2018 NFL Week Eight Score Report

A couple of blurbs first:

• I'm actually NOT surprised on this first one -- could only find two fines last week.  And one of them was on an unflagged foul.  Last week was one of the cleaner weeks in recent memory on penalties, so this, unlike some weeks, does not shock me.
• We're eight weeks in, and we're basically down to the final four or five teams for this Super Bowl.  New England, Kansas City, and maybe the LA Chargers in the AFC, and either the LA Rams or New Orleans in the NFC.  That's it -- everybody else can go home.

So, to the chart:

• Until Buffalo scored only six points Monday Night, it looked like another 50 PPG week.  Instead, we end up with 49.14 PPG for the week...
• ... leading to a season average 48.190 for the season.
• There have been 121 games so far in the NFL season.  This means that, over the total points record of several years ago (46.707 a game), the NFL is now 179 points ahead of that pace.
• To break the all-time PPG record of 47.2, they are now 120 points ahead.
• Home teams were 8-5 for 73-43-2 for the year.
• Over was 5-8-1 for the week, 58-60-3 for the year.
• Favorites were 8-6 ATS, 11-3 straight up.  For the year:  56-63-2 ATS, 81-38 straight up.
• This has led, ESPN reported today, to record takes for Vegas (meaning record losers among the public!) for a month in September.
• Team with more penalties was 5-7 this week, about 13 penalties a game this week.
• Two Cliffhangers, a total of seven games within 8 points, 6 non-competitive games, and 2 Last Chance Misses.  (That whole Ty Montgomery fiasco was at 2:05, so outside both Last Chance Miss and Cliffhanger.)
• Total of 26 Cliffhangers, 66 games within 8 points, 41 non-competitive contests, and 32 Last Chance Misses.

So what DON'T we know about this guy yet, NFL??

For weeks, I've been, as I've been looking over Twitter on NFL fines and had literally dozens of fans state "Fine the damn refs for all the mistakes..."

Without the ability to tell them they aren't mistakes...  *psst*

Anyway, word today that the NFL has fired an official.  Down judge (I'm assuming the guy holding the down marker at the point of the line of scrimmage.) Hugo Cruz was announced fired today by the NFL, and his union, the NFLRA, calls the firing "reckless".

I would not be surprised if this effectively was a blood offering to all the pissed-off fans.

But, even doubly so if this is the case, why this guy?

And why during the year?  Even a referee who fell asleep during a preseason clinic was allowed to complete the season, according to FootballZebras.com, who broke the story to all the major sports outlets.

Yes, Cruz was the guy who apparently missed a game-changing false start in Week 6.

Word to Football Zebras indicated he was on the line to be fired soon anyway as of last March -- but, again, it usually doesn't happen during the season!

So what else DON'T we know, NFL???

Fuck your meme, and, if this is any indication, FUCK THIS WORLD SERIES

Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers got screwed without lube tonight.

They certainly didn't help themselves -- a David Freese overrun in the first led to two runs and a fielding situation and The Human Home Run Machine For The Other Team (Alex Wood) finished it off with three more in the seventh for the 8-4 Boston coronation for the night.

But, that said, what happened in between was the most flagrant bullshit I've seen in a World Series since the 2005 rig-job that tossed the White Sox a World Championship...

• There were at least four calls by that first-base umpire tonight that I have to question on check swings -- all seeming to favor the Red Sox.
• In the third, the Dodgers get out of the inning if the second-base umpire calls correct interference on the throw to first (which was originally called out, overturned correctly on review -- but, of course, no one wants to stop the Red Sox Express tonight, so no review on the interference at second!)  That costs a third run and breaks the 2-2 tie.
• Fifth inning, grounder on the line, Mookie Betts (who was also involved in the Freese overrun that eventually cost the Dodgers the first two runs) is thrown out, but the ball is called foul...  And is fair.
• Then, as Betts scores, no review on the bag at first, and it looks like the out is secured by a very small margin -- that ends up costing the 2 runs that basically get all the idiots who don't care to watch what's really going on to point and laugh -- even though Kershaw starts in the postseason are still 10-5 for the Dodgers!!
• The umpires gave the Red Sox every conceivable call.  Three meaningful extra outs, but the game is still 5-4 until the Human Home Run Machine For The Other Team.

Game 2 (if you can call it as such -- Dave Roberts is outmanaging himself again!!) is tomorrow night.

2018 Week 7 NFL Score Report

• 46.93 points per game this week.  Third-lowest of the year.
• Seven week average:  48.065 PPG.
• To beat the modern record of points, they are now 1.358 points per game ahead at 107 games -- a difference of 143 points.
• To beat the high average for points in a game of 47.2, they are .865 PPG ahead, 93 points ahead.
• Home teams took a beating this week.  They were 3-8 entering the Sunday nighter.  Finished 5-8 for 65-38-2 (.635)
• The Over was 4-10 this week for 53-52-2 this year.
• Against the number, favorites were 7-7.  Straight up, 10-4.  Year:  48-57-2 ATS, 70-35-2 SU
• Only 158 accepted penalties -- 11.3 a game.  Total is about 13.3 a game.
• Team with more penalties was 7-5 for 42-49.
• Two Cliffhangers and six non-competitive games.
• The interesting stat is that all seven (only one game ended within eight some point of the fourth and finished outside) of the games which finished within eight points had at least one Last Chance Miss.
• For the year:  24 Cliffhangers, 59 Within 8, 35 Non-Competitive, 30 Last Chance Miss.

