New Orleans Saints Forums - blackandgold.com

Definition: Contrivance: 1) an elaborate or deceitful scheme contrived to deceive or evade; 2) an artificial or unnatural or obviously contrived arrangement of details or parts etc.

Watching two weeks in a row wherein the referees play a key role in losses for my football has forced me to call the entire NFL into question. I am no longer certain it is possible to play a fair game in the NFL. It seems fairly certain to me that if it is the desire of the league that you lose, there is an easy and unquestioned way to accomplish this. Behold: the referee.

Witness how the entire league came to the defense of the calls made last week in the Saints vs. Falcons game. Every reasonable person recognized the nature of those calls. The league instead calls them "questionable" rather than the more accurate "disgraceful".

And now another week wherein the "poor" officiating plays a key role in our loss. Convenient how there is no possibility of a review, isn't it? I don't blame Haslett for maximizing our time remaining and calling those time outs when he did. He did nothing wrong.

I am finding it harder and harder to watch football each week when this is the evidence of the "fairness" of the league. I watched the Patriots DBs absolutely maul the Colts WRs in the AFC championship a couple of years ago and my heart questioned the fairness. The resulting "new" rule was directly the result of that OBVIOUSLY fixed game and the outcry that resulted from it. Problem is, it wasn't a new rule. The league just had to find a way to justify those calls (or lack thereof) in that game.

I am starting to feel that the NFL is dead. Corrupt at all levels, driven towards maximizing profits, and longer any true competition - rather pre-conceived victors and losers.

Wondering if I'll be watching at all next week....