Friday Four-Pack 1.26.24

Belichick's job bust. Barstool + DraftKings deal? NFL Picks! Red Sox radio news.

When the story broke over the summer that dozens of student-athletes from Iowa and Iowa State had been betting on sports…there was no real juice. Just kids betting on sports when they shouldn’t be. Tale as old as time.

This one? With then-LSU Tiger and now-Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte?

We got some juice.

Over a calendar year, Boutte reportedly placed almost 9000 bets, at least 17 of those on college football according to The Athletic.

If you're an underage college athlete trying to fire off bets, at least try and hide it. From the Athletic story:

The affidavit for Boutte’s arrest warrant — a copy of which was obtained by The Athletic — said FanDuel contacted the Louisiana State Police’s gaming division about the possibility of a college athlete placing sports wagers. Police launched an investigation and found that Boutte opened a FanDuel account in Massachusetts on June 7, 2023, and the bank card attached to the account was under the name Tanisha Boutte, his mother. Boutte chose the username “kayshonboutte7” for the account, according to the affidavit.

The affidavit said police later discovered a second account linked to Boutte under the name Kayla Fortenberry opened on April 5, 2022. That account was also funded by his mother’s bank card, and the account’s username was “kayshonboutte01,” per the report.

I’m shocked the user name ‘kayshonboutte’ was already taken. He had to go with ‘kayshonboutte01.’

I’m sure there are plenty of college athletes betting, but they’re not using their OWN NAMES AS USERNAMES to get those juicy sign-up bonuses.

He likely will be fined for underage betting in Louisiana. As far as the NFL, if he bet on a Patriots game after he was drafted, he could be suspended for two seasons. If he bet on other NFL games, he’s gone for a full season. Other sports would likely mean a two-game suspension.

At one point Boutee was a projected first-round pick, with millions of dollars in NFL contract money in his future. And he still couldn't resist the sweet siren song of a same-game parlay. Allegedly. We gotta see some of these 8900 bets at some point, right?

Sports betting is a big part of today’s Four-Pack.

It looks like Barstool Sports is getting back into the game. And our NFL picks sucked last week. We try and bounce back.

But we’ll start with Bill Belichick likely busting out of a coaching job for the 2024 NFL season.

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On some Bill Belichick bullet points…

So Bill Belichick just doesn't get a job?

That was my dumb reaction on X.com Thursday afternoon when news broke the Falcons would go with Raheem Morris as their next head coach.

Belichick had two interviews with the Falcons and they said “No thanks.” Two openings remain in Seattle and DC but neither team has shown any interest in hiring the greatest coach of all time.

It looks like a longshot he’ll coach in 2024. And I get it.

In theory, hiring Belichick sounds like a slam dunk. But there were reportedly a lot of contingencies. He wanted to run the whole team. He wanted to bring along his own guys (Matt Patricia, Josh McDaniels). He didn’t want to go to a big market because he was worried about reporters and sources.

Then there’s the reality that hiring Belichick doesn't guarantee wins the way signing a Top 10 quarterback does. Maybe it used to, but not in this version of the NFL.

So you have to hand the keys to your entire franchise over to a 71-year-old who wants to bring in his guys. He won’t be there for more than two or three seasons. His track record without Tom Brady is bad. He’s already worried about interactions with the media.

And oh yeah, his 2023 team was plagued by dysfunction.

Belichick getting passed over sounds crazy, but I get it.

More assorted thoughts:

• The idea being pushed by Adam Schefter and others that maybe Bill is waiting for the Chiefs’ job feels like 100% bullcrap. Just spin to take some of the heat and potential embarrassment off of Bill after being passed over. Reid is 65 and still has two years left on his contract. This will be his sixth consecutive appearance in the AFC Title Game. Silly idea.

• Is there a chance the Krafts are whispering all the bad stuff about Bill to other owners and that’s part of the reason there was so little interest?

• Speaking of the Krafts and Kraft Productions, even if Belichick told them all to “eff-off” when they asked him to be a part of it, it’s beyond embarrassing not to include one shot of the coach in the promotional video for your 2003 Patriots Podcast. You’d have to really go out of your way to do that. Petty for sure and borderline pathetic. As my friend Kirk Minihane said on his marathon show Wednesday, bad week for the Krafts.

