With IMG Gambling Lawsuit Looming, Tennis Must Cut Ties

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive, ATP, Sports Business and Media

Tennis officials have come out from under their desks and spoken about the game's latest gambling scandal, the $40,000 that Ted Forstmann, CEO of IMG, bet on Roger Federer to beat Rafael Nadal in the 2007 French Open.

Forstmann, pictured right, is the head of a company that serves as an agent to top players -- including Federer and Nadal -- and also owns several pro tournaments and portions of the media covering the sport. He might well be the most powerful person in tennis.

So on Thursday, the Tennis Integrity Unit said in a statement that it had "contacted Mr. Forstmann'' and "made it clear'' that any bets he made since January 2009 were against the rules.

What? Since 2009? No one has accused him of betting since then. But that is when the TIU was formed because of the sport's gambling problems.

Meanwhile, the ATP Tour, the men's tour, also issued a statement Thursday. It had power before 2009.

"The ATP has sent the message very clearly to Mr. Forstmann,'' the ATP said, "that we consider his behavior inappropriate and that he will be in violation of the rules if he engages in such activity in the future.''

You have got to be kidding. They are not going to do anything to Forstmann other than to tell him that if he does it again, he'll be in really, really big trouble next time?

Tennis might have looked tougher when it was still hiding under the desk. This man is so powerful in tennis that the sport's governing bodies are too afraid and too weak to enforce what they know is right.

It turns out that tennis didn't prohibit owners of tournaments or player-agents from betting until 2009. So no, his bet wasn't against the laws of tennis, but it was against the ethics of the game.

He knows it. That's why he used a go-between to place his bets.

Tennis knows it. That's why it put in rules against gambling.

And tennis can't seriously be asking, "Well, what can we do? It wasn't against the rules back then.''

 

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Source: http://tennis.fanhouse.com/2010/11/11/with-img-gambling-lawsuit-looming-tennis-must-cut-ties/

Michael Sgarbossa MacGregor Sharp Patrick Sharp James Sheppard

Pumas left without player doing post-match drug test

"Wait for me, guys! Guys?"

Pumas beat Cruz Azul 2-0 in the second leg of their Apertura quarterfinal on Saturday to advance on a 3-2 aggregate score. After the match, defender Marco Palacios was selected to perform a random drug test and while he was doing that, the rest of the team left without him.

According to Record, Palacios was able to depart the Estadio Azul before suffering the indignity of arranging for his own transportation. But the ride he caught was the club's equipment van, where I imagine he had to sit inside a laundry bag full of soiled kits.

Oddly enough, this is the exact premise for Home Alone 17. 

Photo: Getty Images

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/soccer/blog/dirty-tackle/post/Pumas-left-without-player-doing-post-match-drug-?urn=sow-288143

Derek Stepan Ryan Stoa Jarret Stoll Ryan Stone

Video: Samuel L. Jackson does the Dawg Walk, for some reason

I have no idea why. But there he is before Georgia's 42-34 win over Georgia Tech on Saturday night, decked head to toe in UGA gear and looking ... unimpressed:

Then again, when you've wielded an official light saber and defeated snakes on a plane, I guess not much fazes you.

Anyone with any idea what this is about, please, share.

- - -
Hat tip: Blutarsky.
Matt Hinton is on Twitter: Follow him @DrSaturday.

Source: http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/blog/dr_saturday/post/Video-Samuel-L-Jackson-does-the-Dawg-Walk-for?urn=ncaaf-290339

Adam Foote Scott Ford Maxime Fortunus Kurtis Foster

Waiver Wire Wonders: Jacoby Ford, Built Ford Tough

Filed under: NFL Sleepers, NFL Waiver Wire

If your league looks anything like mine, you know two things all too well: 1) this week is make-or-break for a whole lot of teams in terms of their fantasy playoff hopes, and 2) the bulk of the fantasy football apps out there are terribly annoying and they need to learn how to update automatically to save us all from carpel tunnel syndrome. Anyway, for most leagues, we're looking at one final week before playoff time, so make the most of every move and pay close attention, as there's some great stuff out there this week.

