2019 NFL Week Four Score Report

Well, that was crazy...

• 22 points in the Sunday nighter, 30 on Monday night.
• That took a week that was in the 46's and put it down to 43.6 points per game for the week, and the season average for the first 63 games of the year is 44.43 PPG.  (Last year:  Week 4:  That was the big 53.4 PPG week with 801 points.  Season to that date:  48.095 PPG)
• The big story was the home teams -- and they needed both the Sunday and Monday nighters for the home side to get to FOUR AND ELEVEN for the week.  And now that makes the home teams, for the season, a paltry 27-35-1.  (.4436)  (Last year:  Week:  9-6 after a 7-0 start.  Season:  39-22-2 (.6349))
• Over was 6-9 for 28-35 for the year.  (Last year:  9-6 for 34-29.)
• The other big story was the favorites.  Vegas won HUGE yesterday.  Favorites were only 5-10 against the number and 7-8 straight up for 25-36-1 ATS and 37-24-1 SU.  (Last year:  ATS:  8-6-1 for 27-34-2 for the year.  Straight Up:  12-3 for 39-22.)
• .500 week for the team with more penalties -- 6-6 with 3 even.  Season:  26-30-1.  (Last year:  7-7 for 22-29-2.)
• 224 penalties for the week (14.933 a game).  For the season:  944 (14.984 per game)  (Last year:  Week:  190 (12 2/3)  Season:  883 (14.016))  So about a penalty more a game this season so far.
• Two Cliffhangers:  Refball for Kansas City and Jacksonville beating Denver at the end.  8 total for the year.  (Last year actually had 7 in the week alone, making 13 through 4 weeks.)
• Only 7 of the 15 games finished within one score -- making 33 for the year (52.4%).  (Last year:  9 for 37 total)
• 6 non-competitive games for 23 total.  (Last year:  4 for 18 total)
• And 6 Last Chance Misses for 18 total.  (Last year only had one for 15 total.)

Couple of statistics as to how bad things are getting in Miami...

• Justin Kubatko of Statmuse found this out on Sunday:  The Dolphins are the first team since the 1954 Washington Redskins to lose their first four games by 20 or more points each.  (Week 5, 1954 WAS lost by 17, they won in Week 6, and then got 62-3d Week 7 (PFR))
• Pro Football Reference with the rest of this:
• Miami is the first team since 2011 (St. Louis, Weeks 4-6) to be 14 or more point underdogs in three straight games.
• The record, at least by PFR, is five, by the 2000 Cleveland Browns, Weeks 12-16.
• However, the Dolphins have another NFL record for futility:  They are the first team known to PFR's keeping of the Vegas lines to be two touchdown or more underdogs three consecutive weeks and the favorites cover in all three cases.
• We will not know until Week Six whether they make it four in a row:  This is Miami's bye week.

Ratings from Sports Media Watch:

• Sunday Night Football pulled a huge 15.5 for Saints-Cowboys.  Up 23% from last year.
• Best of any window for Week 4 in 4 years.  Best Week 4 Sunday Night in 7.
• Sunday National:  13.0 up 6% -- best Week 4 in several years
• Sunday Regional:  9.3, basically up a little.
• Not even the ref-ball in Detroit could save FOX on the Sunday single, though:  10.8, down 8%.
• Thursday night:  10.5, up 18%   Best first network Thursday game in five years.

FINALLY!!!

• Oakland Raiders:  Vontaze Burfict has become the first player in the history of the National Football League to be materially banned from the league for on-field conduct.  He has been technically suspended for the rest of the year, but it basically is tantamount to a full-scale life banishment from the National Football League.  He has been given 72 hours to appeal the suspension.

The Oakland Raiders have also been penalized doubly.

• Per the second half of the Club Remittance Policy, $50,000 is charged against the fine number for the season of the Raiders.  This alone places the Raiders within about $15,000 of the accumulated fines penalty.
• Because this is the third suspension of the year for the team, the Raiders are directly fined $174,379 (for a total of $250,000) for this action under the first half of the Club Remittance Policy.

Let's make no secret.  The hit probably gets $56K for repeat offender on it's own merit.

This is the FOURTEENTH NFL penalty for Burfict.  And the league made indirect reference to that in the letter.

Frankly, the league should be referring Vontaze Burfict for the Dino Cicerelli (sp?) treatment -- CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.

Is the NFL in position to care anymore?

Week 3 so far:

• Home teams are 2-11.  Yep, you heard me right.  TWO AND ELEVEN.  Someone researched it already on Pro Football Reference:  It would be a record for the 32-team NFL.  The lowest record for an NFL post-merger week is a 2-12 week the opening week of 1983.  
• When the league had far fewer teams, there were two weeks in which no home team won:  Week 2 of 1949 and Week 1 of 1950.
• Seven favorites have lost straight up -- 4-9 against the number.

Rams lose, and a bad one, to the Bucs, giving up 55 at home.  Just when it looked like the league was starting to push the Rams, they probably just let go of them.  Probably means...  what?  Chicago, Seattle, or Dallas in the NFC?  Eugh...

Wow... HARDCORE Refball in Detroit....

First this...

The @Chiefs with the 99-yard scoop 'n score to take the lead in Detroit! #KCvsDET pic.twitter.com/HcmUTXytC6

— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) September 29, 2019

Then this...

In #KCvsDET, the ruling on the field was a touchdown. After review in New York, it was determined DET #19 did not maintain control of the ball throughout the process of the catch: pic.twitter.com/unE4BiNhmO

— NFL Officiating (@NFLOfficiating) September 29, 2019

It's 23-20 Detroit now, and really should be 30-13.

But THE GREAT WHITE HOPE!!!

EDIT TO ADD: Blatant make-up call alert!

After review: THIS 👏 IS 👏 A 👏 TD! @kgxix #KCvsDET | #OnePride pic.twitter.com/qUHhNJUat6

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 29, 2019

And whaddya know?  The first 1 PM Eastern Cliffhanger of the year, and Kansas City wins 34-30!  Thank you for watching that scripted NFL production!

That took four weeks!

Vontaze Burfict, the walking advertisement for the abolishment of football...

EJECTED today in the second quarter of Oakland's game for a helmet shot to Indianapolis tight-end Jack Doyle.

It will be his fourteenth trip to the NFL discipline blotter.

The NFL has not suspended a single player this season so far, although it has had multiple reasons to in just the first three weeks.

KICK VONTAZE BURFICT OUT FOREVER!!! pic.twitter.com/91IQghasuf

— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 29, 2019

A clear line-up job. This should be the fourth consecutive season he's been suspended at some point, if I have this right. It may even be more.

EDIT TO ADD:  A one-game suspension for Burfict would not only cost the Raiders an $80,000 suspension fine under the Club Remittance Policy for their third suspension, it would also bring them most of the way to a $50,000 accumulated fine situation -- because not only would they be penalized under the suspension rule, but the lost salary (since it's on the field) also would count (up to $50,000) against their fine number as well.

2019 Week Three NFL Fine Blotter

• New Orleans Saints:  DeMario Davis, $7,017 for a uniform violation.

Yep, the NFL finally correctly bent.  Appealed off.  That fans were bitching about it on Twitter for weeks couldn't be understated.

• One of the most ridiculous penalties I've ever heard of -- Indianapolis' Keanu Neal was penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct for throwing his helmet.  He had suffered a season-ending injury on the play -- and they still fucking flagged him.  Thankfully, he was not fined.
• New England Patriots:  Josh Gordon:  $10,527 for a face mask.
• Speaking of face masks, remember that one that got a no-call on Sunday?
• Detroit Lions:  Miles Killebrew:  $10,527 for nearly taking somebody's head home clean with him.
• Jacksonville Jaguars:  Kamalei Correa:  $21,056 for roughing the passer
• Carolina Panthers:  Ross Cockrell:  $28,075 for lowering the helmet to initiate contact.
• Oakland Raiders:  Arden Key:  $21,056 for roughing the passer.  
• Has apparently been successfully appealed -- Key was fined for Roughing the Passer in Week 9, had this fine stood, Key's Week 9 fine would've been doubled.
• Jacksonville Jaguars:  Leonard Fournette:  $28,075 for a blindside block.
• Los Angeles Rams:  Aaron Donald:  $21,056 for roughing the passer
• Cleveland Browns:  Jermaine Whitehead:  $10,527 for a late hit on a sliding Jared Goff.
• Miami Dolphins:  Xavien Howard:  $10,527 for unnecessary roughness and an ejection
• New Orleans Saints:  Alvin Kamara:  $10,527 for a chop block.
• Detroit Lions: Jarrad Davis:  $28,075 for unnecessary roughness.
• Cincinnati Bengals:  Bobby Hart:  Got the biggest fine on the schedule:  $35,096 for getting tossed for contact with an official.
• New York Jets:  Ryan Kalil:  $10.527 for a face mask.
• Baltimore Ravens: Matt Juden:  $21,056 for a horse-collar tackle.
• Atlanta Falcons:  Ricardo Allen:  $28,075 for defenseless player abuse.  TWO-TIME LOSER.
• Seattle Seahawks:  Tedric Thompson:  $14,037 for a celebration foul.

I think that's about it for Week 3 -- bit of a lighter week this week.

Down, now, to eight clean sheets.

I really hate to break this one to Packer Nation...

Your boys took a dive last night for the league narrative.

Started getting suspicious when I started to pick up a lot of vibes on game day that the Eagles must win this game, all and such and the other...

But then...

