At this time of year, I always get a couple of people that ask me something along the lines of, “What’s the best way to prepare for the football season?” These readers are sometimes in a panic because they feel like they’re way behind the oddsmakers and other bettors.
But let’s start with a word from one of today’s great philosophers, Aaron Rodgers, as he famously told his fans a couple of years ago when they were starting to feel high anxiety: “R-E-L-A-X. Relax.”
The NFL preseason kicks off with the Hall of Fame Game in a little over a week and college football’s so-called “Week Zero” is just a month away (Aug, 27), with most teams having their season opener a week later on Labor Day Weekend. And, yes, there are plenty of people who have been studying for months.
But believe me when I say this: You still have plenty of time. I have interviewed nearly every major football contest winner in Las Vegas since the turn of the century (that sounds more impressive than saying 1999), and if there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s that there's more than one way to skin a cat. I’ve never understood that cliche as it’s pretty morbid and I’ve never been asked for advice on skinning a cat, but in this case I mean there’s more than one way to have a successful season or to win a contest.