The NFL taints itself with these lay downs

[surferskin 30]

Sounds like Stiller fans got kicked in the taint.

[Dan 66]

Anbody wanna take a wild guess who Dan, jgcrawfish, phurfur, and Law pull for? I'm not sure about a couple of them but I am willing to guess correctly.

 

Why is it they are the only ones that have such a big problem. Everybody else with favorite teams that span the rest of the NFL see the big picture perspective.

 

Holy Sour Grapes Batman.

 

I am really disappointed in you, KSB. As intelligent as you are, and have proven to be, you are deliberately showing zero reading comprehension.

 

Pittsburgh does not deserve to be in the playoffs. As a Steelers fan, I know this better than you do. I guarantee it. That does not change the facts behind anything that I have said. I dare you to point out one thing in any of my posts in this thread that speaks to sour grapes. You cannot; it is not there. I have nothing further to say, since you apparently only want to broadbrush and not really discuss. Have fun with that.

[KSB2424 3,148]

I am really disappointed in you, KSB. As intelligent as you are, and have proven to be, you are deliberately showing zero reading comprehension.

 

Pittsburgh does not deserve to be in the playoffs. As a Steelers fan, I know this better than you do. I guarantee it. That does not change the facts behind anything that I have said. I dare you to point out one thing in any of my posts in this thread that speaks to sour grapes. You cannot; it is not there. I have nothing further to say, since you apparently only want to broadbrush and not really discuss. Have fun with that.

The only people whining in this thread are the one's I mentioned. And you all are Steeler fans. That is simply an observation.

 

Everybody else is okay with it. You guys can make up excuses and scenarios and fake "facts". Steeler fan is pissed and whining. It's okay man, I get it. But just own it, don't act like that's not whats going on here.

 

We have Cardinal fan, Viking fan, Panther fan, <insert any other team but the Steelers> fan sitting here saying that while not a perfect scenario, teams earn the right to rest players in week 16/17. Maybe we can tweak the schedule a little to help, but that is the way it is and there really isn't nothing wrong with it. If you don't want to be in that situation to rely on outside help to get in the playoffs, win more games. That is the big picture perspective that everybody outside Stiller nation understands. Ya'll are too close to the situation right now to make any kind of rational thought.

[jgcrawfish 232]

The only people whining in this thread are the one's I mentioned. And you all are Steeler fans. That is simply an observation.

 

Everybody else is okay with it. You guys can make up excuses and scenarios and fake "facts". Steeler fan is pissed and whining. It's okay man, I get it. But just own it, don't act like that's not whats going on here.

 

I'm pissed at my team for not making the playoffs, but I'm pissed because the rolled into matchups vs Cleveland, Oakland and KC thinking they could win simply because those guys sucked and the Steelers are the defending champions. They played completely without urgency and heart, and for that they don't deserve to be in the playoffs. You can't beat San Diego, Denver (at 6-1 at the time), Minny (undefeated at the time), Green Bay and Baltimore, and lose to suck-ass teams like those other three. You just can't. None of that changes that FACT that the NFL has not only allowed the putting of an inferior product on the field in regular season games but it has also allowed that inferior product to now seep into the playoffs as well. I'm no fan of Houston, but the Texans deserve to be there over a Jets team that was handed two easy wins against squads that are legitimately worse than anything the Rams (the worst team in the league) put on the field weekly. Dan is right, for as much as I agree with you on other stuff, you're way off base on this one.

[Franknbeans 46]

Two things:

 

2. This has been going on for years. The people crying are prolly the one's that it somehow effects. i.e. Pitt fans.

 

Cry me a river. You should've won more games last month so it doesn't matter. All this whining is getting tiresome.

I haven't seen a Pitt fan cry about it yet. They know their team blew it but way to paint with a broad brush.

[Dan 66]

But just own it, don't act like that's not whats going on here.

 

Own what, exactly?

 

I see this is still easier than reading and admitting that you are wrong, but let me lay this out for you.

 

Let us pretend for one minute that the Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts played their hardest and one of them managed to beat the Jets. What do the Steelers gain from that? They were elminated when Baltimore beat the Raiders.

 

Are you really that determined? Or just that presumptuous. You certainly do not know me or understand me one iota.

[KSB2424 3,148]

Dan is right, for as much as I agree with you on other stuff, you're way off base on this one.

