It’s hard to imagine a sports organization more corrupt and lacking integrity than FIFA, but Roger Goodell and the NFL seem determined to give the Fédération Internationale de Football Association a run for its money.

When someone like Mike Florio is making statements like Goodell Underling(s) Were Out to Get the Patriots you know things are out of control. (It’d be nice if he said this stuff on his own website.)

BUT – the NFL is getting away with it. Why? Because it’s the Patriots. Everyone hates the Patriots and wants them to be guilty. They want to believe.

Smarmy Boston columnists and talk show hosts like to troll Patriots fans by saying they think everyone is out to get them. Mike Florio is about as far from a Patriots fan as you can get.

Florio said that given the evidence they had, it was incumbent upon Wells and his team of $1,000/hour white shoe lawyers to get Jim McNally and/or John Jastremski to crack, which they failed to do. “If these guys didn’t crack, if they didn’t confess, maybe there’s nothing to confess to,” he said. “Either way it’s incomplete. The science is bad, the non-scientific evidence is incomplete, and it was all cobbled together in a 243-page report that I believe that Ted Wells believed he was expected to reach. Regardless of whether he was expressly told that, or it was implicit, I believe that Ted Wells thought he was expected to find the Patriots were guilty, and he did the best that he could to come to that conclusion, and ultimately I think what he did wasn’t good enough.”

He did this in part, with his wording of the summary at the start of the report, knowing that would be enough for the majority of people to believe that the Patriots cheated.

Another issue continues to be the leaks.

Remember, no matter how much Bob Kravitz loves to say that he broke this story, it really didn’t take off until this:

https://twitter.com/mortreport/status/557748673208401921

That report was incorrect. A subsequent letter to the Patriots was also incorrect.

However, when it came to the Colts’ footballs, Mortensen tweeted this:

By one of the gauges at least, this was incorrect also. Also never corrected. So they put it out there that the Patriots footballs were grossly underinflated and that the Colts footballs were perfectly fine. Neither was actually true.

Why was this done?

Florio:

“I think that they deliberately delayed the process of getting the real numbers out because having the false numbers out there kept the Patriots feeling like they were on the ropes when the reality was that they were on ropes that weren’t even there,” Florio said. “We didn’t get the truth until May. That is the one fact that bothers me more than anything in this entire ordeal, and that’s the one fact that causes me to believe that someone was out to get the Patriots. The false information was put out there, or deliberately not corrected.”

In the story that Mortensen filed, the official NFL reaction was this:

“We are not commenting at this time,” said Greg Aiello, the NFL’s senior vice president of communications.

It’s funny. Remember the other day during the Brady appeal when Adam Schefter tweeted the following:

Within 30 minutes, the Aiello refuted that report.

Schefter then called the league’s bluff by producing a letter from the NFL to the Brady side saying there was the four hour limit, but would generously stretch it to five if needed. (the hearing eventually lasted 11 hours)

But you see, the NFL was quick to correct a report that could potentially make itself look draconian, but remained silent for months about the (intentionally?) incorrect Mortensen report. Further, they did – months later – reveal the actual readings to the Patriots, but made them say they would not give them to the media. Why?

They were letting them twist in the wind.

It was a little surprising to me that Schefter went somewhat nuclear on the league by tweeting the letter. But then I remember this:

Adam Schefter

The next day, Goodell was asked about this.

I’m guessing Schefter was not happy with this. and the next time he made a claim in this case, he produced the evidence.

There’s just item after item here that points to the NFL as the corrupt entity here.

  • The clandestine actions of the gameday operations staff after getting the email from Ryan Grigson.
  • “The ineptitude of the officials in measuring, recording and keep track of the footballs.”
  • The actions of Kensil during the game. (“We weighed the balls you’re in big trouble.”)
  • The Colts staffer sticking a needle into the intercepted ball.
  • Troy Vincent overseeing the halftime measurements, being used as a witness by Wells, and giving out the punishment.
  • The leak to Kravitz within hours of the game being over.
  • The leak to Mortensen to stoke the flames. Never corrected or even denied.
  • The letter to the Patriots with the incorrect measurements.
  • Goodell’s denial that he knew anything prior to the game being over.
  • Dean Blandino lying and saying the issue was first raised during the first half of the game, not before the game.
  • Ted Wells, who represents NFL in concussion case, tasked with investigating case.
  • Wells using Exponent for their scientific analysis.
  • Wells Report and its flawed science and shaky circumstantial evidence.
  • Goodell’s denial that the league told Patriots to suspend McNally and Jastremski.
  • Robert Kraft’s complete capitulation.
  • The hints from Wells and the NFL that Brady has not been truthful, but no details in report about what the truth was and what Brady has said other than the McNally name/nickname.

