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Jimmy V column 11/30
As I See It, by Jimmy Vaccaro
November 30, 2001
As we enter the final third of the NFL regular season, you might ask yourself if teams are playing to form or are they frauds? Good question, with no definitive answer, only educated opinions.
As you and I have watched the season unfold, we have basically seen the same things. We knew the Bears would be a little better, but did anyone seriously think they would be 8-2 at this juncture?
Same goes with the Steelers and 49ers, conversely the same goes with other outfits like the Vikings and Titans. Now we could pick apart every team good and bad, but I think the teams mentioned illustrate my point.
Was it their form that brought them to this point in the season, and will it continue through the end of the schedule?
It would be easy to say the Bears will stumble simply because they are the Bears, and Kordell Stewart will revert back to the past few seasons and start giving the ball up for the Steelers. But I have found out in the past that once you get to this part of the season, very few teams change colors.
I do not mean that the Lions will not win a game or that the Vikes will show as they did this past week, but I urge you on the side of caution that these teams for better for worse have gotten this far on merit.
Now remember, every betting opportunity from the outset is first documented with a number and the oddsmaker has seen the same things that you have, so good or bad it will be incorporated into the "number".
If you were told eight weeks ago that you could get at least 7 when the Vikings went to Pittsburgh, or you could get over a touchdown when the Lions went to Soldiers Field, you probably would have leaned to both underdogs. You might not have said yes but I do not believe you would have said let me lock into the favorite right now.
But the point now is - even staring at those two underdogs - due to the form all four of these teams have displayed, that you simply cannot use an old cliché such as, "Who are the Bears to be giving up over a touchdown?" Why me and your Aunt Polly would not get that much if we were playing them. In my opinion, those old sentiments can lead to bad plays.
There must be a reason that the Bears can lose people like Robinson and Thomas and still be division leaders. Yes, I am well aware of their magnificent defense, but once you get into "form", I am not convinced that losing a defensive player would not completely slow them down. They got their present form for a lot of reasons and so have the other teams that are playing well. Conversely, the same applies for the teams that are headed in the opposite direction.
So everything playing equal, look for these teams' performances to play the same way going out. Remember, this is not a magic bullet and the same work has to go into making a final decision when you put up your cash.
There is probably one team that is playing well that will stumble and one playing bad who will make a dash to go out on a winning note, but in my opinion most will play to their established "form".
The play this week is "against" the UCLA Bruins, and taking double digits on Arizona State. Try this on for size, as late as Wednesday not one Bowl committee has contacted the Bruins about playing in a game. For a team that was talking about the Rose Bowl such a short time ago to possibly staying home simply says it all. I will take my chances on the Sun Devils even with a second string QB.
Stay well, Jimmy V.
Comments are appreciated at [email protected] and the off shore report at legalwagerreport.com.
Also a daily free pick at 1-800-299-1122.
November 30, 2001
As we enter the final third of the NFL regular season, you might ask yourself if teams are playing to form or are they frauds? Good question, with no definitive answer, only educated opinions.
As you and I have watched the season unfold, we have basically seen the same things. We knew the Bears would be a little better, but did anyone seriously think they would be 8-2 at this juncture?
Same goes with the Steelers and 49ers, conversely the same goes with other outfits like the Vikings and Titans. Now we could pick apart every team good and bad, but I think the teams mentioned illustrate my point.
Was it their form that brought them to this point in the season, and will it continue through the end of the schedule?
It would be easy to say the Bears will stumble simply because they are the Bears, and Kordell Stewart will revert back to the past few seasons and start giving the ball up for the Steelers. But I have found out in the past that once you get to this part of the season, very few teams change colors.
I do not mean that the Lions will not win a game or that the Vikes will show as they did this past week, but I urge you on the side of caution that these teams for better for worse have gotten this far on merit.
Now remember, every betting opportunity from the outset is first documented with a number and the oddsmaker has seen the same things that you have, so good or bad it will be incorporated into the "number".
If you were told eight weeks ago that you could get at least 7 when the Vikings went to Pittsburgh, or you could get over a touchdown when the Lions went to Soldiers Field, you probably would have leaned to both underdogs. You might not have said yes but I do not believe you would have said let me lock into the favorite right now.
But the point now is - even staring at those two underdogs - due to the form all four of these teams have displayed, that you simply cannot use an old cliché such as, "Who are the Bears to be giving up over a touchdown?" Why me and your Aunt Polly would not get that much if we were playing them. In my opinion, those old sentiments can lead to bad plays.
There must be a reason that the Bears can lose people like Robinson and Thomas and still be division leaders. Yes, I am well aware of their magnificent defense, but once you get into "form", I am not convinced that losing a defensive player would not completely slow them down. They got their present form for a lot of reasons and so have the other teams that are playing well. Conversely, the same applies for the teams that are headed in the opposite direction.
So everything playing equal, look for these teams' performances to play the same way going out. Remember, this is not a magic bullet and the same work has to go into making a final decision when you put up your cash.
There is probably one team that is playing well that will stumble and one playing bad who will make a dash to go out on a winning note, but in my opinion most will play to their established "form".
The play this week is "against" the UCLA Bruins, and taking double digits on Arizona State. Try this on for size, as late as Wednesday not one Bowl committee has contacted the Bruins about playing in a game. For a team that was talking about the Rose Bowl such a short time ago to possibly staying home simply says it all. I will take my chances on the Sun Devils even with a second string QB.
Stay well, Jimmy V.
Comments are appreciated at [email protected] and the off shore report at legalwagerreport.com.
Also a daily free pick at 1-800-299-1122.