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Script C: the classic male-menopause novel. Hunkering down in a country setting very much like Becker's own western Massachusetts, Doc Beer becomes the energy-and concern-presence of the local hospital. But at 46 he feels trapped between needs and duties, lusts and considerations, shrinking ideals and lengthening fatigue...
...though, because I don't have the money, the nerve, or the killer instinct. The Doc'll bet against the home club without blinking, if the line's right. I can't treat teams that objectively. You can't bet on a team you live and die with. It's strictly a question of practicality. The Doc knows no loyalty; it's nothing but comparisons, match ups, weather reports, and instinct...
...Doc's friend Hands explains: "The Bucks play, say the Braves, in Buffalo. The line is the Bucks and nine points, so you figure, it's a steal. But Jabbar has a sprained thumb, and the Braves have won 23 straight at home. The Bucks win it, but by only four points. Lotsa people bet big." Meaning that there's always more to any game than strict measures of talent reveal. You've got to research a game before you bet. The bookies don't; their job never goes beyond quoting the line and handling the cash. Despite their practical...
Take the Monday night game. When I saw Hands and the Doc at 2:30, the Buffalo weather report was of paramount importance. The combination of rain and astroturf means different things in different ball parks, particularly if one club runs a lot. Then there was Simpson. He'd sprained an ankle the week before. Was he fit? "I hear he's only 50-75 per cent," Hands told me. At 3 p.m., there was no line, but Hands guessed it'd be three points and the Bills (meaning a bettor wins his bet if the Bills win by more...
...Doc's. And it cost him $50, because the Bills beat the spread and the Chiefs with ease. No matter, he'll get it back tonight, because the Doc bets the Celtics with near infallibility. Here's how I figure it; the Rockets are improved, the Celts are struggling. The line'll probably be 10-13 points and the Celts. If I'm betting, I'm betting the Rockets...