Gambling has become a bit of a sticky topic in the NHL ever since former Phoenix Coyotes assistant coach Rick Tocchet’s alleged involvement in an illegal gambling ring hit the news last February.
If Tocchet is indeed found guilty of any wrongdoing he could be facing some jail time and any hopes he may have had of one day becoming an NHL head coach will suffer a serious setback.
Some in the media disgraced themselves by attempting to smear Tocchet’s boss, Wayne Gretzky, when it was revealed his wife, sometime actress Janet Jones, placed bets with Tocchet.
Never mind that Jones was never accused of committing any crime; the fact that there was a whiff of tabloid scandal swirling about the Great One was enough for some hockey reporters to wallow in yellow journalism before all the facts were in.
Gambling in the NHL remains a sore spot for some in the media. The Toronto Star’s Damien Cox recently suggested the NHL might be engaging in hypocrisy by shunning Tocchet for his actions but at the same time embracing the Pittsburgh Penguins bid for a gaming license from the Isle of Capri gaming corporation to fund a new arena.
Mr. Cox is one of the better pundits covering the NHL, but I believe he's wrong in this case. There’s simply no hypocrisy to be found here.
Tocchet allegedly placed bets for an illegal gambling ring. The Isle of Capri is involved in legalized gambling thus the Penguins aren’t doing anything illegal in obtaining a gaming license.
Kukla’s Korner recently noted sixteen current and former NHL players taking part in a charity poker tournament, which will be televised on TSN in Canada.
The poster of this piece correctly observed that this could generate some negative media publicity for the league and the NHLPA because of the ongoing investigation into Tocchet’s alleged activities.
In my humble opinion, any pundit who tries to draw comparisons to Tocchet over this charity event is nothing more than a cheap sensationalist out to sell papers or to increase the traffic to their site.
It’s comparing apples to oranges. The PA poker tournament is legalized gambling and there’s nothing wrong with it.
It’s really quite simple. If a player does what Tocchet is alleged to have done, it’s illegal. If an NHL players bets on NHL games, even if he’s not betting on his own team, it has legal ramifications. Just ask former MLB great Pete Rose. Former NHL players Billy Taylor and Babe Pratt also found out the hard way back in the late 1940s.
If, on the other hand, an NHL player is placing bets through a legal gambling operation on any other sport, or is engaged in other legalized forms of gambling like poker, there’s nothing wrong with it unless that player no longer knows their limits and becomes addicted to gambling. In that case, they need to seek treatment.
1) We believe its NOW a long shot that Tochett will ever be a head coach in the NHL, regardless if he's found guilty or not. Just the mere mention of gambling frightens owners and sports folks as much as anything. (See Pete Rose)
2)We agree with Spector that the distinction has to be made between legal and illegal gambling. However there is some blurring to some degree and that is probably why there are no major league sports franchises in Las Vegas
I would like to agree that the major point that comes out of this is that what Tocchet did was illegal, whether he was involved in sports or not, he would have been charged, the difference is he wouldn't have made national news if it had been some average Joe. Also, while I do not encourage gambling, if it is done legally, I do not have a problem with athletes being involved in poker tournaments, or things of that nature. About the only restriction I would ask would be the obvious one of no gambling on your own sport. Last I checked US and Canada are free countries, and if somebody is gambling leagally for their own enjoyment, they should be able to do that.
I think it's a shame that some people are willing to risk their careers in the NHL (they know what they're doing) over gambling. I think Tocchet should be disallowed to take part in any part of the league after this, the league needs to show that there's no room for gambling inside the league. It might have been innocent now but if the NHL keeps letting people get away, it could snowball into a much larger problem.
Tocchet isn't accused on taking bets on NHL games, but rather for taking bets on other sports. Regardless,he's alleged to have done so for an illegal gambling ring.
Sometimes the two are the same, sometimes they're not. If it's morally acceptable for the Pittsburgh Penguins to build a franchise from gambling money, then it should be morally acceptable for Tocchet to be engaged in the same activities.
The fact that gambling is legal in some places in illegal in others simply highlights this dichotomy.
