The NFL is in trouble.

I saw it coming (as posted in the comments here).  And now the ratings numbers confirm the NFL is in trouble.

With the dust settled on Week One, the NFL saw a reduction in most key apples-to-apples comparisons from 2015 to 2016.

Via Forbes, the Thursday night opener between the Panthers and Broncos drew 25.2 million, down eight percent from 2015 (Steelers-Patriots) and six percent from 2014 (Packers-Seahawks). Also, Sunday night’s game between the Patriots and Cardinals generated an audience of 20.65 million. Despite the game being decided at the last second, the audience fell 18 percent in the 18-to-49 demographic, in comparison to last year’s Giants-Cowboys Sunday night opener.

The putrid ratings of the second Monday Night game are of personal interest.

According to SportsBusiness Daily, the ratings for the early game dropped from 9.8 in 2015 (Eagles-Falcons) to 9.1 for Steelers-Washington. The late game had an even bigger decline, with last year’s Vikings-49ers 9.5 shrinking to 7.1 for Rams-49ers.

Yes, with the Rams back in the nation’s No. 2 media market, the audience for a game that swapped out Minnesota for L.A. from one year to the next saw a 2.4-point drop in ratings. Via Richard Deitsch of SI.com, the total audience fell from 14.3 million to 10.3 million.

The quality of the game surely contributed to the decline. But last year’s 20-3 drubbing of the Vikings by the 49ers was a snooze-fest, too. It nevertheless drew four million more eyeballs.

Now you’d think SF vs. the once again L.A. Rams would attract a lot of interest.  This is quite a rivalry, now enhanced by both teams once again being in Californicate.  And I was one of those interested.

But during the National Anthem I saw players from both teams being jerks, including holding up raised fists at the flag.  Disgusted, I turned off the T. V. before the game got under way.  For it was not possible for both teams to lose.  And it looks like I was not alone.

Here’s the bigger picture with the NFL.  Millennials do not watch sports, particularly football, as much as older generations.  So the base viewership of the NFL are males over 30.  But now they see an NFL that prohibited the Dallas Cowboys from wearing a police-supporting decal, that each year requires wearing pink in October, but that does not require players to stand respectfully for the National Anthem.  And for the first time, a number of players are disrespecting the flag to push a Leftist lie.  It’s enough to tick off just about any red blooded, football-watching American male.

And those who watch NFL want to root for a team.  But what happens when players from both teams disrespect the National Anthem and the flag?  TVs get turned off.  And many who watch NFL want something of an escape as Ed Morrissey points out.  They don’t tune in to watch a Black Lives Matter protest.  Being angered by the refs or a team you hate is one thing.  Being angered by Leftist millionaires disrespecting the flag is quite another.

The NFL is alienating many of its core viewers.  The league in trouble and will be in further trouble if they do not act to stop the National Anthem protests.

As for me, I’ve been a very loyal NFL viewer since early childhood.  I remember my Mama being unhappy about the Ice Bowl game.  I cried when Dallas lost (was robbed of) their first Super Bowl.  My Sunday afternoon football watching has long been as regular as my church attendance. 

But I, of all people, am considering cancelling my NFL Sunday Ticket and boycotting the NFL.

The NFL is in deep trouble. 

Deflategate Gets Worse

Deflategate got worse for the Patriots and the NFL yesterday. 

In the morning, Coach Bill Belichick gave a press conference in which he was very credible.  But in the afternoon, QB Tom Brady’s presser did not go so well.  His assertion that he, a veteran NFL quarterback, did not notice the footballs were deflated particularly strained credulity.  I was watching NFL Live on ESPN, and former NFL QB Mark Brunell got a bit choked up afterwards and said he just did not believe Brady.  The rest of the panel, as well as others at ESPN, were almost as brutal.  And Troy Aikman afterwards opined on a Dallas radio station the following: "It's obvious that Tom Brady had something to do with this." 

Ouch.

Now, in case any readers are - God forbid – not American football fans, know that deflated footballs that only one team are using are a big advantage.  The quarterback can grip the football better.  Receivers can catch the ball easier.  Ball carriers can hold on to the ball and avoid fumbles better.

