So Boston DID win the World Series, and rather convincingly after Game 3's ("obstruction") screwjob.
I didn't see anyone directly say it to me personally on my Twitter, but I'm sure some people who saw some of my rantings there had some crow for me last night.
I want people to keep one very important thing in mind: A little white lie often snowballs into something much bigger.
This is often a function of what happens when the sports leagues take over and try to grease the skids for one team or another -- rather than individual players point-shave and fix and the like.
Sometimes, one or both of two things will happen: Circumstances may change, or it may become painfully obvious that they cannot successfully rig the situation without exposing the business.
I believe the latter happened here. I told you, in a previous post, how much they had to do to basically run the Dodgers out of the NLCS, and then they were pulling some of the same shenanigans in Boston in Game 3.
After letting that snowball to that extent, MLB might have realized just how much the Cardinals, actually, sucked and could not help them further.
At that point, Boston ran them over like a steamroller.
But when the leagues try to rig games, they have to keep it just under the table enough so that the dupes at home don't figure it out.
Why? Take the idiot who needed those fantasy points.
Or this other idiot Deadspin found. Bobby Metzinger.
Now, no one should confuse this jackass for being sane: He's clearly homophobic, racist, and probably has done more than his fair share of target practice on pictures of the current President of the United States.
But this guy took it even further than most.
He took the "St. Louis Stronger" slam on the Boston bombings a bit too far with:
"The #WorldSeries will be another finish line not crossed by #Boston.”
and
"Putting my loft up for a ridiculous "Boston-only" rate for the #WorldSeries. Pressure cooker sold separately."
But that appears to be only breaches of good taste -- something Metzinger (who was lauded by the local news for using social media to actually land work, if you can believe that from what I've told you about him!) seems very good at.
So good, even The Iron Sheik took a shot back at him.
What has him headed to the slammer, though, is this:
" Listening to the Offspring's "Bad Habit" and the lyrics just ring true of what will go down very soon."
This is just part of it:
Hey man you know I'm really okay
The gun in my hand will tell you the same
But when I'm in my car
Don't give me no crap
Cause the slightest thing and I just might snap
When I go driving I stay in my lane
But getting cut off it makes me insane
I open the glove box
Reach inside
I'm gonna wreck this fucker's ride
[Chorus:]
I guess I got a bad habit
Of blowin' away (Yeah, Yeah)
I got a bad habit (Yeah, Yeah)
And it ain't goin' away (Yeah, Yeah)
Yeah (Yeah, Yeah)
Yeah (Yeah, Yeah)
Well they say the road is a dangerous place
If you flip me off I'll get in your face
If you drive on my ass
Your foot's on the gas
And your next breath is your last
(From azlyrics.com)
You see, the sports leagues have to deal with people like this too... Fuck THEM over, and...
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Oh, God, Bud... Do we need any more of a fucking rimjob for St. Louis to win the series?
You already made it obvious you were fucking the Dodgers over (see previous post on the subject).
Now THIS CALL to decide Game 3:
I'll probably have to get a different video, but I assume MLB themselves (who will probably take this person's down) will put one up Real Soon Now.
So, ground ball to the drawn-in infield, throw home, two out.
Then, for some odd reason, the catcher decides to get the third out at third.
The throw is wide. The third baseman sprawls to get it. The ball goes into left field and the baserunner and the third baseman (Will Middlebrooks) are tied up.
Middlebrooks is lying perpendicular to the baseline, and it looks like the runner tries to trip over him to get the interference call.
He gets it, Cardinals win 5-4.
The runner, Allen Craig, can be clearly seen leaving the basepath between third and home to try to draw the obstruction call.
JUST FUCKING GIVE THEM THE TITLE IF YOU'RE THAT SET ON MAKING THE UMPIRING A FARCE, SELIG!!
Here's the rule, from MLB's own definitions, Rule 2.00 of the Official Rules:
OBSTRUCTION is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner.
Rule 2.00 (Obstruction) Comment: If a fielder is about to receive a thrown ball and if the ball is in flight directly toward and near enough to the fielder so he must occupy his position to receive the ball he may be considered “in the act of fielding a ball.” It is entirely up to the judgment of the umpire as to whether a fielder is in the act of fielding a ball. After a fielder has made an attempt to field a ball and missed, he can no longer be in the “act of fielding” the ball. For example: If an infielder dives at a ground ball and the ball passes him and he continues to lie on the ground and delays the progress of the runner, he very likely has obstructed the runner.
And that Comment is what they called.
There's two problems with that:
1) How could Middlebrooks avoid obstruction? If he gets up, he collides with Clark, and that's obvious obstruction!
2) Craig is out of the baseline, in a deliberate attempt to trip over Middlebrooks. Watch the clip (or whatever video of the play you can find) closely.
Now THIS CALL to decide Game 3:
I'll probably have to get a different video, but I assume MLB themselves (who will probably take this person's down) will put one up Real Soon Now.
So, ground ball to the drawn-in infield, throw home, two out.
Then, for some odd reason, the catcher decides to get the third out at third.
The throw is wide. The third baseman sprawls to get it. The ball goes into left field and the baserunner and the third baseman (Will Middlebrooks) are tied up.
Middlebrooks is lying perpendicular to the baseline, and it looks like the runner tries to trip over him to get the interference call.
He gets it, Cardinals win 5-4.
The runner, Allen Craig, can be clearly seen leaving the basepath between third and home to try to draw the obstruction call.
JUST FUCKING GIVE THEM THE TITLE IF YOU'RE THAT SET ON MAKING THE UMPIRING A FARCE, SELIG!!
Here's the rule, from MLB's own definitions, Rule 2.00 of the Official Rules:
OBSTRUCTION is the act of a fielder who, while not in possession of the ball and not in the act of fielding the ball, impedes the progress of any runner.
Rule 2.00 (Obstruction) Comment: If a fielder is about to receive a thrown ball and if the ball is in flight directly toward and near enough to the fielder so he must occupy his position to receive the ball he may be considered “in the act of fielding a ball.” It is entirely up to the judgment of the umpire as to whether a fielder is in the act of fielding a ball. After a fielder has made an attempt to field a ball and missed, he can no longer be in the “act of fielding” the ball. For example: If an infielder dives at a ground ball and the ball passes him and he continues to lie on the ground and delays the progress of the runner, he very likely has obstructed the runner.
And that Comment is what they called.
There's two problems with that:
1) How could Middlebrooks avoid obstruction? If he gets up, he collides with Clark, and that's obvious obstruction!
2) Craig is out of the baseline, in a deliberate attempt to trip over Middlebrooks. Watch the clip (or whatever video of the play you can find) closely.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Fine Blotter, Week Seven, Part Three: The Rest of it, plus the score update...
Scoring Update:
Week 7 average: 47 points even.
7 week average for the season: 46.22 per game, now a sliver OVER last year's number, and all-but-certainly the NFL record for the first seven weeks of a season now.
Mission accomplished -- right Mr. Goodell?
And then to the Fine Blotter:
Leading the way is the series of incidents regarding the game with the Rams and Panthers last week. It was clear from the absolute debacle the game degenerated into that the NFL was going to be busy sending letters to St. Louis and to Carolina.
From the headlines at NFL.com, they weren't to disappoint:
First, the two most obvious ones:
Here's the rest of "notable fines" from the NFL.com article:
Bucs Level 3: $ 25,000
Bucs $-$: $ 4,625
Rest of Week 7: $ 210,875
Total for Week 7: $ 240,500
Remembering to take off Wilkerson's appealed fine and (for the moment) the Jets' team fine for Level 2, the season total stands at approximately $2,188,500.
Week 7 average: 47 points even.
7 week average for the season: 46.22 per game, now a sliver OVER last year's number, and all-but-certainly the NFL record for the first seven weeks of a season now.
Mission accomplished -- right Mr. Goodell?
And then to the Fine Blotter:
Leading the way is the series of incidents regarding the game with the Rams and Panthers last week. It was clear from the absolute debacle the game degenerated into that the NFL was going to be busy sending letters to St. Louis and to Carolina.
From the headlines at NFL.com, they weren't to disappoint:
First, the two most obvious ones:
- St. Louis Rams: Chris Long: $15,750 for throwing a punch in the game and getting tossed.
- Carolina Panthers: Mike Mitchell: $7,875 for taunting after injuring (whether he knew it or not) Sam Bradford.
- St. Louis Rams: Harvey Dahl: $7,875 for a late hit.
- And two to wide receivers for unnecessary roughness, one for each team: St. Louis: Brian Quick: $7,875 for a face-joust.
- Carolina Panthers: Steve Smith becomes a TWO-TIME LOSER for his $7,875.
Here's the rest of "notable fines" from the NFL.com article:
- Washington Redskins: Brian Orapko: $15,750 for roughing the passer against the Bears.
