Taking a gamble on Pa.'s budget woes

Villanova is no longer on the bubble. They are in, and will face a familiar foe in George Mason on Friday.

Temple also is in, and will take part in an All-Pa. matchup in the West against none other than the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Yes, the madness has begun.

Speaking of madness, here’s something I have always wondered.

Exactly how much money do you think changes hands on the NCAA men’s basketball tournament?

How much does productivity sag in offices around the country today as so-called “bracketologists” pore over their picks.

We’re as guilty as the rest. We print a full-page bracket in the paper knowing full well it likely will get cut out and copied to form the basis of all those office pools.

We also have a contest on our website where you can win some fairly significant prizes.

The truth is America loves to gamble on sports.

Attention Tom Corbett: That $4 billion deficit you’re grappling with?
And all those unpopular cuts you’re taking heat over? You could wipe them out in a heartbeat with the one bit of gambling Ed Rendell did not manage to ram through the Legislature.

Can you imagine how much money the state could rake in by running its own NCAA pool?

I know there are a lot of hoops to go through before a state can even consider sports betting. Still, it’s something to think about.
Especially when the cuts are as draconian as those being suggested by Corbett.

Time to think outside the box, and perhaps inside the brackets.

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