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THE CRIER IS PROUD OF ART SCHLICHTER
Written by: The Crier
Date posted: 2/19/2011
In the 2/14 Peanut Gallery in the "Odds and Ends" section (#3), it read the following:
“According to a report in the Columbus Dispatch, Art Schlichter is now a suspect in a criminal investigation related to bilking people out of money as part of a criminal enterprise. This guy has been involved in illegal gambling, forgery, passing bad checks, and now – allegedly – phony investments on and off over the last three decades. If he is found guilty of these charges, here is a question for the legal eagles: Why can’t we just lock this guy up and throw the key away?
P.S. - Art was born in the city of Washington Court House, OH, which is ironic, since he's no stranger to courthouses.” END.
The Crier and the Crier’s Corner Hall of Fame voters were elated to hear that Art was up to his old tricks. FYI - Schlichter was inducted into the Crier’s Corner Hall of Fame in February 2006.
Schlichter ("Sh-LEES-tuhr" for the pronunciation-challenged) was a four-year starter at Ohio State and was the last starting quarterback for legendary Buckeyes coach Woody Hayes. For trivia fans, Art threw the interception that lost the game and led to Hayes' assault on Clemson linebacker Charlie Bauman in the 1978 Gator Bowl - an act that led to Woody’s firing the next day. Schlichter finished in the top six of Heisman Trophy balloting during his last three years—fourth in his sophomore year, sixth as a junior and fifth in his senior year. He nearly led the Buckeyes to the national championship in 1979, and left the school as its career leader in total offense.
SCHLICHTER GAMBLING HIGHLIGHTS
During his college career, he was frequently spotted at Scioto Downs (Columbus, OH) with a big-time Ohio gambler. Although the Columbus and OSU police departments became suspicious, the athletic department felt it lacked enough evidence to go to the NCAA about the matter. On several occasions he was seen at the track with Hayes' successor as head coach, Earle Bruce, a fact which helped cover up early problems emerging while Schlichter was at Ohio State.
Schlichter was picked fourth in the 1982 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts who moved to Indy in 1984. Expected to be the starter, he lost the job to Mike Pagel, but was expected to be the Colts' quarterback of the future.
His gambling continued, as he blew his entire signing bonus by midseason, including betting on NFL games. His gambling spiraled out of control during the 1982 NFL strike, when he lost $20,000 on a Big Ten football game. By the end of the strike, he had lost over 700 grand.
In the winter of 1982 and the spring of 1983, Schlichter lost almost 400 grand wagering on NBA and NCAA basketball games, and his bookies threatened to expose him to the NFL, if he did not pay up. Schlichter went to the FBI, and his testimony helped get the bookies arrested on federal charges. He also sought the help of the NFL because he feared the bookies would force him to throw games in return for not telling the Colts about his activities. The league suspended him indefinitely in 1983. Schlichter was the first NFL player to be suspended for gambling since Crier’s Corner Hall of Famers, Alex Karras and Paul Hornung (both are Class of 2007), were suspended in 1963 for betting on NFL games.
In January 1987, Schlichter was arrested in New York City for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar sports betting operation. He pleaded guilty to illegal gambling in April, and Commissioner Pete Rozelle refused to permit him to sign with another team. He made another bid for reinstatement in 1988, but was turned down. That same year, he filed for bankruptcy to shield himself from creditors.
In parts of three seasons, Schlichter played only 13 games, primarily in backup or "mop-up" roles. He threw 202 passes and completed 91 of them with three TDs and 11 INTs. He amassed a quarterback rating of only 42.6, and is considered one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history. Because of his addiction, Art was listed as the #7 Top Draft Bust by the NFL Network in its NFL Top 10 show.
In 1989, Schlichter signed a contract with the Ottawa Rough Riders of the Canadian Football League, but was released midway through the season.
He played for the Detroit Drive of the Arena Football League in 1990 and 1991, leading them to a third consecutive league title in 1990 as the league's MVP. He signed with the Cincinnati Rockers in 1992, but was arrested that July for passing a bad check. He admitted suffering a relapse, but the Rockers were willing to stand by him. They worked out a deal with Schlichter in which they put most of his paycheck into an account to pay his gambling debts, except for $300 which they gave to his wife, Mitzi. However, he announced he would not return to the team in 1993, intending instead to focus on curing his gambling addiction.
While living in Cincy, he hosted a radio sports talk show during the early 1990s.
Over the years, Schlichter has, by his own count, committed over 20 felonies. He gambled away much of his NFL, Arena League, and radio salaries. Whenever he ran low on money to support his gambling, he stole and conned it from friends and strangers, and frequently passed bad checks. In a 2007 interview for ESPN's Outside the Lines, he estimated that he'd stolen $1.5 million over the years, if not more.
The habit eventually cost him his marriage; his wife left him in 1994 after FBI agents raided their home in Las Vegas in search of money he'd stolen. According to her, Schlichter gambled it away.
Between 1995 and 2006, he served the equivalent of 10 years in 44 various prisons and jails across the Midwest. His various legal problems, including fraud cases and forgery, among others, were often well-publicized. For example, he was so consumed by his habit that he had his public defender smuggle a cell phone into prison, so he could place bets. He later hit rock bottom in 2004, after he was caught gambling in prison. He was placed in solitary confinement for four months.
He was most recently released from prison on June 16, 2006 and currently lives with his mom in his birthplace in Washington Court House. It is estimated that he owes half a million dollars in restitution.
Schlichter has founded a non-profit organization, Gambling Prevention Awareness, to educate others about the perils of compulsive gambling, including college and NFL players. He told ESPN that he started gambling because the pressure of being Ohio State's starting quarterback was too much on him, and he wanted to be just a regular guy. In much of Ohio outside of Cleveland and Cincinnati, the Buckeyes' starting quarterback is a major celebrity.
