the NFL playoffs

[Roy Hersh]

No harm, no foul by betting on NFL games ... but not sanctioned by FTLOP.

We've actually done contests before for those choosing the winners of the AFC/NFC crowns and the Super Bowl. Not this year, I'm saving my prize money for #PortDay events.

That said, I'd love to see who people are picking for this weekend's games that are coming up.

[Ray Barnes]

Thank heavens for the NFL post season to help one cope with a sudden and nasty bout of the flu. My wife and daughter both were ill upon returning from an overseas trip, and it was only a matter of time, with hindsight knowledge, before the family plan of illness sharing ran its course.

Assuming this is neither sanctioned nor barred by , and to be candid I really do not believe or engage in cash wagering, I'm willing to put up a good bottle: a Domaine Zind Humbrecht 2005 Riesling Clos Hauserer or 2005 Pinot Gris Herrenweg de Turckheim - winner's choice. I believe both 750ml bottles to be in excellent condition. While I do not have the technical information at hand, both bottles I expect either meet or come very close to the Alsace AOC regulations for vendanges tardives classification, but this winemaker uses a higher standard for labelling.

[Roy Hersh]

You make the call:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/1 ... d%3D127083

[Ray Barnes]

OK, I'll make a call. IMHO, I don't think the one player lined up a little behind the line of scrimmage really changed the outcome of the play itself. If anything, the Bronco receiver was putting himself at a disadvantage by not lining up properly. What I found more compelling was that the Broncos ran the ball on almost all of their 1st downs in regulation time, and the Steelers were anticipating that again, their defence was set up to stop the run decisively. They were caught by surprise - good on the coordinator.

I assume at the moment all bets are off.

[Glenn E.]

As I said elsewhere, when the Stealers play there's an extra cheerleader for the other team and her name is Karma.

I really don't see anything wrong with this play. Technically, yeah maybe the left tight end is too far back. But if there are 100 plays in an NFL game that's probably the case on at least 40 of them. The line pretty much always slants back from the center. I think Mike Pereira's correct - it's not something that the officials enforce terribly strictly. They get wide receivers for it a lot more often than linemen (or tight ends).

And even if it is technically illegal and should have been called, it's got nothing on the bad calls during Super Bowl XL that gave the game to the Stealers. So as the saying goes, suck it up Stealers fans. Karma's a ... well, you know.

[Eric Menchen]

But if there are 100 plays in an NFL game that's probably the case on at least 40 of them.

Yes, line player #7 is slightly behind line player #6, who is slightly behind #5 ... I think Glenn is right. Let's watch the whole game and count how many other times this happens, both by the Broncos and the Steelers.

[Ray Barnes]

Glenn, with all due respect, the Super Bowl win for the Steelers over the Seahawks took place on February 5, 2006. Regardless of whether or not the outcome of the game was unduly affected by alleged officiating errors, it was almost 6 years ago. I do not feel it is appropriate to hold a grudge against anyone, or give that impression, rightly or wrongly, for that length of time.

With respect to the Steelers' loss last weekend, the overwhelming majority of posts I have seen on line from their fans indicates that they accepted the outcome with complaint, and, for all intents and purposes, have moved on. I consider that kind of attitude to be very sensible, and appropriate.

[Russ K]

and lets not discuss the clear lateral the Steelers had (it was at least a yard backwards) that the broncos recovered that should of been a turnover and would of salted the game earlier....the refs were really brutal all game long both ways.
Go Broncos!

[Ray Barnes]

With apologies, my earlier post should have read:.....without complaint.

[Glenn E.]

I do not feel it is appropriate to hold a grudge against anyone, or give that impression, rightly or wrongly, for that length of time.

Pfft. 6 years is nothing for a sports fan! I still hate Oklahoma and I haven't lived in Nebraska for 25 years.

Besides, "fan" is short for "fanatic" so "sensible" doesn't really apply.

[Ray Barnes]

I have concerns as to whether expressing remarks of such rancor do this forum and its members a disservice. Perhaps I am in the wrong here, and if this be so according to the majority of the members, i will withdraw my concerns.

[Eric Menchen]

Oh, I guess I won't bring up the bad calls that helped the Steelers win at least one Super Bowl back in the 1970s then.

[Glenn E.]

I suspect that you are in a minority of one on this.