Week 7 Notes: It's official -- the Cowboys are back in the league doghouse again!

• Biggest rig-job before SNF appears to be in Dallas in the late-afternoon feature against the Redskins.

20-17 in the 4th, setting up a tying 47 yard field goal at the gun, and a weird penalty is called.

False start on the snapper.  If you watch the replays, you can see he is fidgeting the ball -- but the question should be:  WHO DOESN'T??

52 yard attempt boinks the upright, and 20-17 is the final.

That's ANOTHER loss you can chalk up to Jerry Jones and his staff not properly policing their players off the field.  This week, it was announced that, for the fourth consecutive year, Jerry Jones has to send a check to the league for multiple suspended players.

And you still want to swear your life and fealty and sacrifice your friends and family for all this?

• Home teams went THREE AND EIGHT entering the primetime games.
• 46.6 for the week so far on the scoring -- a tick below the pace for the record average, but two games with high Vegas totals (56 tonight, 53 tomorrow -- but both are significantly down from the opening line!)
• Each one of the six games, so far, which have been within eight points have also featured at least one Last Chance Miss.
• Two games actually featured two, when the team which had just scored to get within one point missed both the conversion (one extra point, one 2-point try), and the ensuing onside kick!
• The NFL record for overtime games in a season by one team is five.  (The 1983 Packers, the 2003 Panthers)  Cleveland already has four, and it's Week 7.

But nothing could compare to the complete whitewashing of Cincinnati that Kansas City did on Sunday Night Football.

24-7 at half.

38-7 within five minutes of the third quarter.

45-10 with about five minutes left in the game.  Kansas City is driving because Cincinnati's defense can't stop water.

Long run for the Kansas City running back, but just when he's about to score, he "inexplicably" stumbles just inside the 10.

4 plays later, KC gets NOTHING and doesn't even try to!!

Why do I include this as a rig-job?

Over-under was 56.5-57, and the game goes under as a result!!

It was so obvious and so bad that even Collinsworth and Michaels had to admit talking about the Over...

Statistics being posted in the post-mortem indicate 3 out of every 4 dollars wagered were on the Over.

Week Six Fine Blotter: WHY IS THIS PIECE OF SHIT ALLOWED IN FOOTBALL???

• Cincinnati Bengals:  Vontaze Burfict.  Forget the all-caps, he's now over $415,000 of loser just in fines.

The largest fine ever given for an in-game situation which did involve a suspension.

Burfict was fined ONE HUNDRED AND TWELVE THOUSAND DOLLARS for two illegal hits in the game with Pittsburgh -- an elbow to the head of Antonio Brown and a second illegal hit on James Conner.

So the only question now is how much goes on Cincinnati's Club Remittance number...

According to the Club Remittance Policy of 2018, it's $50,000 maximum per infraction.

So that's a clean $100,000 on Cincy's number.

Since Cincinnati (without checking on the rest of it for a second) only had one fine entering Week 6, they do not cross a threshold.

Burfict has been fined more than $158,000 more than the next-highest person in fines in the history of the NFL -- Dashon Goldson.  That does not include the ten games of suspensions he's racked up.

The fact of the fucking matter is that the National Football League does not want to have to man up and throw a man out of the league simply for being a dirty player.  Vontaze Burfict should be banned for life from the National Football League (and this is probably at least two years running now!).

• Seattle Seahawks:  Bradley McDougald:  $26,739 for unnecessary roughness.
• Chicago Bears:  Leonard Floyd:  $20,054:  Roughing the Passer
• Chicago Bears:  And he's a TWO-TIME LOSER in this game, Floyd got another $10,026 for his suplex of Danny Amendola.  How he was not expelled from the contest for it, I have no idea!
• Denver Broncos:  Darius Stewart:  $26,739 for a horse-collar tackle... which eliminated an opposing player from the game.
• Denver Broncos:  Emmanuel Sanders:  $10,026 for a taunting penalty which eventually took points off the board.
• Philadelphia Eagles:  Michael Bennett:  $20,054:  Roughing the Passer

More possibly coming.

Burn. That Fucking Campus. To The Ground. NOW!

And take the NCAA with it.

The latest in the continuing Pedophile State apologists survey is Jake Corman being endorsed by the sick fuck who stayed with Jerry Sandusky enabler Joe Paterno while Paterno did everything from cover-up to probable murder to keep the Pedophile State football program's skids greased.

Sue Paterno endorsed Corman today, which is no surprise given two real facts about THAT piece of shit...

1. Corman aided in getting Paterno's wins reinstated, when it's clear to Stevie Wonder that the only question as to whether the entire program was a front for child molestation is extent.
2. Corman is a homophobic pig.   Another one of those 'Protect Marriage' thugs who gets off on bullying LGBT's while truly not caring one fucking bit about children, because when given a chance to really do something for children, he chose to protect Pedd State and Joe '409 Cover-ups' Paterno.

One of the major reasons I do this blog is a catharsis.  I have had SEVERAL bouts of wanting to inflict some form of statement (an actual, visceral statement) to damage college football and all the fucking enablers which have allowed Pedophile State to be glorified in all this shit.

I am no less than convinced that, if they could've gotten away with it, they'd have a national title by now, and I have to listen to this "Football Over Everything" bullshit.

