On the Headlines Sports podcast with Tony Renteria:
#1 Tony will be looking back a bit on that first game with the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors when the Rockets’ James Harden and the Warriors’ Draymond Green got into a scrap in the first few minutes.
#2 The Seattle Mariners’ Robinson Can came clean admitting he took a substance Furosemide, a diuretic he told reporters that he was given the substance by a doctor in the Dominican Republic, but didn’t realize it was a banned substance. Cano was suspended by MLB for 80 games and is one of the highest-paid players in the MLB.
#3 Oakland Raiders head coach Jon Gruden has been getting some criticism about the way he’s handled personnel so far. He’s let go of Michael Crabtree, punter Marquete King and now Kahlil Mack’s contract, whose contract is coming up could be leaving. The Raiders are looking for some cap room.
#4 In spite of the A’s having the usual arm problems their starters have been coming through with Sean Manaea helping Oakland get a one run 6-5 win and Tuesday night with pitcher Daniel Mengden improving his record to 3-4, going six innings, eight hits, two runs, and three strikeouts and two wins in the series against Boston.
#5 The Giants, after losing five straight all on the road, have now won three straight and are preparing for the Colorado Rockies starting on Thursday night. The Rockies, who are in second place in the NL West, will be a test for San Francisco at AT&T Park after success against a last-place Reds team.
On the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs podcast with Mary Lisa:
#1 The Golden Knights’ Jonathan Marchessault has been a huge plus for the offense. He proved that in round two against the San Jose Sharks and now in this series against the Winnipeg Jets he scored twice to help the Knights get the 3-1 win.
#2 The Jets’ Kyle Conner scored a goal in the third period to make it 3-1, but Marchessault scored 1:28 later to get the Knights back up with a two-goal lead.
#3 The Knights’ Marc Andre Fluery stopped 30 shots on Monday night and the Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck had 25 saves in the contest.
#4 Fleury said that the Jets came out with a lot of speed and the Knights forced the turnovers to get puck possession time.
#5 It’s Game 3 tonight in Vegas’ T-Mobile Center series tied at 1-1. How do you see things shaping up for tonight?
On the NHL Stanley Cup Playoff Eastern Conference podcast with Marko:
#1 The Tampa Bay Lightning got help from Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov in game three of Tuesday night’s playoff game in Washington. Both of the goals were power play goals.
#2 The Lightning have scored a power play goal in eight straight games and they were one-timers from the faceoff circle for both goals.
#3 The Lightning’s Victor Hedman said the Bolts need to keep it going after they were down 2-1. Now, it could be a new series after they meet again on Thursday for Game 3.
#4 Stamkos’ goal was shot over goaltender Branden Holtby left shoulder and the Lightning got off to a fast start.
#5 So it’s Game 3 Thursday night with the series tied at 1-1. How do you see this next one coming up?
On the NHL Stanley Cup Playoff podcast with Len Shapiro:
The Washington Capitals are off to a fast start with a series 2-0 lead over the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Capitals dominated in Game 2 on the Tampa Bay ice on Sunday with a four-goal 6-2 win. Alex Ovechkin says the team doesn’t panic under pressure and say the Caps are playing the system and doing it the right way.
The Lightning down 1-0 saw the Capitals turn on the red lamp with three goals in the second period and two more goals in the third period. The Lightning just couldn’t get any kind of defense going nor could they get back into the game to answer the Capitals on their goal scoring.
The two clubs match up again on Tuesday night this time for Game 3 in Washington, which is a tall task to ask of the Lightning to try and come back down two. The Lightning more than likely will attack like a cornered animal and will need Game 3 to feel some semblance of this third round of the playoffs.
The Supreme Court of the United States just blew the lid off the sports world on Monday when it ruled that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) is unconstitutional. The PASPA law was passed in 1992 and limited sporting betting to Nevada and on a limited basis to Montana, Deleware, and Oregon who already had some sports gambling set up through their lotteries.
“The Supremes” ruled 6-3 saying it is up to the states to decide if they want to allow their residents to be able to wager on sporting events. What they really said, is it is up to the states to decide if they want to put an end to the flood of cash that goes to Nevada and get a piece of the action back in the form of taxes. Legalized sports gambling at the state level could also “take a bite out of crime” hurting the illegal underground gambling operations.
The potential influx of tax income from sports betting could eclipse the present revenue received from the lottery, marijuana, Indian casinos, and horse racing combined. It really could be the tax windfall many states have trying to create for many years.
Could there be abuses?
Photo: NewYork_HR
Of course, there will be abuses. There will be people who gamble wager too much. There will be people who will go bankrupt and lose their homes. Families will fall apart. But, this is happening now except the money is flowing into the state of Nevada or into the hands of criminals.
The majority of people will participate with no problem and will enjoy the opportunity to test their skill. A few people will become “super rich”. Even if you do not like sports and will not bet on a game, you will benefit as newfound tax revenue that flows in the state.
Pro sports teams are not happy
Photo: @GJTIII
The major professional sports organizations are not happy. Why? Because there is about to be a “boatload of cash” enter the sports market and at the moment, they are completely out of the loop when it comes to getting their hands on what could potentially be billions of dollars.
Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association have proposed the concept of an integrity fee where one-percent of bets would go to the leagues to help combat point-shaving and other illegal gambling corruption. A little of that one-percent might also wind up in the team’s coffers.
