O. J. SIMPSON FACES PAROLE HEARING THIS WEEK

O. J. Simpson is optimistic about his chances of getting paroled Thursday in Nevada, according to one of Simpson’s closest friends. “He says, ‘ Tell them we’ll be playing golf again soon,’ " Tom Scotto said Sunday in a phone interview with USA TODAY Sports.

If paroled, Simpson, 70, is eligible for release Oct. 1.

Scotto added that he will be in the hearing room with the former football star Thursday at Lovelock Correctional Center, where Simpson has been imprisoned for almost nine years.

In 2008, Simpson was sentenced to a minimum of nine years and a maximum of 33 years in prison for his role in the armed robbery of two sports memorabilia agents at a Las Vegas hotel.