SportsHandle.com is back for more podcasting. In this episode, “The Hedge – Why I Gamble with Jimmy Shapiro” welcomes legendary ESPN prognosticator and VegasInsider.com scribe, Hammerin’ Hank Goldberg.
This is Part I of the podcast and will focus mainly on Hank’s unique relationship with Jimmy the Greek. He was a ghost writer for Jimmy the Greek’s syndicated column and helped him with the NFL content for CBS. The stories are tremendous.
A list of topics and time codes appear below the sound. You can listen on iTunes here (subscribe and give a rating, preferably a great or at least a good one.)
Topics for Episode Ten of ‘The Hedge,’ With Hammerin’ Hank, Include:
- 1:25 – On how he met Jimmy Snyder, better known as “Jimmy the Greek”
- 3:04 – On The Greek becoming famous for picking against the Jets and going on the Today Show with Barbara Walters … also his success in betting on political races.
- 4:33 – On Jimmy the Greek betting against Dewey and for Truman for an interesting reason
- 6:48 – Jimmy the Greek making the national lines for newspapers
- 7:33 – What ghostwriting for Jimmy the Greek entailed
- 7:58 – Jimmy the Greek being a great poker player and playing with legends like Amarillo Slim and Doyle Brunson
- 10:06 – On the media embracing sports gambling in the 70’s and how Jimmy the Greek used the local columnists for information for his wagers
- 13:43 – Hank’s role with Jimmy the Greek on the NFL Today Show on CBS
- 14:15 – On Hank and Jimmy going to dinner with Jets coach Walt Michaels on Fridays before games…Plus talking to Al Davis every Sunday morning before the NFL games
- 15:45 – On Jimmy the Greek never being allowed to mention spreads on TV
- 16:50 – On the segments with Jimmy the Greek getting huge ratings
- 17:50 – Jimmy the Greek hosting week-long Super Bowl parties and celebrities stopping by including Warren Beatty
- 20:15 – On if we’ll ever see a gambler as famous as Jimmy the Greek again
- 20:50 – How Jimmy the Greek became his own industry, setting his own lines, doing ads for Budweiser, Edge Shaving Cream, and Cigars, getting paid to do speeches
- 23:50 – On Jimmy the Greek getting fired for his racist comments
- 24:10 – On Jimmy the Greek becoming difficult to work with towards the end, insulting his colleagues on air and becoming bitter
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