Conspiracy or paranoia?

[saintsdisco]

@ bluthy

[SAAD]

Lol bluuuuthy that's hilarious. I urge all Saints fans to blow up the Masonic Lodge in your district

[saintsdisco]

Jihad on the masons, might be a little overreaction

[bergholt]

to me free kicks are a bit like playing two up.........play long enough and there should be an even number somewhere along the line...

What? Why? Each team has different players and plays a different game style, so why should the counts end up equal?

[mullet]

If you look really closely at the Mona Lisa it looks just like Andy Demetriou

[desertsaint]

We're a little club. At the back of their minds there's less pressure making wrong calls against us than against a big club.
We need to bring them to account publicly. It can hardly get worse. One of the smartest things Hird did as captain of Essendon was to publicly name an umpire that he felt held a bias against his club. After a week of bull and repatriation it all settled down, and Essendon benefitted immediately by umpires not wanting to be seen as holding a grudge, especially after Hird's apology and mandatory rehabilitation program.
We all know about 'whispers in the sky' and the effect of Thomas's criticisms - but he was seen as an upstart lucky to be an afl coach. More importantly there was no apology and pretend reconditioning. Get a respected player like Hayes to bring it up. Trouble is Hayes is more the type to wear it and soldier on.

[dragit]

We should try and get a sponsorship from a Xanax or Diazepam manufacturer if centrebet falls through… Would be nice to get a years supply with our membership packs.

[Mr Magic]

We're a little club. At the back of their minds there's less pressure making wrong calls against us than against a big club.
We need to bring them to account publicly. It can hardly get worse. One of the smartest things Hird did as captain of Essendon was to publicly name an umpire that he felt held a bias against his club. After a week of bull and repatriation it all settled down, and Essendon benefitted immediately by umpires not wanting to be seen as holding a grudge, especially after Hird's apology and mandatory rehabilitation program.
We all know about 'whispers in the sky' and the effect of Thomas's criticisms - but he was seen as an upstart lucky to be an afl coach. More importantly there was no apology and pretend reconditioning. Get a respected player like Hayes to bring it up. Trouble is Hayes is more the type to wear it and soldier on.

And I don't believe that Schneider's inability to win a fair share of free kicks since he sarcastically 'clapped' that umpire is a pure co-incidence.
If I take the next step then it seems unbelievable to me that all umpires individually came to the conclusion to 'punish' him for his 'act of disrespect' to that umpire.
So why does it continue to occur, years after the incident took place?

Why does Lindsay Thomas, a renowned and publicly outed 'free kick cheat' continue to get awarded free kicks at the slightest touch, yet Milne needs to actually 'show the bullet hole' to an umpire to get anything?

If you put a camera on Roo for the whole game I believe you would see that he is infringed against in nearly ever marking contest and yet he averages a little more than 1 free kick per game over his career (and fans from other teams often jeer that he is a 'protected species')

As for 'holding the ball' and 'incorrect disposal', those rules make the weekly MRP chooklotto look like a well oiled and transparent system.

Now as regards to the 'dropping the knees' and/or 'ducking the head' tactics that seem to have been mastered by an ever growing number of players, it would seem that Bartlett (Rules Committee) gave us all the answer - I believe he stated that Razor Ray's interpretation of the rule as stated to Ablett was correct - it's only a 'play on' if the player ducking is using his head as a battering ram.
Therefore there is nothing in the actual rules to say it is not legal to wriggle/wrestle/contort/duck yourself so as to draw high/low contact and win a free kick. The only proviso seemingly is the umpires' opinion on whether you've taken too long to do that? Freom the replay of Sunday's game it appeared that the 3 umpires felt trhat no WCE player could be tackled long enough to reach that point.

If that is going to continue then we better either stop tackling or learn to combat it.

[SinCitySainter]

Some ppl have suggested that umps can be bought off by criminals to influence a result.
Well, it would be too hard to involve players unless it was something like that Filth defender who started a game in the F50. Bets were placed on him kicking first goal.
There are 22 players; but only 3 field umps;
they are held sacred and untouchable, criticism by footy officials is a guaranteed fine; journos risk sanctions by the AFL.
"Absolute power corrupts absolutely" it has been said.
The Vatican gets away with a lot of stuff because of who they are. Allegations that Pope JP 1 was poisoned; no autopsy permitted on a Pontiff (supposed to be thinking of allowing contraception, etc, far too progressive, upset the Old Guard with his planned radical changes).
If you're not held accountable, you can get away with MURDER.
Occam's Razor says that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one.
How else to explain radical and abrupt 360 turn around in the umpiring on Sunday?

