PHILADELPHIA (BASN – STR/ITR) – Now that SB XLVIII is completed, the only thing worse than the psyche of Denver Bronco fans is how badly their team played – and how they were played by the unholy partnership of the Media Gods and the Wizards of Odds in Las Vegas.

 

Our premise from when we first began this was to attempt to follow the logic behind former NFL defensive back Bernie Parrish, who, in 1971, wrote the book, “They Call It a Game,” where Parrish hypothesizes certain NFL games were fixed WWE – style; with outcomes already settled before a ball was caught, run with, kicked or thrown.

 

We saw the Pittsburgh Steelers screwed out of a final playoff spot in Kansas City as two referees looked dead at seven huge asses staring them in the face in an illegal formation which should’ve led to a five-yard penalty for K.C. after a missed 46 – yard potential game-winning field goal against the San Diego Chargers.

 

Although the Chargers did defeat Cincinnati in the playoffs, taking out a Steelers team that had gained momentum after going 0 – 4 to start their season; seemed to rankle some folks in high places within the organization – and the League.
Fucked – up calls didn’t just the affect the AFC – the Carolina Panthers were dealt no favors by the referees (in my humble) as they eventually succumbed to the San Francisco 49ers, who were hotter’n Hell coming into the NFC playoffs.

 

If we are to inflict Parrish’s theory here, it could well come down to the League thinking that Seattle would make the better opponent (because there’s no way young Gen. Russell Wilson would be able to stand up to the pressure of facing the great Peyton Manning).

 

The 49ers – with Gen. Colin Kaepernick gaining momentum having been to last year’s Bowl, looked ready for bear but Kaepernick’s imposing figure, as well as the imposing image of the ‘Niners defense, seemed to make those in power think Wilson would not put up as spirited a fight because, hey – size does matter.

 

So does the adage “it’s not the size of the dog in the fight – it’s the size of fight in the dog” – and Gen. Wilson, with Patton – esque aplomb, studied his enemies and prepared to deal with them; knowing the League was gonna get this wrong if he had anything to say about it.

 

Which brings us to the first vestiges of the masses crying “fix” – a video now making the rounds through cyberspace makes some of our points for us as to a “conspiracy” involving the referees’ actions during the fourth quarter of the San Fran – Seattle game; while I don’t agree with a lot of what the video (www.worldstarhiphop.com) implies, there is some meat in dat sammich as the video is broken down.
We spoke of my colleague Princess Narda nailing down the League’s agenda in the New England Patriots post – 9/11 Super Bowl win (which led to NYC’s metro area getting the game) and how ideally a Manning v. Manning showdown would’ve have made the NFL’s day.

 

Aside from the Spygate cheating by the Patriots, the only serious conspiracy floating about is the statements made by former Oakland/Los Angeles Raider WR Tim Brown, who, at a fans’ conference, spoke I felt from the heart in elaborating on how then head coach Bill Callahan gave the game to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by changing the game plan late in Super Bowl week, upsetting center Barrett Robbins and giving their former head coach better reading than the Sunday New York Times…

 

So now we get down to the money. As the coronation of Peyton Manning was being trumpeted in every city (except Seattle) the coffers were filling up with heavy cash on Denver to win; as well as all the exotic bets (like who scores first, etc.).

 

The setup was straight outta “Harlem Nights” when Ray Murphy says “Man, Jenkins is gonna kill dat boy.” Vegas bookmakers were ecstatic that those media drums kept beating, and to quote my colleague Gary Norris Gray, “they (media) are deliberately avoiding mentioning that Wilson is a winner – and he’s Black!”

 

The safety scored by Seattle made a certain person I know out West $8K ($200 bet at 40 -1) – in the first 12 seconds!
Once the carnage was completed, the house bookies walked off with a net profit of over $20 million here in North America – and who knows how much more underground.

 

Just as theorized in my series written for BASN, “The N – Files” small pockets of betting ‘syndicates’ may have pooled their funds to take a stab at a good payday; and many were rewarded because they knew Wilson was being played cheap – and that Seattle had the superior team.

 

There’s also the Richard Sherman factor – some hoping the confident Black man would get his comeuppance at the hands of Peyton’s football acumen (after all, he is a coach on the field, so I’m told) so many fans bet their hearts instead of with their heads…and lost.

 

Ultimately, both Masters were served; the game charted well ratings – wise (in spite of the ass – whipping) and The House made beaucoup bucks; and Gen. Russell Wilson, son of a coach, emerges victorious.

 

Now the Powers That Be in the League have to deal with their own personal nightmare come to life; not the strapping Blackbuck Jimmy “The Greek” once spoke of, but the cool, unflappable, calculating natural leader wearing Number Three; while he may not be the second coming of The Mad Bomber, Russell Wilson is a Mad Cool Genius… and you’d better recognize.

michaelingram@blackathlete.com/basneditor@basnnewsroom.com

Always outnumbered…never outgunned.
Copyright © 2014 Michael – Louis Ingram all rights reserved.