but that was helmet-to-helmet contact. The problem which should be more apparent is the actual penalty called -- that was *NOT* "hitting a defenseless receiver".
  
• The second play (1:15): 3rd and 5 from the Falcon 14, about 8 minutes later with the Saints now leading 14-10. Brees drops back and throws a harried attempt toward one of his receivers, who clearly appears to get mugged by Sean Weatherspoon, who gets the flag for the automatic first down. Yes, Mihai, the announcers did say that they didn't think he'd get the ball, but the problem is that the professional game (to it's great detriment) has not invoked the "uncatchable rule" that college has had.
• My verdict: Clear penalty, but if you want to go defensive holding, I won't stop you. (He'd probably get defensive holding in college rules anyway.) Again, the whole point is to understand that (at least IIRC), the "catch-ability" of the ball is not a factor in the discussion. Weatherspoon clearly is holding the receiver's other arm. Mihai notes that he feels Darrell Revis of the Jets gets away with this all the time. Mihai is not alone in that theory, as ESPN noted about comments from a Miami Dolphin receiver this week.
• The Saints do not score on that drive, however, and we go to the third play Mihai notes (2:12): 2nd and 10 for the Falcons at their 42, 3 1/2 minutes left in the half. Quarterback Matt Ryan goes back, Julio Jones makes a break to the ball, and it appears to the announcers and the rest of us that there is contact on the play.
• My verdict: Watch the slow-motion that comes afterward that Mihai has to splice in himself. If the Weatherspoon penalty is pass interference, so is that one. There is definite contact which bumps Jones off the play before the ball gets there.
• Fourth play (2:44): From the pre-play notes, it appears as if this is a holding situation or something, as if we are to watch Ray Edwards, the end on the far side of the defensive line, when he cuts. Still 14-10. 1:10 to go in the half, 3rd and 12 for the Saints in their own territory.
  
• My verdict: Edwards gets CLOTHESLINED on the play as the lineman (#64 for the Saints) Literally wraps his arm around Edwards' neck and takes him to the ground. Seven officials missed THAT??? A 43-yard completion to Meacham results.
  
• Fifth play (3:05): Holding situation, according to Mihai. 1st and Goal for the Saints, 30 seconds left in the half. Saints are out of time outs.
• My verdict: Clear holding no-call. Not only is the Falcon defender held going past Brees, but held to be prevented from going back to him. A 9-yard touchdown pass on that play makes it 21-10 near the half.
• Sixth play (3:35-ish): Another sorta-maybe push-off situation, as noted in the pre-play notes. 3rd and short, 30 yard line, just right at the half for the Falcons. Julio Jones gets victimized.
• My verdict: Asking quite a bit there, Mihai. Clearly, a pass interference call there gets a field goal chance, but I don't see where he's pushed forward at the end of the play there.
• Seventh play (4:05): Mihai asks us to recall the no-call on Edwards on the long Meacham completion. It's now 28-10, 5:59 to go in the third quarter. Falcons with a 3rd and 4 on the Saints 34. Matt Ryan goes back to pass, and completes a short pass past the marker to Gonzalez for the first down -- except there's a flag.
• My verdict: Hands to the face on #77 (Tyson Clabo) of the Falcons to end that threat. Again, it's the wrong call, as you watch the replay. Clabo's got his hands right in the guy's grill. That's a fifteen-yard facemask. There's no twisting -- there doesn't have to be. The refs are making it up as they go along.
• Eighth play (4:55-ish): A block in the back that he has to point out -- it's almost as if that, too, happens on nearly every play in which such a situation occurs. The Falcons get a field goal to make it 28-13, and this is the ensuing kickoff with 4:41 to play in the third quarter. Darren Sproles takes it and you are to watch what happens as he cuts to the outside.
• My verdict: At about the 17 yard line, a clear block in the back by the Saints' #35 (you can see it better on the replay -- and he has a great isolated replay just before the next play he shows to bring the point home!) springs Sproles for a HUGE return of 93 yards or so. Garbage no-call. Sproles would've scored except for a huge hustle play by Chris Owens to prevent the touchdown. Drive stalls for a field goal, though for 31-13.
  
• Ninth play (5:51-ish): Ensuing drive for the Falcons, 1st and 10 on their 31.
• My verdict: How in blazes can seven officials miss the nose tackle clearly in the neutral zone? How is that POSSIBLE???? In fact, I think he made contact, which would've killed the play outright. By this point, it's clear this is a fixed contest.
• Tenth play (6:25 or so): Next play on the drive, 2nd and 10, 1:51 left in the 3rd. Falcons QB Ryan goes back to pass and completes a play to beat the blitz over the middle -- but another flag.
  
