Comments on: Jeff Fisher: ESPN asked coaches to take timeouts late on Monday night

By: Unwashed Villager

Unwashed Villager — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:48:37 +0000

I used to like pro boxing, heavyweight matches, but then with George Foreman being awarded a win in a fight where he obviously got his azz and grill kicked in, I quit watching because the judging of the matches had become such a sham, even after that Foreman “victory”.
The NFL is really pushing it. The Detroit at Chicago B.S. was a train wreck. ESPN is anathema to me, so I’m not at all surprised to hear that they requested this. But to also hear that an NFL coach complied with the wishes of a “network” and got caught at it, and nothing comes of it, well, it’s not quite the same, but can anyone say Pete Rose? And if this is the kind of shizz that actually makes it into the realm of public knowledge, what the *!Q@# else kind of tampering goes on that we don’t know about?
What a joke.

By: looch

looch — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 18:13:43 +0000

Does anyone else wonder if stuff like this becomes criteria for playoff and Superbowl referee appointments, or even referee assessments? If the league is this concerned and involved in the functioning of the games, then why wouldn’t they take the measure of grading refs on things like ‘commercial commitment percentages’ or something like that? Considering it costs millions of dollars to advertise a mere 30 second Superbowl commercial, it would be bad business for the NFL to ignore things like this in their decisions, right? And how would that affect referees? This smells real bad.

By: Philly99

Philly99 — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 16:37:48 +0000

I’ve been an NFL since I was about 9. I’m dangerously close to not caring about it anymore. Between this story and Roger Goodell completely ruining the game, I might stop caring about it.
They can’t hit the Quarterback, they can’t hit a receiver, they can’t touch a player or a flag gets thrown. The league is going down the hill fast.

By: ArcticEdge

ArcticEdge — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 13:41:02 +0000

If true, coaches are equally to blame for doing it.

By: Lufer

Lufer — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 20:46:06 +0000

Gregg Rosenthal really did a horrible job on this story. For starters, he missed the point about this being a potentially compromising situation for the NFL and ESPN. Moreover, he reported as fact what is clearly a comment made in jest by Jeff Fisher.
To top it off, he may have censored a comment that raised these criticisms this afternoon.
Now let’s see if he has the stones to let this comment through. Time to man up GG.

By: FlipDaScript

FlipDaScript — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 20:09:59 +0000

National Fixed League
Wow, what integrity. Bring on the WWE while you are at it.

By: sullijo

sullijo — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 19:51:41 +0000

Wow – and you don’t think the NFL and the Networks want big market teams in the Super Bowl?
Unbelievable.

By: Mike Daly

Mike Daly — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 18:22:41 +0000

Why were the Titans still trying to score?
Why not? The Titans needed to keep their offensive rhythm going, and if Vince Young has to miss a game or two with that knee injury Kerry Collins needs reps WITH the offense (the Titans really need to start developing another quarterback to at the very least be a viable backup, but that’s another issue). There was no reason for the Titans not to keep attacking, regardless of whether ESPN asked Fisher and Del Rio to use timeouts.

By: spyboots

spyboots — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:27:44 +0000

He was still in the game because he is working on his yardage record, trying to get 1200 yards.

By: Slow Joe

Slow Joe — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:06:25 +0000

I was at a Buffalo Wild Wings, and I said to my bud, “The only thing that would make this better would be more timeouts”.

By: crazyguy

crazyguy — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:04:05 +0000

On second thought leave it. Green Bay might have a chance…

By: Chitown

Chitown — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 16:00:32 +0000

JoeSchmoe-Welcome to a Trent Edwards 2 minute Drill.

By: NFLJunkie

NFLJunkie — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 15:39:57 +0000

He cares more about his stats, and breaking Barry Sanders’ road rushing record, than probably anyone else.

It’s called “being in a contract year” and still waiting on his big-money deal.

By: Richie's Rebel Rousers

Richie's Rebel Rousers — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 15:29:33 +0000

The ESPN brand has gone downhill.
It’s not about sports but flash and money.
Hope they go down for this!

