Integrity of the Game

[2006Coltsbestever]

I have watched the NFL since the 1977 season, 1st SB I watched was the Cowboys vs the Broncos = 77/78. I fell in love with the game at that point. I really didn't have a favorite team until the Colts moved here in 1984 but I have almost 47 seasons of knowledge in total following the NFL. I have watched 1000's of games and over the years have often wondered if the game isn't rigged at times or altered at times. 5 games that have really stood out to me over the years that have me wondered are: 

 

+1995 AFC Title Game = Colts at Steelers

 

+SB 40 = Steelers vs Seahawks

 

+SB 49 = Seahawks vs Patriots

 

+2018 NFC Title Game = Rams at Saints

 

+Yesterday's game = Browns at Colts. That took the cake for me and why I am making this thread. I am not crying wolf but these 5 games really have me scratching my head. I am not even a conspiracy guy in general, but yesterday ticked me off so bad that I thought about not even watching football the rest of the season. I am still on that cliff!

 

[2006Coltsbestever]

I voted:

Maybe

Yes

Maybe

- I am very disappointed the path the NFL is going down. It is basically all about which teams are popular, entertainment, and the money now days. As a diehard Colts fan, I live for Sunday's and Monday's. I work 5 or 6 days a week and I watch football to get my mind off the nonsense going on out here in the world, and then I have to put up with what happened yesterday! 

[2006Coltsbestever]

Sad thing is, the NFL will just issue an apology to the Colts organization for what happened yesterday, and we have to take the loss. If I was Irsay I would protest it. There are other games over the years that I thought were really fishy as well, I just listed 5 but I can make a list of at least 50 which is way too many!

 

My step-dad brought up the Tuck Rule play when I talked to him on the phone earlier. Where the Raiders clearly beat the Patriots in a Divisional Round Playoff game back in 2001, then the Raiders didn't have them clearly beat thanks to the REFS! That started the Pats dynasty. Brady even admitted he fumbled that ball.

 

To me SB 49 was the Seahawks and the REFS. Seahawks not running the ball with Beast from the 1 yard line was real fishy. Also the Seahawks had twice as many penalty yards than the Patriots had.

 

SB 40 was complete trash by the REFS, then of course us getting screwed in 1995 and yesterday where it was obvious is plain nauseating.

 

Worst non-call in NFL history was the Rams getting away with PI. It cost the Saints a trip to the SB. That non-call is unforgivable. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

I quit going to games after the 2013 season. Many factors played into it. One factor was, how I seen the REFS/league getting worse in favoring certain teams with getting calls. I had been to around 50 games or so from 1987-2013 and just decided to quit paying top dollar to go to games that might be altered after 2013. I hated the way the REFS let the Patriots get away with holding all game on defense and offense in our Playoff game in 2013. Luck had no chance to beat the Patriots playing against that team + the REFS. You are looking at a guy that went to games vs Patriots in 2009 (4th and 2), Cowboys in 1999 (Aikman and Emmitt), I seen Dickerson live - run all over the Bucs for 200 in 1987 to clinch the Division Title. I have seen the Jags, Titans, and Texans so many times that I have lost count over the years. 

 

Had I gone to yesterday's game, I would be asking for a refund. Simply because we got cheated. I knew one day a loss like yesterday would happen, so I quit going to games years ago. I still watch, still love the Colts, but I will never spend another penny on watching the game or merchandise. I said that after the 2013 season actually. I haven't bought a hat or Jersey since 2012. I bought a Peyton Jersey back in 2004 (white), SB Championship plaque back in 2007 with Peyton/Reggie/Marvin/Bob/Freeney/Mathis on it with our score of 29-17 over the Bears at the bottom saying SB 41 Champions, 2 SB Championship hats back in 2007 saying SB 41 Champions, and an Andrew Luck jersey (blue) in 2012. They are all in my Colts corner in my house. I bought the 2 hats so I could wear 1 and store the other.

 

I am now at a point where I have decided because of my health, getting worked up over these games that are out of my control isn't worth it. I am 52 years old and will always have my memory in February of 2007 at 35, sitting in a lawn chair in Florida on the beach. Smoking a huge Cigar, drinking a strong beer watching the waves come in at 1am with a buzz, looking at the sky and saying we did it! The relief as a fan I felt that night was priceless. I was thinking we just joined a group called 'World Champions'.