Get rid of Penn State.  Take Baylor, Michigan State, Maryland, Ohio State, and the NCAA with it.

Suspension Blotter: Word is in on Terrence Williams

• Dallas Cowboys: Terrance Williams:  In the first NFL drug suspension since September 1 (parse THAT!), Williams banned three games for a public intoxication arrest.

And this now means, for at least the third or fourth year in a row, Jerry Jones has to cut a check.

• David Irving, who served a 4-game drug suspension, forfeited $685,648 of his salary for it.
• Williams forfeits $617,647.
• Meaning, with over $1.3 million in forfeited salary, the Cowboys are fined the maximum for this tier:  $150,000.

This time, you aren't a fucking asshole, Joe West,

I cannot believe the narrative going around this morning on sports media like ESPN and Yahoo...

There is actually a decent portion of the sports media who actually believes that what went down last night in the first inning of Game 5 of the American League Championship Series was not fan interference, and probably FLAGRANT fan interference...

First inning.  Jose Altuve hits a blast to right field.  Mookie Betts is going back to attempt to make the catch in right field.

At least four fans in Houston try to reach, ostensibly for the ball.



One pulls himself back, but at least three others are clearly reaching into the field of play to try to catch the ball, and the guy in the gray shirt causes Betts' glove to close.

Joe West, in one of the few cogent moments of his career, calls the fan interference, and New York upholds the call.

And everyone is throwing a shit fit.  From ESPN (who interviewed the jokers!) to Yahoo! to Deadspin!

I've got a stupid question for people:  Are we now at the point that "Home Field Advantage" actually extends to overt acts (like some in the Arena Football League, etc.)?  I wouldn't qualify this as quite an "overt act" -- but I easily would've tossed all involved fans.

But it definitely impacted the game.  It would've been a two-run home run for Altuve, and Houston lost 8-6.  Boston leads the series 3-1, and can go to the World Series in Game 5 tonight.

And Brian Tuohy points out two more script-jobs from Sunday:

On top of the one in New England:

Love the effort on #39 of the Bears to stop the game tying TD. pic.twitter.com/weUrn0RHzu

— Brian Tuohy (@TheFixIsInTuohy) October 14, 2018

Chargers score TD with the help of Russell Okung’s obvious false start: https://t.co/uGcQBdC8Wj pic.twitter.com/ky6AMkl58a

— Deadspin (@Deadspin) October 14, 2018

Week 6 NFL Score Report, as well as ratings and a couple of other notes...

The march to NFL records of points scored continues unabated.

First, I'll do just the week, then I'll show you how this stacks up against history:

• Week 6 points per game:  50.
• Six-week average:  48.24
• Home teams 9-5 for 60-30-2.  (About .660)
• Over was 8-6-1 for 49-42-2.  Both a 58 and a 59.5 went over the number.
• 7-8 against the spread, 11-4 straight up last week.  41-50-2 ATS, 60-31-2 SU.
• Team with more penalties:  9-6 for the week, 35-44 for the year.
• 5 Cliffhangers, eight total within 8 points.  6 non-competitive games, 7 last chance misses.
• Of 93 games so far played, 52 have finished within eight points, 22 Cliffhangers.

Couple of other notes:

• The Quarterback Rules have rigged another game, a key one to determine who plays Super Bowl LIII(E).  Kansas City's Breeland Speeks said he was forced to let Tom Brady go and let him score a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter of Sunday night's game, fearing a 15 yard-penalty and fine if he did not.
• The NFL is looking into THREE Vontaze Burfict hits, as the Pittsburgh Steelers are demanding Burfict's FIFTH suspension (and fourth for on-field conduct) for hits like elbowing Antonio Brown in the head while he was unprotected.
• Ben Roethlesberger stated Burfict, after he put Brown out a while, said he'd do to the same to JuJu Smith-Schuster, backing up Smith-Schuster's claims from Sunday.  As of 5 PM Eastern Tuesday, no word from the NFL on Supplemental Discipline.  Word is that no suspension is forthcoming.  The rematch is Week 17.
• And a gem from Brian Tuohy on how the Sports Machine works together:

It's kind of amazing the the Packers INT and Rodgers drive with 1:07 left all happened immediately after ESPN announced the Brewers won. Timing is everything, no?

— Brian Tuohy (@TheFixIsInTuohy) October 16, 2018

Ratings, from Sports Media Watch:

• Sunday night's shootout showdown with KC and New England was up 34% from last year's Week 6 SNF, highest week 6 SNF on record, a 14.6 -- tied with 2015, another Patriots feature.
• The Cowboys highlighted the lone dud on Sunday, a national window of 12.0 (down 14%).
• Singleheader on FOX was 11.7 (up 18%).
• The regional games drew 9.0 (up 9%).

And now for historical perspective on the scoring ridiculousness, with help from Pro Football Reference.

• The record scoring year for football entering this season was 2013.  The 46.707 points per game that year was a total of 11,957 points.  Prorating that to a total of 93 games (which is how many games have been played this year so far) comes out to 4,344 points.
• I made an error back in 2013.  There was one year with a higher per-game average than 2013's 46.707 -- but you'd have to go back to when the NFL had only ten teams in 1948 for a 47.2.
• This year, so far, there have been 4,486 points scored.  That's 142 points more than the prorated I just stated above.
• According to Pro Football Reference, there have been an average of 3.52 passing/receiving touchdowns a game (1.76 per team).  That is an NFL record by a quarter of a passing touchdown a game!

