I swear to God... I mean... No. Just... NO! JUST... NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought Game 2 was bad.

I thought Game 3 was worse...

But nothing prepared me for what happened in Game 5!!!

NOTHING.

Keuchel was nowhere to be found tonight.  3-0 after 1, and he doesn't even make it 4.

But that fourth inning was a complete motherfucking insanity that may have laid the final straw to the end of a 40-year fandom of this sport (not mine -- mine hasn't lasted 40 years, but that's about gone too after tonight!).

And it started at the top of the inning.  An inning which took forever, and enter Bill Miller, the third home-plate umpire this series to blatantly hand a game to the Houston Astros:

• Cody Bellinger leads off.  Second pitch is 2" low on the FOX tracker.  MLB has it on the low border of the zone for 0-2.
• But there is no dispute on the Strike Three call.  That ball was 4-6 inches outside, called strike three and NOWHERE CLOSE.
• Logan Forsythe:  The 1-1 pitch was 2-3 inches clean inside on the tracker.  Strike two.  He does, however, eventually double.
• Yasiel Puig:  The 2-1 pitch was another 4-6 inches inside.  Strike two.  He K's on swinging on a pitch in the same spot.  2 out.
• After the Dodgers made it 4-0 and chased Keuchel, the first pitch from Gregorson to Chris Taylor, with runners on first and second, is pretty clearly inside (MLB does think it's close to the corner, but FOX didn't!).  Taylor K's to end the inning.  All three outs, strikeouts, and all umpire-aided.
• So, bottom of the fourth, Kershaw on the mound after a long top of the fourth in which the umpires would only allow Los Angeles one run.
• Runner on first, and here comes Bregman.  Another difference of opinion on the 1-1, MLB has it inside corner, FOX well off the corner.
• Then the ensuing 2-1 had no dispute:  STRIKE TWO, high outside corner, called ball three.  He flies out.
• But now the table is set and Kershaw can't get anyone out high, and, by the end of all of it, SUSPENDED RACIST SHITHEAD ties the game on a three-run jack where the fans were seen giving the same racist gesture back to him when he rounded the bases!
• There you go, Manfred:  Your lack of spine has helped change the series, and your order is not done, is it???
• By the end of the inning, it's 4-4, and it's bloody on in Houston!

Fifth inning:

• Two walks, two on nobody out for the Dodgers, and Kike Hernandez is struck out on a pitch 4-6" outside again!
• Cody Bellinger says "Fuck this", and homers to make it 7-4.
• Yasiel Puig gets another inside pitch called a strike, and strikes out again to end the inning.
• Two walks chase Kershaw, Maeda comes in, three-run jack to Altuve and it's 7-7!

Sixth inning:

• Two out nobody on for the Dodgers:  Corey Seager gets a 3" off the plate pitch called a strike for strike one, he's out on strikes.

Seventh inning:

• Kike Hernandez, runner on 2nd, nobody out, and ANOTHER 2" off the plate called a strike.  Fielder's choice erases the runner on 2nd, but Bellinger breaks the tie with a triple.
• Brandon Morrow could get no one out, and by the time he's done, it's 11-8 in favor of Houston.  Punctuated by Carlos Correa, after a pitch at the knees over the plate was called a ball.  Morrow threw eight pitches and gave up four runs.
• Looking to have successfully finished the job, the umps give a Dodger pitcher only about the third such call tonight in aiding Evan Gattis to end the inning.

Eighth inning:

• Before Chris Taylor was plunked, another inside called Strike One.
• Dodgers get a run for 11-9.
• Cingrani does get a gift strike one for Marvin Gonzalez, he lines out.
• But another home run later, the Astros are 12-9 up and it looks sane for them, right?

WRONG!

• Puig hits a two-run jack, and Chris Taylor singles in Austin Barnes, and it's 12-12 and the game goes into extra innings and over five hours!

And then the umps, realizing the Dodgers won't go away, just decide to end it for them!!!

• Two out, bottom of the 10th, 12-12...
• McCann hit by a pitch.
• Springer walks, and TWO PITCHES of that sequence, balls two and four, were at the top of the zone!
• That, of course, means a home run is no longer needed, and, with no high pitch, Jansen throws a low outside strike, hit to left, game over, 13-12, and the umps can pat themselves on the back.

4-0 to 4-4
to 7-4
to 7-7
to 8-7
to 11-8 Houston
to 11-9 Houston
to 12-9 Houston
to 12-12
to 13-12 after a rigged walk.

A sampling:

LOL

— MLB (@MLB) October 30, 2017

MLB's official Twitter account after the game was tied 12-12!

The balls in my pants have less juice in them then the balls in this game

— Jose Canseco (@JoseCanseco) October 30, 2017

And yes, that is the blue checkmark. Jose Canseco (who, in addition to the roids, played his first two years in Oakland in another juiced-ball era!) with an obvious comment about the game tonight.

And Deadspin reporting on the explosion of home runs in this Series.  Seven tonight, 22 overall, and, in five games, the record for the most home runs in a World Series...

... and, oh by the way, they've been pumping that T-Mobile donation thing too -- each one of those is worth $20,000 to Houston hurricane relief.  (OK, OK, I guess Florida and Puerto Rico too.)

I have a friend of mine who's giving up baseball after this shit.  40 years a baseball fan, might remain a historian, but DONE with the current game after the Gurriel nonsense and the fact that the umpires are taking the best players for the Dodgers, year in and year fucking out, out of the Series.

Thanks, Manfred.

And, oh, by the way...  What was it, about 12:40 AM Houston time Monday morning when that shit ended?

So when it's the Eastern superteams, are we looking at about 6 PM Eastern starts???

Manfred putting the pitchers under pressure, but is he under pressure too in another respect?

Deadspin reports this morning that both the Astros AND the Dodgers are speaking up about the juiced baseballs.

In this case, it's specifically to address the fact that the baseballs are seen as too slippery to grip a slider.  Hence, the sliders aren't that good, and Joe Buck is seeing them getting SMOKED!! (Especially happy if it's Houston Astros who are doing it, right, Joe?)

You know, it's obvious that, at least at certain points in this World Series, the balls have been juiced to increase home runs -- and that leads to the whole T-Mobile #HR4HR business.

It explains Yu Darvish lasting an inning and two-thirds with four runs.

Kenley Jansen has had a couple loose sliders get jacked.

Verlander got nailed a couple times...

It's clear, and specifically for this World Series (partially #HR4HR, and I also think it's to guarantee "certain results") that the balls have been tampered with.

But, after Game 4, is it for Houston to win?  Has the public blowback to the Gurriel suspension actually forced a re-think on this series?

Laz Diaz is a veteran umpire, and called balls and strikes.

For the first time since Game 1, though, he called a pretty even zone.  There were a few pitches out of the zone, but called both ways in that regard.  FOX definitely was trying to get at Rich Hill when he didn't give up any hits for 4+, and pushed the no-hitter jinx until he gave up the home run for 1-0 to Houston in the 6th, when he was immediately pulled.

I think it's still clear that White Right FOX had no problem with Gurriel's comments -- but, that said, MLB has taken a major public-relations hit here, and Game 4 was quite different than Games 2 and 3 as a result.

Now the big Game 1 pitchers (Kershaw and Keuchel) go in Game 5.  Could be a very Chinese-interesting night tonight.

"Congratulations" to the 2017 Rigged World Champion Astros

Five games, next regular season, for Gurriel..

Series over.  Rob Manfred has just sealed the deal.

He's also sealed the deal on at least one baseball fan of pushing 35 years -- leaving the sport as of Sunday, at least for now.

As I said in other sports, I say here:  Wouldn't every player on the Astros exchange a suspension next season for a World Series ring now?

Series is over.  And it won't leave Houston.  Manfred has just sealed the deal.

2017 World Series: I Thought Game Two Was Bad. GAME THREE WAS _WORSE_!!

I think a lot of Dodger fans, at this point, are almost in concession they're about to get fucked again, #HoustonStrong Style...

It got ugly tonight, in so many ways, unless you are FOX, Rob Manfred, or a Houston Astro or a fan of theirs...

• Where I was watching the game tonight, it took one Houston batter -- the leadoff hitter who hit a double, to mute the coverage for the night.  This, after Joe Buck was so adamant that said hitter was going to try to find something he could SMOKE!!  The next pitch went down the left-field line for a double.
• With 2 out in the first, it looked like Yu Darvish got out of the inning with a low outside corner strike three to Correa.  He would not be damaged -- that inning.
• Cody Bellinger got the Golden Sombrero tonight, four strikeouts.  The umps saw to this by calling the first pitch he saw (3-4 inches outside) strike one.  Below the knees?  Strike 2.  Swung for Strike 3.
• And then we get to the inning which ended the game.  Even a couple of the Dodger balls, but almost every Houston Astro ball hit in the first two innings looked like it had a fucking rocketship on it's back!  Yuli Gurriel hit one of these lasers from home plate to out of the park at over 110 MPH, about 3 seconds to score the first run in a four-run second inning.
• It's what he did after that should make that his last contribution to this Series!  Gurriel turned to Dodger pitcher Yu Darvish and called him "Chinito", a slur for "Little Chinese Boy".  (With any and all apologies to any Chinese readers of the blog!)
• Darvish is Japanese, and Gurriel doubled down by making a slant-eye gesture the FOX cameras caught during the four-run second inning.  MLB is going to have some words with him, and he should sit -- preferably the rest of this Series.
• But the juiced balls allowed Houston to do what they've done best at Minute Maid Park, merry-go-round for four runs and a 4-0 lead they would never relinquish.
• When T-Mobile did one of their innumberable "#HR4HR" ads between innings five and six, EVERY HOME RUN IN THE AD WAS HIT BY A HOUSTON ASTRO!
• There were two main reasons for the 4-0 lead holding up.  The first started the next inning:  The balls mysteriously stopped getting out like they were shot out of cannons.  This appeared to be the case the rest of the game.
• The second was another round of the umpiring!