• No one is going to confuse Denver with a good team, but you can't say the same for Minnesota and Chicago.  So why did that vaunted defense completely disappear against the Eagles to the tune of 34 points?
• Why did THIS be the week that Aaron Rodgers throw for 450 and 2 scores?
• You can talk the "refball", including a very probable pass interference no-call on the losing pick all you want, but there's a bigger problem...
• If you don't want me to believe that this game was as scripted as a professional wrestling match, howinhell does your offensive coordinator get away with the play-calling equivalent of the "rookie mistake" Irish Whip/Duck Head motif from all the jobber matches of the 1980s?  Four plays from the 1, four incomplete passes, and that third down monstrosity was the worst of the lot...  THEN, after a running play to get to the 2 with 2 time outs, then you throw the pass for the losing pick?

Too small-town, not corporate enough, not big-money enough, and they're getting you out of the way.

Your boys took a dive for the script.  And two men had to damn near get killed for that shit too.

They ARE going to shove LA, at least in the NFC, aren't they?  That's two they've rigged for them already and this one they're rigged to get another team which could out of the way...

2019 Week 3 NFL Score Report

• 46.9375 PPG for the week -- the 48 games of the year now at 44.6875
• Last year was 45.1875 for the week and 46.4375 for the year.  So almost 2 points a game less this year so far.
• Home teams started the week 8-1 -- but 1-6 at the end made it 9-7 for the week and 23-24-1 for the year.
• Last year:  11-5 for the week, 30-16-2 for the year.
• The Over was 10-6 for 22-26 for the year (Last year:  8-8 for 25-23)
• The Rams made the books money losers for the week, but favorites lost again against the number:  7-9 against the number and 10-6 straight up for 20-26-1 against the spread and 30-16-1 straight up for the year.
• Last year:  7-9 for 19-28-1 ATS, 9-7 for 27-19 SU.
• Team with more penalties was 6-9 (MNF was a 9-9 tie) for 20-24-1 for the year.  Last year, 7-9 for 18-22-2.
• Two Cliffhangers this week, one in Week 3 last year.  Both this year and last year have only had six Cliffhangers for the year so far.
• 9 games finished within one score for 26 for the year.  7 for 28 for the year last year.
• 5 non-competitive games for 17 for the year.  Last year had 7 non-competitive games for 14 total.
• 5 Last Chance Misses for a total of 12 so far this year.  Last year's Week 3 only had 2 for 14 total.

Ratings from Sports Media Watch:

• 3.8 for the NFL Network on Thursday night, down 22% over last year.  Network games start on CBS for Packers/Eagles on Thursday.
• CBS National:  14.2, down 7% from Week 3 National last year.
• CBS Regional:  9.3, up 3%
• FOX Single was up 40% over last year's Week 3 Single to a 11.6, even though the two main games were not believed to be close.
• Sunday Night Football:  12.8, down 6%.

Two updates on burgeoning (sports) nuclear explosions...

• Antonio Brown is re-enrolling at Central Michigan University.

I give a campus rape charge about...  two weeks.  (Provided these are on-campus courses and not online.)

The guy literally enrolled in four classes at Central Michigan the day after the SI exposition came out.  So he probably COULD technically be student disciplined for the threatening text messages....

Really...

• And here we go again with the Russian Olympic Committee.  Deleted positive drug tests, altered other results, and facing disqualification from Tokyo.

So how many teams took a dive yesterday??

Seems to be a common story coming out on Monday, as it appears that teams, either on league orders (Cleveland) or otherwise, did some pretty head-scratching things:

• Cleveland was the play-calling (seriously, a DRAW on 4th and 9???  Four passes from the 4 when you need a touchdown in the last minute and get nothing to consummate the loss???) and an offensive line which was allowing literal JAILBREAKS on pass rushes.  Between the fines for dirty play and OBJ -- plus the Rams angle -- it's pretty clear where the league wanted THAT ONE to go.
• Brian Tuohy found this one:

Bruce Arians: I took late delay of game on purpose to move our kicker back https://t.co/vBN0amFaAT

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) September 23, 2019

DA FUQ???

If that was the case if you were on a hashmark in college, I could see it.  But that was a 26 yard field goal to WIN THE MOTHERFUCKING GAME!

But, as Brian points out, the league needs something to go right in New York...

• The Seahawks, AT HOME, botch the game clock and get run by the Brees-less Saints.
• The Denver Broncos just could not get out of their own way against the Pack...

I mean, how many of these games were literally teams just taking a fucking dive for one reason or another?  I count two definites here -- and two more possibles...

Two stories on why I might not be going to Vegas much soon...

First one, from Sirius XM's VSiN "Follow the Money" show this morning:

Someone decided to social media, posting "The Vegas Life", about how much they spent at a Vegas pool party this weekend...

• Beers were $12 a pop -- I think they got 60.
• Six large bottles of Vodka -- the pool party charged $600 EACH for a bottle you could get for $29.99 at a local liquor store.
• 12 bottles of water, $11 each.
• A nacho platter that probably wasn't more than what the hosts said was "Tostitos Scoops and some cheese", $88...
• A burger ran one guy $20...

By the time they totalled everything up, over SEVEN GRAND for the afternoon, another $575 for the tax, ANOTHER $575 for "vending fee" (effectively another extortion, not unakin to the resort fees), and if they tipped worth anything, probably at least another grand-plus...

That's $9-10K right there!  For an alcohol-fueled pool party!!!

Of course, you could be worse...  You could've watched Cleveland take a dive last night and have $506,000 riding on them to cover +3.5, like one guy did at the William Hill Ocean sportsbook last night.

He was one of the few Browns bettors last night -- books took a bath on the Rams.

Couple of Sunday Night comments...

• If that was not a dive to get the Rams another rigged win, especially by the Browns' offensive line and offensive coordinator, hoo boy...
• And I'd have to check on this:  This is how bad it's getting in Miami.  Opening lines released for next week:  The Chargers (and not a very good Chargers team at that!) are crossing the country to face Miami -- and are SIXTEEN POINT favorites opening at the Superbook.
• Again, thank you Pro Football Reference...  If the line holds, it will be 87th game (the 84 on the linked list, the two this week, and that one) with a line of at least 16 points.  The list goes back to 1978.

It will be the first time in NFL history that a team will be a 16 point (or more) underdog in three consecutive games.  (This week marked only the third time in history a team was that much of an underdog twice consecutively.)

The Jets have their bye week this week.

Week 3 Main Day Thoughts

• Dallas covered -22.5 in beating Miami 31-6 today -- that is the largest point-spread, according to Pro Football Reference, ever covered in the NFL's history (or at least that of the Las Vegas books).  The old record was Seattle covering -20 against Jacksonville six years ago to the day (45-17).
• New England would've also broken that record, except the Jets actually scoring a fumble recovery in the end zone and a pick-six to prevent New England from covering -21 (NE 31-14 NYJ).
• After an 8-1 home-team start up to the early games today, the late games went 1-4 for the home team, 1-4 (8-6 total) for the favorites straight up, and 0-5 (5-9 total) for the favorites against the number.
• Now having played three weeks of Sunday afternoon games, there have been six Cliffhangers -- ALL of which have come either in the late games or Monday night.

No. NO!!! No, NFL!!!

Nobody threw a flag on this play Deadspin found?  (Link provided in case the video doesn't work.)

The guy literally facemasks him, turns his helmet 180 degrees, and then rips it off...

That should've been reviewed in New York as a non-football act for an ejection.

Player Safety, MY FUCKING ASS!!

Somebody got to Antonio Brown last night...

Had to.  Even last night, there was word that there were NFL teams kicking the tires on Brown.

This morning, a Tweetstorm indicates that Brown knows he's done in the NFL.

What I'm afraid of is that I think he's done with a lot more than that!

Interesting Statistic of the NFL's 100 Greatest Plays

As part of the NFL's centennial, the league is running Top 100 lists of different features in the NFL.

They started with a list of the 100 Greatest Plays.  The Immaculate Reception was #1, "The Catch" was #2, the David Tyree 18-1 Catch was #3, the "Music City Miracle" was #4, and the interception at the 1-yard line Patriots over Seahawks was #5.

So it got me to thinking:  What was the declared Greatest Play in the 100 year history of the National Football League to take place in the regular season?

Turns out you had to go to #16 to find it!  It's this play:

More In The Name of FOOBAW!!! Ugly story out of Iowa...

Last week's rivalry game between Iowa and Iowa State was marred by incidents of abuse toward the Iowa band, apparently by fans of Iowa State.

Now a second investigation is going to be launched into verbal abuse, physical abuse, and SEXUAL ABUSE???

You're basically having Iowa State fans grope members of the Iowa band or any associated kickline?  Am I hearing this right???

No one directly associated with Iowa State, player or band, is implicated.  It's Iowa State fans who are being put under the microscope, according to reports from the members of the Iowa band.

At least one student WAS groped, according to USA Today and the University of Iowa.