And, lo and behold, the Patriots record of not fumbling at home is off the charts and hard to explain.  The 2014 Patriots are only the third team in 25 years to have never lost a fumble at home.  Read Warren Sharp’s close to damning statistical analysis for yourself, but the Patriots’ astounding fumble stats beg the question whether they were using deflated footballs at home all season and even before.

Yes, the legitimacy of the entire Patriots season is now under question.

Wednesday, I said that if the Patriots win the Super Bowl accompanied by perceived help from the refs, it would be a disaster for the NFL.  I now have to amend that.  If the Patriots win this Super Bowl at all, it will be at least perceived as tainted by millions, more so than any Super Bowl ever (Yes, even more so than the 2006 disgrace.), and therefore a disaster for the NFL.

The NFL is in a bad situation.  And I suspect nothing short of suspending Tom Brady from the Super Bowl will suffice to get them out of it.

That and rooting really hard for the Seahawks.

Thanks to the Patriots, the NFL is in a Dangerous Position UPDATED

After the infamous SuperBowl XL in 2006 in which the refs, particularly one from Pittsburgh, helped the Steelers steal another Super Bowl, I was one year away from swearing off the NFL.  I decided that if there was another Super Bowl presented to the Steelers on a silver platter by the league in the near future, I would stop watching the NFL.

And that was something coming from this lifelong NFL fan.  Heck, I remember my Dallas mom being unhappy about the Ice Bowl.  I’ve had NFL Sunday Ticket for years.  But my attitude has long been that if I liked rigged sport, I would watch pro wrestling . . . and I don’t.

The reason I bring up this dark memory is I suspect millions of NFL fans are now at the same spot I was back in 2006.  2006 was the NFL’s fault – a ref from Pittsburgh for that Super Bowl?  Really?  But this time it is the Patriots’ fault for deflating footballs.  The NFL has good reason to be upset, and they are.

One source described the league as "disappointed ... angry ... distraught," after spending considerable time on the findings earlier Tuesday.

I expect they will crack down hard on the Patriots.  But more than footballs are in danger.  The NFL itself is.

For now if the NFL is to avoid lasting damage and massive fan defections, there is one thing that must not happen.  If the Patriots win the Super Bowl accompanied with a widespread perception that the refs helped them so to do, that would tip this Patriots scandal over into an NFL disaster.  I would not swear off the NFL, but I bet millions would at least become much less enthusiastic about the NFL should that happen.

And the refereeing would not have to be as outrageous as that in 2006.  There is already widespread hatred of the Patriots.  There is the earned perception that they cheat already with a current episode of such in the news.  A Patriots win in the Super Bowl would not be good for the NFL.  If there is the perception that the NFL helped it out with questionable calls, it could be disastrous, destroying already damaged NFL credibility and alienating fans.

No I am not a Patriots-hater.  But it is hard to miss that Patriots hate is that strong out there – and that the NFL has already had a bad season with scandals, bad calls (especially the Dez Bryant catch reversal), and more.  More than footballs are in danger of being deflated by the Patriots.  Fan loyalty is as well.

All the more reason to root for the Seahawks as I will.

-----

UPDATE:

Deflategate is getting worse.  Now there are reports the Ravens believe the Patriots used underinflated balls against them.  Remember that playoff game was not a blow out; the Ravens were up 14, twice.

And how many other times have the Patriots literally taken the air out of the ball?

Again, I am no Patriots hater . . . but I may be becoming one.  More importantly, the NFL must take strong steps to defend both the reality and the perception of “the integrity of the game.” 

So do not be surprised if they crack down on the Patriots, hard.

NFL Playoffs: Who I’m rooting for (and against) and why.

Inspired by a guide to who to root or in the playoffs for losers those whose teams did not make the playoffs, I have decided to share my all-important and correct feelings about the teams who made it.  You may disagree . . . and be scum.

I’ll do this in order from teams I’m rooting for to the one I so hate, I will probably have to avoid a Super Bowl party if it makes it.

1. Denver Broncos – I’ve always loved this team (with the possible exception of when Mike Shanahan coached it.  Yes, I dislike him that much.) and I’ve always loved Peyton Manning.  I not only expect them to make the Super Bowl; I might pray for it.