• CBS should hand Belichick a blank check to be part of their Super Bowl coverage. Pregame breakdown and then halftime.

• As a betting man, I’d take 5-1 or better on “Bill Belichick never coaches another NFL game.”

Comments open below for all your hot Belichick takes.

On the next sports betting move for Barstool Sports….

It was never a matter of if, but when. And with whom.

It looks like now we know.

First reported by Sportico on Wednesday, all signs point to Barstool Sports becoming a marketing force for DraftKings in the sports betting space.

From the report:

While nothing is yet signed, the talks have centered around a multiyear deal that will pay Barstool in the low eight figures per year, said the people, who were granted anonymity because the details are private. Barstool is unable to finalize a betting deal until after the Super Bowl, because of a lock-up as part of its recent separation from Penn Entertainment, according to the sources.

So Dave Portnoy sold Barstool a few years ago for $550 million… repurchased his company in 2023 for $1 …then the non-compete from that deal with Penn/ESPN only forces Barstool to sit on the sports-betting-sidelines for ONE football season….and at the end of that football season Barstool gets an estimated $10 million or so to start working with DraftKings?

That’s a major win for Portnoy/Barstool.

I’m not sure DraftKings all of a sudden gets an influx of new accounts - like it’s hard to imagine in states where sports betting is legal that someone doesn’t at least have a DK account already. But it can help DraftKings when it comes to original content and branding, for sure.

And maybe as important as this deal helps DraftKings, it really hurts Penn/ESPN Bet, who after just a few months online is already third in Massachusetts in terms of handle behind just DraftKings and FanDuel.

I’m sure there are a lot of former Barstool Sportsbook users who still use ESPN BET and will immediately move their action to DraftKings. It’s hard to find a more loyal fan than a Barstool Fan.

Beyond the obvious, I think one of the big benefits for DraftKings in this deal is the potential for their horse racing product launched last year, DK HORSE.

DraftKings put a lot of money into the marketing of their ADW - everything from heavy TV commercials during racing on TV to huge signage last summer at Saratoga.

On big days in racing - like this weekend’s Pegasus Stakes at Gulfstream - some of if not the most consumed racing content on social media comes from Barstool. Portnoy and Elio get thousands and thousands of views on their videos before, during and after live races.

If you’re DK HORSE and you’re trying to get your relatively new product in front of potential customers - many of whom already bet sports with you - there is a major benefit to having Barstool personalities using and promoting your product.

It would be a major miss if a strong DK HORSE promotion was not part of this deal.

Winners: DraftKings, Barstool, fans who want to see Jared Carrabis interacting with Barstool again. DK HORSE.

Losers: Penn/ESPN Bet and FanDuel.

On our NFL Divisional Round Picks…

2023 Regular Season: 33-22-1
2023 Playoffs Wild Card: 3-0
2023 Playoffs Divisional: 0-3

Bad, bad week for both the public picks and the personal bankroll.

Had a chance to score on Bills futures we grabbed at the dip of the market during the season. Felt good about it even into the 4Q. But you just can’t leave points on the field against the best quarterback in the game. Even at home. Very frustrating result.

With only two games on the board, these lines (including props) are going to be pretty efficient. If you were able to get SF -6.5 or some very early BAL -2.5, you’ve done well.

The Deebo Samuel injury is so important, that I can’t handicap the game properly. It sounds like Samuel will play so I would lean 49ers but would need confirmation Sunday. Would also lean OVER in that case.

The Pick
RAVENS -3.5 VS CHIEFS. (-115, BETMGM). I’m ready to be hurt again. The Ravens had a huge year. They destroyed the Texans. They’re home. They’re healthy. And they can run the ball on the 27th-ranked run defense in the NFL. The Baltimore pass defense was #1 this season and made some really good QBs look bad. They’ll have to do it against the best QB in the league - and with the limited weapons Mahomes has at his disposal I think they can do it. I’m hopeful but not confident this line goes back to 3 with Mahomes taking late money.