2019 NFL Fine Blotter, Week 2 Part 2: We have history, ladies and gentlemen...

• Cleveland Browns:  Myles Garrett:  $42,112 -- $21,056 each for two Roughing the Passer fines.  Meaning that Garrett, in just two weeks, is now a THREE TIME LOSER in the fines -- he has already been fined $52,629.  Garrett had four penalties Monday night.
• Cleveland Browns:  Mack Wilson:  $28,075 for helmet to helmet
• Meaning more history for the Browns:  The Browns become the first team, to my knowledge, to reach the team fine threshold for a $50,000 team fine BY WEEK TWO.  The Browns have now been fined by the NFL on the field eight times already since the pre-season -- seven in the two regular-season games.
• I have four years of Fine Blotter charts on this computer.  No one has gotten even reasonably close to the $168,447 that the Browns have.  About the two closest were the teams that led the league the last two years:  
• The Steelers two years ago, who racked up $85,081 in the first two weeks and followed that up with a $91,498 Week 6 on their way to a team fine of $191,317 (meaning they exceeded the dollar-for-dollar limit by over $90,000!) and a total fine for on the field of $465,136.
• And then the Jets last year:  $86,216 in the preseason, another $20,052 in the first two weeks -- so just over $100,000 for that.  The big one was Week 16, still a league record:  $121,927 alone -- most of that dollar for dollar.  Meaning their team fine for on the field was $166,137 (and with the second fine level being reduced to a $25,000 base fine, that meant about the same $90,000+ overage as the Steelers last year) and $467,861.
• The Browns are already at $218,447.  The first level kicks in at $147,415 -- dollar for dollar kicks in at $221,116 -- a number the Browns are only $52,669 away.
• Counting their fines for drug suspensions, the team has already been fined over $150,000 and, with the players' fines, it's over $320,000 -- WEEK TWO, ladies and gentlemen!
• Dallas Cowboys:  DeMarcus Lawrence:  $21,056 for Roughing the Passer.
• Minnesota Vikings:  Stefon Diggs:  $10,527 for taunting.
• Green Bay Packers:  Jaire Alexander:  $10,527 for an altercation with...
• Minnesota Vikings:  Adam Thielen:  who got fined the same amount.
• Minnesota Vikings:  Kris Boyd:  $28,075 for unnecessary roughness -- that's probably a helmet violation.
• Pittsburgh Steelers:  Bud DuPree:  $21,056 for Roughing the Passer -- blow to the head.  And judging by the video, it should've been far more.  That was an ejectable under the new helmet rule.

#Steelers LB Bud Dupree was fined $21,056 for this hit on #Seahawks Russell Wilson, per @RapSheetpic.twitter.com/igRtAOv5uC

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 21, 2019

• Buffalo Bills:  Cody Ford:  $10,526 for a shove after a taunt.
• Buffalo Bills:  Dawson Knox: $28,075 for a blindside block.
• Oakland Raiders:  Max Crosby:  $21,056 for Roughing the Passer
• Green Bay Packers:  Blake Martinez:  $28,075 for unnecessary roughness.
• San Francisco 49ers:  Solomon Thomas:  $21,056 for a late hit (probably QB).
• Carolina Panthers:  Gerald McCoy:  $10,527 for unsportsmanlike conduct
• Los Angeles Rams:  Marcus Peters:  $10,527 for unsportsmanlike conduct

That's already $334,214 with the $50,000 team fine for the Browns.  And there may be more to add to the Week 2 total.  Stay tuned.

For the two weeks and the pre-season, that's over $900,000 on the field.

Repeal the 2nd Amendment. NOW.

I remember when I did an article on a Deadspin report of a shooting near a high school football game (I believe it was a playoff game.) in Florida a number of years back.

Now, according to MSN, it sounds like it's happening every week this season!

This week, two high-schoolers injured near Philly.

Last week, a mother allegedly told her son to shoot up a high-school football game in Fort Worth, injuring two.

The day before that, three were shot in the parking lot after a game in Virginia.  First indications were that the rivalry between the two schools was the cause.

A 48 year-old was shot and killed outside a stadium where a game was played the week before that.

Another Pennsylvania game that same night had gunshots around it.

August 31, 10 high schoolers were shot in a shooting spree in Alabama.

And a week before that, a gun produced at a game got the game cancelled.

That's five weeks in a row now.  We are damn fortunate, by my count, that we have only the one fatality.

The NFL is in possession of evidence for the immediate arrest of Antonio Brown

Why is it not turning it over to the lawmakers of the state of Massachusetts for the immediate arrest of Brown under Title I, Chapter 265, Section 43A of Massachusetts law?

"(a) Whoever willfully and maliciously engages in a knowing pattern of conduct or series of acts over a period of time directed at a specific person, which seriously alarms that person and would cause a reasonable person to suffer substantial emotional distress, shall be guilty of the crime of criminal harassment and shall be punished by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than 21/2 years or by a fine of not more than $1,000, or by both such fine and imprisonment. The conduct or acts described in this paragraph shall include, but not be limited to, conduct or acts conducted by mail or by use of a telephonic or telecommunication device or electronic communication device including, but not limited to, any device that transfers signs, signals, writing, images, sounds, data or intelligence of any nature transmitted in whole or in part by a wire, radio, electromagnetic, photo-electronic or photo-optical system, including, but not limited to, electronic mail, internet communications, instant messages or facsimile communications."

NFL confirms threatening text messages are Brown's. Suspension has to be immediate and indeterminate.

And it is even bigger than THIS:

Notable: The woman's attorney says their office determined "participants in the text exchange included a convicted steroid and drug dealer..."

— Robert Klemko (@RobertKlemko) September 20, 2019

But here it is, and why I think the Pats had to move today:

NFL Network confirms the texts were from Brown. https://t.co/NSIrDAybI5

— Robert Klemko (@RobertKlemko) September 20, 2019

If I'm the league, I risk the fight with the NFLPA: Suspension, and indefinite, NOW.

The investigation continues, because you're not talking ONE Personal Conduct/Domestic Violence violation -- you could be talking FIVE OR MORE.

AND the drug policy.

He can't be put on the Commissioner's List as a free agent.  And the Pats keeping him would be an almost-immediate $160,000 fine and probably the last vestige of their hope for another Super Bowl championship, which may be/probably IS gone already.

AB Fired: A point I better make NOW...

Any word on whether or not the @Patriots will be fined by the #NFL for releasing AB? This doesn’t meet the NFL’s standards of turning a blind eye toward people who do terrible things off the field. @nflcommish must be furious. #SeriouslyNFLGetYourPrioritiesStraight

— Dan Cashman (@mainedan) September 20, 2019

Dan, you've got it completely backwards.  Especially with the threatening messages on the record, I could easily have seen Brown suspended tomorrow.

If he had been, since the Patriots have two previous suspensions on the books for this league year (Lance Kendricks, one game for substance abuse policy and Benjamin Watson, four games for PED's), the Patriots would then have been fined 25% of the lost salaries of all three players, up to $250,000.

Mr. Cashman:  You actually have this backwards.  The Club Remittance Policy REQUIRED this move.  Had they kept Brown even one more day (and the only reason I'm not saying today is it's almost 7 PM Eastern, so any league business for the day is finished), the Patriots would've been fined $157,436 for having him on the roster at the time of the suspension.  (The difference between the check they've already had to cut and the $250,000 maximum that Brown's suspension would've easily breached!)

The Club Remittance Policy is meant to punish players for keeping players like Brown, or taking players like him.

I think the NFL made it clear to the Patriots -- and Antonio Brown has been fired AGAIN!!!

For the second time in 13 days, Antonio Brown's conduct has gotten him fired from an NFL team.

The Patriots fired him today after texts indicated he's threatening at least one of his victims, even as late as yesterday or the day before.

I think the NFL made it clear:  If you want 19-0 and that last ride off into the sunset, you need this guy gone and gone NOW.

There's already enough, frankly, that if the NFL wanted to go a different direction, there's a reason to rig this off the Patriots.  So it may be too late.  But if it is, then it can't be Kansas City either for the Super Bowl because of Tyreek Hill!!

But that's gotta be a record:

• Thursday, September 5:  Altercation with Raiders GM Mike Mayock, including a possible threat of violence and a possible racial slur, both by Brown.
• Friday, September 6:  Apology to the team, and it appeared he'd be playing Monday night.
• Saturday, September 7:  Raiders fine Brown over $200,000 and cut the guaranteed portion of his contract.
• In response:  Brown demands to be released.
• In response to THAT:  Brown is fired from the Raiders.  This begins a cascade of players wanting to leave bad situations, involving teams like the Dolphins, Jaguars, and even a malcontent first-rounder with the Cowboys (who now has been relegated to the Dolphins).
• Four hours later:  Brown signs with the Patriots, the team he wanted to be with all along.
• Monday, September 9:  Reports surface Brown was using social-media maneuvering to get on the Patriots long before his release from the Raiders.
• Later that day:  A Rhode Island NFL fan threatens a school shooting in Foxboro, MA over the signing of Brown.
• Tuesday, September 10:  A former trainer of Brown's alleges sexual assault and rape by non-consensual masturbation by Brown while in his employ.  She files a civil lawsuit after settlement talks by Brown fail.  The Patriots, apparently, did NOT know of this action.
• By Saturday:  Eight of the top ten commented stories on Pro Football Talk involved Antonio Brown.
• Sunday, September 15:  Brown has eight targets and four catches for 56 yards and a touchdown -- and a rush for five yards, in a 43-0 New England win over Miami.
• Monday, September 16:  Sports Illustrated comes out with an exposition, claiming over two dozen interviewees had various negative interactions with Brown, including one artist who was approached by a basically-naked Brown in a suggestive manner.  Many unpaid debts are also alleged.
• Also Monday:  The NFL meets with the former trainer for ten hours.
• During this week:  Two major endorsers of Brown, helmet manufacturer Xenith and Nike, both cut ties.
• Wednesday, September 18:  Brown sends the artist from the September 10 lawsuit a series of threatening text messages.
• That evening:  A FOX Sports Radio interview with some of the parties writing the Sports Illustrated story reveals that, since the Monday release, four additional parties have come forward to SI with stories about Brown, and at least one of them is going to file criminal charges against Brown which are neither sex nor debt related.
• Thursday, September 19:  Said artist and her lawyers contact the NFL to demand action that Brown cease such conduct.
• Friday, September 20: The league opens a second Personal Conduct investigation against Brown (when they could probably open at least FIVE OR MORE of them) for the texts.
• As a result:  The New England Patriots fire Brown, ending his NFL career.