So it is just a wild and crazy coincidience that the only people whining are all Steeler fans?

[KSB2424 3,148]

Own what, exactly?

 

I see this is still easier than reading and admitting that you are wrong, but let me lay this out for you.

 

Let us pretend for one minute that the Cincinnati Bengals and Indianapolis Colts played their hardest and one of them managed to beat the Jets. What do the Steelers gain from that? They were elminated when Baltimore beat the Raiders.

 

Are you really that determined? Or just that presumptuous. You certainly do not know me or understand me one iota.

Do me a favor. Go back in this thread and look at the people who are whining and complaining. Let me know what team they pull for. This isn't rocket science.

[KSB2424 3,148]

I haven't seen a Pitt fan cry about it yet. They know their team blew it but way to paint with a broad brush.

You don't consider saying "The NFL is tainted now" whining? I'm not painting anything. It's an observation within this particular thread. Every single person complaining in this thread is a Steeler fan. The rest of us span the NFL. That is not a coincidence. HTH

[jgcrawfish 232]

Do me a favor. Go back in this thread and look at the people who are whining and complaining. Let me know what team they pull for. This isn't rocket science.

 

Who I pull for matters not, in fact both Dan and I have said our team doesn't deserve to be in the dance. If you want to make the playoffs, don't leave it in other team's hands. Address what I said about the inferior product and it's impact on the playoffs or risk sounding like a Flahawker disciple.

[Dan 66]

Do me a favor. Go back in this thread and look at the people who are whining and complaining. Let me know what team they pull for. This isn't rocket science.

 

You start with an assumption . . . "all the people who are whining." I actually just went back through this thread, and what I saw was a multi-layered discussion that focused on a few different aspects of the laydowns at the end of the season. I saw a couple of posts that could be considered "whining," if you are looking for whiners, which is the appearance. Because a Steelers' fan started the thread, you used this as impetus for your assumption, and then simply counted the Steelers' fans in thread, saw some comment that suggested that the Jets are not a good or deserving wild card team, and applied your initial assumption. Tell me when I miss a step here. In such application of your assumption, you strengthened your own argument with a few other posts that attacked on a similar standard. Then you justified your own unwillingness to read posts and create your general statement regarding the flavor of the thread.

 

How did I do?

 

Now do me the favor that I asked. Just go back and read my first post. Explain to me how and where I whined. And then take each ensuing post, and see if you can find anything to support your supposition.

[Dan 66]

And incidentally, you will often find it impossible to prove absolute generalities. My assessment of your approach is further supported by the fact that you are "factually" wrong in your assessment that the only ones "whining" (yet to be defined) are Steelers fans. Depending on that very critical definition, Frank M conceded that the same thing happened to the Browns two years ago. I believe that Frank M is a Cleveland fan. I guess he is a "whiner", as well.

[KSB2424 3,148]

Who I pull for matters not, in fact both Dan and I have said our team doesn't deserve to be in the dance. If you want to make the playoffs, don't leave it in other team's hands. Address what I said about the inferior product and it's impact on the playoffs or risk sounding like a Flahawker disciple.

Dude, the only people who are whining about an "inferior product" or the "NFL is tainted" are Steeler fans. This is as plain as day. Why do you guys not see that?

 

No system is gonna be perfect in every scenario. That's what you guys want. It just so happens that this season it sorta worked out the way it did. It affected a couple teams. It happens. No system is 100% completely fair. Would you rather go to a BCS type system? Of course not.

 

The rest is sour grapes. Ya'll are the fantasy owners right now that finished 5th in total points but missed the playoffs and the team that scored the 7th most points made it in. You are THAT guy whining about it.

 

Don't be THAT guy.

[Phurfur 70]

Over a 16 game schedule, the Jets did more than Houston and Pittsburgh to get into the playoffs....which is why they're still playing. Pittsburgh choked against inferior competition. Houston choked two games against Indy...and couldn't beat a bad Jax team. You really can't say the same for the Jets.

So you're incapable of having fun at a game when the superstars aren't playing? Do you and donhass watch games with the same crowd of b!tches?

 

 

I didn't watch that crap on TV yesterday! I also passed on going to the Packer/Card game for this reason. I would find more entertainment in a High School game.

 

My point is that I can have fun doing anything, why pay $100's of dollars for something that is not really value added. I will use that entertainment money for something of value.

