Sports
J.J. McCarthy’s game-day rituals: How eye black, meditation and Bob Marley get the Vikings QB ready
EAGAN, Minn. — In the minutes before kickoff Monday night, J.J. McCarthy and the rest of the Minnesota Vikings will retreat to their locker room for their final preparations to face the Chicago Bears (8:15 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN). McCarthy will spend part of the time in front of a mirror, painting his cheeks with eye black to create an alter ego that has been nearly unbeatable since his days as a teenage quarterback at Nazareth Academy in Illinois.
“I kind of make this switch when game day happens,” McCarthy said. “That’s when the war paint comes on. It’s like I’m ready to die on that field, and I’m ready to do anything possible to get that win. It’s not going to look pretty, and it’s not going to look like someone just did my makeup for Halloween. It’s war paint.”
At 22, McCarthy is closer to his trick-or-treating days than any of the NFL’s 31 other starting quarterbacks. He is largely a mystery to the NFL audience after missing his rookie season because of a meniscus tear in his right knee. He has played 42 snaps and made 24 throws in two preseason games since the Vikings made him the No. 10 pick of the 2024 draft.
But the one fact on his résumé is that his teams almost always win. In two seasons at Nazareth (2018-19), one at IMG Academy (2020) and three at the University of Michigan (2021-23), McCarthy is 63-3 as a starter. He won an Illinois state 7A championship in high school and a national title in college.
McCarthy is only part of that team-wide success, but those who know him speak in reverential tones about his in-game moxie and competitiveness. Greg Holcomb, a Chicago-area quarterback trainer who first met McCarthy when the QB was in seventh grade, invoked one of the greatest basketball players during a recent discussion.
“There are so many things that take no skill whatsoever that can make you a really high-level football player,” Holcomb said. “You better have skill attached to it, but it’s the ones that have both of those things. It’s the Kobe Bryants of the world that are not only ultra-talented but are also so disciplined that they’re in the gym at 4:30 in the morning when they don’t have to be.
“J.J. has so many things in his toolbox that have nothing to do with his skill. He’s got both, so you’re looking at somebody who has the potential to be very elite. It’s almost like he’s got this eerie kind of aura about him that is just connected to success and winning.”
No one who watched the Vikings training camp this summer, or in 2024 before he suffered his injury, was reminded of Bryant. As often occurs with young quarterbacks, McCarthy produced his share of inaccurate passes, miscommunications and faulty decisions. Even so, many Vikings players acknowledged moments when they recognized the attributes that have helped McCarthy elevate teams on game day — and, in theory, can help him bridge the gaps while he continues his development.
“He definitely has the winning attitude, the dog mentality, just that killer mode,” receiver Justin Jefferson said.
Right tackle Brian O’Neill thought McCarthy’s best practices came on days when coaches inserted competitive elements, such as when the New England Patriots arrived for two days of workouts.
“I would not discount the fact that a lot of the times J.J — with whatever team he’s been on — tends to be a good version of himself on game day,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said. “There’s a lot of guys that are talented. There’s a lot of guys that can light up the practice field every day, but the guys that can either take it to the game or maybe even be a better version of themselves in the game have the ‘gamer,’ or whatever tag you want to put on it. I think he’s got that trait.”
But, O’Connell added: “I think it’s important that he doesn’t just solely rely on that trait showing up to Soldier Field. I think he [needs to] pair that with the work that he puts in throughout the week.”
Face paint is one of several game-day rituals McCarthy says helps him prepare to compete. He knows that war analogies in sports can be excessive, and he doesn’t mean them literally. But during a conversation last week with ESPN, he used a proverb attributed to 17th-century Japanese writer Miyamoto Musashi to explain his game-day mindset: “It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war.”
McCARTHY HAS SPOKEN openly about his life with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), calling it his “superpower” and describing it as a condition that brings him “calm in the chaos and chaos in the calm.” Along the way, he has followed a game-day routine designed to amplify the productive elements of the condition.
The day begins with an extended version of his morning meditation. In trying to “stay as present as possible, grounded and centered,” he said he’ll rely on a variety of external stimulants. Sometimes, he’ll listen to a collection of audio tones called “963Hz.” Other times, he’ll listen to reggae icon Bob Marley. His favorite Marley tune is “Jamming.”