And, with the early lines mostly out for Week 7:

• The Rams and San Francisco are totalled at 53.
• Cincinnati-Kansas City is right now at 58.5 for Sunday night.
• And the Giants and Atlanta are at 54.5

*sigh* Really, NFL???

43-40 New England, Cliffhanger field goal at the gun.

Brady and New England supplant Mahomes and Kansas City as AFC favorites.

Game goes over the 59.5.

But here's the fun part:  The New England Patriots actually went through an entire NFL game and got NO accepted penalties called against them!

This has happened only 27 times in the NFL since 2000.

Shockingly, the team with zero penalties is only 15-12!

(To be fair and since they require it:  Courtesy Pro Football Reference)

And if you think the NFL Player Safety fines are working...

• Danny Amendola wants a word.  (Deadspin)

Should've been an ejection for Chicago's Leonard Floyd -- WILL be fined, almost certainly.  Could get him a suspension, I could see it.  Word will come tomorrow as to whether the league is looking at it for suspension.

• And Vontaze Burfict is back in the news - TWICE.

Chippy words exchanged all over the Pittsburgh-Cincinnati game, the first since that godawful bloodbath on last year's Monday Night Football.  JuJu Smith-Schuster says Burfict was in the middle of it with Smith-Schuster, falsely claiming Smith-Schuster spat at him.

If you recall, Smith-Schuster put Burfict out in that bloodbath and got suspended a game for it.

And, earlier in the game, this to add to the Burfict trophy case:

There is zero reason Vontaze Burfict should still be in the NFL pic.twitter.com/zTVig79Qu9

— Ivan Rapoport 🌐 (@IvanRapoport) October 14, 2018

Couple of Vegas notes on the totals:

• Another 58 this week for Atlanta and Tampa Bay.  Went over at 61!
• But Kansas City and New England are historic.  Opened at SIXTY, and is now, basically at kickoff, looking to kick at 59.5.

That 59.5 (and the game has just kicked) is the third-highest total Vegas has ever achieved, tied with one other game.

1. October 29, 2000 -- St. Louis at San Francisco.  Kicked at 63.  St. Louis won 34-24 for the Under at a total of 58.
2. Christmas Day, 2004 -- Oakland at Kansas City.  Kicked at 60.  Kansas City won 31-30 for the Over at a total of 61.
3. The other 59.5 -- November 5, 2000 -- the game after #1, another St. Louis game, playing Carolina in the dome.  27-24 Carolina for the Under at a total of 51.

2018 NFL Week 5 Fine Report

• Pittsburgh Steelers:  T.J. Watt:  $20,054 for Roughing the Passer

Yep, it's on THAT HIT.  The one where it looks to be Watt brushing past Matt Ryan's leg, called Unnecessary Roughness and Roughing the Passer, as if he's trying to take him out low.

If that's the case, and it's confirmed fine-able, then finish the job and toss him for Intent to Injure, as ridiculous as it sounds.

Sounds like more of the reports are coming Saturdays.

And, on cue, here's some more:

• Indianapolis Colts:  Najeh Goode:  $20,054 for Roughing the Passer
• New York Jets:  Brandon Copeland
• San Francisco 49ers:  K'Waun Williams
• Oakland Raiders:  Bruce Irvin
• Baltimore Ravens:  Tony Jefferson, ALSO all $20,054 for Roughing the Passer
• New Orleans Saints:  Michael Thomas:  $10,026 for Taunting.
• Kansas City Chiefs:  Kareem Hunt
• Kansas City Chiefs:  Dee Ford, both $10,026 for Unsportsmanlike Conduct
• Kansas City Chiefs:  Chris Jones:  $10,026 for Unnecessary Roughness
• Hunt's makes him a TWO TIME LOSER in successive weeks.  Both Ford and Jones were ejected from the contest.
• Atlanta Falcons:  Foyesade Oluokun:  $10,026 for Unnecessary Roughness
• And that's six out of six for Atlanta, and also now enough to breach the Level 1 barrier, so the Falcons also have been fined $50,000 as a team.
• Green Bay Packers:  Tony Brown:  $10,026 for Taunting
• Green Bay Packers:  Kevin King:  $10,026 for a Facemask
• Green Bay Packers:  Josh Jackson:  Also $10,026 for a Facemask -- and that makes him also a TWO TIME LOSER in successive weeks.
• Miami Dolphins:  Martell Spaith: $10,026 for Unsportsmanlike Conduct

If that's the extent of it, that's another $210,000 plus another $50,000 for accumulation.

The league-season total so far for Player Safety fines?  $1.4 million.

Fine Blotter Supplemental: Tomlin Blasts Officials

• Pittsburgh Steelers:  Head Coach Mike Tomlin, fined $25,000 for blasting the refs.

Two weeks ago, Mike Tomlin talked about the 24 penalties in the MNF game the Steelers were in that week.  He expressed concern the games weren't entertaining.

This week, Tomlin raged at the referees regarding at least two illegal hands to the face calls on his defense -- in a 41-17 win!!!

The big one was a Roughing the Passer call where it did look like the Steeler defender was trying to avoid contact.  The problem is, it sounds as if the ref thought he was taking the quarterback's legs or knees out!

The league sent him a love letter and expects a check for that.

This fine does NOT count toward the Steelers number, because of the fact that the Club Remittance number for fines only regards PLAYER CONDUCT.

