A Turkish soccer referee and two linesmen were locked in their locker room after a game this week by a team president believing the officials failed to call a penalty against them.
According to Deadspin, it took the President of Turkey to get the team to let them out!
No word on if the Turkish league will sanction them for the outburst.
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Another Patriots Complaint, Another Turned Back By The NFL...
Sounds like whatever issues had plagued the relationship between Commissioner Roger Goodell and Associate Commissioner Bob Kraft have been resolved...
The NFL has swept away the latest Jets complaint about misconduct and tampering with radio signals, as three "Kraft Sports" employees (*cough*Patriots employees*cough*) were photographed and questioned by NFL security after being found around the sidelines -- and after the Jets performed a sweep of their locker room for bugs or any other spy devices.
The NFL has swept away the latest Jets complaint about misconduct and tampering with radio signals, as three "Kraft Sports" employees (*cough*Patriots employees*cough*) were photographed and questioned by NFL security after being found around the sidelines -- and after the Jets performed a sweep of their locker room for bugs or any other spy devices.
Ohio State Quarterback Suspended
Just a little while after unseating Cardale Jones as the starting quarterback for defending national champion Ohio State, JT Barrett has been suspended for at least the next game the Buckeyes play against Minnesota for being busted for DUI at a DUI checkpoint last night.
... meaning Jones is, for at least the game against Minnesota, the starter again.
(Daily Fantasy) FanDuel Sued by NFL Player
I'm utterly shocked that the sites lasted the month of October, but, that said...
Pierre Garcon of the Redskins has started a lawsuit against FanDuel. He seeks class-action status for all players whose likenesses have been used without permission -- something DraftKings, through it's deals with all the sports leagues, does.
This is basically put out there for completeness, and for me saying that I'm shocked we still have Daily Fantasy Sports existing on Halloween of 2015.
Pierre Garcon of the Redskins has started a lawsuit against FanDuel. He seeks class-action status for all players whose likenesses have been used without permission -- something DraftKings, through it's deals with all the sports leagues, does.
This is basically put out there for completeness, and for me saying that I'm shocked we still have Daily Fantasy Sports existing on Halloween of 2015.
Friday, October 30, 2015
And Football Man Gotta Football Man, Part Whatever...
Deadspin shows us this gem of American society...
Somebody is going to want to hospitalize former Bears defensive end Jay Ratliff -- because when he was released from the team last week, the cops had to be called for the argument which ensued.
Ratliff then pronounced himself the devil and wished death on the children of Bears staffers...
Someone has taken several (hundred) too many shots to the head!!!
Somebody is going to want to hospitalize former Bears defensive end Jay Ratliff -- because when he was released from the team last week, the cops had to be called for the argument which ensued.
Ratliff then pronounced himself the devil and wished death on the children of Bears staffers...
Someone has taken several (hundred) too many shots to the head!!!
The staffers should've seen this coming from ESPN, because I sure did!!!
ESPN has killed Grantland.
Just surprised it lasted the five months after they ran Bill Simmons off, that's all.
Just surprised it lasted the five months after they ran Bill Simmons off, that's all.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
FIFA '15: A Second Major US Men's Soccer Player Attacks an MLS Referee
It's becoming obvious that the United States does not want to qualify for the 2016 World Cup.
(Being that the World Cup is in Russia that year, I cannot completely blame them!)
This is not how to go about it, though.
Four months ago, Clint Dempsey (who was captain of the US Men's National Team) was banned for two years from the US Open Cup and suspended for three MLS matches (but no CONCACAF penalty, Gold Cup or World Cup Qualifier!) for his attack on referee Daniel Radford.
Going to be interesting to see how CONCACAF and the MLS handle this latest incident, according to Deadspin!
Jermaine Jones, 54 appearances for the United States and a member of the 2014 World Cup team, has attacked an MLS referee after being sent off of a knockout-stage playoff match for the New England Revolution.
In stoppage time, down 2-1 to DC United, Mark Geiger, the senior United States soccer referee, sent off Jones after Jones shoved Geiger to protest a missed handball call in the penalty box.
This is, in fact, the second time this year Jones has accosted Mark Geiger. Back in May, Jones assaulted Geiger late in a 1-1 draw with DC United. He appeared to bump Geiger and definitely charged him, with New England already two men in arrears for previous red cards!
Geiger chose not to sanction Jones for the assault.
Jones is racking up a significant disciplinary history:
NOW!!
(Being that the World Cup is in Russia that year, I cannot completely blame them!)
This is not how to go about it, though.
Four months ago, Clint Dempsey (who was captain of the US Men's National Team) was banned for two years from the US Open Cup and suspended for three MLS matches (but no CONCACAF penalty, Gold Cup or World Cup Qualifier!) for his attack on referee Daniel Radford.
Going to be interesting to see how CONCACAF and the MLS handle this latest incident, according to Deadspin!
Jermaine Jones, 54 appearances for the United States and a member of the 2014 World Cup team, has attacked an MLS referee after being sent off of a knockout-stage playoff match for the New England Revolution.
In stoppage time, down 2-1 to DC United, Mark Geiger, the senior United States soccer referee, sent off Jones after Jones shoved Geiger to protest a missed handball call in the penalty box.
This is, in fact, the second time this year Jones has accosted Mark Geiger. Back in May, Jones assaulted Geiger late in a 1-1 draw with DC United. He appeared to bump Geiger and definitely charged him, with New England already two men in arrears for previous red cards!
Geiger chose not to sanction Jones for the assault.
Jones is racking up a significant disciplinary history:
- An eight-week ban while with German club Schalke for stamping a player.
- May 2015: Fined by the MLS for placing hands on the face or neck area of another player in an altercation. (Sent off for Violent Conduct???)
- May 2015: First incident with Geiger.
- October 28, 2015: Second incident with Geiger.
NOW!!
Adam Silver Subverts The Rules of Basketball To Order Brick-Layers To Make Their Free-Throws
Prepare for a lot more unwatchable NBA this season, people!
The NBA will NOT alter the rules to prevent a "Hack-A-Player" scenario, with Adam Silver telling ESPN through Yardbarker:
Never mind that the NBA has rules that would already cover this situation if the referees bothered to enforce them!
From the NBA's own website:
If a team is going to continually stop play by fouling a poor free-throw shooter for the simple purpose that the player is a poor free-throw shooter (without regard that they are trying to stop the clock late in a game, which might also need to be addressed -- because all previous attempts to discourage that have gone wanting on all levels of basketball!), then it is unecessary -- hence, a flagrant foul.
If they continue to take the game and make a farce of it, it becomes excessive on top of it.
The NBA will NOT alter the rules to prevent a "Hack-A-Player" scenario, with Adam Silver telling ESPN through Yardbarker:
"“On the other hand, I hear from literally thousands of coaches – not just from the United States but from around the world – saying, ‘You cannot change this rule. What lesson does that send? The kids who are learning the game, this is a fundamental part of the game: A guy’s got to be able to make free throws.'”"And that's exactly what he's telling DeAndre Jordan and Dwight Howard: Improve from the charity stripe or effectively be driven from the NBA by being hacked into oblivion.
Never mind that the NBA has rules that would already cover this situation if the referees bothered to enforce them!
From the NBA's own website:
"A flagrant foul-penalty (1) is unnecessary contact committed by a player against an opponent.You don't need to change the rules, Commissioner Silver. You simply need to enforce the rules you have.
A flagrant foul-penalty (2) is unnecessary and excessive contact committed by a player against an opponent. It is an unsportsmanlike act and the offender is ejected immediately."
If a team is going to continually stop play by fouling a poor free-throw shooter for the simple purpose that the player is a poor free-throw shooter (without regard that they are trying to stop the clock late in a game, which might also need to be addressed -- because all previous attempts to discourage that have gone wanting on all levels of basketball!), then it is unecessary -- hence, a flagrant foul.
If they continue to take the game and make a farce of it, it becomes excessive on top of it.
Week 7 Score Report
7 weeks in, still five undefeated teams. We WILL lose one this week, as the Sunday nighter has Denver and Green Bay going at it a mile above sea level.
Anyway, for week 7:
Anyway, for week 7:
- Week 7 average: 46.43 (Last year: 43.67)
- 7 week total: 46.60 points per game (Last year: 46.273 Two years ago: 46.7)
- Another game in London in Week 7 (and ANOTHER in Week 8 upcoming!), so home teams are 8-5 for the week, 61-42 (.592) for the year. Last year: 12-3 and 65-39-1 (.624))
- Another winning week for Vegas on the over: 7-7, so the juice would make an over player a loser. 53-47-5 to 53-51-1 for the year. (Last year: 6-8 and 55-60-1 to 49-59-8)
- Favorites had another losing week against the spread (6-7-1, Patriots pushed at -7), and that makes it 44-53-8 against the number this year.
- 192 penalties in the 14 games, one less penalty than last week's total, aided by 16 penalties by the Buccaneers, 14 penalties by the Raiders and 20 penalties in the London game!
- Really sane week on the Cliffhangers: Only one this week: Washington's 31-30 win over Tampa, Washington's winning score came at 0:24. The London game's winning score came at 2:16, New England the Jets traded scores in the final two minutes, and San Diego turned a rout close with 23 in the fourth, but only the one game qualified.
- Seven other games were within one score at the end, three more within one score at some point in the final period. Only three non-competitive games this week.
- Cliffhangers: 23/105 (21.9%) (Last year: 20/105 (18.87%))
- Decided by one score: 55/105 (52.38%) (Last year: 44/105 (41.9%))
- Within one score at some point in the fourth quarter: 72/105 (68.57%) (Last year: 68/105 (65.09%))
Something tells me Leny Dykstra didn't spend long enough in prison!!!
There are times I look at the athletes we are supposed to worship in this country and wonder how they turned about 12 years old and didn't be in prison by then...
Take, for example, the latest admission (on the day of Game 1 of the World Series involving his primary former team, the Mets!!) by Lenny Dykstra: According to The Sporting News: Dykstra hired private investigators to investigate the UMPIRES to dig up dirt on them Dykstra could use to get better calls, he told Colin Cowherd of FOX Sports 1.
Let that process a second... He's basically using the same tactics many leagues use against players to gain leverage on them -- but he's using it on the umps???
It really makes you wonder three things:
Take, for example, the latest admission (on the day of Game 1 of the World Series involving his primary former team, the Mets!!) by Lenny Dykstra: According to The Sporting News: Dykstra hired private investigators to investigate the UMPIRES to dig up dirt on them Dykstra could use to get better calls, he told Colin Cowherd of FOX Sports 1.
Let that process a second... He's basically using the same tactics many leagues use against players to gain leverage on them -- but he's using it on the umps???
It really makes you wonder three things:
- How this piece of shit is walking around in public
- How many more players are doing the same thing
- and how many/which calls have successfully been so influenced?
Week 7 NFL Fine Blotter: FUCK YOU NFL!!!!
First two fines of Week 7 are out, and they have four things in common:
Hey, SHITHEAD! Yeah, you, Goodell!! Why don't you just whip them like the property you believe them to be?
FUCK YOU!
- They're both Pittsburgh Steelers: DeAngelo Williams and William Gay
- They're both $5,787 too much.
- They're both uniform violations.
- And they are both for causes near to the players: Williams for "Find the Cure" eyeblack fr breast cancer (I guess he didn't pay off those pieces of shit at Koman..) and Gay for purple cleats to support domestic violence awareness (and forgetting that, without domestic violence on the part of players and fans, the NFL is not The National Religion it is today!).
Hey, SHITHEAD! Yeah, you, Goodell!! Why don't you just whip them like the property you believe them to be?
FUCK YOU!
Monday, October 26, 2015
Another Possible Sacrifice In Progress to Football's Altar
We may have another football death to report right shortly. This one in Riverside, California!!
The local Press-Enterprise newspaper reports that Josh Nava of Riverside Poly is in an induced coma after an injury Friday night...
... and that even though the Riverside Unified School District has sensors in every helmet to detect the amount of trauma, it is claimed no abnormal readings were found.
You know what that means, but you won't fucking admit it, right RUSD???
The local Press-Enterprise newspaper reports that Josh Nava of Riverside Poly is in an induced coma after an injury Friday night...
... and that even though the Riverside Unified School District has sensors in every helmet to detect the amount of trauma, it is claimed no abnormal readings were found.
You know what that means, but you won't fucking admit it, right RUSD???
Greg Hardy is a Thug Who Needs To Be Beaten Like One
(Before anyone asks: The precondition is that he's a thug in the first place before he gets beaten. And for those who know: There are people who believe I should've been killed for that in another lifetime, as it were...)
Greg Hardy is a bitch.
Greg Hardy is a piece of shit.
Greg Hardy is a woman-beater.
Greg Hardy is a thug.
Greg Hardy has no place in civilized America, much less in football.