[Phurfur 70]

Anbody wanna take a wild guess who Dan, jgcrawfish, phurfur, and Law pull for? I'm not sure about a couple of them but I am willing to guess correctly.

 

Why is it they are the only ones that have such a big problem. Everybody else with favorite teams that span the rest of the NFL see the big picture perspective.

 

Holy Sour Grapes Batman.

 

 

I'm a Packer fan! I passed on poing to the game yesterday (I watched on TV until almost half) but will be there on Sunday, 35 yard line, row 40.

[jgcrawfish 232]

Dude, the only people who are whining about an "inferior product" or the "NFL is tainted" are Steeler fans. This is as plain as day. Why do you guys not see that?

 

No system is gonna be perfect in every scenario. That's what you guys want. It just so happens that this season it sorta worked out the way it did. It affected a couple teams. It happens. No system is 100% completely fair. Would you rather go to a BCS type system? Of course not.

 

The rest is sour grapes. Ya'll are the fantasy owners right now that finished 5th in total points but missed the playoffs and the team that scored the 7th most points made it in. You are THAT guy whining about it.

 

Don't be THAT guy.

 

Ok, when the early games finished yesterday, I already knew that the Steelers weren't making the playoffs. The Houston win eliminated the easiest scenario for their entry. The late games finished and it was a completely official thing, no playoffs. With that in mind, it stands to reason that Jets vs Cincy game actually should have absolutely no impact on my feelings on this matter, as they Steelers were eliminated PRIOR to that game, rendering it meaningless except to the Jets, Cincy, Houston and maybe New England. Point is, I didn't have a horse in the race at that point.

 

That being said, it still pisses me off watching that game. That was a pathetic effort, and seeing how the Jets got two of the those efforts in back to back weeks, it's unfair to the rest of the league that a team that MAY not have deserved it was given an autographed invitation there. And, based on the fact that Goodell was making the rounds hinting at repercussions, including draft picks, for teams not making a full effort in the future, apparently it's an issue that more than just "whining Steeler fans" care about, not to mention the fans that pay to attend the game (slightly lessened in impact because it was Jets home game). It's not about the Steelers, or their pissed off fans, it's about making games count.

[FeelingMN 273]

I didn't watch that crap on TV yesterday! I also passed on going to the Packer/Card game for this reason. I would find more entertainment in a High School game.

 

My point is that I can have fun doing anything, why pay $100's of dollars for something that is not really value added. I will use that entertainment money for something of value.

 

But where's the value? Is it in watching the stars play.....in a meaningless game? Or is it in watching meaningful games? You're telling me you'd have watched that game if everyone played normally....even though the game itself meant absolutely nothing? I guess the question then becomes, why do you get so much entertainment from watching Aaron Rodgers smack Donald Driver's butt?

 

And how are the Jets such an inferior team compared to PIT/HOU? The stats say they're better than those two teams, which is why they're still playing.

 

I mean, if they were sooooo horrible, they should have been down to Indy by 3 scores midway through the 3rd quarter.....instead of 5 points. And they should have struggled against a Cincy team....who played their starters....instead of beating them by 5 scores.

 

I could care less about the Jets....but give them some credit. They did enough to make the playoffs.

[Phurfur 70]

Dude, the only people who are whining about an "inferior product" or the "NFL is tainted" are Steeler fans. This is as plain as day. Why do you guys not see that?

 

No system is gonna be perfect in every scenario. That's what you guys want. It just so happens that this season it sorta worked out the way it did. It affected a couple teams. It happens. No system is 100% completely fair. Would you rather go to a BCS type system? Of course not.

 

The rest is sour grapes. Ya'll are the fantasy owners right now that finished 5th in total points but missed the playoffs and the team that scored the 7th most points made it in. You are THAT guy whining about it.

 

Don't be THAT guy.

 

 

Sorry guy, I am a Packer fan but as a consumer I demand the most for my time and money. I see you don't value neither!

I also had a great fantasy year, 4 leagues and a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th place finish.

 

I guess I just have higher standards than you do. I just don't understand why you are upset that I think what the NFL put out yesterday was CRAP. I am not upset that you enjoyed it.

[FeelingMN 273]

Sorry guy, I am a Packer fan but as a consumer I demand the most for my time and money. I see you don't value neither!

