I didn't think it was possible
 

I know they aren't the same. I realize we blew it in the Minneapolis Miracle, and this was a completely different scenario. But, all week leading up to the NFCCG I continued to tell myself, "self, it's been a great year, no matter the outcome. Be proud of this team and realize to make it to the final 4 is something special. No broken remotes if we lose! But more importantly, enjoy the rest of the NFL season. The AFCCG, the Superbowl. Remember, you are a fan of the NFL, not just the Saints. Enjoy it no matter what."

I told myself those things, out loud and to myself. Over and over. I convinced myself that I could handle the outcome, no matter what.

I never would have imagined that two days after the NFCCG 2019, I would feel WORSE than I did last year after the Divisional round.

Yet, here we are. I'm so depressed. I can't even imagine how the team feels. I don't even know if I can stomach watching the Superbowl. I have found some solace in watching sportcenter and NFLN, but not a lot. I don't even know why I'm posting this, other than it seems somewhat therapeutic talking about it.

Anyone else?

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

I was shocked after the Minneapolis Miracle, but ultimately I understood that we relied so heavily on rookies during the season that it was just a matter of time before a rookie mistake cost us a big game.

This is a new feeling for me. I can’t even think about football. It’s been ruined.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

I completely lost interest in watching the SB based on that game. I mean whats the point if its rigged and calls or non calls that didn't happen.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

I've been in shock for the past two days. I too plan to miss watching the first Super Bowl in probably 30 or more years. I'm thinking American Pickers reruns are going to be my watching pleasure that day.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

I don't think it's rigged. The small market argument doesn't cut it for me. Now, if you tell me the refs make a decision to "let them play" more in some games than others, I'll buy it. It was clear they were letting them play. But the egregious nature of this missed call was just so blatant. But I truly do not believe that there was any rigging. It doesn't make sense. Small market or not New Orleans' fan base alone, I would venture to guess that less revenue will be generated from a Rams SB than a Saints SB.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

Guido! I was going to PM you today. I was worried about you. Haven’t seen you here since the game. Glad to see you here.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

I used to think it wasn’t rigged until Sunday.
How can all SEVEN officials, each with the power of the flag, miss that call, the PI and the helmet to helmet? It’s almost statistically impossible on such a blatant call. Rigged? You’re damned right it was rigged.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

My thoughts exactly.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

It's amazing to me that "let them play" is a thing. All "let them play" means is, we (the refs) can't get the call right anyway so better a no call than a bad call.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

The non-reviewable calls are what makes this so messed up. If they were reviewable, the refs would be less apt to "call or not call" out of fear of changing the outcome of the game. I believe that's what happened here. I believe this group of refs decided (before the game even started) how they were going to call the game. And if you think about it, that in-and-of-itself is pretty messed up. Why not make it reviewable? I mean, you have Edlemans punt return being scrutinized from a million angles but you can't review THIS? It makes zero sense.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

I mostly don't believe there was any rigging either...wouldn't surprise me if there was though. My thoughts are, if the game was in fact rigged,why would they let it come down to a almost last minute play where we could possibly win it? Would if he would've got to Lewis 1 second later? Tommy Would be either made a first down or touch down. Either way,if Would be been ball game. I don't think a fixed game wouldve allowed it to be that close imho.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

You must not have seen the holding that the Rams were doing on almost every one of their offensive plays...the whole game. Not one was called that I remember. Why do you think we never laid a hand on Goff?

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

We got knocked out of the playoffs last year because Williams did not want to commit that exact same penalty!!! :bang:

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

I saw the entire game, Sarge. That's just my opinion, game wasn't rigged. You not going to convince me otherwise.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

I saw this brought up somewhere else. The ultimate irony!

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

I have started to calm down a bit today. I wish there would be some independent investigation of the referees involved in the game, but it probably won't happen because of the Shield.

Hopefully rule changes are coming and they are some good ones. Whatever rule changes come, historically they will be directly associated with the insane no-call. Like the Black Sox, this will be remembered for years, decades, generations.

If New England wins the SB, it will simply cement their dynasty. If the Rams win, it will go down in history as the most illegitimate title in NFL history. The Rams franchise would basically be wearing a scarlet letter that everyone knows and sees. You might as well put a Fleur De Lis on their rings. They aren't as lucky as you might think.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

Sports book in Jersey I believe returned all money bet on Saints it was on our local news. They would be the last I would expect to do that. They called it a sham

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

Let me try: A professional ref does not simply miss such a blatant call. It wasn't close. It was VERY clearly PI AND helmet to helmet. VERY clear, to millions watching on TV and in person.

Your 'best' ref doesn't miss that call unless he WANTS to miss that call. Otherwise we'd have to consider that ref to be a complete idiot, and if he's a professional level NFL ref he's no idiot.

SO, he deliberately did not make that very obvious call.

There's no question about that.

The only question would be WHY did he deliberately not make that call. That's the million dollar question we can all answer but we'll never verify.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

feeling the same way

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

Nobody is gonna want to play against the Saints next season. Especially if we can get our secondary to be up to par with the rest of the team.

Screw 'em all and the SB..... Drew and Sean seal the deal. Sweep the NFC South, take the NFC CHampionship, and make the SB.... win or lose??? It will be another great season!!

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

This is the league delivering yet another disabling gut punch to New Orleans and Sean Payton. End of story. Until we buy some of our own refs, we can continue to expect the same in the future. Getting into the playoffs, despite the refs, during the season, must be our SuperBowl from now on. I am inconsolable.

