I find this quote laughable from the ESPN article:

Really? How about what the authorities are saying?

That little statement is the best the NHL could come up with?

Rick Tocchet should be suspended indefinitely. And if he's found guilty he should be banned from the NHL for life.

[ February 07, 2006, 04:14 PM: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

With what I heard today on the radio the least of his worries involves an NHL suspension. We're talking potential prison time here. Still, he will be on the bench tonight against the Blackhawks and the stance taken by the organization at this point is to let this go through the legal process first without making a hasty decision.

i don't know why, but as soon as i heard the story, the name that came up to me was Mark Recchi. I have a feeling he's one of the NHL players involved.

Based on what? not much.
just a hunch

And his name was discussed on the radio here in Phoenix today as well as being connected to the story.

For what it's worth, Leph, I also thought of Recchi & Roenick, who we know loves to place a bet or two.

Did anyone see Wayne Gretzky answering the first of what will undoubtedly be a series of questions about his wife, Janet Jones', involvement in this? He really looked like the proverbial deer caught in the headlights--absolutely blindsided.

The only positive aspect of this is that so far, none of the players seem to have placed bets on hockey games. We all know that atletes like to have a little something riding on games. After all, Michael Jordan remains an icon even with his gambling being well-known.

~Adam

[ February 07, 2006, 05:54 PM: Message edited by: Adam ]

This may not have any relevance,but it's definitely not the first time I've had occasion to associate Tocchet with gambling.During my Vegas days I met a hulking Innuit guy that was a personal friend of Tocchet's,or as he always called him Ricky T.This was in the 80's when Tocchet was a Flyer,and the team was filled with Toronto natives.

I don't think I ever knew this guy's name because I couldn't really understand him.He was straight out of one of those movies-just a huge Eskimo guy that hung around in various Sportsbooks and bet on hockey.He seemed to be pretty knowledgable,and would usually decide to play a game once the goaltenders came across on sportsticker.

I think he and Tochett were friends from back home,because they were always talking by phone.It seemed like they had actually played hockey together.He was always telling stories, but since I really couldn't understand him I'd always just smile and nod like an idiot.While I wouldn't say for sure that RT intentionally passed him inside info, he definitely made plays on or vs the Flyers based on things Tocchet told him when they talked.

I don't remember the guy being a huge player.He only played hockey and would only bet a few hundred at a time.I never understood how he ended up in Vegas,but he really seemed to enjoy getting drunk on beer and getting in fights.He was just this huge guy that you definitely didn't want to tangle with.You took one look at him and immediatly realized that not only had he played hockey,but also that he was undoubtedly no stranger to the penalty box.

[ February 07, 2006, 10:55 PM: Message edited by: Tim ]

Adam, yes I saw a couple of interviews that Gretzy had yesterday, and he seemed really nervous to me about the possible involvement of his wife.

Roenick has had gamblins issues in the past. It was probably mentioned here in some thread or other, but I found this reference to it today:

I heard on a radio that there was a newspaper report saying Recchi, Roenick and John LeClair may have been bettors. The Phila. Daily News says it was Gretzky placing bets, but through his wife.

If this were just people making some bets it wouldn't be a big deal. But they're alleged to have paid \"tribute\" payments to local mobsters so as to not have the mob on their backs.

On the radio today someone was speculating that there are 2 ways a gambling ring like this gets tipped off to the authorities: either a gambler owed a huge sum and couldn't (or wouldn't) pay and decides to talk to police to get out of the jam, or someone flaunts the activity. In this case it may have been the state trooper flaunting his wealth that tipped someone off. The following is from the Phila. Daily News:

When the grand jury convenes in the next two weeks (expect lots of leaks of names) supposedly they'll be focusing on the bettors and whether they merely gambled or if they provided inside information to those running the gambling ring.

From what I've been seeing, virtually no one believes that Wayne Gretzky was in the dark about his wife, Janet's, placing bets with his assistant coach/close friend Rick Tocchet--and are starting to openly question whether she was possibly placing bets for Wayne. All these reports fail to mention what is common knowledge here in LA: Janet lives here (in Westlake Village, to be precise) while Wayne makes his home in Phoenix and that she attends numerous sporting events on her own & is known to put money on the games. Additionally, she has her own income from her days as an actress. Though unlikely, it is possible Wayne was in the dark about her gambling.

