July 25, 2006 (Dublin, Ohio)- Training camps are opening up all over America and two of the most celebrated ones in college football are the University of Miami and Florida State.

Disturbing reports out of the Sunshine State indicate that two of their players were involved in a dangerous shooting incident over the weekend. This is definitely something you should know about if you're into sports betting.

Reserve safety Willie Cooper was shot in the buttocks when confronted in his yard Friday morning by an unknown person who fled after another player returned gunfire. Police said Cooper was able to walk after being shot and the injury wasn't believed to be serious, but he was taken to a hospital for treatment.

After Cooper was shot, teammate and roommate Brandon Meriweather pulled a pistol from his pants pocket and fired three times at the person who jumped a fence and fled with another person in a car, police said. It was unclear if the assailant was hit.

Cooper and Meriweather told police that they noticed a suspicious car parked outside their home near campus shortly after 6:30 a.m. When they went outside to investigate, a person crouched next to the house jumped up and shot Cooper.

The house is owned by Hurricanes defensive backs coach Tim Walton and was rented to players with approval from the school's compliance office. Cooper, a junior, has played mostly on special teams for three years. He is listed as a second-team safety on the spring depth chart.

Meriweather is a standout safety for the Hurricanes.

Please, would somebody tell me that I am not the only one that finds this story just a bit disturbing? I have a 17 year old son who has not been even close to being out of bed at 6:30 am on a summer day, so that in itself raises the flag. Isn't it convenient that an assistant coach happens to own a house and rents it to two of the players? Miami coach Larry Coker was quite calm over the whole affair and suggested that he was not even sure how many players owned guns on the team.

Over in Tallahassee, Bobby Bowden has suggested that all of his players' guns are under lock and key and when they go hunting they are required to sign out their weapons of choice.

When asked if the sign out policy was enforced, Bowden suggested that he hasn't given it a second thought. Knowledge is power in online gambling.

Are you ready for some football?

Bob Acton

Online Sports Betting