No-Hitter Tossed by White Sox Pitching Prospect

White Sox prospect Levi Maxwell pitched a seven inning no-hitter Friday in the Carolina League.

Chicago's high Class A affiliate, the Winston-Salem Dash, beat the Wilmington Blue Rocks 4-0 Friday.

Just three Wilmington batters got the ball out of the infield in the first game of a doubleheader. Maxwell walked three, but picked off two runners at first base, and the third was caught trying to steal second.

The right-hander from Morgantown, W.Va., is 2-8 with an ERA of 4.82 in his second season of pro ball. Maxwell went 15-5 with a 3.47 ERA in 26 appearances with Kannapolis in the low Class A South Atlantic League in 2008.

Maxwell was selected by the Chicago White Sox in the 18th round of the 2007 draft.

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Notre Dame's Home Basketball Court Ranked 7th Toughest in the Nation

In a ranking of the Top 10 College Basketball Arenas, Notre Dame's ACC came in 7th.

7. Edmund P. Joyce Center, Notre Dame

The Irish historically are known as a football school, but the basketball program has witnessed some major landmarks inside the Joyce Center, including the end of UCLA's NCAA record 88-game winning streak. Nowadays, the arena and its boisterous fans provide a significant home-court advantage for Notre Dame, which rattled off 45 straight wins at home before losing to Big East foe Connecticut last season.

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Charlie Weis Entertains the Notre Dame Club of Hilton Head Island

Charlie Weis saved his best for last Thursday night.

The Notre Dame football coach -- on Hilton Head Island to participate in an alumni club dinner/fundraiser -- went through the normal checklist. He told jokes, updated boosters on the state of the Fighting Irish program and answered a handful of question that had been submitted earlier. He gave the crowd of 178 Notre Dame faithful packed into a dining hall at Sea Pines Country Club all they wanted to hear: The Irish will be faster on defense, solid along the offensive line and experienced and deep at quarterback. The tide from going 10-15 over the past two seasons should be turning, he said. But it was while answering the last of those questions -- the one that didn't have anything to do with Xs and Os -- when Weis was able to blend everything together: coach, comedian, spokesman.

The 53-year-old Weis, who served four seasons as an assistant to Joe Morrison at South Carolina during the 1980s, began by telling the story of his 2002 gastric bypass surgery that nearly killed him and resulted in a malpractice lawsuit. The following spring he and his family retreated to their condo in Litchfield Beach to regroup.

"My wife (Maura) and I were sitting there looking out at the ocean when she said to me, 'You know, you could've died and we would have never done any good for anyone other than ourselves,' " the coach recalled. "Here I am feeling pretty good about myself -- winning a bunch of Super Bowls, making good money, taking care of my family -- and she's just shooting me down, making me feel like garbage.

"I said, 'What do you mean?' She goes, 'We've got enough money to take care of Hannah because we're fortunate enough to do that. But what about all these other people with special needs' -- or, as we call, different abilities -- 'who don't have the resources to do that?' So that day was the origin of Hannah and Friends."

Hannah and Friends is a charitable organization that Weis' family founded in honor of their daughter, who was diagnosed with autism shortly after birth. The order's goal is to raise awareness and funds to improve the quality of life for children and adults with special needs. With Weis serving as a top assistant coach for the New England Patriots, he said thefoundation started off strong. But it received a jolt after he took over at Notre Dame.

He said now rather than provide $20,000 in grants, the foundation can bestow more than $100,000. Instead of building a residential community for adults with special needs by 2015, folks will be moving in to facilities around August.

And Weis hasn't only been rubbing shoulders with the who's who of the athletic world. He has a close friendship with rocker Jon Bon Jovi, who produced a $60,000 check to Hannah and Friends at a benefit in March -- though only after Weis and New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick joined him on stage for a rendition of his song "Wanted Dead or Alive."

"It's amazing what our little mom-and-pop charity has been able to do," Weis said. "Fortunately for me, I have resources most people don't have, to be able to get people to raise money.

"I go up there and embarrass myself for four minutes and he gives me a check for $60,000," he added. "I figured I could take one for the team if I need to on that one. But for all those people with special needs -- or, as my wife calls, different abilities -- we're just hoping in our own small way to make their quality of life better, to take off some of the burden from this epidemic that's coming into play ... and trying to bring more awareness and compassion to people with special needs."

Hannah and Friends received more help after Weis was done speaking Thursday, when the Notre Dame Club of Hilton Head Island presented him with a check for $1,000.

Thanks to Scott Hamilton

Jay Cutler a Big Fan of the Bears Receiving Corp

Previously this offseason, there were reports that Jay Cutler had put a call in to Plaxico Burress, urging the agile athlete to join him on the Chicago Bears' roster. Meanwhile, Cutler's former teammate Brandon Marshall has become embroiled in a controversy with the Denver Broncos the likes of which we haven't seen since, well, Cutler himself pulled a similar stunt in March.

Given the chance to publicly swing support to the Bears' acquisition of either of these talented pass-catchers, Cutler instead told The Chicago Sun-Times that he's cool with the guys already in Chitown.

