SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 WOW people this thread is FOR FUN ! Lighten up and get on topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fridge Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 It's called confirmation bias. A referee is hardly impartial, and they have preconceived notions that the Patriots are a good team. In split second decisions their confirmation bias kicks in and they make a decision in favor of the Patriots because they've been associating their team with success. The degree to which this will effect a game is likely very minimal, but I couldn't be convinced that it doesn't exist, albeit at a very small level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 And know how to get away with stuff. Exactly and that's not cheating. It's knowing the rules and taking advantage Not saying they haven't cheated. But sometimes it's just that they know more about the rules than even the referees do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted October 31, 2017 Author Share Posted October 31, 2017 It's called confirmation bias. A referee is hardly impartial, and they have preconceived notions that the Patriots are a good team. In split second decisions their confirmation bias kicks in and they make a decision in favor of the Patriots because they've been associating their team with success. The degree to which this will effect a game is likely very minimal, but I couldn't be convinced that it doesn't exist, albeit at a very small level. This Here's an example from my quick Google search. Last year's MNF game vs. the Pats* https://deadspin.com/whats-wrong-with-nfl-officiating-1744377435 The phantom whistle is one example of poor officiating. The ruling that the clock expired when Sammy rolled out of bounds with time left on the clock is "confirmation bias" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott7975 Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Just give it to them. Watch replay of foot out of bounds. Call on field stands. Hail Mary? Oh pass interference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billsfan60 Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 I think the whole "elder statesman" theory makes the most sense. But that still doesn't explain why the centralized replay isn't reversing the more egregious gaffs that we see each week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 There is no conspiracy. The Pats are what they are because they have the greatest head coach and QB of all time period. You are truly a Pats fan, aren't you? Bill Walsh and Joe Montana just called. Chuck Noll and Terry Bradshaw asked them to hold the line. I'm not saying Brady and Belichek aren't great, but to call them the "greatest of all time" is to ignore both the rule changes that favor the passing game, a lot of football history, and the questions about their cheating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Let me add 2 The greatest Rule Benders of all time The greatest Benificiaries of the Refs of all time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan130 Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 We got some benefits from calls I'm sure other teams fans are bitching about like the Atlanta game with the sack/fumble/TD... Pretty sure every team has a bunch of plays every year they can point to as ways they got screwed Exactly You are truly a Pats fan, aren't you? Bill Walsh and Joe Montana just called. Chuck Noll and Terry Bradshaw asked them to hold the line. I'm not saying Brady and Belichek aren't great, but to call them the "greatest of all time" is to ignore both the rule changes that favor the passing game, a lot of football history, and the questions about their cheating. The problem as well with people saying they are the greatest of all time, is most of us simply did not see all era's play. I for one think they are the greatest that I have seen, but I can't even compare to Montana/Walsh because I was too young, and I wasn't even alive for Bradshaw days in the 70s. That's why it is confusing for me to hear people under like 65 years old say that "these certain guys are the best of all time". It's like, how can you say that if you've never seen other greats play? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mykidsdad Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 It's called confirmation bias. A referee is hardly impartial, and they have preconceived notions that the Patriots are a good team. In split second decisions their confirmation bias kicks in and they make a decision in favor of the Patriots because they've been associating their team with success. The degree to which this will effect a game is likely very minimal, but I couldn't be convinced that it doesn't exist, albeit at a very small level. Hit the nail on the head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frostbitmic Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Ever since September 11th 2001 the patriots* have dominated the NFL. Soon after 9/11 Washington came up with the "patriot act" ... Not the freedom Bill, not the Jets act, not the Giant reform but the "patriot act". In the patriot act, section 52 sub section 18 states that all things patriot will be moved to the front of everything American. Even President George Bush said "we're all patriots" Soon after we get things like the tuck rule, snow blowers in New England clearing a kicking lane for patriot FGs, spy gate, deflate gate, jets fumble gate and opi against the bolts. It's a conspiracy I tell ya. