So, you still think the NFL is scripted?

[steelerfan]

Some of you may have noticed that certain tinfoil-hat-wearers like to purport that the NFL (in fact ALL college and professional sports) is fixed. This thread will be filled with actual FACTS and DATA that destroy those limp-dick theories.

Let me assure you that anyone who believes that the whole thing is a script falls into at least one of a few categories:

1) Stupid
2) Delusional
3) Mentally Ill
4) Contrary for the sake of being contrary
5) Lonely and seeking attention
6) Unable to fit in anywhere else, seeks acceptance and like-minded peers
7) Self-hater who wants to steal joy from those who are happy
8) Asshole

Now, let's look at some common arguments made by these idiots and discuss how they are bullshit.

CLAIM: The winners are pre-determined.

Really? Explain Hail Marys then. I mean I understand that if it is incomplete the offense was supposed to lose and they are supposed to win if it's completed. I even understand the idea that a botched attempt could be fixed by having the ref throw a flag. What I don't understand is how every single one of them has been perfectly executed. I mean, if the offense could be bailed out by a flag if they accidentally throw the ball out of the back of the end zone or drop the ball then where are all of the games where that has happened? There should be a laundry list of games where the offense "accidentally" botched a Hail Mary, got bailed out by a flag and then scored on the next play from the one yard line. Where are those games? I don't think I've ever seen one.

CLAIM: The results are all to serve the best interest of the books in Vegas.

Really? Care to explain why the books have LOST money on some Super Bowls then? Or, better yet, tell me why the 10 NFL teams that have already played and have had the most money bet on them in the last 30 days went 8-2 straight-up and 7-3 against the spread today? That doesn't make sense. Wouldn't the books want those records reversed? (BTW, this info is available at covers.com and other sites, if you really want to check it out, I'll explain how).

CLAIM: The games are too close and always come down to the end, especially in the playoffs.

Here is some data that I put together using one season from every one of the last 5 decades (I got the scores from footballdb.com):

Percentage of games decided by 7 points or less:
1974: 48.7 (92 of 189)
1984: 42.5 (99 of 233)
1994: 50.2 (118 of 235)
2004: 44.6 (119 of 267)
2014: 38.6 (103 of 267)

Percentage of games decided by 3 points or less:
1974: 20.1 (38 of 189)
1984: 25.3 (59 of 233)
1994: 26.8 (63 of 235)
2004: 22.9 (61 of 267)
2014: 19.5 (52 of 267)

It's weird that the NFL decided that the mid-90s would be the pinnacle of their existence and even weirder that 2014 was so lacking in close games. Certainly, we'll find that the playoffs are ridiculously close, right?

WRONG!

Since 1970 their have been 445 playoff games in the NFL. Of those, 39.6% (176) have been decided by 7 points or less and a measly 18.7% (83) have been decided by 3 points or less.

I have more data but I'm sure that this will suffice for any reasonable person with all of their mental faculties.

[SmoothPancakes]

[souljahbill]

The calm before the storm.....

[souljahbill]

Vegas took a big L in Week 1
http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/13...?ex_cid=espnFB

[steelerfan]

Interesting.

This 2013 study of the first 11 weeks of the NFL season says that the average game is decided by more than 11 points and that about 25% of games are decided by 3-or-more scores.

But I thought these games were scripted to be close???

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article...erage-nfl-game

[ram29jackson]

Books? Vegas? Vegas accounts for a small portion of all money bet in the USA over a year. You have no real clue who's betting what or how much and a SB won't make or break that.
Hail Mary's are easy to practice and all the players understand to bobble it/volley it or get out the way.
You ignore tthat you bring up hail Mary's like they are supposed to happen a lot in the first place. They happen far too often.
And haven't you put on the gloves receivers wear now? They are incredibly better than sticker ever was.
You say you are bringing facts but you are just redundant in the questions already posed without any difinitive answers or proof of your own.

[ram29jackson]

Interesting.

This 2013 study of the first 11 weeks of the NFL season says that the average game is decided by more than 11 points and that about 25% of games are decided by 3-or-more scores.

But I thought these games were scripted to be close???

http://www.sportsonearth.com/article...erage-nfl-game

You forgot the 42% of games last year decided by one score. That's close enough to half and an absurd number in natural circumstances.
Since when do they all have to be close to be fake? That's how deception works.
And you over look other details. Was it over or under the total points? How much money was on either side? Was the blow out by the under dog or the favorite? You aren't looking at multiple factors.
Again, that's why it's called deception.
Vegas is a tear drop in the amount of money in the gambling done in the U.S

[steelerfan]

If you don't have proof, links, etc. then don't post here. Your delusional theories don't qualify as anything of value. You have nothing to support what you say, don't post.