"I'm 100 percent comfortable [with the wide receivers]," Cutler said, "I think we've got more than enough to compete."

Tony Brown to Go Both Ways for the Titans

In an effort to fill a 320-pound hole in their defensive line, the Tennessee Titans will be trying Tony Brown out at Albert Haynesworth's old spot, reports The Nashville Tennessean. For future reference, Tony's only 290.

Usually playing on the left, Brown has no issues with sliding over, telling the Tennessean, "I don't have a problem with it. We are trying to win. I just want to help the team, so if they want me to move over there I'll move."

Carlos Quentin Might Be Out Past All-Star Break

Carlos Quentin's foot injury continues to linger, and White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen does not expect the outfielder back anytime soon.

"I've made my mind about him not [being] in the lineup until the All-Star break," Guillen told the the Chicago Sun-Times. "That's what I got in my mind. Hopefully, he gives me a nice surprise and I'm ready to go in one to two weeks. But right now, I cannot think about him because I don't want to get hurt later."

Quentin said Tuesday that in addition to suffering from plantar fasciitis, he is concerned that he is one bad step away from rupturing the tendon in his foot even further.

Dwayne Wade Does Not Deny Reports of His Coming to The Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Sun-Times reports Dwyane Wade went on ESPN 1000's "Waddle and Silvy" show Tuesday and did not rule out signing with the Chicago Bulls next summer.

"I'm still in a Miami Heat uniform. I'm not ruling anything. I'm making sure I'm keeping my options open.

"I'm not ruling out a lot of places, including Chicago, but I'm not really thinking about those places. Like I said, 2010 is the year when I will sit down and open up my options and, hopefully, I'm still blessed and healthy to have those options and then go from there. But Miami is my number one option and I've made that clear. That's where I want to be and, hopefully, we can get everything right here in Miami."

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Chicago Sports Webio Co-Founder Charged with Investment Fraud; Arrest Warrant Issued

A federal criminal complaint was filed this morning against David J. Hernandez, 48, of Downers Grove, charging him with mail fraud for allegedly engaging in a Ponzi-scheme in which he cheated investors through entities he operated known as NextStep Financial Services, NextStep Medical Staffing Il, and other related names, announced Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the FBI. An arrest warrant was issued for Hernandez, they said.

Hernandez had been the president of Chicago Sports Webio until this past week.

The complaint alleges that Hernandez used NextStep Financial Services to solicit and obtain investments through the Internet by making false promises and representations about himself and the safety and returns of his investment products. The charges contain information from several victims who have been unable to obtain the interest payments or refunds they were promised. Hernandez allegedly used funds from investors to purchase personal items, such as musical instruments and vehicles, according to the charges. FBI agents last Friday executed a federal search warrant at NextStep Financial Services offices on the 22nd floor at 225 West Washington St., Chicago.

Upon conviction, mail fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or an alternative maximum fine totaling twice the gross gain to the defendant or twice the loss to any victim, whichever is greater.

A complaint contains only charges and is not evidence or guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Royal Marines Training Tip

When practicing your 3-mile run, complete the first 1.5 miles in as near to 12-and-a-half minutes as you can. Then, run the second 1.5 miles as fast as you can - try to get under 10-and-a-half minutes. This resembles the test at Commando Training Centre Royal Marines.

NASCAR Supports Delaware Sports Betting Proposal

A NASCAR spokesman says the league supports a Delaware state sports lottery because many stock car racing fans enjoy going to casinos.

Communications Manager Ramsey Poston says NASCAR is the only major sports league that holds regular events in Las Vegas. He says NASCAR doesn't have a problem with fans betting on sports but race car drivers, teams and owners aren't allowed to participate.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told Governor Jack Markell that the NFL believes sports betting on games threaten the game's integrity and are contrary to the public good.

The NCAA has said it wouldn't allow college playoffs or championship games in Delaware because of the state's sports betting program.

Notre Dame a Winner and DePaul a Loser at the NBA Draft

Fox Sports 2009 NBA Draft Winners and Losers included:

Winners
Notre Dame: The Irish got their star, Luke Harangody, back for his senior season after it went right down to the wire. Now with the addition of transfers Ben Hansbrough and Scott Martin, there's no reason why Mike Brey & Co. can't get back to the Big Dance.

and

Losers
Dar Tucker: The athletic sophomore wing from DePaul should be embarrassed for leaving school early after his team didn't win a single Big East game last season.

White Sox Memories DVD

From the moment clips of the 2005 championship parade and Barack Obama's congratulatory speech begin, White Sox fans will feel a wave of pride and adoration for the South Siders they have come to know and love.

White Sox Memories, from MLB Productions and Shout Factor, is a DVD chronicling the greatest moments in the history of a proud franchise.

This must-have DVD will highlight not only the good but also the bad, providing a complete look at the Chicago White Sox.