According to an expert quoted in USA Today, that one-percent take would really represent a 20-percent income grab by the pro teams. The gaming expert stated most sports book operations keep only five-percent of the revenue they take in from gamblers.
The bottom line is that for now all of the teams – pro, college, and amateur – are going to find themselves out in the cold when it comes to sports gambling revenue. The only way they are going to be able to wedge their way in is to find a legal loophole or to get Congress to sponsor legislation mandating states to cut them in on the profits.
If you live in California, don’t get too excited
Photo: @TheGorny
The current estimate is that it will take up to five years for the Golden State to put a sports betting plan into place. Why will it take so long? Politics – plain and simple is what will delay the start of wagering in California. How should the money be used? What should the age limits be? Where should betting be allowed to take place? Should state income tax be collected on the winnings?
As you can see, it will be a real political donnybrook.
We will be sharpening our skills
Photo: @IdahWiringa
In the meantime, we at SportsRadioService.com will be sharpening our skills in preparation for giving you the best information available to assist you in making your wagering decisions when you can finally lay your money down on your favorite team.
On the Eastern Conference Finals playoff podcast with Matt:
#1 The Washington Capitals Alex Ovechkin’s early game power play goal help the Capitals to a 4-2 win past the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday night in Tampa Bay.
#2 It was 80 degrees outside of Tampa Bay’s Amalie Arena at the start of Friday night’s Game 1 contest. Both teams needed a lot of hydration before and during the game.
#3 The Caps’ Ovechkin, who got a power play goal and an assist on Friday was one of the key reasons why the Caps are this far in the Eastern Conference finals.
#4 The Bolts are not to be underestimated they lost the opener in Game 1 Round 2, but bounced back by winning four straight over the Boston Bruins to advance to Round 3.
#5 Talk about the Caps goaltender Braden Holtby’s job in net with one goal allowed in 19 saves.
photo google.com photo: Western Conference Final offers contrasting goaltending styles in Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and Winnipeg Jet goalie Conner Hellebuyck
On the Stanley Cup Western Conference Playoff podcast:
#1 Our broadcast colleague Matt Harrington said at the start the Winnipeg Jets were going to win the series against the Nashville Predators what do you think of Matt’s prediction?
#2 The Jets are a young team and in game 7 they got scoring help from Tyler Myers and Paul Statsny in the Jets four goal win over Nashville 5-1 on Thursday night.
#3 Jets head coach Paul Maurice said that they won four games in Nashville in regulation his only concern was winning with young players against a physical experienced Predator team.
#4 Preds goalie Pekka Rinne gave up two goals on seven shots and lasted only 10:47 in the fastest pull of any goalie in a game 7 playoff.
#5 Finally this is a big series coming up for the Jets who will play a well rested Vegas team. How big will this series be for Canada and two of the best teams in the Western Conference
yelp.com photo: Hana Zen at Pier 39 San Francisco by night fall and home of some of San Francisco’s best Japanese Cuisine
Cast: Michael Duca (host), Morris Phillips, Amaury Pi Gonzalez, Jeremy Kahn, and Lee Leonard (producer). Our thanks to Alvin and Angie Louie, the owners of Hana Zen Japanese Grill and Sushi Bar on Pier 39 at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf, for hosting Sportstalk Radio. Tonight, we were treated to Hana Zen’s famous California Sushi Rolls, Ahi Tuna, Chicken Teriyaki, Calamari, and their wonderful miso soup.
Also, you can enjoy their sushi rolls, sashimi, and other Japanese favorites. Hana Zen also offers filet mignon, New York steak, and try their famous Lava Rock cooking right at your own table. In addition, you can enjoy some green tea ice cream at the end of your meal.
On the podcast, Sportstalk covered the Golden State Warriors and their second round playoff opponent, the New Orleans Pelicans. The San Francisco Giants and Oakland A’s both who lost in huge laughers on Monday night 11-0 for the Giants in Philadelphia and the A’s crushed in Oakland 16-1 by the World Champion Houston Astros. The cast explores what to expect from either team for May 2018.
On the NHL Stanley Cup Western Conference Finals podcast with Mary Lisa:
#1 How amazing are these Vegas Golden Knights in their last series win with San Jose after getting shutout 4-0 in Game 4, then coming back to win two straight–one in Vegas and the other in San Jose?
#2 How would you evaluate the Sharks season–as a hard effort in the second round, but a good season? That the Knights were just too much for the Sharks to get by in the last two games.
#3 The Nashville Predators and Winnipeg Jets face off with the series all tied up 3-3. The Preds won Monday night in Game 6 to force a Game 7. The Preds dominated with a 4-0 shutout and take the series back to Nashville for a Wednesday night face off.
#4 Game 7 will be in Nashville and this will be a tougher setting for the Jets than home ice. Mary Lisa gives us her take on how Game 7 will turn out.
On the Eastern Conference Finals podcast with Marko:
#1 The Washington Capitals got a huge 2-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday night to move onto the Eastern Conference Finals. It’s the first time the Caps have been to the Eastern Conference Finals in 20 years.
#2 It was a tight series between the Penguins and Capitals, who never gave an inch as it took six games. Marko reviews who will win in the East between the Lightning and Pens.
#3 Tampa Bay rolled over the Boston Bruins for a 4-1 series win in five games. The Bolts have some guys who can provide some offense in this series.
#4 Nikita Kucherov led Tampa Bay in goals and assists and was always a threat in the postseason.
Sports Radio Service 