Article 3 years later (1 Viewer)

[bayoumilitia]

If you tune into the games on Sunday, you're one of the "sheep".

The only true way to hold them accountable is to stop watching/buying.

Saints fans not tuning in to Saints games would not change anything man. I tune into the Saints games only, but I gave up my season tickets and stopped buying any NFL merch years ago.

And if you think that if everyone on SR stopped watching Saints games would suddenly make the NFL have a crisis of conscience and start holding officiating crews accountable that just wouldn’t happen. The “sheep” that I was referring to are those that continue to buy into the nonsense that the NFL is infallible and is actually concerned with the integrity of the game.

 

[dutar76]

To me that angle would have been far better in 2006.

The '06 Saints simply weren't as good of a team as the '06 Colts, so it wouldn't have taken much "scripting" for the Saints to lose that SB to them.

If they really wanted that to happen, they should have "scripted" the Bears to lose at home to Seattle.............then Seattle comes to the Dome and loses the NFC title game to the Saints.......then the "1a" version of that story is a reality.

I didn't want to get into the social/political discussion about what the theory claims was plan-1a for the 06"/07" superbowl, but I will. That game was played on 2/4/07 and both head coaches were African-American. Exactly 1 week later it was announced that a virtually unknown at the time African-American Barrack Obama was running for president. The theory links those two "firsts" as the reason the Saints got hosed vs the Bears. I don't remember there being a "theory" as to why the league waiting 3 more years to have the "Katrina-bowl". Just the part about how public interest in the Katrina story was right near it's end when the game was finally played. I'm stretching here, but maybe they'd have waited 3 years so that interest would fade and the devastated city losing wouldn't upset as many national fans as it would have while the story was still fresh.

 

[SigFreudianSlip]

Saints fans not tuning in to Saints games would not change anything man. I tune into the Saints games only, but I gave up my season tickets and stopped buying any NFL merch years ago.

And if you think that if everyone on SR stopped watching Saints games would suddenly make the NFL have a crisis of conscience and start holding officiating crews accountable that just wouldn’t happen. The “sheep” that I was referring to are those that continue to buy into the nonsense that the NFL is infallible and is actually concerned with the integrity of the game.

Yep.

Same here, and I only watch streams for the last few years. Zero pennies from me, not that they need my money.

 

[Icon]

I didn't want to get into the social/political discussion about what the theory claims was plan-1a for the 06"/07" superbowl, but I will. That game was played on 2/4/07 and both head coaches were African-American. Exactly 1 week later it was announced that a virtually unknown at the time African-American Barrack Obama was running for president. The theory links those two "firsts" as the reason the Saints got hosed vs the Bears. I don't remember there being a "theory" as to why the league waiting 3 more years to have the "Katrina-bowl". Just the part about how public interest in the Katrina story was right near it's end when the game was finally played. I'm stretching here, but maybe they'd have waited 3 years so that interest would fade and the devastated city losing wouldn't upset as many national fans as it would have while the story was still fresh.

I get it......and it definitely made for some interesting reading material.

Unless strong evidence eventually comes out to the contrary, I will forever believe the NFL loved having the Saints win that 2009 SB. Generally speaking, the WORLD loved it....unless you were a Colts/Falcons/Bucs/Panthers/Vikings fan.

Maybe the cute baby (2006 to 2009 Saints) eventually turned into the eye-rolling, pimply-faced, annoying teenager (2011 on forward) in the eyes of the NFL, but the NFL definitely benefitted from that Saints post-Katrina rise from the ashes.

 

[SaintsFan11]

If you tune into the games on Sunday, you're one of the "sheep".

The only true way to hold them accountable is to stop watching/buying.

If Saints fans stop watching the team and stop buying tickets and merchandise, the team will move to another market. That’ll show ‘em!

 

[Day1]

Since the blatant no-call, I have not watched ANY games other than the Saints. That one play wiped out 51 years of avidly following NFL games. Looking forward to the day Payton publishes the book, because you know its already written.

 

[bayoumilitia]

This is a great post, like historically great, spot-on to a T. What was once a game with integrity and dignity (especially when Pete Rozelle was commish) has gone to full blown entertainment now.

