Sez Me …
The growing team of conspiracy theorists is muscled-up, out of the huddle, back at the line of scrimmage. And what are they whining about now?
National Football League games are rigged, that’s what.
But, before you meek followers follow them, hold it. NFL games are not fixed. Because they can’t be. For the very reason most of the theorists watch games — WHICH IS TO BET ON THEM — they can’t be rigged.
But all it takes is a horrible/shaky call (or calls) by officials for the theorists to light the torches and start a tire fire.
We are confusing ineptitude with duplicity.
It happened a week ago near the end of the Detroit-Dallas game. The Lions lined up for the go-ahead 2-point conversion. Jared Goff tossed a conversion to offensive tackle Taylor Decker, who supposedly had told referee Brad Allen that he was reporting eligible.
Well, Allen waved off the score, insisting it wasn’t Decker who reported, but another offensive tackle, Dan Skipper, although Decker had gone over to the ref before the play.
I assume it wasn’t to ask Brad if he’s any relation to the Brad Allen portrayed by Rock Hudson in “Pillow Talk.” Nor do I believe Allen thinks all tackles look alike. I simply believe he wasn’t paying attention. Or assuming. Refs love to assume.
The trick play had been practiced. Highly doubtful the right man didn’t report eligible.
So the Cowboys won, and probably are going to get a playoff game at home, where they haven’t lost this season, and it screwed Detroit’s playoff seeding.
Sure appeared as though Allen blew it, and it was enough to get the theorists worked into a lather.
My opinion? It either was a classic case of official arrogance or ineptitude. I can’t decide. But the right kid scored.
However, what people missed is that it shouldn’t have mattered. Less than two minutes before that, Allen called a tripping penalty on Cowboys tight end Peyton Hendershot. It nullified a 7-yard gain that would have kept the Cowboys in line for a likely win.
But it was Lions defensive end Aiden Hutchinson who obviously tried to trip Hendershot. So, if called correctly, Dallas probably wouldn’t have had to give up the ball, and, hence, no 2-point play.
So, please explain how the fix was in. If it had been, why would Allen screw the Cowboys one minute and Detroit the next?
Top sports gambling analyst and handicapper Danny Sheridan years ago gave me the best answer. I’ll paraphrase: “There’s no way an NFL game can be fixed. The bookies police the game. If they sense anything wrong, they’ll pull it.”
The Vegas wiseguys are among the smartest people in America. It’s estimated more than $50 billion legitimately is wagered yearly on NFL games (many billions more illegally). The League, guaranteed, trusts the bookies. No choice, with gambling piloting the industry.
I’ll never say officials don’t allow some favorites to fudge, as they do in MLB and the NBA (especially). But Aiden Hutchinson ain’t Patrick Mahomes. And the Cowboys, despite being ESPN’s (and apparently America’s) chosen ones, haven’t won a damn thing in nearly 30 years.
That’s a whole lot of seasons Dallas has gotten special treatment from zebras without taking advantage of it, eh?
Predictably, the NFL, as just about always, has sided with the officials on Eligibility Gate. Allen’s crew even was assigned to Saturday’s Steelers-Ravens game. But it’s beyond doubtful he will see a playoff game from anywhere but his living room.
The NFL is too smart to send unnecessary public heat into that tire fire. But the bookies are smarter. They can spot a blaze from another continent. …
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Jim Harbaugh outcoached Nick Saban. Outcoached the hell out of him. Out-backboned him, too. …
But give Nick some credit. This wasn’t close to his best Alabama team. …
I don’t think cheating had much to do with Michigan’s win — or season. In the corrupt world of college football, sign stealing is a venial sin. …
By now you know my pet peeve, the bane of my existence, is the punt returner. Their ineptitude during both FBS semifinals all but made me sick. …
The Rose Bowl is the greatest football venue since The Creation. The national championship game always should be played there. The Grandaddy shouldn’t ride in the rumble seat. …
To those bitching over how hard it is getting to the Rose Bowl. I’ve been to 33 of them. Get there early, before the parade es by. Works. …
New England was a 14-point underdog to Buffalo last week. The last time the Patriots were facing those odds, Paul Revere was minding his own business, making a silver tea kettle before the 911 signal. …
The fumble-out-of-the-end-zone-equals-a-touchback rule may be cruel, but it serves a purpose and should not be changed. Don’t fumble. …
So sweet of Jerry Jones putting Jimmy Johnson in the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor, which for Jerry had to be like swallowing an entire Texas brisket. Jimmy built the deepest NFL teams in history (Dallas won a Super Bowl after losing 17 players to the first free agency in 1992). He got all the credit — and should have. …
Dan Orlovsky on the Chiefs vs. the Bengals: “If they (Chiefs) had played a little better on third down, the game would have been a blowout.” Or, if the Bengals had been worse on third down. “What ifs” make our games, as they do our lives. …
Joey Bosa is a Pro Bowler, second alternate, no less. Started five games. …
The Cowboys have punted 17 times in eight games at home. …
I still can’t believe the Padres are allowing Fernando Tatis Jr. to play Winter ball. So stupid and unnecessary. It’s like sending Grace Kelly back to finishing school, Audie Murphy back on the burning tank. …
Whitey Ford: “I know Koufax’s weakness. He can’t hit.” The old ballplayers were poorer, but funnier. …
Babe Ruth hit 665 home runs after pitching his 100th complete game. …
Casey Stengel, after his Mets lost 120 games: “This was a team effort.” …
I know this is a waste of space, but please, for the last time, forget about preseason or in-season college polls. They are meaningless (totally without meaning). I can’t believe the uproar over such stupidity. But then, maybe I can. …
Think. How many voting media and coaches see every team? Most coaches have their publicists vote, and they’re not seeing everything, either. …
Got to give Bo Nix credit. After 12 years of college ball, he doesn’t opt out of the Fiesta Bowl. Probably figured Liberty wasn’t going to hurt him. …
After all, Oregon’s creed is: “Give me Liberty … please!” …
RIP, Dr. Bill McColl. An important man. And we have known few finer athletes. …
RIP, Dick Lewis. A good cop, a good man. My first question to the longtime security chief for The NFL Team That Used To Be Here always was, “Ya packing?” …
Roger Kahn said that Robert Frost convinced him to write “Boys of Summer.” Robert probably knew he couldn’t do it better, so he took a road less traveled. …
Packers-Bears? Crap. …
Larry David believes the “Happy New Year” thing is good for three days. I say it ends right after the Rose Bowl, because the Rose Bowl usually is as happy as a new year gets.
