The NHL in Vega$

If I'm betting right now on a Penguins' final destination against pro sports' tendency to expand, I'm making Vegas an even-money proposition.

It's a hunch, but let's look at Las Vegas:

. . . the 29th largest city in the United States in 2000, but recent estimates suggest that the city's population has since surpassed that of Atlanta, Nashville, Washington, D.C., Louisville, Denver and Boston to place it 22nd in rank. It is likely to surpass Milwaukee and possibly a few other cities to reach the top 20 by the time of the 2010 Census.

Bigger than Milwaukee! Yowsa!

The gambling question has always made the proprietors of pro leagues look away from Vegas, but in recent years their cool sanctimony has withered under the changing climate.  The NBA will hold its All-Star Weekend in Vegas in '07 (if only to ensure the likelihood everyone shows up for media day and indeed, the game itself, all-star games being the most overrated and bloated non-events on the calendar there is, in any sport). Casinos are a part of the landscape now, and indeed all three slots emporiums in the running for a Pennsylvania gambling license include to varying degrees a Penguins home in their pitches - the winner will be determined in a critical gaming board decision Wednesday (and for the latest on the boondoggle beat, always check in on Field of Schemes). The WNBA put a team in a casino, for heaven's sake (like the 07 NBA all-stars, no betting is allowed on games). And let's just raise a glass and leave it at that for the debt the NFL owes to Vegas sports books that are packed to the gills every Sunday afternoon.

This is not something that can be called an ill-conceived, doomed notion borne out of desparation, and it has nothing to do with sanctimony: If the NHL doesn't get there first, someone else will, and soon. Just a hunch, but I reckon the thought has done a lot more than crossed Gary Bettman's mind. It'll happen. Far greater hockey minds than this one are touting Kansas City, for one, if the Penguins do up and move. But Vegas, and a major pro franchise? It's just a question of when.

Into the weekend: From Pro-Line to No-Line

Time to wrap things up, looking ahead to the annual exercise in masochism known around JABS Mansion as Browns Weekend. It's even supposed to rain. Joy.

But first, with all this idiocy at Queen's Park about outlawing online gaming advertising, a word about the province-run sports lottery, which ought to be sued for false advertising after they played chicken (again) last Sunday, taking the Bengals game off the board. In other words, it's not such a bad weekend to be away after all.

On to the usual . . .

One last read. The New York Times' Vincent Mallozzi caught up with Joe Frazier in Philadelphia this week:

Ten pounds heavier, but millions of dollars lighter, according to Frazier and the marketing people who work with him. Over the years, Frazier has lost a fortune through a combination of his own generosity and naïveté, his carousing, failed business opportunities and a deep hatred for his former chief boxing rival, Muhammad Ali. The other headliners from his fighting days — Ali, George Foreman and Larry Holmes — are millionaires.
But while Ali has benefited from lucrative licensing agreements and remains one the world’s most recognized and celebrated athletes, Frazier lives alone in an apartment one staircase above the gym where he and others train young fighters in a run-down part of town.
“This is my primary residence,” he said. “Don’t matter much. I’m on the road most of the time, anyway.”

One last e-mail. Monday's Notes from a Weekend post wondering where the hell all the hats were when Mats Sundin completed his hat trick brought this one to raise hopes that there is some life in the old ACC-mausoleum-on-Leaf-nights after all, from Aunt Wendy:

My two nephews, Steven, 19, and Matt, 23, were at the game, sitting in the Gold section (I might add that this was a once in a lifetime ticket for them, to celebrate a 19th birthday) behind the Flames bench and when Mats scored his 500th and third of the game in overtime, both of them, along with several others, threw their hats on the ice!
Steven, the 19 year old, had just bought his hat a couple of weeks before (camaflouged Leafs hat, of course!!) and hesitated for only a second in throwing it, sure that he would be able to buy another one after the game, only to be disappointed in finding out that particular hat was no longer available!
So there's at least one hat in a pile of them, that truly was thrown in the best of moments, with no regrets afterward, although a little disappointment.

One last salute. To Eric McErlain, whose Off Wing Opinion is one of the best hockey-centric sports blogs around. Eric has been picked up by NBC Sports, so check him out.

One last view. Joe (Jellybean) Bryant, otherwise known as Kobe's dad, dunks on Kareem (thanks to the TBJ's J.E. Skeets).

