From The Rock

There’s not much ‘middle ground’ when it comes to the desirability of betting NFL preseason games. The overly conservative handicappers suggest that its a poor wagering opportunity, while the ‘boiler room’ sports touts try to suggest that short of a fixed game there’s no more sure thing than preseason football. There’s a degree of truth in both views. Handicapping preseason NFL football is a unique discipline unto itself, but with knowledge and caution it can be a profitable endeavor.

The opponent of preseason wagering would suggest that its a bad wagering opportunity by its very nature alone–simply stated, the games don’t count meaning that the motivation and focus of individual teams is always in question. It’s hard enough to identify teams that are in a desirable ‘spot’ during the regular season, the often conflicting agendas of personnel evaluation, playbook testing, and injury prevention found in the preseason makes it impossible. All told, this uncertainty makes it very undesirable to get financially involved with preseason NFL games.

The proponent of preseason wagering would argue that this is the very reason that good opportunities frequently arise during preseason. First, additional value is frequently found with the underdog in preseason games by their very nature. To explain, in a hypothetical matchup between a Superbowl champion and an also-ran the “better” team by regular season standards would invariably be favored. However, by virtue of their success the “better” teams have not only more ‘marquee names’ to protect, but also valued guys in the trenches who could cause big problems if injured. Frequently, they’ll have more depth and thus fewer personnel evaluation decisions to deal with. They’ll have no need to “create a winning attitude”, nor will they usually have wholesale changes in team composition, offensive or defensive strategy, or coaching philosophies to deal with. In short, the “better” teams often go into preseason situations with little to accomplish other than to get the games over with and stay healthy.

Now, lets look at the other side of the equation. A “lesser” team by regular season standards might have a number of starting spots or key backup spots up for grabs. They may have new coaches to impress, or new offensive or defensive coordinators whose schemes they’ll have to implement. Certainly, winning any games”whether or not they count in the standings”are of utmost importance to losing teams trying to turn things around. Finally, a bad team can gain a lot more psychologically from beating a playoff team than the playoff team can from beating a doormat. A struggling team that is destined to lose a lot during the regular season won’t have a lot of bright spots, so a preseason win against one of the league’s elite can mean a lot more.

Even among teams that don’t worry much about wins and losses during the preseason, they don’t want to go into the season losing them all. For that reason, one of the most successful preseason situations over the past decade and a half have been teams that lost their first two preseason affairs. During that span, 0-2 teams have hit right around 60% against the spread.

Perhaps nothing determines a team’s approach to the preseason more than the philosophy of the head coach. Some coaches simply hate to lose anytime they line ‘em up to play football, and as a result their teams are usually good preseason bets. Bill Parcells was famous for the preseason focus of his teams. Not surprisingly, many who worked with Parcells earlier in their careers are now carving out their own records of preseason success. This sort of dominance isn’t lost on the linesmaker and a coach like the Giants’ Tom Coughlin (a former Parcells assistant) will have his ATS success will definitely been factored into the pointspread. Still, a motivated team that wants to win is always worthy of consideration.

The Internet has become a very valuable weapon in the NFL preseason handicapper’s arsenal. Simply following the local media reports of NFL teams can often produce a wealth of ‘mission critical’ betting information. The combination of anxious beat writers, little in the way of ‘real’ news, and a less guarded approach by coaches to games that ‘don’t count’ can often reveal game strategies, playing time for key personnel, or even a team’s specific agenda for a particular game. Sometime coaches will come right out and say that evaluating a certain position, or working on a specific offensive scheme is their top priority for a game. It’s a great way to find not only good teams to bet on, but strong situations to go against teams that are focused on something other than outscoring their opponent.

The bottom line is that while the NFL preseason does offer some solid moneymaking opportunities, its not a ‘free cash grab’. It’s best viewed as an opportunity to grind out a small profit, but as always its essential to maintain the same degree of discipline in handicapping and money management as at any other time during the pro football season.