• My verdict: This one is called a personal foul on the Saints. Ryan is downed, and Tom Johnson (#96) hits him with a forearm to the head. And the obvious question then needs to be asked if this foul took place: WHY IS HE NOT TOSSED? (ESPECIALLY WITH THE PROTECTION GRANTED THE QUARTERBACKS???) There's no replay of the play, though -- and even Mihai is left to wonder whether this was a makeup call.
• Eleventh play (7:13): Apparently a real egregious one here. It's now 38-16 in the fourth quarter, and the clip joins the situation in progress. The referees are in a huddle after a 3rd-down play for the Falcons near the end zone where the receiver is flagged for interference.
• My verdict: The receiver is held up once in the end zone in the middle by #41. Then a second time a few seconds after, and the receiver is flagged for putting him on the ground. But here's the kicker: The flag was only thrown when it appeared as if it was possible for him to score the touchdown. (This should remind people of the Bear-Packer punt return play, where the flag came out only when it was clear the Bears were going to score.) Drive stalls out.
• Twelfth play (8:02): The worst of the night, according to Mihai. 7:72 to go, and it's 38-16 to the Saints. Brees (still in the game to get the record) drops back to pass, scrambles out, and nearly gets a first down -- flag in the end zone appears to be holding on the Saints, which, by rule, would be a safety to make the game 38-18. Mihai also wishes to note the referee's explanation afterward.
  
• My verdict: "There is no hold on the play, since it is a screen pass, and the blocker was shedding him to the side..."
  

*facepalm*

*faint*

*gets up*

*faints again*

• Are you even fracking REMOTELY serious, Jeff Triplette?? There was no screen pass, or that was the most busted play in NFL history... By this time, it should be clear to everybody that the referees are making it up as they go along, since giving the Falcons possession probably ends Brees' pursuit of the passing yards record for the night -- and we all know this is MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
• Thirteenth play (9:14): At least give the Falcons credit -- they did more than the Dolphins did on Sunday. 4th and 1 on their own 33, still down 38-16 with about 5:13 to play. Ryan drops back to pass.
• My verdict: Mugging -- all over Julio Jones' shoulder as the ball comes in. But should Jones be surprised by this point?
• Final play shown (9:49): Still 38-16, and Brees is still in the game!! So the first question is: Why?
• My verdict: You find out why at the end of the play. The 9-yard touchdown pass to Darren Sproles makes it 44-16 -- and breaks the single-season passing yards record by three yards. The game is immediately stopped, as evidenced by the NFL Films guy right out in the ensuing mob. And he gets his curtain call with the ball.

Anyone still want to believe?

Fine Blotter Week 16 Part Two: If the NFL is that serious about uniforms, then the Saints should get about $100K as a team....

... because, in addition to the one I put up yesterday for Pierre Thomas, FIVE MORE Saints were all fined $5,000 for wearing illegal red and green tape over the socks.

WR Devery Henderson
WR Lance Moore
WR Marques Colston
WR Robert Meachem
CB Tracy Porter (which makes him a TWO-TIME LOSER -- his first was for a dirty hit)

Look, guys, the NFL might have some ridiculous policies and politics on this, but a lot of people pay millions for the standardized uniforms. If this many players got fined, even for just a uniform violation where's a team fine of about $100,000 or so?

Other Week 16 fines:

• Arizona Cardinals: Darnell Dockett is the biggest loser of the week: $30,000 for two dirty hits -- one hit for $15,000 to the opposing QB's knees and the other $15,000 was for a horse-collar tackle. How he wasn't tossed and isn't suspended for Week 17, I have no blasted idea!
• The Falcons weren't immune from the apparent Monday night fine-fest: Curtis Lofton donated $15,000 to charity for his hit on Marques Colston, ruled against a defenseless player and in the head.
• Washington Redskins: Reed Doughty: $15,000 for hitting Christian Ponder in the head as he slid.
• Houston Texans: J J Watt: $15,000 for nailing Dan Orlovsky in the knee.
• SATURDAY ADDITION: New England Patriots: Wes Welker: $10,000 for a uniform violation (illegal hat in postgame interview -- ad for a non-sponsor entity which Welker is a part-investor in)
  
• Add three more for the Seahawks: Marshawn Lynch gets $10,000 for a uniform violation. (Because he not only wore illegal shoes, but they constituted an ad for a non-sponsor (Skittles).)
• Richard Sherman: $15,000 for a horse-collar tackle.
• and Adrian Moten: $7,500 for a late hit.
  