Sports around town.  The Pattison Canadian International has a field of 10 at Woodbine on Sunday, along with the E.P. Taylor as good as it gets for major-league thoroughbred racing in these parts - although according to Jennifer Morrison, the heavy rain of this week isn't exactly what International favourite Go Deputy likes.

Watching. Well, whatever comes up in front of me - I'm away, right? But Real Madrid-Barcelona is one of those matchups that carries some potential for fireworks, Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. on GOLTV.

Pooch punts. Jinks the Viszla went 0-5 last week. Which is, frankly, amazing. I mean, 2-3 or 1-4 is just crappy. But 0-5? That's perfection. This weekend he's scarfing down: KANSAS CITY +5, Denver -4 1/2 (BAD Dawg!), New England -5 1/2, HOUSTON +9 1/2 and the NY JETS -3 1/2.

Stanley Cup odds

While the Leafs go through medicals, some highlights from sportsbook.com's Stanley Cup odds:

Associated Press

Pavel Datsyuk: Stanley Cup favourite.

Red Wings are 6-to-1 favourites, with Ottawa next at 7-1 and four teams (New Jersey, Calgary, Buffalo and Philly) at 12-1.

Canadian clubs: Vancouver 20-1, Edmonton 25-1, Montreal 30-1 and last on the northern tote board, Toronto at 40-1.

Colder than Bobby Clarke: Washington, Chicago and St. Louis at 100-1.

A couple of value plays, at least to me: Buffalo at 12-1, Tampa Bay at 25-1.

Incidentally, Leafs are 11th down the board on the Eastern Conference odds board, 20-1 to win the group.

Related. Dave Perkins has a word for online gambling and it is - beware:

It's an industry perhaps not in turmoil, but certainly at a crossroads given the recent arrests of executives by U.S. law enforcement officials who are trying to put the genie back in the bottle. (And never will.)

Online bookmaker suspends action on Rock Star Supernova due to suspicious bump in wagering on eventual winner Lukas Rossi of Toronto (Betting on reality TV seems a bit, uh, degenerate to me -- but not as much as taking action on it. Thanks to Ben Maller for the links).

Into the weekend: Boneyard buddies

Doing these updates from the Canadian Open, there's precious little time for blogging, but this certainly is worth a look: Boca Juniors plan a cemetery for their diehard fans:

REUTERS

Wanna be buried next to him?

Home of football greats such as Diego Maradona, Boca had already started making available coffins bearing the team's blue and yellow colours.
Now fans can buy one of 3,000 Boca plots set aside in the Iraola cemetery, some 37 miles (60 km) from the capital.

Great idea. Next up, we can plan exclusive boneyards for people who talk on cellphones all game long, Raiders fans, adult autograph seekers, Pierre McGuire, Platinum-seat holders who spend the first 10 minutes of each period nibbling on shrimp, Raiders fans, anyone who laughed during Men With Brooms ... Hey, there's a weekend assignment. What other fan groups deserve to rot alongside each other? Go to it, kids.

One last e-mail. Much rantage off this week's NFL in Toronto post, but here's Paul Smith of Delta, B.C., seriously:

I'm a longtime football fan, as are my three sons. We enjoy and support CFL, NFL and NCAA, and in the past few years have seen games in Toronto (CFL), Denver (NFL), Seattle (NFL), South Bend (NCAA) and Seattle (NCAA).
I have respect for both Ted Rogers and Larry Tanenbaum as business owners away from sports, but neither has a shiny track record with their sports ownership.
I give Rogers credit for beefing up the Jays payroll, and we as a family try to get to Toronto each summer for 4-5 Jays games, but in my humble opinion, they have fallen short with their supposed marketing clout, in putting 'bums in seats'. Hey the GTA is over 5 million, why are they not averaging 35-40,000 with a pretty interesting team?
Tanenbaum doesn't have to market the Leafs because there are so many fools out there to keep buying tickets to fill the joint - just like here in Vancouver. The Raptors need selling, but have shown that when they win, they can sell out.
In my humble opinion, the NFL has its sights first of all on Los Angeles, which like New York, could eventually support two teams. San Antonio is a large area which could support the NFL, and there are possibly another 3-4 fairly large U.S. cities that would want a franchise when the NFL expands. Keeping the NFL 'American' further sweetens the TV/licencing deals (if they can get any sweeter) for American networks, which are the ones paying extremely high prices for broadcast rights.
I'd love to see the NFL in Toronto, but not at the expense of the CFL. The present hype with MLSE/Rogers is just that...also, what about the say $500-600 million just for a stadium, let along franchise fee and ancillary costs. Someone would be required to write a billion dollar cheque I would think.

