Baseball used to be considered that “national pastime,” but has been supplanted by football in the last few decades. Football easily lends itself to gambling. There are far fewer games and the results of those games, if deemed important, are easily controlled by referees and a few players and coaches under control of the league. Under orders, they can create illogical wins and losses.
Baseball can be managed that way too, not as easily. It is possible, however. Baseball players are some of the best athletes alive, with superb instincts, able to hit a 100 mph fastball thrown from sixty feet away. Pitchers don’t overpower batters as much as engage in deceit. They know that if a batter correctly guesses what is coming, any pitch might end its journey in the seats. Imagine that a batter is merely tipped on the next pitch … it is not guaranteed he will take it downtown, but suppose he is tipped on three pitches in one at bat. The odds heavily favor one of those pitches ending with a home run.
This explains, in my view, the heavy scoring in late innings of last night’s Houston-Los Angeles contest. The only thing that appears certain to me is that the League wants the Series to go seven games.
I remember in years past that World Series contests have been four game sweeps or five games … one team obviously superior to the other. Such an outcome has to disappoint advertisers, who pay premium prices and hope for a real contest. It is not a stretch to speculate that advertisers have told the league that they want seven games, close contests, lots of home runs and late inning drama. Major League Baseball, which has seen its ratings plummet over the years, goes along. It is in survival mode.
I remember in years past that Superbowls were often blowouts. Denver lost two contests, 1988 and 1990, by a combined score of 92-20. Such defeats would not have been scripted. When a game is lopsided fans tune out, and private house parties become card games and genuine social events. The game takes a back seat, advertisers cry in their Budweiser. It is not unreasonable to speculate that they approached the league and threatened them … give us a contest that keeps fans engaged beginning to end, or refund our money.
Take the 2014 Superbowl, for example. New England was obviously chosen in advance to win, but Seattle wide receiver Jermaine Kearse did not get the memo, that is, he was a real player doing his best to win. Our friend Straight wrote about the acrobatic catch he made towards the end of the game, catching a deflected ball as he lay on his back, obviously unscripted. This put Seattle in position to win the game. Straight described the situation in a long and very interesting comment last February:
“…starting at 1:08:27 you see something odd. Certain players seem almost concerned about this great catch. Star CB Richard Sherman (with the long hair) looks like how a Patriots player should look. Compare his expression to #25 in front of him (who is clearly not in on the fix). Something wrong with that picture? Owner Paul Allen look shocked, and not in a good way, despite his family celebrating around him.
Drastic measures were needed, and Seattle coach Pete Carroll, a brilliant football strategist, inexplicably called for a risky pass play on the one-yard line, which New England intercepted.
But the game was not over … New England had to run a play to avoid a safety … instead, they ran a long cadence and a Seahawk jumped offside, thereby moving the ball out to the six yard line, where fake super-quarterback Tom Brady twice took a knee. There was a fight on the field as some unruly Seahawks (who probably felt a sure victory had been given away) started a fight. One was ejected.
The 2016 Denver victory over Carolina looked scripted, with quarterback Cam Newton fumbling and idly watching as Denver recovered it. Football players are instinctual men, and a fumble produces a wild charge to recover the ball. Newton’s standing and watching has fix written all over it.
I don’t imagine that most NFL or MLB games are fixed … they don’t need to be. Most don’t matter. But when billions in advertising money is on the line, all bets are off, so to speak. Last year’s World Series, Cubs and Indians, looked hinky, and this year Cleveland, probably the best team to assemble in some decades, is again taking a powder to larger TV market rivals.
Gambling is the mother’s milk of all sports. Back in the early 90s I got involved in fantasy football, and because of my accounting skills, ended up running a league. It was work, and I tired not only of the gambling, but of football in general. I was fatigued by watching games only to see if certain players succeeded. I gave up the fantasy league, quit watching football, and did not start again until our move to Colorado in 2009. In the entire period 2009 to now, I have not bet one single dollar on an outcome. I simply enjoy the athleticism. I love to watch Denver and Green Bay, but only if they are winning. Otherwise I have better things to do.
When I ran that fantasy league, I naively imagined that the NFL could not be too happy with the rise of such a gambling enterprise. Fantasy baseball had been around for a while, but never really caught on. Fantasy football took off like a rocket. Not only did the NFL approve of it, the league was behind the scenes pushing the enterprise.
Think about it … football fans watch their own city’s team religiously, and have only mild interest in other games. So TV rating are always skewed to the home city. Fantasy leagues create nationwide interest in every single game, even between mediocre teams.
This has driven national ratings to new heights. Every game that is telecast has national appeal. Fantasy Football is a brilliant advertising maneuver. The league loves it! (Ratings are currently in decline, I know, and league moves such as the early morning London game (extending Sunday viewing time from early morning to late night) have not fixed the problem. These are clever people … they will figure it out.)
One final note … the NFL moved the extra point from the two-yard line out to the twenty to create more tension for an otherwise sure thing. That can be read as follows: after a touchdown was scored, TV viewers would leave their sets in droves, heading for the fridge or the bathroom, so that advertisements in that game segment were drawing low ratings. The NFL gave the fans a reason to stay put. (You thought they did it for competitive purposes?)
That is football logic. That is how the game is played, for advertisers.
Piece of Mindful 
NFL football has become for many the mainstay of their social/cultural existence, or their identity, if you will. Talk about groupthink. For the faithful, winning is the only goal, because in the USA, there is no second place, it’s winner-take-all. Not winning is associated with “losers” or “suckers.” It’s hard to forget the sandlot football expression: “Suckers walk.” This kind of blind loyalty to a team, and its symbols/logo/brand reinforces the same loyalty in the parallel world of product marketing to The Consumer. The (branded) Consumer is a willing slave to the corporate system, which is about making profit for shareholders, and little else. All imagination, charity, spirituality and morality has been wrung out of us. All that remains is wrapped up in ego, ie. identity. Our politics is a reflection of our condition; which no longer has a moral message or purpose, other than existing as that artificial thing (supply any noun) that lets us pretend (don your mask) to be someone, or something, we are not. On Tuesday, next week, many will shape-shift into a new mask and costume. Mask-on-mask we will act out yet another false persona for the day — except those ultra-loyal consumers who dress up as their favorite NFL star. Happy Halloween!
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Replace the term “football” with “soccer”, and you have mainstay of European social existance for 95% of the male population. The rest is totally congruent.
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Another serial killer hoax in Florida:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/florida-police-release-eerie-surveillance-162708596.html
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excellent essay and great timing as far as I am concerned. I have recently been pondering the question is baseball scripted and by implication rigged. Since the last super bowl I know for certain that the NFL is scripted, but I have not been able to figure out/prove baseball is scripted.
Then it hit me yesterday that baseball is scripted.