I was asked by a Dodger fan friend of mine to bring pen and paper to chart some of this...  The Dodgers appeared to get only two pitches declared "close enough" outside to be strikes.

In comparison, for the apparent World Champion Astros, at the rate things are going:

• A pitch similar to what the Astros have been getting called a strike at least half the time they are pitching the last two games (in which the Dodgers only have nine hits between them), about 3 inches outside to Evan Gattis to make the count 3-1 after the homer.  Gattis walked and eventually scored.
• 5th inning:  Austin Barnes took a 2-1 strike well off the outside.  He flew out.
• Then Joc Pederson took a 1-0 pitch off the INSIDE corner for a strike.  He doubled.
• 6th inning:  Chase Utley (an automatic out who will be one major cause of Dave Roberts being fired next week if the Dodgers can't find a way to surmount this) took a 2-1 pitch for a strike right on that 3-4 inches outside the plate zone these umps are loving to call against the Dodgers.
• Bottom 6:  Runner on first, one out for the Astros, and Bergman gets a ball call on the same 3 inches outside, but can't make anything of it after he walks.
• And then the umpires get blatant with it.  Keeping the balls less fiery (which was the only reason Dodger arsonist Ross Stripling didn't give up a grand slam to Springer), they did something interesting to ensure the Dodgers, down 5-3, would NEVER GET THE TYING RUN TO THE PLATE...
• FOUR TIMES IN THE FINAL SEVEN DODGER BATTERS, the umpire gave that 3-6 inch outside pitch for strike one.
• Andre Ethier in the 7th with 2 out (groundout to first)
• Corey Seager, the first pitch of the eighth (swinging strikeout)
• Yasiel Puig, first pitch of the ninth (same result)
• and Yasmani Grandal (flew out to right for the final out)

I know some Dodger fans who have resigned themselves that Houston has won this World Series, four games to one.

After tonight, I cannot blame them.  FOX came close to a "tell" between a couple of the late innings, advertising one of their comedies for Tuesday night -- but, unlike "GR8ST WKND EVR", they did make the qualification "If No Baseball"...

And it's not only that:  It seemed like, except for the Springer blast which would've left every other park, the Astros not only have had help from the umps, but also every damn break since Game 2 started!

And, after the Gurriel slur, I now really have to wonder if this is "Trump State vs. Blue State" as well, on top of everything else!

If it's this blatant, it ends in Houston, period.

And what even gets more disturbing is something I thought of after I posted the Game 2 article from earlier:  What, now, stops some crazed fan of a sports team from committing a national tragedy with the express intent of getting the sports leagues to rig their city a championship??

2017 Week Seven Fine Friday

• Cincinnati Bengals:  Vontaze Burfict, no surprise here.  Instead of doing the right thing and throwing this shithead out of the league after giving him TWO three-game suspensions for his on-field thuggery, his latest offense, a kick to a Pittsburgh fullback, is only worth a $12,154 fine.  He's, with the two suspensions, also been fined over $220,000 in a total of TEN offenses against the league.
• New York Jets:  Darron Lee is now a FOUR TIME LOSER.  $36,464 for a repeat offender roughing the passer call, and another $9,115 for a facemask.  Lee has now been fined over $72,000 in just seven weeks.
• New York Jets:  Robby Anderson:  $12,154 for unsportsmanlike conduct.
• Which makes the Jets the third team, in just seven weeks, to reach the Level 1 Threshold, so the team is fined $50,000 on top of it.
• Miami Dolphins:  Ndamokung Suh:  $9,115 for a facemask.  As for last night, see below.
• New Orleans Saints:  David Onyemata:  $12,154 for pulling players off a pile up.  They call it unnecessary roughness, I'd put it more in the line of unsportsmanlike conduct.
• Seattle Seahawks:  K.J. Wright:  $9,115 for a face mask.
• Kansas City Chiefs:  Marcus Peters:  $9,115 for a late hit on Derek Carr -- this was the situation which Marshawn Lynch ran off the bench and wrestled an official, drawing a suspension for this week and should've been far more.
• Washington Redskins:  This may be a catchup, but Niles Paul stated on his Twitter he was fined $6,016 for a uniform violation -- his socks.
• Seattle Seahawks:  Keenan Robinson:  $18,231 for roughing the passer.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  Robert McClain:  $24,309 for unnecessary roughness (helmet shot).  The hit put McClain into the concussion protocol, and he's out this week on top of it for the injury.

And as for last night:

• It is official.  The Kiko Alonso hit on Joe Flacco, eliminating him with a concussion, IS being reviewed for supplemental discipline. 
• Also official: If Alonso is suspended, it will be the only one.  Ndamokung Suh will not be.  However, there's a fairly decent chance that, with three personal-foul offenses (only two flagged) last night, he'll be on next week's Fine Friday Blotter as well

More possible later.  Stay tuned to this space.

The Uncivil Race War: Bob McNair steps in it hard...

We almost just had the work stoppage, at least with one NFL team, over the National Anthem protests and the reactions the White ownership of this league has toward many of it's players, especially the Black ones.

Houston Texans owner Bob McNair about the protests, getting in line with fellow White owner Jerry Jones and demanding they be stopped, forcibly if necessary, stating that the players were "inmates running the prison".

Surprisingly, one of the more sane responses (and one of the scarier) comes from a person who's been a writer of the Cowboys for 20 years now, Clarence Hill Jr.:

what are they calling them in private https://t.co/FVWHwsefFb

— Clarence Hill Jr (@clarencehilljr) October 27, 2017

This almost resulted in a walk-out today from the Texans players.  At least one player actually did!!

McNair has apologized.

Related news:

Getting in another Twitter battle with a Trump-humper.

She (yes, this is a self-hating woman who supports Trump) gave a statistic that I find hard to understand, especially how White America has coddled Football Man these days:

This statistic claims that, of the 1,696 players in the National Football League, over half (871) are convicted felons.

If this were the case, there'd be no way the National Football League could escape that scrutiny, especially now!

An Ugly Reality For Major League Baseball, and a frightening view of it's future...

Last night stung for my anonymous friend the Dodger Fan...

And the more I think about it, the more I truly believe it was bullshit -- if it got my friend, who reads and contributes (yet still believes there sometimes is too much emphasis on the game-rigging) to state, full score, the game is rigged against the Dodgers...

And why?

• #HoustonStrong?
• Hatred of the Dodgers??
• California went Democratic, Texas went Republican???
• or something that my anonymous friend came up with tonight that could be frightening...

We know, as of right now, the NBA is a 1.05 team league.  Don't let the two early losses fool you, it's Golden State, plus about .048 of Cleveland, with a smattering of Houston and San Antonio and the like running around.

Something a lot of people have objected to was the 7:10 Pacific start of many games, leading to their end past 1 AM Eastern or so, especially in these playoffs.

What if the goal is to get rid of the relevant players on the Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Mike Trout, maybe Buster Posey if he has some left, etc. and so forth and funnel them all to the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, and Cardinals?

What if the eventual goal is four superteams, all at the Mississippi River and eastward?

Look at what's happened already these playoffs?

• The Yankees just fired Joe Girardi today, a few days after falling one game short of the World Series in a REBUILDING YEAR.  But, as people have pointed out, it's all about the "Drive for 28" -- ANYTHING not a World Series is a failed season in the Bronx!
• On a separate consideration, because it's clear the John Farrell lost the Red Sox team completely and it wouldn't have mattered if they won the title, but Farrell was also fired.
• The Cubs fired their entire coaching staff, it seems, sans Joe Maddon, today.  Pitching coach, hitting coach, bench coach, gone.
• The Nationals fired Dusty Baker after losing to the Cubs.
• Nothing from the Diamondbacks, Twins, Indians (their pitching coach was named Farrell's successor in Boston, but that's a promotion, not a firing) or Rockies.
• And then there's the situation with Dave Roberts in Los Angeles...

Yes, Wednesday night's Game 2 was rigged, but Roberts didn't help matters with Chase Utley at second base, and then basically running his bullpen completely out to finish the game in regulation (which, between the umpiring and probably substituting even more-juiced balls later in the game, wasn't going to happen)...

(Evidence:  Last night's power explosion in extra innings was the first time in Major League Baseball history that five home runs were hit in extra innings -- regardless of the type of game!  The eight home runs hit in the game were a World Series record.)

