NFL Season Opener a Disgrace to Football
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CAUTION: PROFANITY AHEAD. First "4-letter word" I've EVER used in writing. This time, it was called for.
Normally, after a hard-fought season-opening ball game between two powerhouse teams, the next day people are talking about the game, how close it was, who played well, or who didn't. The skinny of it is that the Panthers lost on what amounted to a high snap during a FG try, which caused Graham Gano's timing to be off just enough to pull it wide left for a loss. Carolina has already equalled its entire loss total of last season, not counting playoff games.
I say to that, big deal. Sure, it should have been a "W" but it wasn't. Carolina didn't execute on the game's most important play...even though they didn't execute well in the second half pretty much entirely.
The loss is not what bothers me. I think by now, given the headline and all the OTHER writings this morning, you know what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the nationally-televised 3-hr mugging of Cam Newton that took place in Denver.
One reporter said Cam "took at least four head shots, only one of which was called." I counted five.
The point is, we shouldn't be counting any by now, and the officials have blood on their hands for not calling it. No-calls empower those delivering them, and deliver them they did. In fact, several Tweeters posted, after one play in particular, exactly the words that went through my head. "I guess Cam's still not 'old enough' to 'get that call.'"
After watching the extreme Denver bias in the Super Bowl and then again more official bias in favor of Denver last night, it tells me the NFL as an organization simply is lying about what it considers important. Apparently "player safety" is Issue One...so long as you're what? Not wearing black and blue? Or is it for white QBs only?
At this point, I'm not sure, and I'm rapidly getting to where I don't really care because it's about to chase me away from the game forever...just as the MLB strike did in 1994. I think I've watched 4-5 full games since, all World Series games, and then only because the Texas Rangers were playing in it. Haven't watched since, either.
The NFL no longer has ANY credibility when it comes to safety. It's all for show, folks. They want what they want, and they want it when and how they want it. If it means "accidentally" blowing easy calls like giving Denver a first down when the player was CLEARLY shy of the line to make, then that's exactly what they'll do, and do it because it will ALWAYS work.
You see, the NFL knows darned well the system of challenges they have in place is a complete sham. Sure, a team can "force a fix" on a couple of calls per game, but gets harshly penalized for not being wrong, but for not being right ENOUGH -- you still lose a timeout if the call on the field simply stands due to not having incontrovertible video evidence.
The problem is you can only show how biased the officiating is three times at the very most, and that's if you can prove it the first two times. You get that third challenge because the refs didn't hide things well enough.
So, Josh Norman takes head shots from a prepubescent Odell Beckham Jr, which aren't even called, but a "new rule" is made because of players like that.
Obviously, this "new rule" only applies to big heavy linemen jumping up & down after they score a touchdown and not for openly trying to assault someone. If I suddenly just "vanish" or am not talking about the NFL anymore, at least now you'll know why. I'm literally about ONE MORE NO-CALL away from saying FUCK it all and not be a part of this idiotic politically-driven sham that's called the NFL Front Office. My conscience won't allow it.
If THIS is where the NFL is heading, I want NO PART OF IT!
Follow me on Twitter @Ken_Dye