I think I read on Twitter that something like 109 passes have been attempted on the 1 yard line this year. Only one has been intercepted, last night.

 

I also posted this earlier in another thread. Heard it on Sports Center this morning.

With apologies to Preident Reagan...... Mr. Guru, tear this thread down. It is inane.

In the stunning aftermath, after that unfathomable decision, conspiracy theories sprouted likeAudrey II in Little Shop of Horrors. I’m not talking about Twitter-theories from deep-thinking eggs, or any cris de coeur from devastated Seahawks fans. I’m talking about people inside Seattle’s own locker room. I’m talking about texts I received from mainstream writers who don’t want to deal with the backlash that would come with writing it up.

 

The theory goes something like this. Russell Wilson is your young clean-cut God-fearing media-perfect quarterback. If one was creating a superstar face to market for the twenty-first century, chances are they would look, sound and basically be Russell Wilson. He’s Derek Jeter with a Bible, someone who comes across like he has never spoken out of turn in his entire life. Marshawn Lynch is… Marshawn Lynch, and if you haven’t figured out what that means after the past two weeks, then you haven’t been paying attention.

 

The theory goes that there were major financial, public relations and football reasons for Russell Wilson and not Lynch to be the one who ends the game in glory. If he throws that touchdown for the victory, Wilson is almost certainly the Super Bowl MVP. He gets the commercial. He gets to stand with the commissioner. And oh, by the way, he also gets his new contract, one that will fasten his prime, at only 26 years old, to the Seattle franchise. Marshawn Lynch is also due a new contract. Marshawn Lynch, had he punched that ball over the goal line, would probably get to be the one handed the MVP trophy. Marshawn Lynch also maybe gets on the mic to say Lord knows what.

 

The conspiracy theory lies in the fact that Seahawks coach Pete Carroll believed that the last yard the Seahawks needed for that Super Bowl victory was a gimme and, all things being equal, much better to have the iconic Super Bowl moment go to Russell Wilson than to Marshawn Lynch. Coaches setting certain favored players up for glory is as old as football itself. In addition, the politics of race, respectability, public relations and what’s in the best interest of a $2 billion corporation all played into this. That’s the theory.

 

I contacted someone inside that locker room and they said to me as if on repeat: “Can’t believe it. We all saw it. They wanted it to be Russ. They didn’t want Marshawn to be the hero.”

 

Mike Silver for the NFL network reported on these “mutterings” as well, writing that he wanted to“refrain from lending any legitimacy to the conspiracy theory which one anonymous player was willing to broach: That Carroll somehow had a vested interest in making Wilson, rather than Lynch, the hero, and thus insisted on putting the ball in the quarterback’s hands with an entire season on the line. ‘That’s what it looked like,’ the unnamed player said, but I’d be willing to bet that he merely muttered it out of frustration, and that it was a fleeting thought.”

 

The Conspiracy Theory Surrounding The Seahawks? Last Play | The Nation

 

================================

 

NFL.com's Michael Silver reports that one anonymous (and upset) Seahawks player considered the idea after Seattle's 28-24 Super Bowl loss to the New England Patriots. Sitting in the locker room, the player briefly acknowledged that the pass play seemed like an attempt by Carroll to elevate Wilson into the role of Seattle's savior.

 

"That's what it looked like," the unnamed player said.

 

Bleacher Report's Mike Freeman was among other reporters who noted the Seahawks' postgame frustration with the play call.

 

Report: Anonymous Seahawks Player Ponders Anti-Marshawn Lynch Conspiracy | Bleacher Report

Well, since you put it that way...

Well, since you put it that way...

 

You mean I am not crazy anymore!? :jump:

You mean I am not crazy anymore!? :jump:

 

 

 

What a dilemma. Sounds like that old "have you stopped beating your wife" question.

 

If I say "yes", you're not crazy now. If I say "no", maybe you never were until now.

 

Both answers are problematic.

If Carroll wanted Wilson to be the hero, he would have had him throwing on first and goal from the 5. Why would he give Lynch the ball on first down? This is non-sense. I will let Papa try to answer your question. He is wiser than me and can maybe figure out your conundrum...

If Carroll wanted Wilson to be the hero, he would have had him throwing on first and goal from the 5. Why would he give Lynch the ball on first down? This is non-sense. I will let Papa try to answer your question. He is wiser than me and can maybe figure out your conundrum...

 

My sympathies.

A large part of the NFL's popularity is based on gambling. Gamblers won't like a coach or other team officials gaming the system based on who they want to promote....to the detriment of the team's chances of winning. I can't believe this has occurred. Is Goodell going to look into it? This in some ways is similar to "throwing the game." The NFL cannot abide this.

No way I'm believing any if the conspiracy theory stuff. It's not like Pete Carroll doesn't have a history of overthinking critical plays in championship games. Ask Reggie Bush who was on the sidelines when USC was at 4th and 2 against Texas.

 

Pete Carroll made a dumb play call. Sometimes people do dumb things. That's what happened for all of us to see.

Sometimes karma is just karma.

 

And that was heck of a play by the rookie. No way it was scripted.

I refuse to read this thread and can't believe it is up to 56 posts.

The main reason this holds no water is because the media controls who wins the award. Even if Lynch scores a 2nd TD, the media can simply vote for Matthews or Wagner, or Wilson, or whomever the heck they want. There's no chance they were voting for Lynch, regardless of his #'s.

I never said anything about the game being fixed so you need to address the point spread posts, not mine.

 

You don't think Pete would care if one of his players caused a national cluster. Talking about cheese sliding off a cracker.

My "fixed" comments were to anyone thinking that way. If you don't think that way it wasn't directed at you.

 

And seriously? Lynch winning MVP would cause a national cluster?

While the play call was questionable at best, if Wilson makes a better throw everyone is talking about what a ballsy call Pete made. If you watch the replay the play was there and Wilson just didn't make a good pass. He throws to the left shoulder it's a TD.