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NFL Random Thought of the Day

More and more questions about the integrity of professional sports since gambling has become legal. In case you don't know gambling entities are the #1 advertising/sponsorship revenue for the NFL..........going from $140 million/year to an expected ~$2.5 billion/year.

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NBA has a fresh betting scandal, too
By Mike Florio
Published March 25, 2024 09:42 PM

Major League Baseball has a betting scandal that doesn’t involve betting on baseball. The National Basketball Association might have a betting scandal that involves betting on basketball.

According to ESPN.com, the NBA is investigating Raptors forward Jontay Porter after multiple instances of betting irregularities. The league is looking into prop bets involving Porter from games played on January 26 and March 20.

On January 26, Porter left a game against the Clippers due to a supposed aggravation of an eye injury. There was increased betting on the under for his points, rebounds, assists, and three-pointer props. His under hit in each category.

On March 20, he left a game against the Kings with an illness, after only three minutes. The under hit on his various props.

“People were trying to do whatever they could to bet Jontay Porter props [against the Clippers],” an unnamed source from a sportsbook told ESPN.com.

“And then, just a few days ago, the same thing. We had a bunch of people trying to bet under for more.”

Porter has missed Toronto’s last two games, for personal reasons.

Although it’s difficult for one specific player to influence the outcome of a wager on the final score of a game, he has major influence on his individual props — especially the unders. The NFL had an issue with that dynamic during the 2023 season, when Falcons running back Bijan Robinson barely played in a Week 7 game against the Buccaneers, due to an undisclosed illness. The Falcons were fined $75,000, and former Falcons coach Arthur Smith was fined $25,000.

It feels like the tip of an iceberg that eventually could result in widespread federal regulation of pro and college sports. With 38 states and the District of Columbia legalizing sports betting, it’s more important than ever to ensure both the integrity of the games — and the integrity of the wagers.
 
Thorn said:
The refs can't even call all the penalties that occur now, so what a great idea it'll be to add more penalties they'll miss. :lol:
Click to expand...
The more rules...........the more uncontested arbitrary penalties can be called.........at the convenience of the refs. And the more manipulations of games' outcomes are possible. But the NFL will just say "prove it!" Prove that there is any intentional manipulation..........the problem as we have found is that proving it is made impossible by the system.
 
Disrupting a crucial training period for 1 team isn't enough.....$$$$$$

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In-season Hard Knocks could feature four teams from the same division
Published March 25, 2024 06:56PM


The NFL’s proposal for owners to expand the number of teams that can be required to submit to Hard Knocks includes a proposal that would expand the number of teams that will be featured each year on the in-season version of Hard Knocks.

Via Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, in-season Hard Knocks will feature all four teams in one division, if the proposal is accepted.

The goal would be to “ease competitive concerns,” given that one team from a division must open its doors to NFL Films during a postseason push, while the other teams don’t.

Frankly, that acknowledgement underscores the fact that, for the other teams in the same conference who are competing with the teams from the Hard Knocks division for playoff placement and/or wild-card berth, there’s a potential edge.

The Cardinals, Colts, and Dolphins have been the teams for the first three years of in-season Hard Knocks. This presumably means that their divisions — the NFC West, AFC South, and AFC East — won’t be the 2024 subject of in-season Hard Knocks.
 
NFL could broaden rules for mandatory preseason Hard Knocks participation
Published March 25, 2024 04:31 PM

It’s possibly going to be harder to get out of Hard Knocks.
Via Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal, the league office will seek a vote of owners on Tuesday to expand the pool of teams that can be forced to submit to the preseason Hard Knocks series.

Currently, the following teams are exempt: (1) teams with first-year head coaches; (2) teams who have made the playoffs in either of the two most recent seasons; and (3) teams who have done Hard Knocks in the past 10 years.

The new rules, if approved, change the exemptions to these: (1) teams with first year head coaches; (2) teams who have done Hard Knocks in the past eight years; and (3) teams that will participate in the in-season version of Hard Knocks in the current season or the next season.

The exception based on playoffs will be dumped.

Last year, the league had only four potential teams for Hard Knocks: Jets, Commanders, Bears, Saints. The Jets were chosen, even though they did not want to do it. It was the first time that the Hard Knocks team did not want to do it. That could become the norm, if the proposal passes.
 
Thoughts on a couple of the new rules...