2. Seattle Seahawks – I’ve rooted for them since they came into the NFL, in part because my Dad used to live there.  And I still resent the Super Bowl stolen from them by refs, particularly a ref from (S)Pittsburgh.  They are practically owed a Super Bowl.

If these two both make the Super Bowl, I will wish they both could win somehow.  These next three are very close together in my heart.  (And remember, this is who I’m rooting for, not who I am predicting to win.)

3. Carolina Panthers – I have a warm place in my heart for most teams who have never won a Super Bowl.  And I appreciate the character of this team, especially how they turned it around after a bad 2012 and a bad start this year.  And, unless you bellow “Roll Tide!”, ya gotta love Cam Newton.  And it’s obvious he has worked hard on his game after getting by pretty much on pure talent.  Not all talented players have the humility and discipline to do that.

4 .New Orleans Saints – I’ve always rooted for them, in part because I still remember when they were the Aints and their fans wore bags on their heads.  They are fun to watch, at least at home.  I think the NFL singled them out in Bountygate.  The awkwardness if they win the Super Bowl and Roger Goodell and Saint’s Coach Sean Payton are together on the awards stand could be priceless.  Heck, that alone makes them rootworthy.

5. Green Bay Packers – I disliked them as a kid because I was a big Cowboys fan.  I still remember Bart Star making my Mama unhappy.  And I hated Vince Lombardi.  I know – heresy.  I respect him now, but only.

But I came around through the years to like them.  Yes, I can change my mind about a franchise.  They have always been a class act.  And you do not know how much I appreciate them beating the Steelers in the Super Bowl.  (Can you guess yet who I am thankful is not in the playoffs?)  If they manage to beat the 49ers this weekend, I will become that much more grateful towards them.

6. Indianapolis Colts – I don’t like them as much as when Peyton was there.  But I still like them and appreciate their turnaround after Peyton got injured then left.  And their QB Luck is likable and fun to watch.  I even like watching his beard grow.

7. Kansas City Chiefs – Who can dislike a team that has so turned it around?  They aren’t the Kansas City “Chefs” any more.  And I like and respect Andy Reid (See the Eagles below.).  But they did not finish that strong (although their scrubs nearly beat the Chargers last Sunday), and I’m not a long time fan of theirs.  So I’m not that excited about them.

8. San Diego Chargers – I’ve mildly rooted for them a long time.  But I don’t like Rivers’ act.  And they are a most undeserving playoff team.  But I still like them.  Who said football fans are rational?

9. New England Patriots – I know this is probably the most hated team in America.  But I still remember when they rose up from decades of mediocrity and worse to slay the Steelers and the Raiders.  And I still appreciate them for that, a lot.  Yes, it is hard to really love them, but I cannot hate them.

10. Cincinnati Bengals – This is the only team I am truly indifferent about.  One reason is so many times through the years, nay, decades, they had opportunities to stop the 49ers and the Steelers (Yes.  Them again.) and utterly failed.  Even this year, they only split their games with the Steelers, enabling their very nearly successful playoff run.  So thanks for nothing, Bungles.  Eh, I’ll correct myself.  I hope San Diego embarrasses these losers.

11. Philadelphia Eagles – I used to hate this team (and still have contempt for most of their fans).  But I so appreciated Andy Reid telling T. O. to get lost in mid-season a few years ago, I began to respect them that day and still do.  And QB Nick Foles is quite the story and very hard to dislike.  Yes, this is a long time Cowboys fan who doesn’t hate the Eagles.  But don’t expect me to root for them unless they play . . .

666. San Francisco 49ers – There are two teams in the NFL today that, if they make the Super Bowl, I probably will have to forego any Super Bowl parties: Pittsburgh (NOT in the playoffs! Yesss!) and these guys.  For I will be ranting and raving and praying and fasting (Well, maybe not fasting.) for their defeat.  I will not be fit for polite company or even impolite company.

I’ll be honest.  The seeds of my hatred of the 49ers were the years when they again and again beat Dallas and won the Super Bowl, and I got sick of it.  But it’s not just that. (And remember I’ve warmed to other big rivals of the Cowboys.  See above.)  They cheated to win their Super Bowls.  During those years, their crook owner Eddie DeBartolo violated NFL rules.  Under him the 49ers cheated their way to a dynasty, including violating salary caps.