And there’s more, I’m sure. That’s just off the top of my head.

And the Patriots are the ones being punished and branded as corrupt and cheaters – even when it has been proven by science that their footballs were perfectly in line with where they should’ve been?

Published by Bruce Allen

Automattician.

39 thoughts on “More Corrupt – FIFA or NFL?”

  1. Hey did anyone hear Felger say he sad a source that Ted Wells found more damaging information (what Felger has been alluding too for months) and needed his phone to confirm but said “i hope it is something we can talk about one day but not today”

    that was super weird and obviously made up right?

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    1. The day the punishment was handed down, he and YARM also said on the air (around 6:25 EDT) that because Bill Belichick was explicitly not mentioned in the report, it meant that he was obviously guilty of some more nefarious crime and Kraft/Patriots negotiated to keep it out of the report. They came to this conclusion because well just because. That was the last day I listened to Felger and Mazz and I’ve been a much happier New England sports ever since.

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    2. Even before the Wells report, they were hot on linking BB to everything. After the Wells report came out, basically clearing him and Kraft, that’s when they ramped it up. Only recently I read on here and other forums that they have this “source”, doubling down on BB having to do with it. I’ll wait for them to prove it.

      With how absurd they’ve got, if I were Phil Zachary, I’d be prepping a slidedeck for Kraft.

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    3. I posted on this yesterday. I was stunned. They have been hinting about this for weeks and they explained that they have a source with a modicum of credibility who says there is something else on Brady but they need his phone to prove it. I suggest they (the NFL and its enablers) have made up most of this case so I can’t believe not having direct evidence would make them stop, pause and think.

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    4. I want to tie this in to the caller on their show “Carlton from Norwood”. I noticed that he calls almost everyday with the same exact take about BB being the real culprit in this case. They tell him evey time that he always has the same take and they know this to talk about but they still put him on air. It’s like they want him on everyday just spew that conspiracy theory so Felger doesn’t have to. HMMM? This “Carlton” guy also calls into WEEI and national shows like Stephen A. Smith with the same conspiracy theory. Makes wonder who this guy really is and if he is just something more than just a tin foil caller. He is very persistent and seems very invested in promoting his theory to every show every day.

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      1. I would not doubt at all that Felger’s source is a caller. Carlton is right about everything to, like how the pats will be cutting Mayo.

        I am pretty sure Carlton is Al from Everett with a working cell phone, so his voice comes across clear.

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  2. So I guess “Attack, attack, deny” is a big part of the NFL’s playbook too, eh Felger?

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  3. It’s hard to imagine a sports organization more corrupt and lacking integrity than FIFA

    See the IOC. If FIFA was the most corrupt, consider them 1a and the IOC 1b. Just, don’t tell John Henry or the Boston Globe that.

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    1. I posted a pretty long response above…but the fact is FIFA is in a class by itself. Not even the IOC can boast of 6 officials being suspended for match fixing in the same calendar year that 10 members of the executive board were indicted by foreign governments for what amounts to Racketeering.

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      1. I’d venture to guess that if a legitimate investigation by a competent body looked into it, you’d have similar-level corruption. IOC, while international, is much more tied into the US via the USIOC. What gov would not love a big embezzler like that?

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    1. Now there is a great question. It has to be a high profile player, former player, coach or league executive to sacrifice your journalistic integrity like this, right?

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    2. His NFL source on Park Avenue. How modern journalism works is when you say “source”, you can usually figure out at least who they’re for or work for, right? If they “feed” you something, either by you digging or being fed, you’re expected to just report it. (No consequences for being wrong now-a-days.) Don’t do that? They’ll shop the information elsewhere and you lose being in the loop. You stop being in the loop, you’re now not getting information. No info = no job.

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    3. Others have answered this directly. My question is why is a guy like Mortensen willing to be the dupe in all this. Its not like he could not do his job if his league sources all dried up. Heck my bet is if his current sources dried up new ones would fill the vacuum because he is Mort.

