Point Blank - Special Edition
Billy and Me, the Epilogue
The past week has been rather interesting, as those that read along here would be aware of, and ultimately most enlightening. The reference, of course is to an article in the current issue of ESPN Magazine about Billy Walters, one in which I was a source of information, but also had to see that in the final printing a quote attributed to Billy about me that I believed was inaccurate, and unfair. It led to a degree of both hurt and frustration, but fortunately to also being contacted directly by Billy last week, so that we could sort through the issues.
And we did. At the right level, that is what happens. You can not un-ring a bell, but you can accelerate the process of quieting the sound by moving forward, and avoiding the kind of places that harbor echoes. As a part of that process, Billy was a guest with R. J. Bell and myself on the Monday edition of the Pregame First Preview radio show, and it allowed for some proper context to be established, then a little fun as he shared some old stories.
One of the ironic comments on that show came from Billy, in terms of how he relished the opportunity to do something “live”, so that what was said would be what went out, in exactly the tone in which it was meant. That did not happen in the ESPN article, and it is actually a shame, because something so much better could have been accomplished.
When I sat down with Mike Fish, it was my understanding that I would be speaking about betting syndicates, and what they have to do in order to be successful. I relished the opportunity to explore that topic, because having witnessed what it takes to win at sports betting consistently – not for a month, a season, or a year, but to do it over the course of decades – there comes the understanding that it requires an extreme level of intelligence, skill, flexibility, discipline and organization. Above all, resilience. It would make for one hell of an article, and indeed will some day; perhaps with much of it being written here.
This is not how it turned out, and it is a disappointment on many fronts – the readers did not get some insights that could have been made available to them; the portrayal of Billy ends up being unbalanced; and I have had to spend time explaining the one quote about me that did not even have to be used. All Mike Fish had to do was request a three-way conversation with Billy and myself, and not only could any inconsistencies or conflicts have been cleared up, but there would have been access to so much more information.
That did not happen. In fact there was not an extended interview with Billy. He had not declined to participate at all; he stated that the timing was not the best, and that he would be available at a future date. But for ESPN Magazine there was a scheduling pressure for the article to appear in the Gambling issue, and while there was enough for a colorful piece, including a “trifecta” that fit in for the wrong reasons, they chose to write about an apple that was polished on one side and bruised on the other, instead of getting the larger story of the tree.
And so much for that. I can have no real beef with the magazine because of decades of knowing how those games are played. I participated, and perhaps expected more than I should have, because of some of those involved with the publication, but ultimately I did not have good value for that bet. So you do what an experienced handicapper does – adjust the power ratings, and move on to the next game.
A big part of moving on will be in these pages each day, and one of the great subtle benefits of this episode was reconnecting with many aspects of the past. It was also fortunate timing when a poster asked about how to better narrow down the large College Basketball Saturday boards, and I could remember back to more than three decades ago, sitting in a booth at Ye Olde College Diner on a Saturday morning, The Gold Sheet spread out, and the New York Daily News open to the page with the estimated odds, hours before any real numbers would hit the board. Lots of miles since then…
It has been a spectacular ride, and so much is owed to having been able to know and learn from people who were giants in this field. Billy was one. Old Joe has been written about here before, and will be many times in the future. I got to know Mort Olshan before either of them, and the way that he carried himself in terms of class and dignity meant every bit as much as the sharing of sports techniques. I still have the tweed sport coat that I bought before traveling to Los Angeles to meet him for the first time, one worn at a memorable lunch on Sunset Boulevard. That was nearly 33 years ago to the day. It still fits, and is even considered fashionable from a "retro" standpoint.
The best part is that for as long of a ride as it has been, it is still only early in the third quarter of my own game, perhaps around the time that Fezzik would be cashing one of those “Will Not Score” tickets. So even through what was an awkward couple of days, it is in knowing what I have learned, and who I learned it from, that brings a brighter light to look at each day’s betting lines, one that not many will ever get to see. I have been that fortunate. The best may still be ahead, and to connect those experiences in this space each day can hopefully help to share some of that light with those that want to beat the game. It can be beaten; it isn’t easy; and when you do win it is just damn fun. The money ends up being a bonus.