Joining the fledgling American League in 1901, the "Hitless Wonders" White Sox fought their way to wins with stellar pitching. In 1919, the White Sox endured the worst scandal in the history of the club, if not all of baseball, when eight members of the team were accused of throwing games in the World Series against the Reds and were banned from baseball for life.

White Sox fans tolerated teams that were good but never great after the Black Sox Scandal. The "Go-Go Sox" of 1959 were the best of these decades, and the "Southside Hitmen" of the late 1970s led to the "Winning Ugly" team of the early 1980s.

After buying the team in 1981, owners Jerry Reinsdorf and Eddie Einhorn wanted respect to return to the South Side of Chicago. They began by signing Carlton "Pudge" Fisk to anchor the White Sox, along with free agent Greg "The Bull" Luzinski, and the revamped 1983 roster started off the season slowly before exploding after the All-Star break, winning the AL West.

"White Sox Memories" chronicles the youth movement of the '90s, when the Sox called up players like Frank Thomas, Robin Ventura and Jack McDowell. In addition to these new players, Bo Jackson made his triumphant return to baseball after hip surgery.

Chicago won the ultimate prize in 2005, winning the World Series by sweeping the Houston Astros. The 2005 White Sox played games with intensity and a mastery of "Ozzie-ball" under second-year manager Ozzie Guillen. The pitching staff set the tone for the offense, and defensive plays highlighted the season. The 2005 postseason was filled with many highlights for the White Sox, from Joe Crede's home runs to Paul Konerko's grand slam in Game 2 of the World Series against the Astros. The pitching staff accomplished a rare feat when they pitched four consecutive complete games against the Angels in the ALCS, and the Sox finished the postseason with an 11-1 record and their first World Series title in 88 years.

Woven seamlessly with the narration provided by Curt Chaplin are video clips and newspaper snapshots from the beginning of the franchise through the present. Interviews with current and former players and managers, historians, famous fans and White Sox staff members give insights to how this team has grown and developed with the times. Hearing the thoughts of fans such as actors Michael Clarke Duncan and George Wendt give Sox fans an additional perspective of the team.

"White Sox Memories" includes not only the good moments (such as the three World Series championships) and the bad moments (such as the Black Sox scandal), it also includes ugly moments, such as the infamous Disco Demolition in 1979 and less than stellar playoff appearances.

This DVD features an all-time Team, highlighting the best of the best throughout White Sox history. This team of greats covers players from Shoeless Joe Jackson to Red Faber to Jermaine Dye. There is a segment dedicated to Southside Characters, including A.J. Pierzynski and the late broadcaster Harry Caray, whose famous persona was born on the South Side. "Bonus Features" include postseason clinchers, the ninth innings of White Sox no-hitters, Jim Thome's 500th career home run and legendary organist Nancy Faust on "This Week in Baseball."

Not only does "White Sox Memories" recount the history of the White Sox in a little more than two hours, it reminds White Sox fans, both young and old, that being a fan is all about tradition and family.

Sammy Sosa Reputed to Test Postive for Steroids in 2003, Congressional Perjury Charges to Follow?

Sammy Sosa, who joined with Mark McGwire in 1998 in a celebrated pursuit of baseball’s single-season home run record, is among the players who tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in 2003, according to lawyers with knowledge of the drug-testing results from that year.

At a March 2005 hearing called by the House Government Reform Committee, Sammy Sosa denied using performance-enhancing drugs.

The disclosure that Sosa tested positive makes him the latest baseball star of the last two decades to be linked to performance-enhancers, a group that now includes McGwire, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez and Rafael Palmeiro.

Sosa, who is sixth on Major League Baseball’s career home run list and last played in 2007, had long been suspected of using performance-enhancing drugs but until now had never been publicly linked to a positive test.

In a recent interview with ESPN Deportes, Sosa, 40, said he would “calmly wait” for his induction into baseball’s Hall of Fame, for which he will become eligible for induction in 2013. But his 2003 positive test, when he played for the Chicago Cubs, may seriously damage his chances of gaining entry to the Hall, a fate encountered by McGwire, who has attracted relatively little support from voters in his first three years on the ballot.

The 2003 positive test could also create legal troubles for Sosa because he testified under oath before Congress at a public hearing in 2005 that he had “never taken illegal performance-enhancing drugs.”

The 2003 test that ensnared Sosa was the first such test conducted by Major League Baseball. Under guidelines agreed upon with the players union, the test results were to remain anonymous but would lead to testing with penalties the next year if more than 5 percent of the results were positive.

That is indeed what occurred. But for reasons never made completely clear, the test results were not destroyed by the players union and the 104 positives were subsequently seized by federal agents on the West Coast investigating matters related to the distribution of drugs to athletes.

The union immediately filed court papers alleging that the agents had illegally seized the tests, and over the past six years judges at various levels of the federal court system have been weighing whether the government can keep them. An 11-judge panel in California is preparing to rule in the case, but regardless of its verdict, the losing side is expected to appeal to the United States Supreme Court.

As the union feared, the names on the list have begun to emerge. In February, Sports Illustrated reported that Rodriguez was on the 2003 list, and Rodriguez subsequently acknowledged that he had used steroids for three years. Now, Sosa’s name has been disclosed.

