On October 26, the Zebras threw 12 flags on the Rams, but none on the Pats: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/27423226/ In total: http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/reiss_pieces/2008/10/patriots_penalt.html My understanding is that this would put them on a pace for the fewest penalties by a team in fifty years.
If you want to hate the Patriots because they're our toughest rival, so be it. But to suggest there's some type of conspiracy to benefit New England involving every referee in the league, that sounds paranoid. The evidence is pretty weak and circumstantial to substantiate your claim.
Fair enough, but consider this: 1. The Rams seem to think that there were a number of penalties that weren't called in that game. 2. I don't think it is disputable that NBA refs treated Michael Jordan differently than other players. Why would the NFL treat its top (18-1*) team differently? 3. I do enjoy hating on the Pats, almost as much as I do rooting for the Jets.
1. I guess that it?s not uncommen that a team sends in some tapes and wants to know if it was just a wrong call, or if the Officials and the League just have a different opinion about certain plays. Rules in the NFL get so complex, it?s not that easy to know what?s a foul and what?s OK anymore, just look at all those Roughing the passer calls lately, I would think a lot of them were bad calls, but since it seems they call on everyone, it may just be something the League wants to be flagged. 2. Especially in Basketball, it fells like the Superstars get a lot of calls going their way because they are Superstars. 3. Don?t hate on them because they are a good organized team, hate on them because they are a bunch of cheap bastards.
Its not unusual for teams to send in video tapes regarding called/uncalled penalties. It happens EVERY week in the NFL by almost every single team, you only ever hear about it with high profile teams like the Patriots. You can hear the head of referee comment on this somewhere on NFL.com, its not unusual its just that no one gives a ^#$! if the Dolphins beat the Lions and the Lions send in a tape.
I remember him saying last week that, on average, 28 teams send in something to the league each week.
