The only thing Simmons is really concerned about is who pays for the drinks.  Besides, South Park did a much better job of skewering Goodell:

 

http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2014/9/24/6842199/south-park-made-roger-goodell-into-a-malfunctioning-robot

Stadium Fights and Security

 

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/crime/2014/10/11/pkg-simon-49ers-fans-beating-paralyzes-man.cnn.html

None of that is new, but now the first thing everyone does when they see any sort of ruckus is reach for their cellphone and wait with clammy expectancy for something that could go viral.

As much as I hate these fools who grab for their cell to post a fight on youtube, often egging the fight on...... the video in this instance might've been the only way they were able to catch these A-holes.  I don't know that to be a fact, but assuming they fled back into the stadium crowd, it would've been extremely useful to share via cellphone the video with the stadium security personnel and ushers in order to locate and arrest the attackers.

a summary of another, thankfully football-only related, scandal the nfl quickly covered up -- the pats and spy gate:

 

 

Before the start of the football season, Cary Williams, a veteran cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles, reminded the sports world about a scandal the NFL would prefer people forget.

 

“One fact still remains: They haven’t won a Super Bowl since they got caught. They are cheaters,” Williams said in August.

 

He was referring to Spygate, when the New England Patriots were busted for illegally videotaping the Jets’ defensive signals during the first game of the 2007 season.

 

Then, as now with a series of disturbing incidents of domestic violence, the NFL seemed more interested in covering up the problem than investigating it.

 

“It really shows you what’s truly important to the NFL — and that’s ‘duck and cover,’ ” said Bryan O’Leary, author of the book “Spygate: The Untold Story.”

 

 

more:

http://nypost.com/2014/10/12/they-are-cheaters-spygate-the-nfl-scandal-that-started-it-all/

I found myself rooting for the Cowboys against Seattle last night? What the heck? Watching Romo screw up is one of my great joys in life. It must be this fever bug that I am trying to shake.

^ I know exactly what you mean  Seattle is just a bit too cocky for me.

 

Anyone else notice the obvious pass interference occurring regularly?  The new rules prevent even touching beyond 5 yards, and it seems to be strictly enforced.  Yet on many pass plays, defenders hit arms, stick hands in the face, and it doesn't seem to be called.  In fact, the announcers seem to defend it on replays.

 

In the Dallas game, a defender stuck his hands in the face, pulled on his arm, all with his back turned. The announcer says after the replay, "That was a good no call, I didn't see anything worthy of a flag", and it was all right in front of him.

 

 

If the defender is 'playing the ball', he is free to jockey for position with the WR..... even when the ball is in the air.  The new rule you are talking about is 'illegal contact', not pass interference.  Pass interference occurs while the ball is in the air and is a spot foul, automatic first down.  Defensive holding is essentially pass interference which occurs before the ball is thrown and is a 5 yard, automatic first down penalty.  Illegal contact occurs when contact (something other than holding) is made beyond 5 yards which has nothing to do with playing the ball and is a 5 yard, automatic first down penalty.  There was always a penalty for 're-directing' or jamming a WR beyond 5 yards..... the new rule, however, is applicable even if the defender did not impede or re-direct the route.

Jockeying for position is not pulling the receivers arms down.  But thanks for sharing your wisdom.  The plays I am referring too are, in my opinion, illegal contact, but as you know my opinion is usually wrong.

 

During the Lions v Bills game last week a 17 year old kid in Ford Field used a laser pointer to distract Bills QB Kyle Orton. The suspect has been identified, charged with a misdemeanor (after bragging on Twitter about it) and is permanently banned from Ford Field.

^ whoa that is freaky….and i can't believe it hasn't happened before.

 

whats next? fans pointing mirrors at the refs to catch them on fire? wait isn't that a sports legend? let me get on snopes lol!

Jockeying for position is not pulling the receivers arms down.  But thanks for sharing your wisdom.  The plays I am referring too are, in my opinion, illegal contact, but as you know my opinion is usually wrong.

 

Ummm... no idea what you are inferring there.  But, the same DB-on-WR contact can either be illegal contact or pass interference.  The determinative factor is WHEN the contact occurs.  If it occurs while the ball is in the air to that WR, then it is pass interference.  If it occurs at any other time, then it is illegal contact.

If I may....

 

TIES ARE BULLSHITE!!!!!!

I like ties. Clearly no one deserved a win in that game. So why should someone get a win?

I like ties. Clearly no one deserved a win in that game. So why should someone get a win?

Then why even have overtime?

In a good, competitive game, a little overtime can create a winner. No sense in drawing it out until both sides collapse from exhaustion if neither team can move the ball or neither can stop the offense.

 

You don't want a game to run on forever.

