NOTE TO SUBSCRIBERS. THERE WILL BE NO DAN ON SPORTS NEWSLETTER FOR SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NEXT WEEK. I WILL RETURN ON WEDNESDAY MORNING.
Good morning, all! I hope your weekend is off to a terrific start!
In the above video I give you my Picks for Kicks/Week 8 and discuss the NFL fines against the New York Giants, coach Brian Daboll and Cam Skattebo.
I am reading a lot of unsubstantiated speculation on social media and even in the online newspapers about the NBA betting scandal, allegedly involving Terry Rozier, Damon Jones, and the poker-related scam allegedly involving Portland Trail Blazers coach and NBA Hall of Fame player Chauncey Billups. (Rozier and Billups have been placed on leave with pay by the NBA. Jones was a former NBA player and assistant coach.) The allegations are serious; very serious. But what I am reading is just as serious.
People are writing about this being “the tip of the iceberg.” Even the highly-respected sports section of the Boston Globe is writing about a betting culture that permeates the NBA. Maybe! Maybe not! But to suggest that this is the “tip of the iceberg” without any proof is wrong. Being directly involved in the outcome of a game - be it a player, coach, assistant coach, executive, trainer, official - also means yours and a sport’s integrity are on the line. To automatically put everyone’s integrity in question without any proof is slanderous.
To suggest that NBA commissioner Adam Silver has essentially sold his soul to the betting companies and now reaps what he sows, as I read in the Globe, is dangerous stuff.
To also intimate that this extends to other organized, professional sports in this country and that referees could be on the take by how they officiate games without proof is also vicious.
I am not naive enough to think there are not underground elements attempting to attach themselves to sports or any form of activity that involves wagering on games. But any investigative journalism into these and possible other charges related to illegal activity better be well-sourced. “Undisclosed sources say” is not going to cut it with me.
These allegations are serious. To blatantly paint an entire sport or sports with these charges without any proof or with “sources say” is as scandalous as the allegations being levied against those in question. Let the investigators investigate, before giving off half-baked opinions with no basis in truth.
Here are some other thoughts as another World Series gets underway:
The most home runs ever hit by one player in a single World Series is five. Three players share the record and one of them is still active. He is playing for Toronto and perhaps you have heard of him. George Springer, who hit five for the Houston Astros in the 2017 World Series against the, you guessed it, Los Angeles Dodgers. By the way, the other two are Chase Utley of the Phillies against the Yankees in 2009 and Reggie Jackson of the Yankees against the Dodgers in the 1977 Series.
Now there is talk of an expanded College Football playoff system from 12 to 24 teams. A committee working on expansion has until Dec. 1 to submit its recommendations.
Can we put the baseball labor issues on hold, until after the World Series, please?
Congress wants to hear from NBA commissioner Adam Silver about these betting allegations.
NBA ratings were not only high for the season-opening games on Tuesday but for ESPN’s Wednesday doubleheader. The two games averaged a 2.33M viewing audience, a 44% jump from last year.
NBA coach Steve Kerr has some interesting things to say about the betting scandal:
“I think the biggest thing is that our players face a lot of wrath (from) fans,” I’ve talked to our guys; our guys get nasty social media posts from people who have bet on games. That’s the thing that I don’t like about this the most. Our players should not have to deal with that, but they do. They probably would anyway, even if we didn’t have a partnership with these companies.
-Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors coach
Dodgers in five.
Two months until Christmas, for those keeping score at home.
That is going to do it for today’s newsletter. Thank you for your support and have a great weekend!
DAN
