If boxing is fixed, what about the NFL?

[stopbush]

In an earlier thread about yesterday's De la Hoya fight, I related a personal experience story that seemed to confirm to me that some boxing matches are fixed. Relating that stirred my ancient memories à la a similar story about game fixing in the NFL. I recount it here for whatever it's worth:

Back in the 80s, I worked a bar on the Upper West Side of Manhattan - Columbus Ave, to be exact. We were close enough to the ABC studios that we had a few TV types as regulars at the restaurant. Among those was an up-and-coming sportscaster with the initials JN who worked for ABC at the national level in football broadcasting.

Anyway, JN was in one day and the conversation turned to the subject of the NFL and game fixing. JN was of the opinion that possibly 15-20% of NFL games were fixed. His explanation was interesting and ran something like this:

1. The players were never involved. The officials were the ones assisting in the fixing. "They are paid squat and are open to bribery." When I asked him how they'd do such a thing, he repied, "it's easy. You'll see them calling incidental penalties against a particular team, maybe even a particular interior linesman. Things like holding and offsides - penalties that can be called on almost every single play if the ref really wanted to. I've seen it happen - and the team that it's happening to just sort of deflates because they know that there's nothing they can do to stop it...or to win."

2. It never happens on a big game. Too much exposure. JN opined that this would happen during what he called "seemingly meaningless" games played between two teams who had little or no chance of making the playoffs. It happened THERE because

3. The outcome of that game could influence the standings of the big-market teams who did have a chance of making the playoffs. He said that many of these fixed games happened early in the season when the "funny" outcome would be more readily chalked up to the "any given Sunday" meme than "the fix was in" thinking. And,

4. The fixing wasn't for something as mundane as covering a spread. It came down from the NFL ownership itself and was done to encourage - not to insure - that the teams in the big TV markets had a better chance to stay in longer, thus boosting viewership and ad revenues.

"If the sports public ever found out about it, the NFL would be run out of business," JN opined. "They think that football is a clean sport and that the competition field is level. If they only knew..."

Now, I never gave it much thought. Maybe the guy was pulling my leg. Maybe he was trying to impress me with all of his insider knowledge. Truth is, I haven't followed football since my high school days, so I had no interest in whether what he said was true and common knowldge, or simply BS that is easily refuted. But with the "funny" outcome of yesterday's fight - and having lots of unemployed hours available in my schedule to think about such things - I'm now wondering if what he said was true.

Any opinions or evidence (either way) on this one from our sports nuts out there?

[SmileyBoy]

1. I think that if any of the 4-sport leagues does it, it's the NBA.

Take a look at the Kings-Lakers series from two years ago as an example.

[Enraged_Ape]

3. I've always been hinky about basketball as well

Hell, in an NBA game, an official can call traveling on just about every single make for the basket, but sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. I've never understood this.

[blondeatlast]

4. Amen--gotta have one of the biggest cities in the final.

I think it is "suggested" that the referees ignore some behavior; for instance, the fact that Shaq's feet frequently seem to be just glued under the basket. I mean, they don't even shift--watch him.

Jordan is another case in point, I call him the "Immaculate Elbows."

[Awsi Dooger]

2. Too many variables to fix the NFL

I get into this argument all the time in Vegas sportsbooks, the most pathetic bettors forever excusing their poor picks by insisting it was fixed the other way.

I think the barroom tale is bunk. NFL refs are scrutinized on every play of every game and have been for decades. Penalties only alter about 10% of all plays. There are six refs and each one calls only a few penalties per game average. Any more than that would shout for revue. There are two dozen players on the field and so many variables it would be nearly impossible to fix without the QB or perhaps an oft used running back involved.

By definition a fix requires substantial money to be wagered beforehand with the guarantee of a huge edge. The betting limits of Nevada sportsbooks are trivial by NFL salary standards and an avalanche of strange one-sided cash, either there or to offshore sportsbooks, would ring every audible bell. And fixers only go one way -- you cannot tell a team to play great and cover the number. You are asking a professional to dump and jeopardize in the most public of arenas, a national audience regardless of how obscure the game may appear.

Boxing is another matter entirely, especially since fights are not isolated events but can lead to megapaydays depending on the outcome. There is much more money to be made that way than wagering on the outcome itself. And, of course, there is no national or worldwide commission and the existing bodies would most likely encourage shenanigans rather than prevent them.

I live in Las Vegas and have definitely seen judges who seem to have allegiances with fighters from one major promoter or another. With only 6 variables -- 2 fighters, 1 ref, 3 judges -- it's much more available to arrange a slight tilt. Still, the ref has no direct influence other than premature stoppage or disqualification and the judges are only rung if the fight goes the distance. You would have to get to a fighter or his camp to guarantee anything.

Last night I attended the fight and thought Mosley dominated the early rounds. I was shocked when Mosley needed all the late rounds on the cards to pull out the decision. Virtually everyone around me thought Mosley had won, and some fairly easily. DeLaHoya was definitely hurt much more often than Shane, regardless of punch stat.

Usually I agree with Harold Lederman and the pay per view crew regarding judging. I would really like to see the TV version of the fight and how much it differed from my view from the MGM rafters.