The lawyers who had knowledge of Sosa’s inclusion on the 2003 list did not know the substance for which Sosa tested positive. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they did not want to be identified as discussing material that is sealed by a court order.

A lawyer for Sosa, Jay Reisinger, declined comment, as did an official with Major League Baseball.

Sosa, who lives in the Dominican Republic, became a national figure with the Cubs in 1998, when he and McGwire, of the St. Louis Cardinals, engaged in a compelling race to overtake Roger Maris’s single-season home run record of 61. McGwire passed Maris first and ended up with 70 home runs. Sosa followed close behind with 66.

In the seasons that followed, Sosa exceeded 60 home runs on two more occasions. But he was fading as a player when he traveled to Washington in March 2005 to testify with Palmeiro and McGwire and others at a hearing called by the House Government Reform Committee to examine the use of performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.

At the hearing, Sosa testified that “everything” he had heard “about steroids and human growth hormones is that they are bad for you, even lethal” and that he “would never put anything dangerous like that” in his body.

“To be clear,” he added, “I have never taken illegal performance-enhancing drugs. I have never injected myself or had anyone inject me with anything.”

During that hearing, McGwire, by then retired, repeatedly declined to answer questions about possible drug use, saying he was not there to talk about the past. His statements were widely viewed as an admission of guilt, and since then he has had little involvement with baseball except for privately serving as a hitting tutor for several major leaguers. To win election to the Hall of Fame, a player must be named on 75 percent of the ballots cast; McGwire has yet to be named on 25 percent of them.

At that same hearing, Palmeiro pointed his finger at committee members as he said: “I have never used steroids. Period.” Five months later, he was suspended for 10 games as a result of a positive steroids test.

The committee declined to ask the Justice Department to investigate him for perjury, in part because it felt it could not establish that Palmeiro was lying at the time he testified.

Unlike Palmeiro, Sosa testified after he had tested positive, not before, but it is not clear if the committee will want to pursue the matter.

The committee did refer Clemens to the Justice Department for investigation of perjury after he repeatedly denied using performance-enhancing drugs in a public hearing in 2008, and Clemens’s statements are now being studied by a federal grand jury.

Bonds, who set a single-season home run record of 73 just three years after McGwire hit 70, holds the career mark for home runs, with 762. He is also the target of legal proceedings: he is awaiting trial on charges that he lied to a federal grand jury in December 2003 when he testified that he never knowingly used performance-enhancers.

Like Sosa, Bonds and Clemens last played in 2007 and, at this point, also seem destined to appear on the 2013 Hall of Fame ballot. That fact, in itself, would seem to guarantee that the issue of drug use in baseball is likely to reverberate for years to come.

Thanks to Michael S. Schmidt

Why Does the NFL Not Want Your Bet?

Some of the National Football League's founders were gamblers. The league draws more wagers in the U.S. than any other sport. It recently authorized its teams to sell their logos to state lotteries. But when it comes letting states expand sports betting, the NFL has made its position clear: Not now, not ever.

The NFL, which says it will earn $8 billion in revenue this year, is threatening to file a lawsuit against the state of Delaware, where the supreme court unanimously concluded last month that parlays -- bets on the outcome of two or more events -- are constitutional, opening the door, as early as this fall, for the state to host what would be the first legal sports books outside of Nevada.

Experts on gambling say the decision could have a domino effect. Last month, New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine threw his weight behind a federal lawsuit that could pave the way for legalized sports betting in Atlantic City and a spokesman for Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell says he's following the suit with "keen interest."

Delaware Gov. Jack Markell, who announced the plan in March, says the games could bring in as much as $55 million in tax revenue and would help cover the state's projected $800-million budget shortfall for the fiscal year that begins July 1. The governor says he has received several letters from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell as well as a surprise visit from an NFL representative, who met him in a hallway at the capitol last month and, he says, "urged me not to go forward with this."

The league is considering filing a lawsuit, depending on which types of sports betting Delaware decides to offer.

"If sports betting becomes more prevalent through state-promoted schemes, it will inevitably lead those gambling fans to question whether an erroneous officiating call or a dropped pass late in the game resulted from an honest mistake or an intentional act by a corrupt player or referee," says NFL spokesman Joe Browne.
[sports gambling] Scott Sodora/The Wall Street Journal (photo illustration), Alamy (machine)

The NFL says its surveys show that "a very small percentage" of the more than 100 million people who watch the NFL on TV bet on the games -- but there is no question that the NFL is the nation's most popular gambling sport. Bettors wagered $81.5 million in Nevada's sports books on this year's Super Bowl -- a sum that's approached $100 million in previous years, according to the Nevada Gaming Commission. A total of $1.1 billion was wagered on football, both college and pro, in Nevada over the 12 months ending in April 30 (not including parlay bets), nearly three times the amount wagered on basketball. Analysts estimate that tens of billions more are wagered on the NFL at offshore casinos. (Internet betting is illegal in the U.S., although individual bettors are rarely prosecuted.)