- ANY FURTHER FINES this season for the Redskins will put them into the Level 3 dollar-for-dollar range. They stand, right now, at $154,750 against the number, the Level 3 limit being $157,500.
- Denver Broncos: Any surprise their first fine of the year comes in their first loss? Kevin Vickerson: $10,000 for an illegal leg hit on an extra point. Vickerson had three personal fouls called against him in this game. He was not fined for ANY of them -- this penalty WAS NOT CALLED on the field.
- Baltimore Ravens: Elvis Dumveril: $7,875 for a face mask on the quarterback.
- New York Jets: Wipe out the $15,750 for Muhammad Wilkerson. That fine from Week 4 has been rescinded.
- New York Jets: With that appeal, wipe out (for the time being) their Level 2 status. The league can probably not bother sending back the $50,000 from the team, unless the team can remain clean the entire remainder of the year. Level 2 triggers at $105,000. The Jets are now at $93,500.
- Tennessee Titans: Akeem Ayers: $15,750 for unnecessary roughness against the 49ers.
- This fine puts the Titans in the same boat the Redskins are. The Titans are now at $150,250.
- Miami Dolphins: Jelani Jenkins: $15,750 for roughing the passer against the Bills.
- Houston Texans: Jared Crick: Same fine, same offense, against the Chiefs.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Sen'Derrick Marks: $7,875 for unsportsmanlike conduct.
- Cleveland Browns: Eric Martin: $7,875 for unnecessary roughness.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Ted Larsen, $7,875 for unnecessary roughness.
- Tampa Bay #2: Kelcie McCray, same fine, same offense.
- Tampa Bay #3: Vincent Jackson, same fine, this one for a face mask.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: To almost no one's material surprise, Tampa Bay becomes the second team, this year, to be sanctioned under the final Level 3 status of Player Remittance. This not only means a $25,000 fine to the team, but any and all future fines are now doubled, the doubling to be paid for by the team. This means that the Buccaneers were fined $4,625 additional for this week.
- Atlanta Falcons: Stansly Maponga: $7,875 for unnecessary roughness
- New York Giants: Damontre Moore, $7,875 for unnecessary roughness
Bucs Level 3: $ 25,000
Bucs $-$: $ 4,625
Rest of Week 7: $ 210,875
Total for Week 7: $ 240,500
Remembering to take off Wilkerson's appealed fine and (for the moment) the Jets' team fine for Level 2, the season total stands at approximately $2,188,500.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Fine Blotter Catchup, and Week Seven, Part Two
Week 4:
- Carolina Panthers: Steve Smith: Was fined for post-game criticism of the officiating -- fines of this ilk are usually $21,000 or so.
- Arizona Cardinals: Tyrann Mathieu: $7,875 for slamming an opponent to the ground.
- San Francisco 49ers: Anthony Davis: $15,750 for clipping. TWO-TIME LOSER.
- New England Patriots: Logan Ryan: $10,000 for grabbing his crotch during a mid-air celebration of an interception.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Blotter Week Seven Part One: Merriweather WILL be suspended...
Well, the hearing most of people rooted in reality dreaded happened today.
And, shock of all shocks:
Merriweather's suspension was halved to one game. The one game will cost Merriweather about $70,500.
I did finally check on something...
The NFL does take some money from the team if multiple players are suspended.
Tanard Jackson is suspended (in fact, BANNED) from the league for Strike Three on the Drug Policy. Under the rule, if two players from the same team are suspended, the league gets 25% of the money.
Hence, the Redskins must forfeit $17,625.
It's far worse for the Redskins, though.
They started the year with not only Jackson banned, but two other players suspended. Rob Jackson and Jarvis Jenkins. Three suspensions means it's 25% of the second, and 33% of the third. Each suspension was for four games, and, according to Spotrac:
25% of Jackson's $168,235 ($42,059)
and 35% of Jenkins' $167,009 ($58,452)
Now I have to check to see if that applies to the cumulative fine policy.
Since the Merriweather suspension is for Player Safety, the $17,625 DOES COUNT against the minimums -- the $100,000 noted above is Drug Policy, and, hence, does not.
(Nor does about $28,250 against the Ravens (Asa Jackson's 8-gamer on top of Christian Thompson's 4), nor the Rams' about $8,500 for two conduct one-gamers, nor Indianapolis' almost $33,000 for an 8-gamer for Weslye Saunders on top of LaVon Brazil's 4-gamer. All for drugs.)
The funny (or not-so-funny) thing is: Merriweather loses probably less money by being suspended than if he was fined. Any fine, at this juncture, could easily have been $200,000 or so.
And, shock of all shocks:
- Washington Redskins: Brandon Merriweather has become the second player to be suspended under the NFL's Player Safety policy for illegal dirty on-field conduct.
Merriweather's suspension was halved to one game. The one game will cost Merriweather about $70,500.
I did finally check on something...
The NFL does take some money from the team if multiple players are suspended.
Tanard Jackson is suspended (in fact, BANNED) from the league for Strike Three on the Drug Policy. Under the rule, if two players from the same team are suspended, the league gets 25% of the money.
Hence, the Redskins must forfeit $17,625.
It's far worse for the Redskins, though.
They started the year with not only Jackson banned, but two other players suspended. Rob Jackson and Jarvis Jenkins. Three suspensions means it's 25% of the second, and 33% of the third. Each suspension was for four games, and, according to Spotrac:
25% of Jackson's $168,235 ($42,059)
and 35% of Jenkins' $167,009 ($58,452)
Now I have to check to see if that applies to the cumulative fine policy.
Since the Merriweather suspension is for Player Safety, the $17,625 DOES COUNT against the minimums -- the $100,000 noted above is Drug Policy, and, hence, does not.
(Nor does about $28,250 against the Ravens (Asa Jackson's 8-gamer on top of Christian Thompson's 4), nor the Rams' about $8,500 for two conduct one-gamers, nor Indianapolis' almost $33,000 for an 8-gamer for Weslye Saunders on top of LaVon Brazil's 4-gamer. All for drugs.)
The funny (or not-so-funny) thing is: Merriweather loses probably less money by being suspended than if he was fined. Any fine, at this juncture, could easily have been $200,000 or so.
The NFL Wants You To Think It's Supporting The Fight Against Cancer...
… but the reality is something else entirely!!
With a hat-tip to my anonymous friend (who probably spends a good thousand hours a year in the fight against cancer)...
As you have probably had rammed down your throat by The National Religion (The Neanderthug Felon League), this October, once again, the NFL is going Pink for Cancer.
Or, that's what they want you to think.
Sports Illustrated decided to take a look into the reality behind the myth, and found some very disturbing facts.
A Business Insider report indicates that only eight cents on the dollar for every “Pink” NFL purchase actually goes to cancer research, for the American Cancer Society.
Darren Rovell of ESPN (the “sports business” guru who is about to be fired, at the rate he's exposing Roger Goodell as a fucking sham artist!) has found the following:
Roger, your company, while making (what is it now?) $13,000,000,000 this year (??), is trying to pass itself off as a 501 (c) (3) NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.
(You may insert your relevant laugh tracks, rimshots, vomiting, etc., here...)
You don't think you could do better than a paltry $1,000,000 a year to actual donation to the ACS??
Really, Roger... You mean to tell me that you are willing to try to ram down everybody's throat that you care about cancer research, and yet you and your teams are effectively pocketing $50,000,000 a year on merchandise trying to fool these morons who swear fealty to your sport that you actually give a damn about anything “Pink”, rather than anything “Green”...
You know, it wouldn't hurt you to basically sit down and have your teams give, oh, I don't know, $5,000,000 apiece or so to this effort?
But we can't have that!!! That would actually require giving a damn about anyone else's lives but your own...
And the NFL, nor it's fans, want to do that. That's bad bid-nezz...
Isn't it, you senile old used-car salesman-like charlatan?
With a hat-tip to my anonymous friend (who probably spends a good thousand hours a year in the fight against cancer)...
As you have probably had rammed down your throat by The National Religion (The Neanderthug Felon League), this October, once again, the NFL is going Pink for Cancer.
Or, that's what they want you to think.
Sports Illustrated decided to take a look into the reality behind the myth, and found some very disturbing facts.
A Business Insider report indicates that only eight cents on the dollar for every “Pink” NFL purchase actually goes to cancer research, for the American Cancer Society.
Darren Rovell of ESPN (the “sports business” guru who is about to be fired, at the rate he's exposing Roger Goodell as a fucking sham artist!) has found the following:
- Half the money for any purchases of such apparel goes to the
retailer – and, for the vast majority of purchases being at the
stadium or on the NFL's websites, this means the NFL (and/or the
individual team) gets either all of that 50 cents on the dollar or
most of it.
- 37.5% of every dollar goes to the manufacturer.
- 8.01% of every dollar actually DOES go to the American Cancer
Society for cancer research.