I also had a great fantasy year, 4 leagues and a 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 6th place finish.

 

I guess I just have higher standards than you do. I just don't understand why you are upset that I think what the NFL put out yesterday was CRAP. I am not upset that you enjoyed it.

 

Who are you to demand how NFL teams approach their seasons? This is what happens every year....week 17 is a total waste.....which is why you make other arrangements on how to spend your time.

 

What's the big deal?

 

[Phurfur 70]

Who are you to demand how NFL teams approach their seasons? This is what happens every year....week 17 is a total waste.....which is why you make other arrangements on how to spend your time.

 

What's the big deal?

 

 

 

I am the consumer and if I don't like the product I don't watch. Why is that a problem for you. I have better things to do with my time and money than watch crap like yesterday. It doesn't bother me that you enjoy watching it. By the way, I did do something better yesterday.

[KSB2424 3,148]

I am the consumer and if I don't like the product I don't watch. Why is that a problem for you. I have better things to do with my time and money than watch crap like yesterday. It doesn't bother me that you enjoy watching it. By the way, I did do something better yesterday.

What are you even talking about? Fantasy places finished this year. What you did yesterday. What's next you gonna tell us what you ate for dinner last night? Phufur, go take your medication, I think you missed it today.

 

BTW, I play in two $$ leagues. 1rst and 2nd for me. Me > You. Since you broght it up and all.

 

The bottom line is that no "championship determenint" system is 100% perfect. If only a couple games end up like this a season out of all that are played then that is about as good as it gets. Would you rather a BCS type system? Didn't think so.

 

But go continue to:

[edjr 6,580]

Stillers fans to start the season

 

Stillers fans now

[FeelingMN 273]

I am the consumer and if I don't like the product I don't watch. Why is that a problem for you. I have better things to do with my time and money than watch crap like yesterday. It doesn't bother me that you enjoy watching it. By the way, I did do something better yesterday.

 

I watched the Vikes yesterday....and part of the Iggless game too. I guess I'm just not as psuedo outraged as you are. Generally speaking, the NFL puts out a quality product.....week 17 notwithstanding. It's far from a perfect setup, but it's not exactly tainted either.

[joelmrut 4]

Not a Steelers Fan, or a Houston fan.

 

If you can't understand why the Jets do not deserve to get in than you know less about football than my little sister. Jets won thier last two games before they even stepped on the field.

 

Indy and Cincinnati did not play to win the game or games. The teams that got jobbed at least played 16 weeks against opponents trying to win games. However you want to spin it, you can't change the fact that the Jets received a gift from Indy and Cincy. They are not a good team, just a lucky one thanks to the schedule and the NFL.

[KSB2424 3,148]

Not a Steelers Fan, or a Houston fan.

 

If you can't understand why the Jets do not deserve to get in than you know less about football than my little sister. Jets won thier last two games before they even stepped on the field.

 

Indy and Cincinnati did not play to win the game or games. The teams that got jobbed at least played 16 weeks against opponents trying to win games. However you want to spin it, you can't change the fact that the Jets received a gift from Indy and Cincy. They are not a good team, just a lucky one thanks to the schedule and the NFL.

:sigh:

 

Occaisionally what happened this weekend does happen in the NFL. However compared to every other sport where teams have much more meaningless games than 1 or maybe 2 a year, the NFL is about as good as it gets. No system is exactly, 100% perfect. If it was each team would play the exact same teams each season to make it cookie cutter. They don't do that. Some teams have easier divisions than others. It's the way it is. Holy hell.

 

I will ask you then. Would you rather have a BCS? Didn't think so.

[joelmrut 4]

:sigh:

 

Occaisionally what happened this weekend does happen in the NFL. However compared to every other sport where teams have much more meaningless games than 1 or maybe 2 a year, the NFL is about as good as it gets. No system is exactly, 100% perfect. If it was each team would play the exact same teams each season to make it cookie cutter. They don't do that. Some teams have easier divisions than others. It's the way it is. Holy hell.

 

I will ask you then. Would you rather have a BCS? Didn't think so.

and still the Jets are the least deserving team in the playoffs this year, thanks to presents from Indy and Cincy.

