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Columnist Jeff Haney: These Guys are the Gambler's All-Stars

Essentially an advertising tool for the Stardust race and sports book, the Registry -- created by prominent gambler Arne K. Lang -- contained betting advice, historical tidbits related to gambling, book reviews and the Nevada rotation of games.

One of the journal's most popular pieces was its annual "Spreadbeater Team," which has been revived thanks to Lang and WIT Sports, an offshore book based in Costa Rica that has a number of Las Vegas connections.

The Spreadbeater Team consists of college football players who did the most over the course of the season to help their teams cover the point spread.

Needless to say, the Spreadbeater Team is not sanctioned by the NCAA.

To qualify for the Spreadbeaters, a player must compete for a team that posted a winning record -- against the spread, that is. Often, a player will have demonstrated sustained excellence throughout the season, although one crucial play can also be enough to gain a coveted spot.

Meticulously researched by Lang & Co., the Spreadbeater Team includes a full complement of 11 offensive players, 11 defensive players, three specialists and a coach.

With apologies to novelist Frank Deford, call them Every Bettor's All-Americans.

Here are some of the highlights from this year's Spreadbeater squad, with comments by Lang and the crew at WIT Sports:

Quarterback: Joshua Cribbs, Kent State. "As an 18-year old freshman, Cribbs directed longtime MAC doormat Kent State to its first winning season since1987. ... The Golden Flashes were 8-1 against the spread in his starts."

Running back: Luke Staley, BYU. "The winner of the Doak Walker Award, Staley averaged 8.07 yards per carry, finished second in the nation in rushing yards (1,582) and was a dangerous receiver coming out of the backfield. ... Is Staley good enough to play at the next level, or is he another Andre Ware, a player who benefited from playing in the right system? Certainly he won't play in the NFL if he keeps getting hurt, but don't sell him short."

Offensive line: Shawn Andrews, Arkansas. "The Razorbacks stumbled out of the blocks, gaining only 206 yards from scrimmage in their first two assignments. Andrews lumbered to the rescue. With Andrews in the starting lineup, the Hogs averaged 379 yards per game and covered the spot at a 63 percent clip. ... If this man-child keeps his weight in check, we may see him in the NFL as soon as 2003." (Other offensive Spreadbeaters: RB Ennis Haywood, Iowa State; WR Bernard Berrian, Fresno State; WR Brandon Lloyd, Illinois; TE Jeb Putzier, Boise State; OL Doug Kaufusi, Utah; OL Michael Collins, Wake Forest; OL Damian Lavergne, Louisiana Tech; C TroyDanoff, UCLA.)

Defensive end: Brandon Hicks, Bowling Green. "Bowling Green (at 7-4) nearly tied Maryland (10-1) for the best point spread record in the country. The Falcons lost by 6 at Marshall as a 5-point underdog, defeated Kent State by 17 as a 17 1/2-point favorite, and lost at Western Michigan by 9 as a 7-point underdog. ... The one game that did not slip away was a 16-11 win at Akron, achieved as a 4-point favorite. The margin of difference was a safety, and the man who rewarded BG boosters was Hicks, whose end zone tackle was the first for the Falcons since 1996."

Linebacker: James King, Central Michigan. "At Michigan State on Sept. 8, King set an NCAA record by blocking four punts. CMU covered the number with room to spare, but only because King smothered punts that translated into excellent field position."

Linebacker: E.J. Henderson, Maryland. "On the season, he was credited with 104 solo tackles, one interception, one fumble recovery, and two blocked kicks. Twenty-eight of his tackles were behind the line of scrimmage, tops in the ACC, and the most in school history. For his efforts, Henderson was named the ACC Player of the Year, the first Terrapin to earn the honor since Randy White in 1974." (Other defensive Spreadbeaters: DE Chris Staley, South Florida; NT Eddie Freeman, UAB; LB Brad Kassell, North Texas; LB Jermaine Petty, Arkansas; DB Lamont Thompson, Washington St.; DB Paul McLendon, Texas Tech; DB Jonas Rutledge, SMU; DB Tank Williams, Stanford.)

Coach: Ralph Friedgen, Maryland. "A no-brainer. When Friedgen left Georgia Tech for Maryland, his former team got worse and his new team -- mired in a slump of four straight losing seasons -- became the class of the ACC. At Georgia Tech, Friedgen and George O'Leary were a winning duet. As a solo act, O'Leary was frequently off-key, but he charmed the red-faced pinheads at Notre Dame." (The specialists were P Brooks Barnard, Maryland; PK Jeremy Flores, Colorado; and KR Roman Hollowell, Colorado.)