Since I do not have an established W/L ATS and my credibility is in question I will accept the challenge in this manner. Here are my first picks for week one, based on the O/L from whatever you guys use as a standard. These are for the record and just to make it "transparent" that I do not use outside sources or tout services, etc. Here are my picks.
Cal
UTEP
Baylor
ILL
N. C. ST
Maybe this will call off the hounds and I can climb down out of this damn tree. I will not change these picks or decide to delete them later. I may add one or two and I may just throw a little parlay together but these are set in stone.
Tell you what, if you ever used a tout service and were discovered by another poster and it was not just a one-time thing, you wouldn't be called out so much on stealing someone else's picks, (which would happen) but considered a fool for throwing your money away. Most of the service plays are posted here at the Rx in plenty of time to use them, so why indulge in something that's worth no more than what the Rx forums charge here? Zilch.
I will tell you that there are some sharp players showing up here and if you can spot them or mooch a couple of the hot cappers plays, your bankroll will appreciate it. I use my own strictly but I will also say who's play I mooched if that's what I did as well. Just a courtesy.
Many posters here have gone to great lengths to expose the scamdicapers. While we accept the fact that some posters end up professional touts with paying clients, at least we know something that's real about their reputation, and that they do put in an honest day's work instead of throwing darts blindfolded for their GOW or "investors special" or however it's hyped.
Don't sweat it. It's much more of a routine thing than it seems. You will see how people do it. Often threads with a player's picks will attract a lot of traffic. That's a good way to tell who's hot and who's not in a given week, especially if their posted record isn't apparent.
I'll tell you what, you can wait until the lines open before you commit yourself. You can pick up a side or total later on (as long as a few who need a pick can mooch it in a timely way.) or you can cancel your wager, as long as it's before the game starts.
Week 1 lines may come out fairly soon and often they are way off by comparison to the lines released a week before the games. But it doesn't matter which line you use as long as you specify where you got it from about the same time you posted your play.
Note the menu bar on the top of this page where it says "free odds" -- well that's where about 10 or so books are listed fairly soon after they open, with the lines updated constantly, totals too.
Here was my last selection post of the regular season in 2008. (Week 15 games) just so you can see how they are done. There is no set rules how you choose to present it but just make sure you are in time and if you found a very good line that's not common, please include where you found the line (which offshore book) and of course the line you bet so any discrepancies or close results can be accurately graded. Do your own grading too. That can be done at the end of your "picks" thread Saturday night or Sunday morning after the results are in.
It is DEFINITELY better to start your own picks thread each week so you can find your plays after all is said and done. It will probably be buried about 6 or 7 pages in by the end of Saturday unless you bump it back to the top a few times by posting something like "bump" to advance your thread to the top of the front page again.