Plus, let's be honest about the difference. Isle of Capri has big bucks.
The NFL claims to despise gambling but they provide injury reports on all teams, hmmm. If Tocchet were placing bets for friends during a trip to Vegas that would be fine, right? If he were charging those friends a fee would it still be fine? I live in Columbus, Ohio & our Buckeyes used to have a QB named Art Schleister. He ruined his life feeding his addiction by stealing & defrauding family & friends. I gamble on occasion but I will never be under the illusion that it is harmless. Mr Tocchet was in buisness to make money but the government wasn't getting a slice of his pie like they would from the casino in Pittsburgh! Therin lies the real hypocricy!
When it comes to gambling, morality seems to be in the eye of the beholder and their respective beliefs.
The issue here isn't one of morality, but legality. When Tocchet is alleged to have done is considered illegal. What the Penguins are doing with Isle of Capri is not.
I hate this topic, because even if he's found innocent, Tocchet's name will be dragged through the mud. A lot of those "Big Media" types try to make something out of nothing. Unfortunately for some, when their "something" turns out to be nothing, there's not a whole lot they can do about it. Just wrap your minds around this one: OJ Simpson was a fantastic football player in his time, but he'll always be remembered as the guy who got away with murdering his wife. I'm not saying murder is the same as an illegal gambling ring, but who's going to remember Tocchet for the positive things he's done for the game, as a player or as a member of the coaching staff? Everyone who remembers him ten years from now will see him as the guy involved in that gambling ring. If you ask me, that's almost as bad as being forgotten.
If you don't want to be considered "hypocritical" than you can't be saying its alright for the Penguins to do what they are doing and that Tocchet is a black eye on the good NHL name.
Regardless if its apples and oranges, which I agree it is, the perception is really in the word association. Casino and gambling are pretty much synonomous. And because of the fact that it can be a "disease" to many people in the world, this is not something the NHL(who just got back from a near death experience)should be flirting with.
As chaas says, I hate this subject. How can gambling be ok in one part of the US and not another? This whole thing is stupid and Pete Rose should be in the MLB Hall of fame. Thats another reason I hate the hall of fames! Ok, time to calm down.
On a sidenote, the Sabres beat the Habs! Just thought I'd put that in there for Spector...
The casino has the money to fund an arena, and is a legal business, so that is the only thing that should play into the situation. How is it any less moral to take money from a casino than from something like a tobacco company, or pharmaceutical company, or oil company, or a company such as Enron that defrauded its own employees? Or local politicians for that matter. At least the business operations of a legal gambling operation are more transparent.
The problem I have with the morality argument is that it is so fuzzy, and strictly in the eye of the beholder, so legality is the only reliable benchmark for all parties. I think it's dang silly to spend money on gambling for the amount of enjoyment that I would get from it (zero), but I spend a ton on books even though I have no idea when I will get around to reading some of them, because that is what I enjoy. As long as either is within budget, it doesn't cause problems and is no one else's business.
For that reason, the poker tournament shouldn't be an issue (a good idea to cash on a current craze to raise money for charity), but it will be for any writers who are running low on their stock of "hockey is dying" stories. Woo-hoo, a new angle! The fact that poker tournaments are for the most part legal, and bookmaking operations are not, will be conveniently glossed over.
Look, it boils down to this - there are LEGAL forms of gambling and ILLEGAL forms. It isn't a case of perception or hypocrisy or morality. It is very black and white with no grey area. What Tocchet is accused of is ILLEGAL. The PA poker tourney is LEGAL. The Penguins endeavor with the Isle of Capri is LEGAL. Your office pool is ILLEGAL. The lottery is LEGAL. When you try to add in perception and/or morality you end up with hypocrisy and are way off base. Call it like it is - if Tocchet is guilty then it is a personal black eye on him not the league. The PA poker tourney is for charity, extremely generous and totally legal. The Pens need a new arena and their dealings are legal and not hypocritical you are only a hypocrite if you partake in your office pool and then condemn Tocchet for his actions.