So yesterday's misadventures which indicate that Greg Hardy has shot to the top of the list as the NFL Player Most Likely To Murder Someone On The Field should not surprise anyone.
Greg Hardy got a shoving fight with the special teams coach of his own team yesterday. (Good video of the incident at this Deadspin article.)
Ancillary to this, he also got in an altercation with Dez Bryant that seemed to escalate to Hardy shoving several Cowboys.
Someone just needs to prison-beat this motherfucker. It's the only language he's going to understand -- suspending him again ain't going to do shit.
And for all you fealty-swearers to this murderous and false farce: He's football in 2015, motherfuckers.
Greg Hardy is a bitch.
Greg Hardy is a piece of shit.
Greg Hardy is a woman-beater.
Greg Hardy is a thug.
Greg Hardy has no place in civilized America, much less in football.
So yesterday's misadventures which indicate that Greg Hardy has shot to the top of the list as the NFL Player Most Likely To Murder Someone On The Field should not surprise anyone.
Greg Hardy got a shoving fight with the special teams coach of his own team yesterday. (Good video of the incident at this Deadspin article.)
Ancillary to this, he also got in an altercation with Dez Bryant that seemed to escalate to Hardy shoving several Cowboys.
Someone just needs to prison-beat this motherfucker. It's the only language he's going to understand -- suspending him again ain't going to do shit.
And for all you fealty-swearers to this murderous and false farce: He's football in 2015, motherfuckers.
Sunday, October 25, 2015
The NFL pulls one straight out of The Onion today...
Deadspin again.
In the continuing efforts of the Mafia Boss Roger Goodell to lie away the truths about football, the NFL, in wanting to absolve itself illegally, has hired one Michael Turner, who is supposedly the medical director of the International Concussion and Head Injury Research Foundation.
And said this about many CTE victims:
And...
And how much more of this are we supposed to accept before someone basically states the entire National Football League/National Felon League is nothing but a corporate front for the Mafia or something to that effect?
In the continuing efforts of the Mafia Boss Roger Goodell to lie away the truths about football, the NFL, in wanting to absolve itself illegally, has hired one Michael Turner, who is supposedly the medical director of the International Concussion and Head Injury Research Foundation.
And said this about many CTE victims:
“Also when athletes retire they are at a very critical period in their lives. Prior to that they were well-known they might have been famous and earning quite a lot of money and suddenly, they have very little status, nobody knows who they are, they don’t have somewhere to go to work and I think that transition can be badly handled by lots of sports.”
And...
“You never hear that discussion among professional athletes or student athletes when they have finished competing and what we find out is that people who have pre-injury had mood disorders or depression do worse than those who don’t.”Michael Turner, you are a fucking corporate QUACK!!!
And how much more of this are we supposed to accept before someone basically states the entire National Football League/National Felon League is nothing but a corporate front for the Mafia or something to that effect?
Are They Going To Rig Another Title For That Bitch Harvick Acting Like A Bitch?
(Deadspin)
Last year, it was Kevin Harvick deciding to let a lot of people beat the shit out of Brad Keselowski rather than taking the matter into his own hands.
This year, he's just taken matters into his own hands to ensure qualification, and the only question now is whether they're rigging him another title, or whether NASCAR is so fucking incompetent that they know fuck all for what they're doing!
Today was the third and final race of Round 2 of the Chase -- after today, 8 drivers would remain, and we're in Talladega.
We're into NASCAR's version of overtime, and the word is that NASCAR only was going was going to attempt the Green-White-Checkered finish once.
So Kevin Harvick wrecks several of his competitors in the Chase and qualifies as a result.
And when you hear the rest of the story, it's even worse.
The original thought was that Harvick intentionally wrecked the field to see if he could manipulate his way in.
The truth appears to be far worse for NASCAR.
The broadcast of the race indicated that Kevin Harvick's car could not go above the pace-car speed, and that the engine would break down the moment he attempted it.
So NASCAR ALLOWS THE RESTART, the engine goes blooey, and you get The Talladega Big One, Harvick into the next round once the placements are sorted out!
There's only two possibilities, Mike Helton (who has already absolved Harvick of wrongdoing):
Either you're too damn incompetent to oversee a car-racing league...
OR
You're going to rig that bitch Harvick another title!
(Oh, by the way, this is the second race this round that a key result was dictated by either intentional wreck or NASCAR incompetence.)
Last year, it was Kevin Harvick deciding to let a lot of people beat the shit out of Brad Keselowski rather than taking the matter into his own hands.
This year, he's just taken matters into his own hands to ensure qualification, and the only question now is whether they're rigging him another title, or whether NASCAR is so fucking incompetent that they know fuck all for what they're doing!
Today was the third and final race of Round 2 of the Chase -- after today, 8 drivers would remain, and we're in Talladega.
We're into NASCAR's version of overtime, and the word is that NASCAR only was going was going to attempt the Green-White-Checkered finish once.
So Kevin Harvick wrecks several of his competitors in the Chase and qualifies as a result.
And when you hear the rest of the story, it's even worse.
The original thought was that Harvick intentionally wrecked the field to see if he could manipulate his way in.
The truth appears to be far worse for NASCAR.
The broadcast of the race indicated that Kevin Harvick's car could not go above the pace-car speed, and that the engine would break down the moment he attempted it.
So NASCAR ALLOWS THE RESTART, the engine goes blooey, and you get The Talladega Big One, Harvick into the next round once the placements are sorted out!
There's only two possibilities, Mike Helton (who has already absolved Harvick of wrongdoing):
Either you're too damn incompetent to oversee a car-racing league...
OR
You're going to rig that bitch Harvick another title!
(Oh, by the way, this is the second race this round that a key result was dictated by either intentional wreck or NASCAR incompetence.)
Saturday, October 24, 2015
Somebody is trying to make sure football kills Syracuse QB Eric Dungey.
(Deadspin with this Targeting of the Week.)
Five weeks ago, Eric Dungey was targeted by Mitch Stanitzek (who was ejected) for a headshot.
Doesn't seem like it's enough. It's clear someone wants Eric Dungey dead for being a football quarterback, because it's happened again!
Clear helmet-to-helmet (and a massive *CRACK!* to verify -- and some idiots screaming on the sideline as it looked for a second like Dungey was out), and I don't think the Pitt player was even flagged.
Five weeks ago, Eric Dungey was targeted by Mitch Stanitzek (who was ejected) for a headshot.
Doesn't seem like it's enough. It's clear someone wants Eric Dungey dead for being a football quarterback, because it's happened again!
Clear helmet-to-helmet (and a massive *CRACK!* to verify -- and some idiots screaming on the sideline as it looked for a second like Dungey was out), and I don't think the Pitt player was even flagged.
And yet more evidence that the result last night was pre-ordained...
This ditty from the ESPN Now feed as of the moment:
"MLB Schedule-Makers Get Lucky in 2016"
The opening game of the Major League Baseball season?
The New York Mets will open the season on the road...
against the Kansas City Royals.
"MLB Schedule-Makers Get Lucky in 2016"
The opening game of the Major League Baseball season?
The New York Mets will open the season on the road...
against the Kansas City Royals.
And here we go, Los Angeles: The great exodus of the NFL begins...
The San Diego Chargers have declared intention to make this their last season in San Diego, and that they will play in Los Angeles next year.
Deadspin has the story. In what may be described as a last-ditch effort to scam the taxpayers, Charger officials have publicly made it known that this is now their last season in San Diego, feeling the city will not allow them to bilk millions out of the city.
Sounds, to me, from this tweet from national radio personality/Raiders fan JT The Brick, they may not be missed as much as those trying to bilk San Diego might hope...
Deadspin has the story. In what may be described as a last-ditch effort to scam the taxpayers, Charger officials have publicly made it known that this is now their last season in San Diego, feeling the city will not allow them to bilk millions out of the city.
Sounds, to me, from this tweet from national radio personality/Raiders fan JT The Brick, they may not be missed as much as those trying to bilk San Diego might hope...
It's a sea of SILVER and BLACK in San Diego already. Great job #Raiders fans. Bigger turnout than expected! #beattheChargers #AlDavis
— JT The Brick (@JTTheBrick) October 24, 2015
And the (it seems) weekly tradition continues...
Another high-school on-field death Thursday night.
This one, in Chicago.
Andre Smith was 17 when he was sacrificed at the altar of football.
Brain swelling.
My (increasingly angry) anonymous friend would like to point out to anyone who fucking cares that every one of these deaths, basically without exception, is involving something with the brain or spine.
Just saying.
This is the seventh child to be admitted to be sacrificed to football this year.
(Deadspin)
This one, in Chicago.
Andre Smith was 17 when he was sacrificed at the altar of football.
Brain swelling.
My (increasingly angry) anonymous friend would like to point out to anyone who fucking cares that every one of these deaths, basically without exception, is involving something with the brain or spine.
Just saying.
This is the seventh child to be admitted to be sacrificed to football this year.
(Deadspin)
Friday, October 23, 2015
Curiouser and Curiouser, eh, FOX??
Last time I saw you guys go this blatant was a wild-card promo that effectively showed the result of the 2012 Week 17 game you had on at the time (MIN vs. GB, and then advertising Minnesota in the wild card, which they could only do if they beat Green Bay (and Green Bay could only be in the wild card game with a loss -- which they, then, did...).
So, especially after the controversial home run below, Deadspin catches this!!!
The game is now 3-3, in a rain delay with a squall line, bottom of the 8th.
PS: Royals won 4-3. As advertised two innings before the end, Mets/Royals Tuesday night.
So, especially after the controversial home run below, Deadspin catches this!!!
The game is now 3-3, in a rain delay with a squall line, bottom of the 8th.
PS: Royals won 4-3. As advertised two innings before the end, Mets/Royals Tuesday night.
Gee, we that desperate to put the Royals in the World Series?
Jeffrey Maier has a friend in Kansas City!
Which notice this controversial home run in the second inning of tonight's game, which gave the Royals a 2-0 lead.
You're going to seriously tell me, looking at the play TWICE (the Blue Jays challenged and lost!) that ball would've cleared the padding anyway.
Uh... No.
And, as a result of THAT RUN, the Royals are now 6 outs from the World Series, leading the Blue Jays 2-1 in the bottom of the 7th!
Which notice this controversial home run in the second inning of tonight's game, which gave the Royals a 2-0 lead.
You're going to seriously tell me, looking at the play TWICE (the Blue Jays challenged and lost!) that ball would've cleared the padding anyway.
Uh... No.
And, as a result of THAT RUN, the Royals are now 6 outs from the World Series, leading the Blue Jays 2-1 in the bottom of the 7th!
Week 6 Fine Blotter
- New York Giants: Damontre Moore: $20,000 for a game-changing roughing the passer penalty. At least his third in three NFL seasons.
- Miami Dolphins: Olivier Vernon, TWO TIME LOSER, both for hits roughing Marcus Mariota. $20,000 for a head shot, another $17,363 for a late, low one. How that wasn't about $60,000 or more, I have no idea. Apparently because of the low cheapie, Mariota is now injured and out for this week.
- Seattle Seahawks: Kam Chancellor: $23,152 for spearing.
- Kansas City Chiefs: Steven Nelson: $17,363 for roughing the passer.
- Houston Texans: Kevin Johnson: $8,681 for a face mask.
- New York Jets: Quincy Enunwa: Four game suspension, 2014 domestic violence arrest.
- Miami Heat: Gerald Green: $25,000 fine from the NBA for four "menacing gestures".
FIFA '15: El Clasico appears to be in the process of being rigged!
There are few larger matches than Spain's El Clasico rivalry between the only two relevant teams in Spanish soccer, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The next match in this rivalry is supposed to be November 21, and according to Deadspin through The Independent, one of the assigned officials has cried foul on the match, a month before it is to take place!
A linesman (remaining anonymous) assigned to the match has said he has been ordered to favor Real Madrid in the match. This is not surprising, frankly: Barcelona has been exposed as having their run at the top of European soccer done, at best, at the edge of the rules - if not breaking them.
The next match in this rivalry is supposed to be November 21, and according to Deadspin through The Independent, one of the assigned officials has cried foul on the match, a month before it is to take place!
A linesman (remaining anonymous) assigned to the match has said he has been ordered to favor Real Madrid in the match. This is not surprising, frankly: Barcelona has been exposed as having their run at the top of European soccer done, at best, at the edge of the rules - if not breaking them.
"The linesman has also reported Jose Angel Jimenez Munoz de Morales, a member of the referees’ committee, for allegedly contacting him directly to put extra pressure on the official to rule in Real’s favour."And then, the complaint says way too much about the current state of world soccer!!!
"Later, in the same document, it specificed [sic] that it’s the principle referee of the officiating team who called the assistant to say “it would be more convenient if the most difficult decisions in this game are not taken by the main referee, as it generates more controversy in the media, but by my client, the assistant.”