- Another 3.25% of every dollar goes to the ACS for
administrative purposes, and the ACS is resolving to reduce that
number (on a general basis) far further for every dollar donated to
the ACS (especially through it's annual “Relay for Life”
marathons) in the next few years.
- And the other approximately 1.24% goes to the NFL themselves,
purportedly for their “A Crucial Catch” breast-cancer awareness
program.
Roger, your company, while making (what is it now?) $13,000,000,000 this year (??), is trying to pass itself off as a 501 (c) (3) NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION.
(You may insert your relevant laugh tracks, rimshots, vomiting, etc., here...)
You don't think you could do better than a paltry $1,000,000 a year to actual donation to the ACS??
Really, Roger... You mean to tell me that you are willing to try to ram down everybody's throat that you care about cancer research, and yet you and your teams are effectively pocketing $50,000,000 a year on merchandise trying to fool these morons who swear fealty to your sport that you actually give a damn about anything “Pink”, rather than anything “Green”...
You know, it wouldn't hurt you to basically sit down and have your teams give, oh, I don't know, $5,000,000 apiece or so to this effort?
But we can't have that!!! That would actually require giving a damn about anyone else's lives but your own...
And the NFL, nor it's fans, want to do that. That's bad bid-nezz...
Isn't it, you senile old used-car salesman-like charlatan?
The Zoo Continues Unabated: If You Don't Get Me My Fantasy Points, YOU'RE DEAD!!!!
(First of two that indicate just how little the NFL, or it's fans, care about life, limb, sanity, or anything else!)
You know, my life has given me some unique perspectives on things.
OK, that's all fine and good.
But, once again, today, my anonymous friend has pointed out something to me that, to say the least, I can't even wrap my brain around -- even as insane as most people believe I am...
Meet Brandon Jacobs of the New York Giants.
He, and to his credit, has basically slammed what he calls the "little cyber-gangsters" who talk on Twitter and don't want to back it up.
Well, he just the second round of that, as Andre Rayner basically went "all up in his azz" and threatened Jacobs' life, according to the New York Daily News and Jacobs reposting this on his Twitter.
Let that process...
So, sometime on the 21st or early on the 22nd, Andre decides that he's going to kill Brandon Jacobs if Jacobs does not either get the opportunity to or actually get 50 yards rushing and score two rushing touchdowns.
I think we know why this idiot is trying this shit: FANTASY POINTS!!
So you are going to fucking kill an NFL player if he doesn't give you your Fantasy League victory this week???
God, you are fucking dumb...
Brandon Jacobs did not play against the Vikings.
NFL Security has been notified.
You know, my life has given me some unique perspectives on things.
OK, that's all fine and good.
But, once again, today, my anonymous friend has pointed out something to me that, to say the least, I can't even wrap my brain around -- even as insane as most people believe I am...
Meet Brandon Jacobs of the New York Giants.
He, and to his credit, has basically slammed what he calls the "little cyber-gangsters" who talk on Twitter and don't want to back it up.
Well, he just the second round of that, as Andre Rayner basically went "all up in his azz" and threatened Jacobs' life, according to the New York Daily News and Jacobs reposting this on his Twitter.
Let that process...
So, sometime on the 21st or early on the 22nd, Andre decides that he's going to kill Brandon Jacobs if Jacobs does not either get the opportunity to or actually get 50 yards rushing and score two rushing touchdowns.
I think we know why this idiot is trying this shit: FANTASY POINTS!!
So you are going to fucking kill an NFL player if he doesn't give you your Fantasy League victory this week???
God, you are fucking dumb...
Brandon Jacobs did not play against the Vikings.
NFL Security has been notified.
Monday, October 21, 2013
Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you, the poster child of fealty assholery to the NFL...
On repeated bases, I have had friends of mine (rightly) rant to me about how NFL fans could be so violent and be so permissive of the loss of life and limb which comes with the sport of football.
In some small way, and in a large way to slam this asshole, I present to you the case of Kurt Paschke.
You've probably seen the video already. I saw it first on Deadspin...
That is actually a different angle than most have seen.
My first question to myself, when seeing the original video, was why Mr. Paschke was not swarmed by about 40 guys, kicking the shit out of him.
Well, it sounds to me that the New York Daily News (through Deadspin again) has the answer:
Kurt Paschke, a confessed Jets "superfan", has also done prison time for killing somebody.
This motherfucker is a murderer.
And the standing idea is that it being downgraded to manslaughter (for which he did three years after the 1992 slaying) was because Paschke's dad is a cop, making the asshole untouchable.
Ladies and gentlemen, the poster child for NFL fandom in 2013!!!
In some small way, and in a large way to slam this asshole, I present to you the case of Kurt Paschke.
You've probably seen the video already. I saw it first on Deadspin...
That is actually a different angle than most have seen.
My first question to myself, when seeing the original video, was why Mr. Paschke was not swarmed by about 40 guys, kicking the shit out of him.
Well, it sounds to me that the New York Daily News (through Deadspin again) has the answer:
Kurt Paschke, a confessed Jets "superfan", has also done prison time for killing somebody.
This motherfucker is a murderer.
And the standing idea is that it being downgraded to manslaughter (for which he did three years after the 1992 slaying) was because Paschke's dad is a cop, making the asshole untouchable.
Ladies and gentlemen, the poster child for NFL fandom in 2013!!!
Week 7 (Announced) Suspension and (Probable) Fine Blotter: Part Zero
With a Monday like this, I'd rather take flag football at this point!!!
First:
But that's not the worst absurdity of the league this Monday.
That's at least $21,000, son. Definition of a helmet-to-helmet hit.
Well, before they fined him, they had another message for him -- this message and the animated .GIF courtesy of Sports Illustrated, the message courtesy of McAfee's Twitter.
Anyone who wants to try to tell me that letter was, in any way, random, I will laugh in their face.
And, Pat... That's not the only letter you're getting from the league this week.
And anyone almost literally jerking off to hits like Merriweather's and McAfee's needs to take into account Chicago's Brandon Marshall, probably the catalyst for Merriweather's suspension when he said:
"Guys like that really don't understand that there is life after football," Marshall said, via the Chicago Tribune.
(and NFL.com)
First:
- Washington Redskins: Brandon Meriweather has been announced as suspended for two games, as of now. He will be considered, for this season, to be at least a THREE-TIME LOSER. He was suspended because of his repeat-offender status, plus two dirty-hit flags in the game against Chicago this week. Meriweather becomes the third attempted player to be suspended under repeat offender rules. The question is whether and how much this costs the Redskins, who are basically at the line for Level 3 Player Remittance situations.
But that's not the worst absurdity of the league this Monday.
- Indianapolis Colts: Punter Pat McAfee. He's going to get fined for this...
That's at least $21,000, son. Definition of a helmet-to-helmet hit.
Well, before they fined him, they had another message for him -- this message and the animated .GIF courtesy of Sports Illustrated, the message courtesy of McAfee's Twitter.
Anyone who wants to try to tell me that letter was, in any way, random, I will laugh in their face.
And, Pat... That's not the only letter you're getting from the league this week.
And anyone almost literally jerking off to hits like Merriweather's and McAfee's needs to take into account Chicago's Brandon Marshall, probably the catalyst for Merriweather's suspension when he said:
"Guys like that really don't understand that there is life after football," Marshall said, via the Chicago Tribune.
(and NFL.com)
Sunday, October 20, 2013
Quickie Notes: The "Fuck Andy Reid" Edition
Out of the 14 games played so far in week 7:
8 of them got to 1 score or less.
Cliffhanger Index: Bengals over Lions (FG at the gun)
Jets "over" Patriots (FG in OT + ref rigging)
Buffalo over Miami (FG with :33 left)
Washington over Chicago (TD with :45 left)
Pittsburgh over Baltimore (FG at the gun -- after a tying TD < 2:00 to go for Balt.)
So that's 5 so far.
And I didn't do week 6. So I will do that now.
1 score or less: 5
Cliffhanger Index: Cincinnati over Buffalo (FG in OT)
New England over New Orleans (TD < :10 left)
That's 2.
Season totals: 53 out of 105 games (just over half) decided by 8 points or less.
Season Cliffhanger Index so far: 25. Right about normal. About 1 out of every 4 NFL games comes down to a score in the final two minutes or in overtime.
8 of them got to 1 score or less.
Cliffhanger Index: Bengals over Lions (FG at the gun)
Jets "over" Patriots (FG in OT + ref rigging)
Buffalo over Miami (FG with :33 left)
Washington over Chicago (TD with :45 left)
Pittsburgh over Baltimore (FG at the gun -- after a tying TD < 2:00 to go for Balt.)
So that's 5 so far.
And I didn't do week 6. So I will do that now.
1 score or less: 5
Cliffhanger Index: Cincinnati over Buffalo (FG in OT)
New England over New Orleans (TD < :10 left)
That's 2.