Reminded of Game 4 in Chicago for the NLCS, where Utley and Curtis Granderson were brought out of mothballs....

Girardi being fired greatly increases the chances that, hook or crook, if the Dodgers don't win the World Series, the Dave Roberts Watch is going to have to start.

It's clear that, for some reason, the media nor MLB wants the Dodgers to succeed in any way.  Is there a desire to break this team up for the benefit of the creation of superteams Mississippi River and eastward?

Consider the ticking clock:  Clayton Kershaw can opt out after next season...  Meaning, Roberts or whoever has the reins for the Dodgers may have this year and next to win a title...

Potential Week 8 Fine/Suspension Blotter: Two Dolphins Better Look Over Their Shoulder For What They Did To Joe Flacco

Well, sounds like we're going to have another Ndamokung Suh Watch this week for possible Fine Blotter or even supplemental discipline for this little ditty that Gawker Media caught:

That's Ndamokung Suh choking backup Baltimore QB Ryan Mallet, with the official coming by.

He might not be the most likely suspension this week, even with his track record...

That would go to Kiko Alonso, who probably will get at least $50,000, AND DAMN WELL SHOULD BE SUSPENDED, for this hit job that forced Mallet into the game:

KIKO ALONSO ALMOST KILLED JOE FLACCO. 😳pic.twitter.com/4xW8NBtEoz

— LeadingNFL ™ (@LeadingNFL) October 27, 2017

The Tweet is valid. Alonso was flagged but NOT ejected! Probably numerous flags for the fight that followed, which might only increase the number of fines from this situation.

In this league where only the quarterback has much importance, it is becoming clearer and clearer by the NFL game that, fines be damned, the objective has become elimination of the opposing starting quarterback.

You could have TWO suspensions -- Suh for his record, and Alonso for his hit.  But at some point, people are going to have to realize that, even if Alonso's is the only one, that is the FOURTH NFL suspension in a month of play.

Scoring is at least a field goal down for a very good reason.  This statistic might change this week because some of the teams weren't penalized that much in Week 7, but, as of the Thursday Night Football game of Week 7, the four highest-fined teams this season to that point were all leading their divisions.

Suh was flagged for his choke, but the penalty was declined because the Dolphins committed THREE penalties on that play.  The Ravens won 40-0.

Houston Strong, You Pissants? Are We Now So Blatant That A National Tragedy Wins You Championships?

Courtesy of Brooks Baseball and one very pissed-off Dodger fan anonymous friend, here's all you need to look at for a RIGGED Game 2 of the World Series:

Green are called balls, red called strikes  Houston threw the triangles, the Dodgers threw the circles.

I count at least 15-18 relevant pitches, including eight blatant ones thrown by Houston to left-handed Dodger pitchers well off the outside of the plate.

And the Dodger pitching couldn't get more than one or two calls all night.

Why?  I've got several standing opinions right now...

• MLB has intentionally placed inexperienced umpires to aid Houston in winning this series.  Not unlike 2002, if the Dodgers can't get at least equivalent in the calling of the strike zone, they run the risk for what exactly happened to their bullpen in the 8th through 11th innings.  Phil Cuzzy called balls and strikes in Game 1, Paul Nauert in Game 2.  Both are umping their first World Series.
• FOX (like Turner before them in the National League playoffs) is having a serious hard-on against the Dodgers right now.  Not only is most of the coverage on Turner slanted, it's clear that the Dodger ace is struggling, the Dodger bullpen is due to crash, and the Houston pitcher tonight is so on, he's unhittable.  And then, after watching Houston celebrate on the bases and the like, NOW Joe Buck has a problem with Charlie Culberson hits a big home run?
• Oh, and, about this "GR8ST WKND EVER"...  FOX has been promoting the Hell out of this weekend for their programming, since at least Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.  College football and Game 4 Saturday, NFL and Game 5 Sunday.  No "If Necessary" of any kind on the Game 5 stuff.  NONE. ZERO.
• And, then, the biggie:  Houston Strong.  T-Mobile is trying to make some money for hurricane relief, but are we now at the point, once again, that it takes a national tragedy for a team to win a championship, should the situation merit?

ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS, FOX?

ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS, MLB??

That was the most rigged game I've seen in years for baseball -- and I'm a Giants fan!!  (Much to my anonymous friend's occasional chagrin...)

Are we getting so obvious that even the Astros are seeing it?  This, from Game 1 starter Dallas Keuchel, via Tyler Kepner, baseball writer for the New York Times:

"I think the balls are juiced, 100%," Dallas Keuchel said. "Major League Baseball wants to put on a show." 8 HR tonight=World Series record.

— Tyler Kepner (@TylerKepner) October 26, 2017

2017 Week Seven NFL Ratings Are In

Source:  Sports Media Watch

• Week 7 National Window:  CBS:  Down 10% in ratings and 8% in viewers to the lowest Week 7 in 16 years.  The NFL had to flex in a better game to give them that!
• The Week 7 Regional Window for CBS, however?  Up 17 % ratings, 18% viewers.  The schedule was meh, though (BAL-MIN, JAC-IND, CAR-CHI, CLE-TEN)...
• Week 7 Single Window:  FOX:  Down about 7% or so in both measures, and that's now 2 weeks in a row Dallas could not deliver the viewers.
• Sunday Night:  Up 8% viewers and 9% ratings over last year, but that took a Super Bowl LI(E) rematch.
• Monday Night:  Up a small number (3% ratings, 1% viewers)

2017 Week 7 Score Report: A Real Odd Week

I'll do the ratings in a separate post if I remember to later this week.

Strange week this week.

• Only 39.6 points per game this week for the 15 games played.  42.27 last year, 46.43 two years ago.
• For the 7 weeks, the average game is down to 43.85 PPG.  45.36 last year, 46.60 two years ago.

For reference, go to the post I just made on the most-fined teams again.  Any mystery, especially with Philly now 6-1, where this league may be going?  The only question in the NFC West now is are they ready to push the Rams because of the Seahawks' mouths?

• Three shutouts this week.  According to FOX, you need to go back five years to December of 2012 to find a similar week, and you need to go back to November 1983 to find a week with four shutouts.
• AND Carolina got only three points off of Chicago.
• AND Cleveland and Tennessee had the second game this year with no touchdowns -- and this one went deep into the ten-minute overtime!
• Back to that Carolina-Chicago mess.  14 of the 17 points Chicago scored were defensive.  The Bears only had five first downs, and WON!  Last time that happened?  Tennessee over Jacksonville in 2006!  It's only happened six times since 1974 that a team has won with five or fewer first downs.
• The record for fewest first downs for a winning team in an NFL game?  The New York Giants defeated Washington on September 27, 1942 by 14-7.  They scored on a 50 yard pass and a 66 yard interception return.  NO FIRST DOWNS!  (All historical statistics courtesy of Pro Football Reference.)
• Home teams actually reversed a recent trend and went 9-5 on the third London week.  52-51 for the year.  Last year, 9-4-1 for 61-42-1.  Two years ago:  8-5 for about the same winning percentage as last year (.592))
• The Over went 7-8 for 51-51-4.  Last year:  6-9 for 56-50.
• Vegas gave back a bit this week.  9-4-2 against the number (Miami and Buffalo both pushed with three-point wins.), 12-3 straight up.
• That's now 46-58-2 against the number and 63-43 straight up.  (44-51-5 against the number last year, 56-43-1 straight up.)
• Team with more penalties was 7-8 for 47-51-8.  Last year:  4-8 for 38-56.
• Four Cliffhangers for 21 total.  Right about at 20% of the games ending in Cliffhangers.
• However, only ONE other game (for five total) ended within eight points, and that was at eight, and ONLY because of the fact that Baltimore scored at the gun to end the game with Minnesota at 24-16.  (And, oh, by the way, the Over hit as a result -- that was 38.)
• Two games were within eight at some point in the fourth quarter, meaning EIGHT of the 15 contests were non-competitive.
• So the last four years of Cliffhangers through seven weeks:  21, 22, 23, and 20
• There were ZERO Last Chance Misses this week, so still only 17 for the year, 33 last year through seven weeks.
• Only half of the games this year (53/106) are within eight points at the final margin.  63.2% last year, 52.38% two years ago.
• Adding in those games within 8 at some point in the fourth quarter, and you have 69/106 competitive.  Ten fewer than the same number of games at the same week last year!

Interesting NFL statistic the first seven weeks...

By my record and my research, here are the five most-fined teams in the NFL so far this season:

• Pittsburgh at $171,544 + another $50,000 for Tier 2 status.  $221,544 total.  They're 5-2, the best record in the AFC.  Leading AFC North.
• Minnesota at $100,270 (with another $100,000 added ($50,000 responsible and $50,000 Tier 2) for the suspension just announced).  Eventual total, as of knowledge right now, is $200,270.  They're also 5-2, leading NFC North.
• New Orleans and Philly are effectively tied at about $85,000 each.  Philadelphia leads the NFC East with the best record in the NFL at 5-1, playing Washington tonight.  New Orleans is 4-2, and they lead the NFC South.
• Green Bay is at $76,591, they're 4-3.

That's right.  The four most-fined teams, right now, are most of your top Super Bowl contenders right now.