Damien Cox is wrong. Doesn't he understand that when a professional athlete engages in gambling activity he compromises the very game at which he makes his living? A large debt could be easily forgiven by if the debtor were to let in a soft goal,strike out at a crucial time,throw an interception,fumble,you get the idea. On the other hand,as someone who lives just outside Atlantic City,NJ and having seen how little the Casino industry has invested into the surrounding area, I feel that Isle of Capri should be welcomed as they are willing to build a new arena with no cost to taxpayers, without which a young team on the upswing will be playing elsewhere.
So long as Tocchet, or any other professional athlete, isn't betting on their team or league, I don't think it's anything that can be frowned upon. At this point, it's nothing more than allegations against Tocchet. Let's let the evidence and due process run its course before the "innocent until proven guilty" game begins.
As far as gambling and the athlete goes, I have plenty more concern over collegiate athletes then I have with the pros. Who's to say a college kid in any sport who has no shot at the pros isn't willing to take a bribe to throw a game or prevent his team from covering the spread. That to me is where the true issue is...
Since Pete Rose's name always comes up in these situations, I think this discussion merits a review of his circumstances before dealing with the NHL problems.
If you read the Dowd report (you can get it online at www.DowdReport.com), it is exceedingly clear that Rose bet on baseball and even bet on his own team. There should be no doubt about this; the evidence is overwhelming. Now, apologists will say Rose bet on baseball, but bet on his own team to win so it's okay. Not at all. Betting on your own team to win places Rose the Manager in a very awkward situation where he is making decisions based on the need for Rose the Better to win a particular game, decisions that which might have long-term negative consequences for the team in upcoming games (i.e. disrupting the pitching rotation, not properly resting players, etc.).
The legalities and ethics of betting aside, people in the business of baseball know that betting on baseball is wrong and are subject to a lifetime ban if caught. Again, this is crystal clear, and that warning is posted in every major league locker room. Rose knew what he was doing, he got caught, and he should pay the penalty accordingly.
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Last edited by Matt_McCallum on December 12th at 12:23 PM.
The NHL situation is quite different. Rick Tocchet is accused of being affiliated with a multi-state illegal betting operation that included corrupt police officers and members of organized crime. You could say he was a middleman, a bookie's runner collecting the bets and passing them along the line (a fair description of his role). And you could say that hockey bets weren't part of the mix, so there was nothing tainting the sport. But to do so misses the bigger picture: Do you want NHL professional athletes, coaches and others affiliated with the sport engaged in illegal activities with members of organized crime?
Consider for a moment: The wife of an NHL coach gets deeply in debt from her illegal gambling. The ring decides to call the marker due and to avoid public scandal suggest she influence her husband to make some "foolish coaching decisions" that lose a couple of games or at least prevents the team from covering the spread on those nights.
Too wild for you? How about the NHL goalie under the thumb of gangsters who lets in three early floaters so that the over/under is covered. Every goalie has a bad night. How would you ever know the fix was in?
Professional sports is based on trust. Trust between the athletes in the locker room. Trust between players and management. Trust between the teams and their fans. Illegal gambling and involvement with organized crime puts that trust at risk and places a spector (sorry, Lyle!) over the entire league.
Last edited by Matt_McCallum on December 12th at 12:30 PM.
If they want to investigate gambling in the NHL they need to start with the refs. The officiating is abysmal. More often than not, officiating tilts the ice. Holding when the nearest player is five feet away. Standing on a goalies stick while passing for an open net shot. And this is not just "sour grapes." I've seen bad officiating for and against my team. Officiating at local non-pro games is more consistent. Either the NHL officials are untrained or on the take.
I'm Lyle Richardson, also known as Spector, Foxsports.com 's "Prince of Pucks".,which is based on the fact I live in Prince Edward Island, Canada and I couldn't think of a better byline. I've been an NHL hockey commentator since 1998 on my website, Spector's Hockey, and I'm a contributing writer for Foxsports.com , The Hockey News and Eishockey News. I'm also a regular on The Faceoff Hockey Show and a frequent guest on "The Late Crew" on The Team 1200 Ottawa.