~Adam

Is this as big news as it is here in Canada? I mean this is front page stuff here, on all newscasts, and then on the sportscasts as well. I just wish the cops wouldn't leak the information...it's creating a sense of guilt before the case is even heard.

Yes, Engima, at least from what I too watch from the news on tv, and in reading my paper this morning. It was on the front page news here, on the sports page..

[ February 09, 2006, 09:03 AM: Message edited by: hockeyTom ]

Although Gretzky said he was "not involved" in the gambling ring, the Newark Star-Ledger reports that police wiretaps may show that Gretzky knew about the gambling ring before the police went public.

Why don't professional sports organizations simply ban all gambling by their employees, including players, as "behavior detrimental to the image and practice of the sport"?

Allowing betting on another sport, or even on non-sport-related events, seems hypocritical and dangerous. It may be a biological addiction.

What if they were running a prostitution ciruit on the side? Make legality the minimal standard.

[ February 09, 2006, 01:52 PM: Message edited by: sportinlife ]

It's front page on our NEWS sections too!

I dont see the big deal on betting. I figure as long as it's not your sport, it shouldn't be a big deal.

Indeed canmark:

what did Wayne know, and when did he know it?

More proof that this is becoming a bigger & bigger story here in the US: 'The Today Show,' 'NBC Nightly News,' and 'CBS Evening News' have already done features on it and (unless some blonde teenager goes missiong or a groom falls off some cruise ship) Greta Van Susteren of Fox News and Rita Cosby of MSNBC are planning on doing stories about this.

Reports are that Janet Jones laid down more than $500,000 in a 40 day period and $75000 on the Super Bowl alone, including a bet on the coin toss (The coin toss! )

I mentioned that Roenick was rumored to be involved. We now have confirmation that investigators want to interview him; his lawyers told LA Radio they're arranging for the interview to take place. Two other names have emerged: Travis Green of the Bruins and the recently retired Scott Stevens. Last night, Barry Melrose offered a rather frightening quote: "I've heard about a dozen names, including a few marquee names and a couple of icons ."

Has Eric Lindros been rumored to be involved? After all, years back, alleged members of the Jersey mob used to attend Flyers games to allegedly see him.

~Adam

[ February 09, 2006, 05:54 PM: Message edited by: Adam ]

I have a legitimate question that I hope someone with more knowledge of the law than me can help answer.

The state police in New Jersey are the ones investigating this alleged criminal activity. Tocchet and Mrs. Gretz are in Arizona, so obviously this has crossed state lines (interstate). If so, why isn't the FBI involved? I thought they were responsible or at least participated in the investigation concerning crimes across state lines. Thanks to anyone that can shed light.

Multiple NHL sources confirmed Thursday that Coyotes General Manager Mike Barnett made a financial wager on Sunday's Super Bowl through Coyotes associate coach Rick Tocchet, but that Barnett's wager was a one-time bet.


Franchise imploding? This is awful.

I read today that the NFL has a complete ban on all sports betting. The other major leagues only ban betting on their own games. So a hockey or baseball or basketball player could legally (i.e. at a sports book in Vegas) bet on the Super Bowl with no problem.

Should the sports leagues ban all gambling? Including all the casino games, and not just sports wagering? I don't think many people would like that idea. If it's legal, why keep a player from playing poker or whatever?

If a player is gambling legally rather than illegally, there's less of a risk that he'd fall so far into debt that he'd consider throwing a game or passing on inside information for money.

Many people held the belief for many years that Pete Rose couldn't have bet on baseball because he loved the game so much, wanted to win so badly, etc. Of course, he finally admitted it. Now we're hearing the same type quotes from people about Rick Tocchet.

It seems to me that unless the state has completely botched this investigation, there's no way he'll continue his coaching career.

Why all the leaks by the state? Hell, we haven't even gotten to the Grand Jury yet.