Think there's an ounce of coincidence to any of that, or to the fact that scoring is down this year?

As of right now, it appears the Clean Slate Club numbers six:

• Buffalo:  4-2
• Miami:  4-2
• Cincinnati, but that won't last past this week with Vontaze Burfict back in the news.
• Detroit:  3-3 and at least one league rig-job against them
• Arizona:  3-4
• and the Rams:  5-2 and leading the NFC West

More Blotter: Another Week Seven Suspension

The third on-field suspension in two weeks...

• Minnesota Vikings:  Andrew Sendejo:  SUSPENDED one game for illegal use of the helmet.

Yep.  That's the same blatant "serve 'em up battering ram" hit Trevathan got banned for.  AND he's now a TWO-TIME LOSER.

He will appeal (has three days to do so), and loses a trip to London for a game with the Browns if he loses it.  And the team would be responsible for his entire salary for the week as a fine, up to $50,000.

So even if the suspension falls, he's probably facing a $48,618 fine to begin with, because he also got hit with a helmet-to-helmet fine back in Week 3 for $24,309.

And, as a result of this action, the below, and previous Viking fines, the Minnesota Vikings are another team which has passed the first threshold of fines for a $50,000 Club Remittance team penalty.

In other supplemental look news:

• The Vontaze Burfict Watch is on again.  An apparent kick of a downed player was also examined during supplementary discipline this week, but he will not face an additional suspension at this time.  He could still be fined Friday.  It would be the first Bengals fine this year.

Additional Week 6 Fines:

• Atlanta Falcons:  Grady Jarrett and
• Atlanta Falcons:  De'Vondre Campbell:  $18,231 each for roughing the passer.
• Minnesota Vikings:  Anthony Barr, as I said before, was not fined for the hit that ended Aaron Rodgers' season.  He WAS, however, fined $9,115 for headbutting another Packer, another TWO-TIME LOSER -- he was also fined in Week 3, for a horse-collar tackle.
• Minnesota Vikings:  LaQuon Treadwell:  $24,309 for a blindside block.
• Green Bay Packers:  Jake Ryan:  $18,231 for a horse-collar tackle
• San Francisco 49ers:  Pierre Garcon:  $24,309 for a battering-ram situation on offense.
• Denver Broncos:  Ronald Leary:   $9,115 for unsportsmanlike conduct

The Uncivil Race War: Is THIS why the Cowboys are still getting ratings?

(hat-tip to my anonymous friend)

So we can now add "racist" to Jerry Jones' list, I see...

In probably one of the least surprising recent developments of the National Anthem protests, Jerry Jones was reported by MSN to be the only voice of dissent in a hard line to try to get the Black football players forced to stand for the National Anthem.

In contrast to current NFL policy (and in opposition to the understanding most MAGA football fans/boycotters are expressing all over Twitter), Jones even suggested the following:

"More specifically, Jones expressed a desire to have the NFL’s game-day manual changed to outline potential punishments for players who do not stand during “The Star-Spangled Banner.” There were reportedly no other owners who supported his stance."

I've had to tell a number of the White Right protestors:  The current NFL manual says SHOULD stand -- not MUST.  That's the NBA, and was in response to people who WERE factually being disrespectful, not exercising their Constitutional right to protest.

And then someone on Democratic Underground saw this old ditty from three years ago:

"Dallas Cowboys Owner and General Manager, Jerry Jones, was recently caught on tape by his longtime fling. He stated during the recording that he was sick of that “n**** Dez Bryant,” and as soon as Bryant makes a mistake, he would quickly make a move to “hang the punk.”"

Though the article states Sports Illustrated actually has found Jones to be the least popular sports figure in his home state of Texas, the reality is that, at the same time, he has taken the front and center of the MAGA White Right Football Movement.

This is why the Cowboys were 5 for 5 entering this week in raising both ratings and viewers.   This week, however, appears to have bucked that trend, making it 5 for 6.

Fine Friday, for the right 2017 week (Six) now...

The Raiders are fortunate they are only on the hook for $50,000 for Lynch on that.  Between lost salary and possible fines for the offenses, he could face $200,000 by the time this is over.

So, back to Week Six, and a familiar jumping-off point:

• Pittsburgh Steelers:  In addition to Mike Mitchell (see earlier post):  Total is $57,735.
• Pittsburgh Steelers:  Bud DuPree:  TWO TIME LOSER:  This time, $24,309 for Roughing the Passer 
• Pittsburgh Steelers:  Le'Veon Bell:  $12,154, celebration violation.
• Three Steelers were fined $72,927 in Week One.  These three were fined $94,189, for which the Steelers are responsible for $86,463.
• That brings their total responsible to $171,544.  (Full total:  $179,279.)  So, basically ANY further fines in the 2017 league year will fine them an additional $50,000, plus make all fines after that (and about $11,000 of the next one) dollar-for-dollar fines by the league.

Others:

• New Orleans Saints:  Cameron Jordan:  $12,154, celebration foul (he still refuses not to slam dunk the ball, even though it's illegal several years now!)
• New Orleans Saints:  Josh Hill:  $24,309, unnecessary roughness.
• The hit that put Aaron Rodgers out for the season was legal, and was not fined.

More later.

Fine Friday, But For Week SEVEN??? Suspension Blotter...

• Oakland Raiders:  Marshawn Lynch SUSPENDED one game for shoving an official and charging off the bench to join a melee.

You know it's big from when it's from LAST NIGHT'S game!  (They played Kansas City on Thursday Night, and defeated them in a manner which will almost certainly require another post.)

Anyone who thinks this is because of Lynch's Anthem protests can shut up.

It's for this:

Marshawn Lynch watched game from the stands after ejection, took the train home: https://t.co/xvl5IueqtB pic.twitter.com/T0PtiBWE0a

— Deadspin (@Deadspin) October 20, 2017

And he's DAMN LUCKY he's only sitting ONE game for it.

(For the record, there's no additional penalty for watching the game from the stands after being tossed -- he's just removed from the sideline.)

According to at least one source, even if he wins the appeal, he probably loses his entire game check for that week:  $30,387 for the referee incident, $24,309 at least for unsportsmanlike conduct for leaving the bench to do so, another $6,076 for leaving the bench in the first place...

And ANOTHER possible $30,387 for being in the stands after being ejected.  Original reports indicate that there is no penalty -- the league may now believe otherwise!

He's damn lucky he didn't get the game forfeited.  It doesn't matter why he did, but the guy comes off the bench to join a melee, and, when restrained by the officials, shoves the official rather hard.

Changing my mind from the original post.

Should be banned for the season.  If he wants to play again at all, he can talk to Goodell.

Why?

That's a minimum THIRTY-GAMER in the NHL.

That's a month at minimum in MLB (ask Pete Rose).

Five games for shoving a ref to the floor in the NBA D-League.

Part One Week Six 2017 Fine Blotter: Steelers get dinged the maximum on late hit on Smith...

• Pittsburgh Steelers:  Mike Mitchell, doubled fine for a repeat offender, and two separate fines on a late hit to Alex Smith.  He's appealing, but, as of right now, he's fined a reported $66,851 for a late hit on Smith that included a face mask.  He's appealing.
• This is his third fine for unnecessary roughness within two years.
• The Steelers, by rule, are responsible for $50,000 of that fine toward their Club Remittance number.
• As a result of that and a bevy of Week 1 fines totalling over $70,000, the Steelers are now well over the first threshold of $121,540.  ($134,081)  As a result, unless this fine gets significantly reduced (at least one of the repeat-offender statuses removed), the Steelers have been fined $50,000 for their dirty hits, including four major unnecessary roughness $24,000+ jobs.

Let's see IF I can catch up on these: 2017 Week 5 Fine Blotter

Falling a bit behind on this, so there's a good chance I won't get all of these.

That said:

• First things first:  As I said in the other recent blog post, Ezekiel Elliot, after losing two rounds of his latest court battle to overturn the NFL discipline process, won a temporary restraining order on Tuesday.  Next round is a show-cause on October 30 to indicate why a two-pronged appeal (in both New York and Texas) should be stopped.

So here's the beginnings of what I can find for Week 5, Spotrac helping out:

• Carolina Panthers:  Luke Kuechly, $9,115 for a face mask.
• Green Bay Packers:  Damarious Randall, $9,115 for taunting
• Green Bay Packers:  Davante Adams, $6,076 for an illegal souvenir.
• Houston Texans:  Marcus Gilchrist:  $24,309 for helmet to helmet.

And I've checked several sources - that's all I can find for Week 5.

Several Major NFL Points at the Six-Week Mark

• Ezekiel Elliot has won another TRO after failing to get his case heard by a full appeals panel.
• It's clear the NFL boycotts are working.  There are now banks and rating organizations who are cutting Fox and CBS stock price targets because of the decline in NFL ratings -- and this was after last year being the "Great" Trump Circus.
• The NFL and the players sat down for a discussion on many topics on Tuesday, including the Anthem protests.  One cannot think, though, that the NFL is not going to try to look at ending these protests to satisfy MAGA America.

Now, a number of observations, including the big Rig Job of the Week...