[jgcrawfish 232]

:sigh:

 

Occaisionally what happened this weekend does happen in the NFL. However compared to every other sport where teams have much more meaningless games than 1 or maybe 2 a year, the NFL is about as good as it gets. No system is exactly, 100% perfect. If it was each team would play the exact same teams each season to make it cookie cutter. They don't do that. Some teams have easier divisions than others. It's the way it is. Holy hell.

 

I will ask you then. Would you rather have a BCS? Didn't think so.

 

 

Wow, you mean somebody reached you? Someone was able to help you make the connection? Nobody wants the BCS system, hell, I don't even want the BCS system for the BCS. A simple tweaking of the rules would likely make this less of an issue, starting with putting a couple of division games at the end and ending with the NFL threatening harsher penalties for not abiding by the "play to win" theory. Teams will still get around it, they'll put 15 non injured players on the "doubtful" report (ala the Patriots every week) but at least fans will have the idea that Peyton Manning won't be gracing the field when he's listed as "Doubtful - Hangnail" or some crap on Friday night.

[KSB2424 3,148]

 

Wow, you mean somebody reached you? Someone was able to help you make the connection? Nobody wants the BCS system, hell, I don't even want the BCS system for the BCS. A simple tweaking of the rules would likely make this less of an issue, starting with putting a couple of division games at the end and ending with the NFL threatening harsher penalties for not abiding by the "play to win" theory. Teams will still get around it, they'll put 15 non injured players on the "doubtful" report (ala the Patriots every week) but at least fans will have the idea that Peyton Manning won't be gracing the field when he's listed as "Doubtful - Hangnail" or some crap on Friday night.

That's what I said the whole time. Hell, I'm the one that first brought up what Mike and Mike said about putting divisional games at the end. I'm the one that brought that up first. Do you read? Here it is again:

 

Mike and Mike did made a good suggestion this morning. Have the last two regular season games be divsional games. That should help make those games a tad more important. Rivalries and division records will be at stake which won't solve the issue, but it may help alleviate some of it. This is fine. But the women crying to get their money back because Manning didn't play the whole game need to just stop. It's embarrasing.

 

 

But that won't even it make it 100% perfect. Nothing is, just like I've been saying the whole time too. So stop focking whining about those couple games yesterday.

[jgcrawfish 232]

That's what I said the whole time. Hell, I'm the one that first brought up what Mike and Mike said about putting divisional games at the end. I'm the one that brought that up first. Do you read? Here it is again:

 

But that won't even it make it 100% perfect. Nothing is, just like I've been saying the whole time too. So stop focking whining about those couple games yesterday.

 

that's what's hard to comprehend, you post in the thread the Mike and Mike idea which in essence acknowledges the fact that the games were meaningless, then bash those who agree with you because they are just whining Steeler fans, then a non-Steeler (or Houston) fan comes in and agrees with us...and then and only then do you again acknowledge there was an inequity about the games. It's obvious that you didn't have issues with the premise of it, just with those of who where fans of teams that lost out because of it. Yes, there is the possibility of a team basically locking up their division even before the final 2 division games were played at the season end, but that coupled with some strongly worded threats by Goodell might improve things over the pathetic display that was this past weekend.

[jerryskids 6,795]

I wonder if folks who make this argument, and arguments like these, ever follow them out to the logical conclusion. What you are arguing is that it is acceptable for a game between two evenly matched teams to be decided by the flip of a coin.

You come off as a patronizing shmuck in this thread. Anyway, I guess I am saying exactly what you said above. Take the superbowl last year; the Steelers won because an official made the call on the field that Holmes got both feet down. The replay was shown a bazillion times, and it was inconclusive. Had the official called him out instead, it likely would not have been overturned. As a Cards fan, of course I wish that it had gone the other way. But it didn't. The official made the call, which is part of the game, and that call decided the outcome.

 

Back to the original topic, given that teams play < 1/2 of the teams in the regular season, it is inevitable that matchup anomalies occur. The NFL does what it can to rotate interdivisional matchups, and fill in the rest based on prior-year performance, to create parity. I already acknowledged that things like division-only games the last few weeks are worth discussing. IMO it is completely unfeasible to mandate that teams play certain players. What exactly do you propose?

[Law 241]

Not a Steelers Fan, or a Houston fan.

 

If you can't understand why the Jets do not deserve to get in than you know less about football than my little sister. Jets won thier last two games before they even stepped on the field.