New Kickoff rules...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1772626053179019543

https://twitter.com/x/status/1772615947922149879

Hip-drop tackle banned...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1772282915725983997

https://twitter.com/x/status/1772280695156625417

I'm all for player safety, but feels like defenses are taking a beating lately, from a rules standpoint, really looks like defensive coaches are going to have to emphasize discipline and fundamentals or it will be a yellow flag parade.

Kick-offs will offer no excitement factor whatsoever, might as well just start everyone at the 30 and make the game shorter (which won't happen because - less time for commercials)
 
www.espn.com

NFL gives Peacock, Amazon 2 high-profile games

Peacock will have the rights to stream the Week 1 game from Brazil and Amazon was granted a wild-card game, the NFL announced Tuesday.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
The league announced Tuesday that Peacock will have the rights to stream the Week 1 game from Sao Paulo, which will be the first NFL contest in South America. The Philadelphia Eagles already are booked for that game against an opponent still to be announced.
Amazon Prime Video has been granted an NFL wild-card game, which will represent the second time a playoff game has been streamed exclusively.
 
FuzzyLogic said:
Thoughts on a couple of the new rules...

New Kickoff rules...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1772626053179019543

https://twitter.com/x/status/1772615947922149879

Hip-drop tackle banned...

https://twitter.com/x/status/1772282915725983997

https://twitter.com/x/status/1772280695156625417

I'm all for player safety, but feels like defenses are taking a beating lately, from a rules standpoint, really looks like defensive coaches are going to have to emphasize discipline and fundamentals or it will be a yellow flag parade.

Kick-offs will offer no excitement factor whatsoever, might as well just start everyone at the 30 and make the game shorter (which won't happen because - less time for commercials)
Click to expand...

The more rules the easier to rig games.
 
www.espn.com

Sources: Former Bills CB White to sign with Rams

Former Buffalo Bills cornerback Tre'Davious White, who continues his rehabilitation from a torn right Achilles, intends to sign a one-year, $8.5 million deal with a max value up to $10 million with the Los Angeles Rams, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
Former Buffalo Bills All-Pro cornerback Tre'Davious White intends to sign a one-year, $8.5 million deal with a max value up to $10 million with the Los Angeles Rams, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Tuesday night.
 
Why is a known cheater (Rich McKay) allowed on the competition committee? He's destroying the game, when instead of being on the competition committee he should be a Walmart greeter. The NFL allowing this incompetent POS help decide the future of the game is sickening and eventually the NFL will pay a price for things like this.
 
www.espn.com

Everything we heard at 2024 NFL league meetings: QB thoughts, draft maneuvers, roster holes

NFL owners meetings wrapped up Tuesday, and our 20-plus reporters on the ground had all the buzz from Orlando.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

Houston Texans
DeMeco Ryans explained why the Texans traded out of the first round, and it simply came to value. "There's a really large amount of players in a second to third, fourth round," Ryans said, adding that the range was viewed as the "sweet spot."

The Texans have two second-round picks in the upcoming draft and can address a couple of holes on the roster. Defensive tackle and cornerback are spots where the Texans could improve. But they want another offensive playmaker. Houston attempted to trade for Keenan Allen before he landed with the Chicago Bears. --DJ Bien-Aime
 
JB said:
www.espn.com

Everything we heard at 2024 NFL league meetings: QB thoughts, draft maneuvers, roster holes

NFL owners meetings wrapped up Tuesday, and our 20-plus reporters on the ground had all the buzz from Orlando.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

Houston Texans
DeMeco Ryans explained why the Texans traded out of the first round, and it simply came to value. "There's a really large amount of players in a second to third, fourth round," Ryans said, adding that the range was viewed as the "sweet spot."

The Texans have two second-round picks in the upcoming draft and can address a couple of holes on the roster. Defensive tackle and cornerback are spots where the Texans could improve. But they want another offensive playmaker. Houston attempted to trade for Keenan Allen before he landed with the Chicago Bears. --DJ Bien-Aime
Click to expand...

I mentioned in a post that I would move pick 42 if I could get a couple of picks in the 85-105 range (a later pick as well), to go along with picks 123 and 128. I also believe there are Day 1 starters in this range within this draft.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
It's interesting that the Panthers have not ever drafted a player from their own Carolina backyard.
Click to expand...
JWLCASPER said:
JC Horn CB from UofSC was the latest and most notable. But you are right, they don’t stay local as often as one would think.
Click to expand...
The Panthers drafted Ikem Ekwonu from NC State with the 6th pick of the 2022 draft. UNC's Julius Peppers with the 2nd pick in 2002. I'm sure there are many more.
 