• When you can actually get Mike Greenberg on ESPN Radio to question the call that much for his beloved Jets, you know you have a problem...

It is clear that a number of the highlight clips do not want to give you a clear view of the Jets receiver on the far side of the field, heading for the pylon.  Though there is a moment where he may have lost arms on the ball, he clearly regains possession as he goes to the ground.

He is ruled on the field to have scored, but then it's reversed in the booth to a touchback and a win for the Patriots, eventually.

Why does this happen?

Well, let's take a look at the current NFL...

• I have already had to tear up my 19-0 ticket, as Pittsburgh's win over Kansas City means we don't even make Week 6 before the last undefeated team loses!  Same week as last year.  Two recent years didn't even get to Week 4!!!
• And it gets worse for the NFL when you start looking at the present landscape.
• AFC:  1) AFC West:  Kansas City, 5-1.  2)  North:  Pittsburgh 4-2  3) East:  New England 4-2 and one less conference win.  (They do play in Week 15.)   4)  South:  Titans 3-3 (the Jaguars and Texans are also 3-3, but the Titans have one more division win)
• Wild cards would be two of these three teams:  Buffalo, Miami, and Denver.

That, alone, should tell you why you saw that rig-job against the Jets.  If the Jets win that game, all four AFC East teams are 3-3!

• NFC:  1) East:  Philadelphia 5-1.  2) North:  Minnesota 4-2.  3/4)  Carolina and the Rams at 4-2 with a worse conference record.
• Wild Cards:  Washington, New Orleans, Atlanta, and Seattle are all 3-2.  (Yes, Green Bay is 4-2, but does anyone honestly believe that, with Rodgers and that brittle offense out for the year...)

Take one look at that landscape and try to storyline a compelling situation.

I'll wait.

2017 Week Six NFL Score Report

I still have to do last Friday's Fine Blotter.  Will get to at least some of it before I go to bed.

No comparisons on this one.  I think I forgot to do Week Six last year!

First the numbers, then the ratings, then a look around...

• 48.14 points a game this week, including a 90-point monstrosity between New Orleans and Detroit featuring FIVE defensive touchdowns and a sixth off the special teams.  Season per-game average is up to 44.55.
• First piece of big news this week:  Home teams went 6-8 this week, deepening the current hole to 43-46 for the season. That's right:  Road teams are 3 over .500.
• The Over went 8-6 for 44-43-4.
• And then to the biggest:  Only THREE NFL teams covered this week.   3-11 against the number.  Only Houston, New Orleans, and this monstrosity covered the number....

Monday is starting to get a reputation for improbable late covers. pic.twitter.com/rQt3P2l0yi

— Jon Campbell (@JonnyOddsShark) October 17, 2017

The line in that game was Tennessee -7. That Ole job got the cover.

• ... and only 5-9 straight-up!!!  So, for the year, teams are 37-54 against the number and 51-40 straight up.
• Want some scarier numbers?   22-38 ATS the last four weeks, 30-30 straight up.
• Team with more penalties was 3-9 this week, with two even.  40-43-8 for the year.
• Two non-competitive games for the week (total:  29)
• Four games got within one score but didn't end there.  (total:  14)
• Eight games ended within one score.  (total:  48)
• Two Cliffhangers (Chicago's win in overtime was a double, their opponents needing a Cliffhanger TD + 2 for the tie.  And the Chargers beat the Raiders with a field goal at the gun.)  (Total:  17)
• Also two last chance misses for 17 total as well.

I don't need Sports Media Watch for the generalities this week:  ESPN has picked up on this one instead!

• An aggregate of NFL ratings this season by Nielsen has shown viewership down 7.5% to just 15 million viewers a week.
• Going to Sports Media Watch specifically:  Monday Night's ratings sucked, but they sucked the same as last year -- no appreciable change.
• Sunday Night was up 16% ratings, 19% viewers over an even weaker matchup last year.
• CBS National Window got nailed hard, though:  Down 24% ratings, 26% viewers.
• CBS Regional Window down 14% ratings and 17% viewers to the worst non-London window of the year.
• FOX' Single Window was down 12%.

I'm about this close to going off on the Weinstein stuff...

I am probably going to make one or a number of posts in the near future regarding Harvey Weinstein and all the bullshit going down with respect to this predatorial idiot and probably most of Hollywood with it!

Al Michaels, on Sunday's prime-time broadcast, decided now was a time to reopen some of these wounds:

“And let’s face it: the Giants are coming off a worse week than Harvey Weinstein, and they’re up by 14 points!” 

I don't think many people are getting how deep this shit cuts.

I don't think many people WANT TO GET how deep this shit cuts.

I don't think many people get how much some of the people who have been wronged and raped and ravaged and all that shit by half of Hollywood and God knows how much else of the entertainment industry have meant to some people who needed something to fucking believe in.

Michaels has apologized:

Al Michaels' apology for Weinstein joke pic.twitter.com/QrIPTb6l2X

— That Dude (@cjzer0) October 16, 2017

You don't get it, Al:  I'll be the first to admit I've also fallen into the trap Mayim Bialik put herself in and all that stuff (and, trust me, Mayim:  You didn't always dress that modest.)...  I've said some things, meaning one thing and it coming across as quite another (and threatening in that respect!).

We are, as a culture, a rape/sexual assault/criminality culture, where so much is glossed over so we can be entertained, whether it be on the sports fields more endemic to this blog or the entertainment of the like of Debbie or Mayim or Olivia or whoever...

Al, you should be FIRED for that.  Sorry.  Now is not the time to be making light of this.

Another year, another MLB playoffs, and it appears we're rigging it for the Cubs again, and probably the Yankees...

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

North Dallas Thugboys: Next Round to the NFL

The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 for the NFL to reinstate the suspension of Ezekiel Elliot today.

Don't expect it to start service yet:  There's still a possibility the case could either be heard in New York or go straight to the Supreme Court.  Do not, however, expect anything soon -- but the Cowboys are on their bye week this week.

(MSN)

Sounds like we have match-fixing in the COMNEBOL qualifiers too -- more common variety here.

Brian Tuohy tends to find good sources of match-fixing and the like, and found this from someone else's Twitter:

WOW WOW! Video of what appears Falcao convincing Peru players one by one to deal for a draw that would qualify both pic.twitter.com/8laXomElvY

— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) October 11, 2017

The South American (COMNEBOL) qualifiers for the World Cup are less complicated than most other continents. Since there are only 10 member countries, there is only one group, and all teams play each other twice in an about one-year or so span. Four teams qualify directly, a fifth goes to an interconfederational playoff.

As with the other confederations, the last day of play was this week.

And the rough table looks as follows:

Brazil wins the group and is qualified
Uruguay is second, but with a +10 goal differential, the odds of then not qualifying are about zero.
Ecuador, Bolivia, and Venezuela are out.

It's five teams for 2 1/2 spots.

Chile and Colombia both have 26 points and a +2 goal differential, but Chile is third on more goals scored.
Peru has 25 points and a +1 goal differential.
Argentina was in major trouble of crashing out at the same situation, but fewer goals scored.
Paraguay had 24 points and -5 goal differential.

Brazil-Chile
Ecuador-Argentina
Paraguay -Venezuela

and the one you see in the Tweet, Peru-Colombia -- are the four relevant matches.

Falcao of Colombia is appearing, in this video, to talk to the Peruvian players, explaining to them that a draw is probably enough to qualify both sides for the World Cup, or at least for the playoff.

This is match-fixing.  But it's so common, it has an Italian term for it in the soccer world:  A biscotto.  An effective pre-arranged result that benefits both sides in such a situation.

And an own goal got exactly that result -- a 1-1 draw.  (COL 27 points, +2; Peru 26 points, +1)

Brazil eliminated Chile by defeating them 3-0.  (CHI 26 points, -1)

Venezuela stunned Paraguay at home 0-1 to eliminate them with 24 points.

Argentina won 1-3 at Ecuador to take one automatic spot.  Colombia took the other.  The biscotto actually fails, as Peru now has to go to the playoff with New Zealand (the half-spot Oceania now gets with Australia playing in the Asian confederation).

The Uncivil Race War: Donald Trump is an idiot, Roger Goodell is now a MAGA shill, and other Captain Obvious moments

Well, it's clear...

The tide on the National Anthem protests is turning away from the right side and is going to the wrong side -- the MAGA side.

And a lot of people are going to point out that the boycott of the NFL is working.

Of this there is no doubt -- IT IS.

Though Monday Night Football was up 9% ratings, 14% viewers, it is almost certain that was because ESPN cross-promoted with Disney partner Lucasfilm for Star Wars VIII, with a new trailer at halftime, to get those kinds of numbers.

Sunday Night ended up a complete mixed bag, effectively even in both ratings and viewers over last year (and last year was a major Presidential debate!).

Only two of the six Sunday Night games have increased ratings and viewers.

Only about a third of the windows of any of the games have posted increases, with the Cowboys going 5 for 5 in this regard for most of them.