McCarthy also frequently uses a Shiftwave chair, a device he was first introduced to during his final season at Michigan and believes in so much that he invests in the company. Developed by former Discovery Channel host Mike North, a mechanical engineer who was searching for ways to heal a broken leg and balance his mental health, the chair is designed to apply vibrations as part of a biofeedback loop that responds to the body’s physical and mental state.
“The goal is very much putting a person into this kind of internal flow state,” North said, “where they’re able to freely flow between activate and go, and then relax, recover, reset. And so for someone like J.J., the ball snaps and you have to go. You want to be going a hundred miles an hour. But then the play’s over. You want to come down as fast as possible, think clearly, recharge, recover, and then prepare for the next play.”
McCarthy later reached out to North in hopes of learning more about how the chair works. It has multiple settings based on the circumstances, with programs that can last from five minutes to an hour.
“He told me his regimen and I wouldn’t have advised anything different for him,” North said. “It was perfect. And I was like, ‘Wow, you really understand this. You really intuitively figured out how to use this at its best.’ And I think J.J. is just an absolute superuser. He’s very tuned in. He is smart, aware, open. He’s just got this humble awareness that’s really remarkable. He’s a very enjoyable person to be around.”
The chair folds on top of itself, making it portable, and McCarthy carries it with him into the pregame locker room, even if it’s for only a few minutes of use during halftime. One way or another, however, he gets a final 10 or 15 minutes of meditation before the game begins.
JJ McCarthy reporting for work 🫡 @jjmccarthy09
📺: #LVvsMIN — 4pm ET on @NFLNetwork
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/O751MZUoSm— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024
During his time at Michigan, McCarthy often conducted that meditation session in uniform while sitting under a goal post — a sight that reliably drew the attention of television cameras and photographers. In the NFL, however, he meditates in private.
“I felt like it got to be a distraction,” McCarthy said. “And that’s the last thing I want it to be. I don’t do it for a show. Obviously, I would love every kid in the world to learn how to meditate, but at the end of the day, I feel like it’s about getting the effects of that practice, not showing off the practice.”
WHAT TO MAKE of a 22-year-old quarterback who quotes 17th-century Japanese proverbs, carries a meditation chair and paints his face like a warrior? For one thing, it becomes easy to overlook how inexperienced he is in some of the basic elements of playing in the NFL.
Last Wednesday, for example, was McCarthy’s first regular-season practice as a professional. Because he was on injured reserve before the 2024 season began, he was ineligible to participate in practice — a fact that quarterback Carson Wentz learned in a hurry after signing as the team’s new backup Aug. 24. McCarthy immediately began peppering him with a series of first-day-of-class questions and later referred to him as “Coach Wentz.”
“He hasn’t even prepped for a game week in the NFL yet,” Wentz said upon his arrival. “So, he was talking about, ‘OK, what’s a normal routine? What time are we going to get there?’ All the things.”
Holcomb, the private quarterback trainer, compared McCarthy’s personality to P.J. Fleck, the University of Minnesota’s high-energy football coach.
“I had a chance to meet P.J. years ago,” Holcomb said, “and at first I was like, ‘There’s no way this dude is like this 24-7. It has to be an act.’ But all these years later, P.J. is still the same guy. J.J. has those same qualities. He’s almost, like, too happy sometimes. It can almost look obnoxious.”
Ultimately, a football locker room is an unforgiving place. Players can see through a performative façade if nothing exists behind it. In the NFL, the level of play is too high to count on good vibes and competitive spirit alone.
“It can’t be the only thing,” O’Neill said. “You can’t just show up with your eyes closed and then be like, ‘Well, I’m going to go out and ball on Sunday.’ This is the NFL and it doesn’t work like that. But I’ve felt that urgency from him [in practice] in terms of getting ready to go.”
O’Neill compared McCarthy to former Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tyler Boyd, O’Neill’s college teammate at Pitt. Boyd’s high school teams were 63-1 with four state championships.
“There was a pingpong table in the locker room, and Tyler was winning every damn time,” O’Neill said. “He just kind of reminds me of J.J. We have a basketball hoop here. J.J.’s winning every game of P-I-G that we play. There’s just something about true-live competition that I see a lot in both of those guys. His best stuff comes when there’s a big stage.”
That’s when the face paint comes out and the warrior arrives in the garden, so to speak. There have been two exceptions, however, when the moment required something different — and provided an intense example of McCarthy’s inner competitor.