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonbus23 Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 (edited) I looked at the penalty data from 2016 and 2017. It is hard to make any strong claim or thesis about the penalties. I developed a reasonable methodology to analyze the data. It involves what I call "subjective calls" versus "non-subjective calls." In short, a subjective call is one that a ref makes based completely on his own empirical judgement (holds, interference, etc.). Non-subjective calls are things like offsides, delay of game and so forth. Generally, the Pats* are beneficiaries of one or two extra subjective calls a game. One game that stands out from the rest is the Chiefs game. The data is below: Week 1: Subjective calls against the Patriots- 3 Defensive Pass Interference Unnecessary Roughness Offensive Holding (Offsetting) Subjective Calls Against the Opponent- 13 Defensive Pass Interference Defensive Holding (Offsetting) Defensive Holding Offensive Holding Offensive Holding Offensive Holding Unnecessary Roughness Defensive Holding Defensive Pass Interference Taunting Offensive Holding Defensive Holding Illegal Block Above the Waist I am not sure how to make any strong claims based on this one game. Edited October 31, 2017 by leonbus23 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted October 31, 2017 Author Share Posted October 31, 2017 I looked at the penalty data from 2016 and 2017. It is hard to make any strong claim or thesis about the penalties. I developed a reasonable methodology to analyze the data. It involves what I call "subjective calls" versus "non-subjective calls." In short, a subjective call is one that a ref makes based completely on his own empirical judgement (holds, interference, etc.). Non-subjective calls are things like offsides, delay of game and so forth. Generally, the Pats* are beneficiaries of one or two extra subjective calls a game. One game that stands out from the rest is the Chiefs game. The data is below: Week 1: Subjective calls against the Patriots- 3 Defensive Pass Interference Unnecessary Roughness Offensive Holding (Offsetting) Subjective Calls Against the Opponent- 13 Defensive Pass Interference Defensive Holding (Offsetting) Defensive Holding Offensive Holding Offensive Holding Offensive Holding Unnecessary Roughness Defensive Holding Defensive Pass Interference Taunting Offensive Holding Defensive Holding Illegal Block Above the Waist I am not sure how to make any strong claims based on this one game. Was that this years game vs the Chiefs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LABILLBACKER Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Well, I think there are a couple of ways NFL officiating could be biased in favor of the Pats without any grand conspiracy with 100s keeping their mouths shut. First there's the well-known "benefit of the doubt" phenomenon. When someone (a student, an athlete) has been successful, they tend to get the "benefit of the doubt" more often than not. It's not so much a deliberate effect, as that we all see what we want to see. Second there's the "elder statesman" phenomenon. They used to call Peyton Manning "The Sheriff" for good reason - he'd forgotten more about the game than most coaches and refs know. Brady is in the same class. No ref wants to be "that guy" who blows a high profile televised call involving one of the game's elder statesmen, so there is a tendency to give Brady an ear. Third, IIRC while refs can't bet, their friends and family can, and refs can play fantasy. It would not be totally beyond the possible for a ref to be influenced to see the game a particular way for that reason. This response seems to make the most sense and is the most likely. The Pats have been getting calls since the infamous tuck. Brady means $$$ to the NFL. Until he and Bill retire they will always have that little edge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoBills808 Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 TD against the Texans maybe 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC Tom Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 This is usually the problem with conspiracy theories. What your suggesting is that the patsies*** organization, the NFL, as an organization, and every official have colluded in an ultra secret pact to sway the outcome of every game the patsies*** play in by making favorable calls at the most crucial points in each game. You're talking about hundreds of people keeping their mouths shut and having 100% of them buying into the program. When you throw in centralized review and instant replay from multiple angles then the entire watching public and sports media must be both blind and stupid. Of course it could be argued that people do pay good money to watch professional wrestling. The counterpoint is that officials, as a group are both blind and stupid, and that includes official review. When I was playing, back at the dawn of time, the band would do a rendition of The Three Blind Mice after each obvious blown call. And the US Government. I mean...just after 9/11, out of nowhere, with a sixth round QB the PATRIOTS win the Superbowl??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leonbus23 Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Was that this years game vs the Chiefs? Yes. This year's game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BringBackFergy Posted October 31, 2017 Author Share Posted October 31, 2017 Yes. This year's game. Damn. 13 subjective calls benefitting the Pats and they still got their asses kicked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderingsquid Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 This is usually the problem with conspiracy theories. What your suggesting is that the patsies*** organization, the NFL, as an organization, and every official have colluded in an ultra secret pact to sway the outcome of every game the patsies*** play in by making favorable calls at the most crucial points in each game. You're talking about hundreds of people keeping their mouths shut and having 100% of them buying into the program. When you throw in centralized review and instant replay from multiple angles then the entire watching public and sports media must be both blind and stupid. Of course it could be argued that people do pay good money to watch professional wrestling. The counterpoint is that officials, as a group are both blind and stupid, and that includes official review. When I was playing, back at the dawn of time, the band would do a rendition of The Three Blind Mice after each obvious blown call. Works for the WWE. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mead107 Posted October 31, 2017 Share Posted October 31, 2017 Take the flags away and let them play and earn that paycheck Blow the whistle and play is over. Just like the old days of backyard football. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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