The NFL's relationship with gambling is a long one. Its founding fathers included Tim Mara, a legal bookmaker from New York whose grandson, John, is a current owner of the New York Giants; Art Rooney, who bought the Pittsburgh Steelers with his gambling winnings and whose family still owns racetracks; and William Barron Hilton, who led Hilton Hotels Corp. into the gambling business several years after selling his controlling interest in the San Diego Chargers in 1966. (The Las Vegas Hilton is now home to the country's largest sports book.)

At a time when states are facing major revenue shortfalls and slashing budgets for things like education, parks and public safety, some fans and state officials say the league's staunch stance against the proliferation of sports betting is unfair, especially in light of public funding that benefits the NFL's franchises. In the past two decades, according to John Vrooman, professor of sports economics at Vanderbilt University, the NFL has taken in nearly $17 billion in taxpayer subsidies to build new stadiums.

"Any time the NFL wants to stand up and dictate to public bodies how they can make money or where they can make money, they have very little standing to do so...especially when it comes to gambling," says Todd Portune, a commissioner in Ohio's Hamilton County. Mr. Portune spearheaded an unsuccessful county lawsuit against the Bengals in 2004 that alleged the NFL used its monopoly power to "extort" money for a new stadium. Taxpayers spent about $450 million on a new stadium for the Cincinnati Bengals and continue to pay an additional $11 million each year in lease-related expenses, he says. Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan says a significant portion of that total was spent on land acquisition to build the stadium in an area that the county, not the team, had wanted.

Responding to the use of taxpayer money for public projects, Mr. Browne says, "The NFL respects the right of public entities to raise funds by appropriate means. We object, however, when they seek to do so by using our assets without permission or regard for the negative impact on our games."

"We are not oblivious to the budget problems of local and state governments," Mr. Browne of the NFL said. "We are willing to assist as long as those states recognize our legitimate interest in not having our players, referees and games used as gambling vehicles."

The NFL's concerns about betting began to grow as early as the 1940s, when two star players on the New York Giants were offered a bribe to fix the 1946 NFL Championship Game and one of the players, Merle Hapes, was suspended for a year. In 1963, Commissioner Pete Rozelle suspended two more players -- Paul Hornung and Alex Karras -- for betting on NFL games.

The league has already sued Delaware once -- and lost -- when the state launched a sports lottery 20 years ago. Delaware is one of only four states, including Oregon, Montana and Nevada, exempted from a 1992 federal ban on sports betting, because they already allowed betting before the ban was implemented.

More recent attempts by the NFL to distance itself from gambling have included banning TV networks from picking a winner against a point spread during pre-game telecasts and spiking an ad for the Wynn Las Vegas from airing during the 2005 Super Bowl.

The NFL says it has managed to preserve football's integrity despite its popularity with bettors in Las Vegas. It employs security representatives to monitor gambling trends on its games and instituted both educational programs and prohibitions on gambling for league and team employees. When the NFL holds its one annual, regular-season match-up at London's Wembley Stadium, it closes the betting windows usually open on site, though bookmakers still take bets across the street.
Betting in the U.K.

Supporters of expanded sports betting say the NFL overstates the dangers. Ladbrokes estimates that 1.25 billion GBP ($2.05 billion) was legally wagered in the U.K. last year on matches in English soccer's Premier League, nearly double the amount wagered on the NFL in Nevada last year. David Forrest, an economics professor at the Centre for the Study of Gambling at University of Salford, estimates that more than half a billion dollars total are wagered each weekend on the Premier League worldwide.

Critics also say the NFL's position is inconsistent. The league recently decided to allow teams to sell their logos to other state lotteries for games that do not involve the outcome of football games. The logo of the New England Patriots, who were the first to sign a deal, will appear on Massachusetts scratch-off lottery tickets this summer.

Meanwhile, an NFL spokesman told reporters the league did not approve of a fantasy NFL-themed sports lottery in Montana, where lottery players select a lineup of NFL players by their city and jersey number. The game generated $87,500 last football season and is expected to bring in double that this year. Eric Stern, senior counselor to Montana's governor, says, "It's really just getting off the ground, but we are optimistic it could generate significant revenue."

Mr. Browne, the NFL spokesman, says there is a significant difference between scratch-off lottery tickets and bets on the outcomes of games. "We don't believe that more gambling on our players and games is healthy for the sport.... State education funds and other worthwhile projects that receive the lion's share of the revenue will benefit from the sale of the tickets as will our clubs."

"It's pure greed," says New Jersey State Sen. Raymond Lesniak. "They're only fighting it because they're not getting a piece of the action."

Robert McNair, who owns the Houston Texans and sold his horse-breeding farm and training center to Dubai ruler Sheik Mohammed in September, says the league's efforts to stop gambling's spread at this point may be futile. "There's always been a very high sense of duty to protect the integrity of the game, but I think society has softened its moral concerns about gambling, by virtue of the proliferation of it," says Mr. McNair. "The horse is out of the barn on that one."

