With concern over the Shohei Ohtani gambling situation setting in, Colin Cowherd is taking a much more laissez-faire approach toward the potential issue.
In the wake of the bombshell Ohtani news, Cowherd opened his Thursday afternoon FS1 and Fox Sports Radio show with a masterclass on monologues, dropping enough buzzwords and analogies to keep even his biggest critics engaged.
This all started Wednesday when the Los Angeles Dodgers fired Ohtani’s longtime interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. That came after Mizuhara was accused of “massive theft” allegedly linked to gambling. by the MLB star’s attorneys.
The firing sparked concern about Ohtani’s potential involvement in a gambling scandal. Cowherd, however, isn’t concerned about Ohtani, partially because the radio host grew up around cannabis.
“People are gonna bet on sports, smoke pot, have sex and drink. You’re completely naive if you think you can govern it. It’s the way it works in America. We like our liberties and our freedoms. Authoritarian politicians don’t work. And the election wasn’t rigged.” pic.twitter.com/4HJXxVoG06
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) March 21, 2024
“I grew up in Washington State,” Cowherd said. “Everybody smoked pot. My mailman, my neighbors, my principal. I’ve never been outraged by cannabis. I smoked it too. I mean, briefly, maybe once or twice.”
Cowherd wasn’t alleging the effects of pot make him less concerned about potential gambling scandals. But according to Cowherd, he’s less apt to be outraged over such things because he grew up around prohibited guilty pleasures.
“People are gonna bet on sports, smoke pot, have sex and drink. You’re completely naive if you think you can govern it. It’s the way it works in America. We like our liberties and our freedoms. Authoritarian politicians don’t work. And the election wasn’t rigged.” Cowherd said as an obvious dig at Donald Trump.
“Shohei Ohtani is in some trouble, and I am not denying it is a mess for the Dodgers and Major League Baseball,” Cowherd continued. “It sounds a little shady and like a coverup. Probably is. But as long as he didn’t bet on Major League Baseball and simply bet on other things at a ‘illegal bookmaker’ in Southern California, why am I not outraged? Because I have gray hair and I’ve lived a life.
“There are thousands of illegal bookmakers in California. You can’t bet legally in most parts because of politicians and red tape. Shocker. Politicians get in the way of fun again. Be it sex, smoking a joint, drinking…This is built for conspiracy theories…I don’t know what happened. But I’m not as outraged as I probably should be. As long as Ohtani did not bet on Major League Baseball.”
Ohtani being linked to illegal gambling in any way is built for conspiracy theories, indeed. And the conflicting reports surrounding what exactly happened will only fuel those theories, especially amid Major League Baseball and other pro leagues embracing sports betting.
That’s exactly why there is growing concern about this possible scandal for baseball. Cowherd’s relaxed attitude is nice in theory, but it’s not a stance MLB commissioner Rob Manfred can take.
[The Herd]
