Tuesday Morning Cup O’Chiefs
Let’s face facts: gambling has always been a big part of pro football.
Two of the most storied franchises in the league were founded by gamblers: the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants. Legal bookmaking in Nevada surrounding the NFL is a multi-million dollar business. The NFL publishes its own injury reports in hopes of keeping information in front of the general public, and not the domain of gamblers with sources in the locker room and at the doctor’s office.
That under current serves as a backdrop for the sport; always there but seldom noticed. Until an incident like the one that happened in the Steelers-Chargers game on Sunday at Heinz Field.
Here are the details: With San Diego trailing 11-10 and the game clock about to run out, Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers completed a short pass over the middle to LaDainian Tomlinson of three yards. Tomlinson then lateraled the ball to Chris Chambers, who fumbled while trying to loft it back to tackle Marcus McNeil. Pittsburgh safety Troy Polamalu (above) burst through to disrupt the lateral, scooped up the fumble and ran 12 yards for a touchdown as the clock read 00:00.
After on-field discussion by the officiating crew of Scott Green and a replay review, the officials ruled there was an illegal forward pass and it had hit the turf and therefore the play was dead.
Except that’s not at all what happened. A confused Green admitted afterward to a pool reporter for the media at Heinz Field that the officials and their decision were wrong.
“We should have let the play go through in the end yes,” Green is quoted as saying by the pool reporter. “The rule was misinterpreted. It was misinterpreted that instead of killing the play we should have let the play go through.”
Since the game’s outcome was not changed, why is this important, the Steelers still won and the Chargers still lost?
It’s of major note and discussion because the Steelers were five-point betting favorites in this game, not only with the legal books in Nevada but a host of illegal books around the country. There’s one right up the street from Heinz Field on Pittsburgh’s North Side right in the … oh, I’d better not mention that one. I went to college with that guy.
Anyway, the game’s final score should have been 18-10, and eight-point difference. Instead, it was 11-10. So if you took the Steelers and gave the five points, you should have won the bet. Instead you lost.
Gamblers don’t like to lose. They especially don’t like to lose when they know they should have won.
According to R.J. Bell of the website Pregame.com, an estimated 100 million dollars was wagered worldwide on the Pittsburgh/San Diego game. Two thirds of that money was on the Steelers giving the points, the other third on the Chargers getting the five points.
“If the touchdown was properly upheld, Steelers bettors would have won about $32 million instead of losing big,” said Bell on his website. “This admittedly incorrect call resulted in a $64 million swing in favor of the bookies.”
If you know somebody that took Pittsburgh and gave the five, then you’ve already heard the screaming about this. It’s just another one of those moments that drive the conspiracy theory types who believe many sports events are fixed.
FROM THE PAGES OF CHIEFS HISTORY
On November 18, 1974, the Chiefs beat the Denver Broncos 42-34 in a Monday night game at Mile High Stadium. It was a prime-time shootout in Denver, with the big yardage belonging to the Broncos but the victory going to the Chiefs. Denver QB Charley Johnson threw for 445 yards and a pair of TD passes, but Kansas City had three interceptions, two by CB Emmitt Thomas and the other from LB Willie Lanier. QB Len Dawson threw TD passes to WR Otis Taylor and RB Ed Podolak. On the ground, Podolak, Woody Green and Wendell Hayes had TD runs. Green finished the game with 114 yards on 18 carries.
On November 18, 1990, the Chiefs beat the San Diego Chargers 27-10 at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs jumped to a 17-3 lead at half-time and never trailed San Diego in front of 63,717 fans. In the first quarter, QB Steve DeBerg and WR J.J. Birden hooked up on a 90-yard TD pass. Later, FB Bill Jones caught two scoring passes of two and six yards. DeBerg finished 11 of 24 for just 171 yards, but three TDs. The Chiefs defense had three interceptions from CBs Kevin Ross and Stan Petry and S Lloyd Burruss. K Nick Lowery had a pair of FGs.
SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Former Chiefs head coach Paul Wiggin celebrates h is 74th birthday today. Hall of Fame and Chiefs QB Warren Moon is 52.
Former Raiders nemisis Jack Tatum celebrates his 60th birthday on November 18
It will be a desperate Bills team that comes to Arrowhead Stadium this coming weekend after Buffalo’s 29-27 loss Monday night to Cleveland. Here are the details.