Actually you are misquoting Occam's Razor, what it actually says is the "hypothesis with the fewest number of assumptions should be selected".
To state deliberate collusion would require a conspiracy on the scale of believing the moon landings never happened.
We are a small club so it is far easier to dismiss our protestations than the bigger clubs.
Umpires are human they know that decisions that go against us do not receive the same level of critical analysis as would a decision against say Collingwood.
Imagine the press in Perth had the game gone the other way around.
The umpires would have been pilloried but in Melbourne because of who we are the discussion is "Oh well you only have yourselves to blame".
Umpires are just human and human nature dictates that we take the path of least resistance in most things.
So it goes with umpires it is easier to err on the side of the big clubs than the small.
By definition Occam's razor supports this and not some conspiracy theory.

[Bluthy]

….psssstt…over here…behind the banner.

I’m not sure who I can trust here anymore after I blew the cover off this conspiracy. This site may have been infiltrated by Freemasons, the Illuminati or possibly…aliens (I think I was anally probed in my sleep the other night, though my flatmate was giving me some funny looks the next day). The more I study the umpires the more like aliens they seem – bizarre fey ways of moving, strange hand signals and making decisions that not one human being would say makes any sense. I often see them communicating through an earpiece – I’m sure to their mothership.

Luckily I managed to escape from the institution before the freemasons could interrogate me. I could tell they were masons as they insisted on me taking my “medication” to try and silence me. As coincidence would have it my cellmate knew all about the freemasons. He said they were fighting with his Demons. That would explain why Melbourne are completely s***. And everyone is blaming poor Mark Neal. Another sacrificial pawn in this unholy game of world domination.

The more I dig, the vaster and more elaborate this conspiracy turns out to be. If I wasn’t so sure I was right I’d assume I was going crazy. No more sleep until I put this jigsaw together- that’s a good idea. What is the AFL’s role in all this? I’ve placed a listening device in their meeting rooms. I’m sure they won’t find that.

I can’t stay logged on too long. They could be able to track me through my internet connection. Or possibly through a microchip they implanted in me when I was being probed (note to self: pull out all teeth to be sure – as added bonus will be able to go undercover in the Collingwood cheer squad).

Remember: Strength through loyalty (actually if I'm honest with myself I'm kind of looking forward to another probing).

[markp]

Some ppl have suggested that umps can be bought off by criminals to influence a result.
Well, it would be too hard to involve players unless it was something like that Filth defender who started a game in the F50. Bets were placed on him kicking first goal.
There are 22 players; but only 3 field umps;
they are held sacred and untouchable, criticism by footy officials is a guaranteed fine; journos risk sanctions by the AFL.
"Absolute power corrupts absolutely" it has been said.
The Vatican gets away with a lot of stuff because of who they are. Allegations that Pope JP 1 was poisoned; no autopsy permitted on a Pontiff (supposed to be thinking of allowing contraception, etc, far too progressive, upset the Old Guard with his planned radical changes).
If you're not held accountable, you can get away with MURDER.
Occam's Razor says that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one.
How else to explain radical and abrupt 360 turn around in the umpiring on Sunday?

Actually you are misquoting Occam's Razor, what it actually says is the "hypothesis with the fewest number of assumptions should be selected".
To state deliberate collusion would require a conspiracy on the scale of believing the moon landings never happened.
We are a small club so it is far easier to dismiss our protestations than the bigger clubs.
Umpires are human they know that decisions that go against us do not receive the same level of critical analysis as would a decision against say Collingwood.
Imagine the press in Perth had the game gone the other way around.
The umpires would have been pilloried but in Melbourne because of who we are the discussion is "Oh well you only have yourselves to blame".
Umpires are just human and human nature dictates that we take the path of least resistance in most things.
So it goes with umpires it is easier to err on the side of the big clubs than the small.
By definition Occam's razor supports this and not some conspiracy theory.