Season totals: 53 out of 105 games (just over half) decided by 8 points or less.
Season Cliffhanger Index so far: 25. Right about normal. About 1 out of every 4 NFL games comes down to a score in the final two minutes or in overtime.
I knew the Aaron Hernandez thing would rear it's ugly head...
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the political realities of the Neanderthug Felon League.
I had the Patriots down for, I believe, about 10-6 or 11-5 this year because I felt the league was going to fuck them over for the Aaron Hernandez deal.
I believe we now have at least one loss we can attribute to just that.
For reasons known only to God and to Jets coach Rex Ryan, Ryan, in overtime of a 27-27 tie with New England (and already into the sudden-death part of it), decided to send his kicker out for a 56-yard field goal to win it.
The reason this is stupid is because New England would've been about two first downs from winning the game themselves if (and, eventually, when) the kicker missed the field goal.
Except for an NFL first!! (.GIF from Deadspin)
Yes, an NFL first actually gave the Jets a 15-yard "unsportsmanlike conduct" penalty against the Patriots on the missed field goal.
The penalty (which has been confirmed correct -- see below for my response) was that one of the defensive linemen for the Patriots pushed one of the offensive linemen into the backfield.
This, starting this year, is a violation of the rules...
"(a) When Team A presents a punt, field-goal attempt or a Try Kick formation, a Team B player, who is within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage. must have his entire body outside the snapper's shoulder pads at the snap. (b) When Team A presents a field-goal or Try Kick formation: (1) No more than six Team B players may be on the line of scrimmage on either side of the snapper at the snap; Penalty: For illegal formation by the defense, loss of 5 yards from the previous spot. (2) Team B players cannot push teammates on the line of scrimmage into the offensive formation. Penalty: For unnecessary roughness, loss of 15 yards from the previous spot."
The Jets make the field goal after the next series, game over, Jets 30 - Patriots 27.
OK, the call is questionable to begin with -- who does he push, where is he, and the penalty would be for unnecessary roughness, not unsportsmanlike conduct.
As you can see in the NFL.com article, it is meant to make the situation safer.
OK, I get all this.
But can one person honestly tell me to my face that there has been no other incidence of this in any of the first six weeks (now seven) of the NFL season this year??
And how far is that into the backfield? I mean, seriously...
If you think you can straighten this out for me, I have a bridge to sell you. In the nice swampland of Phoenix, Arizona.
The Patriots got fucked for taking Aaron Hernandez and not doing due diligence on him.
And I don't think that's going to be the only time.
I had the Patriots down for, I believe, about 10-6 or 11-5 this year because I felt the league was going to fuck them over for the Aaron Hernandez deal.
I believe we now have at least one loss we can attribute to just that.
For reasons known only to God and to Jets coach Rex Ryan, Ryan, in overtime of a 27-27 tie with New England (and already into the sudden-death part of it), decided to send his kicker out for a 56-yard field goal to win it.
The reason this is stupid is because New England would've been about two first downs from winning the game themselves if (and, eventually, when) the kicker missed the field goal.
Except for an NFL first!! (.GIF from Deadspin)
Yes, an NFL first actually gave the Jets a 15-yard "unsportsmanlike conduct" penalty against the Patriots on the missed field goal.
The penalty (which has been confirmed correct -- see below for my response) was that one of the defensive linemen for the Patriots pushed one of the offensive linemen into the backfield.
This, starting this year, is a violation of the rules...
"(a) When Team A presents a punt, field-goal attempt or a Try Kick formation, a Team B player, who is within 1 yard of the line of scrimmage. must have his entire body outside the snapper's shoulder pads at the snap. (b) When Team A presents a field-goal or Try Kick formation: (1) No more than six Team B players may be on the line of scrimmage on either side of the snapper at the snap; Penalty: For illegal formation by the defense, loss of 5 yards from the previous spot. (2) Team B players cannot push teammates on the line of scrimmage into the offensive formation. Penalty: For unnecessary roughness, loss of 15 yards from the previous spot."
The Jets make the field goal after the next series, game over, Jets 30 - Patriots 27.
OK, the call is questionable to begin with -- who does he push, where is he, and the penalty would be for unnecessary roughness, not unsportsmanlike conduct.
As you can see in the NFL.com article, it is meant to make the situation safer.
OK, I get all this.
But can one person honestly tell me to my face that there has been no other incidence of this in any of the first six weeks (now seven) of the NFL season this year??
And how far is that into the backfield? I mean, seriously...
If you think you can straighten this out for me, I have a bridge to sell you. In the nice swampland of Phoenix, Arizona.
The Patriots got fucked for taking Aaron Hernandez and not doing due diligence on him.
And I don't think that's going to be the only time.
Friday, October 18, 2013
How To Ensure MLB's Favorite National League Team Gets To The World Series
Super Fraud would like to thank Bud Selig for spitting in the face of the sport again, allowing a bunch of braggadocious, entitled loud-mouths to be National League Champions.
No, I didn't just fall on my head. I am fully aware that the St. Louis Cardinals were effectively given the National League Championship tonight. Fully aware of that fact.
Why do I say it how I say it?? Let us count the ways:
Or is it that you believe the Dodgers to be self-entitled twats? (If you believe that, I'll point you a bit closer -- the team the Dodgers defeated in the NLDS AND the team the Dodgers "lost to" in the NLCS...)
I came up with a theory, and I spoke to at least one Southern California baseball fan about it tonight. I believe Bud Selig, in a vain effort to try to get "his game" to compete with The National Religion, wants to not only make it more confrontational (meaning more fights, punches, beanballs, etc.), but also to publicly decry it while privately encouraging it (as long as you are NOT the $230,000,000 Dodgers!!).
You thought the Dodgers were bad about it this year? You just gave these guys a chip on the shoulder for next year. We're already going to have a massive brawl the first time the Dodgers and Diamondbacks meet next season. The Dodgers and Padres aren't exactly exchanging Christmas cards either. The Giants? That's obvious...
But it's clear, Mr. Selig, that you want baseball played "the right way": Fuck with people's heads, act like self-entitled twits (as long as you are NOT the Dodgers), and basically the team that was one of the last bastions of The Steroid Era gets to see their fourth World Series in 10 years.
Make... me... vomit.
No, I didn't just fall on my head. I am fully aware that the St. Louis Cardinals were effectively given the National League Championship tonight. Fully aware of that fact.
Why do I say it how I say it?? Let us count the ways:
- The Los Angeles Times reported that Yasiel Puig was officially warned about his gestures and questioning the strike zone in Game 5...
- ... however, NONE OF THIS OTHER BEHAVIOR that Deadspin found over the course of the first several games of the series, did MLB have a problem with. It was so out of line that, in the aforementioned article of the Times, Vin Scully actually defended Puig's behavior. Older-than-Old-School Vin Scully... This after the Cardinals were bitching and bitching about the (and bitching!) conduct of the (and BITCHING!!) Dodgers.
- And bitching...
- Nor did Major League Baseball, or Game 6 Home Plate
St. Louis CardinalUmpire Greg Gibson (no relation to Kirk (who just celebrated the 25th Anniversary of "I Don't Believe What I Just Saw!") or Debbie (who sang the National Anthem that night)) see any problem with Yadier (more like "Yadda Yadda") Molina here:
This was AFTER Molina had been called for Strike One in his first plate appearance.
Mr. Gibson... Mr. Selig... Why was Yadda-Yadda Molina not ejected?
- I'll tell you what... Let's give you an easier one. Explain to me this pitch tracker from Game 6...
That, Major League Baseball, is YOUR OWN PITCH TRACKER. Two waist-high, meat of the outside part of the plate -- not even the outside corner -- pitches. Both (as noted by the green circles) called as BALLS.
The next pitch, Carlos Beltran wasted for a double.
Fourth inning, already 4-0. The 1-1 pitch to Beltran was on the low inside corner of TBS's zone -- ball two. Next pitch nearly went over the fence. Kershaw was done, and the Dodgers got shelled the rest of the night.
By the time that the umpires were done squeezing Clayton Kershaw (which they had been doing to the Dodger pitching the entire series, as people watching the pitch-trackers were noting), Kershaw had thrown 80 pitches in three innings, 50 in the third alone, and the game and series were over.
- Much to the delight of TBS announcers, who seemed to be openly cheerleading for the Cardinals for most of the series.
Or is it that you believe the Dodgers to be self-entitled twats? (If you believe that, I'll point you a bit closer -- the team the Dodgers defeated in the NLDS AND the team the Dodgers "lost to" in the NLCS...)
I came up with a theory, and I spoke to at least one Southern California baseball fan about it tonight. I believe Bud Selig, in a vain effort to try to get "his game" to compete with The National Religion, wants to not only make it more confrontational (meaning more fights, punches, beanballs, etc.), but also to publicly decry it while privately encouraging it (as long as you are NOT the $230,000,000 Dodgers!!).