Thanks to Hannah Karp

It Pays to Shop Around for the Best Sports Futures Selections

Bettors in Las Vegas can wager on the Chicago Cubs to win this year’s World Series at odds of 7-5 at any Harrah’s property.

A strong argument can be made that this is the worst possible bet anyone could make in Nevada — not just in sports betting, but in any form of state-sanctioned gambling.

The crux of the argument would go like this: Odds of 10-1 on the same proposition — the Cubs to win the World Series — are available at several sports books, including at least one within easy walking distance of Harrah’s.

That represents an eventual payout to the bettor that’s 714 percent of the one at Harrah’s properties — a Ruthian figure in more ways than one.

Likewise, the odds on the Yankees to win the World Series are 8-5 at Harrah’s. Odds of 9-2 on the Yankees (perhaps a tad higher if you shop rigorously) can be found all over town. That payout is about 280 percent of the first.

Ah, but perhaps this criticism is unfair, right? I mean, surely those abysmal odds — Seven to five! One-point-four to one! In the middle of June! — merely reflect the fact that these particular casinos have accepted a ton of wagers on the Cubs. And the Yankees. (And the Red Sox, for that matter.)

Surely they made up for it by raising the odds enough on various other baseball teams to pursue balanced action and maintain a fair World Series future book.

Right?

Well, to paraphrase the Gipper ... There you go again, trying to impose your logical, coherent thought process on the world of Las Vegas sports betting.

Actually, the Harrah’s properties have the least advantageous — that is, the worst for the bettor — World Series future book in Las Vegas, according to our analysis of baseball odds at 13 major sports books.

The theoretical hold percentage, or “house edge,” in the Harrah’s baseball future book checked in at 60 percent, the highest among the 13 books. The higher the house edge, the worse it is for the bettor (see postscript).

House edge is the best tool to use to analyze sports future books because it provides a complete picture of the odds from the top of the betting board to the bottom. A casino can offer extremely low odds on a particular team, for instance, but still maintain a competitive house edge by offering more attractive odds on the other teams. A casino could also offer unspectacular but solid odds on every team and score well in an analysis of theoretical hold percentages.

A high house edge, however, indicates poor odds across the board.

Bettors looking to get the most bang for their buck should check out the Venetian, which had the most competitive World Series future book in our survey, with a house edge of 22 percent. The Venetian was followed by the Las Vegas Hilton and Lucky’s at 27 percent, followed by the Palms, Wynn Las Vegas, Cal Neva and the M Resort (see chart).

The performance of those major sports books shows that future-book wagering can be done right in Las Vegas, that bettors can find a fair shake in this form of gambling.

It would be ideal if the others followed suit, driven either by respect for their own bookmaking abilities or by a desire to present a positive image of Las Vegas to visitors.

Until that happens, if you risk any of the $2 billion-plus wagered in Nevada sports books annually (last year’s figure was $2.57 billion), the best course of action is to vote — that is, bet — with your feet.

All else being equal, patronize sports books that show respect for bettors by offering fair future books rather than building exorbitant takeouts into the odds on their betting boards.

•••

Postscript: Here is a good way to determine the theoretical hold percentage, or “house edge,” on a set of futures wagers, courtesy of the Wizard of Odds Web site at wizardofodds.com:

1. Go down the list and convert the betting line on each team into a probability of winning expressed in percentage form. For example, if the odds on the Dodgers are 6-1, the probability of winning would be 1/7 or 14.29 percent. Basically, if the odds pay x to y then the probability of winning is y/(x+y).

2. Add all of the probabilities from step 1. You’ll get something like 135.4 percent, for example. Call this total “t.”

3. The house edge on the future book is 1-(1/t). Sticking with the example from step 2, 1/t would be 1/135.4 percent, or 1/1.354, or .7385. And 1-.7385 is .2615. So the house edge would be 26 percent.

Thanks to Jeff Haney

Luke Harangody Returns to Notre Dame for His Senior Year

Forward Luke Harangody withdrew from the NBA draft on Monday, deciding instead to return to Notre Dame for his senior season and a chance to become the school's leading scorer.

Coach Mike Brey said he would have supported Harangody no matter what his decision, but is thrilled he will return. "We have a great nucleus next year and I know one of Luke's goals is to get back to the NCAA tournament." Brey said. "He also has the chance to carve a unique place in the long and storied history of the Notre Dame basketball program."

Notre Dame, coming off a 25-8 finish in 2007-08, began last season ranked No. 9 and had high hopes of putting together one of its best seasons in years. But the Irish stumbled through a seven-game losing streak in the middle of the season and finished 21-15 and lost to Penn State in the National Invitation Tournament semifinal.

The 6-foot-8 forward was the one consistent bright spot for the Irish, averaging 23.3 points and 11.8 rebounds last season to lead the Big East in scoring and rebounding in consecutive seasons. He was the league's player of the year in 2008.

Harangody, who had 792 points last season, needs 738 points next season to pass Austin Carr as Notre Dame's leading scorer. He needs 370 rebounds to pass Tom Hawkins as the school's leading rebounder. He had 401 rebounds last season.

