Sometimes a successful sports bet is more than just lucky. It may be the product of wrongdoing, both on the court and behind closed doors. Just ask federal prosecutors, who are accusing a former University of San Diego star player, another ex-player, an ex-assistant coach and others of conspiracy to commit sports bribery.
Time will tell if they beat the rap. For now, we do know how how sports players can cheat to help bettors beat the spread — and what “beat the spread” means.
It’s not clear exactly what the accused suspects are accused of doing, but a gambling expert says college basketball scams typically center around point-shaving schemes and focus on a team’s best player. Like, for example, the star who stands accused in this case.
Mayor Proposes Blackout on Brownouts
Mayor Jerry Sanders wants to get rid of brownouts that have idled fire engines in the city as a result of budget cuts, the U-T reports. Under his plan, the browned-out engines would be phased back into service. “I know times are still tough, but I’m glad to see that this particular chapter in our history has gone by, at least for now,” the fire chief told the paper. “It’s been a very difficult year for all of us.”
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Last year, we explored how the brownouts affected individual neighborhoods.
Numbers vs. Numbers in 401(k) Dispute
Local GOP types want to switch most city employees to 401(k) plans to save money. But how much will it save? The city’s pension CEO and a councilman differ.
Checking How Many Cops Scrammed
The vice president of the city police union wrote this a few weeks ago: “840 police officers (about half of the sworn staff) left the San Diego Police Department when the city began changing benefits it relied upon to recruit and retain officers. More than 200 of them went to other agencies.” San Diego Fact Check finds that the claim is “mostly true” since there are nuances to consider. For one thing, the police department is holding onto its cop employees at a much higher rate than it used to since the economy soured.
Community Colleges Cancel Summer School
San Diego’s community colleges have eliminated summer school classes (with limited exceptions), officials announced over the weekend. North County’s community colleges are also cutting classes but to a much smaller extent, the NCT reports.
An Asian Enclave Grows in Northern S.D.
New census figures show that the number of Asian residents in several of San Diego’s northern communities have grown more than expected, giving weight to the argument that the neighborhoods — Mira Mesa, Rancho Peñasquitos and others — deserve their own City Council district.
The city is adding a ninth council district, and Asian activists have been pushing for one that represents them and their interests. Now, the northern neighborhoods with many Asian residents are split among three council districts. That contrasts to other council districts in the southern and central parts of the city that typically have black, Latino or gay City Council members in line with major political power blocs in those areas.
U-T Extends its Web
Platinum Equity, the owner of the U-T, has bought the Detroit Pistons professional basketball team while the U-T itself has purchased a website called discoversd.com, which focuses on entertainment.
The paper says it wants to reach a youthful audience. Unlike, say, its current audience, which editor Jeff Light said tends to be “adult, vested, community stakeholders.” That’s a nice way of saying hipness-deficient fossils.
False Claims and Vibrators
Over in the world of video, Fact Check TV tackles incorrect claims about city layoffs and the possible new makeup of the school board while Behind the Scene TV examines a city report that says arts groups boost the local economy.
Also in arts, Kelly Bennett has an update on the recent productions she’s seen in a post with a headline full of diversity: “Opera, Vibrators, Dance and Drum Solo.”
And over on another channel, CNN, there’s a story about the revitalization of Little Italy, which “has been picking up the slack where the city falls short for more than a decade.”
‘Man, My Old Boss Was Such a Pickle. No, Really!’
“Chief Popsicle.” “Chief executive pickle.” “Director of storytelling.” These are all real titles for executives around the country, MarketWatch reports, and a San Diego company has a few of its own. Arico Natural Foods Co. boasts a “communicator and public happy-maker,” “chief flavor maker” and “wicked witch of the Web.”
This reminds me how I’ve given a few imaginary titles to my supervisors in my time. (Not my current bosses, of course. They’re, uh, totally great. Ahem.) But since this is a family Morning Report, you’re just going to have to use your imagination about what they were.
Please contact Randy Dotinga directly at randydotinga@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter: twitter.com/rdotinga.