Two things leads me to believe this:
1) the Yuli Guriel slanted eye gesture. first he gets a pitch so easy to hit for a homerun, then after the homerun a few minutes later the camera just happens to catch him doing a slanted eye gesture to another teammate. what exact timing of the camera to catch this behaviour in the exact moment in time he does this. Too coincidental SCRIPTED.
2) i have this peculiar hobby, I do not spend time watching most games, I just watch live betting odds during the game. This way I can do something else yet know what is going on in the game.
The odds reflect everything going on. When the odds get too low you can basically just turn off the game as the result is already determined. For example live odds could go to 1.05 for team A.
this means this team has a 95% probability of winning the game. 1/1.05=.95 or 19/20 times team A will win.
It hit me last night there have been way too many games that have gone down to 1.05 or even 1.02 with the team with the odds of 1.05 end up losing the game.
I know this is not proof but these facts combined with Mark’s comments in the 2nd paragraph of the essay explains how it is done.
as if finished writing this reply the dodgers are winning 4-0 in the third inning with decimal odds of 1.03 or around 97% chance of winning. a half inning later houston has scored 4 runs to tie it. home run hit by the “scripted racist” yuli guriel. oh and he hits it off best pitcher in MLB Kershaw.
odds now evens. La went from 97% win to 50 win%. what are the odds of this? any stats guys out there??. i not a statistician but i can tell you the odds of the are really really low. (lol)
gotta keep the people watching the game, don’t leave that tv set.
more evidence, baseball is scripted, it is now so so obvious to me.
thank you for writing this Mark
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Houston’s Altuve, just a bit over 5 feet tall, had 24 home runs in 162 regular season games, and just hit his 7th in 14 post season games, against the best teams in the league? Thats three times his normal rate in the highest pressure situation in the sport. Right…
Have to lump college football in as well, with some of the recent outcomes. Just last night, near the end of the Clemson game, Georgia Tech finally scored a touchdown to get within 14 points. The announcer said sort of clumsily, “that will interest some of the folks watching…” and then went on to say, “the score differential is close to what some of the experts were predicting.” I guess it’s hard for them to keep up the act with a straight face…
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If NFL championships are scripted/fake then surely my Eagles
would have won by now ( last one was 1960 pre Superbowl ).
Although the machinations involved to rob Cleveland/Miami
to get the Eagles the No 2 pick , and L.A. to pick Geoff at No 1 ,
seem like a series of contrived events , with Kosher superhero Howie
Roseman triumphant over the ignorant goy , Chip Kelly .
If they are scripting this huge opportunity with superhero Carson Wentz ,
(separated at birth from Prince Harry ? ) then I am all for it .
I fear though , the script will end with Andy Reid hoisting the Lombardi
as one final kick to balls of Philly fans .
BTW , anyone take a stab at geology for ‘ adopted ‘
Colin Kaepernick , former 2nd rate GB now 1st rate race hustler .
Maybe his biological father came from the Egypt part of Africa
but holymoly , that nose !
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They do not appear to all have been fake … I did mention 1988 and 1990 where Denver got massacred. That cannot be by design. It could be that scripted outcomes are a recent phenomenon.
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Can you do a face comparison for Wentz / Prince Harry
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Actually, the ’88 one could have been scripted. I forget who the “injured quarterback” was for the Redskins, but then Doug Williams played the rest of the game and they made such a huge deal about him being black/first black quarterback to win the superbowl. They needed to show how dominant he was for effect. And now that I think back to that game, I never saw Elway play shittier.
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Wrong. It was indeed by design. 1988 and 1990 were fake. All Super Bowls are scripted as is each game during the season. Re-watch any game and you will see the script at play right before your eyes.
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I have a hard time accepting a script for an inconsequential game. It may be that certain teams are being guided through the regular season in preparation for post-season drama, but who the hell cares if Denver loses to Oakland when neither team stands a chance of success? I assume that most games are genuine contests and that due to the quality of the athletes, they will destroy one another on their way to 500 seasons.
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I understand. But Vega$ by itself makes no games inconsequential. Vega$ and NFL work in concert. The NFL was founded by owners who had major gambling or mob ties. Many of those families are still in the League (Mark Davis, DeBartolo’s, Mara’s, Rooney’s) NFL has been rigged for profit since its inception. When Super Bowl viewership tailed off due to blowouts, and the demand for all sports all the time exploded, scripting the outcomes of an NFL season became more paramount than just rigging the season because millions more dollars could be made off networks due to fans following every kind of sports talk show covering ‘storylines’ in their sport or sports via TV or Radio and the inherent commercial ad time monies generated, in addition to accumulating new female fans by adding female co-hosts of many of these new shows.
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You could well be right, but I am not ready to accept this idea. It seems to me that they can make as much money on unscripted contests as scripted ones, so that the extra effort involved in fixing ordinary contests would be wasted.
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I tend to agree. Perhaps not every play is scripted but for sure there are some plays already prepared in case of emergency of to move the end result to the desired outcome. It is hard for some to agree on that because they think the ones behind the curtain and themselves think alike… but their think process and mental models are different. How many of you deal with what if scenarios on a daily basis? See? They do.
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Besides, they do have it for every game not as much for the money. Some disinfo agents out there are selling that all projects TPTB run are for the money, for greed… am I (as a ruler) going to go extra lengths to take away money from the proletariat? Why so if I can make it out of thin air? So it is all for money? Not quite so, money is just an instrument, a mean to a greater end. It all gets right down to this: CONTROL/POWER.
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Some games that have no impact because both teams are equally inconsequential and a win or loss effects nothing, those games could indeed be on the level. The NFL did employ a last place schedule for the 8 cellar dwellers for a few years. I’m not sure if they do now. Second division teams probably have a fair fight and when a team emerges into the first division, that’s when they get scripts and prime time coverage through “flex scheduling”. They are “good earners” as the mob used to say.
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Sorry ,
Should be : 2nd rate QB quaterback
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There may be a more convoluted reason that games are fixed, other than just ratings/advertising.
I was a Miami Dolphins fan growing up, and if there ever was an opportunity for a “dream super bowl” matchup, it was the 1986 game, where the dominant Bears beat the Patriots.
That Bears team destroyed everyone that season…except for the Dan Marino led Dolphins, who “figured out” the Buddy Ryan defense of the Bears.
The Dolphins faced an underwhelming Patriots team in the AFC championship game that year, for the chance to set up what would have been an incredibly hyped rematch against the Bears.
Somehow, the Dolphins were blown out (at home) and the Patriots went on to get destroyed by the Bears.
Any reasonable person would assume that the NFL would have “preferred” a Bears/Dolphins rematch. So either the game wasn’t fixed, or there were other reasons for the desired outcome.
