Zebra Taint That Makes You Go, Hmm?
What happened on Championship Sunday in both games, had never happened before, Zebra taint?
Above [video no longer available because their givin em da business?], Mssr's Kornheiser and Wilbon have some valid points. What follows is our take on Championship Sundays calls and non calls...
As for the defensive pass interference non call in the NO-LAR game, carefully watch the slow motion video below (9:47 - 10:10). Now baby ducks, I've seen that movie too, as this issue was settled 35 years ago after a highway robbery at RFK which we will never forget.
Further... after trailing 13-0 on the road in the 1st quarter, the Ram O ramped up outscoring the Big Easy Pietists 26-10, while the D clamped down, allowing only 6 first downs and 169yds in dominating the remaining 45 minutes and OT.
To arrive at this point, the Rams throttled the Pokes and dominated the Saints who struggled to beat an Eagle team which backed into the playoffs, and got a Zebra assist and Parkey Double Doinky to advance over the Bears.
To advance, the Rams still had to engineer a 9 play, 45yd drive in 1:26 to tie on a 48yd FG; and a OT post interception 5 play, 15yd, 2:12 drive to win on a 57yd FG. Were the Pietist's absent for monastic rituals during this process? Bottom line, no need for an asterisk, the Rams outplayed the Saints and the better team won.
As for the phantom roughing call on Brady: said call occurred during a 9 play, 4:13, 75 yd TD drive, in which the Pats offense had to engineer another 65 yds against the Chef defense. See Jones heavy breathing on Brady below (10:21 - 10:47). But if you act now, that's not all you get... easily forgotten, the Patriot D held the Chefs scoreless in the 1st half on 37 yds total offense and three 1st downs.
To get to this point, the Chiefs beat up a marginal Colt team which had feasted on weak Texan squad, the Minutemen thrashed the Hey-LA My Bosa's Back Bolts, who had made a statement against the Running Black Birds.
After the heavy breathing on Brady drive, to advance NE engineered a 6 play, 1:24, 65 yd TD drive to tie; and 13 play, 4:52, 75 yd TD drive in OT to win the game. Were the Chiefs out smoking a peace pipe during this process? Bottom line, no need for an asterisk, the Patriots outplayed the Chiefs and the better team won.
We hope that Commissioner Goodell (whom we have taken a stick to once or twice before, and whose hardline policies since with the overprivileged and paid has been appreciated) tells it like it is and stands up to the incessant MSM whining. TBD. FYI, the odds against both the Rams and Patriots winning on the road were stacked....
This was only the 5th time in 53 years that BOTH road teams won the conference championship games. 1966 - GB, KC; 1993 - BUF, DAL; 1998 - DEN, GB; 2013 - BAL, SF; 2019 - NE, LAR. But as always, it gets better...
Since the merger, Championship Sunday dogs were 32-65 SU, and on the road 21-56 for a 72.7% probability of losing. In the playoffs, teams falling into a 1st quarter hole of 13 or greater (LAR) were a collective 7-48 for a 87.3% probability of losing.
Teams doing so on the road were 2-32 for a 94.2% probability of losing. Championship Sunday home teams with a 1st quarter +13 or greater lead such as the Saints were a perfect 7-0, viz. 100% as a loss had never happened before.
Since the merger, road playoff teams -2 TOM such as NE were a collective 6-55, for a .098 or 90.2% probability of losing. -2 TOM road teams on Championship Sunday were a perfect 0-17, viz. 100% as a victory had never happened before. Coming full circle to Wilbon and Kornheisers rant...
New England : 15 Million
Southern California: 24 Million
New Orleans Metro: 1.3 Million
Kansas City Metro: 2.5 Million
Perhaps there are 39 Million vs 3.9 Million reasons? Just sayin. Let the motoring public be the judge? Moral of the story? Perspective? Never forget, gladiators or sport are an entertainment product, not the end of the world and at best a distraction from reality. We have far larger and more pressing issues to deal with, which deserve and require our full and immediate attention.
More to come in our Super Sunday prediction, stay tuned, no flippin.
[NO vs LAR] The defensive pass interference non call at 1:49 remaining which prevented the Pietists from running down the clock to kick a winning FG, was instrumental in the Rams victory.
[KC vs NE] Belichick's Boyz dominated this game in every phase. That -2 TOM and 7 point swing meant a game which appeared closer than it was, and the Minutemen might need a little help from their friends? Said assist came in the form of a phantom 15yd "heavy breathing" on Brady penalty which ultimately garnered a 4Q TD to help the Pats make history. 2018 NFL Championship Sunday ATS ResultAs previously Nattered at length in Things That Make You Go, Hmm? Part 2, Part 3, A Zebra's Taint?; Part 2, Part 3 and Wentz: NFL's Collateral Damage?...
Winning breeds another tradition in which casual observers, fans and officials give perennial winners, the benefit of the doubt. There's another name for that benefit of the doubt, it's called bias.... What we are saying is that bias, which is part and parcel with habitual winning, contributed in giving those teams, an edge... Things That Make You Go, Hmm? Part 3As the outcome of both Title games were seemingly effected, this Championship Sunday's officiating has been put under a microscope. As the Nattering One has in the past, many have taken a stick to the National Flagball Leagues Zeal of Zebra's taint, including two of our favs...
Above [video no longer available because their givin em da business?], Mssr's Kornheiser and Wilbon have some valid points. What follows is our take on Championship Sundays calls and non calls...
