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Pittsburgh football head coach Pat Narduzzi criticized decision makers that have allowed NCAA athletes to bet on professional sports.
“It’s absolutely one of the stupidest decisions I’ve ever seen in my life,” Narduzzi told the media on Monday, claiming that players could fall into the “disease” of “addiction.”
“I’m not a gamer. So I just don’t understand it. I’m not addicted to anything. I just don’t think it’s a big thing to teach our young people how to do it,” Narduzzi continued. “It’s hard enough in the compliance office to try to get your guys not to bet: you can bet on a boxing match, you can bet on horse racing because it’s not an NCAA sport, but who bets on horse racing, really, unless you go to the racetrack? You can go to the casino and play craps or whatever you want. But now, it’s on your phone, you can pick it up, go to an app, and it’s like, what are they? What are we doing? Once you do it, one time and you win, you want to do it again, it becomes an addiction. I just think it’s not good… It’s bad business.
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Pittsburgh Panthers head coach Pat Narduzzi reacts to a call against the Syracuse Orange during the second half at the JMA Wireless Dome. (Rich Barnes/Image Images)
Narduzzi also noted that simple innocence, combined with carelessness, could lead to harsh punishments.
“Press the wrong button on your phone and see what happens. ‘Oh, I thought it was an NFL game, but I pressed the wrong button and I placed a bet on a college football game.’ I just don’t think it’s good. And I’m not going to change my tune.”
Narduzzi said he would address the new regulations with his team and offer some advice.
Pat Narduzzi against the Tennessee Volunteers at Neyland Stadium on September 11, 2021 in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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“Stay away. Nothing changes in our room. You guys shouldn’t do any of that. Save your money. Put it in the bank. Those are my feelings.”
Starting Saturday, the NCAA will amend its bans on gambling to make it legal for athletes to bet on professional sports. They will still be prohibited from placing bets on college athletics.
The rule change was announced just one day before the FBI arrested three prominent NBA figures (Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier and Damon Jones) for their alleged role in illegal betting schemes.
Pittsburgh head coach Pat Narduzzi watches players practice on the field before a college football game between the Pittsburgh Panthers and the University of Miami Hurricanes on Nov. 26, 2022, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Rozier and Jones were arrested for allegedly leaking non-public information to players, while Billups and Jones face charges of knowingly competing in and profiting monetarily from rigged poker games with ties to the mafia.