I’ve always figured it was a gambling/money issue, if games were fixed.
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Don Shula knew the Bears were chosen to win the Super Bowl that year, and there was no way he or Dan Marino would ever agree to lose to Ditka and McMahon. No way ever. Agree to lose to Walsh and Montana in 1984 Super Bowl, yes. Agree to lose to Ditka and McMahon, HELL NO send in the Patriots or whoever. The Bears vs Dolphins regular season game was rigged for Miami anyway. All the games are rigged. The Super Bowl winners are known years in advance, with flexibility if unanticipated story line develops (see Katrina, Saints). Even that one had to wait a few years so it wasn’t so obvious. Plus the Saints in 2006 sucked. In 2007 they brought in Payton & Brees in preparation for Super Bowl win over Peyton Manning and the Colts no less. Peyton’s dad Archie played QB for the Aints back in the day. So Peyton purposely threw game clinching interception right to Tracy Porter of the Saints. Each season is rigged. Outcomes, winners, everything known determined minimum 3 years in advance. How do I know this? Dikta told his Bears team this when he took over. He said ‘Men, stick with me 3 years and I promise you we will be in the Super Bowl.
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Rico,
Thats intriguing.
So, you are saying that the decision to throw the game vs the patriots was made by Shula and Marino? They could have decided to win it, but then would have had no choice in the super bowl, and that would was unacceptable to them because they didn’t respect Ditka?
Do you believe that all players are “in on it” or just some of them?
Apparently, if Ditka’s quote is a true representation of a coach informing his team that they would be in the super bowl in three years, that was the moment his entire team learned “the script?”
It seems like an odd thing for him to have to say to.his team, if all the players are simply actors and following a script from week to week. They wouldn’t have to “stick wth him,” right? They’re just doing what the script says, regardless.
Also, any thoughts on why Marino was never given hid own super bowl victory?
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The entire NFL Season including Super Bowl winner is decided by the Owners, well in advance of the upcoming season.
Marino and Shula HAVE ZERO decision making ability about anything other than what they are told to do. Marino and Shula are pawns.
As are all players, coaches, GM’s, employees of any organization. Only the players can be said to have any real tangible talent.
The Owners decide everything.
Have we ever sat in a NFL coaches meeting? No we haven’t. We have no clue whether any of these coaches truly know anything about X’s and O’s strategy. I’m not saying they don’t. I’m saying there is no proof. At minimum they are coaches who represent a certain ‘look’ to the fans (intimidating, aloof, wild, player’s coach, stoic, good looking, fat, skinny, well groomed, slob).
What they actually know about football is anybody’s guess. And they don’t play. The player’s play THE WAY THEY ARE TOLD BY THE ‘COACHES’ to play. The coaches are told thru the Owners how the game is to unfold.
The games are scripted well before hand, give or take human error (No prob, Referee’s can right those wrongs).
Marino and Shula knew before the season when and how their season would end.
Shula had already been awarded his Super Bowl’s.
Marino would never win one because he was from Pittsburgh and Miami fans would’ve turned on the Rooney’s had Marino one a Super Bowl with Miami since Pittsburgh ‘passed’ on him in the draft.
Marino knew his fate way ahead of time. He just ‘acts’ disappointed but he’s not. That’s why he was awarded kush NFL related TV jobs, for being a good soldier.
When Ditka was hired he said ‘we’re going to the Super Bowl in 3 years’.
And they did.
Half way thru 85 season he confirmed to the team by way of meeting with top players in his office to confirm they were still on schedule to go that year (Ditka’s third season).
So kicker Kevin Butler changed his wedding date accordingly (since prior to confirmation it fell on that year’s Super Bowl sunday).
Don’t believe me?
Watch ‘THE TIMELINE’ 85 BEARS SEASON ON NFL NETWORK.
You won’t believe your ears.
And you will see these players, coaches for what they are – ACTORS.
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Rico,
I guess I am confused by your initial comment…
“…there was no way he (Shula) or Dan Marino would ever agree to lose to Ditka and McMahon. No way ever. Agree to lose to Walsh and Montana in 1984 Super Bowl, yes. Agree to lose to Ditka and McMahon, HELL NO…”
But now your are saying that…
“Marino and Shula HAVE ZERO decision making ability about anything other than what they are told to do.”
The first comment made it sound as if Shula and Marino had a choice, but the second makes it sound as if they didn’t.
Also, why do you think that it was ok for Pittsburgh native Joe Montana to win all those Super Bowls (the Steelers passed on drafting Montana, just like Marino), but it wasn’t ok for Pittsburgh native Marino to win any? It seems as if you are saying that fans would have been upset if Marino had won, and it would have made Rooney look bad, right? But no one cared that he passed on Montana? Also, the Steelers have been gifted a lot of Super Bowls… would the fans really have been that upset if Marino had won one? Seems like Pittsburgh fans would have been rooting for Marino, a little bit.
Finally, am I correct in interpreting your response as believing that ALL players in the NFL are “in on it?” Every single player is an actor and knows the outcome in advance, and has a specific “role” to play, in every game?
Ditka’s plea to “stick with me” and they’ll win a Super Bowl seems idiotic if this is true.
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Good Point. Straight nailed the comment regarding Jermaine Kearse back then. Guess what he (Kearse) got in return? Guess/Wonder where he plays now?… The mighty NY Jets…
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Why do we assume that Kearse wasn’t instructed to make that catch? Just because he bobbled it and had to make it more difficult than it needed to be, doesn’t mean that he “didn’t get the memo.”
Surely Russell Wilson was “in on it,” so he wouldn’t have thrown that pass to a player who wasn’t “in the know.”
If Sherman was in on it, as well, then his expression was just part of the act.
The final goal line interception was clearly scripted, so the logical assumption is that the Seahawks were meant to get down to the goal line, one way or another.
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I like that kind of thinking. HOwever, for one, I find it hard to believe a play like that could be scripted. The bounce and bobble are impossible to predict. These guys are talented, but the football is egg-shaped with pointed ends.
Two, I made an acrobatic catch, nothing like that of course, when I was a senior in high school. I was a tight end, and didn’t have much come my way, and when I saw our QB put it in the air and I was the only guy around, I saw my moment, and dove, and fully extended caught it with my fingertips. I was right on, but not over the goal line. Another foot and it would have been a TD.
Years later the QB, Jerry, told me he was just throwing it away. That is probably what Wilson was doing. Kearse was very well covered. But still, you make a very good point.
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Having watched every Seahawks game over the past several years, I can confirm that Kearse bobbling a pass is not an usual occurrence. The play may have been meant to succeed, but Kearse’s bobble was unplanned… he just happened to come up with it in the end.