I think evidence of the fad fans existence (not trying to offend anyone here) is the high ratings those moronic yell and scream shows get. It's no longer about the product on the field, not even close, it's the network "personalities" that get all the ratings. How is Stephen A going to react? OMG.....there is very little real analysis going on anymore (Baldy, etc) and what there is doesn't get ratings....I get that some folks (my sons included) sometime watch them for pure amusement but they just sicken the old man in me....(I remember when Ron Jawarski did real analysis)

I used to think (and to some extent still do) that large scale legal gambling would ruin the game. Now it may be the only thing that can save it from itself....the owners are the real culprits here, as long as the money is flowing I feel they could care less about the actual product....Goodell is just an extension of what they want....I never thought I would ever stop watching the NFL but I'm closer to that now than I ever thought I would be....

Thanks brother. As for watching or not watching the Saints play on TV I really don’t feel that our Nielsen rating contributions are that high to persuade the NFL one way or the other. Granted for a small market team we probably draw more viewership than most big market teams.

With that in mind I think that there’s probably about 50 to 60 thousand Saints fans at most that feel the way we do regarding the lack of integrity and accountability of the game. I could be wrong, I have no hard data to support my numbers I’m just going by my gut feeling.

If you guys are like me I have hundreds of family and friends that were up in arms about the no call but they quickly reverted back to consuming and supporting the NFL the next season. Most even watched that SuperBowl with the Rams which I refused to do.

At the end of the day I’ve grown to realize that no matter how many times “I“ email the league about officiating or how I choose not to spend money on the NFL that the circus will continue. I sleep well at night though knowing that supporting my Saints and watching their games doesn’t make me a culprit to the NFL hypocrisy. It merely means that I’m a diehard Saints fan that has drawn a line of clear delineation of how I support the Saints, not the NFL.

 

[saintsmarchin]

I'm not even sure why you guys still bother

As long as Mike Cuerello vicodin popping whistleblowing..... beep... is in the FO.. we ain't going anywhere..

You could put Joe Montana in his prime

Jerry Rice
TO
Wayne Gretzky
LeBron at TE
Take Bo Jackson out the play before he blew up his leg with a time machine and put him on the Saints

Bring back the dome patrol in their prime

Get the Seattle no fly zone

Take Tom Dempsey kicking distance and put it on Morten Anderson's leg
And Barry Sanders on kick off

Have Reggie White, Sapp, booger McFarland, Dwight Freeny

The whole cowboys online from their superbowl era.


Refs still designed as LAWYERS.. TO MESS OVER and dictate the games to what the league wants.

 

[bayoumilitia]

I'm not even sure why you guys still bother

As long as Mike Cuerello vicodin popping whistleblowing..... beep... is in the FO.. we ain't going anywhere..

You could put Joe Montana in his prime

Jerry Rice
TO
Wayne Gretzky
LeBron at TE
Take Bo Jackson out the play before he blew up his leg with a time machine and put him on the Saints

Bring back the dome patrol in their prime

Get the Seattle no fly zone

Take Tom Dempsey kicking distance and put it on Morten Anderson's leg
And Barry Sanders on kick off

Have Reggie White, Sapp, booger McFarland, Dwight Freeny

The whole cowboys online from their superbowl era.


Refs still designed as LAWYERS.. TO MESS OVER and dictate the games to what the league wants.

You know what, I believe you’re right. I happen to work with the son of Walt Anderson and many of these refs are lawyers or like Walt a dentist. Just look at this article that shows multiple incidents involving one of the NFLs “ premier” officials lol.

Walt Anderson And The NFL Cooked Up A Whopper Of A Lie For Football Fans On Wild Card Weekend

It shouldn't get lost in the chaos of playoff football that the NFL made a mistake and then made it worse by trying to lie about it.

boston.cbslocal.com

Kinda hard not to believe in conspiracies or favoritism when these refs clearly have a bias based on either their own fandom or in the Saints case, resentment towards our organization for calling out these “untouchable” refs.

 

[sfidc3]

Thanks brother. As for watching or not watching the Saints play on TV I really don’t feel that our Nielsen rating contributions are that high to persuade the NFL one way or the other. Granted for a small market team we probably draw more viewership than most big market teams.

With that in mind I think that there’s probably about 50 to 60 thousand Saints fans at most that feel the way we do regarding the lack of integrity and accountability of the game. I could be wrong, I have no hard data to support my numbers I’m just going by my gut feeling.

If you guys are like me I have hundreds of family and friends that were up in arms about the no call but they quickly reverted back to consuming and supporting the NFL the next season. Most even watched that SuperBowl with the Rams which I refused to do.