One to definitely watch for here. This season is not only seen as a possible rig-job for Real Madrid for the national league title, but Barcelona's recent UEFA transfer ban might be seen as a signal that there is grave distaste for the European juggernaut in Spain's capital city.Vicente continued: “If the decisions are made by the assistant, it was considered, less controversy would be generated and it would also dilute more quickly. In addition, it was also stated that this practice has already been tested in 2014-15 and that, precisely, on that occasion the main referee was exposed and critised by the media. For that reason, it was convenient to be more subtle.”
Various odds and sods...
I could probably make any of these a post on their own, but here are several stories which have fallen by the wayside this week:
- Two on e-sports: First, Korean e-sports officials have now exposed a second Starcraft match-fixing scandal in Korea. Five years ago, the first one netted ten players in various forms of match-fixing. The coach and at least two players of the Korean Starcraft team "Prime" have been banned by the Korean E-Sports Association (KeSPA) and are facing criminal charges, as are a number of financial backers meant to use the fixed results on the gambling of e-sports matches (yes, again, it seriously exists -- a daily-fantasy site had even started up until the recent Nevada decision forced them out of the state) for significant profit. One of the two players received $26,700 US for his involvement. For comparison, if we simply divided the purse money for the current League of Legends World Championships by the 5 players on each team for simplicity, a team would have to make the semifinals for a member of that team to make more than what this one player had made for fixing matches! (PixelDynamo)
- Second, and I can guess I can break out the format:
- Cloud 9: "Hai": 500 Euros for violation of sportsmanship rules in the League of Legends World Championships. Correctly noting that North American League of Legends is quite literally an LoL joke, Febvien was being interviewed and said openly that Cloud 9 would lose their match (North American teams lost every match of the second week to crash out of the Championships because they are weak and one-dimensional. That's not simply an editorial: the latter was basically shown to be true!) , to which Hai promptly threw the one-finger salute on camera, costing him 500 Euros.
- Another FIFA scandal, as now the 2006 World Cup has been exposed as bought by Germany, leading more than a few to believe the entire mess is going to be burnt to the ground by the time this is all over.
- A youth baseball administrator is in jail for bilking $90,000 from the New York Gothams youth baseball team. William Jacobvitz has had a $20,000 bail set for over 50 unauthorized withdrawls against the team's bank account over a four-year period. (Deadspin)
Obvious case of "in vino veritas" in my book. Hence, not good enough, bigot!
The group attempting to make transgenderism illegal in Houston, TX is $10,000 poorer today.
Fuck you, Bob McNair.
Texans owner demands Houston's LGBT opponents refund his $10,000 contribution https://t.co/RmfMWlY7S9 pic.twitter.com/ksr56KAS6p
— ThinkProgress (@thinkprogress) October 23, 2015
And if you think I believe that to be good enough, you have not been paying attention to the No F_____s League. This is just to look good (and Keith Olbermann fell for it!) when the truth came out about how bigoted the owner of the Texans is, in full lock-step with a league who would gladly step in line with LGBT marginalization, if not eradication, if the circumstances ever allow.Fuck you, Bob McNair.
Thursday, October 22, 2015
In the age of increasing digital media, you knew this was coming: ESPN is dark on YouTube...
... and the reason why is the shit finally has hit the fan on YouTube.
YouTube, for a long time, has been the haven for mostly-legal, some semi-legal, and mucho illegal materials (via copyright) being disseminated to the general public on the Internet the last several years.
Google finally wants it's cut.
Deadspin's Gizmodo site has the details.
YouTube, for some time now, has been asking ordering it's major content providers to sign contracts in which their materials could only be accessed on YouTube through a new PAID service called "YouTube Red".
Failure to do so, according to the Adam Clark Estes article, would mean that YouTube would mark all videos from these providers as private, rendering them inaccessible to the general public. And, on top of that, YouTube basically tells the content providers that, if they did not do this, then subscribers would then be unable to get the videos they paid subscriptions to see, while non-subscribers would.
If I'm reading this right, the gravy train which has been YouTube has finally been ground to a halt -- and, for anyone to realistically use YouTube anymore, it's $10/month.
Basically, YouTube is finished. Those making money off of YouTube now either have to go to the paid service, losing a large portion of their money (because those who have paid them directly through donations or the like now have to pay YouTube $10/month just to realistically use the service!), or leave YouTube entirely.
To put it another way, it's a poison pill and probably led by content providers like video game companies and movie/TV people who've been trying, unsuccessfully, for years to remove content which either is infringing or is believed to be infringing from the site.
YouTube/Google CLAIMS over 99% of it's relevant content providers have signed on.
Apparently, one of those who has not, according to Deadspin, is ESPN!
Reason? It can't. Contracts with the various sports leagues -- which would make sense, given the recent Twitter kerfluffles between the NFL and Deadspin and SB Nation.
So, as of at least tonight, most of the major ESPN subchannels, including Grantland's, are private.
YouTube, for a long time, has been the haven for mostly-legal, some semi-legal, and mucho illegal materials (via copyright) being disseminated to the general public on the Internet the last several years.
Google finally wants it's cut.
Deadspin's Gizmodo site has the details.
YouTube, for some time now, has been asking ordering it's major content providers to sign contracts in which their materials could only be accessed on YouTube through a new PAID service called "YouTube Red".
Failure to do so, according to the Adam Clark Estes article, would mean that YouTube would mark all videos from these providers as private, rendering them inaccessible to the general public. And, on top of that, YouTube basically tells the content providers that, if they did not do this, then subscribers would then be unable to get the videos they paid subscriptions to see, while non-subscribers would.
If I'm reading this right, the gravy train which has been YouTube has finally been ground to a halt -- and, for anyone to realistically use YouTube anymore, it's $10/month.
Basically, YouTube is finished. Those making money off of YouTube now either have to go to the paid service, losing a large portion of their money (because those who have paid them directly through donations or the like now have to pay YouTube $10/month just to realistically use the service!), or leave YouTube entirely.
To put it another way, it's a poison pill and probably led by content providers like video game companies and movie/TV people who've been trying, unsuccessfully, for years to remove content which either is infringing or is believed to be infringing from the site.
YouTube/Google CLAIMS over 99% of it's relevant content providers have signed on.
Apparently, one of those who has not, according to Deadspin, is ESPN!
Reason? It can't. Contracts with the various sports leagues -- which would make sense, given the recent Twitter kerfluffles between the NFL and Deadspin and SB Nation.
So, as of at least tonight, most of the major ESPN subchannels, including Grantland's, are private.
Football Gotta Fucking Football -- AGAIN!!!
(Deadspin)
More football thuggery.
Mass brawl in a junior-college game tonight in Mississippi -- involving one of the two schools in a game in which a ref got tossed earlier this year for getting into it with a coach!
East Mississippi CC and Mississippi Delta CC got in a Miami-Florida International brawl on the field, and Scott Walters from the Commercial Dispatch has the reason why:
More football thuggery.
Mass brawl in a junior-college game tonight in Mississippi -- involving one of the two schools in a game in which a ref got tossed earlier this year for getting into it with a coach!
East Mississippi CC and Mississippi Delta CC got in a Miami-Florida International brawl on the field, and Scott Walters from the Commercial Dispatch has the reason why:
EMCC has called a pair of timeouts to force the punt and secure one more first-half possession, leading 48-0
— Scott Walters (@dispatchscott) October 23, 2015
Trash cans being thrown, players running wildly all over the field ... This has gone on for five minutes
— Scott Walters (@dispatchscott) October 23, 2015
EMCC’s Buddy Stephens “it all started in the pregame with one of our managers getting five stitches (from an attack by a Delta player)”
— Scott Walters (@dispatchscott) October 23, 2015
And ended with...
From a personal standpoint ... Kudos to the Delta linebacker who threw a garbage can 20 yards in the air ... Easily enough for a first down
— Scott Walters (@dispatchscott) October 23, 2015
East Mississippi CC is supposed to be in the playoffs next week for the state community college championship, but...
If all players leaving the bench area receive a one-game suspension then playing a playoff game next week in severe jeopardy
— Scott Walters (@dispatchscott) October 23, 2015
More from coach Stephens, who should immediately disqualify his team from the playoffs and save the state committee the bother:
Stephens “I put this on us for our lack of discipline, the referees for not controlling the game and (Delta) for (it’s) lack of discipline.”
— Scott Walters (@dispatchscott) October 23, 2015
And especially for what precipitated this comment:
Stephens “We told our guys how this game would be and how they would play. If they don’t listen, I simply can not help them.”
— Scott Walters (@dispatchscott) October 23, 2015
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
The NFL Always Wins, Part Two: The No F_____s League Shows It's True Colors Again
Some LGBT group is going to have to get violent at the NFL.
The only reason I don't use the full term in my posts here (and you know exactly the term) is that I have friends in the LGBT community.
That said, days like today make me wonder when, not if, someone is finally going to cross the line and get violent.
Bob McNair, owner of the Texans, has just outed himself as a bigot.
No surprise, when you understand that the entire nature of football is based on "standard" male-female relations (and non-consensual ones at that, especially male-dominated).
He just donated $10,000 to the Houston Bigots of America.... Erm, actually "Campaign For Houston", a campaign designed to make transgenderism illegal in the city of Houston by rejecting the human rights of transgenders through the rejection of Proposition 1.
And this is football, in it's purest form. "We don't want any of that sweet stuff" and all...
I mean, how long before we incorporate violence toward undesirables as part of the football process, just like the Roman gladiator games?
And people like the transgenders will be first in line on that realm, I can assure you of that.
Bob McNair, I know friends of mine that will do violence to you if you ever share the same public space as them, you fucking bigot.
The only reason I don't use the full term in my posts here (and you know exactly the term) is that I have friends in the LGBT community.
That said, days like today make me wonder when, not if, someone is finally going to cross the line and get violent.
Bob McNair, owner of the Texans, has just outed himself as a bigot.
No surprise, when you understand that the entire nature of football is based on "standard" male-female relations (and non-consensual ones at that, especially male-dominated).
He just donated $10,000 to the Houston Bigots of America.... Erm, actually "Campaign For Houston", a campaign designed to make transgenderism illegal in the city of Houston by rejecting the human rights of transgenders through the rejection of Proposition 1.
And this is football, in it's purest form. "We don't want any of that sweet stuff" and all...
I mean, how long before we incorporate violence toward undesirables as part of the football process, just like the Roman gladiator games?
And people like the transgenders will be first in line on that realm, I can assure you of that.
Bob McNair, I know friends of mine that will do violence to you if you ever share the same public space as them, you fucking bigot.
The NFL Always Wins, Part One: National Fascists League Silences Heyward's Cancer Tribute
Cameron Heyward won't be wearing eyeblack anymore. And the league will get some fine money from him.
Roger Goodell flexed his muscle at the real problems -- the uppity players who decide to act out of turn and actually believe they have an ounce of humanity.
The NFL'sslaveowner commissioner was able to stop Cameron Heyward from honoring his father and put it's foot down and whip up on the players again today.
WHY DON'T YOU JUST TELL THE GUY HE DOESN'T HAVE A FATHER?
Why don't you just tell the guy that he's a machine designed to die, and that his father was designed to die at the end of his career, because he was of no use to anyone the moment he hung up his helmet for the last time?
Roger Goodell flexed his muscle at the real problems -- the uppity players who decide to act out of turn and actually believe they have an ounce of humanity.
The NFL's
WHY DON'T YOU JUST TELL THE GUY HE DOESN'T HAVE A FATHER?
Why don't you just tell the guy that he's a machine designed to die, and that his father was designed to die at the end of his career, because he was of no use to anyone the moment he hung up his helmet for the last time?
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Week 6 Score Report
- Week 6 scoring: 48.64 a game, even with the Monday clunker. (Last year: 48.4)
- 6 week average: 46.626 PPG (Last year: 46.703)
- Big week for the home team: 11-3. For 53-37 for the year (.589) (Last year: 4-10-1 and 53-36-1, so we're right about at the same point we were last year now.)
- Over was 9-4-1 for the week too, leading to somewhere 46-40-5 to 46-44-1. Depending on where you've bet, you're close to break-even if you took the over on every game. (10-5 and 49-52/43-51-7)
- Favorites took a beating again against the number: 5-9 for 38-46-7 for the year.
- Only 193 penalties in 14 games this week. About 13.8 a game.
- Saner week on the Cliffhanger end. Three cliffhangers (Detroit's first win in OT, another Denver cliffhanger in OT, and Carolina getting a late TD to win in Seattle (!!).) Only 2 other games were decided by 8 points or less, with 4 being within that margin at some point in the fourth quarter. 5 non-competitive games this week.
- Cliffhanger: 22/91 for the year (24.18%) (Last year: 16/91, 17.58%)
- Decided by one score: 47/91 (51.65%) (Last year: 37/91, 40.65%)
- Within one score at some point in the fourth: 61/91 (67.03%) (Last year: 59/91, 64.84%)
Monday, October 19, 2015
The blood of another football "patriot"...