Kearse was also an integral part of the infamous interception play at the goal line. His job was to get in the way or “pick” the Patriots Brandon Browner, to allow for Lockette to have an open lane to slant into the endzone. He failed miserably.
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Naturally the outcome of every play can’t be scripted. However the ‘play call’ can. And opposing coaches are exchanging play calls with each other throughout the game. Not to mention prior. Script or no script, each games winner is predetermined aka RIGGED.
Wilson had been trying like mad to throw an interception prior to Kearse’s catch. Kearse didn’t score did he? No, he made the catch to the entire teams chagrin (see weird sideline reactions as BMSEATTLE points out) as Kearse fell victim to his own instincts to ‘try’. If Kearse had batted it away or didn’t attempt to catch it, that would possibly be more peculiar than Wilson’s INT at the goal line. Or as BMSEATTLE stated, perhaps prior to the play Kearse was told to attempt to catch the duck Wilson certainly was told to throw. Plus Wilson is black. Best to have to black scapegoat to assist push towards race war in this games instance than white right? Either way I’m confident that before and during the game Kearse and the entire Seattle organization was aware of at least this much: The Patriots were predetermined to be the winners of this Super Bowl.
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BMSEATTLE, with further regard to Shula and Marino, you must also take Players, Coaches, AND the Organization’s (Owners) LEGACY into consideration. And certainly the Owners take all these Legacys into consideration when determining who wins what, and when, and how, and where, and why.
All these things are reviewed prior to any decision the Owners make with regarding what will or won’t transpire each season.
The Miami Owner is smart enough to know Not to even consider having Shula and Marino add another SB loss to their resume.
Why? Because #1 it would negatively effect the LEGACY of the franchise. And #2 it would UNNECESSARILY negatively effect Shula and Marino’s LEGACYS and HOF credentials. And what purpose would that serve.
By UNNECESSARILY I mean because regardless of who played the Bears in 85 Super Bowl, it was predetermined the Bears were going to win it all that year. So why not represent the AFC with Major Market East Coast Team (for viewership) whose LEGACY would be HELPED and Not Hurt with their 1ST SUPER BOWL appearance. Same with New England’s coaches and quarterbacks. And seriously either way what does it matter about the LEGACYS of Raymond Berry, Steve Grogan, and Tony Eason?
The answer is their Legacy’s matter ZERO, even though a Super Bowl appearance on their resume helps them not hurts.
Marino didn’t win a Super Bowl because Miami and Shula already had their hey day with Back to Back SB wins Not to mention 17-0 season. And Miami will never matter more in the NFL’s LEGACY than a team like Pittsburgh, SF, Dallas, or (and since that first SB loss) New England.
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I understand legacy.
I was simply confused by your initial statement that there was NO WAY Marino and Shula would decide to be in a super bowl and be forced to lose to ditka/mcmahon. You clearly stated that it was shula/marino making a decision. When I asked for clarification on that, you stated that they were pawns and had no decision making ability…which is plausible. I just can’t understand why you initially said they did.
You also stated that Marino was not allowed to win a super bowl, because of the negative public opinion that would have on Rooney, since Marino was a Pittsburgh native, and the Steelers passed on Marino in the draft.
Besides the obvious question of why didn’t the Steelers draft Marino…i asked for your opinion on why Montana was allowed to win super bowls, even though he too was a Pittsburgh native who the Steelers passed on. That didn’t seem to reflect poorly on Rooney at all. Especially since the Steelers have continued to win super bowls over the years.
Finally, I wondered about your opinion on why you took as proof that the super bowl was fixed, from Ditka’s statement…”stick with me for three years, boys…”
If every player in the league is simply a hired actor, the statement is pointless/meaningless. The players have no choice BUT to “stick with him.”. The players are all pawns, you said, who have no say in ANYTHING that happens. They just clock in, read the script, do their job, and go home.
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I’m not sure why you don’t think I’d understand legacy.
Of course, that all makes sense.
Maybe you didn’t see my questions on the other post, so ill ask them here quickly, in case you feel like responding.
You initially stated you KNEW the bears super bowl was fixed because of mike Ditka’s quote…”stick with me for 3 years, boys…”
You have since stated that the players are nothing more than pawns, and have zero control over anything. So none of the players had a choice in whether to “stick with” ditka at all. Nit to mention, ditka wouldn’t give a rats ass which players were on his team…they were going to win regardless.
So Ditka’s quote was meaningless and proof of nothing.
Coaches say that kind of thing all the time. Ditka saying it when he knew he was being filmed COULD mean he knew ahead of time…but its nit proof of anything, right?
The first time you brought up the shula/marino situation, you explicitly stated, in CAPS that there was no way Shula and Marino, would agree to lose a super bowl to the bears.
That intrigued me, but when I asked for elaboration, you changed your response, saying that Marino and shula were pawns, and had no say in the matter.
Clearly that is what you believe, so why did you initially act like shula and Marino had a say in it?
You initially that the reason Marino was never allowed to win a super bowl, was because of the negative public reaction to Art Rooney, for passing on Marino in the draft.
I asked your opinion on why that would be, considering the Steelers also passed on Montana in the draft, but no one seemed to care about that.
You responded (it seems) with the above “legacy” explanation…but it still doesn’t address the Montana issue (until Montana won, the dolphins were more “legacy” than the 49ers). On top if that, would Rooney’s legacy really be tarnished by one Marino super bowl, considering the Steelers steller record in super bowls?
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The DeBartolo’s are affiliated with Pittsburgh, PA in some way if I remember correctly? Either way Montana was drafted in 1979, a time in which between MLB and NFL the City of Pittsburgh was at it’s Zenith. Pittsburgh had no need a QB at that time, let alone a chicken legged Barry Manilow look-a-like QB who more resembled a Punter than a QB like Montana did in 1979. But the Gay I mean the Bay Area and DeBartolo’s and Bill Walsh and the 49ers certainly did need a Montana.
Dan Marino was drafted in 1983. And yes at that time Pittsburgh needed a QB. So did Miami. The NFL also needed a shot in the arm. Better for the NFL and TV ratings to have a gunslinging QB with tan movie star Miami Vice looks in Miami paired with equally attractive Head Coach Shula than paired with cold boring lame steel-city Pittsburgh constipated stoic coach Noll don’t you think? Plus Marino was a jackass on the field and on the sidelines. I doubt Chuck Noll was interested in dealing with a QB who easily out jackassed Bradshaw. So they drafted Gabriel Rivera instead of Marino, gifting the Dolphins and the NFL some ratings hope.
Plus Shula could handle Marino and his jackass swagger. Name one QB with Super Bowl talent like Marino who acted as much a jackass on the field and on the sidelines as Marino that ever won a Super Bowl. Go ahead, name one. Simms comes close. But Marino was way worse than Simms. During practically the entire game on national TV, Super Bowl 19, Marino threw tantrums on and off the field at the refs, the 49ers, and his own team. None of it was passion. All of it was jackass. Marino deserved what he got. A lot of records, a long career, an NFL TV gig, and no Super Bowl wins. Had he played his cards a little better and behaved as a Pro QB should, who knows.