One last read. This one is making the rounds: Stephon Marbury Loves Pot Snacks, a bit from his shoe-tour rider (more like a J.R. Rider, in a BYOW kind of way), courtesy of YAYSports!:

In terms of Stephon's food request for the trip, there were no Funyuns available (none until Friday, probably). The following items have arrived and are in the warehouse in Recruitment's section (ask Regina of the whereabouts if I'm not around):
4 - regular sized bags of Cooler Ranch Doritos
4 - regular sized bags of Nacho Cheesier Doritos
4 - regular sized bags of Spicier Nacho Doritos
9 - regular sized bags of Mesquite BBQ Kettle Cooked Lays
12 - packages of Pepperidge Farm Choco Chip Cookies (Sausolito or Tahoe Chunky)
72 - bottles of 24oz Poland Springs Water (six packages of 12 in each package)
3 (or 4..) - large 1-lb bags of Skittles
4 - large bags of individually wrapped Twizzlers (each bag has a bunch of snack-sized individually wrapped Twizzlers)

Brilliant. Shame about the Funyuns, though.

Sports around town. The Argos host Hamilton Saturday afternoon (3 p.m.), while the Lynx finish their season out Sunday at Centennial Stadium (6 p.m.).

Watching. Vegetating in my usual state on Sunday (Ticket) afternoon, but apart from that, nothing really thrills. Perhaps an early lookin on Liverpool-Everton early Saturday morning (7:30 a.m., Sportsnet), but man, it's September! Stay outdoors while you can.

Punters' corner. Ditching Pro-Line for this year after the robbers tightened the screws a little more on their point spread stickup game. Here's five plays, and kids, please don't try these at home:

PACKERS (+ 3 1/2) over Bears. Chicago hires Michael Jackson to co-ordinate their Neverland-in-the-end-zone offence.

LIONS (+6) over Seahawks. Detroit assistant Cullen promises to wear clothes. Okay, he said he'd wear a thong. Maybe. Sure hope so.

PANTHERS (-5) over Falcons. Carolina just hasn't been the same since the steroids ran out. But it's a new drug day.

Ravens (+3) over Bucs. Godspeed, Steve McNair. Don't forget your flak jacket.

GIANTS (+3 1/2) over Colts. Did you know? AFC runner-ups are 0-19 ATS in first games back against NFC opposition, on Sunday nights, in New Jersey, when two brothers are matched against each other.

NFL preview: Well, not really

No, not gonna go there. I'm out at the Canadian Open today, doing live updates for the web and trying to spin blogging gold out of pinestraw, but that won't stop me from not doing an NFL preview as it all starts tonight. Besides, the guys at Sports Matters, who really, really get into this thing, have already gone there, along with many others.

BRENT SMITH/REUTERS

Romeo, o Romeo, wherefore are thou? 10 wins vs. the number would do me fine.

But the NFL is all about the pools and the playng. So here they are, a couple teams to look twice at for value, a couple that look square and a bunch to avoid before you go filling out your slips and risking your lunch money (consensus Super Bowl odds from Oddschecker in parentheses):

A player's best friend.

The Browns (80-1). Yes, you will accuse me of bias here. And as I've said before, Charlie Frye is the new Jake Plummer, able to excape the clutches of drooling linemen only to run into his own worst enemy -- himself. But they have an decent schedule to start -- home to New Orleans and Baltimore, sandwiched around a trip to Cincy -- and in Leigh Bodden and newcomer Kamerion Wimbley, have a couple of potential defensive stars on a unit anchored by incoming Willie McGinest, who's about 77 years old but will provide the cliched 'veteran leadership' on a team finally out from under the long, devastating shadow of Butch Davis and Carmen Policy.

The Lions (100-1). Oh, I can hear you now! First the Browns. Then the Lions. But this is a cupcake division. The non-conference schedule includes pennyweights in the Jets, Buffalo, San Fran and Arizona. I'm worried about the Matt Millen factor, not to mention the Mike Martz factor, not to mention the Jon Kitna factor, not to mention ... but confident that with the Packers, Vikings and punchless Bears alongside them, the NFC Norse division is ripe for the taking.