Lucky said:
The Panthers drafted Ikem Ekwonu from NC State with the 6th pick of the 2022 draft. UNC's Julius Peppers with the 2nd pick in 2002. I'm sure there are many more.
Click to expand...

Mollywhopper said:
7 from the state of North Carolina and 7 from the state of South Carolina in total by my count..
Click to expand...

Thanks for the corrections. I will have to say that those numbers are still pretty sparse.............14 in 28 years of existence in states having their share of competitive teams..........I suspect very few of those in the upper rounds, despite having high picks in most of those years.
 
CloakNNNdagger said:
Thanks for the corrections. I will have to say that those numbers are still pretty sparse.............14 in 28 years of existence in states having their share of competitive teams..........I suspect very few of those in the upper rounds, despite having high picks in most of those years.
Click to expand...
Think about this: In their 22 year history, the Texans have one player from Texas taken in the 1st round. Considering the number of 1st round picks coming out of this state (as opposed to the Carolinas), that's nuts.
 
12 people brandished firearms, at least six fired during mass shooting at Chiefs Super Bowl rally
Published March 20, 2024 06:14 AM

The mass shooting at the Chiefs Super Bowl parade could have been worse than it was.

According to the Associated Press, unsealed federal court documents indicate that 12 different people brandished firearms at the rally.

At least six of them fired shots. This suggests that as many as six did not pull the trigger on the guns they had drawn during the chaos.

43-year-old Lisa Lopez-Galavan was killed in the shooting. More than 20 others were injured.

Meanwhile, one of the youths arrested in connection with the mass shooting at the Chiefs Super Bowl parade and rally is now facing a felony charge of unlawful use of a weapon in shooting at a person. He has been in custody since being detained on February 14 on a felony charge of resisting arrest.

A hearing will be held on the question whether to try the defendant as an adult. If that happens, he’ll face five to 15 years in prison.

Another teenager continues to be in custody on a lesser gun charge. Two men previously were charged with second-degree murder and weapons charges. Per the AP, three other Missouri men have been charged with federal counts regarding illegal purchase of high-powered rifles and of guns with extended magazines.

It’s hard to imagine that kind of firepower being carried around at the rally without anyone noticing or any of the hundreds of law-enforcement officers who were present at the parade and rally intervening.
 
Saquon Barkley talked with C.J. Stroud, considered Texans before signing with Eagles
By Michael David Smith
Published March 29, 2024 05:14 AM

Saquon Barkley says the Texans were a strong contender for his services before he signed with the Eagles.

Barkley says he spoke with C.J. Stroud and some other Texans players before free agency started and was very interested in Houston.

“Probably the team that had my first interest was Houston. I got to communicate with C.J. and a couple of those boys, but this was before when you could actually put offers on the table and talk to teams,” Barkley said on the New Heights podcast, via the New York Post.

The Eagles’ signing of Barkley is under investigation after Barkley’s college coach said that Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman talked to Barkley before free agency began. That would be against NFL rules, but it was legal for Stroud and other players to recruit Barkley.

Barkley said he had a couple good offers in free agency but felt best about Philadelphia, which is not far from where he played his college football at Penn State.

“I probably never imagined myself playing for Philly six years ago, but I get to come back to Pennsylvania, my family is from Pennsylvania, my lady, our kids, grandmas all that is from Pennsylvania and we’re already close and we can even get to get closer and get a chance to compete. I got to admire them from afar, admire what he was able to build over there and get to be part of that culture. It was a no-brainer for me,” Barkley said.

After missing out on Barkley, the Texans traded for running back Joe Mixon.
 
Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira ready to return after back surgery
By Charean Williams
Published March 29, 2024 01:51 PM

After taking last season off to undergo back surgery, Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira posted on social media Friday that he is ready to return. He will work two UFL games on Fox on Saturday.

""About six months ago, I posted that I was going to take a year off at Fox due to back surgery,” Pereira wrote. “Five months ago, I had my back fused on seven levels, T11 to S1. Eight-and-a-half hours of surgery! In recovery, they asked me what my goals were. I gave them two. First was to be able to walk again. Second was I want to get back to work again.”

Pereira said he is walking a couple of miles a day and continuing with physical therapy.

He expects to resume a regular schedule of college and NFL games this season.

“I’m back (like it or not)!” Pereira said in thanking everyone for their support.