That's one guy.  Two weeks.  This does not count the cryotherapy, the two helmet appeals, the entire circus of the Raider training camp, etc.

If that is not an absolute indictment on not only the National Football League and it's fans, but the entire goddamn sport of football as a whole, I don't know what to tell you!

But the police need to take this fucker in NOW.  He's done in football.  He's not employable as the local fry cook at your local McDonald's at this point!  You're going to have establish a psychological make-up to charge him with anything, because there's no way a reasonable person can view him as anything short of either insane or highly dangerous.  BOTH require police intervention.

This decision is Goodell.  I'm no longer 100% sure this is just the rigging, but as a matter of the complete chaos that the league has been in since the start of the season.  Much of it centering around Brown...

But make no mistake:  This fucker has done enough to be the first player in the history of the league to be banned under Personal Conduct without committing murder first...

...  or...  has...  he????

Does the NFL have a Plan C?

I've said now, since Antonio Brown got his way off the Raiders and onto the Patriots, that we could basically crown the Patriots and start talking in terms of 19-0.

No longer.  I can't do it anymore.  There's so much smoke around AB that the fire could take down the entire league this season.

Why?

It's pretty clear that either Plan B or Plan A for the league (depending on your view of the Patriots) is Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.

But then you have all the questions surrounding Tyreek Hill, and that's going to dovetail into both him and Kareem Hunt and their histories on the teams...

One of the criteria I use in trying to consider teams for the Super Bowl (and the reason I immediately removed the Chiefs from the discussion on Kareem Hunt) was "Does the NFL want to deal with two weeks of media coverage on this guy?"

Unless the league is willing to create the greatest heel story of all time and space in these Patriots and openly risk that someone takes matters into their own hands (and that's either player OR fan in that regard), the Chiefs can't be considered that much greater of an option unless Hill is out the season with his injury...

And if that's the case, what's your Plan C?

• A Chicago that can't get out of it's own way on offense?
• A Green Bay that's far too rural for the big-city, big-money corporate NFL?
• A Dallas who can't stay off the drugs (or Zeke out of legal trouble) for 15 minutes?
• I guess the Rams COULD be the choice, but then why subvert the entire storyline of last season in Super Bowl LIII(E)?
• Philly?
• I guess the league could go the cult route with Seattle...
• And then the AFC is a complete crap-shoot after NE and KC, emphasis on the CRAP part...

So does the NFL have a third plan here if either 19-0ing Brady or Mahomes consummating The One Great Hope both go by the wayside for various reasons?  I don't see too many options here.

SI: Victim Intimidation by AB..

What is this?  The third Antonio Brown incident THIS WEEK?

It may be time for me to remove "Crown the Patriots" from the situation, because it appears we may have the most toxic NFL player in history here.

In what has to be the third major Antonio Brown bombshell this week, the woman accusing Brown of sexual harassment by showing his penis to her while she was working on a mural at his house now has contact Sports Illustrated, the Patriots, and the NFL with intimidating messages from Brown after the SI report on Brown last Monday.

Belichick walked out on his Friday press meeting on too many AB questions.

Is someone legit going to have to take matters into their own hands?

They've already got one big excuse to de-push you guys, Tom!! You want to rock the boat?

15 penalties called in the first half of tonight's Thursday Night Football game, 8 for offensive holding (a penalty ESPN notes has been made a point of emphasis this year and is up 66% for the first two weeks of the season).

(Most of the penalties were declined.  Only 10 accepted penalties through three quarters.)

Tom Brady shut the game off and announced it on his Twitter.

I’m turning off this game I can’t watch these ridiculous penalties anymore #TENvsJAC

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) September 20, 2019

Too many penalties. Just let us play!!!! #TENvsJAC

— Tom Brady (@TomBrady) September 20, 2019

Another one MLB didn't need now, especially as it might force their hand to the Astros...

Domingo German, one of the star pitchers for the New York Yankees, has been placed in the first step toward a domestic violence suspension, put on administrative leave while the league investigates...  something.

The league, according to the report, has up to seven days to either complete the investigation or extend his stay on the list.

Why do I have a feeling the Commissioner's Trophy is beginning to be boxed up for another trip to Houston?

Antonio Brown loses two key endorsements, and it's STILL not enough...

Nike yanked him today, Xenith helmets did so earlier in the week (which may leave him, again, without a certified helmet).

It's not enough -- boycott the entire fucking league, and then you'll see movement on the Antonio Brown question, and maybe some others...

EDIT TO ADD:

From @RobertKlemko w/us on @FoxSportsRadio - 'Since we published the Antonio Brown story in SI, we've had four people reach out to us about situations with him, and one person is potentially going to file criminal charges that are not sex or debt related.'

— Jason Smith (@howaboutafresca) September 19, 2019

Wow.  How much further can this go before the league not only suspends (or outright bans) Brown, but anoints the Chiefs in the Patriots' place? 

I don't think I've ever seen a team go all in on a rig-job undefeated season like the Patriots appear to have with Antonio Brown.

2019 NFL Fine Blotter Week 2, Part 1: Somebody's (no longer) pissed...

• New York Jets:  Jamal Adams, $21,056 for Roughing the Passer.

Only reason we know now and not Friday or Saturday?  This rant...

"Adams posted a video clip of the play from Monday night, saying: "This league is a damn joke! ... I signed up to play football not two hand touch. Bulls---! I don't give a damn about these soft rules protecting QBs. I'm gonna play MY brand of football everytime I step on the field."

Seems to have worked...  He won his appeal.

With limited further comment...

Playoff teams are set, Super Bowl Champion already picked.

Blatant officiating and a “ready-to-go” explanation is how we get you to accept all of it upfront.

What can you do? Nothing!
Shut up and give us your money! https://t.co/Dw73CBNwz6

— Larry Johnson (@2LarryJohnson7) September 16, 2019

Nine years in the NFL.  You think this guy wouldn't KNOW???

I mean, the only real point of it, to me, is I would change that, given circumstances, the plan can change.  I do believe that.

But, at the end of the day, I do believe that Johnson is correct.  And I do believe it's the Patriots, and undefeated if they can get away with it.

Then Brady and Belichick retire, and the league moves on to the new stadiums in LA and Vegas and the Patrick Mahomes push.

(hat-tip Brian Tuohy, who retweeted)

Denials Becoming the Truth: Kenyan Drake is the next person leaving in the fire sale...

Kenyan Drake is a running back for Miami, and he's the next one leaving -- offers from at least four different teams.

Raises the question as to whether the Dolphins will even have a roster come about the first of November.

The LAST THING MLB needed right now...

Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star closer Felipe Vasquez arrested today on child solicitation and grooming charges.

Apparently was in a relationship with a girl since she was 13, now 15.  And they were going to have sex after the end of the season...

If that isn't that last thing MLB needs right now, it's close.

NFL, if you don't start getting a handle on the unprofessionalism in your league, you're going to lose it...

For the first time in 32 years, the NFL now has two 20+ point spreads in the same week.  (And that was due to scabs crossing in the strike -- according to ESPN, the last time this happened without scabs was in 1977.)

As noted yesterday, for the first time in 12 years, the NFL has a team favored by 18 points or more in consecutive weeks.

The majority of sportsbooks now have New England as a 22.5 point favorite over the Jets, and Dallas a 21 (briefly 21.5) point favorite over Miami.

You've got a situation that is threatening to spiral completely out of control in this league.

Continued context from ESPN:  This would be only the 36th and 37th in the history of the league that a team was a 21 point favorite or more.

The line has moved a FULL TOUCHDOWN (six points -- from 16.5 to 22.5) in the New England game.  This doesn't happen without direct point-shaving, etc. and so forth.  It just does...  not...  happen.

It also moved 15 to 21.5 at the Superbook for the Miami, including a direct FOUR POINT MOVE 16.5 to 20.5 -- some recent betting just as I posted this, according to VegasInsider, has moved the line back to 21.

2019 Crown The Patriots Week 2 NFL Score Report

• Have to go back a ways to get the scoring this low.  After a week in which only 5 games went 40 or under, only six went over 40 this week, including only one of the final six contests.
• Average for the week was 38.625 PPG, dropping the season average to 43.5625.
• Home teams were 6-10 for the week, and now 14-17-1 for the year so far.
• Only three games went Over this week -- season is now 12-20 for the over.
• 7-8 against the spread, 10-5 straight up -- for the season, 13-17-1 ATS, 20-10-1 straight up -- one game kicked a Pick.
• Team with more penalties went 10-6 on the week, and 255 penalties on the week (almost 16 a game, again this week).  14-15-1 for the year.
• Only one Cliffhanger, the rig-job in Denver for the Bears was a double.  4 for the year.
• Eight games finished within 8 points.  17 for the year, just over half.
• 6 non-competitive games for 12 for the year.
• 4 Last Chance Misses for 7 for the year.