Prop #1
GUS EDWARDS OVER 43.5 RUSHING YARDS. (-110, FanDuel). This line was 40.5 on Thursday and is now as high as 45.5 in some places. And I get it. There is a lot of buzz on Justice Hill props, but I want The Gus Bus. In last week’s loss, the Bills rolled up 182 rushing yards on 39 carries against the KC defense. According to his coach, Edwards was taken out as a precaution with the Ravens up 14. Had he stayed in, I think he would have gotten more than 10 carries for 40 yards. Instead, dusty Dalvin Cook got the close-out carries. I loved it at yesterday’s total but still like it today at 43.5.

Prop #2
JAHMYR GIBBS OVER 22.5 REC YARDS. (-110, FanDuel) Gibbs has racked up 4/40 in both Lions playoff games, and Sunday looks to be more of the same. I expect Detroit to be in chase mode and unable to crack the NFL’s 15th-ranked DVOA run defense. Enter clear receiving back Gibbs. The 49ers allowed the 8th most receiving yards/game to opposing backs this season. Given his talent, the likely game script, the situation, the matchup - it all sets up for Gibbs to be very involved on Sunday. This line is 25.5 yards at some other books as of Friday morning.

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Sunday Morning Update: Really thought we’d get some Mahomes Money, but as we sit here before 7AM EST Sunday, Ravens have gone to -4 and juiced up.

ESPN and FanDuel have both gone to Ravens -4.5.

49ers are a juiced up -7 mostly everywhere.

From the Action Network reports, looks like there were some big bets on Ravens/Chiefs OVER.

With all signs pointing to a mostly healthy Deebo, I played some SF/DET OVER. As far as props, in on the Edwards and Gibbs stuff above.

Justin Watson's stuff has all moved up the last day. If you believe with Toney out and potentially Hardman docked for his poor play the previous two weeks, he and Noah Gray are anytime TD flyers.

And the Lions were 20th or worse DVOA against No. 1,2 and 3 receivers this season. I played an over on Purdy completions at 20.5 on Saturday. Even with the lead, they could keep throwing against the pass-funnel Lions D.

Missed the Ravens/ESPN Bet boost last week while traveling but will be on the lookout for something like that again later.

Good luck!

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On the latest in the Red Sox radio booth…

On Thursday, the Chicago White Sox announced that John Schriffen would be their new play-by-play voice on TV. And it looks like that means Will Flemming is back in the Red Sox radio booth.

Flemming was on the mic for the most games of any announcer in the Sox booth in 2023 and was a reported finalist for the White Sox job. Red Sox radio home WEEI posted an opening for what looked like Flemming’s job at the beginning of the month. WEEI Market Manager Mike Thomas cited the posting as “building a bench” for the broadcast boost.

It looks much more like the posting was insurance in case Flemming left. Or a negotiation tactic by Audacy. Or maybe a little of both. As we wrote at the time.

The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn first tweeted Thursday that fans should expect Flemming back in the Red Sox booth this season.

A source told Chris Cotillo and Sean McAdam of MassLive.com that indeed Flemming will be back.

Will it be for more than one season?

With the Red Sox organization set to take control of the radio booth in 2025, the thought was anyone taking the job would be on a one-year deal. Does that mean Flemming is back for just 2024 with hopes to re-up with the Sox for 2025 and beyond? Was he given assurances by the team that he’d be back after this season? Not sure.

What’s clear from talking to folks early Friday was the booth will sound a lot like it did in 2023. Flemming calling the most games. Joe Castiglione again calling a reduced slate of games. Lou Merloni back for 50+ games. Sean McDonough mentioned this week on WEEI that he’s back for games this season (20 or so). And Rob Bradford will be on game calls as well.

Given the pathetic off-season from the organization, feels like it’s going to take a lot of work from anyone in the radio booth to make this team interesting in 2024.

Boy, a lot of ground we covered here today.

Glad to see the big sports media guys coming to the realization that Tony Romo has had a rough year. We’ll see if we get a focused Romo on Sunday for Chiefs/Ravens.

Good luck with all your bets. And good luck if you’re betting Gulfstream Saturday. I’ll have some bets on X.com, I’m sure.

Thanks for reading.

Good weekend.