NFL checks on Bettis' gambling connection

Steelers' running back in slots deal

Part of real estate and track proposal

NFL officials will talk with Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jerome Bettis to determine whether he has violated league rules by being involved in a proposed real estate development that could include slot machines.

Bettis, the sixth-leading rusher in NFL history, was in Harrisburg, Pa., this week to speak with lawmakers about minority interests in proposed gambling legislation.

The 32-year-old running back appeared with C.J. Betters, a developer who has proposed a $500 million (U.S.) facility that could include a racetrack, hotel, townhouses, retail stores and slot machines, if the state passes legislation legalizing slots.

The NFL policy on gambling prohibits players from advertising or promoting activities "that can reasonably be perceived as constituting affiliation with or endorsement of gambling."

Jeff Pash, an executive vice-president and chief legal officer for the NFL, will speak with Bettis, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said.

"We need to get information not only from Jerome, but we also need to learn more about what the project is," McCarthy said. "We only learned about Jerome's involvement a couple days ago."

Bettis is heading into his 12th NFL season and needs 907 yards to move into fourth place on the career rushing list. His agent, Lamont Smith, didn't immediately return phone calls to Associated Press yesterday.

Betters said Bettis' involvement with Pittsburgh Palisades Park, the gambling portion of the project, has been overblown.

"This is a huge project and the Palisades is one of 20 or 30 pieces," he said.

Betters wouldn't comment on his relationship with Bettis or his role in the development. The state Senate is expected to vote soon on whether to legalize as many as 61,000 slot machines in Pennsylvania.

CHIEFS SIGN FOX: Linebacker Keyaron Fox agreed to a four-year contract with the Kansas City Chiefs yesterday.

Fox, a third-round selection, is the highest of the Chiefs' draft picks to agree to a contract.

The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Fox was picked 93rd overall in the draft out of Georgia Tech.


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It was for charity, but being on Bravo's Celebrety Poker at the Palms Casino could be seen as endorsing gambling.

Wasn't John Thompson (former Georgetown hoops coach, not the Atlanta pitcher) involved in a similar deal?

But after lots of negative press, I think (?) Thompson dropped out.

Behold the love-hate relationship, the oft-times hypocritical link, between sports and gambling.

Even as the state legislature has debated the question of legalizing slot machines, and perhaps by extension generating money that could flow into a new arena for the Penguins, the NFL has promised to take up consideration of whether Steelers running back Jerome Bettis violated league rules in becoming involved in the lobbying for a gambling interest.

Translation: Gambling is good, but only with something of a buffer between it and sports. Keep gambling at arm's length, just close enough for the money to change hands.

It was comical to read where NFL spokesman Greg Aiello delineated that while NFL teams can accept advertising revenue from racetracks and state lotteries, players or coaches can't appear in the ads.

Along that line, the Rooney family can own the Steelers, as well as a horse racing track in New York and a dog track in Florida.

A cornerstone of Steelers lore is that Art Rooney Sr. founded the team with money from a big win in horse racing. It would be ridiculous to portray the late Steelers patriarch, the beloved "Chief," as something less than a fine human being simply because he was known to make a wager.

The argument for keeping players and coaches isolated from gambling interests is rooted in the integrity of the game. But the NFL has proved to be more forgiving than baseball on this front.

Former Green Bay Packers star Paul Hornung has a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame despite being suspended for the 1963 season because of involvement with betting on football games.

Meanwhile, Pete Rose continues to serve a lifetime ban from baseball and its Hall of Fame for a similar offense.

Tales of gambling intersecting with NFL interests are many. In 1969, the league forced Joe Namath to sell his share in the Bachelors III nightclub because it was frequented by gamblers. Former Philadelphia Eagles owner Leonard Tose once testified he'd lost $50 million gambling, forcing him to sell the team.

Former NFL quarterback Art Schlichter became the poster boy for gambling addiction.

Through this all, acknowledged instances of attempts to fix NFL games are virtually nonexistent. It's likely naive to believe there haven't been more than the couple that are public record. Still, considering all the seasons and all the games, scandals are hard to find.

Public gambling on the games is not nearly as hard to find. An estimated $70 million was wagered legally in Las Vegas on the most recent Super Bowl. Estimates of total involvement in office pools and wagering with illegal bookies on the game were in the $4 billion range.

Fantasy football leagues with payouts to the winners are ubiquitous.

There is little argument that the incredible popularity of the NFL rests in substantial part on a foundation of gambling interest among the populace.

The case can be made that the NFL is not harmed by this, but would be harmed by the throwing of games.

Still, it's a reach to suggest that Bettis supposedly pushing for a slot palace and horse track, in which he may or may not have a direct interest, is a threat to the integrity of pro football. The very semi-public nature of such an effort by a player would argue against that.


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Bettis Admits to Gambling Involvement

As reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Steelers running back Jerome Bettis said today he is a limited partner in the company that has proposed a horse racing track, slots casino and residential development in Hays, but he added he would do whatever is necessary to comply with National Football League rules which bar players from promoting gambling or gambling-related activities.

"In a prepared statement, Bettis said he is a limited partner in Pittsburgh Development Group II, the Charles J. Betters partnership proposing the $500 million Pittsburgh Palisades Park development on a hillside in Hays.

"…NFL officials said last week the league was reviewing Bettis' link to the proposed development…"

Ironic that this guy's name is C.J. "Betters"...would be funnier if it was spelled "Bettors"......

Not to turn this political but this is some nation we live in where athletes are scrutinized about thier relationships with casinos and possible gambling ties, yet the relationship between Cheney and Halliburton was perfectly legal....

..I guess it's more important to keep the integrity of our sports intact than keeping our government's integrity in line.....worry about a few gambling dollars over the fate of men coming back in body bags.....

maybe he will retire because of this or something like that

..best thing that could happen to the steelers IMO The bus has lost his tires

Tommy Maddox