McCarthy grew up a fan of Ohio State football and was crushed when coach Ryan Day did not offer him a scholarship. So, when he started for Michigan against the Buckeyes in 2022 and 2023, McCarthy played without face paint.
He later explained why to Holcomb, his private trainer.
“On game day,” Holcomb said, “he wanted Ryan Day to see his entire face when he beat him.”
And beat him he did, both times, by a combined score of 75-46.
Sporting CP midfielder Morten Hjulmand could join Manchester United due to his previous work with manager Ruben Amorim, while Chelsea are in pole position to land Strasbourg right back Guela Doué. Join us for the latest transfer news and rumors from around the globe.
Transfers home page | Men’s grades | Women’s grades
TOP STORIES
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TRENDING RUMORS
– Manchester United are optimistic they can secure a deal to sign Sporting CP midfielder Morten Hjulmand, according to TEAMtalk. The Denmark international, 26, is loved by manager Ruben Amorim, who coached him in Portugal before making the switch to Old Trafford. While Hjulmand has an €80 million release clause in his contract, the Red Devils believe it may be negotiable given the relationship between Amorim and his former employer. Other names on United’s midfield wishlist include Borussia Dortmund‘s Jobe Bellingham and Porto’s Victor Froholdt.
– Chelsea could rival Aston Villa and Brighton to land Strasbourg right back Guela Doué, says Football Insider. The shared-ownership BlueCo model between the Blues and Strasbourg may be the deciding factor in where the 23-year-old ultimately ends up, but they are also tracking Barcelona‘s Ronald Araújo in a bid to find a long-term replacement to the injury-ravaged Reece James. Doué’s younger brother Désiré has shot to fame for Paris Saint-Germain in recent years.
– Parma goalkeeper Zion Suzuki is wanted by Chelsea and AC Milan, as per Corriere dello Sport. According to the outlet, both clubs have been tracking the Japan international for the past few weeks, with the Blues seemingly on the lookout for a long-term replacement for Robert Sánchez. Suzuki, 23, has been at Parma since 2024, playing 44 times to date for the club in Serie A, and is studying English and Italian.
– Manchester City could rival the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund for teenage sensation Said El Mala, Sport1 has revealed. The Cologne winger has had a searing start in the Bundesliga this season, having scored three excellent goals from his first six matches. As such, a host of clubs around Europe are said to be keeping tabs on El Mala, but City’s interest, in particular, is “certified.” The 19-year-old is under contract until June 2030.
– Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes has a €65 million release clause in his contract amid continued interest from the Saudi Pro League, BBC Sport reports. While sources close to the player insist he has no wish to move to Saudi Arabia next summer, it remains to be seen whether a club could once again try and tempt him away from Old Trafford in the near future. Fernandes, 31, is under contract at United until 2027, although he also has the option to extend by a further year. It is reported that several major European clubs are also keen on landing him next summer.
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OTHER RUMORS
– Chelsea have no intention of letting midfielder Andrey Santos leave the club in January, despite recent reports linking him with a move to Manchester United. (TEAMtalk)
– Goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen is set to leave Barcelona in January in a bid to secure regular first-team football. Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur are among those interested. (Ekrem Konur)
– Al Hilal have opened talks with midfielder Sergej Milinković-Savić over a new contract until 2028, as his deal expires next summer. (Nicolo Schira)
– AC Milan are looking to sign Atlético Madrid defender José María Giménez in the January window. (Mundo Deportivo)
– Newcastle United are preparing a €30 million bid to sign Juventus defender Pierre Kalulu. (Ekrem Konur)
– Como are among a host of clubs tracking the development of Hoffenheim winger Ayoube Amaimouni-Echghouyab. Bayer Leverkusen also hold “concrete interest” in the player. (Rudy Galetti)
– Heidenheim are “very keen” to sign Bayern Munich forward Arijon Ibrahimović permanently once his loan spell expires at the end of the season. (Sky Germany)
– Free agent Patrick Bamford has been spotted at Coventry City’s training ground amid his ongoing search for a new club. Bamford, 32, left Leeds United earlier this year by mutual consent and has been linked with a move to Spanish side Getafe. (Telegraph)
– Fulham are doing “everything they can” to convince head coach Marco Silva to sign a new contract at the club. (Football Insider)
There is nothing quite like El Clásico. Whenever Real Madrid and Barcelona play each other, there is no bigger match happening anywhere else in the soccer world.