Baltimore (40-1). Everyone I've polled on this, including Chuck Swirsky out here at the golf, absolutely love the Ravens, who've added Steve McNair. My question concerns mostly McNair, who will be his usual duct-taped together self by Week 10, at which point we can all go back to wondering about whether there are any bounds to Brian Billick's ego, or Ray Lewis's preening. They could be anything, these Ravens, maybe even good value.

Full value

Carolina (8-1) and the Giants (25-1). These two teams just look solid to me, returning playoff teams with good QBs and supporting casts -- I'd add Seattle to that group, too, except that as a returning conference champion they will be somewhat of a skimpy return at the windows. But I'm expecting big improvement from Eli Manning. Okay, he's on my fantasy team, so I'm hoping for big improvement from Eli Manning. The Giants also play in the overrated NFC East, where Terrell Owens destroyed one team and is well on his way to doing it to another.

Avoid them

Arizona (40-1). Everybody's favourite sleeper. So of course they'll flop. They're the Cardinals, remember?

The Jets (100-1). It's not that anyone's not on to them. Not only are they thin on talent, but they've gone the route of hiring a young coach with no experience, but he was with the Patriots so all is forgiven. They are the worst possible combo: a bad team, and a bad bet.

Pittsburgh (12-1). This was an above-average, though not extraordinary team up until the final five weeks or so of last season. Then they turned into something else. There's a serious karmic re-adjustment in store, and it seems to have already begun with the misfortunes of Ben Roethlisberger. No value here at all.

Fall is in the air

It's the Friday roundup, if anyone's still around, and I'll make it brief because although I do love the smell of ouzo in the morning, it is a little fatiguing.
After Wednesday's post, the estimable James Mirtle -- estimable being one of those words, like eschew, propitious and mendacious, you often see in the prints but never hear come out of anyone's mouth -- asks a pretty good question:

What I can't understand is why junior hockey has withered so much ... I obviously wasn't here for it to happen, but I'll never forget the shock of coming from Kamloops - where there's a new, 6,000-seat rink filled every night - to going to my first St. Mike's games in that cramped, crappy rink.  I thought I'd shown up in the wrong place. It was unbelievable.

Sounds like a (long) weekend assignment. Who killed junior hockey in Toronto, anyway?

One last read. Twice in one day I'm linking to the Basketball Jones. But I did so like Skeets' interview with J.R. Smith, who has been traded twice this summer but is being admirably upbeat in spite of it (full marks for the Andy Moog namedrop, too):

Skeets: So how does it feel to get traded twice in the same summer?
Smith: To be perfectly honest, it doesn’t feel any different for it to be done twice. I mean I’m still only going to one new place, right? If it happened during the season though … well, that’d be a different story.

FOX

Frankie got game.

Skeets: Tell me a different story, J.R..
Smith: Excuse me?

Skeets: Please tell me a story. A tale, a fable…
Smith: About?

Skeets: Anything. Go nuts.
Smith: Um…

Skeets: Let your imagination soar, young child…
Smith: OK, um … um … I guess once upon a time–

Skeets: Hold on. You guess?
Smith: Um, yeah…

Skeets: If you’re going to tell a story, tell it like you mean it!
Smith: Sorry.

Skeets: No wonder you got traded for air. You’ve got no gusto man.
Smith: Hey, Howard Eisley is solid baller.

Skeets: Yeah, so is Frankie Muniz. Come on man…

One last heads-up. The Flagrancy is counting down the 50 Most Dubious Moments in Raptors History. In other words, the shortlist.

Sports around town. The York Yeomen (Lions; thanks, Andrew! and you're right, it is kinda dull) open the CIS football season Monday at home against McMaster (2 p.m. up on the windswept edge of the world), so once again it's okay to start painting your face red and white and yelling "Tentanda Via" around town. Really, it is. Go to it, kids (Thanks to regular John Richardson for the link. Go Axemen!).

Watching. There's Cat Power on Monday night at Lee's. Okay, as far as TV, a look-in on Sunday's world hoops final (6:30 a.m., Raptors TV) and the latest chapter of the Damon Allen Show (Monday, 6 p.m., CBC) is pretty much the only thing on the PVR as I'm resting up for youknowwho.

Punters corner. We're a week away from the first full Sunday of youknowwhat, so like I said, it's rest time. Save your loonies. Have a fine weekend. See you the first day of fall.