At the end of the day I’ve grown to realize that no matter how many times “I“ email the league about officiating or how I choose not to spend money on the NFL that the circus will continue. I sleep well at night though knowing that supporting my Saints and watching their games doesn’t make me a culprit to the NFL hypocrisy. It merely means that I’m a diehard Saints fan that has drawn a line of clear delineation of how I support the Saints, not the NFL.

I pretty much agree with all of this…I’m still passionate about the Saints but fark all the rest of the nfl

 

[Cage1]

If Saints fans stop watching the team and stop buying tickets and merchandise, the team will move to another market. That’ll show ‘em!

That’s called rationalization. You’re feeding the Monster and then coming up with an excuse to justify the action. “If I don’t do it, someone else will.” Well, maybe yes maybe no, but the fact remains you’re proving that they can punch you as much as they want, and you’ll just keep coming back for more beating.

It’s the same mechanism as battered women. “How can she stay with him when he keeps hitting her?” Well, He’s sometimes nice and she loves him, so we’ll keep forgiving

 

[SaintsFan11]

That’s called rationalization. You’re feeding the Monster and then coming up with an excuse to justify the action. “If I don’t do it, someone else will.” Well, maybe yes maybe no, but the fact remains you’re proving that they can punch you as much as they want, and you’ll just keep coming back for more beating.

It’s the same mechanism as battered women. “How can she stay with him when he keeps hitting her?” Well, He’s sometimes nice and she loves him, so we’ll keep forgiving

In your analogy, the NFL is an abusive spouse. It follows, therefore, that we should all hope that the Saints move to another city, that the State quits subsidizing this monster, and that all Saints fans find something else to do with their time and money. Even watching Saints games, or talking about the Saints with friends, or posting about the Saints on message boards, legitimizes the abusive behavior (unless such activities are focused only on highlighting the abuse).

I see it differently. I see it as entertainment. I like to root for New Orleans and Louisiana. I like to watch football. Even if the deck is stacked against us, it’s still fun. And when we do win, it’s exhilarating.

I think my approach is healthier.

 

[neworleanshoo]

I was there as well, and I will never get over it. Everything is relative, and I realize how I blessed I am. (Even in football terms... I was in Miami in 2009). But that cut deep and scarred. It's one of things that I genuinely feel no one else will ever understand.

 

[bayoumilitia]

I was there as well, and I will never get over it. Everything is relative, and I realize how I blessed I am. (Even in football terms... I was in Miami in 2009). But that cut deep and scarred. It's one of things that I genuinely feel no one else will ever understand.

I was in the Middle East for the no call game, because of the time change and work that was the only game all season that I was able to watch.

After the no call I didn’t have time to be angry or mope because we were in the middle of bombing ISIS to oblivion in Syria. I returned home in April 2019 and was able to finally grieve over the horrendous mistake that the officials made. I can tell you that although my reaction was delayed it hurt just as bad 4 months after the game.

My entire perspective of the league changed after that. I will NEVER forgive the NFL for allowing that obvious mistake to stand. The fact that after all that uproar the NFL just decided to move on with the mindset of “there’s nothing to see here” just sealed the deal for me.

 

[neworleanshoo]

I was in the Middle East for the no call game, because of the time change and work that was the only game all season that I was able to watch.

After the no call I didn’t have time to be angry or mope because we were in the middle of bombing ISIS to oblivion in Syria. I returned home in April 2019 and was able to finally grieve over the horrendous mistake that the officials made. I can tell you that although my reaction was delayed it hurt just as bad 4 months after the game.

My entire perspective of the league changed after that. I will NEVER forgive the NFL for allowing that obvious mistake to stand. The fact that after all that uproar the NFL just decided to move on with the mindset of “there’s nothing to see here” just sealed the deal for me.

Thank you for your service, and thank you for sharing that even those with more "life perspective" than me were similarly wounded by the no-call.

Like you, I know full well that it's just a game... it's not life or death, and there are more important things, including my life's work (for a non-profit serving homeless youth) - but the Saints are one of my primary sources of joy, and that one moment robbed me of the opportunity for a memorable life experience I may never have again.

I attended the 2009 game with my brother and father. I'm not lying when I say that it was the most thrilling time I've EVER shared with either of them. My brother has since passed after an excruciating battle with cancer (and my father is now nearly 80). My anger over that stolen opportunity to revisit our shared moment of joy will rage on for the rest of my life.