(And please note I used a small "p" on that...)
I am reminded, as it seems I have to write at least one of these EVERY DAMNED WEEK, of the old statement to the effect that "the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of patriots".
We lost another kid to football this week -- and, though the report says it's six over the course of this year nationally, don't fool yourself. It's FAR more.
And it was in Texas too. Cam'ron Matthews of Alto, TX was sacrificed to the religion of football on Saturday after collapsing during the game on Friday. Sounds like ANOTHER head/spinal situation too -- he complained of headaches and similar symptoms before suffering a seizure before his death.
When are people going to understand that these deaths are the desired result of a sport meant to weed out who are believed to be unfit?
I am reminded, as it seems I have to write at least one of these EVERY DAMNED WEEK, of the old statement to the effect that "the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of patriots".
We lost another kid to football this week -- and, though the report says it's six over the course of this year nationally, don't fool yourself. It's FAR more.
And it was in Texas too. Cam'ron Matthews of Alto, TX was sacrificed to the religion of football on Saturday after collapsing during the game on Friday. Sounds like ANOTHER head/spinal situation too -- he complained of headaches and similar symptoms before suffering a seizure before his death.
When are people going to understand that these deaths are the desired result of a sport meant to weed out who are believed to be unfit?
Saturday, October 17, 2015
(Daily Fantasy) Some thoughts...
- The Fantasy Sports Trade Association is pulling their winter conference out of Las Vegas and Nevada, due to the decision to rule Daily Fantasy as gambling by Nevada authorities. Too bad they don't realize there's the very real chance there won't be a Fantasy Sports Trade Association at all come January, because the only way fantasy sports survive this at all is with the same wink and nod that March Madness gets every year!
- I get NHL GameCenter. Kinda funny seeing all the Draft Kings ads the NHL has, as I wonder if Draft Kings, et. al., are going to see Week 7 at this rate. Funnier still Deadspin's new name for them: Grift Kings.
- The head of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association has, according to ESPN, confirmed the Federal government wants documents from the organization, but the FSTA is not a current target. IMHO, yet.
For those wondering, the Michigan-Michigan State call was a Targeting Ejection of the Week....
Not going to make me popular in Wolverine circles. That's a good call.
Quarterback is in the process of surrendering himself, and Joe Bolden of Michigan hits that player with his helmet. Targeting was called, and, the way the helmet moved when he led with his head indicates it hit something hard.
And HERE WE GO AGAIN...
When I explain the play, you'll know what happened next...
Ten seconds to go in the game, all Michigan has to do is get off the punt and they basically win over Michigan State and take a large step to a showdown with Ohio State and possible playoff implications.
Michigan punter Blake O'Neil drops the snap, doesn't fall on it, almost appears to lateral to the Michigan State player, touchdown Michigan State, Spartans win, effectively ending the Wolverines' meaningful season.
And, right on cue: Social media death threats against O'Neil.
Look guys: Whether you believe there was funny business or not (and an earlier call and a close look at this fiasco at the end has me wondering!), when are you fuckers just going to shut up?
Oh, and Mike Greenberg:
Ten seconds to go in the game, all Michigan has to do is get off the punt and they basically win over Michigan State and take a large step to a showdown with Ohio State and possible playoff implications.
Michigan punter Blake O'Neil drops the snap, doesn't fall on it, almost appears to lateral to the Michigan State player, touchdown Michigan State, Spartans win, effectively ending the Wolverines' meaningful season.
And, right on cue: Social media death threats against O'Neil.
Look guys: Whether you believe there was funny business or not (and an earlier call and a close look at this fiasco at the end has me wondering!), when are you fuckers just going to shut up?
Oh, and Mike Greenberg:
@Espngreeny It also says a lot about sports in our culture. And, sorry Greeny, but ESPN is a _LARGE_ part of the problem, not the solution.
— Michael Falkner (@darkstar7646) October 18, 2015
Friday, October 16, 2015
Week 5 Fine Blotter: Three others only? What hypocrisy!
- Indianapolis Colts: Sio Moore: $17,363 for roughing the passer.
- Seattle Seahawks: Michael Bennett: $20,000 for roughing the passer. And even with as few fines as the league has put out this season, this makes Bennett, through Week 5, a THREE-TIME LOSER according to Spotrac, which is where I picked up this small list.
- San Francisco 49ers: Carlos Hyde: $23,152 for the battering-ram rule.
Are you fuckers in New York City even TRYING anymore?
(Response: No.)
Possible MNF craziness this week?
You already know that 13 of the games in the last two weeks have ended with the deciding score either in the last two minutes or overtime.
Now, word is percolating out that the trailer for the long-awaited first Disney Star Wars movie (Episode VII) will be debuting... on Monday Night Football.
Hoo boy. And one source says after the first quarter.
No no no... If you're going to have such a trailer, take a cue from Matt and Trey: When "Asses of Fire 2" was being "debuted", they stuck it at the end of the show.
A show with Russell Crowe -- "Fightin' Round the World".
:)
Now, word is percolating out that the trailer for the long-awaited first Disney Star Wars movie (Episode VII) will be debuting... on Monday Night Football.
Hoo boy. And one source says after the first quarter.
No no no... If you're going to have such a trailer, take a cue from Matt and Trey: When "Asses of Fire 2" was being "debuted", they stuck it at the end of the show.
A show with Russell Crowe -- "Fightin' Round the World".
:)
(Daily Fantasy) Shutdown in Nevada
The state of Nevada, yesterday, shut down the major daily fantasy websites in their state.
A.G. Burnett, chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, ruled daily fantasy IS gambling, forced it to be licensed within the state, and, hence (until they do) shut daily fantasy sports down in the state of Nevada.
Of course, this COULD lead to the entire fantasy industry ruled gambling as well, but this is a major step toward an imminent Federal shutdown of the entire process.
Nevada becomes (as of a Deadspin article last night) the 12th state to ban at least one of the six major daily fantasy sites, and Legal Sports Report (which they cite) notes that Nevada would become the 11th such state to ban at least one, and the sixth to ban them all (Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, and Washington).
A.G. Burnett, chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, ruled daily fantasy IS gambling, forced it to be licensed within the state, and, hence (until they do) shut daily fantasy sports down in the state of Nevada.
Of course, this COULD lead to the entire fantasy industry ruled gambling as well, but this is a major step toward an imminent Federal shutdown of the entire process.
Nevada becomes (as of a Deadspin article last night) the 12th state to ban at least one of the six major daily fantasy sites, and Legal Sports Report (which they cite) notes that Nevada would become the 11th such state to ban at least one, and the sixth to ban them all (Arizona, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, and Washington).
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
(Daily Fantasy) Incoming Shutdown in 3... 2... 1...
(Wall Street Journal - may eventually be paywalled)
The FBI and the Justice Department are investigating Daily Fantasy sports, and, more specifically, have contacted customers of at least one of the major outfits asking about their experiences.
It's in the early stages, but I said when this first blew up that, at the end of the day, we're headed for another "Black Friday" like the online poker industry being declared illegal having sparked.
FanDuel has claimed Daily Fantasy is a game of skill, not luck.
(Well, in that vein, so is regular sports betting, if you believe the games legitimate. So why don't we have a national online sportsbook?)
FanDuel... You're getting shut down. It's only a matter of time.
The FBI and the Justice Department are investigating Daily Fantasy sports, and, more specifically, have contacted customers of at least one of the major outfits asking about their experiences.
It's in the early stages, but I said when this first blew up that, at the end of the day, we're headed for another "Black Friday" like the online poker industry being declared illegal having sparked.
FanDuel has claimed Daily Fantasy is a game of skill, not luck.
(Well, in that vein, so is regular sports betting, if you believe the games legitimate. So why don't we have a national online sportsbook?)
FanDuel... You're getting shut down. It's only a matter of time.
Well, it's confirmed: Another football-laced CTE suicide.
Today comes word that, in fact, we lost another one to CTE and football.
Adrian Robinson Jr. killed himself in May in Philadelphia, after a short NFL career with concussions.
Today, Boston University reports: CTE.
ANOTHER ONE!
Adrian Robinson Jr. killed himself in May in Philadelphia, after a short NFL career with concussions.
Today, Boston University reports: CTE.
ANOTHER ONE!
Stay tuned on this one.
My baseball-historian friend may have to help me, but they're chucking stuff on the field in Toronto as we speak.
Texas has just taken a 3-2 lead on Toronto in what has to be one of the more bizarre plays in history.
(Source of the GIF: Deadspin.)
Russell Martin has just thrown the ball back to the pitcher, but it hit the bat of Shin Soo-Choo. The runner on third scored on the play -- originally waved off, then waved on, then confirmed by the umpires a second time!
Ump clearly waves the play dead.
And then, from the Tom Ley report:
"The play then went to an official replay review, and the umpires confirmed that the run had scored. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons asked for the rest of the game to be played under protest, and then a child got hit with a beer can thrown from the upper deck."
They're going to have to explain this one, and if the umpiring in these playoffs is any indication, we could have a live one right now!
(UPDATE 3:45 PDT) And now a takeout slide at home on top of it. Good grief, do they want the fans to burn down the stadium? Game is now 3-3.
(UPDATE 3:55) After three Texas errors, Jose Bautista has just untied the game -- 6-3 Toronto.
(UPDATE 4:00) OK, we finally got AN explanation, but it's not good.
(UPDATE 4:07) And the benches have cleared at least TWICE now!
Texas has just taken a 3-2 lead on Toronto in what has to be one of the more bizarre plays in history.
(Source of the GIF: Deadspin.)
Russell Martin has just thrown the ball back to the pitcher, but it hit the bat of Shin Soo-Choo. The runner on third scored on the play -- originally waved off, then waved on, then confirmed by the umpires a second time!
Ump clearly waves the play dead.
And then, from the Tom Ley report:
"The play then went to an official replay review, and the umpires confirmed that the run had scored. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons asked for the rest of the game to be played under protest, and then a child got hit with a beer can thrown from the upper deck."
They're going to have to explain this one, and if the umpiring in these playoffs is any indication, we could have a live one right now!
(UPDATE 3:45 PDT) And now a takeout slide at home on top of it. Good grief, do they want the fans to burn down the stadium? Game is now 3-3.
(UPDATE 3:55) After three Texas errors, Jose Bautista has just untied the game -- 6-3 Toronto.
(UPDATE 4:00) OK, we finally got AN explanation, but it's not good.
Meanwhile, this handed out in pressbox pic.twitter.com/hcIAmSsgRp
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) October 14, 2015
At that point, why is the ump waving it off?(UPDATE 4:07) And the benches have cleared at least TWICE now!
And we had to see this one coming, especially THIS YEAR...
We usually get the occasional story of a youth football game forfeited and a coach arrested for attacking a referee every once in a while.
Deadspin, however, today reports that a Pennsylvania youth football league has shut down for the year -- and the cause is violent threats against the game officials!
The final straw came when someone, on Monday, placed a box of ammunition shells at the gate of the park where games were being played, and, on those shells were written the names of game officials.
This, after one game degenerated into a parent fight several weeks back, and another set of threats actually forced another game to be rescheduled in this league.
Well, there you go. Let's just fuck over the kids even further here. One has to wonder about the condition of some of these kids if this is how the referees are going to be treated.
One also has to wonder if there's money being bet on these games, like ESPN revealed drug thugs have been doing in similar leagues in Florida for a number of years.
Deadspin, however, today reports that a Pennsylvania youth football league has shut down for the year -- and the cause is violent threats against the game officials!
The final straw came when someone, on Monday, placed a box of ammunition shells at the gate of the park where games were being played, and, on those shells were written the names of game officials.
This, after one game degenerated into a parent fight several weeks back, and another set of threats actually forced another game to be rescheduled in this league.
Well, there you go. Let's just fuck over the kids even further here. One has to wonder about the condition of some of these kids if this is how the referees are going to be treated.
One also has to wonder if there's money being bet on these games, like ESPN revealed drug thugs have been doing in similar leagues in Florida for a number of years.
Soccer Hooliganism Comes Home.
No, NOT a story on more fan fights in pro football situations, though we clearly have reached that level already (including an incident over the weekend at Dodger Stadium in the baseball playoffs -- what a shock, given that area's reputation!!).
This one is literal soccer hooliganism, in the CONCACAF Cup match between the USA and Mexico in the Rose Bowl.
To say all Hell broke loose would be kind in this video...
Is it now becoming impossible for 75,000 people to come to the same place and be sane at all?
This one is literal soccer hooliganism, in the CONCACAF Cup match between the USA and Mexico in the Rose Bowl.
To say all Hell broke loose would be kind in this video...