Ratings report from Sports Media Watch:

• FOX National, almost exclusively Rams-Saints:  Up 13% to a 15.8
• FOX Regional was an 11.4, up 21% year over year, and the highest overnight doubleheader rating for FOX in almost three years (13.6).
• CBS Single:  9.9, down 9%.
• Sunday Night Football:  12.2, down 12% and the lowest week two in a decade.

One point to ponder:

• Just skimming ESPN, I've already spotted THREE $28,075 fines for the Browns from tonight's game, two on the same guy.  That would be far more than enough to trigger the $50,000 fine.

And another on the tanking end:

• Pittsburgh trades it's 2020 first-round pick to Miami to parole Minkah Fitzpatrick.

Steve Young advocates no less than collusion...

Two more players are trying to engineer their way off of teams this Monday -- one of them is in Jacksonville, though the other is in Dallas and that's not a "bad situation"...

But it prompted Steve Young to say this interesting tidbit which shows he's all NFL-corporate:

Steve Young on players demanding trades: "They've got to come together as a league and say, 'We're not gonna do this.'"

He's suggesting NFL owners should collude to prevent players from moving.

Steve Young went from bust to Hall of Famer when he was traded to a better team.

— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) September 16, 2019

When is the NFL going to look into this situation in Miami...

Only big Dolphins money at -19 and -19 1/2 pushed the line back - that should've been well past -20.

Dallas next week?  Dallas is now a THREE-TOUCHDOWN FAVORITE.

SI: Another Antonio Brown Investigation Needed

Pro Football Talk with a TL;DR (although they did read it) of a long piece Sports Illustrated put on their website on Antonio Brown...

The story paints Brown as nothing short of a maniac.  Two dozen people are interviewed regarding erratic behavior by the New England wide receiver.  This jives with a covered-up report from ESPN alleging that a similar exposition was squelched when the reporter was physically threatened by Brown.

At least another improper sexual situation with a woman is alleged -- a naked Brown is noted sexually harassing a woman he hired to paint a mural at his home.

Look, I get it, people...  TB12, 19-0, all that shit.  It's pretty clear that it's becoming a tell here.  And if it's not him, it's Mahomes.  After that, I don't know if they have a Plan C at this point.  But I think they are so all-in on getting Brady the season which will cap it all that they're manipulating literally everything his direction, and this...

Wow...

Some Week 2 Thoughts

I give you a couple pieces of evidence to indicate just how much this entire season may suck for a lot of foobaw fans...

• Not even 39.5 points a game for the week so far.  To no one's surprise, the Over was 3-12.
• Home teams 6-9 for the week, and 2 games under .500 for the year -- even this early in a season, I do not recall that kind of a start to the year.
• Miami was completely toothless against New England (43-0, easily covering -18), and has now given up 102 points in the first two games of the season.  They've scored ten.
• Today (Pro Football Reference) represented the 23rd time in NFL history a team was an 18 point favorite or more on the road -- the first of it's kind this early in the season.  7-16 ATS.  23-0 straight up.
• Couple of probable rigs to report:  Kirk Cousins threw a BAD fourth-quarter interception to aid the Packers in going 2-0.  And with 4 of their next 5 at home, escaping Dallas and Philly might actually make 7-0 a real probability with a defense which has a pulse!
• And then there's the Lawsuit Game Rematch, in which the refs deliberately took 7 off the board on a fumble, scoop, and score for New Orleans.  LA basically wore them down, and with Brees probably out the better part of the year, you can remove New Orleans from consideration.
• One Cliffhanger this week so far.  There have been four Cliffhangers this year, all in the late Sunday games.
• Nine games this week 40 points or under.
• There could be at least three fines for post-game media interactions.  JJ Watt of Houston and New Orleans coach Sean Payton (see above) for the officials, and New England's Antonio Brown for avoiding it completely for obvious reasons.
• The NFL is meeting with Brown's accuser tomorrow.

Welcome to Foobaw Season.  Welcome to the Rigged Suck.

Yeah, it's only Week 2, but at least some early crystal-balling:

The AFC does appear to be setting up for New England vs. Kansas City twice.  Week 14 to determine the site, AFC title game six weeks later to determine if New England is The Chosen Team.  Really, the way it is appearing, with all the media surrounding Mahomes, is that Mahomes is being pushed as The One that can stop this.

NFC?  Scratch New Orleans, with the rigging and the Brees injury.  Green Bay could be entering the fray as a backup plan, but I still can't see more than that!  The Rams would make some sense, but the same questions regarding the LA Experiment persist.  Don't sleep on Seattle, especially if the NFC Champion is a discard to an undefeated (or nearly so) New England.  Ditto Dallas, but they have to stay out of the league doghouse for that to consummate.

And New England is giving 16 1/2 - 17 1/2 to the Jets next week.  I'd have to check the record books to see if, back to back weeks, it's ever been that bad.

(Pro Football Reference)  Using a criteria of NE -17 NYJ:

• New England will have been the favorite of 17 or more points 5 of the last 6 times (it's already four out of five).
• It will NOT be the first time it's ever happened that a team is 17 or more favored in consecutive weeks.  In fact, New England did it twice in 18-1 (and four weeks out of five: Weeks 12, 13, 15 and 16 -- over 20 point favorites three of the four and failed to cover any of them).
• Cleveland was a 17 or more point underdog twice in a row in 1999.

EDIT TO ADD Monday 10 AM PDT:  And the Superbook now is taking odds:

• 10-1 (for now) that New England runs the table.  Probably doesn't even have a competitive game until Baltimore in Week 9.
• 7-2 that Miami goes 0-16.

And once again, Top Rank has to save one of their boys...

We just saw a fight rigged tonight in Las Vegas.

Tyson Fury defended his lineal heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision victory over largely unheralded Swede Otto Wallin.

Too bad Wallin won the fight -- first on cuts, and then probably by reducing Fury to lumbering all over him like a drunk lay-seeker for most of the rest of the fight.

A nasty third-round cut over Fury's right eye should've stopped the fight, and the ref only timed out the fight once to look at it.

The best I could give Fury, from watching the fight, was a 6-6 draw -- and THAT was even generous.

But they've got the big heavyweight fights ahead for the charismatic gypsy, so 116-112, 117-111, and 118-110...

Wow.

Scary thought for people thinking they aren't going to rig it for the Patriots...

One of my (and a lot of other people's) common sources for the NFL fine information is NBC's Pro Football Talk website.

Of the 10 most commented stories entering Week 2 (as of about 3:45 PM PDT today), EIGHT of them were Antonio Brown.

Week 1 2019 NFL Fine Blotter: Starting with WHAT THE FUCK!!!!!

• Cleveland Browns:  Greg Robinson was only fined $10,527 for kicking an opponent in the HEAD!  And NOTHING for the blindside block -- which the NFL now says should never have been called.  Years ago, that kick would get you damn near drummed out of the league -- amIrite, Albert Haynesworth???
• Side note (Robinson announced that one himself, and he will appeal it):  AB is not going to be put on the Exempt List for the allegations of rape from Tuesday.  (Probably because no video of the incident has yet been found.)
• Oakland Raiders:  In a sign of "This is WHY the rule was made!!!"  Johnathan Abram:  $28,075 for lowering his helmet -- on a play which caused an injury that ended HIS season.
• Cleveland Browns:  Myles Garrett:  $10,527 for an open punch.
• Cleveland Browns:  Sheldon Richardson:  $21,056 for roughing the passer.
• Cleveland Browns:  Devaroe Lawrence:  $28,075 for verbal abuse of the official.
• Cleveland Browns Total:  That's four fines, $70,185 for the week, and $98,260 so far for the season.  The team fine level is $147,415.  They actually skated on two other fines for the week.
• San Francisco 49ers:  Kwon Alexander:  $28,075 for the ejection hit trying to injure Jameis Winston.
• Kansas City Chiefs:  DeMarcus Robinson:  $10,527 for his altercation with...
• Jacksonville Jaguars:  Myles Jack:  $10,527 for the ejection on his part -- no word on if any of the afters added to it.
• Kansas City Chiefs:  Damien Williams:  $10,527 for his part in the scuffle.
• Tennessee Titans:  Derrick Henry:  $10,527 for a face mask
• New York Jets:  Henry Anderson:  $10,527 for a late hit
• Atlanta Falcons:  Keanu Neal and
• Atlanta Falcons:  Ricardo Allen, both $28,075 for the helmet rule.
• It's Week 1, we already have, in Neal, our first TWO TIME LOSER of the year, BOTH $28,075 MAJORS!
• Dallas Cowboys:  Maliek Collins:  $10,527 for unnecessary roughness.
• Dallas Cowboys:  Tony Pollard:  $28,075 for an offensive player using helmet to initiate contact.
• Green Bay Packers:  Tony Brown:  $28,075 for a blindside block.
• Philadelphia Eagles:  DeSean Jackson:  $10,527 for unnecessary roughness.

BUT:

• $98,260 for the Browns
• $84,225 for the Falcons
• $56,150 for the 49ers

And that's all at least part of Week 1 in the books, and keeping in mind the first $50,000 fine is at $147,415.  (Dollar for Dollar kicks in at $221,122.)

Seventeen teams have been fined for on-the-field acts, two more have been only fined for suspensions.  That's 19 teams cutting a check to the league, and we're still processing Week 1.

So far, announced fines for Week 1 total  $312,324.

That's after $263,199 in the preseason.

(About in line with the first two sets of last year.  $283K in the preseason, about $230K for Week 1.)