But isn't gambling set up so that the gambler loses most of the time. Otherwise the bookie doesn't make money. Even if it's casual gambling - no bookie involved - the odds are against you. You end up losing money and falling in to debt. You need more money so.....

If you're in debt to a casino, the casino isn't going to threaten to break your legs if you don't pay up. wink

Michael Jordan gambled lots of money. On the other hand, he apparently never gambled beyond his considerable means.

A good deal of the info that's come out has been from press conferences, since the three have been charged already. (They'll be arraigned February 21st.) If there's a grand jury, they may be looking into other parts of the case or other individuals.

[ February 09, 2006, 07:04 PM: Message edited by: Joe in Philly ]

I have one question. With the ample opportunities to gamble on everything from A-Z legally in Vegas or even offshore why would these people get involved in an illegal betting ring?

The problem here is not that these athletes like to bet. I mean legal gambling is alive and well all over the country. The problem is that they were involved in an illegal ring. Anyone with half a brain should know to stay clear of this scene especially if you are high profile.

[ February 09, 2006, 08:48 PM: Message edited by: phillyrunner ]

So what do we know? The act of placing a bet is NOT illegal. What IS illegal is placing a bet on behalf of someone else.

Playing in an office pool or placing bets on sporting events is perfectly legal. What's illegal is when a profit is being made during the bet. For example...let's say ten people pay ten dollars each to enter a hockey pool. That's $100 total. If I pocket $20, leaving $80 as the prize money, that's illegal because I'm profiting from this gambling.

The issue at hand isn't how much money was spent. That information just sensationalizes the story. It's whether or not these hockey players placed bets on hockey games and more importantly, the illegal gambling portion of it.

In my own personal opinion, I figure that it's the New Jersey State Police that's creating this problem. Considering one of their own is one of the alleged ring leaders of the operation, they probably figure that if one of their own is going down so too is everyone else...thus taking the attention away from the officer. This is my arguement that I'm using to explain all the "leaks" from inside sources.

Again, the whole organized crime portion of this story is just there to sensationalize it. It really has no effect on the issue that an illegal gambling operation is taking place and it involves high profile athletes.

The only people I can see facing jail time is Rick Tocchet and the New Jersey State Police Officer. That's of course, if the allegations are proven in a court of law. Janet Gretzky will at most face a fine or be forced to pay back taxes...unless of course, it's proven that she placed bets on behalf of other people which then would mean she could face prison time.

Boy I just don't know. I saw the interview Gretzky had last night, must have been after the Coyotes game, and I came away, just not that overly impressed. Gretzky needs to do everything in his power and NOW, to clear his good name, and his wifes name as well, assuming they did nothing illegal/wrong, and as is the case, innocent until proven guilty. But he sure looked nervous and very uncomfortable to me last night, and this story will not go away, and will be a dark cloud over him and Team Canada in Turin.

Note: I caught part of a commentary by a Canadian sportcaster last night that said this story could well be the what is remembered most about the NHL this season if its not cleared and soon. Just what the NHL doesn't need is another black eye after the lockout of last year. frown

[ February 10, 2006, 06:19 AM: Message edited by: hockeyTom ]

I find it very difficult to believe that Rich Tocchet had the financial means to front a gambling operation. Seems to me that there have to be bigger fish up the food chain.

As for Gretzky, he's sick and tired of dealing with it, and then coming on the heels of another loss to a team with far greater talent...

I have a correction of what I said before in reply to this. According to a reporter for the Phila. Inquirer who was interviewed on the radio this morning (he often covers mafia dealings) Tocchet and the others will be arraigned, and then the case will go to a grand jury, and then the next step would be indictments.

Point to ponder: Gretzky's wife is said to have bet a lot of money. Based on the IMDB listing of her credits, she's had roles in two films in the last year (one has Justin Timberlake as one of the stars and hasn't been released yet). Judging from how the credits are listed, they're small, bit parts. Before that she's had no acting jobs since 1997. And the parts she's had over the years haven't exactly made her a star.

My point: either she spent large sums of Wayne's money to make her wagers, or else she was placing his bets for him.

Regarding Janet Jones' bets, there are reports--as of now unsubstantiated--that she was placing bets for other celebrities (not necessarily Wayne Gretzky) who did not want to be directly involved with gambling.