Ray, I get the feeling that you don't really understand sports fans or the smack talk/ribbing that takes place between them. If you don't exhibit rancor against your team's arch rival, then you're not really a fan.

Seattle has had one shot at the Super Bowl in its entire NFL history, and that one shot was stolen from them by the worst officiating in Super Bowl history. The NFL actually apologized for the officiating during that game! The rancor doesn't come from losing, it comes from not having a fair shot at winning. That's a grudge that Seattle fans will likely hold for a very long time, quite possibly until Seattle actually wins a Super Bowl. Note: fans. Short for fanatics. Casual supporters and mere enthusiasts need not apply. And yes, I'm completely aware that the rancor should be directed at the referees and not Pittsburgh, but that's not how it works for sports fans. Thus the Pittsburgh team name became the Stealers for me.

Growing up, I had two favorite teams. The Nebraska Cornhuskers and whoever was playing Oklahoma. The saying we had in those Big 8 days was "better dead than Sooner red." My rancor for Barry Switzer extended to his tenure with the Dallas Cowboys as well. Again, that's just how it works for sports fans.

I know Roy is a Yankees fan and a Raiders fan. I suspect he has feelings similar to mine for the Red Sox. I'm not quite sure who the Raiders' arch rival is... Denver? San Diego? It probably depends on when he became a Raiders fan. But whoever it is, Roy probably hates them too. It's how sports fans are wired.

[Ray Barnes]

If being a sports fan implies engaging in irrationality, undisciplined behaviour, and rudeness (sometimes to the point of obnoxiousness) towards opposing players and their fans, then so be it, I am not such a person. Truth be known, I rarely go to sporting events, because I find the crowd behaviour often highly unpalatable. Win or lose, I expect the team I am supporting to compete well. The other team also gets paid to play. Humble in victory, gracious in defeat.

[Glenn E.]

Being a fan implies none of the above.

I could make a broad, generalized claim about internet trolls but I'll refrain.

[Roy Hersh]

Glenn is spot on here. Let's cut to the chase Ray. You live in BC and I am a Canucks fan. Last year after game 7 of the Stanley Cup, your local Vancouver fans went berserk in downtown after Luongo sucked and Thomas had his way again, but this time in Van. The fans destroyed property, were drunken fools and urinated in the streets and burned cars. So this is not just limited to the USA. I've been to soccer/futbol games in the UK and was escorted by police as soon as getting off the train and walked with opposing fans into the stadium to ensure we were not going to mix with the other team's fans. It is just how sports go. You may be gracious, but even in politically correct Seattle, that's not the usual behavior.

Glenn is right. I am not a Seahawks game and I think that in that Super Bowl the Seahawks were outplayed and would have lost anyway. That being said, I have NEVER seen a worse 60 minutes of officiating in any single NFL game than that one and 95% of the putrid calls went against Seattle. Glenn is also right that we tend to dislke, no, hate is proper here ... our chief rivals. For example as a Raiders fan I do hate SD, KC and Denver ... all of who are rivals. I've been watching the NFL and am a lifelong Raiders and Yankees fan (the two teams that Seattle citizens love to hate) since 1966/1964 respectively.

So please don't get so easily offended by those that have very strong feelings when it comes to sports teams and rivals. I have no issue as long as the language wouldn't offend anybody.

[Ray Barnes]

There is no question that the rioting in 1994 and 2011 in Vancouver was reprehensible and inexcusable. The latter was even worse considering it erased much of the public relations benefits resulting from the 2010 Winter Olympics.

I will have nothing more to say on this matter.

[Ray Barnes]

....for the time being.

[Ray Barnes]

For the record I am not going to make any more critical remarks on the issue of hatred of rival sports franchises. If that is the accepted norm, so be it.

As an aside, in spite of being a Canucks fan since its year of inception (1970) and thus also 80% lifelong, I wagered for the Bruins to win the final. Many fans here blame the officiating for allowing the Bruins to take liberties. That is sour grapes. The Bruins had the better goalie - by a wide margin. The successful wager: a bottle of 2003 Taylor Vintage Port, claimed right after Game 7.

[Roy Hersh]

Betting against your own team, to LOSE??? In the FINAL game of a seven game series??? That 2003 VP is tainted now.

Er, back growing up in NY, mentioning/admitting to that would have earned a real beat down from as many people who could kick or stomp the guy; for sure, or even

I think you should have kept to: "I will have nothing more to say on this matter."