Ross Everett is a well known freelance writer specializing in travel, casino gambling and sports handicapping. He is a consulting handicapper for Anatta Sports where he is responsible for providing daily free sports picks. In his spare time he enjoys fine dining, fencing and deep sea diving. He lives in Las Vegas with four dogs and a pet coyote.

We have all heard the familiar words spoken by our mothers at some point during our school days, ‘pack your bag and go to school’. Little does one realize that most children are always in hurry and most of the time they don’t even pack their own bags. They just dump all their books and materials into their bag and then slung the bag across their fragile backs.

For your child, his or her backpack plays a crucial part in their school days. They not only provides them with the identity of their choice but also reflects their inner personality. Your child would desire very different styles of bag in different ages.

When your child is still in kindergarten, he will probably opt for a backpack with lots of different colors and his favorite cartoon character. These kind of backpacks are usually small and just enough to store a water bottle, napkin and a snack box.

Whatever the age, when buying children’s backpacks one needs to keep a few specifications in mind.

The size of children’s backpacks must be perfect and according to the child’s size. The backpack is here to help the child by providing storage of all items required for school. The size should be as per required storage space and age.

If you are looking for something stylish for your child, make sure that it has a ideal combination of style and comfort. There are a lot of backpacks which compromise comfort for style by using heavy material which will hurt your child’s weak backs.

Backpacks are usually available in broad padded shoulder straps, a cushioned back which gives good back support and a waist strap to move the weight of the hip region to provide maximum comfort.

Choosing the wrong backpack can cause your child to have serious back and neck injuries and posture problems. So the next time you ask your child to run along to school, make sure you have secured his back with a comfortable and strong backpack.

To get the best, lowest priced and most comfortable childrenren’s backpacks for your children, just visit CompleteBackpacks.com now for all the tricks, articles and reviews you need on the best backpacks like the kids rolling backpacks.

It is almost the summer and perhaps time for a family vacation to Florida. People from all over the country flock to the sunshine state to enjoy some waves, sand and sun. This is a fun time of year when families can forget many of their problems and enjoy quality time on the beach with their loved ones. Many people consider Florida as a great beach destination because of the nice weather and abundance of pretty beaches. Here are 5 great Florida beach getaways to check into:

1) Siesta Key – This is ranked every years as one of the prettiest beaches in the country. Located off the coast of Sarasota, Florida this 8 mile long barrier island would be a great place to spend your summer vacation. It is very family oriented with plenty to do. If you have not been here before I strongly suggest a visit.

2) Clearwater – just like the name suggests the waters here are very clear and the beaches are gorgeous. Located north of St. Petersburg and west of Tampa, this beach is easy to get to since you can fly right into Tampa. There is plenty to do in Clearwater for families. Take a boat ride, go fishing, play on the beach, beach your spouse in tennis or just about anything else you can think of.

3) Daytona Beach – Looking for some fun, waves, sun, beach in more of a party atmosphere? You can find that in Daytona. Located on the east coast of Florida this has been a popular beach destination for families for many years. There is 23 miles of beach to enjoy along the Atlantic ocean.

4) Miami beach – This is a very popular place for spring break. College students from all over the country flock to Miami to party and have a great time. You won’t find a shortage of things to down in south beach and Miami. The hard part might be finding some peace and quiet.

5) Marco Island – Marco Island is located on the west coast of Florida and just south of Naples. It is the largest of Florida’s Ten Thousand Islands and is a very popular getaway for beach goers. This is a great spot for those looking for a slower pace than hot spots like Miami or Daytona beaches. You will find the beaches to be very pretty and the water very soothing. If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle for a nice nap on the beach Marco Island might be the right spot for you.

Buy a beach chair at Slade Tanner’s blog

Former Chicago Bears running back Cedric Benson got revenge on the team that let him go in the best possible way. Benson amassed 189 yards rushing and led his new team, the Cincinnati Bengals, to a 45-10 rout over the visiting Bears on Sunday. Carson Palmer threw for five touchdowns with no interceptions in the blowout victory. Cincinnati improved to 5-2 with the win while Chicago dropped to 3-3 on the NFL season.

