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| | '''Unplug the NFL''' is advocated by ''Conservapedia'' in response to the NFL's [[paganism]], its promotion of the [[homosexual agenda]], and its [[Blacklisting Tim Tebow|exclusion of Tim Tebow]] presumably for quoting the [[Bible]] "too much."<ref>The slogan "unplug the NFL" was created by ''Conservapedia'', with this entry. Others are welcome to use this slogan with attribution.</ref> There are many more reasons for opposing the NFL, which bilks taxpayers for an estimated $1 billion annually and even got the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] to search for a player's jersey in [[Mexico]] in 2017. The NFL appeases the [[liberal media]] and encourages "[[fantasy football]]," a form of [[gambling]] and false worship.<ref>"From very early times gambling was forbidden by canon law. Two of the oldest among the so-called canons of the [[Apostles]] forbade games of chance under pain of [[excommunication]] to clergy and laity alike." See [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06375b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia], which continues to observe: "The 79th canon of the Council of Elvira (306) decreed that one of the faithful who had been guilty of gambling might be, on amendment, restored to communion after the lapse of a year. A homily (the famous "De Aleatoribus") long ascribed by St. Cyprian, but by modern scholars variously attributed to Popes Victor I, Callistus I, and Melchiades, and which undoubtedly is a very early and interesting monument of Christian antiquity, is a vigorous denunciation of gambling. The Fourth Lateran Council (1215), by a decree subsequently inserted in the "Corpus Juris", forbade clerics to play or to be present at games of chance. Some authorities, such as Aubespine, have attempted to explain the severity of the ancient canons against gambling by supposing that idolatry was often connected with it in practice. The pieces that were played with were small-sized idols, or images of the gods, which were invoked by the players for good luck."</ref> Genuine fans—as opposed to gamblers—are mostly irrelevant to the NFL profit model.<ref>[http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/01/rams-chargers-raiders-move-to-los-angeles-london-nfl-owners-proposal When will fans realize that NFL owners don't care about them?]</ref> Beginning in 2016, the NFL has allowed displays of defiance against the [[National Anthem]]. '''''Search on "demonic" and "NFL" on the internet and see nearly 4 million websites discussing it'''''. | | '''Unplug the NFL''' is advocated by ''Conservapedia'' in response to the NFL's [[paganism]], its promotion of the [[homosexual agenda]], and its [[Blacklisting Tim Tebow|exclusion of Tim Tebow]] presumably for quoting the [[Bible]] "too much."<ref>The slogan "unplug the NFL" was created by ''Conservapedia'', with this entry. Others are welcome to use this slogan with attribution.</ref> There are many more reasons for opposing the NFL, which bilks taxpayers for an estimated $1 billion annually and even got the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation]] to search for a player's jersey in [[Mexico]] in 2017. The NFL appeases the [[liberal media]] and encourages "[[fantasy football]]," a form of [[gambling]] and false worship.<ref>"From very early times gambling was forbidden by canon law. Two of the oldest among the so-called canons of the [[Apostles]] forbade games of chance under pain of [[excommunication]] to clergy and laity alike." See [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/06375b.htm Catholic Encyclopedia], which continues to observe: "The 79th canon of the Council of Elvira (306) decreed that one of the faithful who had been guilty of gambling might be, on amendment, restored to communion after the lapse of a year. A homily (the famous "De Aleatoribus") long ascribed by St. Cyprian, but by modern scholars variously attributed to Popes Victor I, Callistus I, and Melchiades, and which undoubtedly is a very early and interesting monument of Christian antiquity, is a vigorous denunciation of gambling. The Fourth Lateran Council (1215), by a decree subsequently inserted in the "Corpus Juris", forbade clerics to play or to be present at games of chance. Some authorities, such as Aubespine, have attempted to explain the severity of the ancient canons against gambling by supposing that idolatry was often connected with it in practice. The pieces that were played with were small-sized idols, or images of the gods, which were invoked by the players for good luck."</ref> Genuine fans—as opposed to gamblers—are mostly irrelevant to the NFL profit model.<ref>[http://ftw.usatoday.com/2016/01/rams-chargers-raiders-move-to-los-angeles-london-nfl-owners-proposal When will fans realize that NFL owners don't care about them?]</ref> Beginning in 2016, the NFL has allowed displays of defiance against the [[National Anthem]]. '''''Search on "demonic" and "NFL" on the internet and see nearly 4 million websites discussing it'''''. |