The game is better with Pereira in it, explaining the rules in a way everyone can understand. He knows his stuff having spent many years as a football official and later as vice president of officiating for the NFL. He joined Fox in 2010.

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Most patients who undergo lumbar multilevel spinal fusion experience "some" degree of improvement in their back pain. Factors that influence the outcome typically depend on the presence of underlying conditions, the health of the other segments of the spine that are not being fused, the number of levels being fused, and the age of the patient.


A 2020 Global Spinal study evaluating long-term outcomes in 101 patients with multilevel spinal fusion found the following:

  • 77% of the patients had reported some improvement in back pain
  • 51% of patients were satisfied with their surgical outcome
  • 24% of the patients needed revision surgery within 2 to 5 years due to a complication
  • 19% of the patients had a major neurological complication
  • 48% of patients were admitted to the intensive care unit due to an adverse event

Keep in mind that this study included patients undergoing only 2-3 level fusions......not 7 level fusions. Patients having 3 level fusion definite problems bending down. Improvement usually reaches its peak at ~3 months and doesn't change much thereafter. Age is definitely a limiting factor. All of the problems I've listed above occur in much greater percentages when dealing with 7 level fusions and the stability of the back is actually very compromised and additive complications over time are almost predictable.

Pereira's far ordeal is from over..........prayers for a great football mind. 🙏
 
www.espn.com

Sources: Eagles sending Reddick to Jets for pick

The Philadelphia Eagles are sending edge rusher Haason Reddick to the New York Jets for a conditional 2026 third-round pick that could be a second, sources told ESPN's Adam Schefter on Friday.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
The Jets will send a conditional 2026 third-round pick to the Eagles that improves to a 2026 second-rounder if Reddick reaches 67.5% play time and 10 sacks, the sources said. In 2023, Reddick recorded 11 sacks and 38 tackles in 17 games. He played 74% of the defensive snaps.
 
:mcnugget:

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Bills criticized for high costs, lack of transparency on PSL prices: “It’s wrong”
By Michael David Smith
Published March 30, 2024 05

Bills season ticket holders have been informed that they’ll be charged prices ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 for personal seat licenses, and local government officials are not happy about it.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz blasted the Bills for both the high prices and for a lack of transparency. He said New York Governor Kathy Hochul — who has been praised by the NFL and the Bills for her leadership in getting the taxpayer funding necessary to get the stadium built — agrees with him.

“I actually let representatives of the Bills and Legends – which is the sub-agent that’s actually selling the PSLs – know, in no unconditional terms, that I found it, first off, very upsetting that they would not announce what the PSL prices were for all the seats,” Poloncarz said, via WIVB. “I’ve talked to the Governor about this, she’s very concerned as well. Whatever they sell it at, they have a right to do that, but they should at least publicize what the planned PSLs are for all of the seats. So if someone who wants to still attend games but can’t afford a $25,000 PSL, but maybe could afford a $5,000 PSL, could buy those tickets. But right now, they have no idea. And it’s wrong.”

The Bills have more than 60,000 season ticket holders and are banking on most of them paying up — and banking on those who can’t pay up to be replaced by plenty of other fans waiting in line.
 
Packers focus on solving Christian Watson’s hamstring problems

Packers receiver Christian Watson missed eight games last year due to hamstring injuries. The Packers are trying to keep that from happening again.

Coach Matt LaFleur explained this week that Watson visited a lab in Madison, with the goal of solving the issue.

“They’ve got some special lab there or whatever that all the medical guys can give you the better diagnosis on [Watson],” LaFleur said, via Pete Dougherty of the Green Bay Press-Gazette. “But yeah, we’ve looked at a lot of different things in terms of just his body comp and maybe areas that were stronger than others to try to help get us in front of that.”

When he plays, Watson is extremely effective. The goal is to have him available for every possible game.

“We’re trying to look at everything we can do to mitigate those risks,” LaFleur said, regarding Watson’s injuries. “I know [Watson] is working his tail off right now down in Florida, trying to make sure that he comes in the best shape possible. Certainly, we looked at elements of the things that we can control because, I mean, soft-tissue injuries happen in our sport. It’s like, how can we mitigate those? And that’s what we’ve looked at, you know, from him personally to what we’re asking of our players from a load perspective, whether it’s in training or practice.”

Watson had 28 catches for 422 yards and five touchdowns in 2023, his second NFL season. No Packers receiver gained more than 793 receiving yards in 2023; the leader with that number was rookie Jayden Reed.
 
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