The truth is I haven’t a clue with regard to correctly answering your questions.
With regard to the Ditka and the Bears, watch “30 for 30” episode ‘The 85 Bears’. You will find this Ditka’s quote addressing the team when he took over as HC in 1982 (I misquoted him in earlier comment) “The good news is we are going to the Super Bowl in 3 years. The bad news is only half of you will be going with me”.
A few unintended yet conflicting makes no sense remarks aside, make of everything I’ve shared what you will.
It’s what I believe.
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A show called 30 for 30?
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DeBartolo was the “king” of Youngstown, Ohio which is just 65 miles up the turnpike from Pittsburgh. It’s basically a suburb of Pittsburgh. DeBartolo founded the Pittsburgh Maulers of the USFL and owned the Pittsburgh Penguins from 1977-1991 (the year they won the Stanly Cup.)
The Penguins are now owned by Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle and may 3-peat the Stanley cup. Sidney Crosby mother’s name is Trina (nee Forbes.)
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Rico,
Thanks for your response.
I’ll just point out that if all players are actors and pawns, then Marino’s persona of “jackass” must have been part of the script, right? He was “acting” like a jerk because that’s what he was told to do?
Saying he “got what he deserved” doesn’t make a ton of sense, in that case. He didn’t “deserve” anything, other than whatever compensation these guys get for doing their job.
Or do you think Marino was some sort of rogue player that the league couldn’t control?
Are you implying that if Marino had been a nicer guy, he would have been allowed a Super Bowl victory?
You mentioned in an earlier comment, that Marino was “rewarded” for being a good soldier, and given cushy studio jobs after retirement, so he must have done exactly as asked, right?
Why do you think that the NFL, and the Rooney led Steelers allowed for an accused rapist and apparent jerk like Ben Roethlisberger, to be a multiple time Super Bowl champion?
Was that part of the script, too? And if so, how to reconcile with your Marino theory?
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Mark, 30 for 30 is an ESPN series where they supposedly do “serious journalism” about behind the scenes aspects of sports. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one, but have seen them advertised for years….
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My reply to bmseattle *questions:
*I’ll just point out that if all players are actors and pawns, then Marino’s persona of “jackass” must have been part of the script, right?
Yes and No. The competitive fire that burns Internally for Marino is real. Why Marino would turn his Internal competitive fire into External jackass antics can only be answered by Marino. But my guesses why Marino would turn into The Incredible Jackass Hulk Marino are at minimum due to a combination of these reasons below in no particular order:
Marino’s a prima donna drama queen.
Marino has impulse control issues.
Marino’s a perfectionist. Anything but makes him nuts.
Marino wanted bachelor image like Namath but NFL said No.
Marino was pissed knowing Miami’s Super Bowl winning days would be over for decades to come. Coped by blowing off extra extra steam during games.
Marino is a natural jackass.
*He was “acting” like a jerk because that’s what he was told to do?
No, not entirely. The NFL didn’t care if Marino acted like a jerk as long as TV ratings weren’t effected negatively. But if the NFL believed more people were possibly tuning in to see Marino blow his stack, the NFL certainly would have encouraged Marino not to disappoint.
*Saying he “got what he deserved” doesn’t make a ton of sense, in that case. He didn’t “deserve” anything, other than whatever compensation these guys get for doing their job.
Or do you think Marino was some sort of rogue player that the league couldn’t control?
Marino got what he deserved for Not making waves – meaning long career past his prime, passing records, kush NFL TV job. Choir boy or no choir boy, Marino was not winning a Super Bowl playing for Miami. No player was.
The League was boring with sagging TV ratings before marketing Marino’s quick release and magical record breaking high flying arm.
*Are you implying that if Marino had been a nicer guy, he would have been allowed a Super Bowl victory?
No. Miami’s and Shula’s Super Bowl winning days were decided over with for a long time, regardless of Marino’s personality.
*You mentioned in an earlier comment, that Marino was “rewarded” for being a good soldier, and given cushy studio jobs after retirement, so he must have done exactly as asked, right?
Marino was Not rewarded for behaving like a jackass. Marino was rewarded for making the NFL exciting again with his arm AND for Not embarrassing living-legend coach Shula with trade demand or even hinting at one. Marino was rewarded for putting the League’s newly rejuvenated longevity above any possible Super Bowl winning desire Marino selfishly may or may not have had.
*Why do you think that the NFL, and the Rooney led Steelers allowed for an accused rapist and apparent jerk like Ben Roethlisberger, to be a multiple time Super Bowl champion?
There is No proof Roethlisberger did any of these things. This certainly may have been manufactured (phoenix rising from the ashes) TV ratings script. Roethlisberger had already won 1 Super Bowl before ‘the scandal’ hit mainstream (fake) news. Regardless, (an already predetermined matchup) THE STORY OF the Pittsburgh Steelers (new black coach) versus Arizona Cardinals (second coming of K. Warner plus AZ Head Coach and assistants previously having been Pittsburgh coaches), combined with Pittsburgh Steelers Quest of winning a record 6th Super Bowl, would easily trump a Superstar QB’s rape charge, if in fact the accusation was real. If it wasn’t real, Roethlisberger played the role perfectly, as all players are coached and schooled how to speak with ‘the media’. Roethlisberger being amongst the best in my opinion, he’s extremely likeable and believable on cue. Bottom line is The Owners decide who wins each Super Bowl. At the time of this ‘scandal’ The Rooney’s clearly still were the most powerful Owners in the NFL. For the most part I believe multiple Super Bowl Wins directly reflect Power Rankings of NFL Owners.
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Rico,
Thanks again for the detailed response, and explanation of your perception of how all this works.
The one thing I can’t grasp is why any of these professional athletes would feel “competitive” or “angry” about whether they win or lose. ( under the every game is scripted, every player is an actor scenario)
Marino needed the nfl more than the NFL needed Marino, as the NFL can make any QB into a star, simply by re writing the script. As you’ve mentioned, two guys considered the best of all time (Brady…Montana) dont have the physical skills that would justify their “greatness.”
So, Marino would know what his job was going in, and would not be upset about not winning the super bowl, because he knows that winning the super bowl has no.meaning or significance.
Personally, I tend to believe games are fixed, but not all players are actors. Most players are trying and think things are legitimate.
All it would take is having the referees, the QB, and maybe a couple other players who are compromised.
Anyway, I find this topic fascinating, and I thank you again for sharing your thoughts
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After the disaster of our last kosher manager Ryne ! Dee ! Sandberg ,
the Phillies will hire a new manager .