As for the defensive pass interference non call in the NO-LAR game, carefully watch the slow motion video below (9:47 - 10:10). Now baby ducks, I've seen that movie too, as this issue was settled 35 years ago after a highway robbery at RFK which we will never forget.
We thought that all of that was sorted out after the 1983 NFC Championship game? In which zebras advanced the flailing Skins to a much deserved SBXVIII thrashing. How? 10 gifted points on 3 controversial pass interference calls in which QB Theesman [his PR changed the pronunciation to rhyme with Heisman] avoiding the sack, was clearly throwing the ball away in quite uncatchable fashion.
"[The Pass] It was a ball a 10-foot tall Boston Celtic couldn't catch, let alone a receiver. [Washington's] final drive was really a pair of penalties. Right now I'm a little bitter about the officials. It's just too bad that a championship game's decided by a call that close. I'd rather lose by the Redskins driving for a touchdown than on a call so close." - 49er coach Bill Walsh
As a result of that fiasco, which many called a fixed game, the following off season the rules committee changed the rule, if the pass is uncatchable, there is NO interference. Things That Make You Go, Hmm?As Paul Zimmerman put it: The 49ers Got Skinned... but I digress. Upon further review, for NO WR Lewis to have caught the pass, he would have had to defy the laws of physics by somehow trucking through the LAR defender Coleman, who has a right to his position. Thus, the pass was NOT catchable and all other claims go out the window.
Further... after trailing 13-0 on the road in the 1st quarter, the Ram O ramped up outscoring the Big Easy Pietists 26-10, while the D clamped down, allowing only 6 first downs and 169yds in dominating the remaining 45 minutes and OT.
To arrive at this point, the Rams throttled the Pokes and dominated the Saints who struggled to beat an Eagle team which backed into the playoffs, and got a Zebra assist and Parkey Double Doinky to advance over the Bears.
To advance, the Rams still had to engineer a 9 play, 45yd drive in 1:26 to tie on a 48yd FG; and a OT post interception 5 play, 15yd, 2:12 drive to win on a 57yd FG. Were the Pietist's absent for monastic rituals during this process? Bottom line, no need for an asterisk, the Rams outplayed the Saints and the better team won.
As for the phantom roughing call on Brady: said call occurred during a 9 play, 4:13, 75 yd TD drive, in which the Pats offense had to engineer another 65 yds against the Chef defense. See Jones heavy breathing on Brady below (10:21 - 10:47). But if you act now, that's not all you get... easily forgotten, the Patriot D held the Chefs scoreless in the 1st half on 37 yds total offense and three 1st downs.
To get to this point, the Chiefs beat up a marginal Colt team which had feasted on weak Texan squad, the Minutemen thrashed the Hey-LA My Bosa's Back Bolts, who had made a statement against the Running Black Birds.
After the heavy breathing on Brady drive, to advance NE engineered a 6 play, 1:24, 65 yd TD drive to tie; and 13 play, 4:52, 75 yd TD drive in OT to win the game. Were the Chiefs out smoking a peace pipe during this process? Bottom line, no need for an asterisk, the Patriots outplayed the Chiefs and the better team won.
We hope that Commissioner Goodell (whom we have taken a stick to once or twice before, and whose hardline policies since with the overprivileged and paid has been appreciated) tells it like it is and stands up to the incessant MSM whining. TBD. FYI, the odds against both the Rams and Patriots winning on the road were stacked....
This was only the 5th time in 53 years that BOTH road teams won the conference championship games. 1966 - GB, KC; 1993 - BUF, DAL; 1998 - DEN, GB; 2013 - BAL, SF; 2019 - NE, LAR. But as always, it gets better...
Since the merger, Championship Sunday dogs were 32-65 SU, and on the road 21-56 for a 72.7% probability of losing. In the playoffs, teams falling into a 1st quarter hole of 13 or greater (LAR) were a collective 7-48 for a 87.3% probability of losing.
Teams doing so on the road were 2-32 for a 94.2% probability of losing. Championship Sunday home teams with a 1st quarter +13 or greater lead such as the Saints were a perfect 7-0, viz. 100% as a loss had never happened before.
Since the merger, road playoff teams -2 TOM such as NE were a collective 6-55, for a .098 or 90.2% probability of losing. -2 TOM road teams on Championship Sunday were a perfect 0-17, viz. 100% as a victory had never happened before. Coming full circle to Wilbon and Kornheisers rant...
Does not [officials] erring to excess on a high profile stage (playoffs) render a tainted and less than credible end product, in which the integrity of the sport is diminished, and suffers in the public eye? Do the athletes, teams, public, paying sponsors and fans not deserve better?...
Professional sporting events, are a form of entertainment intended for mass public consumption where millions watch and sponsors pay billions annually for a chance to grab that attention. - A Zebra's Taint? IIIAs always, when attempting to ascertain motive, opportunity and means, our favorite lex parsimoniae is: its all about the money, never forget it and always follow it. Just going by the numbers, population estimates:
New England : 15 Million
Southern California: 24 Million
New Orleans Metro: 1.3 Million
Kansas City Metro: 2.5 Million
Perhaps there are 39 Million vs 3.9 Million reasons? Just sayin. Let the motoring public be the judge? Moral of the story? Perspective? Never forget, gladiators or sport are an entertainment product, not the end of the world and at best a distraction from reality. We have far larger and more pressing issues to deal with, which deserve and require our full and immediate attention.
More to come in our Super Sunday prediction, stay tuned, no flippin.
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