Sunday’s clash at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu (stream LIVE at on ESPN+ in the U.S.) will be no different. Defending LaLiga champions Barcelona arrive in the Spanish capital sitting two points behind their bitter rivals at the top of the table.
Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, a legendary midfielder who won the LaLiga title and the UEFA Champions League during his five years as a player for Los Blancos, will be experiencing his first clash against Barcelona from the dugout. He will be doing so with star striker Kylian Mbappé in top form.
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Barça boss Hansi Flick claimed a clean sweep over Madrid last season, winning all four of the matchups in his first season in charge. Young phenom Lamine Yamal was among the stars over the course of those wins, and he could once again be a match-winner in Madrid.
ESPN’s Alex Kirkland and Sam Marsden run through the form, all-time head-to-head, latest team news and key clashes ahead of the 262nd edition of El Clásico.
All-time head-to-head: Barça can draw level with a win
Real Madrid have historically maintained an advantage for most of the time in their head-to-head matchup with Barcelona, dating to the 1930s. Since then, both clubs have had periods of sustained dominance in meetings with their rivals — Madrid in the 1960s, and Barça in the 1970s and ’80s. But the balance started to shift in the past 20 years, as Madrid’s head-to-head lead narrowed, starting with the Pep Guardiola era at Barça. Madrid posted only one win in 14 meetings in all competitions between 2008 and 2012, a spell that included legendary 6-2 and 5-0 wins in the fixture for Guardiola’s team, as well as a triumph in a UEFA Champions League semifinal.
Since then, it has been more even — Barça were unbeaten in seven Clásicos from 2017 to 2019, before Madrid went six undefeated between 2019 and 2022 — but Barça’s four victories last season leave them on the brink of matching Madrid in the all-time head-to-head. — Kirkland
What happened last season?
Barcelona, slightly unexpectedly, ruled Madrid last season. There was uncertainty surrounding the Blaugrana at the start of the campaign, with no one really sure how new coach Flick would do with a young squad. Madrid, meanwhile, on the back of winning LaLiga and the Champions League, had added Kylian Mbappé to their squad.
But as often is the case in this fixture, logic did not prevail. Barça were superb in attack, racking up 16 goals in four victories against Madrid as they won both league meetings en route to the title, as well as final wins in the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Supercopa. At times, it felt as if they could score at will, especially in the final Clásico of the season, which effectively clinched the league title. After Mbappé had given Madrid a 2-0 lead inside 15 minutes, Barça replied with four unanswered goals before the break.
That was very much a theme of Barça’s wins: lots of goals in short spurts. They also scored four in the second half at the Bernabéu last October, and four in the first half in the 5-2 Supercopa win in January. It ended 16-7 to Barça on aggregate over the course of the four fascinating and hugely entertaining games. Barça are now aiming to win five straight editions of the Clásico for only the second time in club history — 2008-10, under Guardiola, was the only other time. — Marsden
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How are they doing this season?
REAL MADRID
The feeling is that Madrid are an improvement on last season’s vintage, but they’re still a work in progress. There has been a notable change in the way the team plays out of possession — with more intensity, pressing high to win the ball back, and a more cohesive defensive shape — while the other big plus has been the sensational form of Mbappé, who has scored in 10 of his 11 club games this season. Vinícius Júnior is getting closer to his best form, and while the midfield still hasn’t quite jelled, Arda Güler is now a valuable creative influence, already providing five assists for Mbappé this campaign.
Madrid’s record in LaLiga is impressive, with eight wins out of nine, but the game they didn’t win was a 5-2 thumping to Atlético Madrid. And there’s still the nagging feeling that in the “big” games — that Madrid derby, and the FIFA Club World Cup semifinal against Paris Saint-Germain in the summer — Alonso’s team has suffered stage fright. — Kirkland
BARCELONA
Flick has acknowledged Barcelona aren’t yet hitting the heights of last season. He has bemoaned poor positioning and a drop in the intensity of the pressing as two of the biggest factors in the team’s drop-off. Injuries have also played a part, with Raphinha, Yamal, Fermín López, Gavi, Joan García, Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski among those to sit out stretches of the season. That said, results have not been that bad. They have won two out of three in the Champions League, losing only to Paris Saint-Germain via a late goal, and are only two points behind leaders Madrid in LaLiga.
