For years, the Raider Nation has had a persecution complex when it comes to NFL officiating. Whether it was the Louis Murphy non-touchdown in the opening game or the "tuck rule" in January 2002, there are calls going against the Raiders where the officials pull invoke an obscure sub section from the rule book that seems counter-intuitive. This has created a culture of conspiracy theorists inside of the Raider Nation blaming everything from Al Davis's battles with the NFL and Pete Rozelle to the patriotic fervor of post 9/11 America. These fans were often marginalized as homers looking for excuses, but with the excerpts from Tim Donaghy's book Blowing the Whistle: The Culture of Fraud in the NBA that were released today through deadspin.com, suddenly these fans accusations seem more plausible.
The officials huddle up during the Saints-Jets game earlier this season
(AP Photo/ Bill Haber)
Tim Donaghy is a disgraced NBA referee who is currently serving time for gambling on basketball games, so his credibility is shaky, but his allegations are direct and pointed. Deadspin reported that the publisher he had contracted for his tome had thoroughly fact checked his allegations before they agreed to publish. However, after the NBA brought threatened to send the press to a full court, Random House decided to withhold publication to avoid a lengthy and costly law suit.
In his book, Donaghy alleges that the officials played favorites, as well as used their whistles and calls to manipulate the games, often at the league's behest.
To illustrate a point that was already widely believed, he writes, "If a player of Kobe's stature collides with the likes of Raja Bell, the call will almost always go for Kobe and against Bell. As part of our ongoing training and game preparation, NBA referees regularly receive game-action video tape from the league office. Over the years, I have reviewed many recorded hours of video involving Raja Bell. The footage I analyzed usually illustrated fouls being called against Bell, rarely for him. The message was subtle but clear — call fouls against the star stopper because he's hurting the game."
(To read the rest of the explosive excerpts, click here.)
While the easy answer would be to brush this off as the ramblings of a shamed man, or point out the obvious in that he is talking about basketball, it would not be much of a stretch seeing this line of thinking bleed into the other major league sports, including the National Football League.
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For one thing, the NFL has probably the most convoluted rule book in the history of organized team sports. Rather than simplifying the rule book so it would be more transparent to fans and thus eliminating many of the conspiracy theories. Instead, each new edition only adds new rules and each new rule gives the officials that much more control they exert over the final outcome. Any time the officials go under the hood to review a play, there is a chance that rather than just determine whether or not a foot touched the sideline as would be expected, they often overanalyze the play and overturn the call based upon a rule that no one had heard of before.
Besides the obvious times with the replay, it is easy for the officials to make more subtle calls during the game that keep the flow working towards one team or the other. All it would take would be a defensive holding to override a crucial third down stop, or an offensive holding to set a team back to third and unmanageable. Any of these calls could change the tone of any game at any time, and there is an old adage that states that holding could be called on every play. This gives the officials the ability to be subjective when they call it.
This is not to blame the Raiders woes on the officiating. The officials don't dictate whether or not Russell can put a pass on target. They have taken away two touchdowns thus far this season. The Louis Murphy catch that was overturned on replay in week one was a game changing call. Against the Eagles, Stanford Routt had an interception return for a touchdown taken back on a ticky tack pass interference penalty, but the Raiders were able to overcome and win the game.
The NFL should be more transparent in their rules. They should also stick to the standard of "irrefutable visual evidence" before they overturn a play when they are under the hood. They also need a commission that has a strong degree of independence to monitor the officiating. The league office policing themselves gives the appearance that they are covering their own backsides.
The commission could consist of fans, retired players, and retired officials. They would randomly select two or three crews every week. By choosing randomly every week, each crew has to be on their guard. This group would then watch the full coach's tapes of the selected games and note where the calls were right and where they were wrong. If that official didn't meet a high standard, (It is not realistic to expect 100%) then they would be examined much more closely, and if it was ongoing they would be subject to a full investigation by the security department.
This is not alleging that the NFL and the officials are corrupt, but the assertions from Donaghy raise questions for all major sports. The would be wise to be proactive in showing the fans that games are called down the middle as they should be.
