[OT] NFL Playoffs - predetermined?

[drothgery]

actually, the opposite is true, every network carrying footbal is losing money on it. but i bet you can see where that leads to fixing too.

... but that's largely because the rights fees got bid up to absurd levels over the last two rounds of contracts (initially because Fox payed a ton of money to get into the game, then because CBS thought they could use the NFL as a loss leader to get viewers back). I think the next contracts are likely to install a bit of rationality, so the NFL on television will be profitable again.

 

[alsih2o]

I think the next contracts are likely to install a bit of rationality, so the NFL on television will be profitable again.

this is true, but sportsviewership is in the toilet. fewer and fewer people watch every year.

 

[Berk]

First off, Washington never ran into the kicker. Nedney ran into Washington himself on purpose. Why? Cuz he missed a freakin 31 yard fieldgoal attempt. He needed to "redeem" himself. I for one am extremely pissed at this. This is american football. Not the rest of the worlds football. There is no acting in american football. Well atleast there shouldn't be. I got enough watching of so called atheletes pretending and acting while watching FIFA. Hell, Nedney even said after the game that when he leaves football he is going to have to try acting!! That is called unsportsmen like conduct.

I'm not saying the steelers would have won, but they should have gotten the ball back on their 21 yard line. Blum and his officiating crew were extremely bad during this game. But then again, I rarely ever like any officiating crew.

And just so it doesn't seem like I am blaming just the officials and the Titans, but the Steelers never shoulda lost that game in regulation. Their defense was acting like a second rate defense throughout the entire game. That didn't look like the Steelers defense that I was used to watching.

Ok, rant over.

 

[Storminator]

First off, Washington never ran into the kicker. Nedney ran into Washington himself on purpose. <SNIP>

First off, he DID run into the kicker. That is clear. Kedney exaggerated it, sure, but that's what kickers do.

And second: "If the game is so close you lose on a bad call, you didn't deserve to win in the first place." -- John Madden

PS

 

[Storminator]

<SNIP> then because CBS thought they could use the NFL as a loss leader to get viewers back). <SNIP>

Heard CBS promos recently? "America's most watched network..." Looks like it worked. Remember the network that just lost the title? NBC. The network that no longer has the NFL. Hmmmmm

PS

 

[blackshirt5]

and they definatly blew the chance at a all New York SuperBowl (last year when it would of meant big ratings with all the 911 stuff in New York although this year it would of been big too).

Actually, I think if they were gonna fix it, it'd be for a year when the game is getting played in New Jersey(NOT New York! Jersey!) I heard they were debating having Jersey host the Super Bowl in a few years.

 

[drothgery]

this is true, but sportsviewership is in the toilet. fewer and fewer people watch every year.

Eh. I suspect viewers are more distributed now, with many cable networks providing some sports coverage (and with most systems offering at least 3 all-sports channels on basic cable), which hurts regular season viewing some. But poor ratings for national title college football games, World Series, NBA Finals, and Super Bowls have largely been the result of uncompelling matchups (two teams from the same part of the country, or no teams with a national following) or bad games.

The OSU-Miami Fiesta Bowl set records, and the Pats-Rams Super Bowl got very good ratings. The Lakers-Nets NBA finals got worse ratings than the Kings-Lakers Western Confrence finals. An all-New York or all-California World Series isn't all that compelling, and neither is watching Miami blow out a Nebraska team that most didn't believe deserved to be there.

 

[EarthsShadow]

I would have to agree that it is possible that some people could be paid off to throw games. Steelers fans do have some kind of ligitimate claim to their argument, and it will always be looked at in the future as will the giants/49ers game with those bad (very very bad) hikes for the field goal kicker...I mean, a person plays for 19 years in the league messes up the hike that frickin bad is just ridiculous, something he's been doing for 19 years should be easy for him. Yeah, and the bad referee's call and after the fact they even admit that they made a bad call and the giants would have had another chance and all that...

basically, these playoffs will be looked at the worst called playoff games ever and most of these officials should either go back to school or get fired.

 

[jdavis]

Actually, I think if they were gonna fix it, it'd be for a year when the game is getting played in New Jersey(NOT New York! Jersey!) I heard they were debating having Jersey host the Super Bowl in a few years.

Well the all California World Series which tanked in ratings has sort of killed off the steam for the all New York (Yes Jersey) superbowl. The time to get one on would of been last year when it would of played on the post aftermath ratings. I remember it being talked about last year how good a all NY Supebowl would be for the city, but both teams tanked big time.

I just read a interesting clip on the ESPN site where they stated that in the first6 playoff games holding had only been called 3 times, and only once on a offensive lineman, it seems that the experts watching the game have always thought that the refs call to few penalties in the Playoffs, and that a lot of things get blown over.

I think the Madden quote I saw a couple of post back says it all though.

 

[jdavis]

First off, he DID run into the kicker. That is clear. Kedney exaggerated it, sure, but that's what kickers do.

That is what they all do, they train all players to exagerate to try to get the call, basketball is horrible with all the bad acting fouls that go on. The kicker did nothing that any kicker would ever do, they all know it, he was ran into, that is against the rules, he flung himself around like a truck hit him so as to draw attention to the fact he was run into. He de didn't run into anybody he had his leg in the air still.

It's all a part of Football, the thing that is getting bad is that there are too many games being decided by refs. That's was a good call but they blew the time out call before the last kick, they blew the call in San Fransisco last week, and the New England call last year, while the right call, was a joke and allowed the game to be decided by a ref not the players.