So it's no surprise that the needle moving back toward the White Right starts in Dallas:

• It started with Jerry Jones, after a meeting with Donald Trump, reverting back to his preseason stand that any Cowboy who protested during the Anthem would be an ex-Cowboy in short order.
• He was joined by the owner of the Miami Dolphins soon thereafter.
• Adolf Twitler (Donald Trump, for those who don't know the slam) has gone on the offensive against the protesting players.  Today, ESPN reports his belief the players would not have taken the knee if the NFL had done it's job and suspended Colin Kaepernick last year.

He IS that fucking stupid!

I swear to God, he IS that fucking stupid!!

Why are they protesting in the first damn place?  Why has this gained such traction in the NFL among (mostly) Black players?

It's BECAUSE Colin Kaepernick has been successfully blackballed from professional football as a result of his protests!!

• He's also saying he wants to go after the tax status of the NFL.
• Roger Goodell has finally began to buckle down (in what might be the first real buckling down an NFL commissioner has done in a long time -- and sets a frightening precedent as to what Donald Trump may think he wants to do, both in and out of sports!!) and sent a memo reasserting the rules that all players should stand for the Anthem.  He, however, has stopped short of God-Emperor Pussygrabber's position that the players must stand -- it still comes across as a SHOULD -- FOR NOW.

So the question from here is:  What happens if that ends up on my Fine Blotter?

My prediction:  It gets ugly.

The NFLPA has requested and received a position at a meeting of the owners with respect to the National Anthem protests.  The meeting will take place next week.

I think we are heading for at least a partial work stoppage later this year.

There have to be at least 50 players who will be blackballed from this league as Kaepernick was -- and there are several prominent names on this list.  The Bennett brothers (one in Seattle, the other in Green Bay) and Marshawn Lynch the first three off the top of my head.

The fact is, once Donald Trump and the MAGA White Right Football Fans of America force Goodell's hand (and they appear to have the upper hand in doing so, as it is now over a year of deteriorating ratings in the face of these protests!), the only real avenue left of protest is probably going to be an outright work stoppage, as you (as one reader of my blog has already said to me applies to the fans, and that reader is correct!!) cannot support both Trump and his positions and the NFL.

I don't know if it will get games cancelled or what the heck.  But I do believe the next logical step of this, especially if the MAGA White Right gets their way and the players do start getting benched/fined/suspended/fired, you will start seeing a deliberate work stoppage on some level.

I mean, as a final consideration on this post:  Three weeks ago, when Oakland lost it's first game, it was believed by sources credible to the San Jose Mercury News that, at minimum, the offensive line of the Oakland Raiders may have deliberately allowed David Carr (a white QB) to take excessive hits in that game as a message that he needed to get in line with their protests of the National Anthem!

Carr was injured with a back injury the next week, and has been out the two weeks since!

Do we now have a case where one team's season has been irreparably compromised because of these protests?

If so, how do you think the protesting players will respond if they are disciplined (or worse!) for these protests???

This is about to get further ugly and FAST!

The Uncivil Race War: I thought this might start later...

I figured this already would've started happening, and a couple weeks ago, to the athletes, but we now have race-related violence against Black people who refused to stand for the National Anthem...

In Los Angeles, California...   (The Root -- another Gawker subsite -- with the report.)

Lakers preseason game, Savannah Sugg, who is a racist bitch who attends California Baptist University in Riverside, CA, videoed her racist bitch friend Haley Perea (who also attends what is not-so-affectionately called "California Fascist University") dumping a drink on a Black man not standing for the Anthem -- and saying that this was how she was going to take care of anyone who decided to kneel for the Anthem.

Someone's getting punched out or shot, real damn soon.

And when you read about these two lovely pieces of shit, you realize that they are racist and willing to help to continue to bring the pot to a boil.  Forget the melting pot -- these two want a fucking boiling one and have had no problems taking to social media and stating as such!  Social media full of slurs and references to Black people as monkeys, etc. and so forth.

There are those in the Black social media who would like to see these two racist Crackers expelled.   Cal Baptist is investigating.

Save your breath, according to one commenter to that Gawker article:

"I lived in Riverside for a decade and CBU is racist AF. There will be never be an expulsion for this because the school is at the heart of Trumps base. Maybe they’ll be forced to do community service, but just for the sake of PR. CBU students are the worst; they spend their free time proselytizing at local coffee shops. At least once year one of them would start a convo with me, then say I need Christ in my life, and then tell me I am going to hell when I laughed them. I’d then remind them that we were in Riverside and they were talking to me, so I was already effectively in hell. They didn’t like that joke....."

I have friends of mine - fellow readers - who also have attended this school and say the same thing about it.  (Including their feelings on Riverside.)

FIFA '17: Ladies and gentlemen, we have a live one here.

Anyone who knew of the United States' role in busting Sepp Blatter and the like had to know that, when the opportunity came, FIFA's dark corners were going to bust out the United States.

(BLOGGER'S NOTE:  Not all conspiracies end in universally negative results.   I believe the United States is a waste of time and energy in the World Cup of soccer, and also am sick of the only people who want to watch soccer in the USA usually with their American flags in one hand and a beer and/or their dick in the other!)

So let's get on with it.

Entering tonight's final matches in the CONCACAF "Hex" (the six-team final group to determine the three teams to qualify for the World Cup in Russia (which will probably be blog-boycotted) and a fourth team to qualify for a playoff (which, this morning, it was determined to be with Australia), the standings were as follows:

Mexico has already won the "Hex" and qualified.  Costa Rica is second and has qualified as of a result Saturday, a draw with Honduras.

So there's one full spot left and the playoff with Australia.

The United States had 12 points (3 points for a win, 1 for a draw) and a goal differential in the group (the first tiebreaker) of +5.
Panama is the next team in the list with 10 points and a -2 goal differential, largely attributed to a 4-0 loss to the United States last week.
Honduras also has 10 points, but a -7 goal differential.

Because of the goal differences, the United States is absolutely qualified with a win and effectively with a draw.  The only way the USA could lose is to lose to the group minnows and have both Panama and Honduras win.  The only way the USA could go to the playoff was to lose and have only one of Honduras and Panama win.  Honduras and Panama needed to track each other's results for placement between the two.  A substantively superior result for Honduras gets them the higher spot, otherwise Panama.

The United States went to lowly Trinidad and Tobago tonight.
Panama hosted Costa Rica
Honduras hosted Mexico.

As is tradition for a final phase, all matches kicked off at the same time.

17th minute:  Mexico scores.  HON 0-1 MEX
Same minute:  Shock own goal against the United States  T&T 1-0 USA
34th minute:  Honduras equalizes.  HON 1-1 MEX
36th minute:  Costa Rica scores.  PAN 0-1 CRC
37th minute:  Shocker in Trinidad!  It's 2-0 T&T!!
39th minute:  Mexico retakes the lead.  HON 1-2 MEX

Halftime.

All three teams are losing.  The USA would still automatically qualify, Panama would play Australia.

Second half:

47th minute:  One of the few bright spots, Christian Pulisic, halves the deficit.  T&T 2-1 USA.
53rd minute:  Gabriel Torrez solidifies Panama's position and draws the match. PAN 1-1 CRC. 
54th minute:  Another own goal, this time against Mexico, squares THAT match.  HON 2-2 MEX.
60th minute:  Romell Quioto gives Honduras a temporary full qualifying spot!  HON 3-2 MEX

Now, for the record, I will tell you that the USA and Honduras matches ended like that.  Trinidad and Tobago embarrasses the United States, with only their second win in the group, 2-1.

Honduras beats Mexico 3-2.  So Honduras, for the moment, has won the full spot, and, unless Panama gets a second goal, the USA plays Australia.

Remember that 53rd minute goal?  This was it!!

Esa bola nunca entró ¡Árbitro vulgar! pic.twitter.com/9xyrrZIzWt

— TDMás (@tdmas_cr) October 11, 2017

And an 88th minute goal WINS IT FOR PANAMA!!

And, if anyone remembers, whose country had the largest stake in taking down Sepp Blatter and his cronies???

Exactly.

So two own goals AND a goal allowed that should never have been a goal lead to the one-goal victories for the EXACT RESULT that allowed the United States to be eliminated from Russia 2018!  Panama wins the full spot, Honduras goes two legs with Australia for a spot in the main tournament.

Now, don't get me wrong:  I love that the United States is eliminated -- but does it have to be THIS FUCKING BLATANT????

EDIT TO ADD:  Watch the third Honduras goal at about 10 minutes of this video and tell me the scorer was not MILES OFFSIDE!!!

America the Fucking STUPID: Cowboys Fan Lit Up Over Packers Win

I'm sorry for the language in the titles, but it just seems that I am literally waking up in Hell these days with just the most idiotic crap going on, and no one else is batting an eyelash to this shit???

(Deadspin with the latest in a growing number of abject idiocies...)

It was fine, to an extent, when the TV just gets smashed and it's accepted it'll be replaced and all that kind of stuff.

But that extent leaves the table when a Dallas Cowboys fan in Florida literally SET HIMSELF ON FIRE after the Green Bay Packers defeated the Cowboys.

That's right.  Let me say that again for emphasis:

SET.  HIMSELF.  ON.  FIRE!

This nation is finished, people, if that's the kind of idiocy a little alcohol brings to the table.