He took part in the NBA predraft camp last month in Chicago and worked out for at least eight teams.

"I believe that the past several weeks have been a great learning experience for Luke and his family," Brey said.

Harangody planned to meet with the media on Tuesday to discuss his decision.

He is the third straight Irish player to return to school after initially declaring for the draft. Chris Thomas in 2003 and Torin Francis in 2005 also returned after putting their names in the draft. The last player to leave Notre Dame early was Troy Murphy, taken with the 14th overall pick in 2001 by the Golden State Warriors.

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Jack Swarbrick Q & A

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish — an iconic college football program that gave us Knute Rockne, the Gipper and Rudy — will play in San Antonio for the first time on Oct. 31.

Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Monday for the Halloween night meeting between the Irish and the Washington State Cougars at the Alamodome.

With the nationally-televised game on NBC, Notre Dame embarks on a push to play at least one regular-season home game per season at a venue off site from its main campus in Indiana.

Last week, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick talked with Express-News staff writer Jerry Briggs about the Irish’s impending visit to San Antonio:

Could you talk about your personal philosophy of Notre Dame’s off-site games, in terms of the benefits and the possible risks?

You know, there’s very little risk associated with it, from our perspective, because we are motivated primarily by an interest in using these games to advance an awareness and understanding of the university.

It sort of works from the university perspective more than the perspective of the university’s athletic department. It’s not an athletics decision.

We are really excited about coming into a great city like San Antonio. You know, people know Notre Dame, but in a sense, they don’t. So, it really is an opportunity for us to do social service projects, to celebrate a mass, to have an educational component — really, to bring the university to a community.

(We’ll) invade San Antonio, if you will, with all things Notre Dame for about 72 hours, so that people in that area can have a better understanding of what we are.”

Besides playing Washington State in San Antonio this season and Arizona State at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium in 2013, what future off-site games have been booked?

We’re putting the finishing touches on several right now. While we have preliminary understandings with a number of venues and opponents, we’re trying to tie those up right now. We’ll be announcing some of them in the next 30-60 days.

You’ll be coming into these areas to showcase the university. But you’ll also be coming into some prime recruiting areas. Can you talk about the benefits from that standpoint?

It’s not much of a motivating factor. We’ve always been able to recruit nationally, moreso, frankly, than any program in the country. That’s the history of this program. I don’t know that we get any particular recruiting advantage by taking a game into a community.

I think the recruiting advantage potentially is more for (attracting) really bright students as much as it is for the student-athletes. You go into San Antonio or Dallas and get kids at the top of their high school class to take a look at Notre Dame, that’s great. That’s why we’re doing it.

There’s been quite a buzz generated in the media since word came out that you were considering playing a game against Army at Yankee Stadium. What did you make of the response?

It’s been amazing. We’ve probably heard about that as much as anything. It’s all very positive and people were very excited.

There’s a long history there for college football. When the Yankees closed the old Yankee Stadium, in the commemorative book, a remarkable number of pages were dedicated to Notre Dame’s visits there over the years. We’re part of the history there.

I read a book recently, that I’m very fond of, called, “Notre Dame: The game that changed college football.” It focuses on the 1913 game with Army where the forward pass came into play. That’s the sort of history you really want to tap in to.

We’re about to go into a period of time where we’re encountering a whole bunch of 100th anniversaries. As a matter of fact, (2013) is the 100th anniversary of our (first) game against Texas.

As we understand it, there are potentially some financial issues that could hinder you in making the Army game happen in Yankee Stadium. But can you talk about the prospects of a game between Notre Dame and Texas in 2013 — and we’re assuming that would be at one of the two campuses?

I’m not really in a position to talk about the prospects of that game in any particular year. What I can say is that we would love to play Texas. We love playing the schools that have had a comparable history. But also that share our values.

I think Texas is one of the great athletic programs in the country. Not just now, but for many years. I’m a huge fan of the program, their coaches, and (athletic director) DeLoss (Dodds) is one of the giants of our industry. So, if we can figure out how to play Texas at some point, we would love to do it.

You have been a Notre Dame student (as a 1976 graduate) and you’ve been a student of the school’s athletics programs for many, many years. But what have been the main lessons you have learned in your one year as athletic director?

Um, that 24 hours a day is not enough time.

Much of it is just being reminded, as opposed to learning. I mean, you are reminded in a very dramatic way about the passion that people feel for this place. And I know it sounds trite to say that. Everyone is passionate about their school.

(But) there’s a certain uniqueness about it here because of all the dynamics that come into play. The athletic tradition, the (size of the) fan base, the nature of the institution. You know, I don’t know that there were many stories in America this year that got as much coverage as our commencement, when President Obama came here.

That’s the nature of the place. People feel very passionately about it. And when you sit in this chair, you come face to face with that passion every day. And as I repeatedly tell people who ask me about managing that, I would much rather deal with that passion — though sometimes misguided — than I would in trying to create interest.