The Bengals also made short work of the NFL pointspread, easily covering as +1′ home underdogs. Cincinnati improved to 4-3 against the number while Chicago evened their ATS mark at 3-3. The 55 combined points sailed OVER the posted total of 42′.

A happy Benson described his feelings after the win:

“Everybody knew it was going to be an emotional day. Everybody knew. What a wonderful day and a wonderful thing, to go out there and strut your stuff.”

Despite the evidence to the contrary, Benson downplayed the motive of revenge:

“I continue to be as graceful as I can be. I’m not shoving anything in anybody’s face. Like I say, it wasn’t a revenge day for me. I just wanted to take advantage of the opportunities.”

He said his biggest problem was trying to keep his emotions in check and play under control:

“There were a few times where I may have gotten a little too hyped up, a little too antsy. A couple of drives, I found myself having to calm myself down and gather my emotions to stay poised. Once I got past that, we were good to go. Keep it rolling.”

Bengals’ receiver Chad Ochocinco had 10 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns. He shared his thoughts postgame:

“I don’t understand why it went this way today and why it didn’t go that way last week or the week before that. The offensive line played unbelievable. For Ced to run the way he did today and for us to be able to throw, we could have done what we wanted to do.”

Chicago gave up more points than in any game all season, a fact that left defensive end Alex Brown looking for answers:

“That was pretty embarrassing. It’s embarrassing to come out and play like that. I tip my hat to their whole team. Cedric ran the ball like crazy. They did whatever they wanted to do.”

The Bengals will enjoy a bye week before hosting the Baltimore Ravens on November 8. They’ll then play two games on the road at Pittsburgh and Oakland. Chicago will try to get back on track this Sunday as they host the Cleveland Browns. They’ll host the Arizona Cardinals the following Sunday before heading west for a Thursday night game against the San Francisco 49ers on November 12.

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance sports writer and noted authority on sports betting odds comparison. He writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sports news and betting odds portal sites. He lives in Las Vegas with three Jack Russell Terriers and an emu. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Have a look at any exceptional offers and take advantage of any coupons from the movie download services you are interested in. If you make an assessment beforehand you will be sure to be receiving what you want and the greatest deal for the cash you spend. Most of the best services have a great assortment of movies from all time periods and all genres. If you enjoy videos you will really fancy downloading them from the internet.

The free websites use file-sharing technology that gives a much lesser sound and picture quality in the files and also potential troubling viruses for your computer. In addition, you risk the prospect of legal problems and difficulties if the owners of the copyright decided to pursue it and that has happened in the past and could very well come about again.

With portable viewing devices you can always download some videos before you take a lengthy trip, either by plane, train or car, just make certain you are not the one driving of course. Motion pictures can be a great way to pass the time anytime you happen to be sitting around waiting. You can always engage your mind when you are observing an enjoyable film.

If you’re traveling, you might want to download a few films beforehand. Motion pictures are always an enjoyable way to pass the time when you are waiting around. In case you are flying, taking a train, or even a passenger in an auto you can with no trouble entertain yourself if you have some available downloaded movies ready.

There have been some wonderful advances in technology and it is getting to the point that soon it appears that we may be able to access whatever we want with just our computers. Right now it is possible to download excellent motion pictures anytime right from the comfort of your own residence on your own laptop or computer. No need to run down to the nearest movie rental store or wait for a video to come in the mail. You can have the exact motion picture you would like right when you want it.

A few may speculate why they should pay for an entirely legal movie download service when another site may be offering to permit them to download for free. However, in the long run it is often ends up being much more cost-effective than any of the illegal and free video download sites.

The best movie download services also offer music, software and games along with movies with no added fees. Learn about film hd download. Downloading straight to your computer is a good way to watch the best new motion pictures.