Updates, including the first confirmed wanting out in Miami...

• Even though it may not be completely associated with the 59-10 drubbing by Baltimore, or an impending game with New England both SI (who joked NE could drop 100 on Miami) and Yardbarker (who said NE could win by 50 or more), we have the first name who wants out of Miami.

It is, more, dissatisfaction with where he's being positioned, but 2018 11th pick Minkah Fitzpatrick has been cleared for a trade, if someone is willing to pay Miami their 2020 first-round pick for him...

• It appears as if the line is stabilizing at NE -18 1/2 at the Superbook and -19 1/2 at the William Hill.

IMODO, both are bargains and licenses to print.

• Odell Beckham Jr. may be in even MORE trouble this week.

The Cleveland receiver has restarted an old feud with Gregg Williams, saying Williams teaches players to take cheap shots, and had players take cheap shots at OBJ during a preseason game!

• Antonio Brown and his ex-trainer had apparently been in settlement discussions for some time before she sued him Tuesday.  The Patriots, apparently, did NOT know of these legal wranglings.
• And, tomorrow or Saturday?  The first regular-season Fine Blotter, with a possible six-pack for the Browns!
• And one from college basketball:  Gilbert Arenas has charged that Duke University has paid up to $200,000 to prime basketball talents to play at the university rather than go to Kentucky in the last five seasons, according to KSR Radio's Matt Jones:

Gilbert Arenas in the IG comments saying players get paid to go to Duke over Kentucky pic.twitter.com/VsXPme5OW4

— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) September 13, 2019

And an interesting nature of the NFL continues tonight!

I'm going to show you something:

Thorough 17 games, the NFL teams have averaged 47.65 points a game.

Here are six numbers for you:

1. 13
2. 33
3. 34
4. 36
5. 40
6. 40

Those are the six lowest totals of the year so far.

Four of those six are national primetime games (the 13 last Thursday night, the 36 Sunday night, the 40 in the second game Monday, and the 34 tonight).

Now, no one is going to confuse Oakland/Denver (MNF Week 1 2nd game) and Tampa-Carolina (tonight) with marquee matchups.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut...

The NBA says "no" for now, but do we have our first known e-sports match-fixer in the US?

The NBA 2K League expelled from play Basil "24K Dropoff" Rose today, after an investigation proved that Rose was providing information to someone betting on games within the e-sports league.

The league insists it investigated and found Rose not culpable in any direct matchfixing or improper participation...  The league is joint-run by the NBA and Take Two Interactive, the creators of the casino simulator which is the NBA 2K series.

... and I believe that like I believe I'm the Queen of England.

Suspension Blotter: Another Personal Conduct/Domestic Violence One

• Buffalo Bills:  Tyrel Dodson, six games, Personal Conduct.  Domestic Violence.

First one of the year for the Bills.  Bills become the NINETEENTH NFL team to have at least one player suspended this season.

You think it's time for some people outside the league (fans...  Hell, the police themselves...) to start getting angry and say enough is enough?

Justify was rigged to win the Triple Crown.

Reports today that there was a failed drug test of the 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify for scopolamine -- and sufficient amount that it was deemed intentional -- 2 1/2 weeks before the horse ran the Kentucky Derby.

The owners protested the finding, and it took til October to not only lessen the determination, but also change the penalty from retroactive disqualification to a fine.

Well, isn't THAT special, you horse-drugging race-rigging pieces of shit?

And now the final ultimate balls juiced moment -- with 2 1/2 weeks to go...

Tonight is the night Rob Manfred has been masturbating about.

2017 had 6,105 home runs, the record until tonight.

With 2 1/2 weeks to go, Major League Baseball broke that record.

6:03 PM Pacific:  Marcus Semien of the A's hits #6,105 in Houston...

6:08 PM Pacific:  Looked like ESPN was setting up for a Bryce Harper grand slam to do the trick in Philly with Atlanta, but he chopped into a double play.

6:13 PM Pacific:  As they wait for #6,106, Tim Kurkjian (doing ATL-PHI while Atlanta goes meekly in the top of the 6th) thinks the final total for the season will be about 6,700.  Then a discussion as to whether the balls will cease to be juiced -- and what that might mean for THAT number.

6:17 PM Pacific:  Jonathan Villar of the Baltimore Orioles hits a three-run home run in the bottom of the 7th inning against the National League West champion Los Angeles Dodgers to break the record!

Kurkjian immediately notes after the studio update to announce it a couple minutes later that Villar is not the type of player who should have 21 home runs.

He's right.

But you can't blame the players on this one and Vitamin S.  If there were roids going like they used to, to any real extent, someone would be hitting about 100 already.  I don't think anyone's made 50 yet!

Never Forget (What We Tell You Never To Forget)

Oh, the ways I could blow up this blog.  Especially after years of listening to the late Ray Taliaferro when he used to do overnights on KGO in San Francisco...

But I'll stick this to sports...

Never forget:

• Chaining the fans in their seating areas at Yankee Stadium for "God Bless America".  It's one thing to add that to the seventh-inning tradition -- it's quite another to effectively force it down people's throats.
• When National Obsession became National Religion, where fans would now sacrifice friendships, lives, and sacred honors just for their foobaw...
• Would MAGA Robert Kraft, MAGA Tom Brady, and the New England Patriots be the 2000's versions of the Jordan Chicago Bulls if the NFL didn't ram 9/11 down everyone's throats and consult with the Federal government on not only militarizing certain parts of the NFL experience, but using the "Patriots" moniker as a large part of the national propaganda since?

1. Six titles, all rigged.
2. Nine Super Bowl appearances, including four of the last five.
3. Appearances in every AFC Championship Game this decade, and 13 post 9/11 out of the 18 held.
4. Three NFL MVP awards for Brady
5. Enough PED's in TB12 (which you can now buy too! -- I've seen ads in YouTube videos for it!) to have him chasing Peyton Manning's TD record and race Drew Brees for same...

• People wanting any form of not rising for Our Country to not only blackball the person from playing/attending the game, but be made a criminal offense -- and actually blackballing at least the first NFL player to prominently have done so?
• The all-but-certain creation of the White Football League by a racist, misogynistic pig in the background of a ratings boycott of the NFL due to same?  (Come on, Vince...  If you don't think some of us caught the concept that not allowing criminal players was an effort to bleach your league white...)
• And the reality of football, EDIT TO ADD about 6:25 PM PDT this evening:  No, not the potential allegations AB is a rapist...  I'm talking Neiron Bell, formerly of the Raiders.  Brain aneurysm last year after a rupture, gone at 27...  Another down at the altar of football.  But you're supposed to forget about him.
• I guess I will break the rule for an overreaching question, as a result of the last two points:  Do we have Donald Trump's America without 9/11 and "If you're not with us, you're with the terrorists."?

But Never Forget -- only what we tell you never to forget.

Pshaw.

MORE (possible) Antonio Brown drama: A rapist too???

(Please note the question marks...)

This is going to implode spectacularly all over the NFL.

Latest news is that there is a civil lawsuit, filed by his former female trainer today, alleging three sexual assaults in the last two years.

That not only looks awfully conveniently timed, but also triggers a women's violence investigation by the NFL.  If video can be produced, he's done...

(Source:  ESPN)

Suspension Blotter, Drugs: And the Fine Keeps Going Up For the Jets

• New York Jets:  Nathan Shepherd, six games for PEDs.  Forfeits $318,681, according to Spotrac.

According to Shepherd, this apparently is TWO violations.

Third suspension for the Jets, meaning now they are fined 25% of all lost salaries up to $250,000.  The team fine for the Jets now becomes $226,601.

9/10/19 Foobaw Updates

• Looks like it got smart in a hurry.  The Action Network reports a nigh-unheard-of 4 1/2 point move in the Patriot-Dolphin game -- line is now -19.
• According to Vegas Insider -- even at -19, money is over 7-1 in favor of the Patriots at the William Hill.
• According to Pro Football Reference, this would be the 15th time in NFL history that an NFL game had a line 19 or greater, with the record being Jacksonville +26.5 Denver in 2013 -- They lost 35-19, but Denver did not cover the 26.5.
• SI put out an article in 2013 claiming that game and one other actually got to 27, and only 11 games got more than 19.
• Bad news from New York:  It appears NONE of the major incidents from Sunday will result in suspensions.  The NFL wants to get somebody killed, more than ever, if that's the case.
• The California State Assembly passed by 73-6 a direct rebuke to the NCAA regarding use of likeness, which the NCAA has threatened will disqualify all state schools from NCAA championships.  (And if you saw the current state of the big two revenue sports, that MIGHT impact the Rose Bowl and Gonzaga basketball...  and that's about IT.)  The Senate will reconcile differences with their version of the bill.  It is expected to pass, and then lawsuits filed which will delay it's 2023 effective date.
• Odell Beckham Jr. will have to be either fined or removed from the field to no longer wear his almost $200,000 watch during games.  Stupid fucking idiot....
• The Dolphins are denying all reports of mutiny in Miami.  They have to, for the good of the league.  
• JLo is about to sell out her gender and do the Super Bowl halftime show.  Someone needs to remind "Jenny From the Block" why she used to have a little, now have a lot...  It ain't pretty for you, girl...  "'Living Color', movie scripts...  But I didn't get anything...  until I stripped..."
• Another disgrace from Cleveland on Sunday.  The NFLPA has contacted the NFL about a Browns fan who dumped beer on Titans' Logan Ryan.  The stadium is banning the fan for life, the NFLPA wants charges.  That whole situation in Cleveland is about to go tits-up.  Though not as obvious of a shit-team situation as Miami, they may be in competition for the first franchise to go abject supernova.
• A head-neck stretcher scare with Gareon Conley this weekend in the NFL, but he reports it was all protocol and everything has checked out...  For now...
• Best opening game of the MNF doubleheader since 2015, according to Sports Media Watch:
• 9.3 rating for Texans-Saints, up 24% from last year.
• 7.7 for Raiders-Broncos, up 10%.  Good night for ESPN on the ratings end.
• New Orleans and Denver's ratings for the games were double that of their opponents.