What I find most troubling for Wayne Gretzky is that he's already been caught in a lie. He originally stated he knew nothing of Tocchet and Janet's gambling until this week and then the wiretap proved he had conversations with Tocchet weeks ago about keeping Janet from being implicated.

~Adam

And he stated he lied to protect his wife, which is what most of us would do given the same circumstances.

As of this moment, we have no evidence (leaked or not leaked) that Wayne was involved in any way. It seems as though we have some media happy NJ State Police that need to stop leaking information which should not be made public at this time. Talk about spinning a case in the court of public opinion.

[ February 10, 2006, 12:18 PM: Message edited by: coyoteugly ]

What I posted last week has been confirmed: Jeremy Roenick and his lawyers met with investigators today. It's common knowledge that JR likes to place wagers on football and the ponies.

~Adam

I did also catch a blurb on the web the other day which seems to confirm what Wayne has been saying about any implications involving himself.That there aren't any. Maybe some good news for him as he goes over to Italy for a change.

Now they're saying that the wiretapped conversation didn't occur until Monday, after NJ investigators showed up at the door of the Gretzkys' home in Phoenix to talk to Janet. So that would indicate that Wayne knew nothing about it until Monday (if we assume that she's been doing her own gambling and hiding it from him).

I'm pissed off and I'm going to vent about it. I'm sick and tired of how some members of the media are blatently attacking Wayne Gretzky's character and dragging him through the mud. By now I'm sure you've all heard of "Operation Slapshot" and all the bullshit it has created.

Let's start with the facts...Rick Tocchet has been charged for ALLEGED involvement with an illegal gambling ring. A New Jersey State Police officer has also been charged for ALLEGED involvement with an illegal gambling ring. There are 12 others that the police are investigating for their involvement in this illegal gambling ring. Among them, Janet Jones-Gretzky, wife of Wayne, who allegedly placed a large amount of bets over a one month period during which the police were investigating.

Since the day news of this investigation became public, the New Jersey State Police has been leaking information to the media. From certain names to even word that Wayne Gretzky had a phone conversation with Rick Tocchet in regards to the investigation that was wiretapped. Of course this immediately raised red flags over the fact that Wayne said he had no prior knowledge to the gambling ring until last Monday - when word of the investigation became public. Certain members of the media attacked Wayne Gretzky's character and questioned whether or not he should go to Torino - despite not having any proof of wrong-doing. Just recently it became clear that the "wiretap" took place on Monday...proving that Gretzky did in fact find out about the investigation when he said he did.

I understand that this is a very serious situation. Rick Tocchet could be facing some serious prison time, and Janet Jones-Gretzky could face prison if it's determined that she placed bets on behalf of other people (something that has yet to be proven). Remember, it is NOT illegal to place a bet.

The fact of the matter is that the media have turned this into a witch hunt. Instead of questioning these "leaks", questioning these "sources", and creating their own investigation, they go out and take Wayne Gretzky into the court of public opinion. What some of these media outlets/journalists have done is created a bad name for all of us other reporters who work damn hard to provide a fair, unbiased and truthful report to the public.

What annoyed me even further was during today's pre-Olympic news conference. Wayne Gretzky quickly addressed the situation - which he didn't have to - and then told the media he would no longer discuss the matter and would stay there ALL DAY if he had to, to talk about hockey. What do some reporters do? Continue to grill Gretzky about the situation. GIVE THE MAN A BREAK!!!

I'm a television sports reporter and am damn proud of it...we are all reporters/journalists...not tabloid writers who work to create "juicy gossip" in order to attract readers or viewers. Let's present the facts, present both sides of the story, and let the public decide what their own opinion is. Let's stop forcing the public to have an opinion about something.

Unless some concrete evidence comes up that implicated Janet or Wayne, I will continue to fully support Wayne Gretzky and his family

I agree 100%. The media all but found him guilty and were prepared for sentencing after they "found out" what he knew. Turns out he knew
nothing at all until after it hit the fan.