At the end of last year, Notre Dame football fans everywhere were concerned about the direction of the program. I know you heard a lot of that and had to answer some questions in regard to (coach) Charlie Weis and his status. Were you surprised at the extent of the commentary?

No. What surprised me a little bit were the steps in which interviews were picked up everywhere. I’d give an interview in the South Bend Tribune and it was literally on the ESPN ticker that night, and the subject of “Pardon the Interruption.” The extent to which it spreads and (with) people are focused on everything you say, took a little getting used to.

I knew going in (that) the year before (in 2007, when Notre Dame finished 3-9) had been a tough year. And I knew there was a lot of scrutiny on the program. And when we stumbled at the end (of last year, to finish 6-6 in the regular season) it increased. But as I tried to stress throughout that period of time, it was always, for me, about reviewing the program. And not about thinking we were focused on the coach.

We’ve seen preseason polls projecting the 2009 season since, I think, about Jan. 8 this year. But in the most recent projections, most have had Notre Dame ranked in the Top 25, and one on ESPN had you about 17. What do you think of those forecasts?

I have mixed reactions.

One is that, as you all know, how little that’s worth. None of us know (what will happen), and there are surprises every year. But I do like the fact that people recognize that a young team has matured and gotten better (after finishing 7-6). We approached the (Sheraton Hawaii Bowl) as the first game of this season. We embraced that notion and played that way (in a 49-20 victory over Hawaii). So we hope that is a harbinger for a good season.

The other thing that’s important is that your ability to move up in the rankings depends in part on where you start. So there is advantage to being in the mix, and showing up in that top 20 the first time the polls are released. So, we welcome it. It’s great for us and good exposure for our kids.

Thanks to Jerry Briggs

College World Series Packed with Notre Dame Connections

Brian O'Connor is proud to be a native of Omaha. And yet, the Virginia baseball coach admits that for now, "I wish I hadn't grown up here."

He doesn't want his story to detract from Virginia's College World Series debut. But that's easier said that done, considering O'Connor is one of the four celebrating players who is immortalized in a statue outside the entrance to Rosenblatt Stadium.
"It's better looking than I am, ask my wife," O'Connor said Friday in describing the statue, which debuted in 1999 to commemorate the 50th CWS at Rosenblatt.

Now it's the 60th championship played here, with a typically talented, eclectic and strangely connected set of coaches.

Consider this coaching tree.

Larry Gallo, now North Carolina senior associate athletic director, was Notre Dame baseball coach from 1981-87. His replacement, Pat Murphy, is Arizona State's baseball coach. Murphy's replacement at Notre Dame, Paul Mainieri, is now coaching Louisiana State.

Mainieri hired O'Connor as an assistant at Notre Dame, which led to him being hired at Virginia.

North Carolina, ASU, LSU and Virginia make up half of the CWS field. Three of those, including ASU, have former Notre Dame staff connections beyond the head coach. And ASU outfielder Johnny Ruettiger is a nephew of Rudy Ruettiger of Notre Dame football movie fame.

"We all love Notre Dame," Mainieri said. "It gets in your blood. It's a wonderful place and just absorbs you. Even when you leave for professional development or whatever, it never leaves you."

Notre Dame said "did a heck of a lot more for me than I did for it," said Murphy, who was there from 1988-94.

Three consecutive regional final appearances with the Fighting Irish put Murphy in position to replace the late Jim Brock at ASU in 1995. The Sun Devils are making their fourth CWS appearance under Murphy, who coached them to second place in 1998 and third place in 2005.

Despite its coaching heritage, Notre Dame went 45 years, starting in 1957, without a CWS appearance before Mainieri got them back in 2002. Mainieri is now back in Omaha for a second consecutive year with LSU. Two of his four children are Notre Dame graduates, and he is an honorary monogram winner for his 12 years as Irish coach.

Thanks to Jeff Metcalfe

Chicago Bear 2009 Season Odds

Odds to win Super Bowl XLIV

Chicago Bears 30/1

Odds to win the NFC 2009-2010

Chicago Bears 9/1

Odds to win the NFC North

Chicago Bears 1.7/1

Stan Mikita and Denis Savard to Host Autograph Sessions

Two Chicago Blackhawks legends, Stan Mikita and Denis Savard, will be on hand next week to autograph copies of "Welcome to the Frozen Confines," the DVD of the NHL Winter Classic.

Savard will appear at the Best Buy Store at 11 Countryside Plaza in Countryside from 6-8 p.m. Monday.

Mikita will make his appearance at the Best Buy Store at 1432 Butterfield Road in Downers Grove from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday.

All times are subject to change, according to event organizers. There is a maximum of one copy autographed per person at each event and no other memorabilia will be signed.

"Welcome to the Frozen Confines" is a 50-minute behind the scenes DVD that chronicles the historic NHL Winter Classic 2009 at Wrigley Field with the Chicago Blackhawks against the Detroit Red Wings.

The game attracted 40,818 fans to Wrigley Field and drew 4.4 million U.S. viewers overall, making it the most-watched NHL game in almost 34 years, according to Nielsen Media Research.

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