And yet the NFL and the sports news media still fawn on them.  And, yes, ESPN shamed themselves by puffing even DeBartolo during the 49ers’ last game at Candlestick.  Let me vomit.

And I detest that bicep-kissing quarterback of theirs.  I cannot put my finger on it, and I know I shouldn’t feel this way, but – God forgive me – I want someone to break that arm when he runs up the middle.  I don’t even respect him.  Unlike Cam Newton, he has not improved his game.

And you can guess what I think of the city of Sodom San Francisco.

Get the picture?

Now I am in the happy situation that the 49ers are the only playoff team I truly hate.  So if they get beat, I can relax and enjoy the rest of the playoffs . . . and maybe even have a Super Bowl party.  Heck, their elimination would demand a party.

Let us pray…

It’s Happened Again. Another “Shanahan” Fail.

A week ago, I ranted against the practice of some NFL coaches of calling time out just as a Field Goal try begins.  And I gloated noted the utter failure of that unsporting tactic by Redskins Coach Mike Shanahan in the Redskins-Rams game.

Well, yesterday it happened again.  The New York Jets tried a winning Overtime FG against the Miami Dolphins.  Kick blocked!  The Dolphins have new life!

No, wait.  Here we go again.  Dolphins Coach Joe Philbin had called a time out immediately before the ball was snapped.  He pulled a Shanahan.  The Jets in effect get a second try, which they make easily.  Game over.

I’ll have you know that I was rooting for the Dolphins, but this tactic backfiring once again still warms my heart.

Redskin’s Coach Mike Shanahan Gives an Important Lesson in Sportsmanship

I know.  I know.  This isn’t a sports blog, and I shouldn’t let my interest in the NFL enter here.  However, one game yesterday turned out to be such a morality play that I thought it good to gloat point it out, especially since readers might find it helpful in teaching youth that bad sportsmanship can have consequences.

That game was the Washington Redskins vs. the St. Louis Rams. 

Now what has gotten all the publicity is that towards the end of the game, Redskin receiver Josh Morgan caught a pass that took Washington deeper into field goal range when a field goal would have tied the game.  But immediately after the play ended, upon being pushed in the helmet by a Ram, he lost his cool and threw the ball at him. 

Up goes a yellow flag – 15 yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.  The look on Coach Mike Shanahan’s face as he stared at Morgan was delicious. Now on 4^th down, it’s a 62 yard field goal try which the Redskin kicker missed.  End of game.

The obvious lesson here is keep your cool!

However, there was another instance of bad sportsmanship on the part of the Redskins, even their coach, that has not gotten much attention.  But it should.

At the end of the 1^st Half, the Rams were trying a 42 yard Field Goal.  Kicker Greg Zuerlein missed.

But wait.  Redskin Coach Mike Shanahan called a timeout immediately before the kick.

Now for those unfamiliar with the practice, some NFL coaches will wait for literally the last second to call timeouts on opponent FG tries at the end of halves.  They hope that having to attempt a FG, then having that attempt scrubbed because a timeout was called immediately before the play began, will rattle the kicker and help him miss what is practically the second attempt.

Now some may disagree with me that this is poor sportsmanship, but they are wrong.  And Mike Shanahan has long been one of the best/worst in the NFL at this practice.

But this time it bit him in the rear but bad.  Zuerlein made the second try at a FG to give the Rams 3 points right before the halftime.  In addition to the much needed points, this surely helped the Rams’ momentum and attitude for the 2^nd Half in which they came from behind to win . . . by 3 points.

Thanks, Coach Mike Shanahan, for giving us an important lesson in sportsmanship!

Super Bowl: It’s Happening Again

The run up to this Super Bowl not only brings up bad memories to this Steelers-hater. It is reliving them.

Back in 2006, Seattle was going to their first Super Bowl vs. the Steelers. But did the NFL and the sports media focus on that? No. It was all about the Steelers going back to the Super Bowl. Seattle was just a bit player.