I think college overtime is hands down better than the silliness that is NFL overtime. It's almost like a completely different game, but everyone gets a shot and you keep doing it until someone wins. The limited sudden death or however you want to describe it is just weird, and indicative of how over convoluted NFL rules have become.

Peyton Manning broke Brett Favre's all-time TD passes record last night.  You don't think of too many NFL records are being "unbreakable".  But Peyton Manning's TD passing record might just be one.  What was surprising is just how far back some of his contemporaries (and some great QB's of the past) are to him:

 

Peyton Manning  510  (1998-active)

Brett Favre        508  (1991-2010)

Dan Marino        420  (1983-1999)

Drew Brees        374  (2001-active)

Tom Brady          372  (2000-active)

Fran Tarkenton    342  (1961-1978)

John Elway          300  (1983-1998)

^ Manning might end up with another hundred TDs when it's all said and done.

He lost a year too.

I don't think statistical comparison between generations of the NFL is terribly enlightening, but he's still significantly out performing his peer group making them look silly.

With constant rule changes I wouldn't be surprised if the NFL keeps pushing for more passing TDs by rule change and makes it much easier to a QB to break Peyton's record.

LOL's of week 8:

 

- NY Jets losing to Buffalo 43-23 (their 7th straight loss) and benching Geno Smith for throwing 3 INT's in the first quarter!

- The Patriots clowning the Bears 51-23.  And you thought there was yelling in the Bears locker room after last week's loss!

- And the Steelers wearing those throwback unis again.  Sure they won, but they looked ridiculous doing it.

 

LOL's of week 8:

 

- NY Jets losing to Buffalo 43-23 (their 7th straight loss) and benching Geno Smith for throwing 3 INT's in the first quarter!

- The Patriots clowning the Bears 51-23.  And you thought there was yelling in the Bears locker room after last week's loss!

- And the Steelers wearing those throwback unis again.  Sure they won, but they looked ridiculous doing it.

 

 

On some of my Browns fan sites, we call those the "prison bee" uniforms. 

 

I'd add Sammy Watkins getting tackled due to a celebration, but that won't be funny if I lose by less than six in my fantasy league.  Especially since me and my opponent are far and away the top two scoring teams this week....

 

 

Here is to hoping that both the Jets and the Titans win today!

You got your wish. And the comments after some of the articles posted at the team site below are getting brutal. It's great!

 

http://www.steelers.com/news/index.html

From the Pittsburgh Gazette

 

Can the Cleveland Browns win the AFC North in 2014?

36% Yes

21% Maybe

43% No

LOL of last Sunday:

 

A look back at the 2012 #NFLDraft shows maybe the #Colts were the only team that got it right. #WASvsIND http://t.co/4B25e1HbiM

Cam Newton, Browns next opponent, injured in car wreck

 

Oh no RT @jjones9: RT @theobserver: Panthers quarterback Cam Newton injured in uptown car wreck http://t.co/ltWaPkwwT2

 

Cam Newton on a stretcher. Just loaded in ambulance http://t.co/TP7rSRKXua

He's fine.  Just precautionary per my buddy in CLT

He's fine.  Just precautionary per my buddy in CLT

 

Apparently he's not.....

 

Around The NFL ‏@AroundTheNFL  4m4 minutes ago

Newton suffered two transverse process fractures in his lower back, per Panthers http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000441286/article/cam-newton-involved-in-car-accident-tuesday?campaign=Twitter_atl

He's fine.  Just precautionary per my buddy in CLT

 

Apparently he's not.....

 

Around The NFL ‏@AroundTheNFL  4m4 minutes ago

Newton suffered two transverse process fractures in his lower back, per Panthers http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000441286/article/cam-newton-involved-in-car-accident-tuesday?campaign=Twitter_atl

 

Derek Anderson is his backup.

I heard.

For all the parity that's usually present in the NFL (where it seems like half the teams finish between 7-9, 8-8, or 9-7) this season seemed like it had a glut of awful teams:

 

2-14: Tampa Bay & Tennessee (with TB "winning" the 1st overall pick by whatever tiebreak the NFL uses)

3-13: Oakland & Jacksonville (with OAK having the worst point differential at -199)

4-12: NY Jets & Washington (with the Jets being the first on this list to fire their head coach)

5-11: Chicago (who fired both their HC & GM)

 

And then there's the sad story of the NFC South.  In which Carolina "won" that division with a 7-8-1 record.  CAR is on a 4-game winning streak and routed Atlanta 34-3 yesterday in ATL for the division title.  (Then ATL fired their head coach)  And now Carolina, as a divisional winner, gets to host 11-5 Arizona!