EDIT TO ADD 6:30 PDT 10/11:  And another one which won't count -- this one's a team fine:

• New York Giants:  Odell Beckham Jr.:  Undisclosed fine for unflattering comments against his Giants teammates, especially Eli Manning, last week.

The Playoffs So Far: When Rigging DOESN'T Work!!!

I've said a number of times about the present state of Major League Baseball that Rob Manfred has tried to manipulate both the game and the playoffs into something more into his image and what the MLB should be, but only in HIS EYES.

He's tried to do a lot, but he's failed:

First, the Cubs are gone, even though, in the Wild Card game with Colorado...

• Eighth inning, game is 1-1.  Rockies have a runner on first.

DJ LeMahieu grounded to Daniel Murphy, who started a 4-6-3.

The 6-3 was not in dispute, LeMahieu was out.  The problem with the second base part of it.

@MLB @MLBUA Please explain to me how this runner is out. He's clearly safe, and it's not even close. How is that upheld on review???

Terrible, terrible, terrible call. #COLvsCHC #MLB #Rockies pic.twitter.com/L24upZRZ9E

— DealMeIn (@DenverPetre) October 3, 2018

Not only is the call out at second, but it's UPHELD on review, even though anyone with even blind vision could see (and, yes, I am legally blind without glasses, so I can say that!!) he was safe. And about the only meaningful replay ESPN bothered to show us was a badly-zoomed long-in shot to ensure the call would be upheld.

• Then, things got stupid later in the game.

11th inning, first and second for the Cubs.  Wilson Contrarez grounds to Nolan Arenado.  Javier Baez, who was on second, freezes between second and third, and then, as Arenado gets to him, hugs him.

Brothers don't shake hands.

Brothers gotta hug. pic.twitter.com/O4neRCyApD

— SportsNation (@SportsNation) October 3, 2018

On surface and first glance:  No harm, no foul.

When you take a look at a late replay and see there WAS a shot at getting the runner at first....  Yeah.

Rockies win in 13.  On to New York and the OTHER Wild Card game...

• A second Wild Card replay snafu.

In one of the few times the rigging has WORKED, Luke Voit was called safe, and upheld, even with THIS!!!

I think Lucroy got him. pic.twitter.com/ryfQzALVgb

— Casey Pratt (@CaseyPrattABC7) October 4, 2018

• And then we start getting to the frustration of the Dodger fans.

As in the last several years, I will take down notes when it appears the umpiring slants toward Dodger playoff opponents.

1. In Game 1, the Dodgers stormed to a 4-0 lead and Ryu never looked back  The problem with it is that no less than EIGHT pitches in the two innings it took LA to get up 4-0 were called wrongly in favor of Cobb County.
2. Game 3....  Well....

That one I think may well have had a number of hands in the water on that one.

Walker Beuhler threw a 4-pitch bases loaded walk to the Braves pitcher, and I don't think any of them were within four inches of the plate.

Then he throws 3 more to Ronald Acuna Jr.  After a strike that would've plated another run, he serves one, and it's 5-0.

Then, the home plate umpire decided to screw the Dodgers on a called swing strike 3 in the 4th.

And then after Dodgers relief served another one after the Dodgers squared the game at 5, there were at least five calls in the last three innings to ensure the 6-5 result.

And one more thing while we're at it:  Remember all the talk that they moved to a stadium in Cobb County to bleach the fanbase White?

I counted maybe 6-8 visible African-American fans in the stands for Game 3.

I don't think I saw one for...

     3.  Game 4.

It's clear to God and Everybody that, at bare minimum, they want Game 5.  With a White fanbase and that the Dodgers are viewed politically as from loony Liberal California, it really looked like all Hell was going to break loose.

And it did!  And it didn't help the Braves!!

I counted TWENTY-ONE bad calls in that game, and fifteen of them favored the home side!

All five walks Rich Hill gave were on one form or another of a bad call -- resulting in both Cobb Contry runs.

By the eighth inning, LA was up 6-2, and there was no pretense left.  Joc Pederson was called out, and ruled out on review, on a very stupid play where it looked like he actually got his hand in while the Cobb County second baseman was trying to kick his hand aside.

But NOTHING compared to what happened in the bottom of the eighth inning.

Dodgers reliever Kenta Maeda gave up two singles with two out, ninth place hitter coming, and the Dodger staff called in the infield for a mound visit.

The Braves chose THEN to do their "light show" "Lights Out Chop"!  Turned the stadium lights off and there it went -- right in the middle of not only the conference with Maeda, but Kenley Jansen warming up for the ninth!!!

And we all figured the pinch-hitter would reach and Acuna would make it 6-6...

NOPE!!  Final was 6-2 LA.  See ya, Cobb County!!!

--

It's clear, at this point, that MLB is staying just on THIS side of going over the edge with rigging the playoffs.

It's also clear it's not working.

You know it's getting bad when, in the NFL...

Drew Brees broke the record for passing yards tonight on such an obvious rig-job...

TWO former NFL players (Dashon Goldson and Joe Thomas) both called the play rigged.

But keep destroying lives and friendships over this rigged farce, America...

2018 NFL Week 5 Score Report

Most points, most touchdowns, most touchdown passes...

Those had all been broken for the first four weeks of the season this year.

So how'd Week 5 go?

