Bowing Out

[Anders]

I know this belongs mostly in the "Off the Wall" forum but it has some validity here too...

That's right - Anders is heading for pasture for a while.

I decided while watching the All Blacks/Wallabies game Sat night that I'd had enough. I'm young(ish), healthy (and damn handsome

) and by nature a happy-go-lucky, level-headed, optimistic kinda guy.
But watching my two unit play seemingly heading for the dumpster on account of some of the most bone-headed refereeing I have ever had the misfortune to witness; I had a "Visionary" moment

and said to myself - I don't need this!
I love my sport with an absolute passion. But since capping non-stop since February (which has included previews and analysis whenever I could manage it; which for the most part was on all plays); I haven't enjoyed it as much as I used to. Sure, the wins felt great. But every loss was like a hammer blow to the solar plexus.
I started posting plays and write-ups at Madjacks for a few reasons. Firstly, I stumbled across the site as a link to Nolan's NFL write-ups and plays and it was only an e-mail he kindly returned which pointed me to the message forums.
From those, I swallowed an absolute fountain of knowledge on sports betting and lapped it up. Thanks to many great 'cappers, I made some cash and felt that given my knowledge, information and desire to win I could somehow return the favour and help punters with some Down Under sports wagers.
Well, six months later that aim has been achieved. It ain't been a fortune, but a few extra pingers in the pocket. And it's been a whale of a time.
I have met thru Madjacks some wonderful people - Redsfann, KC Wolf, DTB, djv, 1837, Stanley, Ian, Cartman88, AzRusty, Fred, Chucky The Goat, Hoops, Pilot, Whale, Toronto Vigilante, Turtle, Gloveski, of course Jack himself, the remarkable Nolan ...thousand apologies to all those who I've conversed with in cyberspace at some point in time that I've neglected to mention...
But on Saturday night I realised I didn't need the strain on the old ticker, the desperation to stay up til 1am to check the final AFL score, the sleepless nights, the resulting grumpy days, the solitude, the toll on work and the hours missed with my family.
When I typed in my final plays for the year, I felt a huge weight of my shoulders. Funnily enough, the All Blacks came back to cover the number but it didn't matter - I was gutted that they lost. I was a fan once more.
When I woke up today, the second day of spring in New Zealand could not have been more glorious. Mild temperatures, sunshine - took the kids and wife to the park, fed the ducks, bought ice-creams on the way home - just idyllic.
I knew immediately what I decided was good for the soul. 'capping is so, so stressful (for most) and hugely time consuming. Remember, you are trying to beat people who do this for a living - full-time professionals. It takes a special person to be able to ride the rollercoaster and not have it slam into the wall at some stage.
I remember reading when the baseball season started the proclamations - "Now we're talking, bases is where the money is, I kill bases....". A sneak into the forum now reveals a much-reduced group of 'cappers, with many saying they've "had it with baseball; great that football is here..".
And so the football forums have kickstarted with ultra-heavy traffic.
Just remembers guys and gals, it's a long season and the whole game is a marathon. If you can stick it out, hit the wall and keep going, kudos. Sometimes it's nice not to have to hit the wall at all though. Try and keep a balance on things and keep everything in your life in perspective.
Me, I can now get back to working on the two books I want to get written. Plan to do some cycling and weights to get truly fit again; cook some BBQs; play some cricket, golf and baseball with my son and daughter...
And highly importantly, watch sport as a hobby again. Get back the love of the game for the skills of all players, the beauty of their athleticism, the desire and the hunger for victory, the sportsmanship, the hot totty on the tennis court

...
So go Arsenal and Carlton.
Of course, I won't depart Madjacks altogether. Christ, have to keep an eye out to stop those Aussies running riot in the "Off the Wall" forum

Will also let my accounts continue to grow thanks to the golf and motor racing forums and will coat-tail Nolan in the NFL.
And peruse the General Discussion forum as a member of the Taste Police in case someone tries to tell us all how good The Corrs are

I've tagged on my e-mail addy here in case anyone want some info on the Down Under sports or just to chat, as I won't be looking in all day as I have for the past lifetime.
Jack, if ya wanna delete it, no worries.
ian.anderson@waikato-times.co.nz

Time to go.
Be back for the Super 12 next year.
Stay strong.


Anders

Hell, almost forgot the reason I started...


AFL: 36-31 (53.73%)

NRL: 60-49 (55.05%)

SUPER 12: 27-13 (67.50%)

INTERNATIONAL RUGBY: 7-6 (53.85%)

NPC: 7-6 (53.85%) (*ML: 0-9; -8.5 units)

NFL (pre-season): 24-18-1 (57.13%)

Overall: 161-123-1 (56.69%)

 

[Cartman88]

Anders,

I can relate to much of you have written above.