 

 

[2006Coltsbestever]

@Solid84, if you don't think yesterday's game wasn't altered, I am not sure what to tell you. It was clear as a day we got cheated. You are a different kind of dude that is for sure. Keep being you, without guys like you this forum would be dull .

[2006Coltsbestever]

I would love to hear @Superman, @NFLfan, @NewColtsFan, @w87rthoughts on this subject because I am very weary of how the NFL is being ran right now. @Jared Cisneros as well wanting your opinion.

[Solid84]

5 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

@Solid84, if you don't think yesterday's game wasn't altered, I am not sure what to tell you. It was clear as a day we got cheated. You are a different kind of dude that is for sure. Keep being you, without guys like you this forum would be dull .

I voted no to all 3 questions. I voted no to question #2 because I read it as “purposefully altered” - that I definitely don’t think. 

But, bad refs influence and sometimes alter the outcome of games every week almost. I just don’t believe the conspiracy theories. 
 

That said, I think it’s a complete joke the league doesn’t have full time professional refs. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, Solid84 said:

I voted no to all 3 questions. I voted no to question #2 because I read it as “purposefully altered” - that I definitely don’t think. 

But, bad refs influence and sometimes alter the outcome of games every week almost. I just don’t believe the conspiracy theories. 
 

That said, I think it’s a complete joke the league doesn’t have full time professional refs. 

I gave you a LIKE because of your last sentence. Other than that??

[Solid84]

Just now, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I gave you a LIKE because of your last sentence. Other than that??

So you think the refs purposefully altered our game against the Browns?

 

Yeah, I don’t buy it…

[Myles]

3 minutes ago, Solid84 said:

I voted no to all 3 questions. I voted no to question #2 because I read it as “purposefully altered” - that I definitely don’t think. 

 

I also voted NO to all three.   

I do think high profile players get calls they shouldn't but not because of the team name.  

[2006Coltsbestever]

Just now, Solid84 said:

So you think the refs purposefully altered our game against the Browns?

 

Yeah, I don’t buy it…

I disagree and I will leave it at that.

[Yoshinator]

13 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I would love to hear @Superman, @NFLfan, @NewColtsFan, @w87rthoughts on this subject because I am very weary of how the NFL is being ran right now. @Jared Cisneros as well.

Games are absolutely being rigged. IMO, they've been rigged since at least 2001 (which is the earliest time I noticed because of 9/11. We're at a time where sports gambling is legal online and in casinos, and it's gone from just rigging games and the playoffs and championships for ratings and merchandise sales to doing it to cover spreads and earn vegas and these gambling sites money. 

 

It's turned from the best kept secret from the fans to the worst kept secret from the fans, just like WWE Wrestling. At first, everyone thought it was real, then subtle hints were thrown that it could be predetermined, now everyone knows it's predetermined because it has been admitted. Football is at that middle stage, where the subtle hints are being thrown around that it's rigged or predetermined, but people don't believe it yet, or don't want to believe it, but it'll eventually be admitted that the outcomes are predetermined at some point, whether a ref comes out, or someone else in a high position of power.

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, Myles said:

I also voted NO to all three.   

I do think high profile players get calls they shouldn't but not because of the team name.  

Who was the high-profile player yesterday that got a call. The Browns don't have a WR that is high profile? The last 2 calls were so bad my grandma without her glasses would not have made those penalty calls. I am sorry but I am not sugarcoating over the Bull Crap that happened yesterday. Nothing will change my mind the fact we got cheated yesterday. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

3 minutes ago, Jared Cisneros said:

Games are absolutely being rigged. IMO, they've been rigged since at least 2001 (which is the earliest time I noticed because of 9/11. We're at a time where sports gambling is legal online and in casinos, and it's gone from just rigging games and the playoffs and championships for ratings and merchandise sales to doing it to cover spreads and earn vegas and these gambling sites money. 

 

It's turned from the best kept secret from the fans to the worst kept secret from the fans, just like WWE Wrestling. At first, everyone thought it was real, then subtle hints were thrown that it could be predetermined, now everyone knows it's predetermined because it has been admitted. Football is at that middle stage, where the subtle are being thrown around that it's rigged or predetermined, but people don't believe it yet, or don't want to believe it, but it eventually be admitted that the outcomes are predetermined at some point, whether a ref comes out, or someone else in a high position of power.

