Consider, though, that it doesn't necessarily require everyone to be in on the rigging as it really only takes a few select people - a coach, a player or two or three and/or a ref or two - to rig a game. Done strategically ("randomly"), it could seem like weird plays, butter fingers, poor playing conditions, missed touchdowns/field goals, brain farts, bad calls, poor coaching/bad play calls, etc.
The NFL rulebook is the size of a phonebook compared to what it used to be (exaggeration of course, but you get the idea). You can throw a flag on any given play for the most part. That's how they control games.
Watch Superbowl XL ... that game was thrown for the Steelers ... I say that as a former Steeler fan ... that game basically turned me off football despite "my" team "winning" the fucking thing.
Agree games can be fixed. No way this play was an example though. Too many variables but the biggest is swatting the ball backward and counting on a D lineman to catch it and take it back.
A QB or a ref could certainly swing a game but you're not going to see any Rube Goldberg crap if the fix is in. QB will just start missing throws and hitting DB's not WR's with his passes.
Consider, though, that it doesn't necessarily require everyone to be in on the rigging as it really only takes a few select people - a coach, a player or two or three and/or a ref or two - to rig a game. Done strategically ("randomly"), it could seem like weird plays, butter fingers, poor playing conditions, missed touchdowns/field goals, brain farts, bad calls, poor coaching/bad play calls, etc.
The NFL rulebook is the size of a phonebook compared to what it used to be (exaggeration of course, but you get the idea). You can throw a flag on any given play for the most part. That's how they control games.
Watch Superbowl XL ... that game was thrown for the Steelers ... I say that as a former Steeler fan ... that game basically turned me off football despite "my" team "winning" the fucking thing.
Agree games can be fixed. No way this play was an example though. Too many variables but the biggest is swatting the ball backward and counting on a D lineman to catch it and take it back.
A QB or a ref could certainly swing a game but you're not going to see any Rube Goldberg crap if the fix is in. QB will just start missing throws and hitting DB's not WR's with his passes.