Don't bet on it

Twenty years ago, a local pastor took the stadium microphone before the kickoff of a third-round football playoff game to offer a prayer.

He prayed for the coaches and the players. He implored that none of the players be injured.

He offered supplication for everyone sitting in the packed bleachers and for those lined up along the edges of the field.

But what I remember most was his prayer for the game officials.

The prayer went something like this, "And, Lord, we beseech thee to help the officials. Keep them safe. Watch over them. And, Lord, give them good judgment tonight in the calls they make because there is a lot of money riding on this game."

I hope the reference was to one of the teams being allowed to advance into the playoffs and earn more revenue.

But I've never been quite sure.

That prayer touched on one of the great fears of high school athletic officials: gambling on high school games.

Athletic administrators throughout the country often seem taken aback at the mere mention of the possibility of widespread gambling on high school athletic events.

Athletic administrators are not so naive to think that two buddies have never wagered a steak dinner on the outcome of a game, but nationally, administrators are apprehensive about what would happen to the game they have devoted their lives to if high-stakes gambling were to become pervasive.

Though it seems unlikely for many reasons that gambling will ever become widespread in high school athletics, it is not unthinkable.

High school basketball games have filled some of the largest arenas in the country in recent years. With increased visibility on national TV, the potential for problems grows.

The mere thought of wagering on the outcome of a high school game is frightening. Much of the good of high school sports could unravel in a moment.

And if you are paying attention, you know people will bet on most anything, though.

Former sports writer Damon Runyon knew that.

In the classic musical "Guys and Dolls," which was based on Runyon's writings, high-rolling Sky Masterson's bet that his fever would reach 104. He was lucky -- it got to 106.

This week, I've asked Arnold Solomon, Drew Pasteur and Brian Simmons to project the scores of the state championship games.

That takes some mettle because the semifinals haven't been played yet.

All three have systems they use during the regular season to assess teams and predict the outcomes of games. They usually get about 80 percent of the games right.

I threw my picks in there, too. I have no system. I guess a lot, and I pick the local teams.

I've never heard of much wagering on high school games in our area, but a few years ago, I got an anonymous telephone call after I projected the scores of the first round of the football playoffs. The caller thanked me for the point spreads and said he made a lot of money.

I hope it was a joke.