Saturday, February 5, 2011

Art Schlichter Busted Again

I know people up here in Michigan are very familiar with Art Schlichter. He was an Ohio State nemesis and former quarterback of the defunct Detroit Drive Arena football frnachise. He also is a compulsive gambler who couldn't keep himself out of trouble. I think his time with the Drive was the longest he kept his nose clean. His biggest vice was gambling and it started well before he got to the NFL.

The former Ohio State and Baltimore Colts quarterback was busted again, alledgedly in a sports ticket scam that has cost people millions according to a report in the Columbus Dispatch. Schlichter received money for an investment dealing brokering and selling tickets for Ohio State football games. Schlichter took advantage and made bets in excess of six figures. Now it looks like he'll be going back to jail/prison.

Schlichter is a target in a federal investigation in a Super Bowl ticket scam. He has a gift of gab that somehow convinces people to give him large sums of money only to never see it again. He promised some people tickets to the Super Bowl and now they'll be watching the game from a local bar because they won't be able to get in.  In this case, he seems to have pulled off the scam through his involvement with a wealthy woman whom he befriended while he was still Ohio State’s star quarterback, 30 years ago.

Schlichter's spent time in 44 different prisons or jails. You would think he's learned his lesson by now. Apparently he does the same thing every time. Beats people out of money, writes bad checks and commits forgery and fraud, all in the name of gambling. He says he's planning to speak to authorities and is trying to gather some pity by portraying himself as someone who can't beat a gambling addiction. He also says he wants to help other gambling addicts. And Tiger Woods wants to help men in strip clubs to stop going there. Helen Keller also wanted to give Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder the gift of sight. Who is Schlichter kidding.

"It will help a lot of people," Schlichter said in a text message about talking with authorities. "This addiction is a (expletive)." Sure Art and I'll give up my love of fried chicken.

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