You thought the Dodgers were bad about it this year? You just gave these guys a chip on the shoulder for next year. We're already going to have a massive brawl the first time the Dodgers and Diamondbacks meet next season. The Dodgers and Padres aren't exactly exchanging Christmas cards either. The Giants? That's obvious...
But it's clear, Mr. Selig, that you want baseball played "the right way": Fuck with people's heads, act like self-entitled twits (as long as you are NOT the Dodgers), and basically the team that was one of the last bastions of The Steroid Era gets to see their fourth World Series in 10 years.
Make... me... vomit.
Fine Blotter: Week Six, Part Two: The Rest of the Rap Sheet
So, it's an NFL season Friday, and you know what that means...
On top of Suh's $63,000:
Total so far: $163,250
Lions $-$: $31,500
$194,750 for this week.
Putting us, by my spreadsheet, just short of $2,000,000 for the year. (Spreadsheet has $1,982,125)
Also, six weeks into the season, the number of teams not fined at all under the Player Remittance Policy numbers... four.
Minnesota is the only NFC team.
Denver, Kansas City, and ....
OAKLAND!!! Sorry, but that just comes across as unbelievable to me. Let me check the Google here...
Nope. None of the four teams, by anything I saw on Google, have been fined this year.
On top of Suh's $63,000:
- Green Bay Packers: Jermichael Finley: $15,750 for another defenseless-player rule on Terrell Suggs of the Ravens. (And, the sooner, Mr. Finley, that it can no longer be considered "playing football" to do what you were considered to have done, the better it will be for you and for other players.
- New Orleans Saints: Malcolm Jenkins: $15,750, same thing on New England's Kembrell Tompkins.
- Dallas Cowboys: Cameron Lawrence, $21,000 for an illegal blindside hit. The hit on Washington's David Amerson was not flagged.
- Cincinnati Bengals: Vontaze Burfict is a TWO-TIME LOSER, and he's fortunate it wasn't for more. He was flagged twice for late hits on Sunday, neither was fined. He WAS, however, fined $7,875 for a face mask. One has to wonder, at that point, why Burfict was not expelled from the contest!!!
- Washington Redskins: Perry Riley: $15,750 for a late hit/roughing the passer on Tony Romo.
- New England Patriots: Brandon Spikes: $10,500 for a uniform violation on his shoes. He is now a TWO-TIME LOSER -- consecutive weeks on uniform violations.
- Arizona Cardinals: Alameda Ta'amu: $10,000 for kicking in the face...
- San Francisco 49ers: Alex Boone: who retaliated to the tune of $7,875.
- Arizona Cardinals: Darnell Dockett: $7,875 for a late hit in the same 49er game. TWO-TIME LOSER, two in three weeks!
- Tennessee Titans: Michael Preston: $7,875 for an out-of-bounds forearm to the head of Golden Tate of the Seahawks. Preston, maybe or maybe not unrelatedly, is no longer with the Titans. (That's only $7,875 -- a late hit forearm to the head out of bounds????)
- Chicago Bears: Brandon Marshall: $10,500 for the aforementioned green shoes for Mental Health Awareness Week.
Total so far: $163,250
Lions $-$: $31,500
$194,750 for this week.
Putting us, by my spreadsheet, just short of $2,000,000 for the year. (Spreadsheet has $1,982,125)
Also, six weeks into the season, the number of teams not fined at all under the Player Remittance Policy numbers... four.
Minnesota is the only NFC team.
Denver, Kansas City, and ....
OAKLAND!!! Sorry, but that just comes across as unbelievable to me. Let me check the Google here...
Nope. None of the four teams, by anything I saw on Google, have been fined this year.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Fine Blotter: Week Six, Part One: The Continuing Hypocrisy of the NFL
- Detroit Lions: Ndamukong Suh: $31,500 for roughing the passer.
- The Lions are already at Level 3 -- add another $31,500 to the team.
Why do I make note of this shit?
The NFL ITSELF reported, four weeks ago, Week 2, that if Suh got another penalty from the league, it was to be with a suspension attached.
Right in it's pregame show.
I don't want to hear this shit, Goodell!! Either start throwing thugs like Goldson and Suh out of the league, suspend the Detroit coach (the most-fined team was Baltimore last year, at about $366,000 when you add all the team fines for excessive totals), or admit that you want more blood on your hands.
Through the pre-season and six weeks of the regular year (actually, just five and Suh's fine for Week 6), the Lions are at $355,000.
START DOING SOMETHING, YOU FUCKING FRAUD.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Score Blotter Week 6 2013
Another week, another Ndamukong Suh hit being investigated by the league.
While the sun was rising in the east and setting in the west, and while a shithead south of Indianapolis was killing his son because his son needed to go home:
Week 6 average: 44.93
6 Week total average: 46.10, now only about a half point behind last year.
While the sun was rising in the east and setting in the west, and while a shithead south of Indianapolis was killing his son because his son needed to go home:
Week 6 average: 44.93
6 Week total average: 46.10, now only about a half point behind last year.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
The Zoo Continues Unabated, Part Five: Cause of Death: Football Addiction
(Deadspin)
Some drunk, gun-loving motherfucker decided he wanted his son and he to go watch some football just south of Indianapolis on Sunday.
One look of the guy, and I'm not sure whether he's more a disciple of Roger Goodell or Sarah Palin!!
This comes to the forefront when the son wants to go home. Tired, not feeling great, needs to get ready to go back to college (the son was 19), whatever.
The dad did not.
They did go home...
WHERE THE MOTHERFUCKING PIECE OF SHIT SHOT HIS SON SIX TIMES.
HIS SON IS DEAD.
All for football.
All because he didn't wanna go home. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
FUCK
YOU
YOU
BITCH.
I apologize to those who expect a little more of me (and especially those who come here from my work on Brian Tuohy's site from time to time almost certainly do!!) , but some of the stuff I've seen just boggles my mind as to why we haven't basically gone Mad Max and just gotten it over with:
Just this weekend:
It is time for this country to get some fucking control over the feral animals of all races, creeds, colors, and religions - especially The National Religion of The Neanderthug Felon League.
Some drunk, gun-loving motherfucker decided he wanted his son and he to go watch some football just south of Indianapolis on Sunday.
One look of the guy, and I'm not sure whether he's more a disciple of Roger Goodell or Sarah Palin!!
This comes to the forefront when the son wants to go home. Tired, not feeling great, needs to get ready to go back to college (the son was 19), whatever.
The dad did not.
They did go home...
WHERE THE MOTHERFUCKING PIECE OF SHIT SHOT HIS SON SIX TIMES.
HIS SON IS DEAD.
All for football.
All because he didn't wanna go home. WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!
FUCK
YOU
YOU
BITCH.
I apologize to those who expect a little more of me (and especially those who come here from my work on Brian Tuohy's site from time to time almost certainly do!!) , but some of the stuff I've seen just boggles my mind as to why we haven't basically gone Mad Max and just gotten it over with:
Just this weekend:
- Riots at Penn State over the victory over Michigan
- Matt Schaub cheered when he all but broke his ankle in Houston
- A fan physically attacked and the home run ball ripped out of her hand in Boston, just so the jackass can throw it back.
- And now this...
It is time for this country to get some fucking control over the feral animals of all races, creeds, colors, and religions - especially The National Religion of The Neanderthug Felon League.
Monday, October 14, 2013
The Zoo Continues Unabated, Part Four
The Texan idiocy is on Deadspin, along with a video with nice audio of the fucking asshats...
Also on Deadspin: More Fan Mayhem In Boston...
So the Red Sox can't buy a hit in the first two games (up to the point of this clip -- they did break out against the Detroit bullpen to win, 6-5...).
Detroit hits a grand slam home run into the bleachers to the right of the Monster. 5-0 Detroit.
Lady catches the ball.
Guy, on national television, rips the ball out of the lady's hand, and does the entire "throw the opposing home run back on to the field" motif.
Lady is screaming that it is her ball. But, of course, Sports Fan Syndrome #6...
Well, apparently, the guy was also screaming racist remarks before all that in the game, according to Yahoo!, and was ejected, finally, after that stunt.
Also on Deadspin: More Fan Mayhem In Boston...
So the Red Sox can't buy a hit in the first two games (up to the point of this clip -- they did break out against the Detroit bullpen to win, 6-5...).
Detroit hits a grand slam home run into the bleachers to the right of the Monster. 5-0 Detroit.
Lady catches the ball.
Guy, on national television, rips the ball out of the lady's hand, and does the entire "throw the opposing home run back on to the field" motif.
Lady is screaming that it is her ball. But, of course, Sports Fan Syndrome #6...