2019 NFL Crown The Patriots Week One Score Report

• 48.5 points a game this week, up from 47.8125 last year Week 1.
• And that's with three of the five lowest scoring games of the week being on national primetime television.
• Home team did eke out a winning week at 8-7-1, but needed 6-1-1 late games on forward to get it done.  (Last year:  Also 8-7-1)
• Over was 9-7, also the same as last year.
• 6-9-1 against the spread (7-8-1 last year), 10-5-1 straight up (same as last year)
• Biggest news of the week:  Team with more penalties only won 4 games this week and lost nine.  (Last year:  6-6)
• Last year had 255 penalties in Week 1.  This year?  250.
• Three Cliffhangers this year (A Cliffhanger is a game in which a tying or lead-changing score happens within 2:00 to go in regulation -- overtime counts.  A tie with no scoring at that point is NOT a Cliffhanger.  A game can have multiple Cliffhangers -- the tie in Arizona had 3.)  (Last year:  1)
• 9 games finished within a score (Last year:  10)
• 6 non-competitive games (not within one score at any point in the fourth quarter).  (Last year:  4)
• 3 Last Chance Misses (a reasonable chance that a team behind can win or tie a game that fails in the final 2:00.  Onside kick situation fails count automatically, but if you have the ball, you must have at least field position to tie or lead/win the game).  (Last Year had 6 of them in Week 1.)

Sunday Overnight Ratings, from Sports Media Watch:

It appears as if the ratings have stabilized.

• Sunday national:  15.9 rating, up about 1%.
• Sunday regional:  CBS single:  10.2, down 4%
• FOX first:  8.6, down 2%.
• Sunday Night:  14.8, up 3%
• Thursday Night:  12.8, up 14% and the highest Kickoff Game in three years.

Oh shit... Stop me if you've heard this kind of shit before...

Tobias Gray of Rhode Island is heading to prison.

He just posted on his Facebook he was going to start a school shooting in Foxboro over the Antonio Brown signing...

*sigh*

Short of a massive Brady injury, you can crown 'em...

Bleacher Report is reporting this afternoon that the NFL will not investigate the Antonio Brown move to New England.

Season.  Over.

And I'm not the only person to see it this way:

If the @Patriots sign @AB84 the whole league is rigged

— Reggie Bush (@ReggieBush) September 7, 2019

Belichick: Checkmate! https://t.co/8bs0AZcgeU

— Reggie Bush (@ReggieBush) September 8, 2019

(Brian Tuohy retweeted the former, so I should credit him for finding it.  I found the latter in Bush's Twitter feed myself.)

EDIT TO ADD COMMENTARY:  The worst they could do under "Tampering" is fines and draft picks, and we know how little the Patriots care about that if they can raise the seventh banner (and put a "19-0" with it) at next year's opener or Sunday nighter.

What the league needs to look into is both the breach of contract and fraud on the part of Antonio Brown personally and a Personal Conduct case against him for his actions against GM Mayock, including a rumored racial slur.

You're not preventing this under a Tampering charge.  It's what else is on the table that you need to look at.

And, by the way:  Kansas City at New England, Week 14, scheduled late game CBS.

Monday updates 9/9/19

• First reports from Supplemental Discipline are not promising.  Greg Robinson apparently will escape suspension for kicking Kenny Vaccaro in the head.  (Pro Football Talk)

Really...

That's a two to five game suspension.  This league damn near ran Albert Haynesworth out of the league for a similar incident, and do I need to go into Ndamokung Suh that one Thanksgiving in Detroit?

• A Browns and Cavaliers beat reporter for 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland reports on his Twitter that the Browns already racked up six possible fineable acts totalling $119,316 at minimum for the Browns in just Week 1.

Remember, the threshold for a team $50,000 fine this season is $147,415.

Here's the Tweet:

#Browns had six fineable penalties in Sunday's loss ($=min amount possible)
Greg Robinson: kick + blindside block = $38,602
Myles Garrett: open hand punch = $10,527
Jermaine Whitehead & Sheldon Richardson: roughing passer = $21,056
Devaroe Lawrence: verbal v official $28,075

— Daryl Ruiter (@RuiterWrongFAN) September 9, 2019

Cleveland is already $28,075 in arrears for a preseason fine.

This would be a record for both number of fines and amount charged against the team's Club Remittance number in a week.

If correct, this would mean the Cleveland Browns would be within rounding error of a $50,000 team fine for accumulated Club Remittance Policy on-field fines, after Week 1.  

• The "Fuck You" from Antonio Brown and the Patriots to the rest of the league is growing more obvious by the hour. 

Someone has got to stop this.  I believe it may well take legal action, but PFT is stating the obvious appears to be true:  Antonio Brown openly tampered his way onto the Patriots, with the Patriots say-so.

This, to me, also raises suspicions on the situation in Oakland with respect to coach Jon Gruden.

• Well, that took one game with the Browns:  Odell Beckham Jr. faces a talk with the NFL over wearing a luxury watch on the field in the game against Tennessee.

The guy's trouble.

Period-end.

The guy simply cannot wise up and understand that he needs to stay out of the league doghouse to have a feasible NFL career.

His is NOT one of the six aforementioned possible Browns fines, and he is not expected to be fined.

More to come.  Stay tuned.

That didn't take long! The stampede has already taken first root in Miami!!!

That took about three hours after 59-10, with a team that had 14 players on it's Opening Day roster who were cut from other teams at the end of training camp and didn't have a lick of Miami experience.

And now, Pro Football Talk with the report:

"Per a league source with knowledge of the situation, multiple Dolphins players contacted their agents after Sunday’s season-opening blowout loss and directed them to attempt to engineer trades elsewhere. The players believe that the coaching staff, despite claiming that they intend to try to win, aren’t serious about competing and winning and by all appearances have bought into the notion that the Dolphins will take their lumps now in the hopes of laying the foundation via high draft picks for building a successful team later."

Most everyone knew that Miami was going to tank.

Most everyone, as of Saturday, could suspect that players were going to try to flee bad teams.

I just didn't think WEEK ONE!!!

Some comparative thoughts heading into Monday's doubleheader:

• Scoring up almost two points a game.  24 more points scored in the first 14 games this year than last.  Even with the 13 Thursday night and the 36 Sunday night.
• Only 5 games went under 48.
• Vegas books, according to VegasInsider, won small based on Cleveland getting exposed and I don't know which back-door helped 'em too, but favorites so far are 6-7-1 against the number and 9-4-1 straight up (2018 had the same result exactly, including the straight-up draw, AS WELL AS the 8-6 for the Over.)
• Home teams 8-5-1 last year, 6-7-1 this year, and that took 4-1-1 after the early games.
• Supplemental Discipline will be busy in New York -- there's a chance of three suspensions at least from Sunday, two of them could easily be multiple games.
• If you're in Las Vegas (and I urge all regular disclaimers apply -- only gamble for entertainment and what you can lose, taking this advice is your own responsibility, etc.):  According to VegasInsider, the opening line after the Sunday nighter for New England vs. Miami is NE -14 1/2.  If that's not license to print...  They will have to literally rig that game to keep it within 28.
• If New England is that good, we just call it all off now and the only question is if someone takes Brady out at the knees.  I have no dispute the NFL would like to get Brady 19-0 one season to literally make him Greater Than Jordan, but that was a New England massacre and a Pittsburgh surrender.
• (Other) teams on the up:  

1. Green Bay (only on the D for the moment, but if Rodgers hits stride and the gamble of him taking no preseason snaps works...) 
2. Baltimore (I just don't know what you do with that against a Miami team that probably can't beat a Top 5 college team.)
3. Kansas City (You could say "Karma, bitch!" to the Tyreek Hill injury, and it's clear the league is painting Patrick Mahomes as the One Great Hope to unseat Brady.)
4. Dallas (Probably the biggest rig-job recipient of the week.  If the NFC is as wide open as things may indicate, maybe they just figure Dallas and they'll just job to New England anyway.)

• (Other) Teams who might want to keep a close eye on their rosters:

1. Cleveland.  Nuff said.  That was not only an embarrassment, but a quit-job.
2. Chicago.  Too many more weeks of that, and they'll be scouting situations for a new QB to save what might be ANOTHER lost season for that defense.
3. Both New York teams, Arizona, Detroit, Tampa Bay  They are what you think they are.  They stink.
4. Pittsburgh.  Need I say more?  And that's three subreddits I've now been banned from in the last 36 hours.  Steeler fan...  Truth fucking hurts.  That was an exposition, a surrender, and an indication we all but should cancel the season and crown 'em unless someone finally has enough and takes Brady out at the knees.

And the horror show begins...

More as the day goes on, but just kinda randomly throwing stuff down.