So, so far, that's $157,500 which can go better in my pocket if the players continue to not want to follow the rules...

(Source: AP for the first few, SB Nation Seattle for the Seahawk fines, and Yahoo! for the one linked in the list.)

If you still laugh at my theories, Brian Tuohy may have a bombshell for you in 2012...

I'll just refer you to this page on his website, his newest addition.

It's a "Coming Soon" motif at this time, in which, for his second sports-rigging book (which he is putting together now) he has been able, through absolutely legal means, to get a treasure trove of information from the FBI on sporting events.

Click to that page to see his statement on what he plans to do.

If you still believe, in this day and age, that people like me are "sick in the head", I would hope that some of this in 2012 will get you fully acquainted with reality.

And now for a new one: Rig Job of the Week for Week 16: Patriots-Dolphins???

That's what one enterprising NFL fan ("Tyson") told Brian Tuohy last week, and Brian put it on his NFL season page as "Week 16.5".

Patriots-Dolphins. Apparently, the NFL had the game over long before it really was.

Cross-reference Gregg Easterbrook at "Tuesday Morning Quarterback" for this past Tuesday (Dec. 27, 2011) on ESPN.com. (It's a fair piece down the page, but if you look for it, you'll find it right to the hot legs of the Patriot cheerleaders.)

Anyhow, this is what Easterbrook has to write about what appears to be the latest attempt of the league to manipulate the playoff picture, with my comments:

"What Did NFL Headquarters Know and When Did They Know It? Just after Tom Brady ran for a touchdown to make it New England 27, Miami 17 with three minutes remaining, the highlight flag posted on NFL.com said, "Brady puts the Patriots up for good." That was the official NFL word with three minutes showing on the clock! So maybe that "Patriots comeback" was not as spontaneous as assumed. Bill Belichick was behind this somehow."

For anyone who has not been to NFL.com on a game-Sunday: When a highlight-worthy play appears, the highlight will go into the score bar next to the game at which that highlight occurred. That's what the "highlight flag" spoken about is concerned.

So, in the day and age where the league has seen Tim Tebow run circles around teams in the final two minutes (Shyeah and right!!), the official site of the league wants to tell us that, after going down 17-0 in the first half, the game is over when the Patriots complete a 27-point run with 2:56 to go with that touchdown, and the Dolphins have all three timeouts and the two-minute warning.

But wait, it gets far, far better!!

Easterbrook again: "Scoring to pull within 27-24 with 1:51 remaining, Miami kicked away rather than onside kick. Yes, the Dolphins held three timeouts. But they were on the road, kicking away to one of the league's most proficient offenses; all New England needed was one first down to drill the clock. Needless to say, that's what happened. Miami had a better (though still long-shot) chance of victory had it onside kicked."

So, not only has the league all but declared the game over on their website, but the Dolphins abjectly refused, with THREE TIME OUTS, to do the one thing which would've given themselves the best chance to win the damnated game.

You effectively throw away your best chance to win the game (and, if it fails, it gives you effectively two chances -- the onside kick and that you do have to make the stop if the onside fails!!). And it's not going to matter where the ball is: If you don't make the stop, the game is freaking over in the first damned place!!

This is a 53-man roster with an interim head coach who might make seven figures, and you can't freaking figure out that?

Is it too much to believe that the league tampered this game, because to believe otherwise would lead to about the same conclusion Easterbrook did:

"But seeking victory is not always first in a coach's mind. Interim head coach Todd Bowles would have known that if he ordered a deep kick, the Dolphins would all but surely lose -- but they would lose only 27-24. The league grapevine would say, "Hey, the Dolphins went into New England in December and only lost by three," improving the odds that Bowles will convert his Miami interim status into the plum job at Miami or elsewhere. Had Bowles ordered an onside, maybe the Dolphins pull out a spectacular victory. But there's a better chance the Patriots would cover the kick and Belichick, known for going for the jugular, would order his offense to attack the end zone. Then the game might have ended with the grapevine saying, "The Dolphins had a 17-point lead in New England and ended up losing by 10, Todd Bowles doesn't know what he's doing." Consciously or subconsciously, Bowles made the decision that was good for his career rather than the one that was good for his team. Most NFL coaches would have done the same, placing their résumés first."

