Betting as traditionally been more of a guy thing. The Big Game, the Awards shows are much more exciting if you have some money riding on the outcome or so I’m told. This Year’s Super Bowl outcome and the Oscar winner for Best Picture, could be cases in point.
What were the odds that the New England Patriots would overcome a 16 point deficit in the Fourth Quarter to tie the game? I imagine a bet placed there could pay off large. I made note, when watching the game on television, when the commentator exclaimed, it’s a “two score game now, a two score game!” Or something like that. I thought it odd that this commentator didn’t go on to inform the millions watching the game, that don’t usually follow football, that the Patriots would need to score two touchdowns and two, two point conversions to tie the game. Two point conversion attempts are rare in football and the odds of one being successful is against it. The chances of running the football into the end zone, in stead of kicking it through the uprights of the goal posts seemed deserving of mention, unless it was a foregone conclusion. Maybe this was just great confidence in New England quarterback, Tom Brady. Maybe it was knowing something that most watchers didn’t know.
Why the high flying Atlanta Falcons, could have easily won the game, by running the ball and kicking a field goal, decided to instead go against conventional wisdom and keep passing, might be best answered off camera.
It is so easy to influence the outcome of a football game, right down to seeing that there will be overtime. On virtually every play there is reason for someone on the officiating crew to throw a penalty flag. Flags can make first downs, create, “do over” opportunities or anything else that people who like to demonstrate their power want.
I believe that it is a given that where big money is involved so goes big cheating.
♦◊♦
Many men spend a great deal of time following football. Many fall for the distraction of disputed disclosure of minor cheating, such as deflated footballs, from the blatant big time game rigging. Men often pride themselves on being able to analyze multiple factors towards predicting the winner. Their predictions might not happen, due to some back luck or bad officiating, but they don’t even like to imagine what really determines outcomes.
It is seldom reported how much money is bet on the Oscars and what kind of bets are made. Google it if you are interested and don’t know, but know that it is big money with quite a variety of options to go after it. I’m not saying that I have any information on what the odds were that the award for Best Picture would be announced incorrectly, only that I imagine the pay off was huge.
Some men, who were doing well with managing their addictions to the point of not needing to con people to get money for their drug fix, did so anyway.
|
I think the pay off for the powerful who pull at the rigging strings is not the money, but on the “get over” high associated with the masses believing in highly convoluted explanations as to what happened.
I learned about “get over” highs from counseling men with substance abuse disorders. Some men, who were doing well with managing their addictions to the point of not needing to con people to get money for their drug fix, did so anyway. They did so, not just to pay some bills, but also to feel the rush of screwing someone out of money.
Many men like it when their impeccable taste in cinematography is validated by those in the business who get to vote. They buy into the ridiculous spectacle of Price Waterhouse accountants parading on stage as a sign of truth in process protection. These fellows are always out of “central casting.” They wear uniforms that our counter point to what is paraded on the red carpet.
Never mind that most of what costs millions to produce is pure crap. Never mind the pathways to stardom, most actors must tread. Pretend that the Oscars show cases the “creme de la creme” with the Oscar going to the best there is. If you don’t have money on the outcome, what difference does it make anyway?
As I spend less time urging on my football heroes from my coach and less time getting political wisdom for the stars, I find everyday life to be filled with much finer drama, even though nobody is betting on whether I can make rent next month.
I was disappointed that a musical didn’t garner an Oscar for being the best. I believe that Tom Brady demonstrated amazing grace under pressure. I have no plans to avoid “LaLa land,” completely. After all how much time can one spend in the land of rigged justice, rigged elections, rigged media and rigged economics?
_____
Photo credit: Getty Images