And I think that atmosphere was factor behind perhaps the most infamous botched Super Bowl of all time. The referees, particularly one from Pittsburgh, so rigged the game against Seattle that Seahawk coach Mike Holmgren remarked afterwards that it is hard to beat Pittsburgh and the refs. And last year, head ref Bill Leavy admitted his role still haunts him:

I kicked two calls in the fourth quarter and I impacted the game, and as an official you never want to do that. It left me with a lot of sleepless nights, and I think about it constantly. I'll go to my grave wishing that I'd been better ... I know that I did my best at that time, but it wasn't good enough ... When we make mistakes, you got to step up and own them. It's something that all officials have to deal with, but unfortunately when you have to deal with it in the Super Bowl it's difficult.

The NFL and the sports media certainly created an atmosphere that made it that much more difficult for the refs to be impartial.

Now, it’s happening again.

You’d think with storied Green Bay going to the Super Bowl, one would hear at least as much about “The Pack is Back” as about Pittsburgh. But no. The pre-game hype has been Steelers, Steelers, Steelers.

ESPN stands out in this regard. On Tuesday the 25th, who was featured as the lead on their home page? Troy Polamalu. And this morning, this fawning article practically declaring the current Steelers a dynasty is their lead story.

All we need now is for the refs to help the Steelers yet again in a Super Bowl, and the repeat of history will be complete.

I’ve seen this movie before, and I don’t like it.

The Fixing of the NBA: Tim Donaghy is Talking

About a year ago, prompted by the Tim Donaghy scandal, I finally allowed myself to post my conviction that the NBA is fixed.

Now, credible source or no, Tim Donaghy is talking and his charges of game fixing have laid a big fat egg on the storybook Celtics-Lakers series.

I think that is part of the problem. Sometimes, the NBA wants a compelling story just a bit too badly. Two years ago, everyone was fawning over Miami Heat Coach Pat Riley. And we all know that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is not the NBA’s favorite. So what happened in the championship series? After the clearly superior Dallas team went up 2-0, the refs started blowing their whistle anytime anyone breathed on Heat star Dwayne Wade, and Dallas then couldn’t stop Wade and the Heat. I don’t know if anyone could with such a rigging. As much as I wanted Dallas to win, I stopped watching because it was obvious the fix was in.

Or this year. The NBA dearly wanted a Lakers-Celtics championship series. So when the (small market and rather boring, ahem) San Antonio Spurs threatened to crash that party, the refs swallowed their whistles during an obvious and crucial foul at the end of Game 4, giving the game to the Lakers. Even the NBA confessed it was a foul.

So it should be no surprise that one of Donaghy’s allegations involves helping out the HOLY LA Lakers *genuflect* and getting them to a Game 7 in their sacred championship year of 2002. An interesting comment about that year from someone who was pulling for the Lakers: “I would not doubt for a second that that series was fixed. It was pretty obvious even as i was routing for the Lakers in that series that something was not right. I remember having a bet on the Lakers to win the title that year and was fortunate to have a lot of bad calls go my way.”

What’s amusing about all this is that the NBA wants Donaghy to pay it a million dollars in restitution. Perhaps, they thought that would intimidate Donaghy to be quiet. If so, it is certainly not having the intended result.

The Skating Franciscan!

A friend of mine works at God Tube. He recommended this video of a Franciscan skater:



Even in full habit, the guy can skate!

Where I Was Saturday Afternoon

Saturday I was up in Austin cheering on the Ponder Lions to their second Texas 2A basketball state championship. I was there for the first one back in 2001, too.

I got into Ponder basketball years ago when I lived in Denton County. I was a youth leader to a couple guys on the basketball team. So I started going to games to support them. I loved the atmosphere of the games and of the school, and I soon became hooked.

I even played pick-up basketball with the players on some Sunday afternoons. I like to flatter myself that dealing with my relentless defense helped Calvin Redfearn become the player he is.

Even now, I’m much more interested in small town basketball than what goes on in the larger divisions. What is there not to love with teams named Arp or Jim Ned (Ponder’s two opponents in the state tournament this past weekend) and with the small towns that become nomadic following them once a year during the basketball playoffs?

Saturday was a little bittersweet though. I know fewer people than when I went to see Ponder compete for state two years ago. And reunions were a little more awkward. And the next time, I’ll surely know fewer people. But it was definitely fun to go see Ponder play one more time and win state.

