I guess I should say something first: For several anti-Trump tweets, I had my Twitter account softlocked for a period of about two years. Finally, about a month or so ago (to the joy of members of my family), I finally was able to convince them I had no cell phone number to give them, so they let me delete the two Tweets that were reported, and I returned. (Probably the next foul terminates the account, though.)
My anonymous friend has long posited that the NFL does read this blog.
Well, I now have someone in the league who is in a rather animated discussion with me about the officiating and my belief that the NFL games are fixed.
I hope that my discussion partner will not mind, in the understanding, that, though I understand his position and why he has to say what he has to say, I disagree with him wholeheartedly. I want him to know, if he ever sees this post, that I at least respect he had the balls to talk to me and give his stand on the matter.
His name is Andy Studebaker. He is one of five Player Directors of the NFL Players Association. He had an eight-year career as a linebacker with five different NFL franchises from 2008 to 2016. Please do not be angry with him or anything that he says. I think even he recognizes the difficulty of his position with respect to the officiating and the perception that something more is afoot, which is growing by leaps and bounds by the week.
It began with this Tweet condemning that the NFL had three players fined for speaking out against the officiating.
Studebaker got no different than anyone else, with my contention that the calls are not "bad calls" when they are for something else...The NFL needs to address the poor officiating rather than censor the players who are subjected to it. https://t.co/LGGO21SskA— Andy Studebaker (@studie32) October 20, 2019
Unsurprisingly, Andy was very short with his denial, as he well should be...The NFL is #Rigged, Andy.— Michael Falkner (@darkstar7646) October 21, 2019
I know it's your business to project that the games are legitimate contests, but there is no legal requirement for the NFL to provide them.
It's not "poor officiating" when it is the desired result, baked into the proverbial "cake".
To which I responded...This is wrong.— Andy Studebaker (@studie32) October 21, 2019
To which he was again curt...I know you want to believe that with all your heart, given your place.— Michael Falkner (@darkstar7646) October 21, 2019
Some of us see far too much on this side of the situation to believe otherwise.
If the referees were as incompetent as any degree of legitimacy would imply with these calls, they'd ALL have been fired! Sorry
Which got this response...“Some of us”— Andy Studebaker (@studie32) October 22, 2019
That got a much longer response this time, in three parts... First:Have you been hearing the reaction of fans, Andy, especially the last two weeks?— Michael Falkner (@darkstar7646) October 22, 2019
I mean, seriously... I get your position, but if you don't want us thinking the league is rigged, fire all these refs and get us some real ones.
Every week, I have to explain this to people.
To which I get it, but still... Second:Yes, I have been hearing it. But the baseless accusation that the NFL has rigged the games is ridiculous. The officiating has been sub par, but some of that is due to inconsistent rules which put the officials in a tough spot. The NFL should own this and work to improve it.— Andy Studebaker (@studie32) October 22, 2019
Then AMERICA WISHES YOU WOULD GET STARTED!!!! Because I point out:Also I do t have the capacity to fire refs. What do you think I do, exactly?— Andy Studebaker (@studie32) October 22, 2019
He has to take the position he has. What he has to understand, though, is the concept that if the games aren't rigged (let me take his position for a second), then the rules are so convoluted and the referees either hamstrung and/or inept that fair competition in the NFL, on any level, is now impossible.The problem is, it's not just one game, Andy.— Michael Falkner (@darkstar7646) October 22, 2019
It's basically happening in most games.
One of the exercises I like to do for a blog I do on this subject is chart the plays of the Super Bowl for situations such as this.
I mean, it's so bad that you had a boycott of SB 53 in NO.
That the games are either rigged or have become rank impossibilities in which no fair outcome could be discerned even under the BEST of circumstances.
He would need not only a flush of the entire refereeing contingent in the NFL, but a complete rework of the on-field rules of professional football -- MID-SEASON -- just to save THIS season.
As I said, I obviously believe he is wrong. But he has to believe it and attempt to project it. I don't think he has any idea of the impossibility of the task he would have before him if he were even remotely correct.
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