• Week 5 points per game:  47.27      Last year: 43.36        Two years ago:  44.64 
• 5 Week Total points per game:  47.90      Last year: 43.90        Two years ago:  45.38
• Home teams 12-3 for the week, 51-25-2 for the year, a full .667.
• Home teams are now winning TWO THIRDS of all games.
• Last year:  4-10 for 37-38.  Two years ago:  7-7 for 41-35.
• Over was 7-7-1 for the week (PIT-ATL pushed at a total of 58!!!!) for 41-36-1 overall.  Last year:  7-7 for 36-37-4.  Two years ago:  7-7 for 41-35.
• Favorites:  7-8 against the number, 10-5 straight up.  For the year:  34-42-2 ATS, 49-27 SU.
• Last year:  8-6 both ways for 34-43 ATS, 46-31 SU.  Two years ago: 7-6-1 ATS and 8-6 SU for 34-35-1 ATS and 40-30 SU.
• Still through five weeks, you could bet the money line better on a straight home-team basis than on the favorites straight up.
• Ben Fawkes of ESPN Chalk noted that the Rams covering against the Seahawks were the biggest bet of the week.  The now-Super Bowl favorite undefeated Rams did NOT cover the 7.5.
• There were SIX 50+ point Vegas totals this week.  The Over was 4-1-1 in those six games.
• There have now been, through Week 5, NINETEEN 50+ point Vegas total.  The Over is 11-7-1! 
• The 58 total on PIT-ATL is the highest Vegas NFL total since the final week of the 2016 season.  New Orleans and Atlanta kicked at 58.5 -- and totaled 70!!!
• According to Pro Football Reference (which also gave the last factoid):  The record for the highest Vegas total in history is The Greatest Show on Turf vs. San Francisco.  That game kicked at SIXTY-THREE.  Total score was 58.  A 60 in Week 16 of 2004 between Kansas City and Oakland totaled 61.
• The 58 total is tied with several other games for the eighth highest Vegas total in history.
• Team with more penalties is 4-9 this week, 26-38 for the year.
• 198 penalties this week, 13.2 a game.  1080 accepted penalties for the year, 13.8 per game.
• 4 Cliffhangers this week, including a 63 yard field goal at the gun for the winner in Carolina.  Last year had 3, two years ago had 2.
• Only 7 of the 15 games finished within 8 points.  Last year had 11, two years ago had 7.
• 5 non-competitive games and only one Last Chance Miss.
• Totals:  17 Cliffhangers (15 past year, 14 two years ago).  
• 44 games end within one score.  (Last year:  40, Two years ago:  53)
• 23 non-competitive games.  (Last year:  27, Two years ago:  19)
• 16 Last Chance Misses (Last year:  15, Two years ago:  19)

And now the early ratings numbers:

• National Window:  14.2 (down 8%)  But if you take out the Cowboys national windows, it's only second to SNF Packers-Bears.
• SNF had the Cowboys instead, and drew 12.4, biggest SNF Week 5 in three years.
• Regional Window:  9.2 (up 5%)
• Singleheader Window:  9.0  (All square)

Orgy of Violence In The Octagon: Don't Look So Shocked

Well, there you go.  I think people like one reader of my blog who is sick of world's lust for bloodsport now have all the ammunition they'll ever need.

Khalib Nurmagomedov exposed Conor McGregor tonight and probably hastened his route to the WWE with a dominant fourth-round stoppage.  (Seeing the fight, the referee should've stopped it in Round 2.)

But almost no one will remember that.  It's what happened afterward that will get all the attention.

For the record, before the fight, Brendan Schaub, an MMA podcaster, said THIS to Dana White's face:

And he was proven 100% correct, as you saw!  Here's a full 2-minute video...

צילום מתוך האולם של הקרב. וגם של הסיום של חביב-מקגרגור pic.twitter.com/7DtRWJK79m

— Ram Gilboa (@RamGilboa) October 7, 2018

Khalib, after submitting Conor, actually begins to bad-mouth Conor and physically push his head down, and referee Herb Dean had to hard-shove Khalib off.  That's one problem for the UFC and the NSAC.

Then, the big one.  Khalib is basically feeling his oats at this point, and points out, and then throws his mouthpiece at, McGregor team member Dillon Danis, at which point he jumps the fence to go after Danis with a dropkick.  An absolute melee, which, counting security, probably numbered over 50, broke out both out and inside the octagon.

McGregor was jumped by a Khalib team member in a red shirt at one point from behind.

Eventually, three men were arrested, but McGregor didn't want to press charges.  That shouldn't have mattered.

They incited a riot halfway up and down the Strip -- at least four or five videos surfaced within minutes of fights throughout the T-Mobile Arena.

Hey, NSAC...  Is THIS going to be the moment you finally bring Dana White under the gun and really investigate UFC for everything it has represented, or will it take another Brock Lesnar failed drug test in the Cormier cash-fest coming up to do it?

If the New York State Athletic Commission follows the law, this doesn't happen.

If the New York courts didn't openly declare Conor McGregor Too Big To Jail, this doesn't happen.

If the Nevada State Athletic Commission did it's damn job, this doesn't happen.

And yet, the vast bulk of responsibility actually goes to the other guy and his team.  Khalib Nurmagomedov should be BANNED from all sports.  I don't give a damn if that's one moment of emotion -- that's Malice in the Palace level shit.

This bloodsport is proving to be everything people wanted to ban (except the "human cockfighting" element, to most extent) back in the day.