I want to wish you all the very best and I will send you an e-mail sometime soon.

 

[turtle]

Anders,
I would like to thank you for your very well written preview and play recomendations, I quite often stay off a play that I like if you disagree and play on ones that perhaps I wouldnt have if you like them.
I will miss your posts but I know how you feel, it can be hard work capping games and posting plays,I used to post a lot but the fun can go out of it and the losses are harder to take if you know others are following your plays.

I hope that you enjoy your well earned break and if you ever find yourself in Levin get in touch and I will buy you a beer
as you have helped me make money on NRL especially.
Look forward to your return
Take care
Turtle

 

[1837]

Your leaving?

This is a big loss for us...

I kinda understand you but at the same time don't want you take a break !

Well... have fun and enjoy life!

 

[DOGS THAT BARK]

Lets just hope its "Spring Break".Have said it before and will say it again. Have never met a Kiwi yet that wasn't a class act. While being pretty much a home body NZ would be tops on my visit list.Can relate to your "pressure of capping" comment as there is immense pressure not to let people down on selections, but I'm not taking any excuses for not dropping in and giving us the priviledge of your words of wisdom we so much appreciate.Ya Hear!

 

[MadJack]

what can i say? i'm speechless.

hopefully, you'll be back after a much needed break. i get those feelings all the time. i'm in one and have been in one of those moods for over a month.

when and if i start a madjacks 'hall of fame' you'll be voted in right away. please don't be a stranger.

and, let us know when you'll be visiting the states. we gotta meet one of these days!

take care

 

[Dudley Stew]

Why does the line, "there's no sunshiiiiine when you're gone", come to mind this morning?

Thanks for always keeping it on the positive tip here at Madjack's, Anders. You have made my job as mood coordinator much easier. You are a class act.

However, for the life of me, I don't understand what you have against the Corrs. Their tender ballads always make me softly weep.

To paraphrase the legendary rock band Enuff Znuff, "Fly High Anders".

 

[proline]

You'll be missed. I just lost one of my favourite tour stops on the MJ tour.
Your note about time is a very valid.
GL and may all our wagers be winning ones.

 

[djv]

Anders I can understand you 100%. Hey just lurking and throwing a little bull our way now and then. Well nothing wrong with that.I sure had some fun trying a few off the wall sports. I hope I get to mt you face to face some day. Keep begging my company for one last trip to Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, and N Z. I have never made it to N Z. I will retire in about 18 months. Im not counting on it happening. But you never know. Hey you better help us keep all those far right wingers going in right direction.

Enjoy your summer.

 

[AzRusty]

Anders!

Your exit from active handicapping and helping those less fortunate or incapable handicappers such as myself brings to mind that Michael Bolton (who I detest) tune:

"How Can I Live Without You"?

Making plays on sports that I have no idea about whatsoever (OK I admit it I'm clueless about all sports) and actually winning real money has been a real kick!

I have enjoyed reading your previews and analysis just for the sheer pleasure of enjoying your literary style.

I also wrestle with the same troubling aspects that you do and often wonder if all the stress, time or focus taken away from work or family is really worth it. I still don't know.

As I told some of ya'll in Off The Wall some months ago I did have an incident at work where I questioned if my searching from plays, reading this and other sites, and making bets then following them had caused me to make a mistake. My wife had also recently had knee surgery which was also a major distraction.

What happened now that the incident is over and I have been exonerated is that I failed to refer a set of x-rays out for a questionable area on a lateral cervical (neck) view. There was a suspicious area which may or may not have been a fresh fracture. I didn't see it as a fresh fracture but should have gotten further confirmation by a radiologist in order to thoroughly COVER my ass. I had several weeks of increased stress which I don't think would have ever happened if I had taken the one extra step of sending the x-rays out for someone else to review. I'm usually very good at "covering my butt" but this time I didn't. And well...it was do to lack of focus and distraction with all this handicapping stuff.

I have since toned my activity down considerably and try to stay MORE focused at work. It IS my practice and I'm not going to get fired if I don't concentrate fully but there are other just as serious consequences such as patients walking out the door and never coming back, or walking out and spreading the word that I'm an incompetent nincompoop.

I originally started doing this stuff as a means of conducting an experiment to see if I could start with a relatively small balance and increase it considerable by a factor of about 10 by conservative wagering and by following expert opinion. And it has worked for the most part except that when I get my balance on up there I tend to increase my betting increment and get too aggressive or reckless with my betting amounts.

Anyway..... thanks for the help in the past. I am happy to count you as one of the many friends that I have made here at MadJack's. It has been fun and I hope that we haven't seen the last of you.

Your reasons for leaving are ALL the same reasons that cause me to at times want to shuck it all.. Except that I don't really get too emotionally involved with particular teams 'cause I don't really care who WINS.. I just want the money.

I am sad for us but happy for you! You've got your life back. The rest of us continue to be trapped in this quagmire called "sports handicapping" still trying to break even or to make a fortune.

I for one have to consider myself a "hobbyist" rather than a professional and am happy to say that I have never bet one dollar more than I could afford.. no betting house payment money or food money etc. DUH

Best of luck to you and your family

AzRusty

BTW It was a thrill to send you the cactus garden. My token of friendship and thanks for your help with my wagering as well as a get well gift. I was gratified and relieved that when the VISA bill came in for your gift that Kathy didn't make MY nose look just like yours!

Live Long And Prosper!

 

[AussieVamp2]

Originally posted by Anders:
I decided while watching the All Blacks/Wallabies game Sat night that I'd had enough. I'm young(ish), healthy (and damn handsome ) and by nature a happy-go-lucky, level-headed, optimistic kinda guy.
But watching my two unit play seemingly heading for the dumpster on account of some of the most bone-headed refereeing I have ever had the misfortune to witness; I had a "Visionary" moment and said to myself - I don't need this!

-- Thats why not watching them is better

Watching stuff you have bet on is more stressful I reckon.
When I typed in my final plays for the year, I felt a huge weight of my shoulders. Funnily enough, the All Blacks came back to cover the number but it didn't matter - I was gutted that they lost. I was a fan once more.

-- Hah. They are still crappy

I remember reading when the baseball season started the proclamations - "Now we're talking, bases is where the money is, I kill bases....". A sneak into the forum now reveals a much-reduced group of 'cappers, with many saying they've "had it with baseball; great that football is here..".
And so the football forums have kickstarted with ultra-heavy traffic.

-- Yep, that is a very good point.

Just remembers guys and gals, it's a long season and the whole game is a marathon. If you can stick it out, hit the wall and keep going, kudos. Sometimes it's nice not to have to hit the wall at all though.

-- Unfortunately, if you do this, mathematically unavoidable, that wall.


And highly importantly, watch sport as a hobby again. Get back the love of the game for the skills of all players, the beauty of their athleticism, the desire and the hunger for victory, the sportsmanship, the hot totty on the tennis court

...

-- Speaking as someone who has studied it as a job, and a punter, not sure that is going to be possible - you will always look at it differently now, not with the same naivete as before, so to speak.


Christ, have to keep an eye out to stop those Aussies running riot in the "Off the Wall" forum

-- You mentioned ducks, where are the sheep?

 

[TIME TO MAKE $$$]

Thanks Anders for your contributions, greatly appreciated and enjoy the time off, say hi once in awhile.

------------------
If you don't have the funds, you shouldn't be playing with guns.

 

[Nick Douglas]

I am very sad to see you go. I think without question you are one of the martest, most articulate fellows that I have met online. I think you are making a wise choice, though, if handicapping was making the rest of your life miserable. Hope to see you soon.

 

[TORONTO-VIGILANTE]

glad I checked the off the wall forum and found this..

well buddy, we've had some good times, even though it's been a short time.

I totally understand where you're coming from...and i'd just like to wish you luck(the good one..) in whatever you do in the future...

don't worry, we'll keep in touch...and then march will be around the corner again..and the vicious AFL cycle will start all over again.

take care, fellow capper.

TORONTO-VIGILANTE.

 

[pepin46]

anders

i bet and get very involved with the nfl only. no baskets, no hockey.

baseball i have done only as a pasttime and then on sundays only!!! an ocassional sunday bet will do it for me.

bad streaks? tell me about it. that is part of it, and you have to put them behind you. you take a strong stance on a certain game, give a very strong opinion and then get pie in the face. so what? it happens to all of us.

i do it for entertainment/challenge and profit, in that order, and in that sense it is very manageable for me. i feel i would burn out and neglect the rest of my life, which includes family and business, if i tried to be "in it" on a daily basis.

hope this helps.


pep

 

[buddy]

Anders,

Good luck.

I enjoyed your replies and appreciated your humor.

 

[Fred]

Best of luck Anders

Good call to put your family and health first. Sounds like you've got a dream job too as a sports journo.

I hope you enjoy it all!

 

[JT]

I think this lyric from Concrete Blonde
is suitable for you right now ya Kooky
Kiwi...

"Going down to the river where it's
warm and green. Gonna have a drink
and walk around. I got to think about,
oh yeah, oh yeah..."

 

[JT]

Opps, screwed up that last line. Oh well, take it easy and peace...

 

[gloveski]

I wish you all the best in your break Anders you brought capping Australasian sports to a new level your write-ups are second to none.
The time and effort you put into the off the wall forumn was immense.
To have a break and spend quality time with your family is like winning a million dollar parlay it's priceless
I wish you and your family all the best in the future.

regards and friendship
Gloveski