Controversial No Call in Detroit - Dallas Playoff Game as Dez Bryant Runs on the Field, Attempts to Kiss Referee

Dez Bryant getting rejected by referee Lee Dyer

The NFL playoffs began this past weekend and no game was more highly anticipated than the NFC matchup between the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys.  The game did not disappoint as the two sides tangled in a close matchup that left the Dallas Cowboys victorious over the hard luck Lions.

But the game was not without controversy.  No moment was more talked about than when, late in the game, during a pivotal moment Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant was overcome with passion and attempted to run onto the field and give a deep loving kiss to referee Lee Dyer.

Dyer, a pillar of professionalism, quickly waved off Bryant's romantic overtures and gestured for him to return to the sideline.  Still, many pointed out that just because Bryant's attempted make out sesh failed to be consummated did not mean there should not have been a flag on the play.

"He is an offensive player not coming in as a substitute." Analyst and former NFL coach Tony Dungy observed.  "There is no reason he is out there other than to... (kiss referee Lee Dyer full on the mouth, French style) . Every official should have thrown a flag at that point. At the very least it should have been another 15-yard penalty. And there is no way you can justify not calling that.”

Several analysts agreed with Dungy's assessment.

ESPN columnist Kevin Seifert clearly mapped out the rule in the official NFL rulebook prohibiting on-the-field necking in his Inside Slant article.  "Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1(jk) prohibits "removal of a helmet by a player in the field of play or the end zone during a celebration or demonstration or during a confrontation or with the purpose of planting a big wet one on a game official or any other player."

Tony Romo was asked about the moment after the game and whether or not it would be used as a tactic to unnerve the Green Bay Packers next week in Lambeau but Romo, played it coy.  "Oh, wow... I haven't been thinking, to be honest I've just been so wrapped up in tonight I haven't thought one bit about that.  We'll have to see."

Many players did not share in Romo's elation at Bryant's brazen public display of affection.  The Detroit Lions defense became so jealous of Lee Dyer that they completely fell apart.  Committing penaly after penalty on the games deciding drive.

"You're out there with the guy.  Trying to grab him, get him on the ground all game and that's who he goes after?  It's hurts a little, you know?  You feel a little betrayed." Lions safety Don Carey said afterwards.

One person particularly distraught was Lion's defensive player Ndamukong Suh.

Suh was so utterly crushed that he was not the target of Bryant's aborted love revolution he struggled to hold back tears of disappointment during his post-game press conference and ultimately had to excuse himself so that he could weep in a physical state of solitude so as to match his emotional state of heartbreak.

In his own post game press conference, Dallas coach Jason Garret downplayed Bryant's effort to recreate the tongue dancing scene from Top Gun.  "Emotions were running high and Dez is an emotional guy.  We'll sit down with him and talk about when it is appropriate to do those type of things and when it is not."

Whether or not this was simply a random flirtation for Bryant, he can be sure that he found at least two allies in his effort to liberate the NFL from the chains of love as Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie were briefly shown initiating a raucous orgy in the owner's box suite.  Whether or not this orgy was a form a celebration for the win or  simply a part of Jones' and Christie's Satanic worship rituals was not clear.

Jones and Christie prepare for their orgy with an unknown third individual likely to be used as human sacrifice to their lord and savior, The Prince of Darkness.

*Requests for comment from the Cowboys Organization or Governor Chris Christie were not returned.

Baseball: The New Exciting Playoffs and The New Pointless Regular Season

The Giants are World Series champs for the third time in five years.  The series against the Kansas City Royals was nothing short of a barn burner.  It had all the plot twists of an instant classic: close match-ups, exciting comebacks, and nail biting finishes.  Madison Bumgarner turned in a spectacular pitching performance for the ages.  And when all the dust has cleared the Giants make for the least convincing baseball "dynasty" of all time.

Such is the new age of baseball that we live in.  One where two teams can carry a sub .550 winning percentage all the way to the World Series.  Baseball, more than any other major North American sport requires time to determine excellence.  It is why it has the longest regular season of any sport and why up until the 90s only 4 teams progressed to the playoffs.

Now, with the twice expanded playoff system allowing for 10 teams in each league to compete for the World Series in the post-season, teams like the Giants need to build a roster that can play just well enough to get in and then pull out all the stops in a short series.

It is what it is.  Are the Giants a dynasty?  I don't think so, but that's mostly a subjective term anyway.  What isn't subjective is that they won three World Series in a stretch that saw them have only the 7th best winning percentage (.538) behind the Yankees, Cardinals, Braves, Tigers, Rays, and Rangers.

If these Giants teams had been playing in pre-playoff expansion they would have only even made the playoffs once in the last five years (2010).  And the Giant's World Series opponents?  They've never faced one that finished the regular season with a record better than fourth in the American League (2010 Rangers 4th, 2012 Tigers 7th, 2014 Royals 4th).

Royals fans loved a postseason run, but their team finished with only 89 wins and a run differential of +27.

All of this points to a truth that has been unquestionably apparent in Major League Baseball for a few years now:  Being the "best" doesn't matter.

No sport has the perfect playoff system for finding the truly best team.  I a way, that's the whole point.  But at a certain point, 162 games feels a bit redundant if they don't really matter.  Parity is fun, but if you're going to make the MLB post-season into March Madness, something should probably be done about that pesky regular season.

As logical as it would be, it's unlikely MLB would walk away from all the money that have 162 games every season brings in.  Maybe the league could try separating the season and playoffs from each other into two separate trophies, like European soccer leagues.  The switch would add value to the regular season but it would also challenge the playoff system in a country where playoffs are all anyone has ever known.

There aren't any easy solutions and as long as the playoffs remain unpredictable and exciting it is unlikely MLB is going to look very hard for one.  So, just sit back and cozy up to the idea that you're about to care about June baseball even less than you already do.  But keep the popcorn ready when October rolls around.

Derek Jeter Commerical Giving Me the Feels

As the baseball season winds down this summer/fall so too winds down the career of Yankee (and all-around) great, Derek Jeter.

More on this coming soon from Rated Wrong, but in the meantime I feel it would be a disservice to the internet to not give a tip of my cap to the great Jeter inspired commericials that have cropped up this year.  By now, most everyone has seen the Jordan Brand, "RE2PECT" commerical.  Even Boston fans (who have always had something of a begrudged admiration for Jeter) approved.

Now Gatorade has set to the task of topping Jordan with their own ode to the Yankee captain.

First, lets state the obvious:  This is an incredible piece of advertising.  It's classy, emotional and understated.  The black & white, Jeter's cool demeanor, you see the excited faces of all those kids and it makes you almost forget about that gatorade cooler not-so-subtlely stashed in the background.  The use of Frank Sinatra puts it over the top in my opinion.  Hearing old blue eyes croon out "My Way" as Jeter mingles with genuine fans makes it difficult for even a casual fan of baseball to keep it together.

I don't want to get too carried away since I'm planning a whole "End of an Era" piece next week, but suffice it to say, Gatorade done good here.