People who think sporting events are "fixed"

[arrfep]

This post is inspired by the apparent miraculous comeback of our Chicago Bulls. My little brother was watching the game when my father, ever the cynic, proclaimed that the only reason the Bulls are winning is because "it's all fixed." Fixed because more games=more money.

I've heard lots of ostensibly intelligent people insist that most or all major sporting events are fixed, but no one ever says by whom. So my question is: Who does the fixing?

The teams?
The League?
The CIA?
If someone is paying off refs, who is it?
How come no one has ever come forward?
Is it the mysterious "they" that everyone always talks about?

Besides the Serie A scandal last year, I've never heard of any evidence to support large scale match fixing. So do people seriously believe this happens. What thinks ATOT?

 

[sandorski]

It is the They

 

[herkulease]

I wouldn't say fixing. but more like favoritism by the league. take the NBA, they can get the refs to call the game extremely tight or extremely loose. Teams that live via free throws will be hurt be loose games while they benefit from tight ones.

But there's only so much help the refs can do. If they give you ticky tack fouls and you still blow free throws then well there's nothing they can do.

As for the bulls game today, they just shot lights out. some 60%+ from the field.

combined that with things just not going right for the pistons, missing wide open lay ups, its a blow out.

 

[arrfep]

Originally posted by: herkulease
I wouldn't say fixing. but more like favoritism by the league. take the NBA, they can get the refs to call the game extremely tight or extremely loose. Teams that live via free throws will be hurt be loose games while they benefit from tight ones.

But there's only so much help the refs can do. If they give you ticky tack fouls and you still blow free throws then well there's nothing they can do.

As for the bulls game today, they just shot lights out. some 60%+ from the field.

combined that with things just not going right for the pistons, missing wide open lay ups, its a blow out.

Okay, I can buy that, and I know I've seen football games where I believe that actually happens. But for what end result? Is one of the teams paying the refs? The leauge?
Corporate powerbrokers who have millions in bets riding on the game? ????

 

[IGBT]

..mabe Pete Rose knows.

 

[Skunkwourk]

THE STONECUTTERS!!!!

 

[Flyback]

Johnny Friendly and Charley Malloy fixed it so that Charley's little brother Terry would take a dive for the short-end money. They were going for the price on Wilson. They said, "this ain't your night". He could have taken Wilson apart. Charley was his brother and should have looked out for him a little bit. He coulda had class. He coulda been a contender. He coulda been a somebody.

"It was you Charley."

Fixed indeed

 

[compuwiz1]

Whatever big shot in Las Vegas pays to demand things go his way.

 

[sao123]

Originally posted by: arrfep
This post is inspired by the apparent miraculous comeback of our Chicago Bulls. My little brother was watching the game when my father, ever the cynic, proclaimed that the only reason the Bulls are winning is because "it's all fixed." Fixed because more games=more money.

I've heard lots of ostensibly intelligent people insist that most or all major sporting events are fixed, but no one ever says by whom. So my question is: Who does the fixing?

The teams?
The League?
The CIA?
If someone is paying off refs, who is it?
How come no one has ever come forward?
Is it the mysterious "they" that everyone always talks about?

Besides the Serie A scandal last year, I've never heard of any evidence to support large scale match fixing. So do people seriously believe this happens. What thinks ATOT?

the mob / mafia

 

[Fingolfin269]

The Skull & Bones and/or Freemasons. This is known.

 

[Mucho]

When it comes to Cricket it is usually the Gambling Rings through out Asia.

 

[theprodigalrebel]

Just Google 'match-fixing scandal cricket'

Back then, it was mostly Dubai-based gambling rings (usually connected with powerful underworld bosses).

 

[Double Trouble]

With the amount of money out there in gambling on these events, it's not hard to imagine some sort of influence being exerted on refs/players/coaches to get the game to go one way or another.

I think in the "major" sports, it's much less likely that serious 'fixing' is going on -- everyone involved has too much at stake. For example, if you're already making millions playing baseball, why would you throw a game just for a chance for a payday?

College sports on the other hand....... I'm convinced there's a lot more players throwing games in college than we know. It's not hard to imagine some bookie going to a player saying "hey, psst. Jimmy, you live in the dorm and get no money, while big state U rakes in the millions. If you happen to fumble the ball a couple of times in next week's game, you could get lots of bling. Your team is going to win anyway since they're playing Small Crappy U next week, but we don't want them to cover the spread. See, you'll win anyway, noone gets hurt. It's a win-win."

 

[Demon-Xanth]

I think if any fixing is going on, it's by the leagues to add drama, or give a favorable outcome to an established "champion".

An example:
At the Indy 500, a number of new engine technologies came up:
diesel: as soon as it started getting competitive, rule changes were made making it unable to come close to competing.
turbines: as soon as it started getting competitive, rule changes were made making it unable to come close to competing. (closing down the inlet duct by 75%)
pushrods: MB found that the rules allowed them to make an engine that was superior to a DOHC one. After a couple years of development, this engine ran for three races before being ruled out.

NASCAR's "Past Champion" provisional starting position: even NASCAR admits was solely to let Richard Petty race in a race he hadn't qualified for.

 

[Linflas]

Originally posted by: sandorski
It is the They

:thumbsup: That same mystical They that "everyone knows about" that are behind every conspiracy theory.

 

[waggy]

Originally posted by: Demon-Xanth
I think if any fixing is going on, it's by the leagues to add drama, or give a favorable outcome to an established "champion".

yeap. also to big name stars.

but all we have to do is look at the "black sox" and the olympic basketball in i think the 70's (US vs Russia i think?) to know that fixing and such is going on.