JOHN LYNCH RETIRES
The former Tampa Bay/Denver safety official announced his retirement on Monday in Tampa. One guy who had plenty to say about Lynch was Chiefs head man Herm Edwards.
“Obviously there’s a fondness for me with John Lynch,” Edwards said. “We kind of date way back to the stone ages when we were trying to build a defense in Tampa in 1996. He was one of the players who was still there when Tony (Dungy) and myself and the rest of the staff arrived.
“You’re talking about a guy that has worked for everything he’s gotten. His humility, his ability to lead, his ability to represent the National Football League, his family, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Denver Broncos – he’s all about that. He’s all about doing the right thing.
“You talk about role models that you want your kids to emulate, whether it be on the field or off the field, John Lynch is one of those guys. He’s a guy that obviously has done a lot on the football field, he’ll get recognized for that. I know him a little bit better than that. I know him as a father, a husband, a great son to the Lynch family, carrying their name.
“He happens to be my son’s (Marcus) godfather so there are a lot of connections with me and this guy. His retirement is one that when he looks back at his career, it won’t be about all the tackles that he made or all the Pro Bowls he experienced, the Super Bowl that he was able to win with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It’ll be the things that he left the players to learn about being a pro, about being a father, about representing the National Football League in a manner that has been very respectful. My hat goes off to him. I’m proud of him. I can say I knew him when he was just John Lynch, when he wasn’t so famous. He knows I’ve got a deep feeling for this guy. I love him like he’s my son. So congratulations John, Linda and all the family.”
Here’s more of what others are saying about Lynch and his career.
AROUND THE LEAGUE
Jared Allen is in New York today to meet with the Commish for his on-field activity, not his off-field action.
AROUND THE AFC WEST
News and notes from RaidersLand after the silver and black’s weekend loss in Miami to the Dolphins.
The Broncos say the difference for them lately has been the lack of turnovers.
Out in San Diego, LaDainian Tomlinson feels the Chargers season is slipping away.
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When you bet on a football game you’re betting based on the final score. Sometimes (too often) that final score is influenced by one or more officiating errors throughout the game. Live with it.
If a touchdown had been called back early in the 3rd quarter it would have been much less dramatic, but in a low-scoring game would likely have had the same impact.
Man will gamble on lice moving, sad but true. Before you bet on anything you better be well educated on the subject and can afford to lose everything.
Today’s Star has a good article by Teicher. Two points of course, could not replace Allen (although we did not need this bad apple) and the chiefs knew Dorsey was not a “polished” pass rusher before they drafted him 5. Obviously the rebuilding brain trust miscalulated a bit, missed it by this much.
Some chiefs fans have been clamoring for the team to spend their top picks in the 2009 draft on a DE & MLB. Read this:
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http://www.arrowheadpride.com/2008/11/17/663898/the-defense-an-absolutely
In the last 7 years, the Chiefs have spent 4 of 7 1st round picks on Defense, EVERY 2nd round pick on Defense, and 5 3rd rounders on Defense.”
Here are the results, and they are DISGUSTING. Even from the beginning of the Vermeil and Herm eras, the Defense has not been ignored:
Of the Picks Not Traded Since the 2001 Draft
1st Round: 4 of 6 have been on Defense (67%)
2nd Round: 6 of 6 have been on Defense (100%…100 freaking percent!)
3rd Round: 5 of 9 have been on Defense (56%)
71% of of every 1st through 3rd round draft pick in the last 8 years has been on Defense.
By Position:
DT = 6 (7 if you count McBride)
DE = 2 counting McBride as a DE
LB = 3
S = 2
CB = 2
By Year (with names):
2001 = 1st - No First pick. 2nd - No Second pick. 3rd - Defense, Eric Downing DT. 3rd - Offense.
2002 = 1st - Defense, Ryan Sims DT. 2nd - Defense, Eddie Freeman DT. 3rd - No Third pick.
2003 = 1st - Offense. 2nd - Defense, Kawika Mitchell LB. 3rd - Defense, Julian Battle CB.
2004 = 1st - No First pick. 2nd - Defense, Junior Siavii DT. 2nd - Offense. 3rd - Defense, Keyaron Fox LB.