By: FinFan6886

FinFan6886 — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:46:47 +0000

There are several issues with this. DelRio purposely ran the ball several times (after running the play clock down) in an effort to just end his team’s miserable game and did not use a timeout. There was no attempt at putting his team in a position to win. After ESPN asked for timeouts…he started changing his actions to benefit the network and called timeouts. It begs the questions of what else are DelRio and the other coaches willing to do…and at what price? It brings his integrity into question. He does not try to win the game (for the players/ownership/fans) but is willing change the game on a whim because a network asked him to. Where does his loyalty truly lie? Would he sit MJD for a period of time? Punt rather than kick a potential game winning field goal so the game can go to overtime? If the network has the gall to even think about making such requests then the corruption within the network and the league itself is beyond repair.

By: OLDNFLFAN

OLDNFLFAN — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:37:41 +0000

This act just confirms my thinking. If the NFL League Owners Locksout the Players in 2011, I am finished totally with the NFL. They can go to a 22 game season all they want again, I am NOT watching the NFL!
Another thought…. If there is a lockout, all we will have is college & the UFL. Which makes me wonder WHY the UFL was created in the first place was it to fill a need for football during the 2011 lockout? GREED!
Vince Lombardi is rolling over in his grave!

By: paranoidandroid

paranoidandroid — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:36:35 +0000

i really hope the next time a coach is asked to call a timeout to get a few more commercials in he tells them to F OFF. no way should any network have the ability to influence a game in any way. thats ridiculous.

By: NyJetsTaketheEastin 2010

NyJetsTaketheEastin 2010 — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:36:12 +0000

BRUTUS9448 says:
October 19, 2010 1:47 PM
nfl is and has always been rigged. look at the 2 pass interference calls the jets got against miami and denver. NFL wants the jets in the superbowl because of the NY market.
This is not news. NFL is rigged
…………………………………………………………………………………
How do you explain the 5 phantom calls they had called on them in the Denver game ….and if you think the P.I. at the end wasn’t P.I. ,have someone take your Blind ass to the nearest F’n optomitrist and get the gift of sight ,and in return we wont have to read your ignorant Jet hating takes on here!!!!

By: Haywood_Jefferies

Haywood_Jefferies — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:21:35 +0000

Steve W. says:
October 19, 2010 1:34 PM
Was it a stupid request on ESPN’s part? Yeah, it was. It’s far from fixing the game, however. They wanted to get more commercials in, so they made the request. Del Rio, who knew the game was lost, used his time outs. Teams do that all the time, hoping to get the ball back and score to make things look less lopsided. Fisher, whose team was winning, did the right thing and said no. The best move for his team was to run the ball and keep the clock winding down. As for playing CJ, that has nothing to do with fantasy football. He kept CJ in to keep CJ happy. Fisher knows he needs some big performances from CJ throughout the year, so he’s feeding him the ball to help him get the stats he wants. It’s a needless risk at that point in the game, but I understand why he did it.
Some of you need to calm down, however. Not everything is a conspiracy. It’s no surprise that a major corporation like ESPN wants to maximize its profits, but the coaches were perfectly free to not take their request too seriously. So, to sum thigns up, the coaches did what they should have done under the circumstances. The coach that was behind used his time outs to stop the clock and try to get the ball back. The coach in the lead didn’t use his time outs and ran the ball to run out the clock.
————————
Steve, the difference is that when Jacksonville had the ball in the red zone with about 9 minutes left, Del Rio was running the ball and killing the clock, appearing to have already conceded the game. Then with the score the same and two minutes left, he’s going to try and stop the clock? It made no sense and now everybody knows why.
The bottom line is that ESPN, or anybody else who broadcasts a game, shouldn’t have anything to do with the outcome regardless of whether the score affects fantasy matchups, wagering. etc.
If both teams were out of timeouts, would it have been ok for ESPN to ask a player to fake an injury for an extra two minutes of ad time? It’s no different than asking coaches to take time outs in a three possession game with two minutes to go.
It just creates a stench that the NFL shouldn’t want.

By: HateSycophants

HateSycophants — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:16:42 +0000

@Spicoli,
Every important stat in baseball is tainted.
I love how baseball wonks try to prove to others that baseball is so intellectually superior to football. It is effing boring! There is no such thing as “inside baseball.” Anyone who watches more than the playoffs has a mental disorder.
Shut. It.