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  5. This is a tough one…hmmm FIFA where in the last year 10 officials have been indicted for what amounts to racketeering…crimes include bribery, money laundering, blackmail and wire fraud. Also there have been several separate scandals involving match fixing which resulted in referees being banned for life (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/world-cup/10918404/Football-match-fixing-Referees-guilty-of-fixing-final-scores-in-high-stakes-games.html). Within FIFA it is alleged that a senior official handled a $10 mill bribe to allow the World Cup to be played in 2010 in South Africa. There is also talk of vote fixing, shady deals whereby smaller countries federations’ management are propped up by FIFA in exchange for the inner circle getting those countries votes.

    The IOC has been run as an open ATM for those politically connected for it is alleged the last 50 years. There are countless stories of shady deals, illicit and illegal payments (one need not look any further than the Salt Lake Games prior to Mitt for direct evidence). It took several acts of god to get the IOC on a better track and even with that they gave the 2014 winter games to Sochi.

    UCI (Bicycling International Federation). In the Lance Armstrong fiasco it was pretty much shown that the UCI was in cahoots with Armstrong at least to keep the PED use scandal under wraps because of the dollars Armstrong’s fame was generating for the sport. There were faked blood tests as well as the complete disregarding of evidence. It was both endemic and systemic not only within the sport but within the sports governing body. It took the French, Spanish, Italian and US governments and their investigations to finally expose the corruption and get things changed.

    NCAA all you have to ask is any president of one of the Catholic colleges who do not play football about the corruption in the NCAA and you can be there for hours.

    AAU talk about a corrupt organization. They trade in kids. They take these kids off the playground promise them the world by giving them a pair of sneakers and then use them up with no concern about their futures once it is clear they will not make pro ball.

    There have been whispers of game fixing in the NBA and NHL for years but nothing substantiated as being league mandated. Tim Donaghy has made insinuations that he was following the league wishes when he was fixing games but there was never any proof offered.

    I believe that all of these entities are more corrupt than the NFL. However, none have ever had a vendetta/pettiness towards a successful partner like the NFL has had towards the Patriots. The closest circumstances I can think of was when the NBA got rid of Donald Sterling…but even that was different…it took the NBA $2bill to make that issue and Sterling disappear. I cannot come up with another league that has gone out of its way to force a devaluation of one of its most successful franchises. I have never seen a business work like this before. What shocks me most is that Bob Kraft has accepted this. Forget the $1 mill fine, the draft picks and the Brady Suspension. By rolling over he has accepted the NFL’s coordinated attempt to devalue his asset. Would he accept the national paper association making a concerted attempt to devalue International Paper? ITs so absurd to type never mind consider. Yet here he is accepting all that the NFL is throwing at him…just because.

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  6. LTD covered all the main points…. but the NFL isn’t even in the same sport, let alone league, as FIFA. Asking who is more corrupt between FIFA and the NFL is like asking which was worse between the destruction of Hiroshima and my stubbed toe.

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      1. In the 15 years (it might be 20 as I started on USENET back in 1996) you and I have been treading posts this might be the first really funny while at the same time defensive post I have read from. Thank you for making coffee come out of my nose this AM. Still I agree with Dave…who is the Drax the Destroyer of this website (I love Guardians of the Galaxy)…the NFL has a lot to learn to be as corrupt at FIFA. It does not mean they can’t get there. They just have to up their game. Now if London, Mexico City and/or Toronto get a franchise before Portland, Oregon, Omaha, Nebraska or Ottumwa, Iowa (and a MASH reference…I am on proverbial fire today) then there should be a serious investigation.

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    1. Means a lot coming from a team that lost at home in the 1st round. Patriots 57, Steelers 5 on opening night.

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    3. I don’t know what’s dumber…that Sanders said something this inane or that someone else reported it as news.

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    4. Coming from a guy who was fined for faking an injury to stop the clock and who plays on a team that won two Super Bowls by circumventing the the salary cap. Glass houses Emmanuel.

      Maybe he’s butt hurt he didn’t sign with the Pats.

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  9. I like how Felger & Mazz have been taking tons of shite this week. From Zolak, from Minihane, and D&C show as a whole. No, scratch that…I LOVE it.

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    2. D+H too have even referenced them by name (not just Thorton). You know it’s serious when Dale or Holley call someone by names.

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    1. The obvious answer is neither. The less obvious answer is Fauria’s show sucks, Minihane’a pompous ass persona jumped the shark for me by day two so in the end if both of them went away I am not sure I would miss anything.

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