It starts off innocently enough:  Cowboy Fan Husband and Packer Fan Wife make a bet:  Losing team's jersey has to be burned.  OK, we've seen enough stories of people burning their NFL apparel because they're White Crackers and God-Emperor Supporters -- so this is more conventional, right?

When the Cowboys lost, the 27 year-old Cowboys fan went outside to pay off the bet.

Then, an alcohol-fueled moment of idiocy:  HE THEN TRIED TO PUT THE JERSEY ON!

GOOD NIGHT EVERYBODY!!!

Week 5 NFL 2017 Score Report: Now that the NFL is falling in line, normalcy?

A number of developments appear to indicate the NFL is willing to buckle to Donald Trump's demands.

I think that has a number of not-so-obvious ramifications, given the present political and social climate.

However, one indication I am getting of this possibly starting up can be found in a more normalizing pattern of the NFL in Week Five.  The rest of this will be handled in it's own article.

With that, the Week Five Score Report:

• Week 5 Score Average:  43.36 this year.  Last year:  44.64  Two years ago:  46.29
• Five week total average:  43.90 this year.  Last year:  45.38.  Two years ago:  46.26
• BAD week for the home teams this week:  Only 4-10!!!  Last two years, Week 5 home teams were 7-7.
• But what that means is, five weeks in, for the first time I can remember tracking, home teams actually have a LOSING RECORD!  Home teams are 37-38 in the NFL so far this year.  Last year they were 41-35, two years ago they were 42-34.
• Favorites were 8-6 both ways this week.  That makes 34-43 against the number and 46-31 straight up. Last year, they were only one game below .500 through five weeks against the number and 40-30 straight up.
• Team with more penalties was 8-5 this week, with one game ending even.  That means that the team committing more penalties is now three games over .500.
• This means that trends indicate that home teams and teams committing fewer fouls are LOSING more than winning.
• Here's where we get to the normalization part.  This week, only 2 games ended non-competitively and only a third ended with the margin outside one score in which the game was within one score in the 4th quarter.
• 11 of the 14 games were within one score at the final margin,  three Cliffhangers, 4 Last Chance Misses.
• So that makes 15 Cliffhangers for the year in 4 weeks.  Still below 20%.  14 last year (Week 5 2016 had one), 19 two years ago (Week 5 2015 had six!).
• 40 of the 77 games have now finished within one score.  28 of the last 46 after only 12 of the first 29.  
• Last year, the NFL broke a record in that regard, with 58 games within one score at some point in the fourth quarter.  This year?  50.
• 15 Last Chance Misses through five weeks.  Last year?  24.

And, for the important numbers, from Sports Media Watch:

• The Cowboys made it 5-for-5, as their slot, for the fifth week in a row, was up in ratings -- about 15%
• However, from their meeting in 2016 in the regular season, down 16%.
• The Sunday nighter was up 4% from last year, but that was against a presidential debate.  Down almost 20% from two years ago.
• The early windows for both CBS (single) and FOX (early of double) were down 16-17%.

The Uncivil Race War: And... Jemele Hill's Gone...

ESPN has suspended Jemele Hill two weeks for improper use of social media.

That's pretty much her end with the network (which see:  Simmons, Bill).

Sounds like the last straw was her calls to boycott Dallas Cowboys advertisers after Jerry Jones went all Donald Trump on his team and fans, saying anyone refusing to honor the Anthem in the White Right way ends up off the Cowboys.

Miami's ownership has now gone the same route.

Could we be heading for a late-season NFL work stoppage?

Wait a motherfucking second here... We've got an NFL assistant coach snorting cocaine on camera????

DA...  FUQ???

Because that's what it appears like.

The Miami Dolphins have been further shaken by about a 55-second social-media video showing one of the most incredulous things I ever thought I'd see.

The Miami Herald has gotten a hold of the video and has contacted the Dolphins, according to Deadspin. 

In the video, a man is seen snorting lines of a white substance with a $20 bill.

The man in the video, it is reported, is Miami Dolphins offensive line coach Chris Foerster -- almost stereotypically snorting cocaine (apparently before a team meeting) and saying he'd also like to lick more coke off a woman's pussy.

Foerster is making $2.5-3 million in his post.  If the video is legitimate, it's also clear he's probably doing hookers and blow in Vegas with some of the money...

KEE-RIPE!!!

Good Grief, Manfred... Can we make it any more obvious, barring some on-field "Vitamin S"?

These playoffs are getting fucking ridiculous.

It's the end of the 7th in Game 3 of the Boston NLDS as I begin this blog post, and that one looks like it's going to a Game 4 tomorrow.

It's 10-3 Boston.

Not even taking into account that there are two innings to go in this game, there's one thing that people can look at without any question.

The scoreboards are going abject TILT!

As of that 10-3:  In only 9 playoff games and the two play-in/Wild Card games, there have now been 33 runs in the Boston-Houston series (2-0 Houston, Boston up 10-3 in the third game), 21 runs in the Yankee-Cleveland series (2-0 Cleveland, Game 3 tonight in New York), 27 runs in the Dodger-Diamondback series (2-0 Los Angeles, Game 3 tomorrow night in Arizona), and 12 runs in the two games of the Cubs-Nationals series (1-1, Game 3 tomorrow afternoon in Chicago).  And the Wild Card/play-ins were 11-8 (Arizona over Colorado) and 8-4 (New York over Minnesota).

11 games, 124 runs.

An average of over 11 runs a game.

And I've watched two games with a very nervous baseball fan friend of mine, and we're just shocked to see how much the ball is jumping off the bat in every conceivable fashion.  An 8-2 lead, in three pitches, can become 8-5 and a far more nervous game in very VERY short order, and that's how Commissioner Blinded by the Light wants it -- MORE offense!  MOAR!!!

Well, that leads to several problems:

First:

Yankees-Twins:  3 hours, 51 minutes
Diamondbacks-Rockies:  3:54
Houston-Boston:  Game 1:  3:26  Game 2:  Four hours even  Game 3 (which just ended at that 10-3): 3:38
Cleveland-New York:   Game 1:  Also 3:26  Game 2 (the only extra-inning game so far):  FIVE HOURS EIGHT MINUTES
Washington-Cubs:  Game 1:  3:02 (for a game that ended 3-0 with only three pitchers for each team and a total of seven hits!!!)  Game 2:  3:06
Dodgers-Diamondbacks:  Game 1:  3:37 Game 2:  3:48

The average game (with only the one extra-inning game) is about three hours and 43 minutes long.  With a number of these games starting a 9 PM Eastern, this would mean the "late game" would end somewhere about 12:45 AM the next morning -- not conducive at all for the kids.

Second:

Does a wonder for people's nerves when it just seems that any pitcher can conceivably get shelled at any conceivable moment!

This, after a season in which both the records for most home runs across MLB and most strikeouts were broken.  The only reason people won't make a claim the Steroid Era is back is because nobody got THAT ridiculous in distance of home runs OR in production.

The balls are juiced, and it's creating a situation where the games are high-scoring, intense, and very hard for some people to take, frankly!  Some baseball historians would much rather see pitching be of value, but the way this playoff situation is going, Commissioner Manfred would rather see the ball put on a tee for the Cubs (who are the only team, thanks to the scourge of WGN and "Cub-bro" who wants to shove the "W" flag up Washington's asses in their own ballpark (which did happen after Game 1!!), to get good ratings, it seems) to drive off of.

Better Get This Done Quickly: Week 4 Fine Blotter

Whoops.  Forgot these picking up the pieces:

• Oakland Raiders: Marquette King: $9,115 for unsportsmanlike conduct -- for an act for which he should've been tossed.  Throwing the ball at the back of an opposing player's head -- he's the Raider PUNTER.
• Baltimore Ravens: Za'Derius Smith:  $18,231 for roughing the passer.
• Green Bay Packers: Ha-Ha Clinton Dix:  $24,309 for a helmet to helmet shot.
• Washington Redskins: Bashaud Breeland:  $18,231 for a horse-collar tackle.
• New York Jets:  Paul Posluszny:  $9,115 for taunting
• Philadelphia Eagles:  Vinny Curry: $9,115 for unnecessary roughness
• Indianapolis Colts: Jonathan Hankins:  also $9,115 for unnecessary roughness

There may be more later, but that's all I can find at this time...

The Uncivil Race War: It's About To Become Against the Law... (And other Week 5 Protest News, if any)

We just took a very important step, in my honest opinion, toward the Trump Administration putting laws in place to force what conservatives will believe to be proper respect... or else.

Mike Pence, the Dominionist Heir to the Throne (read: Vice-President) walked out of the Indianapolis game today, following the lead of Trump, after the Anthem protests.

It is about to become illegal to protest the National Anthem in this country, and people better wake up to that reality that we have a fascist pig in the White House, and Dominionist Vice-President walking lockstep in all of this.

According to Deadspin, almost half the 49ers team took a knee while the Colts stood arm-in-arm.  The Colts also had on black shirts, ESPN's weekly list reports, stating "We Will" on the front and, on the back, “Stand for equality, justice, unity, respect, dialogue, opportunity".

Executive order when, people??

According to the list, as of the time of writing, players from the Raiders (Marshawn Lynch had an "EVERYBODY VS. TRUMP" T-shirt last week, no word of what this week when he sat on the bench), Titans, Dolphins, Eagles, and Giants were listed.