As always, the media's rush to print and speak BEFORE investigating has made them look stupid. Yet, do you see one media outlet appoligize to Gretzky for misleading the public? NO!

It's appalling what they get away with, suffer no consequences for their actions, so they just continue to print no matter what.

To be fair only SOME of the media is to blame...not all. Don't lump us all into one group, but yes I agree with the point of your post.

I've seen just the opposite. I've seen rants that basically went like this: Wayne Gretzky is such a wonderful human being, best player ever, great coach, put together the gold medal winners in 2002, great family man, does lots for charities, etc. so there's NO WAY he ever POSSIBLY could have done anything wrong.

Well, maybe he did, maybe he didn't. Until the facts of the case and all the bits of evidence are laid out in a court, we're not going to know for sure. Even after that happens we may not know.

There are just as many segments of the media who are willing to overlook any possible flaw as those who want to tear down a legendary figure.

Oh I agree completely with you. With that being said, I'm giving him and his family the benefit of the doubt just based on their character. I mean, Gretzky will leave an elevator if he's in there by himself and a woman walks in. He's careful not to get into bad situations because of his status.

What irritates me is that until evidence is brought forth OFFICIALLY it's all speculation. So let the man and his family be.

New Jersey investigators say that it is "highly unlikely additional people" will face charges in connection with the gambling ring. They say they want to question Janet Jones and that she may be called to provide evidence about the ring.

In other news about the gambling ring, Bill Daly--NHL chief legal counsel--said that any player who placed bets through the gambling ring could face sanctions from the league, including fines and suspensions, whether or not the players are found to have broken any laws.

~Adam

We're starting to see the real truth evolve as we move along. The Canadian media (especially those in Toronto) should be ashamed of themselves for trying to defame the person that has given their country more than any other athlete. In the end, Gretz will be vindicated, but will his reputation be as clean, thanks to those so quick to judge? Great job at dethroning your own after nothing, Canada.

Prefacing my comment by stating that in no way am I blaming Wayne Gretzky for any of this but part of reason the media was able to unfairly pile on him is that this is the first time he has ever faced any sort of negative press. Gretzky was wholly unprepared for it and had no idea of how to deal with it. Sadly, his many years of politely and tirelessly dealing with the media and being the best ambassador hockey has ever had earned him neither "grace period" nor even the benefit of doubt by the press.

I do think Gretzky will retain his good name among hockey fans. After all, they're the people most aware of Gretzky's caliber of character.

~Adam

Cameras caught this unidentified couple and overheard their conversation following Canada's loss to Russia at the Olympics.

The Associated Press reports that Janet Jones Gretzky will be called to testify before the grand jury hearing this case.

~Adam

I saw this in my sports section headlines this morning Adam. Just what Gretzky and the Coyotes do not need right now. More distractions.....

Rick Tocchet and Janet Gretzky have taken the first step toward filing a lawsuit against the state of New Jersey, contending that their reputations were damaged when state officials leaked information gleaned from wiretaps in a their case against Tocchet's sports betting ring.

I'm too much of a gentleman (since when, you ask...) to mention that Janet Gretzky has had a terrible reputation here in LA for years!!

~Adam

The Great One has signed a five-year extension to coach the Coyotes. He must really love the desert!

No truth to the rumor that Janet Gretzky's pissed as she had a few dollars down on three-years for the length of the new contract. wink

~Adam

James Harney, the New Jersey trooper, has agreed to plead guilty and will assist in the prosecution of Rick Tocchet and his partner, James Ulmer.

~Adam

Rick Tocchet will be in court Friday. There's no official reason given. The article speculates that "there would be few reasons, procedurally, for Tocchet to appear in court now unless he and prosecutors had reached a plea agreement."

Tocchet will be sentenced today but will likely get no jail time, according to a story on SI.com.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/hock...t.ap/index.html

Tocchet got two years' probation. The NJ state trooper got a 5-year sentence. So you might think there's a disparity. But Tocchet was a first-time offender. The trooper, among other things, took bets while on patrol in his state police cruiser.

Rick Tocchet: gambling addict or complete dumbass? You make the call!



He's still on leave from the Coyotes and can't return until February 7, 2008 at the earliest.