The Catch

No, The Catch no longer is that 1981 Dwight Clark catch that stole a Super Bowl from my Dallas Cowboys and began the long dark years of a Left Coast dynasty financed in violation of NFL rules by a criminal owner. Now the catch is Eli Manning to David Tyree in last night’s Super Bowl.

It was a heroic effort on both ends. Eli Manning somehow escaped a sack. David Tyree somehow held on to the ball pinned against his helmet.

Before the play I was thinking it was a great game, but that it was a shame it was about to end in an anti-climatic manner. It looked like the Giants last drive would peter out, then New England would just sit on the ball to win. Wrong!

When The Catch was made, I leaped up and just knew that this was historic. And with the Giants going on to score the winning touchdown, I was right.

I’m not a Giants fan, but I tip my hat to them. They won a great game against great odds. They definitely earned the win (which does not always happen in Super Bowls), and they did so with tough defense, with an offense that wouldn’t give up -- and with a Catch for the ages.

The Fixing of the NBA: Incriminating Numbers, Outrageous Playoff Calls . . . and Mark Cuban Exercising Restraint?!?

Some numbers on accused NBA referee Tim Donaghy are pretty close to a smoking gun.

In the two seasons in which the FBI is investigating Donaghy for allegedly fixing games for gambling purposes, Bell found that, in games when Donaghy was part of the officiating crew, NBA teams scored more points than Las Vegas expected (hitting the over) 57 percent of the time. With a league average of 49 to 51 percent, the odds of such an occurrence are 19 to 1.

When Bell analyzed the numbers from the two seasons before the two in question, he discovered that, in games Donaghy officiated, NBA teams scored more points than Vegas expected just 44 percent of the time.

Although the 13 percent difference might not seem that jarring to the casual observer, it's jaw-dropping in the world of sports gambling. Bell said the odds of a 44 percent probability happening 57 percent of the time are about 1 in 1,000.

"There's a 99.9 percent chance that these results would not have happened without an outside factor," Bell said. "Something abnormal was going on here."

And knowing that “something abnormal” was going to happen in a large number of games would likely make serious money for crooked gamblers.

And there’s this:

According to FoxSports.com, over the last two seasons, Donaghy led the NBA in technical fouls, free-throw attempts per game and foul outs per game.

If you make intentionally bogus calls, that would certainly make those numbers high. (My thinking on the technical fouls is that if you are making bad calls, you are more likely to have players and coaches go ballistic.)

(UPDATE: Since I posted, I see that the technical foul number is disputed at the least.)

For a sample of Dohaghy and the NBA’s work, view these lowlights from Game 3 of the infamous Suns-Spurs playoff series. This will give you an idea why the NBA has zero credibility with many. (Suns’ fans, you have my deepest empathy.)

Dallas Mavericks’ owner Mark Cuban has weighed in . . . and has exercised amazing restraint and even expressed confidence in NBA commissioner David Stern. Given how Stern has fined him millions of dollars for criticizing NBA refereeing and how referees virtually fixed the 2006 NBA Championship by calling fouls every time a Maverick breathed on Miami Most Holy Star Dwayne Wade, the restraint is very gracious.

But I have no confidence in David Stern myself. His willful negligence has enabled NBA referees (Yes, the plural is intentional.) to fix games. There is really only one thing Stern can do to bring any reasonable hope of credibility to the NBA – resign.

Time to watch Stern’s press conference. . . .

Now Even the Feds May Say NBA Basketball is Fixed.

I was sorely tempted to post my disgust with the NBA after last year’s fixed championship. You know, the one where Dallas couldn’t even breathe on Miami’s Most Holy Star Dwyane Wade without a foul being called. And I was tempted again this year after the NBA Commissioner himself rewarded the San Antonio Spurs’ thuggery and practically gave them the playoff series against the Phoenix Suns. I HATE fixed sport with a passion.

But I thought, no, I’d just look like a partisan whiner (even though I was a long time San Antonio fan until they played goonball against Phoenix). And I thought most of you didn’t care about the NBA anyway and certainly didn’t come here to see me rant about it.

Oh, how I now wish I had given into temptation.

Because if had, I could now say, “I told you so! The NBA is fixed!” And apparently fixed by a gambling referee in bed with the Mafia no less.

The NBA hasn’t been a level court for years. They, and Commissioner David Stern in particular, deserve the storm descending upon them.