I think the worst record an NFL team could have and still make the playoffs is 0-10-6. If everyone in the division ties each other and loses all interdivision play. Each team would be 0-10-6 and there would probably be a long string of tiebreaker rules that would eventually lead to a coin flip to decide the winner.

 

And they would have home field advantage in the playoffs.

 

I know that scenario will never happen, but I think the NFL Playoff rules should seed teams regularly and give home field advantage to the top teams instead of automatically to the division winners during the wild card games.

 

Also, if a division winner is under .500, perhaps they shouldn't get a spot in the playoffs and there should be a third wild card team instead.

I agree with the home field advantage point, but I want the division winner in, regardless their record. 

so its patriots-seahawks in the superbowl. i know the packers collapsed and blew it, great game, but i have to admit really the best two teams are in.

so its patriots-seahawks in the superbowl. i know the packers collapsed and blew it, great game, but i have to admit really the best two teams are in.

 

I'd really hate to be that GB tight end that had the onside kick bounce off his face.

 

Or that GB defensive back that let the receiver catch the desperation 2 pt. conversion pass.

 

Props to R. Wilson and Co. They kept their cool. They stepped up and made plays when it counted most.

 

p.s. anyone else think that Indy was vastly overrated?

^I don't know if Indy was overrated, but New England was/is the better team. I think Indy definitely could have won that game, but not the way they played it, obviously.

^I don't know if Indy was overrated, but New England was/is the better team. I think Indy definitely could have won that game, but not the way they played it, obviously.

 

I dunno, sounds like New England just "deflated" them...

so its patriots-seahawks in the superbowl. i know the packers collapsed and blew it, great game, but i have to admit really the best two teams are in.

 

I'd really hate to be that GB tight end that had the onside kick bounce off his face.

 

Or that GB defensive back that let the receiver catch the desperation 2 pt. conversion pass.

 

Props to R. Wilson and Co. They kept their cool. They stepped up and made plays when it counted most.

 

 

Holy cow I completely forgot about the GB defender that intercepted the ball and FELL STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND INSTEAD OF RUNNING STRAIGHT TO THE END ZONE for a 26-7 lead.

 

It's truly amazing to contemplate what exactly had to transpire for the Pack to lose that game!!!!

 

 

so its patriots-seahawks in the superbowl. i know the packers collapsed and blew it, great game, but i have to admit really the best two teams are in.

 

I'd really hate to be that GB tight end that had the onside kick bounce off his face.

 

Or that GB defensive back that let the receiver catch the desperation 2 pt. conversion pass.

 

Props to R. Wilson and Co. They kept their cool. They stepped up and made plays when it counted most.

 

 

Holy cow I completely forgot about the GB defender that intercepted the ball and FELL STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND INSTEAD OF RUNNING STRAIGHT TO THE END ZONE for a 26-7 lead.

 

It's truly amazing to contemplate what exactly had to transpire for the Pack to lose that game!!!!

 

 

 

Very suspicious indeed.    And how about that onside kick?  I could have caught that ball with my eyes closed.

^ But you wouldn't have had to catch it, just knock that thing out of bounds!

 

Anyhow, that was an epic meltdown way worse than Jose Mesa, the Drive or the Fumble.

What will the NFL do about cheaters?

What will the NFL do about cheaters?

Probably nothing. At most a fine or lost draft pick. If you told me I would get a slap on the wrist in exchange for a trip to the Super Bowl, it's a no-brainer. I doubt the under-inflated balls had any bearing on the game, but that is the thought process.

There needs to be some real punishment... If they find out any certain person is responsible, they should immediately be suspended for an extensive length of time. Whether it's Tom Brady, Belichick, or the towel boy. If the ref weighed the ball and approved a ball against regulation, he should be fired.

 

You can't go back and award the game to the Colts, but it's a black eye on the organization and the league if they simply lose a draft pick or get a monetary fine.

heheh. Oh, Bill

What will the NFL do about cheaters?

Probably nothing. At most a fine or lost draft pick. If you told me I would get a slap on the wrist in exchange for a trip to the Super Bowl, it's a no-brainer. I doubt the under-inflated balls had any bearing on the game, but that is the thought process.

 

It's ironic, or rather damning, that there was a journalist being interviewed on espn radio last week. He covered a good deal of the Pats video taping controversy when it happened. The guy actually likes Belichick. But he said that Bill is maniacal in that he "will do absolutely anything" if he thinks it gives him a better chance at winning.

 

Also he claimed the Pats gained very little or no advantage from their video taping excursions.

Why do the teams provide the balls?  Why do they have any control whatsoever over any of the equipment?  I never understand why systems are set up to allow cheating when they could just as easily be set up to completely disallow the possibility.