 

Indy and Cincinnati did not play to win the game or games. The teams that got jobbed at least played 16 weeks against opponents trying to win games. However you want to spin it, you can't change the fact that the Jets received a gift from Indy and Cincy. They are not a good team, just a lucky one thanks to the schedule and the NFL.

 

 

This.

 

Despite KSB (and anyone else's) assertions, Steeler fan or not, this is a serious issue - one the NFL is looking at seriously. If people don't perceive the product as being real (as being competitive) they won't care. Goodell has already promised to look into the issue. He was the one to suggest some level of reward for teams playing the schedule out. Not me.

 

The NFL is always extremely interested in making sure the product maintains its well-deserved reputation for competitiveness. They don't spend billions to have people think it's a shame effort. The last two weeks were and outside of this little world here, everyone knows it. Even the NFL.

[RoadLizard 73]

I'm pissed at my team for not making the playoffs, but I'm pissed because the rolled into matchups vs Cleveland, Oakland and KC thinking they could win simply because those guys sucked and the Steelers are the defending champions. They played completely without urgency and heart, and for that they don't deserve to be in the playoffs. You can't beat San Diego, Denver (at 6-1 at the time), Minny (undefeated at the time), Green Bay and Baltimore, and lose to suck-ass teams like those other three. You just can't. None of that changes that FACT that the NFL has not only allowed the putting of an inferior product on the field in regular season games but it has also allowed that inferior product to now seep into the playoffs as well. I'm no fan of Houston, but the Texans deserve to be there over a Jets team that was handed two easy wins against squads that are legitimately worse than anything the Rams (the worst team in the league) put on the field weekly. Dan is right, for as much as I agree with you on other stuff, you're way off base on this one.

 

Great post, craw. Especially the part about the inferior product seeping into the playoffs. The entire NFL product has been dumbed down, except for a handful of monster teams. The Steelers simply needed to win one of those games that they should have won and we wouldnt be talking about this right now. That being said - The focking Jets are just lousy in every way. They have ONE good player(Revis) and thats about it. They are excruciatingly boring to watch, they have NO offense, and have no business being in the playoffs.

[FeelingMN 273]

With the threat of a lockout in two years....and the CBA about to lapse....yeah, this is a real serious issue.

 

 

In 5 days, nobody is gonna be talking about this.....except for the usual Latrobe lameasses.

 

I mean, it's like the Colts have never rested their players before. Or Bill Walsh....or Chuck Noll.

 

[Foghorn Leghorn 0]

It will never change. It ended up not mattering from the Steelers perspective, as I believe New England really tried to beat Houston and lost (and gained a lot of respect in my eyes for the effort), and Baltimore won its game as soon as Russell came into the game for Oakland. They made their own bed, and paid the consequences for it.

 

The team that really should be ticked is Houston, because they were given the shaft. It is a baseless argument to say what they "should have done" to avoid the situation altogether. The season is 16 games long. Houston, over the course of that 16-game schedule, earned a 9-7 record. Should they have done better? Probably. The Jets, over a 14-game schedule, earned a 7-7 record. The last two games, both against arguably superior competition, cannot truly be considered to have been earned.

 

This is same ridiculous argument that people use when a horrible call at the end of a game costs one team.

 

I do not think that there is a perfect resolution to the problem; some things you are forced to live with. But if the Texans want to grumble a bit this week, they have every right to, and should be given that grace. They have earned that right.

 

I disagree with the notion that they've necessarily earned the right to grumble, and I also disagree with your contention regarding the ridiculous argument.

 

To me, this is all about risk mitigation. At the start of the season every NFL team controls their own destiny - if a team performs to a certain level, then there is no risk of them not making the playoffs. Houston's performance allowed risk to be introduced to their equation, as it put them in a situation of having to rely on something out of their control (the performance of another team) to get them into the playoffs. Houston had plenty of opportunity to eliminate this risk by performing better (something in their control) in at least one of their seven losses. They didn't, and must now face the consequences of the risk they took in having their playoff hopes depend on someone else's performance.

 

I think this can also be said regarding the "horrible call" scenario. By performing well enough to make a horrible call at the end of a game inconsequential, the risk of losing a game due to that call is eliminated.