Could the officials be the ones called instead of a restaurant?
You can also find Patrick Patterson on Thoughts from the Dark Side.
Comments
Small bad calls at the right time kills teams. A third and long with a bad defensive holding call really hurt the team. I also notice small penalties that really don't make a diffrence to try and even it out.
It makes perfect sense - If you're a franchisee and cause legal issues for the Lead organiztion, no doubt you're asking for problems. The problem is Al davis appears more interested in winning in the court room than on the field, but the truth is he's rotten at both.
For the record, AGAIN, Murphy DID NOT catch the ball. Unless you want to change the rule. I've seen it callled that way 100 times over the years, you can't drop the ball until you show clear posession AFTER going to the ground.
The NFL has changed the game from everyone knowing a TD, catch or a fumble 95% of the time when they saw one. To the refs being able to twist any of the TD, catch or fumble anyway they would like.
You said it, they have twisted the rules to be able to control the game and do. They want New England in the playoffs a year or two ago just look at the help they gave them against the Ravens. Take away the anti-exemption right they have the NFL have become crooks and nothing more.
Oh, I saw so many holdings by the Jets OL last game it enraged me beyond measure. Then we had a crucial thrid down completion go back because of a Raider OL hold. The Raiders are usually at the crapy end of the stick. I've seen it too many times over the years.
those were some great points, and great ideas. It reminds me of that official, i believe it was LSU vs S. Carolina, who layed out the SC Quarterback in a tied game with 2:17 to play. He hit the kid so hard, you could see the QB get up a little dazed. Then again, he might have just been in shock, when he realized who actually hit em!
Yeah we have all seen it, go back to the Houston game. JRuss got smacked in the head by Cushing with the ref standing right there. Murphy got a forearm to the head right in the open. Both plays resulted in no flags. If we look at the last few teams that have built new stadiums. Those teams have ended up in super bowls. In 2001 the Jets and Raiders in the playoffs. Tim Brown stated that the Jets had zero penaltys in that game. That was also the year of the tuck rule. The NFL is now comparable to the WWF. They have taken the game away from the players. Remember the Pitssburg, Seattle super bowl?
Have you ever heard that head of of NFL officating Mike Peria? All rules are open to judgement calls.
what about the wr's that catch the ball in the end zone then immediately drop it to celebrate. maybe the stupid refs she see if they held the ball long enough! what's with the penalties for celebrating? why is it such a problem? you can't be happy anymore if you score? this is ridiculous! the 15 yarder on chris johnson after his int for kneeling down and raising his arms! give me a f'n break! deangelo small does that all the time and never gets called! i hate todays refs, i hate roger goodell! they are destroying the best sport on the planet! simplify the rule book don't keep expanding it! the democrats do that with taxes and we all know that is a bad idea.
what about the wr's that catch the ball in the end zone then immediately drop it to celebrate. maybe the stupid refs she see if they held the ball long enough! what's with the penalties for celebrating? why is it such a problem? you can't be happy anymore if you score? this is ridiculous! the 15 yarder on chris johnson after his int for kneeling down and raising his arms! give me a f'n break! deangelo small does that all the time and never gets called! i hate todays refs, i hate roger goodell! they are destroying the best sport on the planet! simplify the rule book don't keep expanding it! the democrats do that with taxes and we all know that is a bad idea.
This is the most frusterating aspect of our struggles. Our run d can get better. Our Qb and WR play can get better. Our O-line play can improve. But no matter what happens we will be on the wrong side of the whistle more times than not. It's real. Anyone who says that it isn't doesn'tknow. I've missed like 10 games since 94. When you see it every single week you have to believ that it is true. I'm not even talking about the bad calls that everone knows about. It's the little ones (some have been mentioned) that can nickle and dime a team to a loss, while staying under the radar.
Don't get me wrong, we suck! But it is depressing to know that this will be a problem that will stick with us forever. Some people laugh but thats cause they don't see it every week.
Refs happen...its not their fault the Raiders stink out loud.
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