Performances have not always been as encouraging. Rayo Vallecano could have beat them earlier in the season, Sevilla scored four against them and Girona should arguably have taken at least a point last weekend. But snatching a late win against Girona and then beating Olympiacos 6-1 in midweek will give the players a confidence boost heading to Madrid. López is back and looking sharp, Yamal has featured in the past two games after recovering from a groin problem, and Marcus Rashford has settled in well. — Marsden
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Both teams have several injury doubts. What is the latest?
REAL MADRID
There’s optimism that Madrid’s issues at right back — where Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal have both been out injured, and Federico Valverde has reluctantly been drafted in — are soon to be solved, with both Alexander-Arnold and Carvajal pushing for a return in time for the Clásico. On the other side of the defense, Ferland Mendy is also getting close to full fitness, although the Clásico might come too soon for him, and Álvaro Carreras is the starter at left back anyway.
At center back, Dean Huijsen should be available to partner with Éder Militão, as Antonio Rüdiger is expected to be out until December, and David Alaba was substituted at halftime against Getafe last weekend as a precaution. In midfield, Dani Ceballos has a muscular problem, and is unlikely to be fit to face Barça. — Kirkland
BARCELONA
Joan García, Marc-André ter Stegen, Gavi, Olmo and Lewandowski will all sit out the game, and a source told ESPN that Raphinha will also miss out after suffering a setback in his return from a hamstring injury. But there is some positive news for Barça — Yamal and López both returned to action last weekend, with the latter then scoring a stunning hat trick with his weaker left foot against Olympiacos. Ferran Torres returned to the bench against the Greek side. Though he didn’t play, he should be ready this weekend. — Marsden
Key clashes
Kylian Mbappé vs. Barcelona’s high line: Who can forget the last time these two teams met at the Bernabéu, almost exactly a year ago? Barcelona ended up winning the match 4-0, but all four of those goals came in the second half. Before the break, it could have been a very different story, as Madrid went toe-to-toe with Barça, but Mbappé was caught offside six times (his game total of eight was a career high) and was unable to make the breakthrough.
Since then, much has changed: Mbappé looks a different player, supremely confident and comfortable in a Real Madrid shirt, and he has Güler behind him providing the support. Barça, meanwhile, look nothing like the well-oiled machine of Flick’s first season, and there’s no Iñigo Martínez marshalling the defense. There could be rich pickings if Madrid and Mbappé get it right this time. — Kirkland
Lamine Yamal vs. Álvaro Carreras: Even though Barça won both games in Lisbon against Benfica last season (5-4 and 1-0), Yamal did not have all things go his way in the matchup with Carreras. The Spanish left back was one of the players who did the best job of containing Yamal, who finally scored against Benfica in the third meeting between the teams, when Carreras was suspended.
Yamal is the sort of player who’s also motivated by individual battles. The idea that he needs to prove himself against an opponent fuels him, and he will be ready to run at Carreras. He is averaging 14.8 take-ons per 90 minutes and 6.4 successful take-ons per 90 this season in LaLiga, both of which are the most in Europe’s top five leagues (minimum 300 minutes). He also, as Flick pointed out this week, nearly always steps up in the big games. His three career goals against Madrid are more than he has scored against any other team.
With Raphinha, Lewandowski and Olmo absent, a large part of Barça’s hopes will again depend on the teenager delivering. — Marsden
Predictions
The gap between the two teams last season was significant, if not always as great as the scorelines in their four meetings suggested. Madrid look quite a bit better than last season, while Barça are worse. Madrid will win 3-1. — Kirkland
Madrid have looked more stable but also have their own problems defensively. Alonso’s biggest games in charge so far — against PSG and Atlético — have ended in defeats and I expect Barça to improve on what we have seen in recent weeks. Ultimately, with only two points between the teams in the league, a draw might not be deemed the worst result for either side if it’s tied late on. It will be a 2-2 draw. — Marsden
Odds (via ESPNBET)
Real Madrid: +105
Barcelona: +210
Draw: +300
Nearly every sports league, team and operation (including, ahem, media outlets) wants in on sports wagering revenue. Sponsorships. Partnerships. Advertising. It’s legal, after all.