Is it now becoming impossible for 75,000 people to come to the same place and be sane at all?
And Football Man Gotta Football Man
It's almost becoming a daily occurrence now:
Deiondre Porter of the Florida Gators (what is in the fucking water in Florida?) put a gun to his pregnant girlfriend's head and (after removing it) fired in her direction.
He's been arrested. No word on how he got the gun.
Football Man Gotta Football Man...
(Deadspin)
Deiondre Porter of the Florida Gators (what is in the fucking water in Florida?) put a gun to his pregnant girlfriend's head and (after removing it) fired in her direction.
He's been arrested. No word on how he got the gun.
Football Man Gotta Football Man...
(Deadspin)
Follow-up to last night's post: Cameron Heyward fined for honoring his father.
I guess I have to do it:
(Deadspin)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: Cameron Heyward: $5,787 for a uniform violation in Monday night's game -- wearing eyeblack with the words "Iron Head" on it, so honor his father, "Iron Head" Heyward, who died of brain cancer at age 39.
(Deadspin)
Now That We Know ESPN Agrees With The Asshole, Will Someone Shut Curt Schilling Up?
@realDonaldTrump ISIS
— Curt Schilling (@gehrig38) October 14, 2015
(Love the first response tweet:)
@gehrig38 Curt. stop tweeting. you're making all the Red Sox fans who once loved you so sad.
— Daniel Roberts (@readDanwrite) October 14, 2015
ESPN, FIRE THIS SHITHEAD!Tuesday, October 13, 2015
One of those that I'm glad I did not make the post on the first news story on this...
I saw a Deadspin article on this play on Sunday, and was almost going to make one of those posts about "Was he trying to fix the game?" or somesuch...
Glad I didn't.
One of the more bizarre moments of Sunday's NFL action came when Bernard Pierce actually threw a block on a Tampa Bay Buccaneer kickoff return... as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
And, after the game on Sunday, everyone appeared to laugh when Pierce had no earthly reason why he had done so!
Not so funny today: The probable cause, according to head coach Gus Bradley: probable concussion.
Pierce is now in the concussion protocol.
Tell me how safe these games actually are... REALLY!!!
Glad I didn't.
One of the more bizarre moments of Sunday's NFL action came when Bernard Pierce actually threw a block on a Tampa Bay Buccaneer kickoff return... as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
And, after the game on Sunday, everyone appeared to laugh when Pierce had no earthly reason why he had done so!
Not so funny today: The probable cause, according to head coach Gus Bradley: probable concussion.
Pierce is now in the concussion protocol.
Tell me how safe these games actually are... REALLY!!!
NFL avoids one on MNF...
The NFL got away with one on Monday, one in which, had the game gone differently, we might've had discussions.
18 seconds ran off the clock inexplicably before the final drive in the Steelers-Chargers game, in which the Steelers won with the touchdown at the gun.
The NFL has officially blamed both the clock operator and the referees for the error.
18 seconds ran off the clock inexplicably before the final drive in the Steelers-Chargers game, in which the Steelers won with the touchdown at the gun.
The NFL has officially blamed both the clock operator and the referees for the error.
A Case Where The Deadspin Title Is Completely Correct: Another Case of the The Hypocritical NFL
The NFL wants you to believe they are involved in the fight for awareness of breast cancer during the month of October.
They're lying. Here's ANOTHER example:
DeAngelo Williams has lost five women in his family to breast cancer (four aunts and his mother -- the last, last year). Williams has tried everything in his power to pink-ify himself to bring attention to the cause -- and the NFL doesn't like it that he wants to do it "out of season", according to Deadspin...
The Deadspin article has the right title too: "The NFL Will Exploit Your Dead Mom But Won't Let You Celebrate Her"
They're lying. Here's ANOTHER example:
DeAngelo Williams has lost five women in his family to breast cancer (four aunts and his mother -- the last, last year). Williams has tried everything in his power to pink-ify himself to bring attention to the cause -- and the NFL doesn't like it that he wants to do it "out of season", according to Deadspin...
"As you know, DeAngelo Williams lost his mother to breast cancer last year. He said he went to the NFL earlier this season and asked if there was a way that he could wear pink throughout the season, not just in the month of October. He wasn’t able to do that, but what he did do is, he decided to streak his hair pink. He said breast cancer awareness is not just about October for me, it’s not just a month, it’s a lifestyle. It’s about getting women to recognize to get tested."As a person who watches a close, personal friend of mine fight to fund-raise for cancer every year for the past seven, FUCK YOU NFL!!!
The Deadspin article has the right title too: "The NFL Will Exploit Your Dead Mom But Won't Let You Celebrate Her"
Another story coming out of South Carolina?
Steve Spurrier resigned as the head coach of South Carolina yesterday, at the end of practice.
Now, it's clear South Carolina is rebuilding, but it's either health or something worse. Another one to keep an eye on here.
Now, it's clear South Carolina is rebuilding, but it's either health or something worse. Another one to keep an eye on here.
Week 5 Score Update: More cliffs, more unbeatens...
- The NFL has confirmed on their Twitter something I was wondering: Until this year, there had never been a season in which six teams remained undefeated through five weeks.
- Week 5 average: 46.29 PPG (Last year: 47.07)
- 5 week average: 46.26 (Last year: 46.37)
- Home teams 7-7 on the week, 42-34 overall. (Last year: 11-4 and 49-26)
- Over was 7-7 as well on the week, 37-36-4 to 37-39-1 for the year -- any way you slice it, if you're betting the over, you're about 4 units down. (Last year: 7-8 and 39-37 or so.)
- One game was either a pick or a push (Buffalo's 1 point win) and two more games pushed outright (Denver, and Cincinnati). So favorites were only 5-6-3 to make 33-37-7 for the year.
- 203 penalties in the 14 games, 14.5 a game.
- In, once again, the big story of the week: SIX CLIFFHANGERS, making 13 out of the last 29 NFL games, including the Sunday nighter, Monday nighter, and Cincinnati over Seattle. (The other three were Cleveland, Atlanta, and Chicago, the former two and Cincinnati in overtime.)
- Four other games were within one score without being a Cliffhanger, and there were no other games within a score at any point in the fourth quarter (four non-competitive games, though St. Louis had two fourth-quarter turnovers inside the Green Bay 10 to make their game within one score.)
- Cliffhanger: 19/77 for the year (24.68%) Last year: 13/76 (17.11%)
- Decided By One Score: 42/77 (54.55%) Last year: 40.79%
- Within One Score In the 4th: 52/77 (67.53%) Last year: 63.1%
Ah, here's the Deadspin Twitter suspension article...
We knew it was coming.
And, with an appropriate degree of snark, Deadspin tells it's side of the story about yesterday's Twitter suspension.
Of course, it's in the form of that you have to listen to Deadspin's podcast -- which I don't really have the time to do right now, but there's the link if and when we do.
And, with an appropriate degree of snark, Deadspin tells it's side of the story about yesterday's Twitter suspension.
Of course, it's in the form of that you have to listen to Deadspin's podcast -- which I don't really have the time to do right now, but there's the link if and when we do.
Another ugly death by a football player...
And you wonder why we are now all certain (those of us with functioning brains, that is) that football is beyond salvation, drink this news in from Dallas.
Thomas Johnson disappeared from the Texas A&M football team after a huge win over Alabama three years ago. He reemerged at his house three days later.
Today, he's headed to prison for the rest of his life, for a machete murder of a random jogger he admitted to.
Completely random. He just decided, at 21, to kill somebody with a machete.
...
...
...
*shakes head* I've got nothing on this one. Oh my God...
Thomas Johnson disappeared from the Texas A&M football team after a huge win over Alabama three years ago. He reemerged at his house three days later.
Today, he's headed to prison for the rest of his life, for a machete murder of a random jogger he admitted to.
Completely random. He just decided, at 21, to kill somebody with a machete.
...
...
...
*shakes head* I've got nothing on this one. Oh my God...
Monday, October 12, 2015
Actual Evidence That The Umpires Are Screwing Up
(And more fuel to believe that they are openly rigging the MLB playoffs as we speak.)
Five Thirty-Eight's ESPN sports section has an article today by Rob Arthur which has confirmed basically what most Dodgers fans have been screaming for three years running now on Clayton Kershaw: The umps are screwing up the strike zone.
But what the article is saying is that it is no more prevalent than in the regular season: That one pitch out of every ten will be mis-called.
That's nice... Tell that to the Yankees, who got jobbed half a dozen or more times that ESPN showed the pitches to be low and out of the zone (and, yes, even with their three-dimensional home plate -- the pitches were still low!).
Tell that to Clayton Kershaw, who is three years running now getting completely fucked without lube by the umpires in the playoffs, leading smack-talkers to wonder about his legitimacy.
The fact is simple: If you can only count on a 90% accuracy rate on key calls, you then have to ask the real question about why the calls are being *cough* "missed"...
A baseball historian has a bad feeling a movie reference may be about to come true...
Five Thirty-Eight's ESPN sports section has an article today by Rob Arthur which has confirmed basically what most Dodgers fans have been screaming for three years running now on Clayton Kershaw: The umps are screwing up the strike zone.
But what the article is saying is that it is no more prevalent than in the regular season: That one pitch out of every ten will be mis-called.
That's nice... Tell that to the Yankees, who got jobbed half a dozen or more times that ESPN showed the pitches to be low and out of the zone (and, yes, even with their three-dimensional home plate -- the pitches were still low!).
Tell that to Clayton Kershaw, who is three years running now getting completely fucked without lube by the umpires in the playoffs, leading smack-talkers to wonder about his legitimacy.
The fact is simple: If you can only count on a 90% accuracy rate on key calls, you then have to ask the real question about why the calls are being *cough* "missed"...
A baseball historian has a bad feeling a movie reference may be about to come true...
Kevin Johnson is such a fucking scumbag that ESPN no longer wants a part of him.
Word that Kevin Johnson's sexual harassment, general mismanagement, and all-but-certain status of having no place being the mayor of Sacramento, California has finally cost him one of the few moments he probably was going to have to laud himself.
ESPN's 30 for 30 series was going to air a movie about how Johnson "saved" the Sacramento Kings... (More like, saved the NBA version of Siberia, but that's another argument for another day.)
ESPN has pulled the movie from the air, and it may only be seen once -- at a live screening which was pre-scheduled and, it now appears, cancelled for "adjustments" to the final product -- if the final product ever sees screen.
ESPN's 30 for 30 series was going to air a movie about how Johnson "saved" the Sacramento Kings... (More like, saved the NBA version of Siberia, but that's another argument for another day.)
ESPN has pulled the movie from the air, and it may only be seen once -- at a live screening which was pre-scheduled and, it now appears, cancelled for "adjustments" to the final product -- if the final product ever sees screen.
And, to absolutely no one's surprise:
It sounds as if the rumors of being drunk at the Arizona State game and perhaps more were enough for Pat Haden: Steve Sarkasian has been fired as the coach of USC.
At least one recruit has already decommitted from the school -- not sure if it's a result of the coach's character or his suspension/firing.
At least one recruit has already decommitted from the school -- not sure if it's a result of the coach's character or his suspension/firing.
The Governor of the State of Texas doesn't know how to count to nine...
(Don't worry -- the Giants were just as guilty in Game 6 of the 2002 World Series, but that's not today's story...)
Houston up by 5 in the seventh, and the Governor of Texas sent this:
Here's looking at you, in Game 5 in Kansas City: KC with 5 in the eighth and 2 more in the ninth for the 9-6 win.
Houston up by 5 in the seventh, and the Governor of Texas sent this:
Here's looking at you, in Game 5 in Kansas City: KC with 5 in the eighth and 2 more in the ninth for the 9-6 win.
And it sounds like the shit has hit the fan for Deadspin... (UPDATE: Account Reinstated)
At least to a certain extent:
Deadspin just got it's Twitter account SUSPENDED today.
Word is that, since the NFL and Twitter now have an agreement for NFL highlights, Deadspin's use of NFL highlights now violates copyright and has gotten the account yanked.
Basically, according to CNN back in August, the NFL now has sole rights over posting highlights to Twitter, off an extension of a partnership deal that has spanned the last three seasons.
So, today, they DMCA'd on Deadspin -- no word for what, and Deadspin has not come back with their usual snark post... yet!
(UPDATE 5 PM PDT 10/12: According to Keith Olbermann's Twitter, which he was ready to use as a Deadspin surrogate, the suspension has been lifted. Knowing Deadspin, though... This will only be temporary til the next time they piss off the NFL -- which might not last the Monday nighter.)
(UPDATE 5:10 PM PDT: ... probably about ten minutes.)
(BIG UPDATE: 5:20 PM PDT: It wasn't just Deadspin. The SB Nation GIF Twitter account was also suspended due to NFL DMCA takedowns today. (Yardbarker))
Deadspin just got it's Twitter account SUSPENDED today.