Something is fishy that is for sure. Thanks for your honesty.

[Superman]

11 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

I would love to hear @Superman,

 

I don't think you want my thoughts on this. Bad officiating is not evidence of rigged outcomes. Officials just make mistakes.

 

People go to jail, and organizations crumble, over stuff like this.

[2006Coltsbestever]

Just now, Superman said:

 

I don't think you want my thoughts on this. Bad officiating is not evidence of rigged outcomes. Officials just make mistakes.

 

People go to jail, and organizations crumble, over stuff like this.

How about altered? I even voted maybe on the rigged part. So, I don't totally believe the game is rigged. Altered and rigged are big differences. 

[Superman]

4 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

How about altered? I even voted maybe on the rigged part. So, I don't totally believe the game is rigged. Altered and rigged are big differences. 

 

No, the games are not altered. Refs just make mistakes.

[2006Coltsbestever]

I think all PI calls should be reviewable in the last 2 minutes of a game. That isn't asking much and won't slow down a game. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

6 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

No, the games are not altered. Refs just make mistakes.

Fair enough and I respect you enough as a poster to want your opinion, but I disagree. Bad/clear calls happen way too much. If they only happened a few times a year it would be one thing, but I am not buying the REFS can make a lot of bad calls in crunch time every year. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

Sad thing is, imagine being a player on a team that is even playing injured, and you bust your butt all week just to play, you are in pain and get a win stolen from you. That is just wrong.

[Mitch Connors]

I voted no on all counts mostly because it would require dozens (if not hundreds) of people to pull it off and there is absolutely zero chance someone wouldn't talk. However, I also believe more and more people would vote yes and that's a disturbing trend for the league. A vast majority of my friends and fantasy football league members believe the NFL is using refs to fix games. I'll grant you that 15-20 people in my circle doesn't move the needle but if that same percentage is true in other circles the NFL had better figure this out asap.

[Superman]

8 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Fair enough and I respect you enough as a poster to want your opinion, but I disagree. Bad/clear calls happen way too much. If they only happened a few times a year it would be one thing, but I am not buying the REFS can make a lot of bad calls in crunch time every year. 

 

Who stands to gain by the refs altering the outcome of the game yesterday? This is an honest question, maybe we can logic this out together.

[w87r]

Not going to delve to deep.

 

I was told when I was 10-12 years old, many years ago, that sports were set up. Not that that means anything.

 

I didn't buy it for a long time, but the older I got the more I watched, and watched...

 

Something always seems to happen. Not once or twice but multiple instances in a season. Not even referring to just Colts and or Pacers matters. Across all the leagues. How many phantom PI calls did Brady get in that TB SB run to keep drives alive and get him there?

Anyway, I digress.

 

 

I will say I have pretty much drifted away from all sports outside of football and a little bit of NBA(which is probably the worst, just love basketball).

 

They all have started to feel just like sports entertainment to me, kinda WWE vibes. What's in the script...? Then they want to do a PR campaign about a skit for the season...

 

 

Did the refs cost us the game? Sure, we can say that, but we did enough harm to ourselves to where that was even a possibility. 

 

 

There are literally articles about certain NBA refs(Scott Foster, Dan Crawford, etc...), about teams W/L records being so tilted in one direction for teams or players, it's astounding, yet the league keeps trotting them out there and letting the narrative continue to float around. That's not even mentioning Tim Donaughy.

 

 

That crew that was doing our game, already had some issues back from a prior game this year, if I remember correctly. 

 

 

Until there is accountability of referees there will always be questions to the games integrity.

 

 

Best option is the eye and the sky, and they make sure they are fixing the incorrect calls in real time.

[2006Coltsbestever]

Just now, Superman said:

 

Who stands to gain by the refs altering the outcome of the game yesterday? This is an honest question, maybe we can logic this out together.

The REFS maybe if they have money on the game (and I voted maybe) or even 2ndly if the league tells the REFS before the game, they want the Browns to win so help them out as much as possible but make it look legit. - I sound like a conspiracy theory guy now which I have never really been but yesterday has me puzzled. 

 

I get it, you going to say I am reaching now but the last 2 calls that were called on us were complete nonsense. Every Ref makes mistakes but 2 in a row within minutes, not buying it. 

[2006Coltsbestever]

12 minutes ago, w87r said:

Not going to delve to deep.