By: Other Bears

Other Bears — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:16:19 +0000

jjcruiser says:
October 19, 2010 12:24 PM
This is an amazing story. This should be page one on every NFL blog in the country.
——————————
Mmmmm – yeah. If you really want to make a difference, blog about it. A great illustration of what’s wrong with this country.
The real question should be, “How does ESPN even get access to the coaches during a game?”

By: somesome

somesome — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:14:50 +0000

Steve W. says:
October 19, 2010 1:34 PM
“…Some of you need to calm down, however. Not everything is a conspiracy. It’s no surprise that a major corporation like ESPN wants to maximize its profits, but the coaches were perfectly free to not take their request too seriously…”
What cotton candy world do you live in? So Del Rio is possibly getting fired at the end of the season and he obliges to ESPN’s request to extended the game for a cushy analyst spot????
What if CJ blows his knee out in the play that would never happen without the request?
What if this becomes now common and then somebody does not agrre to take the time out will they be treaded badly in ESPn coverage?
If you do not see a problem with this you are just not living in the real world.
As for the responses in regards to gambling. It is not all about the major Vegas lines, those are for the public, casual recreational gambler. You can bet whatever you want. So if somebody at ESPN has not gotten his over he just calls the sideline reporter to ask the coach to call a time out, or to take a knee or fake a punt …..

By: Bious

Bious — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 14:01:02 +0000

The fact that networks are asking to determine a game with timeouts should make coaches run scared
How about when the networks want one when it could benefit a team? What if the coaches say no and the network REALLY wants it and forces it?

By: Dougy

Dougy — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:56:59 +0000

As noted above, this is a major story and begs the question – what else does the NFL and Networks conspire to without the common fan knowing.
ESPN surely didn’t go rogue here. This has to have precedent. I know that the NFL and Networks have a collaborative relationship as supplier & distributor but that typically takes the form of uncritical announcing or pushing folksy storylines.
This is something I expect from the NBA.

By: BRUTUS9448

BRUTUS9448 — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:47:43 +0000

nfl is and has always been rigged. look at the 2 pass interference calls the jets got against miami and denver. NFL wants the jets in the superbowl because of the NY market.
This is not news. NFL is rigged

By: CJ

CJ — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:46:00 +0000

Fine by me…that TD got me my fantasy win to keep me undefeated on the season. The ’72 Dolphins shouldn’t pop open that champagne yet!

By: DopeBoys

DopeBoys — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:41:24 +0000

It’s too bad that the NFL is deep in the pockets of ESPN. Not to mention if I had to watch Michael Irvin Sundays before the games I’d probably kill myself.

By: JRod L.A.

JRod L.A. — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:41:19 +0000

I’ve always had a feeling that the NFL has predetermined winners and losers. This doesn’t do a lot to sway me away from thinking that. Every season part of me hopes my team gets the “push” the NFL gives to certain teams.

By: Steve W.

Steve W. — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:34:48 +0000

Was it a stupid request on ESPN’s part? Yeah, it was. It’s far from fixing the game, however. They wanted to get more commercials in, so they made the request. Del Rio, who knew the game was lost, used his time outs. Teams do that all the time, hoping to get the ball back and score to make things look less lopsided. Fisher, whose team was winning, did the right thing and said no. The best move for his team was to run the ball and keep the clock winding down. As for playing CJ, that has nothing to do with fantasy football. He kept CJ in to keep CJ happy. Fisher knows he needs some big performances from CJ throughout the year, so he’s feeding him the ball to help him get the stats he wants. It’s a needless risk at that point in the game, but I understand why he did it.
Some of you need to calm down, however. Not everything is a conspiracy. It’s no surprise that a major corporation like ESPN wants to maximize its profits, but the coaches were perfectly free to not take their request too seriously. So, to sum thigns up, the coaches did what they should have done under the circumstances. The coach that was behind used his time outs to stop the clock and try to get the ball back. The coach in the lead didn’t use his time outs and ran the ball to run out the clock.

By: CommyKilla

CommyKilla — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:31:00 +0000

if this is true, ESPN should get in big trouble for this. This is borderline manipulating the game.