We also had Dallas Green(Greenberg) as manager , late 70’s
and wins World Series Championship 1980
here’s were it gets weird with him :
Personal life:
n January 31, 1958, Green married Sylvia ! Lowe ! ! Taylor ! at Calvary United Presbyterian Church in Hayden Park, Delaware.[23] The couple had four children, and remained married until his death.[15]
Green’s nine-year-old granddaughter, Christina Taylor-Green, was killed in the 2011 Tucson shooting that critically wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords. Her interest in government prompted a neighbor to take her to the event with the congresswoman. Green, after receiving the news of his granddaughter’s death, said that this was the worst thing that has ever happened to his family.[24][25]
2017 – Phillies will likely name new manager , Gabe Kapler
He has never managed any baseball team .
Born: (1975-07-31) July 31, 1975
Hollywood, California
Kapler is Jewish, and to honor his heritage, has a Star of David tattooed on his left calf, with the inscription “Strong Willed, Strong Minded” in Hebrew, and the post-Holocaust motto “Never Again” with a flame and the dates of the Holocaust on his right calf. He describes his background as “culturally Jewish. … I was—and am—proud of my heritage, but don’t practice religion.”[82] !!! He has 11 total tattoos!!!!.[83][84]
This better be a Mitzvah !
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That is really interesting. Green is peerage, as is Kapler, most likely, meaning that the Phillies are just another business they own and run.
I was watching some of the Chargers/Patriots game last night. I have it in my mind that Brady is overrated, but looking at him he seemed able to avoid rushers and keep track of his receivers and make some excellent throws. Maybe he is that good.
But it is curious too, and as a Cincinnati Reds fan I have noticed this about the Yankees over the years, that despite year-after-year of successful seasons and finishing high in the standings, they still managed to come up with one top rookie prospect after another. Baseball teams draft in reverse order of finish, so teams who have bad years always pick ahead of those who have good years. Unlike football, they are not allowed to trade or sell draft picks. So how is it that some of the best players around, like Jeeter and Robinson Cano are bypassed and end up with the Yankees?
As with the Patriots – year after year they put together high quality teams despite drafting very low. They seem to have a private pipeline of talent.
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Since all professional sports are scripted THEN IT FOLLOWS THAT All the drafts are pre-determined. That’s the only logical explanation. Occasionally good prospects will end up on average or below average teams to HYPE the team, sell tickets, jerseys, local TV packages, and false hopes. Occasionally an Undrafted free agent with undiscovered talent AND/OR his PEDS work unanticipated magic, will take the League by storm by scripted design to generate more fan interest ($$$) then fizzle out because he actually isn’t that good but rather mere HYPE OR IF GOOD will get traded the biggest cash machine money market teams like the Yankees. Farm clubs and talent scouts are a myth in my opinion. Everybody knows who the good players are and everybody knows which team will get those players. Today’s New England Patriots’ talent stinks. The Patriots were chosen to become and remain winners by the votes of the other owners, if they are even in fact the actual owners which I doubt most are. Let me tell you something about the NFL. I’m not sure why or how, but the talent in today’s NFL is astrocious when compared to NFL’s yesteryears. Don’t believe me? Watch any recorded game from the early 90’s and compare it to today’s NFL. The difference in the game AND THE TALENT is like looking directly into the sun, it will blind you. Today’s game is Unwatchable. Why? Because the talent is god-awful. And the Patriots are no exception.
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My theory about the Pats is they pay O. lineman and defensive players
off the books $ under the table to keep them on the team .
Control the line of scrimmage and Brady looks like the alltime best .
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You’re right because Brady is terrible. He’s a horrible quarteback. Can’t scramble. Can’t thread the needle. All he can do is throw to wide open receivers. That’s all he does, pass to wide open receivers. He does have touch, but that’s it. And that is not threading the needle like Roethlesberger. Brady is average at best, And if he wasn’t good-looking he’d be on the bench or on the Browns.
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I have thought the same thing about Brady for years now. For years now he is always standing in the pocket with no pressure and lots of time to throw the ball.
and he never gets injured, just once i believe in his entire career.
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Another example of sports and sports stars being controlled at the highest levels is the whole Michael Bennett/Las Vegas shooting foreshadowing incident.
Michael Bennett, Seattle Seahawks defensive lineman, has been one of the most outspoken players this year in regards to the “protests” that have been taking place during the national anthem.
He was one of the first players to sit during the anthem, and he stated it was in protest of the violence in Charlottesville, and racial injustice, in general.
In an amazing coincidence, in the early morning of August 27th, Michael Bennett was involved in what he claimed was racial profiling after a concert in Las Vegas. Video footage was released of him laying on the ground after being singled out of hundreds of people as a possible shooting suspect.
There is now debate on whether Bennett lied about how he was treated during this incident, and there is video out there for those who are interested in looking at footage. But to me, the entire event looks staged, and it defies the odds that the most controversial player/protester just happened to be “profiled” and attacked by police during a suspected shooting in Vegas…
… and then, of course, a “real” shooting takes place in Vegas just a month later.
As an aside, (not to derail this thread from the sports angle), did anyone see this?
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/10/30/couple-that-survived-las-vegas-shooting-die-in-car-crash.html
Apparently, a couple (Dennis and Lorraine Carver) that survived the Vegas shooting, just happened to die together just two weeks later, as their car hit a railing outside their housing complex and “burst into flames.”
It’s a tragic event, especially for their daughter, Brooke, to endure… but this last paragraph of the story warmed my heart…
-Dennis Carver got roses for Lorraine after the attack, and a month later, even though they are dried up, not a single petal from them has fallen.
“It’s almost as if they’re frozen in time,” Brooke Carver told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “We’re so lucky we have those flowers to remind us of them.”-
Yes, that the flowers would truly mitigate the horror of losing your parents in a fiery car crash, just weeks after almost losing them in a hail of bullets.
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Really, really interesting! Do you suspect the Carver deaths are fake? Your last paragraph seems to hint that.
I have regarded the National anthem stuff in the NFL as a natural phenomenon. Is it something else?
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I was on the fence about the organic nature of the protests, but this Bennett incident smells rotten to me. Whether that means there is an underlying agenda/coordination behind the NFL protests, or this is an attempt to undermine the whole thing, I cannot say.
Right now, Bennett is being vilified and called a liar, based on his explanation of the event, compared to the video footage. Maybe I’ll try to find a couple of the videos and post them here.
As far as the Carvers, I stumbled upon that article and it simply sounded fake/scripted. Husband threw himself over wife to protect her from bullets…yada, yada…
then to have them both die in such an unlikely way, so soon after Vegas, and the inane comments from their daughter, who was the first on the scene of their car crash. Can you say melodrama?