 

I was told when I was 10-12 years old, many years ago, that sports were set up. Not that that means anything.

 

I didn't buy it for a long time, but the older I got the more I watched, and watched...

 

Something always seems to happen. Not once or twice but multiple instances in a season. Not even referring to just Colts and or Pacers matters. Across all the leagues. How many phantom PI calls did Brady get in that TB SB run to keep drives alive and get him there?

Anyway, I digress.

 

 

I will say I have pretty much drifted away from all sports outside of football and a little bit of NBA(which is probably the worst, just love basketball).

 

They all have started to feel just like sports entertainment to me, kinda WWE vibes. What's in the script...? Then they want to do a PR campaign about a skit for the season...

 

 

Did the refs cost us the game? Sure, we can say that, but we did enough harm to ourselves to where that was even a possibility. 

 

 

There are literally articles about certain NBA refs(Scott Foster, Dan Crawford, etc...), about teams W/L records being so tilted in one direction for teams or players, it's astounding, yet the league keeps trotting them out there and letting the narrative continue to float around. That's not even mentioning Tim Donaughy.

 

 

That crew that was doing our game, already had some issues back from a prior game this year, if I remember correctly. 

 

 

Until there is accountability of referees there will always be questions to the games integrity.

 

 

Best option is the eye and the sky, and they make sure they are fixing the incorrect calls in real time.

I am in your boat of thinking pretty much. My step-dad is 71 years old and he thinks sports has been rigged since the 1990's when money started really getting big. He thought the Pacers/Bulls series was rigged in 1998. I have never went that far with it but I do think REFS alter games for certain teams at times. I have just seen it happened way too many times in the NFL and NBA, even in Baseball it happens. I can't stand the Cards in baseball @Mylesand they got ripped out of a WS Championship in 1985 on a bad blown call, this is coming from a Cubs fan.

[bluebombers87]

16 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

Who stands to gain by the refs altering the outcome of the game yesterday? This is an honest question, maybe we can logic this out together.

The refs absolutely stand to gain. It’s happened in the NBA and the MLB, why not the NFL?

 

Where there is that kind of money, there will always be corruption.

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, bluebombers87 said:

The refs absolutely stand to gain. It’s happened in the NBA and the MLB, why not the NFL?

 

Where there is that kind of money, there will always be corruption.

Yep.

[Mitch Connors]

12 minutes ago, w87r said:

 

They all have started to feel just like sports entertainment to me, kinda WWE vibes. What's in the script...? Then they want to do a PR campaign about a skit for the season...

 

 

 

Those commercials tell me the NFL hears the buzz that the refs are fixing games and they thought leaning into it in a joking way would make people laugh it off. Id prefer full-time refs, instant verification of penalties with less than 2 minutes, instant verification of penalties on 4th down, more refs on the field, more training for the refs, etc over joking about it but I'm also not NFL PR.

 

[Gramz]

I didn't  vote in the poll for the simple fact that none of us know what goes on in the minds of others or their intentions.

 

Do I think big mistakes are happening?  Damn straight.

 

Do I think it's planned or premeditated?  Once again, no way of knowing.

 

I do think there should be a better system in place where someone upstairs reviews questionable calls, non calls, reversed calls that potentially determine the outcomes of games.  JMO

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, Gramz said:

I didn't  vote in the poll for the simple fact that none of us know what goes on in the minds of others or their intentions.

 

Do I think big mistakes are happening?  Damn straight.

 

Do I think it's planned or premeditated?  Once again, no way of knowing.

 

I do think there should be a better system in place where someone upstairs reviews questionable calls, non calls, reversed calls that potentially determine the outcomes of games.  JMO

I think this thread was necessary because I have been reading all over the internet how fans feel about their favorite teams getting robbed of a win for years. Yesterday just sent me to do this!

[w87r]

5 minutes ago, Mitch Connors said:

 

Those commercials tell me the NFL hears the buzz that the refs are fixing games and they thought leaning into it in a joking way would make people laugh it off. Id prefer full-time refs, instant verification of penalties with less than 2 minutes, instant verification of penalties on 4th down, more refs on the field, more training for the refs, etc over joking about it but I'm also not NFL PR.

 

Yeah I thought they were funny, but I mean even though it's made as joke, I will steal a line from Eminem.

 

"A lot of truth, is said in jest"

 

 

Agree on FT refs, makes zero sense to have this billion dollar industry and a big part of them(very consequential part), aren't even FT employees.

