My message to Phil Sheridan

Bruce - I was able to find it, although he hasn't answered it (yet):

Phil:

It might be difficult for you to address this, but isn't there an awful lot of hypocrisy involved in sports betting in this country? I mean, states run numbers games, casinos are all over the place (and politicians benefit from them), yet the NFL (and other sports organizations) act as if they are "shocked, shocked!" that such betting might be going on in their sports!

I am not trying to excuse Rick Tocchet, particularly if he was involved with organized crime. But in a society where the likes of William F. Buckley call for the decriminalization of drugs because the behaviors unleashed by its criminalization make for, on balance, a worse society, why can't we have this discussion on sports betting? They have open betting on sports in England (and elsewhere), but I don't think that has hurt the integrity of their games, has it? And it's not as if we haven't had point-shaving scandals here in the current environment, either.

I'll let you know if I get an answer.