Word is that, since the NFL and Twitter now have an agreement for NFL highlights, Deadspin's use of NFL highlights now violates copyright and has gotten the account yanked.
Basically, according to CNN back in August, the NFL now has sole rights over posting highlights to Twitter, off an extension of a partnership deal that has spanned the last three seasons.
So, today, they DMCA'd on Deadspin -- no word for what, and Deadspin has not come back with their usual snark post... yet!
(UPDATE 5 PM PDT 10/12: According to Keith Olbermann's Twitter, which he was ready to use as a Deadspin surrogate, the suspension has been lifted. Knowing Deadspin, though... This will only be temporary til the next time they piss off the NFL -- which might not last the Monday nighter.)
(UPDATE 5:10 PM PDT: ... probably about ten minutes.)
TEST ... TEST ... http://t.co/VKN0osQQXl pic.twitter.com/BOStDQQ4yr
— Deadspin (@Deadspin) October 13, 2015
(BIG UPDATE: 5:20 PM PDT: It wasn't just Deadspin. The SB Nation GIF Twitter account was also suspended due to NFL DMCA takedowns today. (Yardbarker))
Another semi-sacrifice to football...
Football (and a bizarre infection scenario) has claimed at least the football career and at least part of a foot of New York Giants tight-end Daniel Fells.
Fells suffered an ankle injury in Week 4, and went in for treatment, with the belief he'd be able to play in this week's game.
He will never play again, and has already lost part of his foot. He may lose it all.
Somehow, in the process of dealing with the ankle injury, Fells was infected with the blood infection MRSA. Amputation is quite probable as the only way to save his life, and he's already lost part of his foot in five surgical procedures to try to eradicate the infection before it kills him.
Fells suffered an ankle injury in Week 4, and went in for treatment, with the belief he'd be able to play in this week's game.
He will never play again, and has already lost part of his foot. He may lose it all.
Somehow, in the process of dealing with the ankle injury, Fells was infected with the blood infection MRSA. Amputation is quite probable as the only way to save his life, and he's already lost part of his foot in five surgical procedures to try to eradicate the infection before it kills him.
The MLB Playoffs Have Now Been Irreparably Tarnished
Chase Utley has the right to appeal. He has exercised that right.
How that appeal was not scheduled for 9 AM Eastern this morning only can be explained by the CBA.
Because the problem is: You have just ensured a violent incident tonight, beyond any remaining question.
The second problem goes back to any obvious statement made on the subject: If the slide was that illegal, MLB has to reexamine the inning in which the Dodgers scored four runs, and probably order the game replayed -- at minimum, from runner on first with two out and 2-2, and, many fans believe, 2-1 Mets top-8. (The only thing which prevents the top-8 scenario is whether Tejada intended to throw to first in time to get the runner -- if he did, the runner at first is out on interference.)
The CBA allows this appeal to be delayed up to two weeks -- but that's unfathomable here. Utley has a decent average against tonight's pitcher for the Mets, so he could be in the lineup tonight.
That guarantees a pitch at his head, and that's not accounting for how many other Dodgers could get conked tonight -- at the plate or in the field!
Mets fans are IRATE. And Dodgers fans, after seeing Clayton Kershaw get the shaft three years runnings in the playoffs from the umpires (including Game 1 against the Mets!), believe MLB is out to get them.
If the umpires do not issue warnings at the pre-game lineup exchange, something's going down on the field.
Something IS going to go down from the stands tonight.
How that appeal was not scheduled for 9 AM Eastern this morning only can be explained by the CBA.
Because the problem is: You have just ensured a violent incident tonight, beyond any remaining question.
The second problem goes back to any obvious statement made on the subject: If the slide was that illegal, MLB has to reexamine the inning in which the Dodgers scored four runs, and probably order the game replayed -- at minimum, from runner on first with two out and 2-2, and, many fans believe, 2-1 Mets top-8. (The only thing which prevents the top-8 scenario is whether Tejada intended to throw to first in time to get the runner -- if he did, the runner at first is out on interference.)
The CBA allows this appeal to be delayed up to two weeks -- but that's unfathomable here. Utley has a decent average against tonight's pitcher for the Mets, so he could be in the lineup tonight.
That guarantees a pitch at his head, and that's not accounting for how many other Dodgers could get conked tonight -- at the plate or in the field!
Mets fans are IRATE. And Dodgers fans, after seeing Clayton Kershaw get the shaft three years runnings in the playoffs from the umpires (including Game 1 against the Mets!), believe MLB is out to get them.
If the umpires do not issue warnings at the pre-game lineup exchange, something's going down on the field.
Something IS going to go down from the stands tonight.
Not how, but how many?
The NCAA has banned Florida quarterback Will Grier for one year -- PEDs.
Someone needs to answer two questions for me:
Someone needs to answer two questions for me:
- How many college players are on the PED train -- or, more correctly, how few are not?
- And, given that reality, how stupid do you have to be to be a quarterback at a major university and be caught using performance enhancing drugs?
Sunday, October 11, 2015
The Fans Are Low-Level Rioting
No other way it can be put. (And this is over and above what I am certain is going to be a major incident tomorrow night in New York with the Mets and Dodgers -- a game I will now be surprised if it goes nine innings.)
Here are THREE additional fan incidents from professional games over the weekend, on top of the one in Kansas City:
Here are THREE additional fan incidents from professional games over the weekend, on top of the one in Kansas City:
- Astros-Royals, Game 3, and a UFC fighter spotted a fan snorting cocaine in the stands -- which would now make two fans caught doing blow at major sporting events in the last eight days! (Deadspin)
- A 49ers idiot decided to spice the Sunday nighter in New Jersey by charging the field, and, after getting tackled by the security thereon, headbutting one of them! It turned out it took four of them, one on each limb, to carry him out. (Yahoo! Sports)
- But the worst of the lot comes from Dallas. After the marquee game of the afternoon, there was a fight in the parking lot of AT&T Stadium in Dallas. This was about two hours after the game, according to Deadspin and the Star-Telegram. Police were en route to the fight when they heard the gunshot, and the shooter couldn't get away without tripping over a wall.
- Worst part? From Cowboys beat writer Clarence Hill...
Per eye witness, suspect was egged on by a crowd of people to kill the victim. #shooting #attstadium
— Clarence Hill (@clarencehilljr) October 12, 2015
(Utley) Hey wait a minute, Manfred and Torre... It either is a takeout play or dirty...
You're suspending Chase Utley two games for that?
For a classic takeout slide? A move that, though clearly a dick move, has been legal in Major League Baseball (and an effective "unwritten rule" for decades!) for decades...
Heck, we know that the Mets protested the game... If you're (Joe Torre, now the chief baseball officer of MLB) going to deem this a suspension offense, then why not reconsider the protest and order a replay from the point of the play, awarding the out for the neighborhood and an out for interference?
For a classic takeout slide? A move that, though clearly a dick move, has been legal in Major League Baseball (and an effective "unwritten rule" for decades!) for decades...
Heck, we know that the Mets protested the game... If you're (Joe Torre, now the chief baseball officer of MLB) going to deem this a suspension offense, then why not reconsider the protest and order a replay from the point of the play, awarding the out for the neighborhood and an out for interference?
A weekend's worth of "out-of-control" for football...
Matt Millen's comments and Greg Hardy returning weren't the only bullshit going on this weekend:
- Benjamin Knox of the University of South Florida was an offensive lineman at the school. Somehow, Knox it would be a good idea to take a gun and, with a dorm-ful of students inside, shoot the exterior of the building. He's been arrested. (Deadspin)
- The Steve Sarkasian era at USC is probably over, as of today. Another bout of alcohol has probably cost Sarkasian his job, as he's been forced to take a leave of absence and enter treatment after showing up to a practice today after a Thursday loss in no shape to be the head coach of a football team. He was removed from practice by his assistants. (Deadspin)
- The word coming out of USC now appears to indicate that Sarkasian may have been drunk during USC's lone Pac-12 2015 victory (September 26, over Arizona State) as well! (Yardbarker)
- On the referee end, here's a rare case of a receiver overcoming the referees on the NFL level: Devonta Freeman of Atlanta makes a perfectly good touchdown catch and gets it reversed... only to score two plays later. If anyone can explain to me how that reception was not called a touchdown as he reached the ball over the goal line, I'd like to hear this one -- Calvin Johnson Rule or any other. (Deadspin)
- According to the comments of the same article, Mike Pereira tried: The rule now, appears to be that, if a defender is in contact with a receiver at the time of a catch (which, in cases like this, would be either illegal contact or pass interference, by my understanding of those rules!!!), then the receiver has to break contact or go all the way to the ground in possession to get the score, even AFTER breaking the plane of the goal line??? ARE WE FUCKING SERIOUS???
- Another fan fight for the week's quota. Kansas City is the site of this bathroom donnybrook. (Looks like the video cut in too late.) (Deadspin)
- And, Seahag's Gotta Seahag!! Michael Bennett appears to cheapshot Cincinnati quarterback Andy Dalton twice in a clip the NFL has apparently yanked off Vine. He was flagged.
- And one more, this from the world of social media. Washington State just upset Oregon this week in college football. Owing to the fact that Oregon was wearing helmets in tribute to the Oregon Trail, someone remembered his childhood in front of a computer and...
— WSU Cougars (@WSUCougars) October 11, 2015
And the latest example of many of the ills of football... Greg Hardy is back...
... and a lot of people don't like it.
One problem, as friends of mine pointed out today, was that the entire Internet was "blah blah blah Greg Hardy blah blah blah Greg Hardy's back blah blah blah..."
No place to get away from it, leading one friend of mine to assert that, within about five years, we expect to be forced to watch NFL bloodsport football or be arrested for not doing so!
It didn't sound like anyone wanted us to get away from it today, as Terry Bradshaw, Jim Nantz, and Phil Simms decided to get into it.
Nantz and Simms got into it with a cut-shot on Hardy in the first quarter of the game on CBS today, as Deadspin reported.
Hardy, since his suspension was about to end, has been unrepentant: Stripper-ladened rap video, coming back "guns blazing", sexist comments, slamming Tom Brady...
For those of us not willing to sit through anything regarding Greg Hardy, Deadspin's Diana Moskovitz summarizes some of it:
Phil, he wouldn't e out there if he wasn't one of the NFL's chosen boys. That said, he is an animal. He has been reduced to simplest primal form -- that which the NFL can perfectly exploit and send as a bastion of "REAL MANHOOD!!!!!11!!11" to the millions whose lives absolutely revolve around football.
And that's just it: It gives this piece of shit value in our society. That be a normal person in this country? He goes to prison. For a long time.
The only way this Greg Hardy bullshit is going to go away... is for Greg Hardy to go away -- by force. And since no one is man enough to cripple this girlfriend-beating jackass on the field, he's not going to go away any time soon.
One problem, as friends of mine pointed out today, was that the entire Internet was "blah blah blah Greg Hardy blah blah blah Greg Hardy's back blah blah blah..."
No place to get away from it, leading one friend of mine to assert that, within about five years, we expect to be forced to watch NFL bloodsport football or be arrested for not doing so!
It didn't sound like anyone wanted us to get away from it today, as Terry Bradshaw, Jim Nantz, and Phil Simms decided to get into it.
Nantz and Simms got into it with a cut-shot on Hardy in the first quarter of the game on CBS today, as Deadspin reported.
Hardy, since his suspension was about to end, has been unrepentant: Stripper-ladened rap video, coming back "guns blazing", sexist comments, slamming Tom Brady...
For those of us not willing to sit through anything regarding Greg Hardy, Deadspin's Diana Moskovitz summarizes some of it:
"Nantz starts the conversation, pointing out that Hardy’s comments were “absolutely outrageous, unrepentant” and “there was nothing funny about it.”Jim, he didn't mean to be funny. This is the culture of football. He has had all the humanity beaten/sodomized/headshotted out of him. Greg Hardy is no more than an animal, and that's what makes Simms' counterpoint.
Simms offers a counterpoint, asking “Would he still be out there if he wasn’t such a dynamic player?” He then says what probably was going through Jerry Jones’s mind when he signed the player: Hardy might make them a Super Bowl contender."
Phil, he wouldn't e out there if he wasn't one of the NFL's chosen boys. That said, he is an animal. He has been reduced to simplest primal form -- that which the NFL can perfectly exploit and send as a bastion of "REAL MANHOOD!!!!!11!!11" to the millions whose lives absolutely revolve around football.
And that's just it: It gives this piece of shit value in our society. That be a normal person in this country? He goes to prison. For a long time.
The only way this Greg Hardy bullshit is going to go away... is for Greg Hardy to go away -- by force. And since no one is man enough to cripple this girlfriend-beating jackass on the field, he's not going to go away any time soon.