• 12 minutes to go in the fourth quarter, and it may take Baltimore calling off the dogs for Miami not to give up a record number of points in an NFL game.  52 now, and another touchdown imminent.  
• And there it is.  9:24 left, and it's 59-10.  It is only the 31st time in NFL history since 1940, and the first since 2012, in which an NFL team has scored at least 59 points on an opponent.  (Pro Football Reference)
• According to one Tweet laughing at what is going to be a dumpster fire in Miami, there is rumor that the Dolphins have 14 players on their Opening Day roster who were not on the team until after the final cuts in training camp.
• At least two ejections already, one for kicking a player in the head -- that will get supplemental discipline.  One of the ejections was followed up with a "contact on the official" foul after the ejection for a punch.  Staring at least TWO suspensions in the face this week already, and it's just the end of the early games.
• Tennessee is 16 up on Cleveland in the fourth quarter -- how's THAT hype-job treating you?
• Yep, just got the notice as I pop on Reddit, as a follow-up from last night.  Add the Patriots subreddit to the list.  I'm figuring guffawing at the dumpster fires in Cleveland and Miami might be next.
• 59-10 was the final in Miami, but it took two kneel-downs inside the 5 after a seven-minute drive by the Ravens to get it done.
• NFL record (from the above PFR chart) for a Week 1 game is 62, Atlanta over New Orleans in 1973. 
• Early games are in.  Half the games have been played this week.  
• The home teams are 2-6 (only Philadelphia and Minnesota), teams committing more penalties than their opponents are 1-6 (Minnesota, the Thursday nighter had 10 each).  4-4 ATS, 5-3 SU.
• Even after the 13 point Thursday nighter, the average scoring total through the first 8 games is almost 49.
• Cleveland committed 18 accepted penalties today, the most penalties in a Week 1 NFL game in 75 years.  It is only the 21st time in NFL history since 1940 that a team has committed 18 or more penalties in an NFL game.  (Pro Football Reference)
• Just saw the two ejections on video.  Both players are in major trouble and probably will be suspended.
• Myles Jack is probably going to get fined AND suspended -- not the usual practice, but...  He gets ejected for throwing a punch.  I've never agreed with the lightness of the fine, especially on an ejection foul such as a punch -- but if the league is consistent, Jack would get a $10,500ish fine and that would be that.
• It's what happens afterward.  He has to be restrained by and contacts at least two officials as he is being ejected and ordered from the field.  Once the Jaguars get to him, he still is trying to altercate and has to be physically and forcibly escorted off (failure to leave the field in a timely manner), almost having to get the police arm-wrench to finally convince him to go up the tunnel.  THIS is what Supplemental Discipline will look at, and that's what's going to have him sitting for Week 2. Would not even be shocked to see a two-game suspension appealed to one.
• And then you have Greg Robinson for an upward kick at a player's head.  That could be anywhere, on an original basis, from a 2-5 game suspension, and then the appeal -- but he's gonna sit, and it may well be multiple games.
• Looks like the Cowboys are getting a rigger over the Giants today.  Key 4th down call 3rd quarter 28-10 Dallas...  Refs ignore both a tackle in the defensive backfield and a helmet-to-helmet on a QB-turned-runner and give the Boys the ball.
• And it takes until 3:52 PM Pacific to get the week's first Cliffhanger as Indianapolis goes all-square with the Chargers on a two-point conversion with under 40 seconds to go!
• And the Chargers can't get out of their own way -- the season's first OVERTIME game.
• But they win the toss and drive the field for the W.
• And the last game of the main session is in Arizona.
• And as Arizona is trying to tie Detroit, NBC dives head-first into the Antonio Brown insanity.
• And another Cliffhanger, another last-minute tying TD+2.
• And probably enough overtime in Arizona to bridge almost perfectly into the ring and banner ceremony in Foxboro.
• Trading field goals, and it may overlap the ceremony!
• And within a minute of the first NFL tie of the season, the main event kicks off.
• And our THIRD Supplemental Discipline ejection of the week:  Kwon Alexander becomes the first player to deliberate try to take out a sliding quarterback at the head this season when the 49er tried to put out Jameis Winston of Tampa Bay!
• And New England is dominating Pittsburgh at every phase of the game.  20-0 and it should be more.
• And they may well have decided to try to keep the game close so as not to lose viewers -- VERY questionable third-down pass-interference no-call forces the field goal to make it 20 for New England.
• Really would like a ratings chart, especially the second half, as the New England Party went unabated for a 33-3 whitewashing.

What I believe Foobaw Nation America accepts in the name of their blessed sport...

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

IF THIS STANDS, AND IT SHOULDN'T: I have my Super Bowl pick, and so does Vegas...

I believe Antonio Brown should not only be actioned within the NFL, but sued and TRO'ed out of the league until there's an investigation on both breach of contract by Brown himself and tampering by the Patriots (as separate considerations).

Yes, I believe he should be no less than taken to court for this.

But it's obvious now:  If this is allowed to stand:

• Patriots now +450 at William Hill and the favorites to win the Super Bowl
• 4-1 now at both Caesar's and the Westgate Superbook...

And I have my call:  It's #7.  Bend over, bitches.

And here's one more thing:  If this consummates, you're going to see players fleeing bad situations and lining up at the doors of the few contenders.  Welcome to the Superteam Era of the NFL.

OK, that's it. NFL investigation into Antonio Brown... NOW!!!

Now, before I say this, I don't want an investigation on the team involved unless you think the team actively engaged in tampering to get Brown there.  That is NOT, at present, the idea on all of this.

Six hours after being fired by the Oakland Raiders....

Antonio Brown is a NEW ENGLAND PATRIOT.

Someone just went to buy himself a championship!!!

Ignore previous transmission. Mayock's safe!!! Antonio Brown is GONE

Antonio Brown has been FIRED by the Oakland Raiders.

The final straw came this morning when Adam Schefter reported that the fines for the incident between Brown and GM Mike Mayock were over $200,000 -- and that the Raiders had successfully voided the over $29,000,000 Brown was guaranteed over his three-year contract.

Brown then asked on Instagram to be released, and the Raiders fired his ass!!!

Mignogna Case: Game Over. Vic Loses.

That could not have gone more catastrophically for Vic Mignogna had it tried.

One defendant has won her legal fees and penalties back already in all of her cases being dismissed.  In all, only three of the 17 claims were not ruled so ridiculous by the judge that they were thrown out from the bench, with prejudice, this morning in Dallas.

The judge will rule on the remaining claims in 30 days, but it is now widely believed the incompetence of Mignogna's lawyers will make this case go to the penalty phase against Mignogna fairly quickly.

So where are we now:

Vic:

• Is liable for all of the legal bills of Jamie Marchi, plus most (and soon, IMODO, to be all) of the legal bills for Funimation Pictures, Monica Rial, and her fiance Ron Toye.
• Faces additional sanctions, including possible tripling of all of the above.
• He also faces sanctions for ignoring a subpoena to appear at today's hearing according to Dallas newspapers.
• Almost certainly, if something has been on hold for the civil trial, faces criminal charges, if and once anything can be found of his misconduct which falls within statute of limitations (something I find a trivial situation, frankly).
• There has been at least some concern as to Vic's immediate welfare.

They probably have reason to.

Mignogna has done much of whatever his conduct is considered to be under the guise of a Man of Christ.

That degree of massive fraud does not end well when it is finally exposed.  I consider it very likely that the 56 year-old Mignogna is about to be arrested once something is finalized and can safely navigate the courts in the state in which it occurred.  At that point, several parties probably go with him, as Michelle Specht charged back in March that Vic has had significant help and assistance (read: conspiracy/accessory/direct action) by other voice actors close to him...

Would it shock me if Vic, with no other option, ignites the entire situation by doing something tragic?  No.

Funimation Pictures:

• In addition to recouping their legal fees, plus...  Stand vindicated in firing Mignogna in February of 2019.
• Many questions remain however, first and foremost how Mignogna was allowed to remain with the studio to that point, especially with years upon years of similar allegations against him.
• They also have five other problems:

1. They have the little matter of some of the other material which has come out (the #FuniLeaks, the Sabat casting couches from the Huber deposition, etc.).  This probably eventually criminally implicates Funimation head Gen Fukunaga, on top of the questions which remain stated above.
2. They also have the little matter of trying to convince Toei Animation not to remove Funimation's main license, the DragonBall license on which Mignogna performed prominently.
3. They also have the matter of eventually not getting themselves finally criminally examined as an enterprise -- and that could go anywhere from financial questions as to how they can survive now when they used to claim it took DVD's at $25/4-6 episodes to do so 15 years ago to the content of some of their materials being as pedophilic as Mignogna is now viewed to a response to the leaks brought forward by the case, the Specht e-mail, etc.
4. They also have a problem with losing quite a number of their fans.  One of the most damning revelations of the situation was a $240,000 Go Fund Me submitted by Mignogna's fans (which will probably now re-explode, with the current estimate of full penalties against Mignogna first estimated at low-seven figures) in the light of the lawsuit.
5. And the most immediate and violent possible result:

*sigh*  I have to say it, and I don't like saying it.

On July 18th, a crazed fan of....  something....  set fire to Kyoto Animation, burning it's main buildings to the ground and destroying much of the work therein.  It also killed 33 people.

Do I have to assert that one of these Vic Mignogna fans might just go completely off the deep end for a copycat?  Do I really have to go there??

Rial/Marchi/Toye:

• Marchi has won her entire claim with prejudice, Rial and Toye, IMODO, are about to.
• May I suggest (see immediately above) none appear in public any time soon, especially around Vic fans.

Stay tuned.