Well, apparently, the guy was also screaming racist remarks before all that in the game, according to Yahoo!, and was ejected, finally, after that stunt.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
The Zoo Continues Unabated, Part Three
Well, I was wrong about the Vikings today -- that actually was a more "normal" result, given the Adrian Peterson tragedy. Just that I thought the NFL might throw him a bone or two.
Given the NFL's response to a number of tragedies over a number of seasons, I honestly thought Peterson was going to go in tribute of his fallen son and just run roughshod today...
Maybe nobody got the memo...
---
But that's not the biggest, nor most idiotic, story of the zoo continuing unabated in The Neanderthal Felon League.
The fans might well have just done it -- probably the most disgusting act of the season with respect to the games themselves might well have taken place in Houston today.
The embattled Matt Schaub better have played his last down for the Houston Texans, as if his life depends on it.
Why?
In the third quarter, Chris Long of the Rams sacked Schaub. Schaub had to leave the game with a leg injury.
The people in attendance cheered his leg injury.
Again, the people in attendance (ostensibly Houston Texan fans) cheered their own starting quarterback when he was injured and forced to leave the game.
Never mind that the team was, somehow, down 31-6 to the Rams at the time.
WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TRYING TO DO, KILL HIM?
YOU WANT THIS GUY DEAD BECAUSE YOUR TEAM, ONCE AGAIN, SUCKS???
Christ on a Pogo Stick...
Given the NFL's response to a number of tragedies over a number of seasons, I honestly thought Peterson was going to go in tribute of his fallen son and just run roughshod today...
Maybe nobody got the memo...
---
But that's not the biggest, nor most idiotic, story of the zoo continuing unabated in The Neanderthal Felon League.
The fans might well have just done it -- probably the most disgusting act of the season with respect to the games themselves might well have taken place in Houston today.
The embattled Matt Schaub better have played his last down for the Houston Texans, as if his life depends on it.
Why?
In the third quarter, Chris Long of the Rams sacked Schaub. Schaub had to leave the game with a leg injury.
The people in attendance cheered his leg injury.
Again, the people in attendance (ostensibly Houston Texan fans) cheered their own starting quarterback when he was injured and forced to leave the game.
Never mind that the team was, somehow, down 31-6 to the Rams at the time.
WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TRYING TO DO, KILL HIM?
YOU WANT THIS GUY DEAD BECAUSE YOUR TEAM, ONCE AGAIN, SUCKS???
Christ on a Pogo Stick...
Friday, October 11, 2013
Fine Blotter for Week 5
Couple of news items first:
Week 5: $112,875
Lions L3: $25,000
Lions $-$: $4.625
Total so far: $142,500
- Adrian Peterson's 2 year-old son has died as the result of a beating by the mother's boyfriend. All sanity would indicate that Peterson would not play on Sunday, but, if he does, we all know what's about to happen here...
- A drug suspension to report -- one which does not particularly surprise me: New York Jets: Kellen Winslow Jr., suspended 4 games for PEDs. I've never thought much of the guy -- always come across to me as a bit of a loose cannon, etc.
- And, of course, Deion (maybe) fucking being Deion again: Deion Sanders was fired from his the charter school he helped found today -- for an allegation of assault of one of the faculty. However, he has been rehired, according to Sports Illustrated. It appears that Deion is not happy about the management of the kids going to school there, and is not afraid to take matters into his own hands. Fences are being mended, so to say, but we'll see on this one...
- It was announced today: Ndamukong Suh has lost his Week 1 appeal of his $100,000 fine.
- Green Bay Packers: Jerron McMillan: $15,750 for a hit to the head causing a concussion of a defenseless Detroit receiver.
- Detroit Lions: Israel Idonije is now a TWO-TIME LOSER. $15,750 for a leg whip against the Packers.
- Detroit Lions: Become the first NFL team this season to go to Level 3. This not only means an immediate $25,000 fine, but for every dollar over $157,500, it's now dollar-for-dollar. So tack on an additional $4,625 fine to the team. That leg whip basically cost the Lions and Idonije about $45,000.
- Buffalo Bills: Fred Jackson: $7,875 for unsportsmanlike conduct/taunting, flipping the ball at a defensive player, for which he was penalized.
- Buffalo Bills: Another one, Aaron Williams, $21,000 for a head shot.
- Cleveland Browns: John Greco: $7,875 for a face mask. None of these three in this game were for anything against either quarterback.
- New England Patriots: Brandon Spikes: $7,875 for a uniform violation (illegal shoes). Can't find what the cause of it was though.
- New York Giants: Will Hill: $15,750 for the defenseless player rule.
- Arizona Cardinals: Daryl Washington: $21,000 for roughing the passer.
Week 5: $112,875
Lions L3: $25,000
Lions $-$: $4.625
Total so far: $142,500
Fine Blotter: Catching Up
A couple of catch-ups before we get to this week's...
Might as well put one fine in the blotter for Week 6, but this one comes with a grimace of a different kind:
- Media sources indicate Ndamukong Suh is STILL waiting for word on his appeal of his $100,000 fine from week 1. (Still waiting as of yesterday.)
- Week 4: Seattle Seahawks: Marshawn Lynch: $5,250 for a uniform violation.
- Week 4: Janoris Jenkins: $7,875 for a face mask.
Might as well put one fine in the blotter for Week 6, but this one comes with a grimace of a different kind:
- Chicago Bears (for Week 6): Brandon Marshall will be fined for a uniform violation. Amount, at this time, unknown. Marshall wore illegal (by league rules) green shoes for Thursday night's victory over the Giants in support of National Mental Health Awareness Week -- and told the league he would do (he was originally to be banned from the field if he tried, but it was "allowed" under penalty of a fine). Marshall will match the fine with a donation to an appropriate charity. Gotta put it on there, because it counts under the Player Remittance Policy, but, boy, does that one suck...
Thursday, October 10, 2013
The Zoo Continues Unabated, Part 2
Two more stories where the excrement has hit the air circulator...
First, it is no longer desirable (it's not outright banned, but the state association doesn't want it going on anymore), at a high school sporting event in the state of Kentucky, to engage in the handshake line, according to Yahoo! Sports.
Not for the reason you think, but the exact opposite: The KHSAA (the Kentucky High School Athletic Association) has registered over two dozen major incidents of poor sportsmanship in the handshake lines the last three years (with incidents in all three major fall sports this year), and can no longer justify their continued usage, given they can no longer trust the students of the state of Kentucky to act like human beings (forget the parents and coaches and the like!).
Here's a thought, Kentucky: Don't worry yet about how you can "marry the importance of sportsmanship to an event where their players can't shake hands with their opponents", as the article puts so many Kentucky athletic directors struggling to do.
You have to get the first half of that equation down first. Force sportsmanship into the equation (and, yes, I used "force" intentionally), or you have nothing to marry to this situation, and no need to continue high school sports at all, at that point.
I fear that the KHSAA may have few other options should this continue. If this step is necessary, the termination of high school sports (on a case-by-case basis or in general) must then also come.
--
And then you get to the latest UFC news, and showing why Dana White doesn't take any shit from anybody.
Like him or not (and I know people in both camps), it's clear that Dana White is not afraid to make a statement.
Dana White has, permanently and forever, thrown Rousimar Palahares out of the UFC.
Why?
Because Rousimar Palahares, on more than one occasion, doesn't realize Rule Zero of MMA, and one of the main reasons that MMA is always on the edge of getting banned in a number of North American jurisdictions: This is not Thunderdome. When the match is over, THE MATCH IS OVER.
He has, twice now, excessively held a heel hook (his main submission hold) after the fight was declared over. The second incident marred a victory this week on a live UFC telecast.
Heel hooks are some of the most dangerous submission moves out there. It does not take much (and I know from a single angry incident where a misplaced kick bruised a heel and set off plantar fascitis) to bust something up seriously in the heel or foot.
Dana White is making it clear: That's not going to in the Octagon.
First, it is no longer desirable (it's not outright banned, but the state association doesn't want it going on anymore), at a high school sporting event in the state of Kentucky, to engage in the handshake line, according to Yahoo! Sports.
Not for the reason you think, but the exact opposite: The KHSAA (the Kentucky High School Athletic Association) has registered over two dozen major incidents of poor sportsmanship in the handshake lines the last three years (with incidents in all three major fall sports this year), and can no longer justify their continued usage, given they can no longer trust the students of the state of Kentucky to act like human beings (forget the parents and coaches and the like!).
Here's a thought, Kentucky: Don't worry yet about how you can "marry the importance of sportsmanship to an event where their players can't shake hands with their opponents", as the article puts so many Kentucky athletic directors struggling to do.
You have to get the first half of that equation down first. Force sportsmanship into the equation (and, yes, I used "force" intentionally), or you have nothing to marry to this situation, and no need to continue high school sports at all, at that point.
I fear that the KHSAA may have few other options should this continue. If this step is necessary, the termination of high school sports (on a case-by-case basis or in general) must then also come.
