Tony’s Take | Take 2 | Lenny | Sling | Hot Takes | Super 6 + 1 

By Tony Duckworth, [email protected]

Take 2.  In October, thirty people, including a current NBA head coach and player, were accused of being involved in a gambling scandal that turned the NBA on its heels. 

According to ESPN, on Monday, federal courts accused two current MLB players on the Cleveland roster of accepting bribes for associates in the Dominican Republic to win prop bets on pitches they tossed.  The indictment alleges that the two players accepted payoffs totaling several thousand dollars.  The payoffs assisted the gamblers in winning approximately $460,000 on bets placed on pitches the major leaguers tossed on speed, location of pitches.  Some of the pitches were in the dirt.   

Evidence presented includes one of the players inviting a gambler to a game against the Red Sox minutes before taking the mound.  Four minutes later, the gambler won $11,000 on a bet he would throw a certain pitch.  MLB prohibits cell phone use by players during games.       

The charges could lead up to 20 years in prison.   

If the charges are true, it is hard to imagine what would lead a MLB player in the midst of a five-year $20M contract to get involved in a baseball gambling scheme.  Logic leads me to believe other players are losing sleep, wondering if the Feds are on to their scheme as well. Gambling has always made its way into sports, and chances are there will be more MLB indictments.   

Lenny.  1,332 wins | NBA Championship Coach (1979) | 3x Naismith Hall of Famer as an assistant (Dream Team), head coach and player | All-time winningest NBA coach for nearly 15 seasons | 

Lenny Wilkens passed away at the age of 88 on November 9, 2025. Wilkens was the head coach of the Atlanta Hawks from 1993 – 2000.  During his first season, Lenny tied the Hawks then-franchise record with 57 wins.  The Hawks received notoriety in 1995 when he passed Red Auerbach as the all-time winningest coach in NBA history when he won his 939th regular season victory.   

Wilkens was quoted as saying: “I always wanted to leave places better than the way I found it.”  Lenny left an amazing legacy and mark on the NBA.  Well done, coach.  RIP Lenny. 

Sling.  10 million YouTube TV subscribers remain on sports blackout due to the dispute between Disney, which owns ABC and ESPN.  Last weekend proved that the free market offers solutions.  Saturday, I discovered Sling offered a one-day sports pass for $5. Subscribing kept me from missing back-to-back SEC Saturdays.  I would have survived, but it was nice being back in the SEC saddle despite missing YouTube TV’s multiview option to view 2 – 4 games simultaneously.   

I assumed UGA was walking into a trap in Starkville, given the noon kickoff was sandwiched between their Gators and Longhorns games.  #5 UGA dominated the contest, winning 41 – 21.  It was a business trip for the Red and Black.  Kirby has shown he consistently has his team dialed in, regardless of the opponent.    

Sling afforded me the opportunity to watch #3 Texas A&M make quick work of Mizzou, beating down the #22 Tigers 38 – 17.  The Aggies are outstanding, and Lane Kiffin argues they should be ranked #1.  #4 BAMA downed LSU in an old school 20 – 9 slugfest.  Auburn broke out offensively following melting Freeze, but lost to the darling of the SEC #16 Vanderbilt 45 – 38 in OT.  Speaking of offense, Mississippi and Kentucky destroyed their opponents by a combined 87 – 7.  Just another football Saturday down south.   

Hot Takes.  In an era of making hasty changes, the NY Football Giants showed patience during the Brian Daboll rebuild.  10 games into his fourth season, the NYG brass fired their head coach following a 2 – 8 start.  Daboll was 20 – 40 – 1 during his tenure despite winning coach of the year following his first season which included a playoff win and 9 – 7 – 1 record.  11 – 33 after season one is a hard pill to swallow for this proud franchise. | Coach Prime’s Buff’s have come back to earth this season.  Colorado currently sits at 3 – 7 and 1 – 6 in conference games.  What makes it worse is the blowout losses.  Back-to-back losses to Utah and Arizona a combined 105 – 24, begin raising concerns if Prime has lost the locker room.  Keep an eye on Boulder. | Albany State University hosts the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship game on Saturday.  Look for ASU to remain undefeated in D-II play, winning their 10th.  If there was a line on this game, Benedict would cover, but ASU will win.     

Super 6 + 1.  10 Texas @ 5 UGA | 11 Oklahoma @ 4 BAMA | 16 GA TECH @ Boston College | 9 NOTRE DAME @ 22 Pitt | 21 Iowa @ 17 USC | 4 Benedict @ 2 ASU (Super Region 2 Rankings) | Carolina @ FALCONS | Record 50 – 27 

Follow Tony Duckworth on the X platform at @tonyduckworthsr.  Duckworth is a native of Macon and is the President and CEO of the Albany Area YMCA.  Tony worked in intercollegiate athletics for thirty-one years.  He was an NCAA Division II Director of Athletics at three universities, including Albany State, following ten years as a head men’s basketball coach at two colleges.