 

 

Definitely would help, your other suggestions as well.

[2006Coltsbestever]

Just now, w87r said:

Yeah I thought they were funny, but I mean even though it's made as joke, I will steal a line from Eminem.

 

"A lot of truth, is said in jest"

 

 

Agree on FT refs, makes zero sense to have this billion dollar industry and a big part of them(very consequential part), aren't even FT employees.

 

 

Definitely would help, your other suggestions as well.

You have common sense and street smarts like I do. I love it, you and I can see things that many don't. That is a rare trait to have. 

[Superman]

3 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

The REFS maybe if they have money on the game (and I voted maybe) or even 2ndly if the league tells the REFS before the game, they want the Browns to win so help them out as much as possible but make it look legit. - I sound like a conspiracy theory guy now which I have never really been but yesterday has me puzzled. 

 

I get it, you going to say I am reaching now but the last 2 calls that were called on us were complete nonsense. Every Ref makes mistakes but 2 in a row within minutes, not buying it. 

 

So the refs -- or maybe an individual ref? -- had money on the game, and made two blatantly controversial calls in the last minute of the game to swing it toward the Browns. And none of the other refs can correct that kind of tampering? The replay official at the game, HQ, no one steps in and fixes it? I don't see how that makes sense.

 

So let's say it's the league that wants the Browns to win. (The 'make it look legit' part would be a fail in this case, right?) Why not call a controversial offensive holding on Pittman's TD? Everyone knows holding is subjective. Why wait until the pivotal moments of the game? And what's the reason for favoring the Browns over the Colts in that game, when we get one of the worst ranked broadcast crews, one of the smallest TV footprints, etc.? It's not even a high stakes matchup. How does anyone benefit from the Browns winning?

 

And here's the biggest problem. Sports bets are generally not based on who wins or loses. So simply swinging the game to the Browns isn't enough.

 

First, you bet the spread. In yesterday's game, most sportsbooks opened at Browns -3, and moved to Browns -3.5, indicating that most bets/money were coming in on the Browns. Giving the Browns a 1 point win doesn't change the money because the Colts still cover. So there's no difference there. 

 

Or maybe you bet the over/under, which was 40.5, and was out of play by the end of the first half. Two backup QBs, two teams with defenses that are outperforming the offenses, the majority of money would have been on the under, and that money was settled already. 

 

So at the end of yesterday's game, who's coming out ahead by giving the Browns a one point win? If some rogue ref has a private bet that he desperately needs to be paid off in this game, wouldn't it make sense that the best would be pro-Colts, not pro-Browns, since the Browns were strongly favored?

 

Help me understand.

 

If your retort is just that there's some shadowy agenda that we'll never know about for sure, then I'm out on the discussion. Because that is exactly the conspiracy theory playbook, and if you don't require any proof for the theory to exist, then there's no way to argue against it.

[Superman]

14 minutes ago, bluebombers87 said:

The refs absolutely stand to gain. It’s happened in the NBA and the MLB, why not the NFL?

 

Where there is that kind of money, there will always be corruption.

 

So the refs rigged the game, for some purpose. What purpose is that?

 

And to the bolded, we know it has happened because it got unraveled, and people paid dearly. Wouldn't it stand to reason that if this kind of corruption was at play in the NFL, it would be uncovered? Isn't that always the problems with scandals, someone blows the whistle?

[bluebombers87]

2 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

So the refs rigged the game, for some purpose. What purpose is that?

 

And to the bolded, we know it has happened because it got unraveled, and people paid dearly. Wouldn't it stand to reason that if this kind of corruption was at play in the NFL, it would be uncovered? Isn't that always the problems with scandals, someone blows the whistle?

The purpose is money, as always. 
 

You’re thinking too big. Individual refs can influence a game, cover or blow a spread, etc. Would be nothing for that individual to be influenced or to strike out on their own.

[Fluke_33]

1 hour ago, Solid84 said:

I voted no to all 3 questions. I voted no to question #2 because I read it as “purposefully altered” - that I definitely don’t think. 

But, bad refs influence and sometimes alter the outcome of games every week almost. I just don’t believe the conspiracy theories. 
 

That said, I think it’s a complete joke the league doesn’t have full time professional refs. 

 

I read question 2 as intentionally altered also.  I don't think they do.