--
And then you get to the latest UFC news, and showing why Dana White doesn't take any shit from anybody.
Like him or not (and I know people in both camps), it's clear that Dana White is not afraid to make a statement.
Dana White has, permanently and forever, thrown Rousimar Palahares out of the UFC.
Why?
Because Rousimar Palahares, on more than one occasion, doesn't realize Rule Zero of MMA, and one of the main reasons that MMA is always on the edge of getting banned in a number of North American jurisdictions: This is not Thunderdome. When the match is over, THE MATCH IS OVER.
He has, twice now, excessively held a heel hook (his main submission hold) after the fight was declared over. The second incident marred a victory this week on a live UFC telecast.
Heel hooks are some of the most dangerous submission moves out there. It does not take much (and I know from a single angry incident where a misplaced kick bruised a heel and set off plantar fascitis) to bust something up seriously in the heel or foot.
Dana White is making it clear: That's not going to in the Octagon.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
The Zoo Continues Unabated
I've always said it's a miracle that we haven't had another celebrity murder like the one of of Rebecca Schaffer.
Now, I think, I have to say it's an even BIGGER miracle in that the celebrity involved hasn't been a professional athlete.
The latest example of fans taking the sport way too damn far (Source: Sports Illustrated, hat tip, as usual, to my anonymous source) comes from the Houston Texans.
Someone tried to confront Matt Schaub at his home and bitch at him about his (and the team's) poor play.
NFL Security has been contacted. The Houston Police Dept. is involved, though they were not able to deal with the incident initially. (Given the current state of the NFL fandom, if the guy's going to show up at the house, you have to be ready for anything.)
And people thought I was crazy. I guess since the victim was a man (and a "tough" football player), the guy in his driveway shouting obscenities wasn't arrested on the spot. (You know, "course of conduct intended to harass", blah blah blah, "with no legitimate purpose", yadda yadda yadda...)
Or is it the corollary of the sixth principle of Howard Cosell's "Sports Fan Syndrome", once again...
"The fan is sacred, even as sports are. He pays the freight, thus he is an entitled being. The media people tell him this every day. Therefore, once within the arena, his emotions whetted by the Sports Syndrome, the fan adopts what John Stewart Mill found to be the classic confusion in the American thought process, the confusion between Liberty and License—a natural and probable consequence of which is fan violence."
And he wrote this in 1985...
Now, I think, I have to say it's an even BIGGER miracle in that the celebrity involved hasn't been a professional athlete.
The latest example of fans taking the sport way too damn far (Source: Sports Illustrated, hat tip, as usual, to my anonymous source) comes from the Houston Texans.
Someone tried to confront Matt Schaub at his home and bitch at him about his (and the team's) poor play.
NFL Security has been contacted. The Houston Police Dept. is involved, though they were not able to deal with the incident initially. (Given the current state of the NFL fandom, if the guy's going to show up at the house, you have to be ready for anything.)
And people thought I was crazy. I guess since the victim was a man (and a "tough" football player), the guy in his driveway shouting obscenities wasn't arrested on the spot. (You know, "course of conduct intended to harass", blah blah blah, "with no legitimate purpose", yadda yadda yadda...)
Or is it the corollary of the sixth principle of Howard Cosell's "Sports Fan Syndrome", once again...
"The fan is sacred, even as sports are. He pays the freight, thus he is an entitled being. The media people tell him this every day. Therefore, once within the arena, his emotions whetted by the Sports Syndrome, the fan adopts what John Stewart Mill found to be the classic confusion in the American thought process, the confusion between Liberty and License—a natural and probable consequence of which is fan violence."
And he wrote this in 1985...
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Score Update: Week 5
The fourth-highest scoring game since 1940 in the NFL (Denver 51 - Dallas 48) aided this week to average 49 points a game for Week 5.
Highest per-game average since Week 1 of last year.
6 more games this week decided by a score or less. Cliffhanger Index: 3.
(Would've been 7 and 4 if the Chargers weren't beyond redemption at this point.)
Total is 40 out of the 77 games this year decided by one score or less.
The total Cliffhanger Index for the year is now 18.
18 of the 77 games have been decided by a score in the final two minutes or in overtime.
Monday night could've counted for two: Atlanta's lead-changing score to 28-27 ALSO came within the two-minute warning.
Highest per-game average since Week 1 of last year.
6 more games this week decided by a score or less. Cliffhanger Index: 3.
(Would've been 7 and 4 if the Chargers weren't beyond redemption at this point.)
Total is 40 out of the 77 games this year decided by one score or less.
The total Cliffhanger Index for the year is now 18.
18 of the 77 games have been decided by a score in the final two minutes or in overtime.
Monday night could've counted for two: Atlanta's lead-changing score to 28-27 ALSO came within the two-minute warning.
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Oh My... Tell Me The True/No-Heart Dupes Didn't See THIS Coming...
Only two games on the late schedule.
No one gave a shit about Carolina vs. Arizona.
But then you have Denver and Dallas -- rivals for decades, Romo vs. Peyton...
And you can guess what happened...
FIFTY-ONE TO FORTY-EIGHT, FIELD GOAL AT THE GUN TO DENVER.
(By the way, that makes 5 games this week decided by a score or less, and the Cliffhanger Index is at 2 with the Ultra-Late-Night Baseball Special from Oakland and the Monday Nighter left.)
Thanks to a little ingenuity and our friends at Pro Football Reference, we were able to find out that this was the highest scoring NFL game since Cincinnati defeated Cleveland 58-48 on November 28, 2004.
(That even beats the playoff record: Arizona defeated Green Bay in the Wild Card round of the 2009-2010 season, 51-45.)
Washington defeated the New York Giants 72-41 on November 27, 1966.
The San Francisco 49ers defeated the (football) Brooklyn Dodgers 62-40 on November 21, 1948.
Those three games are the only three games in the history of the NFL (according to the chart that was pulled up) in which the teams combined for more than 100 points).
So this means (and I checked -- there were a couple 98's in there) that today's game is the 4th-highest scoring in the history of the NFL, going back to at least 1940.
Peyton had 4 more touchdowns -- 20 in 5 games. Tom Brady's record of 50 is most-certainly in danger.
Tony Romo passed for 506 yards in the loss. (The team gets credit for 470 when you take out the sacks.)
According to Pro Football Reference, this is only the 30th time since 1940 that a team has passed for at least 470 yards. Those teams are now 17-13.
And you are going to try to tell me, Mr. or Mrs. or Miss Football Fan, that NOBODY COULD'VE SEEN THIS COMING...
Are you out of your fracking mind??? Seriously!
Additional Fact: Peyton Manning's 414 yards passing without a sack represents the 15th time in NFL history that both teams passed for over 400 yards.
NINE have happened 2010 or since.
No one gave a shit about Carolina vs. Arizona.
But then you have Denver and Dallas -- rivals for decades, Romo vs. Peyton...
And you can guess what happened...
FIFTY-ONE TO FORTY-EIGHT, FIELD GOAL AT THE GUN TO DENVER.
(By the way, that makes 5 games this week decided by a score or less, and the Cliffhanger Index is at 2 with the Ultra-Late-Night Baseball Special from Oakland and the Monday Nighter left.)
Thanks to a little ingenuity and our friends at Pro Football Reference, we were able to find out that this was the highest scoring NFL game since Cincinnati defeated Cleveland 58-48 on November 28, 2004.
(That even beats the playoff record: Arizona defeated Green Bay in the Wild Card round of the 2009-2010 season, 51-45.)
Washington defeated the New York Giants 72-41 on November 27, 1966.
The San Francisco 49ers defeated the (football) Brooklyn Dodgers 62-40 on November 21, 1948.
Those three games are the only three games in the history of the NFL (according to the chart that was pulled up) in which the teams combined for more than 100 points).
So this means (and I checked -- there were a couple 98's in there) that today's game is the 4th-highest scoring in the history of the NFL, going back to at least 1940.
Peyton had 4 more touchdowns -- 20 in 5 games. Tom Brady's record of 50 is most-certainly in danger.
Tony Romo passed for 506 yards in the loss. (The team gets credit for 470 when you take out the sacks.)
According to Pro Football Reference, this is only the 30th time since 1940 that a team has passed for at least 470 yards. Those teams are now 17-13.
And you are going to try to tell me, Mr. or Mrs. or Miss Football Fan, that NOBODY COULD'VE SEEN THIS COMING...
Are you out of your fracking mind??? Seriously!
Additional Fact: Peyton Manning's 414 yards passing without a sack represents the 15th time in NFL history that both teams passed for over 400 yards.
NINE have happened 2010 or since.
Friday, October 4, 2013
A Fine Blotter Full of Reasons Roger Goodell's Letter to the Fans is Full of Shit (Week Four)
So, yesterday, Roger Goodell decided to continue to propagandize to the True Heart Football Fans by actually saying that things are being done about Player Safety.