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| − | Much of what the NFL does is fraudulent. While star NFL player Aaron Hernandez committed murder and later reportedly hung himself in prison when serving a life sentence for it, his team the New England Patriots gave outspokenly [[Christian]] [[Tim Tebow]] a phony tryout, apparently to deflect from the scandal. The public is further misled in how NFL players are promoted as superstar athletes, but many are actually in poor aerobic shape from a medical perspective and have reduced life expectancies. Often the better athlete -- such as a quarterback with a stronger arm -- is benched in favor of a weaker athlete who can "read" defenses and throw sissy short passes, as [[Tom Brady]] does. | + | Much of what the NFL does is fraudulent. While star NFL player Aaron Hernandez committed murder and later reportedly hung himself in prison when serving a life sentence for it, his team the New England Patriots gave outspokenly [[Christian]] [[Tim Tebow]] a phony tryout, apparently to deflect from the scandal. The public is further misled in how NFL players are promoted as superstar athletes, but many are actually in poor aerobic shape from a medical perspective and have reduced life expectancies. Often the better athlete—such as a quarterback with a stronger arm—is benched in favor of a weaker athlete who can "read" defenses and throw sissy short passes, as [[Tom Brady]] does. |
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| | There is an average of only 11 minutes of football action in a typical 3-hour NFL broadcast.<ref name="WSJ">http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406</ref> Commercials, usually for beer or fantasy football, consume a third of the broadcast. Cheerleaders are rarely, if ever, shown in most NFL broadcasts anymore, while injured players are shown more than celebrating players.<ref name="WSJ"/> | | There is an average of only 11 minutes of football action in a typical 3-hour NFL broadcast.<ref name="WSJ">http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704281204575002852055561406</ref> Commercials, usually for beer or fantasy football, consume a third of the broadcast. Cheerleaders are rarely, if ever, shown in most NFL broadcasts anymore, while injured players are shown more than celebrating players.<ref name="WSJ"/> |
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| | An economist concluded that the NFL's estimate of economic benefit to a city hosting a [[Super Bowl]] is "is inflated by a factor of about five."<ref name="Overhype">http://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-the-super-bowls-ecoomic-impact-super-hyped/</ref> The mayor of Glendale, Arizona (home of University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals and host of the 2015 Super Bowl), did not even attend the game and "was worried that his cash-strapped city of 230,000 won't be able to afford the added costs that come with the Super Bowl, including $2.1 million in additional security. To make matters worse, approximately 40 percent of Glendale's debt is earmarked to paying off sports complexes."<ref name="Overhype"/><ref>A portion of that debt does not pertain to the NFL, but to the city's inexplicable decision to build a '''''separate''''' arena for the area's NHL Arizona Coyotes franchise instead of the team sharing an arena with the NBA's Phoenix Suns franchise; in every other case where a metropolitan area has both an NBA and an NHL franchise, the teams -- even if owned by different owners -- share the same arena. The problem was made worse by the team's poor performance and repeated threats to relocate -- even though the team itself relocated to the Phoenix area from Winnipeg, Canada.</ref> | | An economist concluded that the NFL's estimate of economic benefit to a city hosting a [[Super Bowl]] is "is inflated by a factor of about five."