And, non-calls for certain type plays, especially in the passing game, should be reviewable. But, that doesn't matter now. Either the outcome of this game gets changed by Goodell or we play the last 1.49 minutes of the game with the PI penalty / PF penalty -- otherwise no one has done anything to make this right. You don't have a season like this one very often ( unless of course you are the league's favorite team ... the Pats ).

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

Think about that, the NFL DOESN'T care about who WINS it's about MONEY and sales PERIOD. What would make the refs "all of a sudden" play, why not allow that mentality through out the season?, If there's a regular season ref policy vs a post-season then show me. The refs have the ability to change the outcomes of games drastically, you can't even speak against the refs, can't reverse calls, they are like little Rodger Godells on the field. They have Alllll that power and ZERO ACCOUNTABILITY. It's hard to look at your long time sport as a sham, BUT best believe it's not a honest sport, it's ENTERTAINMENT at the end of the day don't forget that.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

The whole refs are "letting them play" is BS and let's you know kind of league it is.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

The refs are TOO inconsistent for me to accept that. If things like this were rare, then ok maybe I could understand, but that wasn't the only terrible no call in that game, I'm talking BLATANT CALLS not 50/50 calls.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

It's dumbest thing ever, so wait you mean to tell the Refs pick and choose what calls to call instead of calling them as they see them. They can say "well today we're going to "let them play" I.E not do our job, but get at me next week I'll be in a more flag throwing mood. Imagi e being able to go to your job and not having ANY ramifications for choosing not to do your job duties and OMG don't let anyone call you out on it, your job fines them. The NFL doesn't let the 'GAME' dictate outcomes they let refs come in and play a factor as well. They should be there to make sure the game is to be played WITH IN these parameters and rules of the game.... not having game changing plays as of they were players of the game

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

And Head Ref Bill Vinovich is a liar too.

I thought I was over the "blatant non call" on Monday but I'm not.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

Barring a miracle the NFL and the Saints will be in the rear view mirror for me in the near future.

I see no way around that.

Today I woke up thinking about 2009 and the high probability that the NFL exerted its influence to get the Saints into that Superbowl.

Everything in the Goodell era is probably tainted in some fashion.

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

Man, you just opened up a can of worms that I hadn't ever thought about. I'm not a conspiracy theorist, and sometimes I think it's better not knowing. Now, I wonder...

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

Now that's just crazy talk right there. I know you under stress, we all are feeling blue, but that's just looney tunes talk right there. Go back and remember the feelings: think about those times in 2009.

Everybody was against the Saints, nobody wanted us to be there. Everyone wanted the Vikings to win. Everyone wanted the Cardinals to win. Everyone wanted the Colts and golden boy Peyton Manning to win. Nobody from the league office wanted to help the Saints to get into a Super Bowl, let alone win one. In fact it was the LAST thing they wanted.

What happened was, that year the Saints crashed the party, and came out right out the gate and started racking up the wins, 13 wins in a row, with Drew Brees, a three-headed monster of running backs in Bush/Thomas/Bell, and a defense that was aggressive and got turnovers. Even long before Bountygate, the league was totally against Sean Payton and against Gregg Williams (who already had a reputation) and against the Saints organization. Sean Payton has been a constant thorn in the side of the league, ever since his earliest days in the league as an assistant coach. Tom Benson had his ups and downs over a long career, but as an owner he was no pushover when it came to going up against the league; Benson was a self made man who made his own fortune on the car dealerships, and he had his own ways of operating, and he knew what worked and what didn't. Tom Benson didn't EVER fit in with the slick, glad-handing New York NFL world of backroom deals and the slick and mushy lawyering of Goodell and his cronies. Which is why the naming of the stadium in Canton is such a big deal....it's kind of a quiet middle finger to that whole slick, sleazy, New York management style of Goddell and his current New York NFL gang. The old school NFL and AFL owners of the past were fierce self-made men, not the rich glad-handing, sleazy con artist New York lawyer Goodell types.

It's LUDICROUS to think the league ever wanted the Saints to be in or win a Super Bowl. Get outta here!

/rant over

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

The NFL makes business decisions and under Goodell they make business decisions with the product on the field.

We have all the proof we need of that after Sunday.

So, if the NFL is willing to be as obvious as they were Sunday, who is to say they haven't been doing this under Goodell all along.



The Saints were the feel good story of 2006 but just weren't good enough to make it easy for the NFL to help them get all the way there and it was Goodell's first year.

In 2009, they were good enough and now I question every lucky break in 2009, especially in the playoffs.

Bountygate wasn't personal. It was a business decision. They needed a fall guy. It was the Saints. A Superbowl victory a few years back and a great season with a coach they really don't like in a small market. The fans were too invested to walk away and they didn't. Us fools stuck around because he had bought us off with Superbowl XLIV.

If think ANY multi-millionaire or billionaire is going to prioritize anything over money, you need to spend more time around them. Money is the only thing.

The Saints became America's team in 2009 and the NFL rode that train all the way into the station.

Now the Saints are about to be in decline. Drew Brees is retiring soon. Revenue from the Saints will drop.

The NFL desperately needs the LA experiment to succeed and is happy to piss off a fan base about to be in decline anyway.

If Sunday night was a screw job from Goodell, who can honestly say that he hasn't been doing it all along?

Re: I didn't think it was possible
 

I had an uneasy feeling about the NFCCG not because of knowing how the Saints are, but knowing how the NFL is.