2005 = 1st - Defense, Derrick Johnson LB. 2nd - No 2nd pick. 3rd - Special Teams.
2006 = 1st - Defense, Tamba Hali DE. 2nd - Defense, Bernard Pollard S. 3rd - Offense.
2007 = 1st - Offense. 2nd - Defense, Turk McBride DT/DE. 3rd - Defense, Tank Tyler DT.
2008 = 1st - Defense, Glenn Dorsey DT. 1st - Offense. 2nd - Defense, Brandon Flowers CB. 3rd - Offense. 3rd - Offense. 3rd - Defense, DaJuan Morgan S.
I really feel sick looking at all of this over the last 8 years, and we still have the 32nd ranked Defense. Blame Vermeil…blame Herm, but there has only been 1 person in charge over that entire 8 year period.
[U] Those are 15 first day Defensive players. Even if we whiffed on 4 of them, that is still an ENTIRE starting defensive team in their prime. Add to that FA’s in that period like Ty Law, Pat Surtain, Napolean Harris, Donnie Edwards, Demorrio Williams, Alphonso Boone…and keep in mind Jared Allen, Jarrad Page, and Brandon Carr were second day picks and don’t factor into this scenario.
Our Defense is, and has been, so horrendously broken it almost defies blame…but it doesn’t. It is inexcusable.
I agree findthedr. It seems that no matter who is drafting these defensive players, they just don’t work out. The defense is the biggest indictment on Herm this year. Whether you think he is a good coach or not, most people seem to have him tagged as a solid talent scout. His record in drafting defensive players for us is pretty…..subpar.
The offense has more excuses to be bad this year: QBs going down, LJ getting in trouble, the Gonzalez trade drama, rookie left tackle, fat overpaid right tackle, new offensive coordinator. Yet, the offense is what is promising right now. Sure, the defense has had some injury woes of their own the last few weeks, but this is freaking rediculous. The defense is why Herm and Carl need to go. Even if you like Herm as a coach, there is no defending this defense that he has built….which by the way he began building IMMEDIATELY in 2006. He didn’t start building it this year, so don’t throw that weak argument at findthedr or myself.
Looks like the Chiefs have signed Andy Studebaker off the Eagles Practice squad. Wonder if he is coming in as a DE or LB. Any thoughts?
MikeO
My thought is that as a draft junkie, I had info on around 500 players. Probably had at least heard SOMETHING on an additional 100 or so. Studebaker was a player that I had never heard ANYTHING about. After each draft, I like to go back and look and see how many players get drafted that I’ve never heard of. In 2008, there were 7 players total. The Chiefs have four of them now. Brandon Carr, Mike Merritt, Erik Walden, and now, Studebaker apparently.
I’m certainly not flawless in my own personal coverage of the draft. Who is? Brandon Carr certainly has worked out well and he wouldn’t have even been on my board. However, Studebaker sounds like a major project to me. The Chiefs pass rush is so poor that they need to look into signing someone with some experience who can help right away. Babin was a nice start, but they need more.
http://www.nfl.com/draft/profiles/andy-studebaker?id=4401
Thanks Colby for the info. Erik Walden really came in as a special team demon, but has disappeared. I was also watching Babin, and you’re right he did some nice things.
thanks for the info about studebaker.
At this point might as well try and see if he has any talent and can be developed.
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Here is
another link:
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=73801&draftyear=2008&genpos=OLB
“LB Andy Studebaker was the best pass-rusher in Division III as a defensive end. Eagles moved him to OLB and also use him as an edge-rusher. He’s a smart kid with great speed and long arms. But he’s still got a lot to learn. Probably headed for the practice squad initially.”
Keep up the great work Coach Edwards. ALL of KC is behind you and we know that you will lead us back to glory very soon now.
AND NOW, Clark Hunt has RE-affirmed Herm’s The Man!
Studebaker looked good at times as an LB in training camp over the summer (better than Boiman, I thought), but obviously wasn’t good enough to make the regular roster. Philadelphiaeagles.com should have some footage of him.
I don’t see Studebaker being very effective in pass coverage, which has been a problem with Chris Gocong, another DE the Eagles converted to LB. Not sure how the Chiefs are considering playing him.