Truth & Rumors > NFL
Official: NFL games are not fixed
Mike Pereira, the NFL's vice president of officiating, is focused on the 120 members of his crew getting the call right and doesn't concern himself with how mistakes impact the betting line. But, Pereira insists, there is no reason to question the integrity of his officials. After the Tim Donaghy betting scandal in the NBA, there is always going to be suspicion. All leagues must have their radars up to prevent any semblance of impropriety. Pereira told the Daily News the NFL conducted background checks on every official during this past offseason after the Donaghy fiasco. The checks are usually done periodically. He is not concerned any hanky-panky was going on in Pittsburgh. Still, it was an oddly officiated game. Scott Green's reversal did not impact the outcome, only the bettors. The crew also called 13 penalties for 115 yards on the Steelers and two for five yards on the Chargers. Pereira said he was told it was the 51st time in NFL history there was such a large discrepancy in penalties. Pereira said Green got confused and his eventual ruling that Troy Polamalu picked up an illegal forward lateral was wrong. "They talked him into such a confused state, he got screwed up," he said. "There were too many cooks, too much information, a sensory overload." Green, then working as a back judge, failed to call pass interference on a busted play off a field goal attempt at the end of the 49ers-Giants playoff game in January 2002 that would have given Giants kicker Matt Bryant another shot from 41 yards to win it. Green was promoted to referee in 2005. It was reported that $100 million was bet on last week's game with about two-thirds on the Steelers. It created a firestorm that has not died down. Pereira rejects all conspiracy theories about his officials manipulating the point spread. "I know my people well. I know all 120 of them well. I know enough about the facts to know that is not the case," he said. "In our situation, I think it is very unlikely to happen. We go through a series of checks and look at every play in every game."
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Lucia Dvorska
Brooklyn Decker



Comments (66) Add A Comment
First?
Slick Ric is DaMoFo
Southern Pines, NC
Total Comments (1457)
"there is no reason to question the integrity of his officials."
Really, why would I? Oh yeah, because of all the bad calls which help certain teams win. Well, anyway, at least they have safegaurds in place like the NBA.
Wanted Man
Lincoln , NE
Total Comments (1425)
I am not a gambler, so feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about something here... but isn't it extremely unusual for 2/3rds of the money on any game to be on one team? That's the point of the line, isn't it, to even up betting on both sides for the house? That way they're guaranteed to come out ahead on the vigorish. That sets off some warning bells immediately.
Couple that with a game in which penalty yardage was 115-5, AND there was a final decisive play that would have changed the betting outcome but was called incorrectly, and the whole package doesn't even come close to passing the initial sniff test.
I'm not saying there's actually anything illegal going on. In the real world, coincidences do happen. But it seems like Pereira is sticking his head in the sand on something where there should be a legitimate investigation.
When are these leagues going to learn that trying to cover up and pretend nothing is wrong isn't the way to inspire confidence in their legitimacy?
Spielman
Columbia , SC
Total Comments (172)
No one said they were crooked. Just inconsistent and sometimes incompetent.....Jeesh..It is the league office that should always get it right, and they do not. That is the problem.
50yearfan
Total Comments (8713)
Let's not assume that every official is selling themselves out like that NBA ref did. However, I can see how people would jump to that conclusion. If it is true then this disease is truly of epic proportion. Will this mean that all referees will require a full background investigation by the government?
HOOAH05!
Total Comments (15369)
Ole Mile Periera can claim that "NFL games are not fixed" until the cows come home.
But the facts are the facts. And the fact remains that the odor of 'the fix being in permeates the way the officials handled the last play of the Steelers game.
There are simply too many loopholes in how they handled this call. On the spot, in the booth, and the explanations afterward.
Mikes "insistence" defies belief.
Throw in the penalty ratio (13-2), and the $65 million dollar swing. That's one hell of a lot of coincidences. Not to mention Donaghy.
But according to Mike; The officials in the booth talked the referee" into such a confused state,"
Great breakdown on how the play was mishandled, Mike
Ok, let's move on. Mike says they talked the poor guy into a confused state.
Yeah, thats's the ticket, and I'm a Chinese avaiator.
there it is
Lutz , FL
Total Comments (19)
Definitely fixed, yes sir.
Long Wang
Total Comments (607)
lol. no the refs are just blind. as is the replay booth. and the league office. and the HR dept. and ...
urm. perhaps it is.
pw
New Baltimore , NY
Total Comments (2907)
I've thought they were fixed. Especially since Roger Goodell is in bed with Robert Kraft.
C-Smith
Total Comments (2180)
If the Vegas opinion mattered it would mark a conflict of interest. Just ignore their whining and let's move on.
A Nom
Total Comments (1994)
Yeah, that's what Donaghy said too.
arejaydub
Total Comments (12282)
What up rj? Long time no talky to.
HOOAH05!
Total Comments (15369)
I don't think its fixed but if they allow incompetance of this nature that's what people will think. This ref is horrible, he knows it and allowed himself to be talked out of something. No ref should fall for the "Who you gonna believe, me or your lyin eyes" line. Bad officials also tend to call penalties on one team and then continue to do it because now they're looking at that team and they're too dumb to realize it.
I'd be curious to know how many of those penalties were called by that particular guy. I can't believe the whole crew is corrupt
Justin Cyder
Total Comments (19184)
Don't confuse incompetience with "fixing".
I thought it looked a little fishy that Marv Lewis kicked a field goal with 7 min. left in the thursday night game. His team was down by 13, the field goal brought them within 10.
The point spread was 10 1/2.
Bad coaching, yes......Fixing no..
MATTUSA
Total Comments (7348)
This reminds me of when Nixon stated "I'm not a crook".... what more validation did we need?
Sir Robin (again)
Fan Nation, HQ
Total Comments (16794)
The biggest problem is the arbitrary holding and illegal block calls..... flagrant holds on the DE coming around the corner are not called, while an offensive guard is called for holding while keeping his hands in and shoving a DT to the ground..... even former O-linemen on the telecasts can't explain half of the calls.....
Sir Robin (again)
Fan Nation, HQ
Total Comments (16794)
You couldn't see it on TV, but on a fourth quarter kick off return (Steelers-Chargers) it looked like the steeler return man (Russell ?) was turning the corner for a TD. The offocial, on the opposite side and on the goal line, threw a flag for holding. The hold that he called was 40 + yards away from him, on the opposite side of the field.
MATTUSA
Total Comments (7348)
Right... and the pope's Jewish
zzyzzx zephyr
Total Comments (1107)
Periera says the games are not fixed because he knows all of the officials personally, and knows them well. I dont know about everybody else, but I feel much better now.
sufferingsaintsfan
Total Comments (4129)
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