Blinded By The Light Has To Be Loving These Out-Of-Control Playoffs
I always feared (but thought it would, more, manifest in an I-80 Cardinals/Royals World Series) that they would try to add football intensity to the baseball playoffs in all the worst ways possible.
Just now, only about halfway into the division series, we've had two bench clearers, an obvious opportunity for retribution on Monday (which MLB brought on itself!), and umpires literally making up the strike zone as they go along, as the Yankees in the play-in game and Toronto in at least one of their games, can attest.
It's clear that Manfred wants a certain winner, in a certain number of games, and is not going to trust anything to organically get it there.
Do I know whom yet? By no means. There's a lot of skinny about the Cubs and what having the Cubs there would mean for ratings and the like.
But this fight-level intensity is just getting way fucking out of hand, as is the umpiring.
For example, I put the over-under on the first Met beanball to a Dodger at about three pitches. There will be at least one bench-clearing incident in that game, which would make at least three in this round.
This what you want? You can't beat football, so you'll join it?
Just now, only about halfway into the division series, we've had two bench clearers, an obvious opportunity for retribution on Monday (which MLB brought on itself!), and umpires literally making up the strike zone as they go along, as the Yankees in the play-in game and Toronto in at least one of their games, can attest.
It's clear that Manfred wants a certain winner, in a certain number of games, and is not going to trust anything to organically get it there.
Do I know whom yet? By no means. There's a lot of skinny about the Cubs and what having the Cubs there would mean for ratings and the like.
But this fight-level intensity is just getting way fucking out of hand, as is the umpiring.
For example, I put the over-under on the first Met beanball to a Dodger at about three pitches. There will be at least one bench-clearing incident in that game, which would make at least three in this round.
This what you want? You can't beat football, so you'll join it?
Saturday, October 10, 2015
So, Matt Millen... Get Stupid Again??
Matt Millen is at it again!
It's clear Matt Millen is a defender of dirty football. It's clear Matt Millen is an incompetent boob.
He reinforced both today, in the booth of a game between Northwestern and Michigan.
After a targeting call was reversed (and not only did they screw THAT up, a second player from Northwestern should've been initially flagged after the Michigan quarterback was slid down), Matt Millen had this to say about the rule:
(See for yourself on Deadspin.)
It's clear Matt Millen is a defender of dirty football. It's clear Matt Millen is an incompetent boob.
He reinforced both today, in the booth of a game between Northwestern and Michigan.
After a targeting call was reversed (and not only did they screw THAT up, a second player from Northwestern should've been initially flagged after the Michigan quarterback was slid down), Matt Millen had this to say about the rule:
“When I wanna hit somebody in the head with my helmet, I will break his neck. That’s what you try to do.”OH REALLY, SHITHEAD??
(See for yourself on Deadspin.)
MLB playoffs out of control: Barking Up The Wrong Tree Edition
So the world is ragging on the Dodgers and Chase Utley tonight.
Here's why:
Should we be ragging? Yes.
But at Rob Manfred first. That play is the classic "takeout", and has been in force for a very very very long time.
Chase Utley is no more dirty than we've allowed for a long long time. Because he clearly was at second base, it was a legal play, under the rules.
And if we want to talk about the "unwritten rules" of baseball, that's one of 'em, boys.
So that needs to be written out -- and it's getting worse by the day after all the catcher collisions have been taken out.
Because now you've got a very real case that an entire series and season may be changed on this play.
But don't look at Utley or the Dodgers. He was within the written AND unwritten rule.
And Rob Manfred is probably giggling with glee, thinking: Monday... Citi Field...
Here's why:
Should we be ragging? Yes.
But at Rob Manfred first. That play is the classic "takeout", and has been in force for a very very very long time.
Chase Utley is no more dirty than we've allowed for a long long time. Because he clearly was at second base, it was a legal play, under the rules.
And if we want to talk about the "unwritten rules" of baseball, that's one of 'em, boys.
So that needs to be written out -- and it's getting worse by the day after all the catcher collisions have been taken out.
Because now you've got a very real case that an entire series and season may be changed on this play.
But don't look at Utley or the Dodgers. He was within the written AND unwritten rule.
And Rob Manfred is probably giggling with glee, thinking: Monday... Citi Field...
Week 4 Fine Blotter: A Couple More This Week
- New York Giants: Odell Beckham Jr.: $8,681 for striking another player.
- Detroit Lions: Matthew Stafford: $5,787 for a uniform violation. Illegal shoes, apparently.
- Buffalo Bills: Jerry Hughes: First TWO TIME LOSER of the season. Total of $31,833 for an unsportsmanlike conduct (a headbutt!!) and a non-physical abuse of referee separate infraction. Actually, the $23,000+ for non-physical abuse should've been doubled -- he's a repeat offender from around Thanksgiving of last year for the same offense! He should've been tossed and fined at least double what he was! The Bills, to no one's shock, lead the NFL with 47 penalties.
- Miami Dolphins: Jarvis Landry also fined $23,152 for non-physical abuse of the referees.
- Minnesota Vikings: Xavier Rhodes: $17,363 for a horse-collar tackle.
- Carolina Panthers: Josh Norman...
- New Orleans Saints: Khiry Robinson...
- St. Louis Rams: Stedman Bailey, each $8,681 for using the ball as a prop during the touchdown celebration.
Friday, October 9, 2015
Here's a new one... NBA confrontation.
Couple of days ago (it seems like there's so much bullshit in sports, my posts are getting shorter and a few of them fall through the cracks!!), a quite bizarre story permeates the NBA pre-season...
Matt Barnes is in a lot of trouble.
You see, over the weekend, he went to Derek Fisher's house to confront his estranged wife, and Fisher had to come in from Marina del Ray once he saw his kid getting concerned when the two talked about it. (According to a Deadspin follow-up article and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.)
95 miles later, there was a confrontation. Although a police report was taken, word is no charges will be filed. But STILL...
The things we are allowing men, but especially athletes, to get away with these days...
Matt Barnes is in a lot of trouble.
You see, over the weekend, he went to Derek Fisher's house to confront his estranged wife, and Fisher had to come in from Marina del Ray once he saw his kid getting concerned when the two talked about it. (According to a Deadspin follow-up article and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.)
95 miles later, there was a confrontation. Although a police report was taken, word is no charges will be filed. But STILL...
The things we are allowing men, but especially athletes, to get away with these days...
Thursday, October 8, 2015
(Daily Fantasy) The Scope of it All, and Here Comes the First Lawsuit
Today's major stories in the growing Daily Fantasy Sports debacle:
- In just national media spots alone, DraftKings and Fan Duel have combined for over 61,000 advertisements. (Deadspin)
- And, don't look now... Took all of about 72 hours. We have the first lawsuits! Adam Johnson of Kentucky went all the way to Manhattan to sue DraftKings and Fan Duel over the revelations that (and I wish people would just start stating this as such) most of the major Daily Fantasy sites are rigged. (Deadspin)
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
And is someone finally THAT pissed off with Johnny Football?
(Deadspin)
File this one under "I want to hear the rest of this story!!"
I don't mean to make light of the fact that Johnny Manziel's family home in Texas may have been the victim of an arson attack.
That said, Johnny Manziel's grandfather's house was destroyed this morning in a fire local officials in Whitehouse, TX, believe is suspicious.
Now, Manziel's family is heavily into Big Oil in eastern Texas, so there's that angle to start with. But, obviously, Manziel is not what people have wanted him to be in the NFL, so did some "fan" decide to take it out on the house?
(No one was in the house at the time, but the house was absolutely totaled.)
File this one under "I want to hear the rest of this story!!"
I don't mean to make light of the fact that Johnny Manziel's family home in Texas may have been the victim of an arson attack.
That said, Johnny Manziel's grandfather's house was destroyed this morning in a fire local officials in Whitehouse, TX, believe is suspicious.
Now, Manziel's family is heavily into Big Oil in eastern Texas, so there's that angle to start with. But, obviously, Manziel is not what people have wanted him to be in the NFL, so did some "fan" decide to take it out on the house?
(No one was in the house at the time, but the house was absolutely totaled.)
Another sexist idiot in radio...
(Deadspin)
In the spirit of the Damon Bruce debacle on KNBR a couple years ago, Atlanta radio host Mike Bell earned himself an unscheduled and unpaid vacation (read: he has been suspended for two weeks) for slamming ESPN and a female commentator in the booth of last night's Yankees-Astros snorefest of a Wild Card play-in game.
ESPN employed Jessica Mendoza, formerly of the US National softball team, as part of it's commentary team for the game last night. (And, listening to seven innings of that game while I was watching it at a local sports bar, she did quite well.)
Bell didn't agree, and someone (a Purdue Boilermaker blog site)caught the Tweet before it was deleted (about his third slamming ESPN's decision on employing her):
In the spirit of the Damon Bruce debacle on KNBR a couple years ago, Atlanta radio host Mike Bell earned himself an unscheduled and unpaid vacation (read: he has been suspended for two weeks) for slamming ESPN and a female commentator in the booth of last night's Yankees-Astros snorefest of a Wild Card play-in game.
ESPN employed Jessica Mendoza, formerly of the US National softball team, as part of it's commentary team for the game last night. (And, listening to seven innings of that game while I was watching it at a local sports bar, she did quite well.)
Bell didn't agree, and someone (a Purdue Boilermaker blog site)caught the Tweet before it was deleted (about his third slamming ESPN's decision on employing her):
A woman made history tonight calling an MLB Playoff game for ESPN. This is what an Atlanta radio guy thought of it. pic.twitter.com/xf3Rc07EFY
— Boiled Sports (@BoiledSports) October 7, 2015
REALLY??Hammer Falling, or Continued FIFA Coverup? Blatter suspended... Maybe.
The biggest news in the world of sports this Wednesday noon is the suspension (provisional) of Sepp Blatter, the head of FIFA.
It's only supposed to be for 90 days, but that FIFA has even had to take this step indicates there's a real problem in the organization -- one that I still believe could end up with two soccer world sanctioning bodies, or none at all!!
It is clear to anyone paying attention that the match-fixers and FIFA corrupt officials are the only reason soccer has a world reach right now. I'd have to think those people an countries are going to shove back -- and probably quite hard -- in the near future.
(EDIT TO ADD 12:35 PM 10/7: And FIFA is trying to cover it up, according to Deadspin. A German with ties to covering up FIFA's misdeeds is one of the main people behind the nature of this suspension.)
Parenthetically, someone might want to investigate this "CONCACAF Cup" matchup. The United States and Mexico are going to contest an extra match, because each of the two countries won one of the previous two CONCACAF Gold Cups -- and the aggregate of the two is being used to determine CONCACAF's representative in the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia.
Several Central American nations screamed FOUL at some of the officiating in the recently completed Gold Cup from this year. And CONCACAF admitted that "third party manipulation" probably occurred in the semifinal match with Panama (according to Yardbarker's article on the match on Saturday and the San Diego Union Tribune)!!
(So much so that the Panamanian team posed with a makeshift banner condemning CONCACAF's corruption. (For which Panama's soccer federation was fined $15,000.))
The United States had already won last year's Gold Cup. Had they won this year's, there would've been no extra match. Interestingly enough, the United States was eliminated in the first match of a doubleheader that night in Atlanta by Jamaica.
The controversies came in the second match, Mexico and Panama. This after Mexico had apparently been gifted a penalty in it's quarterfinal victory in the last minute of injury time. In the semifinal, a similar dodgy penalty (at the same point of the match!) by the top United States soccer referee, Mark Geiger, forced the match into extra time. Panama threatened to quit the match then and there, causing a 15-minute delay or so in the match. Two Panamanians were banned from the third-place match (a victory over the USA!) and their first CONCACAF World Cup Qualifier for insulting the referee.
It is now believed that the entire course of the tournament was plotted for extra money for CONCACAF by having this match -- and having this match be US vs. Mexico, the two (relative) powerhouses of CONCACAF.
Reasoning? Simple. Money. I was looking around and saw that there were theater simulcasts planned of the FOX Sports 1 broadcast of the match. The match will be played Saturday in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena -- which, as any soccer fan would know, actually IS a neutral venue (AT BEST!) for the United States.
It's only supposed to be for 90 days, but that FIFA has even had to take this step indicates there's a real problem in the organization -- one that I still believe could end up with two soccer world sanctioning bodies, or none at all!!
It is clear to anyone paying attention that the match-fixers and FIFA corrupt officials are the only reason soccer has a world reach right now. I'd have to think those people an countries are going to shove back -- and probably quite hard -- in the near future.
(EDIT TO ADD 12:35 PM 10/7: And FIFA is trying to cover it up, according to Deadspin. A German with ties to covering up FIFA's misdeeds is one of the main people behind the nature of this suspension.)
Parenthetically, someone might want to investigate this "CONCACAF Cup" matchup. The United States and Mexico are going to contest an extra match, because each of the two countries won one of the previous two CONCACAF Gold Cups -- and the aggregate of the two is being used to determine CONCACAF's representative in the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia.