 

Day 14: In delay comes opportunity

FRANKFURT, Germany

Ageism: 32 Mundial years added (triple play yesterday: one game, one match, a T-shirt and something I forgot from Goppingen: a sliding cow in a vial. I don't know how else to describe it, just a little cow thingy in a vial of liquid that slides up and down as you tilt it. J.E. Skeets was asking for something small from here, if it was possible -- J.E., I do believe this is it).

Pallor: Gold, red and green

Forecast: Cloudy and cool (Yay!)   

On my way to Nuremberg, it came as a bit of a shock: The train was delayed an hour. So the trains don’t always run on time here. Fancy that.

SAKCHAI LALIT/AP

Rajabhat Ayuthaya University team players play a friendly againt a team of elephants near Bangkok, Thailand. The match was held as a campaign against illegal gambling during the World Cup. But seriously, 10 Euros on Beckham's side.

In every delay, though, there comes opportunity. I’d made a detour by the betting shop on my way beforehand, only to see it closed – what a drag. I really wanted to pop 5 euros apiece on Ghana and the Czech Republic to win today. Ghana is missing two important players, but I still think Essien and Appiah are better than anyone on the U.S. side. And Italy will have their hands full against the Czechs. But the place was shut. Nothing worse than mind bets, I thought as I walked away: lose ‘em, and you forget ‘em. Win ‘em, and you’re kicking yourself in the ass all night.
But the news of the 60-minute delay got me going back, down the Kaiserstrasse, the main drag out of the train station and the place for Frankfurt’s desultory red-light district: home of the Dolly Buster, Sex World and Beate Uhse International, a cardboard cutout of an almost lifelike naked woman holding a soccer ball in the window. A more seedy block would be hard to find.
When I got back, the bet shop three blocks from the station had just opened. For the first time I was greeted as a regular – degenerate gamblers speak a universal language. “Fussball there,” said one earlybird, pointing to the other side of the room where a stack of fresh sheets lay.
Well, Kuopio PS are heavy favourites in Finland, and FC Dundalk is 1-to-5 in Ireland -- I'll pass, thanks. I found the Weltmeisterschaft and took the sheet over to the spiky-haired fellow working the window. I wanted Ghana and the Czechs to win – 5 euros apiece – and asked for the latest odds. He looked them up on the computer: Ghana were a shade under 6-to-5. That’s good enough. He punched the ticket. Then came the Czechs – Tschechien, as they're called here.
“There,” he said, pointing at the number. 4.00, it read – 3-to-1 odds, the Germans having that annoying habit of including your dollar in the figure on the board.
“Are you sure?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said, his eyes as wide as mine. “I think I also play them.”
“Is good, no?”
“Yes. Is very good. Everybody bet Italy. But Milan Baros is back, Jan Koller too. Tschechien is good.”

KAI-UWE KNOTH/AP

Italy will have their hands full with the "Czech-Men".

I don’t know about that, but I know a bet when I see one. 3-to-1 on the Czechs is a gold-plated overlay.
“Make it 20 euros,” I said.
He didn’t bat an eye, hitting the button with gusto. Like I said, degenerates speak a universal language. With the deficit at 15 euros to the bad no thanks to Monday's ill-fated try, it's time to get back in the black.
Back in the train station, I went to the Die Bahn office to make a reservation for the train back from Munich Saturday night, after the Germany-Sweden game. An old German man tried to butt into the line in front of me. “Nein!” I said, stepping in front of him -- hey, everybody else here would do the same, as I've noticed. We had a bit of a wait in line, and how the guy complained about that! I could still hear him grousing as I got the reservation.
I still had 45 minutes to kill, so I went back out to Kaiserstrasse and stopped at a kiosk to buy some gum. The fellow in the booth was working very slow indeed, so we had a bit of a wait. And the guy behind me starting singing in a thick German accent:

“He’s a real Nowhere Man
He’s a real Nowhere Man
He’s a real Nowhere, nowhere ma-a-n”

He sang this over and over. Either he didn't know the words, or didn't care.
I got my gum, and I turned to him. He was about 6-foot-5, wearing a red bandana and a nose ring. He had a dog on a leash who stood placidly at his side – a German shepherd, naturally.
After yesterday’s zombie walk, this was actually turning into a really good day, and I couldn’t resist. I sang right back to him:

"He’s a real Nowhere Man
Sitting in his nowhere land
Making all his nowhere plans for no-body.”