In late 2009, Schlichter and his mother appeared in TV ads opposing an Ohio casino statewide ballot issue.
Keep up the good work, Art. The Crier must is proud of you and in the hopes that Art is reading this, today's Crier's Corner (below) is dedicated to Art in the hopes that he can get back on his gambling feet.
BASKETBALL ACTION
Yesterday’s Record ATS: 3-1
Cumulative Season Record ATS (excludes “pushes”): 377-245
Today’s Action (for reading purposes only):
VILLANOVA (-12) over DEPAUL*
As noted, Pitt snapped Nova’s 46-game win streak at the on-campus Pavilion, but this should be a pleasant afternoon in Chicagoland for ‘Cats, though a difficult market read given Blue Demons’ more competitive public face. Corey Stokes and his turf toe did not play for ‘Nova against Pitt. VILLANOVA, 79-61
DAYTON* (+2.5) over DUQUESNE
The Flyers are not an ideal stylistic match for Temple, but this is a far different – and better - situation for the home side. The Dukes demonstrated they were mortal at St. Bonny’s, and are anything but an ideal take at a relatively-short number, on this floor. DAYTON, 69-61
INDIANA* (-2.5) over NORTHWESTERN
Christian Walford is back in business after recovering from his broken left hand, and the Wildcat mindset is open to question after the Penn State debacle. Tom Crean absolutely has Hoosiers headed in right direction, especially when performing here. INDIANA, 77-63
GEORGIA (+4.5) over TENNESSEE*
Slick, relatively-error free guards are a handful for the Bulldogs to handle. The Vol backcourters are athletic, but consistently-slick and error-free, they are not. In any event, this isn’t Bruce Pearl’s preferred role, and in a classic Big Dance-fringe type of matchup, we'll take the dog, as the tealeaves point that way. GEORGIA, 71-70.
BUTLER (-9.5) over ILLINOIS CHICAGO*
The Bulldogs got Matt Howard (ex-concussion) back in business for a date with Detroit, and inhaled the Titans in the second half like a Hoover. The Flames are playing out the string, with second-halves problematic. BUTLER, 66-55
SMU* (+1) over TULSA
Tulsa was the donkey Central Florida finally overcame to snap their sustained conference losing streak. Pony talent continues to outperform market expectations, and we’re not arguing, given Golden Hurricanes and their iffy backcourt. SMU, 67-59
ARIZONA* (-2.5) over WASHINGTON
The Wildcats may be a shade ahead of schedule in their quest to resume the top rung in the Pac-10, but this matchup is made-to-order, given the Huskies’ slovenly fundamentals on the defensive side of the ball. ARIZONA, 78-70
MEMPHIS (-2.5) over RICE*
Another useful spot to apply the (frequently-affirmed) hypothesis that the Owls play with greater focus and concentration on the road. Raw Tiger talent should have their way, playing before Rice’s small circle of friends. MEMPHIS, 74-62
OKLAHOMA STATE* (-2) over TEXAS A&M
Texas A&M is a bottom-feeder. They have won three in a row, against three opponents that are a combined 9-24 in Big 12 play, and the Aggies have only beaten those teams by a combined 11 points. They are coming off win #20 and playing a conference road game against a competent opponent. Earlier in the week, head coach Mark Turgeon said, “We're not playing with the type of toughness we want to be successful.’’ Thanks for the heads-up, coach! Oklahoma State took yet more lumps from Texas (they just know the Longhorns are going to kill them every time), and come home angry and ready. They have beaten Kansas State and Missouri on this floor. OKLAHOMA STATE, 74-65
BRACKET BUSTER GAMES:
MOREHEAD STATE (+2) over INDIANA STATE*
Conference champion from last season, pending conference champion this season, takes points while being the more athletic team against a home favorite that hasn’t sniffed anything close to a championship since Hector was a pup, Moby Dick was a minnow, or Larry Bird was a Sycamore, whichever came more recently.
MOREHEAD STATE, 67-61
MANHATTAN (+7) over STONY BROOK*
The Jaspers are surely a forlorn bunch, this year, but “BB” promotion provides them a vital opportunity to regain a measure of regional face. Steve Pikiell’s steering a developing program in the America East, but their inconsistency leaves them vulnerable, here. STONY BROOK, 69-68
IONA (-5.5) over LIBERTY*
The host Flames are very soft inside, and spot looks tailor-made for competitive program with legitimate roundball pedigree against newbies still looking to get over the hump and make their bones. That soft interior is made to order for Iona’s 20+ ppg forward Glover. IONA, 75-63
CREIGHTON (+2) over AKRON*
Actually, at this level, this is one foe over which the Jays don’t enjoy a decent size advantage. But so long as Creighton takes care of the ball, this is very winnable. CREIGHTON, 66-63
RADFORD (+12.5) over WILLIAM & MARY*
The Tribe is in a most-unfamiliar role, up against an unfamiliar opponent they won’t take seriously, after peeking at their sunbleached record. Stealth attack succeeds for forlorn Highlanders seeking a moment in the sun for the Big South in a rebuilding year. WILLIAM & MARY, 60-54
UTAH STATE (+3.5) over ST. MARY'S CA*
Lovely game matching muscular mid-majors, and this is where we need to see such hookups – not next month, when “the committee” looks to avoid embarrassing members of the power conferences by setting these types against one another for the emperors’ amusement. How much would you love to see the Aggies against, say, Minnesota, or St. Mary’s against some name dog-track refugees like Illinois? As for this game, the underdog enjoys a huge psychological edge in this setting, with points to prove. UTAH STATE, 71-69
THE CRIER
HMW
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