Malcolm Smith’s big night was interrupted momentarily at his postgame press conference and the conspiracy theories didn’t stop there. Credit: Getty Images
On the heels of that lumberjack, Ken Krayeske, bald guy who classlessly interrupted Malcolm Smith at his postgame press conference spouting 9/11 conspiracy stuff, there is more conspiracy coming out this week, and it once againsurrounds the Seahawks.
The YouTube account NFL is Rigged posted a video called “NFL RIGGED,” showing plays in the NFC Championship game that screwed over the 49ers. It was posted one day ago. Interestingly enough, it doesn’t show any plays from the Super Bowl that the Seahawks won over the Broncos, 43-8. So the lesson here is: You can fix NFC Championship games, but not the Super Bowl. Fixing the Super Bowl would be way too obvious, apparently. That’s going way too far and it’d be way too hard.Here’s the video:
Now, I’m all for a good conspiracy theory: I don’t think Oswald acted alone, I think there’s a good chance humans are not the only living beings with advanced intelligence, and I know Bigfoot is alive because his junk has a distinct smell.
But to actually fix an NFL game is damn near impossible. There are far too many moving parts to pull it off. Refs have to be in on it. Nearly all 11 players on oneside of the ball wouldhave to be in on it. And you’d have to count on all the parties involved to not say a peep for the rest of their lives.
Basketball, I’ll admit,is probably a bit easier, thanks to refs that have entirely too much power, and the fact that we’ve already seen a pro referee in a betting scandal. But I often wonder: If you’re a basketball player and you’re betting on yourself and your team, can you really, seriouslymake sure, for certain, that the ball goes in the bucket at a given time? Or if you’re betting against yourself, can you make sure, for certain, that the other team hits its free throws or a 3-pointerat a certain time?
Here’s my main point, I guess (deep breath). And yes, this tangent will eventually come all the way back around to the original NFL conspiracy, SpyGate:
Can gambling occur in sports? Yes. Does it happen often? No. Did the NFL fix the NFC title game in the Seahawks favor? No. If the NFL wanted to make even more money than it already has, wouldn’t the Cowboys (largest fanbase) have faced the Jets (starved fanbase in the biggest market) in the Super Bowl already? Yes.
Are any of these NFL conspiracies real? Probably not.
Did the Patriots cheat by putting cameras on the sidelines to film opposing teams’ hand signals? Yes. Was every other team in the NFL doing it for years? Yes. Does it make any sense if you are to believe that the Pats’ video taping directly led to New England’s success, that immediately after the Patriots were caught filming signals in 2007 they rattled off 17 straight wins in a single season and have had the best overall record in the league since that time? No. Were the late Arlen Specter’s priorities all out of whack for having seemingly spent more time trying to bring down Bill Belichick instead of trying to find the men who killed JFK once upon a time? Yes.Did Specter totally drop the ball as a member of the Warren Commission? Yes. Did Specter really have a thing against Boston icons, both in politics and sports? Yes.
Rant done.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go shave. Hope you got the point.
Follow Metro Boston sports editor and columnist Matt Burke on Twitter @BurkeMetroBOS