NFL Fine Blotter Part Two: And I think here's the start of Week Four!

• Los Angeles Chargers:  Darius Philon:  $20,054 for Roughing the Passer
• Seattle Seahawks:  The continuing saga of Earl Thomas.  He apparently gave the middle finger to the Seahawks' sideline after being carted off in his first action since his holdout for a new deal.  The league gave him a $13,369 fine for it. 
• Kansas City Chiefs:  Kareem Hunt:  $26,739, helmet rule.
• Minnesota Vikings:  Xavier Rhodes:  $13,369 for unsportsmanlike conduct.
• And that makes the Vikings not only five for five in fine reports (including the preseason), but also the first team to get to Level 1, and are fined an additional $50,000 as a result.
• Chicago Bears:  Akiem Hicks should've been suspended for this, but was fined $33,425 for violent contact with an official, for which he was ejected.
• Atlanta Falcons:  Brian Poole, now a THREE-TIME LOSER in two weeks.  $26,739 for helmet to helmet.
• And the Falcons are also five for five - but their total has not quite yet reached Level 1. 
• Poole played for free last week, and then some.  He makes $37,059 a game.  He was fined $40,108 last week, so he OWED $4,049 from that -- now add this $26,739...  He's made only $6,271 for the last two games.  He'd have been better off suspended.
• Green Bay Packers:  Brian Martinez:  $13,369 for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.  You can't remove your helmet in anger on the field, Brian!
• Green Bay Packers:  Josh Jackson:  $10,026 for unnecessary roughness.

Could be more coming -- Week 3 was reported Tuesday, Week 4 dribbling out today.

Couple of interesting notes, as things stand:

• The Vikings are already, with their penalty, over $200,000 in fines, taking just the preseason and four weeks to amass the $140,000+ to get Level 1.
• The league is now over $1.1 million in Player Safety and Conduct fines.
• And, as of right now, there are only four clean sheets left.  Tennessee, Washington, Philadelphia (!!!! -- they were one of the biggies early last season!), and Arizona.

NFL Fine Blotter Part One: FINALLY, I think we get Week 3...

Took a damn long time to do it (the article I'm finding these in was dated the 2nd -- so this Tuesday night)...

But I think, as a result, we get Week 3 from this, and will look for more:

• New York Jets:  Isaiah Crowell was, at least per this article, only fined the $13,369 for the TD celebration.  Should've been fined another $20,054 for firing two balls into the stands, but no word I can find yet as to whether those fines were imposed.
• Atlanta Falcons:  Brian Poole, a TWO-TIME LOSER in Week 3:  $20,054 each for Roughing the Passer and for a horse collar.  $40.108.
• Minnesota Vikings:  Anthony Barr, another TWO-TIME LOSER in Week 3:  $10,026 for a facemask and $20,054 for a horse collar.  $30,080
• San Francisco 49ers:  Antone Exum:  $26,739 for unnecessary roughness
• Jacksonville Jaguars:  Malik Jackson:  $26,739 for a helmet foul on roughing the passer.
• Pittsburgh Steelers:  Darrius Heyward-Bey: You know this from the Monday nighter:  $26,739 for verbal abuse of the officials.
• Buffalo Bills:  Tre'Davious White:  $26,739 for a helmet foul.
• Minnesota Vikings:  Linval Joseph and
• Pittsburgh Steelers:  Sean Davis, each $20.054 for Roughing the Passer
• Denver Broncos:  Philip Lindsay:  $10,026 for the punch which got him tossed.
• Miami Dolphins:  Akeem Spence and
• Miami Dolphins:  Andre Branch, each $10,026 for Unnecessary Roughness.  Branch is now a TWO-TIME LOSER.
• Pittsburgh Steelers:  Jon Bostic, also $10,026 for Unnecessary Roughness
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers:  Peyton Barber:  $10,026 for a Chop Block (thought that one was far higher on the fine schedule).

Suspension Blotter: Both baseball and hockey screw it up.

Baseball first:

• Chicago Cubs:  Addison Russell draws a 40-game domestic violence suspension (the day after the Cubs are eliminated), with credit for time already served, for the rumored incident on his ex-wife's blog.

Once again, a Preferred Six player skates.

Not surprising, if you take a look at the history of the domestic violence suspensions:

• Roberto Osuna of Toronto:  75
• Jose Torres of San Diego:  100
• Steven Wright of Boston:  15
• Hector Olivera of Cobb County got half a season, though
• Jose Reyes of Colorado:  51
• Jeurys Familia of the Mets:  15
• Aroldis Chapman of the Yankees:  30

No favoritism at all here -- nah!!!

It's opening night of the NHL season, and the defending champs have lost someone for a long time:

• Washington Capitals:  Tom Wilson...

Went before Player Safety for this pre-season hit:


Player Safety called for an in-person hearing on it.

Wilson is banned for TWENTY games.

And when you hear the rest of this story, you'll understand why I would start the bidding at Raffi Torres' 41 game suspension a couple years back, and probably accept little less than the entire 2018-2019 season PLUS the playoffs.

He has played 361 NHL regular season games and 62 NHL playoff games since he started with Washington in 2013's playoffs.

43 goals, 909 penalty minutes.