And if you honestly believe that, he has no place in a professional sports league -- nor does any other such coach who does the same thing.

But then, one must ask the question about the famous Herm Edwards line:

DO YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME?

If it is all about an audition to be a head coach, then it's the same as any other business decision -- and, as I've said before about professional sports, in what business is there as many arbitrary variables as a fair and non-fixed contest would bring?

From footballlocks.com, one more gem on this one: New England was a seven-point favorite.

Here's a scary Penalty Watch statistic...

If there's any doubt that the league gives Green Bay some preferential treatment, here's a two-parter:

Part one from Brian Tuohy: In 15 games, the Packers have been flagged for exactly zero offensive holding penalties IN TEN OF THOSE GAMES. (In fact, in the Christmas Night win over the Bears (who do still suck... ;) ), the Packers weren't flagged at all!)

(Week 16 section -- that Week 16.5 one on the Patriots/Dolphins game will get it's own post!)

Part two from The Washington Post: In an article about the Oakland Raiders and their apparent quest to break all penalty records (there is only one suggestion to bring this down -- change the culture in Oakland such that players who respect, if not simply understand, the rules, referees, and coaches will go there!) comes this little ditty:

"Cornerback Stanford Routt has been the most penalized player in the league with 16 — one more than the entire Green Bay defense."

So, in 15 games, the Green Bay Packer defense has only commited fifteen penalties???

Week 16 Fine Blotter Part One: Sorry, Pierre, that still makes you a two-time loser...

But I won't capitalize it or anything.

Pierre Thomas of the New Orleans Saints opens the fine blotter for this week for two fines he received in the record-breaking win over the Falcons: $5,000 for putting red and green tape on his uniform (a uniform violation) and $7,500 for putting a bow on a TD reception and giving it to a fan he felt deserving.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to your friendly neighborhood high school basketball riots!!!

Two stories from Yahoo! Sports about why we really need to have the high school sports authorities in the fifty states reevaluate the sport of basketball:

Point One: Texas holiday basketball tournament. One of the top prospects in the nation (as a sophomore) will be suspended for at least one game -- and probably more! -- after his little stunt when he basically hits a Sportscenter-level dunk and he completely plows in to an opposing player.

He's apparently a "small" forward -- 6' 5" and 200 pounds as a sophomore! -- and he decides that the post player is so violating his wishes to throw down that he basically runs him over.

The referee, having none of this, throws an immediate technical foul on the kid. (Personally, if it merited that, the thumb should've come right there! He didn't hang on the rim, so the technical was for staring him down afterwards.)

Not enough for the asshole, but he decides to "salute" his own fans while they're ooh-ing and aah-ing that whole situation, earning him the toss-ola within about five seconds and the automatic minimum one-game suspension.

Point Two: Of course, it could've gone far further south -- like a "game" in suburban DC on December 21st which spurred a brawl which the local police had to break up with pepper spray.

The officials had apparently lost most semblance of control, and several questionable calls weren't helping the mood any. Finally, one of the fans in attendance steps out of the audience and shoves the opposing coach. Then a fracas starts up on the other side of the court...

The accompanying video is the Miami-Florida International-esque results.

Yorvit Torrealba should be banned from baseball permanently.

Former San Francisco Giant and current Texas Ranger Yorvit Torrealba has been banned from professional winter baseball in Venezuela for two seasons (the rest of this season and all of next season) for assault of an umpire.

Balls and strikes were disputed earlier in the count, Yorvit went bill-to-mask with the umpire, and then slapped him in the facemask.

Look, I have no business for sports officials and their use in rigging games, but that's the kind of conduct which has only one recourse: He can't be in the sport again. I genuinely hope that $elig and the umpires' union review this and ensure he isn't playing in the United States either.

Wek 16 Score Update

2011: 43.9375 (and it needed two of the four highest-scoring games of the week for the two national games over Christmas night and Monday night to get it)

Tied 2005, lost to 2001, 2003, 2007, and 2008 (all in the low 44's) -- and 2010, which was the highest since 2001 with 46.25.

16 week average: 44.167

2010: 44.446
Second to that.
Next is 2008 at 44.013.

On the lighter side: YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From Yahoo! Sports blog Shutdown Corner, posted without any further needed comment: