by Jimmy Vaccaro (Twitter @JimmyVaccaro)
October 25, 2011

A cold hard number on each betting proposition based on a starting point has been the mantra of this "institution" we partake in for decades.

Each season the bar is being lowered or raised, on depending what side of the fence you are on. In college it is easier to conform and adjust your thoughts as big time schools get the pick of the litter.

Yes, occasionally we see major upsets, but truth being told the better college teams extend the lead as they just out muscle their opponents. In college we see what Arnie K. Lang once phrased as the "towel tossers" come into play.

We hit Halloween with teams that can’t compete and basically walk onto the field with good intentions but are almost immediately taken out of the game.

In the NFL football  pros it should be different as the game in most cases should come back to the "number." We have started to see this is becoming more of a rule as opposed to an exception.

Take the NFL football game between the Indianapolis Colts and New Orleans Saints on NFL football Sunday night. I don’t want to make much of one NFL football game but with the bulk of the NFL football season in front of them the cold hard number will be put to pasture for some these NFL football pro teams.

You will be paying a tariff even steeper than before on NFL football  teams such as the Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams and Miami Dolphins, which after yesterday’s "exhibition" against Denver Broncos might have the biggest adjustment.

The cold hard number that was -14 on the New Orleans Saints last night in a similar situation might open at 17. I am not trying to persuade anyone on their betting habits.

So don’t forget to turn your clocks back this weekend, have some fun at the pumpkin patch and maybe hope the Indianapolis Colts, St. Louis Rams and Miami Dolphins dress up as a NFL football  team this Sunday.

Take care.
Jimmy V.

Re-printed with permission of Gaming Today