Here's my "Republican Response":
Week 3:
Week 4 : $ 233,750
Jets Level 2 : $ 50,000
Redskins Level 2: $ 50,000
Back Fines: $ 41,500
To Week 3: $ 1,331,375
TOTAL: $1,716,625
Here's my "Republican Response":
- In what has to be one of the most inconceivable decisions, the league actually agreed with it's announcers that the Goldson hit last Sunday was, in fact, shoulder-to-chest, and, hence, legal. (Of course, this also had a large portion to do with Arizona's 13-10 win, but let's not let the facts get in the way of a good story.) If you watch the final reverse-angle, you will see the head come in under the face mask. No fine for Goldson -- he skates this time. *BOO!*
- San Francisco 49ers: Donte Whitner was fined $21,000 for his illegal hit on St. Louis' Chris Givens. Not only does this make Whitner a TWO-TIME LOSER this season in just four games (a Week 2 uniform violation), but he, to mock the entire process, has actually apparently filed paperwork to legally change his last name to "Hitner". Now, (W)Hitner has decided to sell $28 T-Shirts with that move, which should not only be illegal under NFLPA rules, but also encouraging this dirty bullshit. *BOO!*
- Boo! Boo Wendy! Boo Wendy Testaburger!! Boo!!!
- Atlanta Falcons: Two for unnecessary roughness: First, William Moore, $15,750 for a hit on New England's Kenbrell Thompkins.
- Atlanta Falcons: And Thomas DeCoud, $15,750 for an end-zone shot on Aaron Dobson.
- Detroit Lions: Rocky McIntosh, $15,750 for a horse-collar on Chicago's Devin Hester. That's TWO-TIME LOSER for him as well (with a Preseason-Week 3 Personal Foul). Basically, any more fines at all this season for the Lions, and they go to Level 3 for dollar-for-dollar. (No word on whether Suh's appeal from Week 1 was denied or not.)
- Arizona Cardinals: Yeremiah Bell, $15,750 for a helmet to helmet.
- Arizona Cardinals: Darnell Dockett, $15,750 for a horse-collar tackle.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Team-only situation, and this one will get ugly. Now-former Buccaneer Josh Freeman was fined three times last week for missing two meetings and conducting an unauthorized interview. The fines were approximately $10,000 each, and probably aided in leading to his termination from the team this week. These fines are not included in the normal total, because they do not fall under the league's Player Remittance Policy.
- New York Jets: Two for hits on Tennessee's Jake Locker: Muhammad Wilkerson gets $15,750 for roughing the passer.
- New York Jets: And Quinton Coples gets $7,875 for unnecessary roughness. NEITHER HIT WAS PENALIZED ON THE FIELD, according to the Washington Post.
- New York Jets: Become the fifth team (see my catch-up, below) to reach Level 2 on the Player Remittance Scale, and the team has been fined $50,000 as a result.
- Buffalo Bills: Jim Leonhard, $15,750 for the defenseless player rule.
- Tennessee Titans: Michael Griffin, $21,000 for a concussion hit.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Jason Babin, $15,750 for roughing the passer.
- Jacksonville Jaguars: Jordan Todman, $7,875 for a late hit.
Week 3:
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Antonio Brown was a TWO-TIME LOSER in Week 3 -- add another $7,875 for a face mask violation in the same game he got $7,875 for a late hit vs. Chicago.
- Baltimore Ravens: Bryant McKinnie, $7,875 for unnecessary roughness.
- Chicago Bears: Charles Tillman, $15,750 for a horse-collar foul.
- Washington Redskins: Will Montgomery: $10,000 for a peel-back block.
- Washington Redskins: Became the second team (move the others down one notch) to reach Level 2 on the Player Remittance Policy and has been fined $50,000 as a result.
Week 4 : $ 233,750
Jets Level 2 : $ 50,000
Redskins Level 2: $ 50,000
Back Fines: $ 41,500
To Week 3: $ 1,331,375
TOTAL: $1,716,625
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Methinks Brian Tuohy has pissed some people off...
First, the national reports of game-fixing by the drugged-out New York Knicks in the 1980's...
This is one of the explosive claims Brian Tuohy has made in his new book Larceny Games.
Now, I have deliberately avoided getting the book (though probably will today with reward points -- I do hope that the program I am getting them from is compensating Brian. If not, we'll have to figure out something.), partially because I'd be too tempted to spill many of the beans here (and Brian took a tremendous amount of time and energy to do this, and should be well-compensated for his work), and partially just out of respect for Brian.
But there are a couple of early public off-shoots of his work in Larceny Games...
First, this interview with WFAN's Boomer and Carton (and, yes, that is Boomer Esiason) on September 19, 2013.
Now, Brian asks to keep an eye on something Boomer said in the interview.
I can only think it's one of two things:
It did seem like there was one key question in the interview that Carton asked that Boomer pre-empted the answer of by Brian.
The second thing from this interview would be far more interesting: An aside by Boomer Esiason after the interview ends, but before the clip stops. Boomer goes into some detail on a number of people in New York sports (he talks about the possible cocaine addictions going through the New York Mets, as well as the possibility Lawrence Taylor was compromised), as well as Stanley Wilson.
Stanley Wilson was a running back for the Cincinnati Bengals (the team Esiason played for during this time period) who was banned from the NFL because he could not comply with the drug policy. His third and final strike was just before the Super Bowl when they were to play the San Francisco 49ers.
Esiason appears to imply what some believe about Wilson: That his cocaine addiction left questions as to whether he actually fixed games. Though he was left off the roster for the Super Bowl after his third strike, one would have to ask if Wilson was prepared to throw Super Bowl XXIII.
Listen to the interview. It's a very interesting discussion on the subject.
The second public off-shoot, though, is quite a bit more disturbing, and Brian just announced it in the last couple of days.
Let's set a few things up:
Gee, you don't think the NFL hasn't had something to do with this?
Next step, probably threats against Brian???
This is one of the explosive claims Brian Tuohy has made in his new book Larceny Games.
Now, I have deliberately avoided getting the book (though probably will today with reward points -- I do hope that the program I am getting them from is compensating Brian. If not, we'll have to figure out something.), partially because I'd be too tempted to spill many of the beans here (and Brian took a tremendous amount of time and energy to do this, and should be well-compensated for his work), and partially just out of respect for Brian.
But there are a couple of early public off-shoots of his work in Larceny Games...
First, this interview with WFAN's Boomer and Carton (and, yes, that is Boomer Esiason) on September 19, 2013.
Now, Brian asks to keep an eye on something Boomer said in the interview.
I can only think it's one of two things:
It did seem like there was one key question in the interview that Carton asked that Boomer pre-empted the answer of by Brian.
The second thing from this interview would be far more interesting: An aside by Boomer Esiason after the interview ends, but before the clip stops. Boomer goes into some detail on a number of people in New York sports (he talks about the possible cocaine addictions going through the New York Mets, as well as the possibility Lawrence Taylor was compromised), as well as Stanley Wilson.
Stanley Wilson was a running back for the Cincinnati Bengals (the team Esiason played for during this time period) who was banned from the NFL because he could not comply with the drug policy. His third and final strike was just before the Super Bowl when they were to play the San Francisco 49ers.
Esiason appears to imply what some believe about Wilson: That his cocaine addiction left questions as to whether he actually fixed games. Though he was left off the roster for the Super Bowl after his third strike, one would have to ask if Wilson was prepared to throw Super Bowl XXIII.
Listen to the interview. It's a very interesting discussion on the subject.
The second public off-shoot, though, is quite a bit more disturbing, and Brian just announced it in the last couple of days.
Let's set a few things up:
- Brian notes in the aforementioned interview that the plurality of things he discovered in the FBI files pertained to dealings in the NFL. (Which should come as no surprise to anyone other than a "true"/NO-heart football fan.)
- If you read several people on the subject, you saw what happened to Dan Moldea's investigative career after he went after the NFL for the book Interference.
- There are certainly a number of things the NFL does not want made public -- for example, a second Baltimore Raven, Terrell Suggs (and he's active!!) now believes that Roger Goodell orchestrated the blackout to fix the result of Super Bowl XLVII to make it closer.
- Finally, here's how Brian got most of the files in question: He filed Freedom of Information Act requests with the FBI regarding Sports Bribery.
Gee, you don't think the NFL hasn't had something to do with this?
Next step, probably threats against Brian???
2013 Score Update Week 4
Week 4 2013 average per game: 47.27
Week 4 has been a historically high-scoring week the last few years, for the most part.
4 Week per-game average: 45.71. The gap has lowered to about 1.6 points less than last year.
Week 4 has been a historically high-scoring week the last few years, for the most part.
4 Week per-game average: 45.71. The gap has lowered to about 1.6 points less than last year.
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