Well, here's one for examination by the defense...

Ohio State routed Maryland today, but THIS got called targeting to force one of their players to sit and get suspended...

The hit that got Denzel Ward ejected: pic.twitter.com/tucXTT6CKd

— Ryan Connors (@RyanConnors_) October 7, 2017

As I said in response:

I'm a stickler for this crap. But unless shoulder found face mask or the side of the helmet found it instead, that's completely legal.

— Michael Falkner (@darkstar7646) October 8, 2017

The Uncivil Race War: It's Creeping Closer...

The NFL is in trouble.

It's now becoming evident that the "Black Player vs. White Fan" reality of the post-Anthem-protest NFL is coming home to roost.

Terrelle Pryor of the Redskins flipped off a Chiefs fan who Pryor claims called him the N-word.  (USA Today)

Not only this, but the NFL appears to have enough evidence (Pryor actually had an NFL Security escort for the final three quarters of the game because of the fan) to not only believe Pryor, but, if they ever find out who did it, the fan will never be allowed in another NFL game again!

We're about one or two more steps down the road to players getting violent MAGA protests on the field against them.

All Right, Let's Catch Up: With Hits Like This, Who Needs Football?

Deadspin will often try to find some of the most ridiculous football stories (more, case studies for the abolition of the sport)...

While the blog was working on the burgeoning race riot that is the NFL and the National Anthem protests, they found at least two worthy of mention:

On the field:  Dateline:  Tennessee

Sevier County is playing Gibbs High when Jeff Bersch decides he's had enough of a Gibbs High opponent and channels his inner Batista.

This really just happened at the Sevier County/Gibbs High School football game in TN tonight! Are we in the WWE or High School football??? pic.twitter.com/EtwenPQWXT

— Jonathan Crompton (@jcromp8) September 30, 2017

He was tossed and had to sit this week's game under the 1+1 Rule.

Off the field:  Dateline:  Buffalo/Finger Lakes Area, New York

In what has to simultaneously be one of the more bizarre, and yet completely expected, cancellations of a football program in recent memory, Geneseo High School (NY) was forced to cancel it's entire season when it found that seven of it's players had taken stolen Oxycontin before a contest!

One of the players had stolen the drugs from his parents' house, and the seven were found to have taken the drug before the one game they played.

Other players on the team told on them, and the season was axed as a result.  The player who procured the drugs has been charged with three counts of child endangerment.  (There would've been more, but the charge requires the "victim" to be under 17, and only three of the players were 17.)

I would assert this probably has been followed by under-the-table beatings for the snitches.

All Right, Lets Catch Up: Week Three Fine/Week Four Suspension Blotter

You knew I was going to go here.

You know this one is bad from Week Three Thursday night when the NFL issues the suspension on SATURDAY.

Usually, they take care of all supplemental discipline on Monday or so, but they decided not to wait on this one.

• Chicago Bears (Week 4):  Danny Trevathan:  Suspended two games immediately, and appealed down to a one-game suspension, for this hit on Green Bay's Davante Adams (who only is back to limited practice in the concussion protocol as a result):

Complete cheap shot, as Adams is basically already stopped on the play, but Trevathan just nails him with a complete headbutt. Was penalized, no ejection.

That's at least two games, and probably three or so, as it was a complete battering-ram shot helmet to helmet on a defenseless player in the open field.

Wow.

And you wonder why some people have sworn off the game...

Now, this is going to be a little difficult.  We're almost at Fine Friday for Week Four.  I still need to compile for Week Three.

• New York Giants:  Odell Beckham Jr.:  $12,154 for a dog-peeing exhibition in the end zone.
• Dallas Cowboys:  DeMarcus Lawrence
• Dallas Cowboys:  and Tyrone Crawford:  $12,154 for pantomiming shooting guns in the air after sacks (which is also a no-no, think the throat-slash).
• Minnesota Vikings:  Xavier Rhodes:  $9,115 for taunting
• Minnesota Vikings:  Andrew Sendejo:  $24,309 for helmet to helmet
• Minnesota Vikings:  Anthony Barr:  $18,231 for a horse-collar tackle.
• Green Bay Packers:  Marwin Evans:  $9,115 for taunting
• Philadelphia Eagles:  LaGarrette Blount:  $9,115 for taunting after a touchdown
• Tennessee Titans:  Jack Conklin:  $12,154 for fighting Richard Sherman after a Sherman late hit (which was flagged, but no fine)
• Seattle Seahawks:  Richard Sherman:  Was fined $12,154, however, for abuse of the referee
• San Francisco 49ers:  Ray-Ray Armstrong:  $18,231 for a horse-collar tackle
• San Francisco 49ers:  Jimmie Ward:  $24,309 for helmet-to-helmet.
• New York Jets:  Darron Lee:  $18,231 for roughing the passer -- making him a TWO-TIME LOSER, after a Week 1 Late Hit
• New York Jets:  Jamal Adams:  $9,115 for taunting
• Kansas City Chiefs:  Daniel Sorensen:  $12,154 for striking -- that fine should be doubled -- he's now a TWO-TIME LOSER, both times for unsportsmanlike conduct
• Cleveland Browns:  James Burgess:  $9,115 for a late hit
• Chicago Bears:  Tarik Cohen:  $6,016 for an illegal souvenir.
• Chicago Bears:  Crevon LeBlanc:  $9,115 for a low block.
• Denver Broncos:  Will Parks:  $9,115 for unsportsmanlike conduct.

(Most of these are courtesy of Spotrac)

And, why not, since we're here on Spotrac, some catch-up from Week 2:

• Chicago Bears:  Tanner Gentry:   $9,115 for unsportsmanlike conduct
• Cleveland Browns:  Christian Kirksey:  $9,115 for unsportsmanlike conduct

All Right, Let's Catch Up: 2017 Week Four Score Report

All right, as we've started Week Five and the world appears just on the brink of completely falling apart...

• 44.6875 was the per-game average for Week Four.  Last year:  45.07, Two Years Ago:  43.03
• This brings the 63 currently-played games to an average of 44.016.  Last year, 45.54, Two Years Ago:  46.25
• After winning only 2 of the first 9 non-London games this week, home teams rallied to go 7-8.  33-28 for the year.  Last year:  7-7 for 34-28.  Two years ago:  9-5 for a .565 winning percentage at home.
• Over was 9-7, including 4 of the last 5.  29-30-4 for the year.  Last year:  8-7 for 34-28.  Two years ago, 5-9 and about .500.
• Another tough week for favorites:  7-9 against the number, only 9-7 straight up.  That's 26-37 ATS and 38-25 SU.  (Last year, 7-6 both ways for 27-29 ATS and 32-24 SU)
• Team with more penalties was 8-7 in Week Four, with one game tied in penalties.  The team with more penalties is an exact .500 now for the year:  29-29-5.  Last year, 8-5 for 25-31.
• Six more non-competitive games this week for 25 for the year out of 63 played.  About 40% of all NFL games so far this year have not once gotten 8 points or within in margin in the 4th quarter.  Last year, it took until Week 7 to get that far (had 4 for a total of 16 in four weeks).  Two years ago, Week 5 (had 21 through four weeks).
• Monday night had a bizarre situation that only has occurred once since I began tracking about five years or so ago:  A Cliffhanger that, because of another score (defensive in this case), the Chiefs won by more than 8 points.  Hence, a Cliffhanger, but no margin within 8. That was the only game not to be within 8 at the end that was within 8 at some point in the fourth quarter.
• Oh, and by the way:  That defensive score?  Got both the Chiefs (the favorites) and the over to cover.  (Chiefs were -6.5 at 48 -- final margin was 9 and the total was 49!)
• This meant 9 of the 16 games in Week Four ended within 8 points or at 8.  That's 29 for the year out of the 63, about 45%.  
• Total of five Cliffhangers (two FG's at the gun solo (Tampa and Carolina), and three doubles (the aforementioned Chiefs mess, two overtime scores in Arizona with the Cardinals beating the 49ers, and the Jets beating Jacksonville with a field goal in the 10-minute session after the Jags tied it with one at 44 seconds.
• Twelve total Cliffhangers in four weeks (nine in the last two weeks!), same as last year.  Two years ago had 13, three years ago had 9.
• Three Last Chance Misses.

And now for the more crucial numbers, from Sports Media Watch:

• Monday Night Football was down 9% in ratings and 11% in viewers from last year, about the same drop last year's took over two years ago.  SMW accredits this to Kansas City not being saleable, but I'm not so sure on this one...
• Sunday Night Football was down 7% in both measures from last year.
• FOX, however, scored HUGE with road game upsets against both the Cowboys and Patriots, up 22%  in both measures in the single game block.  A six year high for the Week 4 singleheader.
• There have been nine windows out of 25 which have posted ratings increases.  The Cowboys are 4 for 4 -- keep this in mind.
• The London early game was down 17% in both measures.
• The Patriots game contributed to an abysmal number for the late doubleheader block for CBS.  The block led by Oakland vs. Denver was down over 30% in both measures.
• The early block of that doubleheader was actually up 4% in both measures.