It's a solid theory and definitely high on my list.

There's less chance the umpire will be scrutinised or called to account if the game result goes as expected, or is seen as the right/optimal one. Even if they do make a few howlers.

All the more reason for us to make an official stink I guess, and be the squeaky wheel for a change.

Although for now it matters not, and kinda suits our purpose... providing we don't throw pick 3 away.

The AFL sees and treats us like the washignton generals... only sustained success and big club membership levels will change that.

[saintsdisco]

May well you skeptics make fun of this conspiracy issue, but I have information that could be bigger than watergate. I know a man, who was walking through the car park prior to the game on Sunday, when he noticed a heavy set man in his late 40's of what he described Grecian appearance. He watched this man approach another thinly built younger Caucasian man, with very manicured legs and very fit, as he described, built like a four month old gazelle. He thought that the older man looked familiar and watched as the two men greeted each other. He tells me that the older swarmy looking gentleman had a paper bag in his had which he gave the younger man in his left hand and shook hands with the right. The younger man looked very pleased with what was in the bag and thanked the older man, then both men parted company, with the sounds of cackling and merriment. Now my fellow SS comrades, I ask you, does that not sound somewhat sinister ?
There can be a few possibilities that can explain what happened.
1: the older Grecian gentleman was in fact the younger Caucasian mans father bringing him his lunch which he forgot..... Probably due to the fear of what he was about to do.... And if so then I think that the younger mans mother may have some explaining to do on why there son looks SO Caucasian or at the very least why there son is shaving his legs.
2: the older Grecian man was in fact a gyros delivery guy, probably the owner trying to save $12.60 per hour paying someone and was delivering this guys afternoon snack.
3: the bag contained peptides!!!! The Caucasian man probably knew that there would be 30,000 people who would want to string him up at the end of the game, and needed the extra juice to get his ass off etihad quicker than usan bolt running a 100m sprint.
4: it was a Good Samaritan who came to the aid of a man having breathing difficulty as he knew what he was about to do could lead to maiming, and the bag was for his hyperventilating.
5: Money.
Well there you have it, a case more mysterious than who shot JR!
You be the judge, but please keep it to your selfs, the man whom I only know as deep throat insisted!

[stevie]

If the cheats are going to win a free kick anyway, instead of tackling them, just ram them in the head with a well placed knee or hip.

A broken jaw or worse will soon stop the pieces of s***

[SinCitySainter]

If the cheats are going to win a free kick anyway, instead of tackling them, just ram them in the head with a well placed knee or hip.

A broken jaw or worse will soon stop the pieces of s***

I see only one flaw in this plan and that is the four week suspension that would go with breaking the cheaters jaw.

[stevie]

If the cheats are going to win a free kick anyway, instead of tackling them, just ram them in the head with a well placed knee or hip.

A broken jaw or worse will soon stop the pieces of s***

I see only one flaw in this plan and that is the four week suspension that would go with breaking the cheaters jaw.

Yeah true, bro. But by God it would be refreshing

[Moorabbin Man]

Let's get Mulder & Scully on the case.

[ace]

Andrew Demetriou has never forgiven Ross Oakley then CEO of the AFL for not stepping in to save Demetriou's North Meblourne from the brink.
Demetriou is determined to get revenge on Oakley by destroying St Kilda.
Destroying St Kilda with plausible deniability while creating an illusion that he is there to help.
When the club becomes the Wellington Saints he may be satisified.

Cane toads go "corrupt, corrupt, corrupt".
Demetriou is a cane toad.

[saintspremiers]

Andrew Demetriou has never forgiven Ross Oakley then CEO of the AFL for not stepping in to save Demetriou's North Meblourne from the brink.
Demetriou is determined to get revenge on Oakley by destroying St Kilda.
Destroying St Kilda with plausible deniability while creating an illusion that he is there to help.
When the club becomes the Wellington Saints he may be satisified.

Cane toads go "corrupt, corrupt, corrupt".
Demetriou is a cane toad.

Love your work ace.

Not even I could join the dots like you have, nor could Curly for that matter!

[ralphsmith]

Whispers in the sky is proof enough there is match fixing

[Bluthy]

So just how far down the rabbit hole do you want to go?

