Zaximus

I think this is a pretty bad comparison when pro wrestling fans have known about how things are for decades. Thousands of interviews with wrestlers and promoters on how things work.

I don't know if people talking about this are really "upset". In contrast, I think most accept it and watch the game for what it is.... entertainment. Just like a wrestling fan would watch Wrestlemania. I think we still route for the players and coaches who I think are trying their hardest to win and it does annoy when the calls are so bad but I haven't been "upset" in a long time. It's just something to discuss about on a ...discussion board. Why are you so upset people are talking about it?

I am not saying they aren't to blame. But they didn't commit late hits and helmet to helmets that were not called in a year where QB safety was prio #1. They didn't bat a fumble that wasn't called. I'm not going to say Rivera and them did a great job ever but they can't do anything to hold a ref from throwing a flag.

Read the post you quoted.

Try reading. I said I do not believe influencing always works. I think they are good at it, but I do believe a team can still win despite that, it is just much harder to do obviously. But the NFL also really likes Burrow aka "Joe Cool" and they need more than one face.

Well for the 10th time, I think it is heavily influenced by the head ref. I think rigged would include a broader range of folks which I don't really think is happening because too many things could leak. These things really became apparent around the time Goodell took over and maybe shortly before. The NFL was not like this in the 90's or before.

I don't know, for proof, maybe the reports of 20+ missed calls in the Panther/Denver SB that went Denver's way? The late hits in that game on Cam, helmet to helmets, battled fumble, etc? I think that is the game where it was pretty obvious something was up. Then just watch around the league. If it isn't influenced, then the league is OK with bad refs year to year and muddied rules, for some reason, which also makes the game product pretty terrible.

You can keep using the word rigged but only people like you are focusing on that. Influence is the best term and it doesn't always work. Also commercials watched for Super Bowl, specific to DURING game or numbers of ads watched leading up to it that are marked "for Super Bowl". I'm not saying people aren't watching the Super Bowl for commercials at all, just less than 20 years (not on a pure numbers standpoint but percentage I'd say). But it only pushes the point home that a face like Mahomes who has a commercial at every NFL ad break is someone the NFL wants in big games. Brady is almost gone, they lost Manning a while ago, and Mahomes is now the face of the NFL.

I don't remember anyone saying commercials don't matter to advertisers, but you said people watch FOR commercials. You are twisting words now to make your point. I think far less watch for commercials now since you can just watch before hand. Keep your head in the sand, it's all good.

There are commercials ran everywhere for the Super Bowl and in the past things are mentioned. You don't remember "Harbaugh vs Harbaugh" or instance? Everyone knew Peyton's last game was against us, etc. I don't like using the word rig because I don't really think it's some hundred people thing. Just the head refs influencing decisions. I also don't think it always works because I think people still can win, it's just much more difficult.

The same can be said about people that are so deep in their fandom they can't entertain any idea that maybe their favorite past time isn't as clean as they think. You have a league that keeps bad refs, year after year, and sometimes even promoting or letting them handle big games. For what reason? A league that makes game rules more muddy each year so the refs can make more and more "judgement" calls? Multiple times in both games the announcers didn't even know what to say when bad calls were made when refs were literally staring at the play lol. Why would the NFL want the Chiefs? I don't know.... maybe the Mahomes commercials every 15 minutes comes into play. There is just a lot, and I mean, a lot of smoke that usually leads to a fire. I think there is just a lot of stuff that happens since Goodell took over that is just too coincidental for a lot of fans' tastes. I also don't blame people for wanting a favorite hobby to remain as they want to see it. That's fine too.

LOL if you want but you can watch the commercials here in a few days. All of them. It's not 1995 anymore.

It would literally take one call from Goodell to a head ref to influence a game. A conversation between TWO people. The owners love Goodell cause he makes them money. I don't think influencing games always works out either but I think they have been decent at it. In a game of momentum a head ref can easily influence things.

No one watches for commercials anymore, they are on the internet a week before on youtube. The NFL will make sure people know about the storylines leading up to it. The advertisers pay to reach target demographics so it's not always "most popular team" it is what they can get charged for. I think even if ratings drop during the game they pay less.

The Mahomes run had some really bad holding non-calls that Stevie Wonder would have seen.

I'm glad more and more people are realizing this. The ones that don't are too indoctrinated and just won't let themselves admit that it possibly could be, I get that too. Ratings are king and advertising is king. The Cowboys are popular but they may not be the target demo advertisers want. Those fans are already going to buy the pickup trucks, they want NEW pickup truck buyers. I don't think it's some crazy involved thing, but something passed down to the head ref can completely change the game. Why keep bad refs every year? Why muddy the rules each year? I believe a team can still win despite the officiating but it's very hard, and just isn't fair. I can't take anyone serious that watched our Super Bowl and think everything is OK. There was reports done and it was like 20 or so missed calls in that game for Denver. We watched a QB get hit in the head multiple times, fumbles batted, etc. with no calls. Some of the other QBs get brushed and it's a flag normally. Peyton had to win that game, it was the final game, come on. If we played PERFECT yeah we still may have been able to win, but what team does that? Hard to beat a good team AND the refs. It's all about storylines and usually, there is one. Not every time but since Goodell, almost every time. We now have the "Reid Bowl" that the announcers already mentioned. You have Kelce vs Kelce. Mahomes chasing records. If you watch objectively and not even Panther games obviously, you can see it.

Apparently Netflix goes by completion rate and how many views in a very short time (like a couple weeks) to determine. It took Dark months to reach the status it did, I just don't understand what they expected.

Dang was hoping it was the Land Before Time hand puppets coming back:

Wilks is a good dude, but please no. It's the same Ron bait. Great off the field coach, respectable, players like him, stable. But not a great game time coach and poor adjustments. Do we want an average team with moral victories or to finally have back to back winning seasons?

Yeah this team just needs a culture shift from the conservative play. We've just had too much of it for too long. Wilks should be coaching somewhere I just don't think it should be here. I also have my reservations about the lack of in game coaching and game time adjustments. Just like Ron. But without a generational talent at QB and LB to carry you a bit.

I just can't buy the double team argument either. I've seen Tight Ends and running backs solo OWN Burns during games. There isn't a good argument as to why it was a good thing, with what we know about Burns and how he is playing right now. But, we have to move on, just add it to the plethora of other Panther mistakes. The biggest thing will be when we have to re-sign him because it'll look even worse if he walks, but, now he has all the leverage knowing this.

Na the Rams were looking pretty dreadful at the time and Stafford's injury was pretty well known. That team was leaking at that point. I don't think anyone expected them to win that many games at that point. I don't think anyone knew how BAD it would get, but I think it was pretty obvious they would at least be mid picks. The worst part is having to pay Burns now, with him having all the leverage, and us knowing he isn't a difference maker and disappears when you need him most.

Let's be honest, the worst thing to happen was not taking those picks for Burns. By far, the dumbest thing we did. It's not even close to me. That isn't Wilks' fault though. Would I have liked a better pick? Sure, but it's not going to doom us picking at #9 but those picks for Burns.... sure would have helped.

Oddly, there actually isn't any vampires in the game yet lol. There was a article with the creator a few days ago about that. But yeah this game is a lot of fun and addicting. It was created by a guy that programs slot machines so it has a lot of that "one more game/pull" going on for it. It's on xbox Gamepass now too. I've been watching it for a while but just started playing a few days ago. If you are starting out, get Porta unlocked as fast as you can, and then unlock things required for lightning ring evolve (duplicator), axe, santa water, king bible, etc. She has build in like 30% area and santa water evolve with king bible evolve makes a fantastic early build.