Maybe it’s direct payments. Maybe it’s advertising dollars from increased viewership that come through bigger and bigger broadcast deals. Whatever the source, sports is awash in gambling cash.
Nothing comes for free, though, and on Thursday, the bill came due for the NBA.
Every other league can only look on and know that if there was ever a sure-bet, it’s that this won’t be the last time a parade of FBI and Department of Justice figures stage a news conference to detail a slew of indictments over unsavory behavior involving sports betting.
More than 30 people were arrested, including big shots such as Mr. Big Shot — Hall of Fame player and current Portland Trail Blazer coach Chauncey Billups. Meanwhile, officials kept citing the juicy involvement of La Cosa Nostra and New York crime families, including the Gambinos and Genovese.
Like a “Hollywood movie,” Ricky Patel of Homeland Securities Investigations said.
Try the veal, it’s the best in the city.
Gambling scandals are not new in sports — from the Black Sox to Tim Donaghy. However, the proliferation of legalized sports wagering, putting betting in everyone’s face, if not their phone, almost assuredly makes the games more susceptible.
The indictments contained fascinating high-tech details of underground poker games with X-ray card readers to help organized crime rig the action. And there were the alleged actions of Damon Jones, a former player and assistant coach who the feds say tipped off others about injuries the public didn’t yet know about.
One example: a certain unnamed Los Angeles Lakers star would be sitting out a Feb. 9, 2023, game against Milwaukee.
“Get a big bet on Milwaukee tonight before the information is out! [Player 3] is out tonight,” the indictment alleges Jones texted a co-conspirator. “Bet enough so Djones can eat to [sic] now!!!”
One Laker who sat out that night to rest a sore left ankle? LeBron James. A source close to James told ESPN on Thursday that the star had no knowledge of information about his status being leaked. The Bucks won by nine, covering the -7.5 spread. DJones, presumably, ate.
“This is the insider trading scandal of the NBA,” FBI director Kash Patel said.
It is. And it is fair for fans to wonder exactly what they are watching. The indictment mostly hinges on players purposefully taking themselves out of games with injury to assure they hit the under on individual prop bets, but that still corrupts the competition.
The proliferation of legalized sports wagering allows criminal elements to place numerous small bets on the information (and hopefully not trigger suspicion) and cash in.
The fact that players and coaches on multimillion-dollar contracts could be susceptible — Rozier was playing on a four-year, $96.2-million contract — just adds to the concern. Good luck to college sports, where the NCAA is investigating 13 men’s basketball players at six schools in a betting scheme.
Now on Wednesday, the NCAA allowed all of its athletes to legally wager on professional sports.
Hey, what bad could happen?
Sports wagering may be a boon to the bottom line, but it comes with increased suspicion into everything. That includes, quite unfairly, athletes who just simply underperform or do get injured and thus cost some bettors money. Online harassment is off the charts.
As for the presence of Billups, he’s the shiny star that attracts attention. In one indictment a defendant referred to as “Co-Conspirator 8,” allegedly told a bettor that the Trail Blazers would be tanking and several of their best players would not be playing in a March 24, 2023, game against the Chicago Bulls.
Co-Conspirator 8 is not named in the indictment, but the description of the playing and coaching career matches Billups.
In another indictment, Billups is alleged to have played in illegal poker games set up by New York organized crime. He was a famous “face card” used to attract an unwitting patsy who arrived at games with X-ray tables that can read cards face down and cameras on poker chip trays that can do the same.
The info would be sent to a remote location, then relayed back to the “quarterback” in the game who would then signal to the others involved which hand was most likely to win. The “fish” as they were known, never stood a chance. One guy lost $1.8 million, the feds said.
It will be interesting to find out how and why someone of Billups’ stature and financial security ($100 million in player earnings) would be involved in this. Still, the Trail Blazers were apparently going to tank regardless. And the fact an illegal poker game in New York or Miami might be less than reputable doesn’t seem like a huge surprise (caveat emptor), let alone threat to the general public.
So as bad as this is, it could have been a lot worse.
Yet that’s kind of the point. Unless every athlete and coach and official and trainer and so on, heeds the FBI warnings to steer clear of this stuff, then the next scandal is assuredly coming. Not only could it be worse, there’s a decent chance it will be.
Legalized sports wagering sure is good money.
It just doesn’t come cheap.
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