According to google there never WAS a “Saint Kilda”. So our famous football club was named after a fictional patron saint? Why? For what purpose? Either there is a massive cover up going on to hide an inconvenient and damaging truth or I’ve gone completely off the deep end. I think we all know which is more likely.

I was angrily explaining this elaborate lie to a guy at the pub using a lot of expansive (and sometimes dangerous) hand gestures. He initially looked uninterested and then began looking anxious, edging away and avoiding eye contact. Obviously the freemasons got to him as well. Is no one safe?

A man in the corner shielded by the dark, lit up a cigarette and signalled me over. He had overheard our conversation. As coincidence would have it, he had just recently heard of a codex that had come onto the market that had been in the possession of the Vatican for centuries. It allegedly detailed the history of a certain “Saint Kilda”. He said to obtain it would cost $1000 payable in cash. Next Friday I handed him the cash in the pub car park and he pulled the codex out the boot of his Datsun. He was in an extreme hurry as he threw the rolled up document at me, leapt in the driver seat and roared off. He must have been terrified of the masons as well.

Who would have thought they would have used blue ink centuries ago? And loose leaf college ruled paper? Unfortunately the codex was in extremely bad condition and unreadable. It must have been sabotaged by the Masons (or possibly aliens). I could however make out the words “eggs, milk, tomatoe sauce” on the back. A code?

I was getting close to something big. I could feel it. The truth is out there. (note to self: buy all the eggs, milk and tomatoe sauce at the supermarket to look for clues)

[freobob]

your blokes didn't stand a chance, clik here http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/afl/if ... 6661289822

[bigcarl]

Here's a question to the statisticians among us. Who are the serial offenders among our players when it comes to giving kicks away? I know, for instance, that the umpires never pass up a chance to ping Milney and I'd expect that to be born out by the stats.

The other side of it ... Kicks that should have gone our way but didn't ... would be much harder to research. But I reckon Milne would be high up in that one also

[stinger]

We're a little club. At the back of their minds there's less pressure making wrong calls against us than against a big club.
We need to bring them to account publicly. It can hardly get worse. One of the smartest things Hird did as captain of Essendon was to publicly name an umpire that he felt held a bias against his club. After a week of bull and repatriation it all settled down, and Essendon benefitted immediately by umpires not wanting to be seen as holding a grudge, especially after Hird's apology and mandatory rehabilitation program.
We all know about 'whispers in the sky' and the effect of Thomas's criticisms - but he was seen as an upstart lucky to be an afl coach. More importantly there was no apology and pretend reconditioning. Get a respected player like Hayes to bring it up. Trouble is Hayes is more the type to wear it and soldier on.

And I don't believe that Schneider's inability to win a fair share of free kicks since he sarcastically 'clapped' that umpire is a pure co-incidence.
If I take the next step then it seems unbelievable to me that all umpires individually came to the conclusion to 'punish' him for his 'act of disrespect' to that umpire.
So why does it continue to occur, years after the incident took place?

Why does Lindsay Thomas, a renowned and publicly outed 'free kick cheat' continue to get awarded free kicks at the slightest touch, yet Milne needs to actually 'show the bullet hole' to an umpire to get anything?

If you put a camera on Roo for the whole game I believe you would see that he is infringed against in nearly ever marking contest and yet he averages a little more than 1 free kick per game over his career (and fans from other teams often jeer that he is a 'protected species')

As for 'holding the ball' and 'incorrect disposal', those rules make the weekly MRP chooklotto look like a well oiled and transparent system.

Now as regards to the 'dropping the knees' and/or 'ducking the head' tactics that seem to have been mastered by an ever growing number of players, it would seem that Bartlett (Rules Committee) gave us all the answer - I believe he stated that Razor Ray's interpretation of the rule as stated to Ablett was correct - it's only a 'play on' if the player ducking is using his head as a battering ram.
Therefore there is nothing in the actual rules to say it is not legal to wriggle/wrestle/contort/duck yourself so as to draw high/low contact and win a free kick. The only proviso seemingly is the umpires' opinion on whether you've taken too long to do that? Freom the replay of Sunday's game it appeared that the 3 umpires felt trhat no WCE player could be tackled long enough to reach that point.

If that is going to continue then we better either stop tackling or learn to combat it.

excellent post mm.....