He brightened up. Smiled and nodded. “Yes,” he said. We shook hands, and I was off to the train station again, this time to wait for the train and Ghana-USA.
An overlay in the pocket. Nothing like it.

On to the usual:

Thursday’s games

Italy 2, Czech republic 0. Azzurri finish top of group with their most comprehensive effort yet against 10-man Czech team that's going home. Next up for Italy: runner up to Brazil Monday at 10 am in Toronto.
Ghana 2, USA 1. Ragged but intense game swings on terrible penalty call in stoppage time of first half, Stephen Appiah connecting on spot kick for the winner. Elation for Black Stars and their supporters, desolation for USA. Next up for Ghana, in their first finals, is mighty Brazil Tuesday at 10 am in Toronto. Said Ghana coach Ratomir Dujkovic on their opponent: "We will make them suffer." That'll be hard, with Michael Essien suspended for picking up his second yellow here.
Brazil 4, Japan 1. Ronaldo poaches one and grabs another with a turn and a shot to move into a tie with Gerd Mueller for the World Cup's all-time top scorer at 14 goals. Brazil caps an undefeated run through the group and now has to get ready for the Black Stars.
Croatia 2, Australia 2. Another surprise, the Aussies coming back here to earn a precious point that gives them second in the group and sets up a Monday date (10 a.m. in Toronto) with Italy -- and for those of you with not so long memories, Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink was the guy who masterminded South Korea's dispatch of the Azzurri four years ago. Well, him and the ref, according to some.

Friday’s menu

Ukraine vs Tunisia. Ukraine really should be playing to win this game, although a draw would probably see them through. Here’s Sheva: 'No way does it mean we'll be playing for a draw. I don't think any player who goes out ever plays for a draw because he knows how that can end up.” There’s nothing to be worried about on the other side of the grid for the next round, or here either. Expecting a couple from Shevchenko and one more for good measure against a shaky Tunisian defence. Ukraine 3, Tunisia 1.
Saudi Arabia vs Spain. Spain have clinched spot in second round and will probably rest a bunch. They still have a large class edge against one of the least impressive sides here relative to their resources. Spain 2, Saudi Arabia 0.
Switzerland vs South Korea. Co-leaders in the group: Winner finishes on top, but if it’s a draw Swiss advance on goal differential. There won’t be a lot of fireworks, but it should be tight, taut match. Tough call. Switzerland 1, South Korea 1.
Togo vs France. French need a win to have chance to go through and win by more than a couple if the other group game is a draw, and Mikael Silvestre goes in to the defence for this one. But they’re missing Zinedine Zidane (suspension) and they have been unconvincing. Thierry Henry got them their first finals goal since 1998 last out, but his other noteworthy contribution came in his ripping of young teammate Franck Ribery. Zidane will be missed, yes, but not Henry. Togo, meantime, are a shambles, but at least they got paid. France 1, Togo 0.

Day 11: The forecast: a day for upsets

COLOGNE, Germany

Ageism: 25 Mundial years added
Pallor: Grey, like the sky over Frankfurt this morning
Forecast: Upset special

The last two days were the toughest turnaround yet: an early-morning train yesterday to Munich, a game, then back and home this morning, an hour late into Frankfurt station at 3:30 a.m. Sitting on the patio having a glass of wine half an hour later, listening to the birds – they don’t sleep around here – at a World Cup, there are very few moments of peaceful repose like that. Perfect time for hatching a plan.

KEVORK DJANSEZIAN/AP

On the patio with a drink - time to hatch a plan.

To the betting shop! Afraid it’s the best I can do. Blogs have to take it easy some times.
On the prowl for upsets, there are a couple of juicy numbers on the board today. First, seven euros on the crazy, dissension-ridden camp from Togo to pull it together and win over Switzerland at just under 8-to-1, and a 3-euro backup on the draw at 3-to-1. Next, the same approach: Hard-working Saudis to beat a very ordinary Ukraine team (at least in their opener), also just under 8-to-1, also 7 euros; a 3-euro saver on the draw at 3.35-1. So far, the ledger is at +5 euros, after a winning play on Korea last week, with a 10-euro ticket on the Netherlands to win it all.
I’m on my way to Cologne this afternoon, to check in on England training for tomorrow, when there may well be another betting opportunity on the Swedes.