Several Central American nations screamed FOUL at some of the officiating in the recently completed Gold Cup from this year. And CONCACAF admitted that "third party manipulation" probably occurred in the semifinal match with Panama (according to Yardbarker's article on the match on Saturday and the San Diego Union Tribune)!!
(So much so that the Panamanian team posed with a makeshift banner condemning CONCACAF's corruption. (For which Panama's soccer federation was fined $15,000.))
The United States had already won last year's Gold Cup. Had they won this year's, there would've been no extra match. Interestingly enough, the United States was eliminated in the first match of a doubleheader that night in Atlanta by Jamaica.
The controversies came in the second match, Mexico and Panama. This after Mexico had apparently been gifted a penalty in it's quarterfinal victory in the last minute of injury time. In the semifinal, a similar dodgy penalty (at the same point of the match!) by the top United States soccer referee, Mark Geiger, forced the match into extra time. Panama threatened to quit the match then and there, causing a 15-minute delay or so in the match. Two Panamanians were banned from the third-place match (a victory over the USA!) and their first CONCACAF World Cup Qualifier for insulting the referee.
It is now believed that the entire course of the tournament was plotted for extra money for CONCACAF by having this match -- and having this match be US vs. Mexico, the two (relative) powerhouses of CONCACAF.
Reasoning? Simple. Money. I was looking around and saw that there were theater simulcasts planned of the FOX Sports 1 broadcast of the match. The match will be played Saturday in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena -- which, as any soccer fan would know, actually IS a neutral venue (AT BEST!) for the United States.
Well, if the NFL won't have it's players arrested, this college player will pick up the slack!
Auburn has tossed D'haquille "Duke" Williams from the team.
Why?
Sounds like he got a nice case of the roid rage or something to that effect in a local bar, as he just decided to go off and start punching everybody he saw.
Kicked out of a bar, the website AL.com reports that an employee witness Williams deck four people, including a bartender and two security guards.
Look, I know I get pissed from time to time. That seems to be just a case of somebody who they need to test for drugs on the way out! Yeesh...
(For the record, there is no indication that he is being arrested for the incident, at least according to the Deadspin article I picked this up from.)
Why?
Sounds like he got a nice case of the roid rage or something to that effect in a local bar, as he just decided to go off and start punching everybody he saw.
Kicked out of a bar, the website AL.com reports that an employee witness Williams deck four people, including a bartender and two security guards.
Look, I know I get pissed from time to time. That seems to be just a case of somebody who they need to test for drugs on the way out! Yeesh...
(For the record, there is no indication that he is being arrested for the incident, at least according to the Deadspin article I picked this up from.)
(Daily Fantasy Debacle) Morning Updates 10/7/15
- Fan Duel has banned it's employees from playing for money on all Daily Fantasy sites. Which should then, after yesterday's revelations, make me wonder how much entries are going to immediately drop!
- Reports are coming in that two Federal agencies (the Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Department, IIRC) are getting in on the investigations.
I can't see us not heading for a "Black Friday". In this case, that refers to the day in 2011 when the Federal government shut down the major online poker gambling sites.
That day's coming again.
Tuesday, October 6, 2015
(Daily Fantasy) This might be the giant story we've been waiting for this fall.
- NY State Attorney General launching an investigation into the practices of DraftKings and Fan Duel.
- DraftKings conducts internal investigation and clears it's Fan Duel players from any wrongdoing.
- Didn't know this: MLB has a small stake in DraftKings. (Makes me wonder if it had to do with a very friendly strike zone for the Astros tonight in their 3-0 elimination of the Yankees.)
- Saw 7 innings of the ESPN telecast, and even with the Daily Fantasy story crawling all over the newswire at the bottom of the screen, at least four DraftKings ads shown on the telecast.
And the pre-season bad news for Gary Bettman and the NHL continues...
With the league probably a distant fourth in it's season cycle to the NFL, NBA, and college basketball, this might be a bit of an existential problem for the NHL.
The league, according to reports released Monday, has a cocaine problem.
There appears to be a significant issue, Yahoo! Sports reports, in Toronto, where the police in Toronto actually met with a Maple Leafs executive stating that people within the organization may be using the drug or associating with those who are.
It is serious enough that, though cocaine is not on the banned substances list yet (!!!), it may have to be in the future.
The league, according to reports released Monday, has a cocaine problem.
There appears to be a significant issue, Yahoo! Sports reports, in Toronto, where the police in Toronto actually met with a Maple Leafs executive stating that people within the organization may be using the drug or associating with those who are.
It is serious enough that, though cocaine is not on the banned substances list yet (!!!), it may have to be in the future.
Score Report Week 4: Hanging From the Cliff
- Week 4 average total: 43.53 for the 15 games.
- 4 week average: 46.25 PPG.
- Last year: 52.08 points for the Week 4 games, pushing the season average to 46.2 -- an effective wash with this year's.
- Home teams were 9-5 this week. (1 game in London.) 35-27 for the year. (.565)
- Last year: 8-4 and 38-22 (.633)
- Over was only 5-9-1 or 5-10, depending on where you got Denver/Minnesota. Season over bet is 30-29-4 to 30-32-1.
- Last year: 10-3 for the week, anywhere from 7-12 games below .500 for the year, though.
- Basically, betting the over on a consistent basis is a 2-5 unit money loser this season so far.
- Favorites did not cover the spread very well either, doing the same 5-9-1 as the over did. Season: 28-31-4, about a 6 unit loss on betting the favorites to cover.
- In one game fewer than last week, the same 229 penalties got called as last week. (15.3 a game) And that's pretty much the average for the year, around 15.25-15.3.
- Last year: About 14 per game for the week.
- The BIG STORY of the week: In what I think has to be a record, SEVEN NFL contests this week were decided in Cliffhanger fashion. Baltimore won the Thursday nighter in overtime (and anyone watching the game could've seen this coming!), Chicago won with a field goal effectively at the gun, Washington won with a touchdown in the last half-minute, Indianapolis and New Orleans won in overtime, San Diego won with a field goal at the gun, and Denver got their winning score with 1:51 to go.
- Only two other games finished within a score at the end of the game, and only one further game ended within a score at some point in the fourth quarter. Five of the 15 contests were non-competitive.
- Last year: 1 Cliffhanger, 1 more decided by one score, 3 more within one score at some point in the fourth quarter, EIGHT non-competitive.
- So: Cliffhanger: 13/63 (20.6%) Within one score: 32/63 (50/8%) Within one score at some point in the fourth: 42/63 (66.7%)
- All three numbers are up from last year: 9, 20, and 34 (though that is out of 61)
Daily Fantasy Scandal Explodes
Yahoo! Business Insider through ESPN.
We're looking at the end of Daily Fantasy. No doubt about it now. Just a matter of when.
The scandal at DraftKings has exploded in mammoth proportion today.
According to Cork Gaines' report, Darren Rovell, ESPN's sports business writer, took Fan Duel's own information and has concluded that DraftKings employees playing at Fan Duel have won over $6,000,000 at the site -- though it is not clear whether that is before their entry fees were taken out or after.
Couple that with the Sports Business Daily report referred to in Gaines' article (by Ed Miller and Daniel Singer), and one can see there isn't much future left unless you basically want to throw your money away.
Why? Try some of these gems.
Do you honestly believe that that many people have $36,000/year (much less $8 million!) to throw away like that???
REALLY?
These people are working for the damn companies! Wake up!!
We're looking at the end of Daily Fantasy. No doubt about it now. Just a matter of when.
The scandal at DraftKings has exploded in mammoth proportion today.
According to Cork Gaines' report, Darren Rovell, ESPN's sports business writer, took Fan Duel's own information and has concluded that DraftKings employees playing at Fan Duel have won over $6,000,000 at the site -- though it is not clear whether that is before their entry fees were taken out or after.
Couple that with the Sports Business Daily report referred to in Gaines' article (by Ed Miller and Daniel Singer), and one can see there isn't much future left unless you basically want to throw your money away.
Why? Try some of these gems.
- ELEVEN PLAYERS accounted for 17% of all entry fees for the first half of the baseball season. Each of them averaged $2,000,000 worth of such fees.
- The average of these 11 multi-million dollar players was a profit of $135,000. That means, over the course of the first half of the baseball season, these 11 players accounted for over $23,000,000 in prize money. The top player made $400,000 on a $3,000,000 entry-fee investment.
- Expanding this to the rest of the top 1.3% of all players surveyed in this time period, they averaged $9,100 in entries and took a profit of $2,400! Between these two groups, that's 91% of all the profits in Daily Fantasy, to just 1.3% of the players who were averaging over $9,000 over a three month period (and up!).
- The "big fish" -- those who lose money and have no business playing -- averaged $3,600 over this period, and lost over a grand in so doing!
Do you honestly believe that that many people have $36,000/year (much less $8 million!) to throw away like that???
REALLY?
These people are working for the damn companies! Wake up!!
Hypocrisy, Waiting for the Blowover, or Legit? ESPN cuts ties with DraftKings.
(Deadspin)
ESPN's Outside the Lines actually made a corporate announcement today!
In light of revelations which are indicating that Daily Fantasy Sports are as rigged as the NFL, ESPN is temporarily cutting advertising ties with DraftKings.
Of course, this also means a massive amount of advertising time has opened up!
The next question, of course, is how long this will last...
And it sounds like the predictable ESPN/Corporate line will hold out -- as long as until we forget about it. Pressed for an answer several times by Deadspin, ESPN's PR department would only admit that the cutoff of DraftKings ads (so no cutoff of Fan Duel?) would be a function of the newsworthy nature of the revelations thereto.
Shyeah. Right.
ESPN's Outside the Lines actually made a corporate announcement today!
In light of revelations which are indicating that Daily Fantasy Sports are as rigged as the NFL, ESPN is temporarily cutting advertising ties with DraftKings.
Of course, this also means a massive amount of advertising time has opened up!
The next question, of course, is how long this will last...
And it sounds like the predictable ESPN/Corporate line will hold out -- as long as until we forget about it. Pressed for an answer several times by Deadspin, ESPN's PR department would only admit that the cutoff of DraftKings ads (so no cutoff of Fan Duel?) would be a function of the newsworthy nature of the revelations thereto.
Shyeah. Right.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Monday Night Football in Seattle: What Could Go Wrong?
*Whammy Sound Effect from "Press Your Luck"*
Everything.
Deadspin again.
Detroit has the ball inside the Seattle 15, under two minutes left, but only down three points.
Stafford goes back, finds Megatron, and just as he's about to go into the end zone...
Kam Chancellor, the savior of Seattle's season (more, the guy probably blamed for the 0-2 start as he held out until Week 3!), punches the ball out of Calvin Johnson's hands just as he is about to cross the goal line.
BUT:
GAME -- WAS -- RIGGED!
PERIOD.
Everything.
Deadspin again.
Detroit has the ball inside the Seattle 15, under two minutes left, but only down three points.
Stafford goes back, finds Megatron, and just as he's about to go into the end zone...
Kam Chancellor, the savior of Seattle's season (more, the guy probably blamed for the 0-2 start as he held out until Week 3!), punches the ball out of Calvin Johnson's hands just as he is about to cross the goal line.
PUNCH IT! pic.twitter.com/cgrUhNnKOt
— SB Nation GIF (@SBNationGIF) October 6, 2015
OK, no harm no foul to this point.BUT:
PAY KAM CHANCELLOR: pic.twitter.com/pxh0a7W1VS
— SB Nation (@SBNation) October 6, 2015
That's illegal batting of the ball! And the NFL head of officials has already admitted as such!!!
The NFL head of officials said the refs got it wrong: http://t.co/IA9UU2lLwp pic.twitter.com/DSv4n13bgN
— SB Nation (@SBNation) October 6, 2015
GAME -- WAS -- RIGGED!
PERIOD.
And in another weekly feature this season: Another referee attack.
This one in Florida.
Kissimmee, Florida, from the Washington Post: 36 year-old Leo Davis was arrested when he was charged with striking the referee of a sophomore football game he was coaching.
There is dispute: It is claimed by Davis that he was trying to separate a fight and the official got too close.
Davis is being held on $1,000 bond. I'd love to (but I no longer think you can without a fee) search criminal records in Florida to see what else Mr. Davis has been up to.
Florida has a long history of youth-football coaches with no business mentoring children.
Kissimmee, Florida, from the Washington Post: 36 year-old Leo Davis was arrested when he was charged with striking the referee of a sophomore football game he was coaching.
There is dispute: It is claimed by Davis that he was trying to separate a fight and the official got too close.
Davis is being held on $1,000 bond. I'd love to (but I no longer think you can without a fee) search criminal records in Florida to see what else Mr. Davis has been up to.
Florida has a long history of youth-football coaches with no business mentoring children.
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