 

However, I do think the squeaky wheel is the one that gets oiled.   I think it is human nature to respond in that way so when you have a coach that is pointing out mistakes by refs and vocal about it on the field i think that affects them.  I don't think it is in the forefront of their minds to give makeup calls but it seems like fiery coaches get more calls than silent ones.  

[Fluke_33]

1 hour ago, Myles said:

I also voted NO to all three.   

I do think high profile players get calls they shouldn't but not because of the team name.  

 

I agree with this also.  Brady and Manning get treated differently than joe bag of donuts.

[sb41champs]

Referees are humans - just like the rest of us.

 

They make mistakes - just like the rest of us.

 

They make HUGE mistakes - and - NFL Nation goes bezerk!!

 

THIS week they made HUGE mistakes - unfortunately favoring ONE team - but - their calls are reviewed - and - we'll see IF the NFL issues "an apology".

 

It is time for FULL-TIME REFEREES!!

[2006Coltsbestever]

1 minute ago, Superman said:

 

So the refs -- or maybe an individual ref? -- had money on the game, and made two blatantly controversial calls in the last minute of the game to swing it toward the Browns. And none of the other refs can correct that kind of tampering? The replay official at the game, HQ, no one steps in and fixes it? I don't see how that makes sense.

 

So let's say it's the league that wants the Browns to win. (The 'make it look legit' part would be a fail in this case, right?) Why not call a controversial offensive holding on Pittman's TD? Everyone knows holding is subjective. Why wait until the pivotal moments of the game? And what's the reason for favoring the Browns over the Colts in that game, when we get one of the worst ranked broadcast crews, one of the smallest TV footprints, etc.? It's not even a high stakes matchup. How does anyone benefit from the Browns winning?

 

And here's the biggest problem. Sports bets are generally not based on who wins or loses. So simply swinging the game to the Browns isn't enough.

 

First, you bet the spread. In yesterday's game, most sportsbooks opened at Browns -3, and moved to Browns -3.5, indicating that most bets/money were coming in on the Browns. Giving the Browns a 1 point win doesn't change the money because the Colts still cover. So there's no difference there. 

 

Or maybe you bet the over/under, which was 40.5, and was out of play by the end of the first half. Two backup QBs, two teams with defenses that are outperforming the offenses, the majority of money would have been on the under, and that money was settled already. 

 

So at the end of yesterday's game, who's coming out ahead by giving the Browns a one point win? If some rogue ref has a private bet that he desperately needs to be paid off in this game, wouldn't it make sense that the best would be pro-Colts, not pro-Browns, since the Browns were strongly favored?

 

Help me understand.

 

If your retort is just that there's some shadowy agenda that we'll never know about for sure, then I'm out on the discussion. Because that is exactly the conspiracy theory playbook, and if you don't require any proof for the theory to exist, then there's no way to argue against it.

Regarding gambling, the head Ref that made the calls could have put 10,000 dollars on the Browns to win just straight up which still would have been a huge payday if he bet like 10,000, probably a net of 7,000. You can bet without spreads, if you take the favored team, you just win less but if you bet huge, you will still win huge. 

 

Reason for the league wanting the Browns to win instead of us is because they have a big name QB getting paid 230 million dollars a year and most believe he will be healthy, and he is a big popular name that is exciting to watch. They also have a big-name popular player on defense in Myles that the media loves. Without AR, we have no excitement factor that the league even cares about, Taylor is about it, and he is coming off injury. I have noticed since Deflategate things haven't gone our way for the most part which is also odd.

[Superman]

4 minutes ago, 2006Coltsbestever said:

Regarding gambling, the head Ref that made the calls could have put 10,000 dollars on the Browns to win just straight up which still would have been a huge payday if he bet like 10,000, probably a net of 7,000. You can bet without spreads, if you take the favored team, you just win less but if you bet huge, you will still win huge. 

 

Reason for the league wanting the Browns to win instead of us is because they have a big name QB getting paid 230 million dollars a year and most believe he will be healthy, and he is a big popular name that is exciting to watch. They also have a big-name popular player on defense in Myles that the media loves. Without AR, we have no excitement factor that the league even cares about, Taylor is about it, and he is coming off injury. I have noticed since Deflategate things haven't gone our way for the most part which is also odd.

 

It's amazing to me that anyone would think this kind of conspiracy could be kept under wraps.