Photo credit: sfgate.com

I've never been a sportsball fan. In that respect, I guess you could say I was "boycotting the NFL" (and all professional sports) long before it was cool. If I'm to be perfectly honest though, I will admit since I was young I've had a fondness for ladies' tennis and ladies' gymnastics and figure skating. I also like ladies' football. Not golf though. Not even ladies can make golf interesting.

I've been surprised at how interested I am becoming in the arena of professional sports as of late considering the latest (should be) news making its way through the rumor mill. According to the Armstrong and Getty Radio Show and their "anonymous but reliable" source claims that the Raiders threw the game against the Broncos due to Derek Carr not joining the team in the anthem protest.

<a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/09/24/raiders-offensive-line-opens-wide-for-washington-in-27-10-loss/">Carr was sacked four times during the game. To put this in perspective for the sports-intolerant such as myself, the current incarnation of the Raiders have had the best defense since 1982.

I didn't watch the game, but I remember seeing some things fly by about how "the protest" really affected the Raiders game. Eh, whatever, <a href="http://thegoldwater.com/news/8625-NFL-s-TakeAKnee-So-Much-Smoke-and-Mirrors">it's football, who cares, right?</a>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NCAA Basketball is riddled with corruption The NCAA men's basketball scandal that's bubbling up alongside the NFL's <a href="https://t.co/v6e0bKXTQF">https://t.co/v6e0bKXTQF</a></p>— ツ Nick (@npnikk) <a href="https://twitter.com/npnikk/status/913995328008933376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 30, 2017</a></blockquote>

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But corruption, now that stuff is my bread and butter. I <strong>love</strong> a good corruption story. And that's what we have here. It's what that most illustrious purveyors of "quality journalism" <i>InfoWars</i> called "an epic level scandal."

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The protests were said to have been led by the same offensive line that failed to protect their star player, Quarterback Derek Carr. In essence, the claim here is that the team threw the game in a fit of anger over differences of opinion.

Even some TV announcers noted seeming ncompetence resulting in passes by Carr being dropped.

According to the "reliable/anonymous" source a lineman on the team made their feelings clear in the locker room.

“He wants to stand alone, he can stand alone on the field.” I heard some mention of <i>The Longest Yard</i> while skimming forums (thanks for the backstory, by the way 8chan). I'm guessing there may be some sports movie metaphor or something that ties in here. You'll have to figure that out on your own. I'm as interested in sports movies as I am in sports.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Sunday's game was like the longest yard movie Derek Carr played the Burt Reynolds role</p>— diane (@diane773) <a href="https://twitter.com/diane773/status/913895009681887232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2017</a></blockquote>

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Not unlike the <i>Nightline</i> reporter turning down Crowder's help when he obtained evidence of plans of violence by Antifa that contributed to police investigation, a reporter who attempted to bring the story to light was sternly warned against.

“If you report on this, you will be blackballed, you will not get access to the Raiders period. Your career covering the team will be over”.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Guns. Knives. "Tactics". Yup, this is an ANTIFA video with all the classics! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UndercoverANTIFA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UndercoverANTIFA</a> <a href="https://t.co/yt9wLIjM37">https://t.co/yt9wLIjM37</a> <a href="https://t.co/sFMi7g60Cf">pic.twitter.com/sFMi7g60Cf</a></p>— Steven Crowder (@scrowder) <a href="https://twitter.com/scrowder/status/913578157483143169?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2017</a></blockquote>

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That makes sense though when you consider all the major networks and news sources spend a few months a year sucking at the NFL's teat.

<strong><h2>AN ISSUE OF FAIR PLAY AND ETHICS<h2></strong>

Legal and ethical implications abound. The possibility of conspiracy to cause physical injury and conspiracy to commit fraud may top the list but are far from alone in the litany of abuses. In Nevada betting on sports events is legal and Fantasy Football is another form of legalized betting based on sports outcomes. If this game was thrown (and for now that's a big if this whole story hinges on) then NFL and the players could be headed straight for a whole host of troubles.

Aside from legal issues, there's good old fashioned ethics and fair play. As much offense as patriotic football fans (baby boomers are a large population of NFL viewership) as the kneeling issue already was this final slap in the face (insulting the sanctity of the game itself) may be the tipping point.

This is Pete Rose level misconduct issues though and, if found to be true, would rock the NFL organization to its core.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/NFL?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NFL</a> ban them for life! Throwing a game is worst than Pete Rose gambling. The NFL has no balls & will coward down to the thugs! <a href="https://t.co/soYkrVhLa8">https://t.co/soYkrVhLa8</a></p>— CLM (@CLMSQ2) <a href="https://twitter.com/CLMSQ2/status/914596847909429248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2017</a></blockquote>

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As one anon at 8chan ruminated:

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Kneeling during the anthem is a way of shitting on patriotism in America but throwing a game is a way of shitting on the game itself. Football fans may or may not be triggered by kneeling during the anthem (i bet not too many really care) but 100% of them will be furious if they know people are throwing games for personal politics and vendettas. That is what will really sink the league for normalfags.</blockquote>

While lurking 8chan to research this story I came across this jewel:

<blockquote>Reminder that this is gamergate for normies. Do not underestimate the impact this could have. The normies will be cornered and will have to pick a side now that they will loose another of their distractions and outlets of their rage and tribal larping. They care very much about their various sportsballs, and if that is ruined, they will have to care about politics because they were forced by the left to do so and they will recent that fact too. Propagating this as far and wide as possible and not letting it go will only benefit us. This is one step in the direction of the normies actually waking up.</blockquote>

Jason Whitlock makes a good point about the optics of the matter and fear of backlash. Subconscious fascism is a very real possiibility in this age of fingerpointing and shamer shaming.Solomon Asche's conformity experiment shows most people (around 70% was it?) are more than willing to assume they're in the wrong if the majority opposes their beliefs.

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<strong><h2>IS NFL THE ULTIMATE SCAM?</h2></strong>

First realize that the NFL is, in addition to being a highly lucrative business, a tax exempt "non-profit" because the "league" doesn't take in the dough, rather "distributes" it among member teams. Then take into account the fact that NFL is subsidized <i>by</i> taxpayers to the tune of billions.

Maybe that's what they're so mad about…

As <a href="https://thegoldwater.com/news/8996-Football-FEMA-Camps-and-the-True-Meaning-of-Privilege">my colleague Crunch McSlamfist</a> said in an article we co-wrote:

"If they really wanna shut down this kneeling shit, fine the players a years salary, the money will remind these assholes real quick what real privilege really is."