[KSB2424 3,148]

that's what's hard to comprehend, you post in the thread the Mike and Mike idea which in essence acknowledges the fact that the games were meaningless, then bash those who agree with you because they are just whining Steeler fans, then a non-Steeler (or Houston) fan comes in and agrees with us...and then and only then do you again acknowledge there was an inequity about the games. It's obvious that you didn't have issues with the premise of it, just with those of who where fans of teams that lost out because of it. Yes, there is the possibility of a team basically locking up their division even before the final 2 division games were played at the season end, but that coupled with some strongly worded threats by Goodell might improve things over the pathetic display that was this past weekend.

1. It's not hard to comprehend if you read what is written. Yes, some games are meaningless. Hell the St.Louis versus 49er game is meaningless too. It's part of the game. In all sports.

 

2. Any system where a champion is crowned has flaws. The BCS has flaws. The NFL playoff has flaws. But the NFL system is 10X better than most if not all other sports. Does a couple games end up sorta like week 17 this year? Sometimes. But 99% of the time the product on the field is competitive. I'm not gonna whine incessantly about that other 1% it isn't just because my team just so happened to be involved this time. The stars aligned this year where a borderline playoff team just happened to play division winners back to back to end the season. Crap happens sometimes. To say the NFL is "tainted" is hyperbole and stupidity. Nothing more.

 

3. Anything other than tweaking the schedule or something within the confines of normal play would be a knee jerk reaction by Goodell. I mean actually giving a team draft picks if they play their starters week 17? That is some over the top, knee jerk, over compensation bullshit just to please the overzealous loud mouth minority of sour grape fans.

 

Not sure what is so hard to understand.

[spongeballer 2]

No, Pats fans are quite accustomed to living with the idea of being tainted...

 

Welker's injury was non-contact. he could have made the same cut in practice and had the same result.

 

Welker didn't get the memo that he was supposed to coast in a meaningless game. You would never see Randy get injured like that.

[Thornton Melon 620]

Has Arlen Spector stuck his nose into this yet?

[Phurfur 70]

What are you even talking about? Fantasy places finished this year. What you did yesterday. What's next you gonna tell us what you ate for dinner last night? Phufur, go take your medication, I think you missed it today.

 

BTW, I play in two $$ leagues. 1rst and 2nd for me. Me > You. Since you broght it up and all.

 

The bottom line is that no "championship determenint" system is 100% perfect. If only a couple games end up like this a season out of all that are played then that is about as good as it gets. Would you rather a BCS type system? Didn't think so.

 

But go continue to:

 

I will ask this again, why does it bother you that I don't watch these games? You need to get a life.

[Dan 66]

You come off as a patronizing shmuck in this thread. Anyway, I guess I am saying exactly what you said above. Take the superbowl last year; the Steelers won because an official made the call on the field that Holmes got both feet down. The replay was shown a bazillion times, and it was inconclusive. Had the official called him out instead, it likely would not have been overturned. As a Cards fan, of course I wish that it had gone the other way. But it didn't. The official made the call, which is part of the game, and that call decided the outcome.

 

Back to the original topic, given that teams play < 1/2 of the teams in the regular season, it is inevitable that matchup anomalies occur. The NFL does what it can to rotate interdivisional matchups, and fill in the rest based on prior-year performance, to create parity. I already acknowledged that things like division-only games the last few weeks are worth discussing. IMO it is completely unfeasible to mandate that teams play certain players. What exactly do you propose?

 

I really am sorry if I came across condescending. I will have to really look at what I am saying, as that is very much not my intent. But you are the second person to say it, so I am obviously on a roll. I concede that when I replied to your post I was a bit . . . sour . . . with the way some of the attacks were being levied. I responded with the Ed Hochuli call in mind, and with the NY Giants-San Francisco playoff game (I think those were the two). I am tired of the argument justifying the outcomes of those games because the team that got shafted "should have done better." They did as much as the other team did, but the other team did not have to console themselves with such a platitude. I understand that they happen. But good grief, when a team gets completely screwed, give their fans a break. They deserve the right to be upset.

 

I am not a proponent of turning the system over because of inequities. Frankly, the overtime format is still the biggest "fail" from the NFL, in my opinion.

I like the division games idea; I think it has a lot of merit. Coming from Mike Greenberg, that is something, and a lot better than getting rid of the time zones.

 

My only intent in entering this thread, as I do every year, is to get people to allow some grace to the team and the fans that feel completely robbed. That's all.

[Patriotsfatboy1 1,432]

Ha. You said, "taint".