New low: gambling on youth football

My gosh, what happened to the days of orange slices at halftime and everyone being happy with a participation trophy?

And here I was convinced the biggest sports story about a group of losers this year would be those cheating badminton players at the London Olympics.

Sorry. The birdie-wielding scam artists from countries like China and South Korea have nothing on a bunch of criminals down in South Florida.

It seems pee wee football has taken on a new meaning for some who coach 5- to 15-year-olds in the Sunshine State, where a new slogan for youth sports has emerged: Hustle and heart set us apart, along with all the C-notes being wagered on our games.

Nine men were arrested this week on felony charges of bookmaking, the culmination of an 18-month investigation that began after an ESPN report aired about massive gambling being done during games at the South Florida Youth Football League.

Ah, the innocence of youth sports ...

Two-four-six-eight, who do we appreciate?

COACHES WITH CASH!

Yep. It's true. They allegedly were betting upward of $20,000 on if the Little Giants could beat the powerful Cowboys from the neighborhood again, or something to that effect. They reportedly were waving wads of money at players, which takes that don't-put-pressure-on-your-kids-to-win theory to insane levels.

This was not Rick Moranis and Ed O'Neill wagering on whose name got painted on a water tower.

Police said up to $100,000 would be bet on league championship games, where I hope at least one Icebox O'Shea and Spike Hammersmith was on each team.

It makes you wonder if such a scandal could reach the youth fields of Nevada, where sports gaming is as much part of life as buffets. One local tackle football director doesn't believe so, or at least hasn't seen or heard of such behavior.

"I think it has a better chance of going on at that level in states like Florida or Ohio or Texas or California, where (youth football) is so highly competitive, which usually breeds this kind of scandal," said Mike MacLeod, owner of a local National Youth Sports franchise that includes 80 tackle teams and more than 1,400 players between the ages of 4 and 14. "I'm not sure we've reached that point in Nevada. But it's a concern given the (sports gaming aspect) here.

"We have seen things like recruiting and having others pay registration fees to get certain kids, literally selling kids for favors. We've seen the lows of (youth sports), for sure, but not something like what happened (in Florida). Hopefully, we never will."

You have to hand it to the Naughty Nine, though. Those arrested certainly own resumes for such shenanigans. Many have rap sheets for crimes such as felony drug, assault and theft charges, which makes you wonder what sort of background checks are used in Florida when vetting those adults entrusted with teaching kids the all-important values of sportsmanship.

Now coaching the Broward County Raiders ... Charles "Lucky" Luciano III.

I suppose it makes sense. If you're going to set lines and bet thousands of dollars on if 5-year-old Jimmy can make it until halftime without having to use the bathroom, you might as well have sharpened your skills betting cigarettes during prison card games.

Authorities said the league president, also a head coach, used a fake barbershop (don't we all?) as a front where bets were made in a back room. I assume that's also where high-level meetings were held about whether to run an offense with one run and one pass play for the 5-year-olds or just one run play.

These aren't your father's youth sports. Haven't been for some time.

The culture now is one of travel teams and private coaches and parents spending thousands of dollars annually chasing athletic scholarships for their children that statistics prove only a fraction will earn.

Youth sports no longer have balance.

There is less and less purity.

But forking over $30 for a half-hour hitting lesson is one thing and taking illegal money gained through criminal acts to bet on pee wee football is another.

"We've seen violence escalate at these games, we've seen shootings, we've seen fights, arguments between coaches, and it's just so unfortunate for the kids that are involved because many of them have no idea," said Detective Solomon Barnes, part of the undercover operation that busted the Naughty Nine. "(Kids) just want to be a part of something that's positive."

Some even still want a participation trophy.

Las Vegas Review-Journal sports columnist Ed Graney can be reached at egraney@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4618. He can be heard from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on "Gridlock," ESPN 1100 and 98.9 FM. Follow him on Twitter: @edgraney.