Mike Brown presser

[jj22]

(07-24-2023, 04:20 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: Why on earth should we forfeit defensive playmakers just to keep two wide receivers when we have a top 5 QB? 

I remember when they slammed Dalton for "needing" top receivers around him.

[Nepa]

(07-26-2023, 09:57 AM)Soonerpeace Wrote: I’ve always thought the conspiracy theories were funny. Too many people would have to participate making it impossible to keep quiet. Oh sure top players like Lebron, Jordan, Brady et al get preferential treatment. But because of State Farm or they purposely watered down the field to help him. Some people have been watching too much Jack Ryan lol

I used to laugh at a lot of speculations as conspiracy theories myself -- and still do for a lot of those that are really out there -- but I have seen too much in the past few years to laugh at ones that seem plausible, or that deal with millions and billions of dollars. And now that the NFL is tied to gambling (and we see players being caught gambling), I find myself not totally trusting the system.

I'll give some examples. I'll stick with sports and stay away from ones with political overtones that in recent years were first mocked relentlessly as conspiracy theories and later the consensus became they were accurate.  (It seems to be a technique to dismiss something as a "conspiracy theory" in order to discredit those bringing up something, even when the theory is credible. Even some scientists and media were publishing things as being just "conspiracy theories," which they later had to retract.)

The first sports eye-opener for me was Tim Donaghy, who was an NBA referee for 13 seasons and who was fixing NBA point scores for 4 years. People complained -- and loudly about Game 6 of the Lakers/Kings western conference finals -- but were told the NBA referees were thoroughly vetted and fixing games was not happening. Donaghy was caught only by accident, when the FBI was investigating something else. He also claimed referees were told to try and extend the series.   

The Houston Astros banging a drum to send signals to hitters about the pitch coming, as relayed form someone watching on a video camera? Players and coaches suspected the Astros were stealing signs for years and were dismissed as conspiracy theorists. Well, we found out only a few years later that the conspiracy theorists were correct. 

There was the MLB collusion in the 1980s that was criticized as a players' conspiracy theory but later proved accurate. 

The 1972 basketball game against the USSR? I believe that conspiracy theory that the referees were in on that. 

An investigation by an independent panel concluded that many of the boxing bouts at the Rio 2016 Olympics were fixed by referees and judges. 

So, my own way of dealing with "conspiracy theories" at the present is, if they are plausible and deal with a lot of money, is to not mock them but stick them in the back of my brain to let time pass. So, regarding watering down of the State Farm field? It's plausible. MLB teams used to water down the base paths when facing a team that liked to steal bases. did it happen? I'll let time pass. Maybe on someone's death bed they will confess. You never know.