I haven’t looked into it at all. But if we assume the Vegas event was staged/faked, then I’d be highly suspicious of the Carver’s demise… if they were even real people at all.
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Or hired by the Families race baiter , Kaepernick getting into the ears/heads
of other players , natural instinct to get sumpin’ fo nuffin’ kicks in .
Meanwhile Kaepernick has refused to meet his white birthmother , what a guy !
Now that could be fictional as I find this :
” Heidi Russo is a nurse in Colorado. She was 47 years old in 2016 and had an 11 year old. She is also the biological mother of star college and NFL quaterback Colin Kaepernick who she gave to his adoptive parents when she was a teenager ”
his whole bio seems like B.S. .
” As far as the Carvers ” , I’d say retired to Crisis Actor Island .
Seychelles ?
the motto of Seychelles is blazoned: “Finis Coronat Opus” (Latin for “The End Crowns the Work”).
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Ab over at fakeologist stated that this is just a ploy to get interest/buzz, in the nfl season.
I agree wholeheartedly with this.
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Live sports is the last profit center left for the main stream media and it’s about to go away after falling off a viewership cliff.
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Sub rosa (Latin) means “under the rose,” or in (“Dog-Latin”) English under the rose signifies secrecy. Hint, hint.
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Check out the roses (scroll down). http://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/10/30/couple-that-survived-las-vegas-shooting-die-in-car-crash.html
Looks a lot like the (alchemical) form of the Tree of Pansophia (1604). https://www.reddit.com/r/alchemical_symbolism/comments/3etono/tree_of_pansophia_theophilius_schweighart_1604/
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That is very interesting to me Steve , as I was trying earlier
to tie the Vegas 10-1-17 event to the larger Cryptoshow , along with
all the other ‘ Men Are Evil ‘ propaganda that we keep seeing ,
to the beliefs that the Aquarian Age is ramping up .
Not that I buy any of the new age supernatural origins of
these beliefs , they are a convenient tool for the creeps who
have all the power/wealth to rule uber alles .
I’m seeing signs of this in what you posted ,
The Temple of the Rose Cross, Teophilus Schweighardt Constantiens, 1618.
And dig the pimped out RosyCrossMoblie at the top of this page .
Auto accident waiting to happen .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosicrucianism
near the bottom of this page I see :
” * The Rosicrucian Fellowship, 1909 at Mount Ecclesia
(groundbreaking for first building: 1911)… According to it the Rosicrucian Order was founded in 1313…Their mission is to prepare the whole wide world for a new phase in religion, which includes awareness of the inner worlds and the subtle bodies, and to provide safe guidance in the gradual awakening of man’s latent spiritual faculties during the next six centuries toward the coming Age of Aquarius.[31]
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The wiki page for Age of Aquarius :
“…..( some ) … views among astrologers include:
* Proponents of medieval astrology suggest that the Pisces world ( Age ) where religion is the opiate of the masses will be replaced in the Aquarian Age by a world ruled by secretive, power-hungry elites seeking absolute power over others; that knowledge in the Aquarian Age will only be valued for its ability to win wars; that knowledge and science will be abused, not industry and trade; and that the Aquarian Age will be a Dark Age in which religion is considered offensive.[12 …
and : “* In an article about feminism in the French newspaper La Fronde from February 26, 1890, August Vandekerkhove stated: “About March, 21st this year the cycle of Aquarius will start. Aquarius is the house of the woman”. He adds that is in this age the woman will be equal to the man. “
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Was their coroner by any chance, Dr. H. Wayne Carver. Because you can control the situation depending on your photographer and he has “very good photographers.”
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It just seems like a common “tragedy” that people who narrowly escape death in these shootings/terror events, then tragically die in other ways afterward.
Here, one of the iconic survivors in the Boston Bombing, died in a horrific car crash in Dubai, of all places
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/03/08/469618199/survivor-of-boston-marathon-bombing-dies-in-car-crash-in-dubai
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Sorry, I posted this on another blog entry related to sports, but I think I meant to post it here at this post where football is the theme. Forgive me for double-dipping:
The whole anthem, stand, sit, kneel shenanigans are IMHO a psy-op to foment race discord and also drum up patriotism. The NFL does not have our best interests at heart, other than keeping the sheeple distracted with mindless entertainment. I am compelled to add a comment below from my astute 34 year old son who long ago realized the absolute futility of getting involved in fantasy football and saw the shenanigans of the NFL for what they are: scripted, rigged drama. Not good for the soul; not good for the psyche.
These sports anthem protests are not some organic, grass roots inspired social justice phenomena (which I never believed for one minute by the way); everyone is acting their role as they are directed to do. Nor did my awakened thirty-something sons accept any of this at face value – they began to see through the phoniness a long time ago like many here at POM and they schooled me. I only mention my sons because I am handing off this world to them and they make me proud simply because they are awake. I am honored they are my sons, and I am honored to read the thoughts of awakened souls on this blog.
Here is my son’s astute comment – take it or leave it, but I offer it up because he’s very observant and smart “kid”:
“Think of it like this: They (the owners) know football does not have a long future due to CTE. So why not sacrifice it (since they own it)? The globalists owned the NFL for a long time. It’s a multi billion dollar business annually, so of course they own it. They own all billion dollar organizations. So moving on, if it’s doomed anyway, why not sacrifice it for the sake of fueling division in this country? Even if they take a major financial hit due to loss of support, the way they see it is: you either support the NFL and are against racism, OR you turn your back on it because you ARE a racist. So there, you’re either racist and patriotic, or you’re not racist and against what patriotism stands for (which is racism and a racist beginning). There you have your division and there the America as we knew it will fall.”
And Ken over at Redefininggod.com had a good take on the whole anthem drama as well:
“This brouhaha over the kneeling is part of the globalist effort to simulate a crypto-communist (“progressive”) revolution in the United States. And activities such as the kneeling at NFL games and the Antifa thuggery at Trump rallies are meant to shock, infuriate, and traumatize the general public. “What the hell has happened to our country,” we’re meant to ask ourselves, “and when will this insanity end?” It will end after the current worldwide crisis comes to a climax. The globalists are deliberately subjecting us to insanity, lawlessness and chaos so we’ll be profoundly relieved and thrilled when sanity, rule of law, and order is returned in the form of the New World Order.”
Cheers,
Grace
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Good thoughts … I just don’t see end-times in any of it. I think it is meant to be ever-ongoing. There will never be enough “awake” people like your sons. So the ongoing tension they promote is meant to be their form of governance, unending agitprop. It is so destructive, as most people cannot think well due to it, but the overlords are OK with that. I mean, what are they going to do, consult the electorate? Would you?
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Mark, your persona on here is sometimes bizarre. What’s with the obtuse Pollyanna routine?