Jacoby Ford (WR, Raiders) - When we first highlighted Jacoby Ford as a waiver wire pickup after his breakout performance in Week 9, we mentioned we'll have to wait to see if he shows consistency before inserting him into your lineup. Well, he hammered it home this week with another huge day. Not only did Ford lead the Raiders offense with four catches for 108 yards and a touchdown, but he added 13 yards rushing and a 101-yard kick return for a touchdown. This guy is explosive and creates separation on his routes, so this won't be the last you'll see of Ford this season. At this point, Ford gets the green light in deeper leagues and three-receiver settings.

 

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Source: http://fantasyfootball.fanhouse.com/2010/11/29/waiver-wire-wonders-jacoby-ford-built-ford-tough/

John Armstrong Tyler Arnason Jamie Arniel Jason Arnott

Savon Goodman Reportedly Picking Villanova

Savon Goodman is heading to Villanova, according to a newspaper report.

The 6-foot-6 forward, described as the "[best] physical specimen in the class" by Scout.com will pick the Wildcats, a source told the Philadelphia Inquirer. According to the report, Goodman will make his decision official Tuesday.

The Philadelphia native also considered Texas ,Pitt and Penn State, according to Rivals.com.

But the source said the Philadelphia native preferred to stay near home.

"He loved everything about Nova, everything about the program from the academics on down," the source told the Inquirer. "The main piece is he is a homebody. He wants to his family to see him play."

A high school junior, Goodman can only verbally commit to the Wildcats. He can sign a letter of intent next November.

 

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Source: http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2010/11/29/savon-goodman-reportedly-picking-villanova/

Shawn Horcoff Quinton Howden Zach Hyman Brayden Irwin

With IMG Gambling Lawsuit Looming, Tennis Must Cut Ties

Filed under: FanHouse Exclusive, ATP, Sports Business and Media

Tennis officials have come out from under their desks and spoken about the game's latest gambling scandal, the $40,000 that Ted Forstmann, CEO of IMG, bet on Roger Federer to beat Rafael Nadal in the 2007 French Open.

Forstmann, pictured right, is the head of a company that serves as an agent to top players -- including Federer and Nadal -- and also owns several pro tournaments and portions of the media covering the sport. He might well be the most powerful person in tennis.

So on Thursday, the Tennis Integrity Unit said in a statement that it had "contacted Mr. Forstmann'' and "made it clear'' that any bets he made since January 2009 were against the rules.

What? Since 2009? No one has accused him of betting since then. But that is when the TIU was formed because of the sport's gambling problems.

Meanwhile, the ATP Tour, the men's tour, also issued a statement Thursday. It had power before 2009.

"The ATP has sent the message very clearly to Mr. Forstmann,'' the ATP said, "that we consider his behavior inappropriate and that he will be in violation of the rules if he engages in such activity in the future.''

You have got to be kidding. They are not going to do anything to Forstmann other than to tell him that if he does it again, he'll be in really, really big trouble next time?

Tennis might have looked tougher when it was still hiding under the desk. This man is so powerful in tennis that the sport's governing bodies are too afraid and too weak to enforce what they know is right.

It turns out that tennis didn't prohibit owners of tournaments or player-agents from betting until 2009. So no, his bet wasn't against the laws of tennis, but it was against the ethics of the game.

He knows it. That's why he used a go-between to place his bets.

Tennis knows it. That's why it put in rules against gambling.

And tennis can't seriously be asking, "Well, what can we do? It wasn't against the rules back then.''

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Source: http://tennis.fanhouse.com/2010/11/11/with-img-gambling-lawsuit-looming-tennis-must-cut-ties/

Andrew Crescenzi Sidney Crosby Mark Cullen Matt Cullen

Ian Poulter rolls in a putt from a different time zone

Last week we called Ian Poulter a clown in this space, so it's only fair we throw him a little love when he deserves it. Check out this putt from this past weekend's Singapore Open, in which Poulter rolls one true from what looks like half a mile (and a wicked break) away from the cup:

Yep, we'll give him the ol' putter-twirl with a shot like that. Nice job, Bozo.

[Visor tip: Dude, Where's My Par?]

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/blog/golf_experts/post/Ian-Poulter-rolls-in-a-putt-from-a-different-tim?urn=golf-286106

Ryan Carter Michael Chaput Stefan Chaput Kyle Chipchura