<ref name="Overhype">http://www.cbsnews.com/news/is-the-super-bowls-ecoomic-impact-super-hyped/</ref> The mayor of Glendale, Arizona (home of University of Phoenix Stadium, home of the Arizona Cardinals and host of the 2015 Super Bowl), did not even attend the game and "was worried that his cash-strapped city of 230,000 won't be able to afford the added costs that come with the Super Bowl, including $2.1 million in additional security. To make matters worse, approximately 40 percent of Glendale's debt is earmarked to paying off sports complexes."<ref name="Overhype"/><ref>A portion of that debt does not pertain to the NFL, but to the city's inexplicable decision to build a '''''separate''''' arena for the area's NHL Arizona Coyotes franchise instead of the team sharing an arena with the NBA's Phoenix Suns franchise; in every other case where a metropolitan area has both an NBA and an NHL franchise, the teams -- even if owned by different owners -- share the same arena. The problem was made worse by the team's poor performance and repeated threats to relocate -- even though the team itself relocated to the Phoenix area from Winnipeg, Canada.</ref> |
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| − | In 2014, multiple articles explained that the NFL was grossly exaggerating any local economic benefit of hosting the Super Bowl, and one economist estimates that the economic benefit is zero. See, e.g., "Super Bowl 2014: Economist says NFL is full of it about local benefits of hosting game."<ref>http://www.nj.com/super-bowl/index.ssf/2014/01/economist_on_local_impact_of_hosting_super_bowl_the_nfl_is_full_of_it.html</ref> Meanwhile, government workers at taxpayer expense spent two years preparing for the event. After the Super Bowl in New Jersey in 2014<ref>Played in an outdoor stadium in February, generally a bitterly cold time of the year.</ref>, local businesses complained about the lack of boost in customers. | + | In 2014, multiple articles explained that the NFL was grossly exaggerating any local economic benefit of hosting the Super Bowl, and one economist estimates that the economic benefit is zero. See, e.g., "Super Bowl 2014: Economist says NFL is full of it about local benefits of hosting game."<ref>http://www.nj.com/super-bowl/index.ssf/2014/01/economist_on_local_impact_of_hosting_super_bowl_the_nfl_is_full_of_it.html</ref> Meanwhile, government workers at taxpayer expense spent two years preparing for the event. After the Super Bowl in New Jersey in 2014,<ref>Played in an outdoor stadium in February, generally a bitterly cold time of the year.</ref> local businesses complained about the lack of boost in customers. |
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| | The overall economic return from hosting a Super Bowl may actually be a loss. As observed by the ''Daily Beast'':<ref>http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/30/the-nfl-s-super-bowl-con-hosting-the-big-game-isn-t-an-economic-score-for-cities.html</ref> | | The overall economic return from hosting a Super Bowl may actually be a loss. As observed by the ''Daily Beast'':<ref>http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/01/30/the-nfl-s-super-bowl-con-hosting-the-big-game-isn-t-an-economic-score-for-cities.html</ref> |
| | {{cquote|Typically, according to Baade’s research (PDF) and supported by related studies, Super Bowl host cities see a negative rate of return. 'If you do a pure economic evaluation, we may be able to cover the explicit costs…but we can’t make the argument that accommodating the Super Bowl is actually better than anything else.'}} | | {{cquote|Typically, according to Baade’s research (PDF) and supported by related studies, Super Bowl host cities see a negative rate of return. 'If you do a pure economic evaluation, we may be able to cover the explicit costs…but we can’t make the argument that accommodating the Super Bowl is actually better than anything else.'}} |
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| − | At best, only a handful of warm-weather cities which are tourist destinations in and of themselves possibly benefit from hosting a Super Bowl. An example of a city that has done so successfully is [[New Orleans]], which has a large indoor stadium (the Mercedes-Benz Superdome) that has hosted numerous large-scale events, including six of the seven prior Super Bowls held in the city. Yet the NFL decided '''''not''''' to award Super Bowl LII in 2018 to New Orleans -- which was celebrating its tri-centennial that year, and was clearly able to host both it and the Super Bowl -- and instead awarded it to cold-weather Minneapolis-St. Paul as they were able to connive taxpayers into building a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings franchise. | + | At best, only a handful of warm-weather cities which are tourist destinations in and of themselves possibly benefit from hosting a Super Bowl. An example of a city that has done so successfully is [[New Orleans]], which has a large indoor stadium (the Mercedes-Benz Superdome) that has hosted numerous large-scale events, including six of the seven prior Super Bowls held in the city. Yet the NFL decided '''''not''''' to award Super Bowl LII in 2018 to New Orleans—which was celebrating its tri-centennial that year, and was clearly able to host both it and the Super Bowl—and instead awarded it to cold-weather Minneapolis-St. Paul as they were able to connive taxpayers into building a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings franchise. |
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| | == Super Bowl politics == | | == Super Bowl politics == |
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| | == NFL Hall of Fame bias? == | | == NFL Hall of Fame bias? == |
| − | The NFL writers -- who decide who does and does not get into the NFL Hall of Fame -- have not been consistent (and some might even say, biased) -- in their voting patterns. Some claim that players who were open about their Christian faith were excluded (and still are). | + | The NFL writers—who decide who does and does not get into the NFL Hall of Fame—have not been consistent (and some might even say, biased) -- in their voting patterns. Some claim that players who were open about their Christian faith were excluded (and still are). |
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| | One example of potential bias involves wide receiver Tim Brown. At the time of his retirement he ranked number five all-time in total yardage gained, despite playing for weak teams. But Brown also openly preached the [[Gospel]], and even played Gospel music in the weight room. He was kept out of the NFL Hall of Fame for his first five years of eligibility, and was not inducted until 2015.<ref>http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/159445/is-this-the-year-tim-brown-hears-from-the-hof</ref> | | One example of potential bias involves wide receiver Tim Brown. At the time of his retirement he ranked number five all-time in total yardage gained, despite playing for weak teams. But Brown also openly preached the [[Gospel]], and even played Gospel music in the weight room. He was kept out of the NFL Hall of Fame for his first five years of eligibility, and was not inducted until 2015.<ref>http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/159445/is-this-the-year-tim-brown-hears-from-the-hof</ref> |
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| − | Another example involves outspoken Christian, Herschel Walker, who said, "We have the DNA of our Lord [[Jesus Christ]]."<ref>http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/herschel_walker.html#udJFdQwHUCqBX1Ls.99</ref> The NFL refused to allow him to play in the NFL when he had one year of eligibility left in college, despite that he was clearly able to play. Walker became the leading star of a rival league (the USFL) until it folded, and was the centerpiece of a trade that allowed the NFL's marquee franchise -- the Dallas Cowboys -- to rebuild and win three Super Bowls in the early 1990's. Yet despite his accomplishments, and his single-handedly causing the NFL to change its draft eligibility rules<ref>The NFL now allows players to declare for the NFL draft after being out of high school for three years.</ref>, Walker was never inducted during his eligibility period. | + | Another example involves outspoken Christian, Herschel Walker, who said, "We have the DNA of our Lord [[Jesus Christ]]."<ref>http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/h/herschel_walker.html#udJFdQwHUCqBX1Ls.99</ref> The NFL refused to allow him to play in the NFL when he had one year of eligibility left in college, despite that he was clearly able to play. Walker became the leading star of a rival league (the USFL) until it folded, and was the centerpiece of a trade that allowed the NFL's marquee franchise—the Dallas Cowboys—to rebuild and win three Super Bowls in the early 1990s. Yet despite his accomplishments, and his single-handedly causing the NFL to change its draft eligibility rules,<ref>The NFL now allows players to declare for the NFL draft after being out of high school for three years.</ref> Walker was never inducted during his eligibility period. |
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| | == Cover-up == | | == Cover-up == |