You’re the founder of a blog about hoaxes, but you can’t wrap your head around the idea of fixed sporting events happening even for non-championship games? You’re not “ready to accept such an idea?” In a league where all the team owners are multi-billionaires? In a sport surrounded by gambling? “It seems to me that they can make just as much money on an unscripted game as a scripted one.” Come on. You’re supposed to be an accountant. There’s plenty of money bet on each and every game.
And you think mass shootings are staged but televised protests by millionaires couldn’t be anything but spontaneous outbursts of rage against their “oppression”? You say, “I have regarded the National anthem stuff in the NFL as a natural phenomenon. Is it something else?”
Sorry, but your faux naivete is ridiculous, and you’re too smart not to know it.
Now, back to the fun stuff. The recent reignition of the protest BS by the Texans’ owner “getting caught” saying “we can’t let the inmates run the asylum” and his entire team getting upset then kneeling during the anthem in response definitely felt staged. And then after they kneeled, they put on the most exciting show in the league that week, a super high scoring down to the wire game for the ages, which they lost in a squeaker. Due to weird last minute play-calling and turnovers. Now THIS felt scripted. Almost designed to show that even the whiny protesters can still be incredibly impressive and entertaining as athletes. But patriotic karma (and redneck marketing) dictated that they’d have to lose in the end. The protest drama got to rear its head again, but this time in conjunction with excitement and NFL glory instead of dwindling ratings. Perfect.
People say stupid things sometimes, and reporters sometimes catch them, but this just seemed too perfect. Of course it was the owner from Texas. And of course the black players freaked out over a common phrase. And of course these multimillion dollar athletes were offended by a reference to inmates, in spite of the fact that they’ve escaped that common fate for young black men.
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I think the most important comment I read was from AB (Fakeologist) who said that “Live sports is the last profit center left for the main stream media and it’s about to go away after falling off a viewership cliff.” I think that baseball (far more than football) is in survival mode. They don’t even have weekly showcase games anymore – everything is regional. I have just basic cable, so was not able (or willing) to watch any playoff games until the World Series. So the owners’ need to drive home the World Series as a showcase with lots of home runs and lots of drama was paramount. It is the only time they are in the national spotlight on free TV,
How much scripting was necessary to get the chosen teams to the WS? The only thing necessary is to get them to the playoffs. It helps that Houston and Los Angeles are very good teams – Houston was taken out of the limelight six or seven years ago and allowed to do a rebuild and to change leagues. They seem to have succeeded.
But every game scripted? I suppose it is possible, but I think it is far more difficult than the results dictate. There is gambling on baseball, so I suppose someone in Las Vegas placing a major bet on the outcome of a Cincinnati-Milwaukee game in September could influence the outcome. But why bother? There are better bets to be had.
Football, another matter, fewer games. I saw in 2015 where The Patriots took a regular season powder to the Jets, which helped clear the path for the Broncos – but there comes a point where the outcome of lower tier games (this week, Cardinals 49ers, Lions Packers, for example) will have no impact on the larger script, so let them play.
Also, I know there is discussion here that Houston winning last night and The Cubs last year were scripted, and it might well be, Houston having that hurricane and the Cubs in year 108 (masonic) of a drought. But I also thought perhaps last night the teams were told “You did your job, you got us to game seven. Tonight may the best team win.”
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Cassandra I agree with your observations about Mark and sports, particularly MLB. Same goes Bmseattle and his Miami Dolphins.
Their takes on professional sports in the face of adversity certainly seem telling.
I liken them to a young boy whose best friend is a caterpillar.
One day after spinning its cocoon (while the young boy had kept watch everyday) the caterpillar became a butterfly and tried to fly away. For fear of being abandoned the young boy won’t let his best friend fly away. Instead the young boy goes into denial mode to avoid the traumatic realization surrounding his best friend the caterpillar. So the young boy keeps insisting the butterfly is still his best friend the caterpillar, and must’nt fly away. To prevent this the young boy keeps the butterfly in a jar with holes to breath. The young boy peppers the butterfly every so often with question after question.
Not looking for answers, but simply to buy time until the young boy can accept this reality: His best friend the caterpillar was never his best friend. Instead the caterpillar was only disguised as his best friend and he must one day let him go. Just not today.
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Very poetic.
You do realize that you changed your story and reasons for your beliefs multiple times, right?
When I pointed that out, you brush it off like it doesn’t matter. Well, if you want to convince people, it matters, Rico.
The truth is, you don’t know what I believe.
I was hoping you’d have convincing arguments to make, as I’m open to being convinced.
You seem to think a 30 for 30 episode is enough.
Honestly, I’m not sure what you believe, either. Are all players actors, or just some of them? Do players care, or not? Or did.only Dan Marino care?
Oh, right, Marino was a jackass, but Ben rothlesberger is nice, or at least seems nice in interviews.
But its all a script anyway…well, yes and no, according to Rico, depending on which answer fits his theory.
Chuck Noll is “stoic” but don shula isn’t. He’s tanned and good looking! See how that works! Its true because Rico SAYS its true!
The Steelers wouldn’t want a guy like Joe Montana, because his persona doesn’t fit Pittsburgh.
Nevermind that he’s FROM Pittsburgh.
Oh, and nevermind that Rico says all players are actors and act how they are told to. Thats not applicable here, Montana wasn’t THAT good of an actor, so he’d never fit in in Pittsburgh.
Oh well, thanks for pointing out how set in my beliefs I am, while you have all the answers. Maybe if I watch a few more 30 for 30 episodes like you, Rico, where all secrets are revealed, then I’ll now longer believe in caterpillars.
Give me a break.
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And Rico, just to be clear, I’ve long believed that the dolphins /49ers superbowl was potentially fixed. Marino played so poorly in that game, it just didn’t make sense to me.
It just felt…off.
THATS why I was intrigued by you comments and perspective, and I was hoping you’d bring something of actual value to the table to convince me.
As our conversation went on, and you kept changing your answers and contradicting yourself, it became clear that you have you own biases that are affecting your beliefs.
I gave you the benefit of the doubt, but then you have the nerve to insinuate that I’m the one who’s set in my beliefs?
I honestly say I am open to ANYTHING, regarding how deep “the fix” goes in sports.
Your arguments, however, are extremely weak
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Rico Suave says:
I ain’t one to commit, you can omit that bit
You pop the question that’s it
Would you rather have me lie
Take a piece of your pie and say bye
Or be honest and rub your thighs?
Well it’s been a pleasure but we got to go
Rico Suave
Rico Suave
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Kevin,
Thats awesome. I remember that music video.
But…isnt Rico suave gay?😉
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Please don’t judge a book by its cover
My only addiction has to do with the female species
I eat ’em raw like sushi
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