But it's what he's done in the last 374 days which is why I would throw this guy out of the league:

• This isn't his first pre-season suspension either.  Sept. 22, 2017:  2 preseason games for a late hit.
• Last pre-season game 2017 (That's right, this is his THIRD pre-season suspension!!!)   First four games of the year for boarding.
• Playoffs 2017-8:  Three playoff games for a check to the head, causing concussion and broken jaw.
• And now this gets him 20.

GET THIS FUCKER OFF THE ICE PERMANENTLY OR RISK SOMEONE ELSE WILL!

NFL Suspension Blotter But you have no problem publicizing THIS...

• Seattle Seahawks:  Mychal Kendricks thrown out of the league (suspended indefinitely) for his Federal insider trading conviction.

And where's the 15 fineable incidents from Week 3's prime-time games, NFL?

2018 Week 4 NFL Score Report: In full control of the narrative...

• Well, I think it's pretty clear.  How much of this is the new rules and rulings and how much of this was counterprogramming Game 163 and the Divisional Tiebreaker Games, I don't know.
• But the NFL had one of it's highest scoring weeks on record, with an average game of 53.2 points a game.
• Week 14 of 2013 was the highest scoring weekend in the history of the NFL.  859 points on a full schedule for an average of 53.69.  There were two bye teams this week, so one fewer game for 798 points.  If the Sunday nighter hadn't gotten only 40, we probably break the 53.69 record (needing only another 8 points).
• The other MEGA NUMBER:  SEVEN Cliffhangers.  (This has happened before:  Week 4 of 2015 had 7.  Week 5 of that year had six more.  Week 8, six MORE  Also, Week 13 of 2015 had seven..)

That's right.  SEVEN of the fifteen games were decided with a tying or winning score in the last two minutes or one of the three overtime games.  Several had multiple:

1. Kansas City solidified it's position as the early-season choice for the Rams' patsy in SB LIII(e) with a winning touchdown on Monday night to get to 4-0 over Denver in the last two minutes.
2. Seattle beat Arizona with a field goal at the regulation gun.
3. Cincinnati upset Atlanta with a touchdown at five seconds to go -- that game totaled 73!
4. Dallas beat Detroit with a field goal three seconds left.
5. That rigged debacle in Oakland had a DOUBLE.  After the second rig-job (the spotting), Oakland quickly drove for the TD + 2 to tie at :36.  It took until 1:46 to go in the OT for them to get the winning field goal.
6. Tennessee upset Philly with a TRIPLE Cliffhanger.  Philly got a tying field goal to send it to overtime at :16.  Philly then won the toss and got a field goal after about a 4 minute drive.  After a defensive pass-interference call on 4th down extended the game for Tennessee, they get the winning TD at 17 seconds to go in the ten extra minutes.
7. But the honors for the week, and damn near all-time, have to go to the third overtime game, Indianapolis and Houston.  A QUADRUPLE Cliffhanger, PLUS...

• Indianapolis ties the game with a touchdown 45 seconds left in regulation.
• Indy wins the OT toss, drives for a field goal in 4 minutes.
• Houston then drives 4 minutes of it's own to square the game!
• THEN, Indianapolis, in a move many in Indiana are still trying to figure out, goes for it on fourth down at their own 40.  They don't get it...
• ... and Houston promptly wins it at the gun to get the final total to 71.

The four is probably a record.  (Only other two I can find with 4 were Week 8 2015 Carolina winning on MNF with a gun FG to send it to OT and three overtime field goals, and the one I'm about to mention.)

About the closest we've come to beating it was the Baltimore-Minnesota game in 2013 the NFL chronicles the end of in this YouTube video.

• BAL TD to snag the lead 2:07 -- no Cliffhanger there.
• MIN long running TD to retake the lead at 1:27
• Ensuing kickoff returned for a Baltimore TD.  That's 2.
• Next MIN drive:  SEVENTY NINE YARD TD swing pass (all run after the catch) 47 seconds.
• Winning BAL TD with 4 seconds on the clock.

That's a quadruple and a fifth seven seconds from the line!!

Here's the rest of this wild week:

• The season average is back to just a tick over 48.  Just a tick over 44 last year, 45 1/2 two years ago, 46 1/4 three years ago.
• Home teams were 9-6 last week for 39-22-2.  (.635)  Problem is that the first seven to finish all won at home.  7-8 last year for 33-28.  7-7 two years ago for 34-28.
• The Over was also 9-6, and now 34-29 makes the over a slight winning proposition for bettors if they consistently played it.  9-7 last year for still a game under .500.
• First week for this year that the favorites came in decently.  8-6-1 against the number, 12-3 straight up.  27-34-2 against the number for the year.  39-22-2 straight up.
• Four non-competitive games, 1 Last Chance Miss (Monday night!), and a total of nine games decided within eight points.
• 13 Cliffhangers for the season.  (Yep, more Cliffhangers this week than the first three combined!)  Last two years had 12, three years ago also had 13!
• 37 of the 63 games have finished 8 points or within.  29 last year.
• 15 total Last Chance Misses.
• Team with more penalties this week was 7-7 for 22-29.

And now for the most important numbers to the NFL, the early ratings numbers from Sports Media Watch:

• Week 4 National up over 10% to a 12.3, but the 12.3 is the lowest National this year and not close.
• Sunday Night was also a 12.3, and that was up 12%!
• Singleheader for FOX didn't do so well, an 11.7, down 7%.  Highest Singleheader window of the year, though.
• The Regional half of the CBS doubleheader only did a 9.2, but that was up 14%.