Monday’s games (will be updated)

Switzerland 2, Togo 0. So I blow my dough, although the Togolese might have stole a point if they could have finished (or perhaps that just my spent euros talking). Every time the cameras showed Togo coach Otto Pfister, he was raging at someone. These guys much just HATE him.
Ukraine 4, Saudi Arabia 0. A mismatch on the field. A bad call at the betting windows. And Ukraine are right back into the mix of the final group.
Spain 3, Tunisia 1. Down 0-1 at the half, Raul comes on -- and scores. Open season from there. They look good, put 'em down beside Argentina, Brazil, even the Dutch as your top contenders, and they'll play either of South Korea, Switzerland or France next -- and off the early numbers, they'll smoke any of them.

Tuesday’s menu

Ecuador v Germany. Ecuador has been a real surprise here, already through to the knockouts and their goal differential better than Germany’s, so the hosts need to win to finish top of group – and off the evidence, their brightness and home support gives them the edge here. Germany 2, Ecuador 1.
Costa Rica v Poland. Means nothing, both teams heading home after this one. A hunch that the Ticos’ attack-first approach might give them an edge against a Poland team that seem to be quite down. Costa Rica 2, Poland 1.
Paraguay v Trinidad & Tobago. T & T have worked hard, and may be a play at the shop. Neither team have scored yet – in the entire group, only four goals have been scored and three of them have been England’s. Paraguay 1, Trinidad & Tobago 1.
England v Sweden. England going in at half-speed without Gerrard and Crouch, and Lampard’s on a tight leash. Sweden have been pretty ordinary so far. But they have a technical edge here and haven’t lost to the English since 1968. Sweden 2, England 1.

The odds board changes

En route to KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany

Well, there was a completely different feeling to Frankfurt today. Next to our apartment is a Persian restaurant that’s quite good – there are lots of Iranians in our neighbourhood – and three generations were sitting down at the four benches in front for a lunchtime meal before Iran – Team Melli – were to play Portugal out at the Waldstadion. Downtown was roiling with fans from the two nations, young bucks draped in the Iranian flag walking around with cans of lager next to older women dressed traditionally. It’s moments like these that you see at the World Cup that sound kinda trite, but they really are powerful.

Some notes, meanwhile, from my latest trip to the betting shop, where I cashed my ticket from the Korea-Togo game earlier this week:

Brazil remain favourites, but they’ve drifted up ever so slightly to 2.80 to 1.
Argentina have been cut in half, from 9 to 1 when we arrived last week to 4.25 to 1. On the odds board, anyway, this is now a two-horse race, Brazil no longer the clear favourite.
Netherlands, who I got at 14-to-1, are down to 10-1.
Germany started at 8.50 to 1, are down to 7-1.
Czech Republic were 32 to 1, now down to 24-1.
Spain (16.5 last week) down to 10-1.
As for today’s matches, I passed. Thought about playing the Ghana-Czech Republic draw, but it was a sickly 5 to 2 proposition.
Next stop, Kaiserslautern.

McCarty's bankruptcy

Buried underneath the $6.2 million mound of debts that Darren McCarty has accrued to the point that he has reportedly filed for bankruptcy comes this one bit:

In addition to at least $185,000 owed to casinos in Detroit and Las Vegas, he listed debts to banks, credit card companies, friends, utilities, law firms and a roofing company.

Man, this has been some kind of week -- some kind of year, some kind of century -- for stories highlighting the association between gambling and sports. The level of casual gambling in pro locker rooms has always been high -- rarely is there a basketball practice completed without some kind of shot competition with a few dollars on the line, and it goes on up to the sort of thing Michael Owen reportedly organized for his millionaire teammates and Operation Slapshot alleged (whatever happened to that, anyway?), a sort of private gambling club for athletes looking for anonymity and big-ticket action -- but it seems to be showing up more frequently than ever.

The pro leagues, with their various rules against players betting on their games, have become connected as well. The Leafs have poker-room sponsors. Pro-Line, which is to sports betting as argyle is to Armani, is a sponsor of the CFL. The NBA will hold its all-star game in Las Vegas next year, presumably to ensure full attendance from its players.

McCarty made a lot of money, and threw even more away. That he lost some of that at the roulette tables comes as absolutely no surprise, technology and casinos having  brought gambling home, so to speak. Much of it is legal, all of it is accessible -- some will call this a cautionary tale, but it would appear to me we're only going to be hearing about more and more of this kind of thing.

(Related: Stumbling and Mumbling on Wayne Rooney's gambling, from a behaviour economics perspective -- culled from the SportBlog Roundup)