So it is lawsuit time, right? Not exactly. A check of the ownership of the web site supporting the publication indicates that it is a BetOnSports venture. Which means that there will soon be nothing left to sue for. Importantly, you should expect that the sports books and poker rooms “rated” by this annual are BetOnSports related businesses and are on the way out of business. So despite the fact that they stole my content in a way that I can’t benefit from at all, it looks like there ain’t much that can be done about. Oh, well. I just wanted to disassociate myself with the Magnum Pro Football Annual 2006. Now on to something you may actually care about….

Current status on the BetOnSports situation is this: their British Board of Directors has decided that the BetOnSports books are no longer going to take business from US customers. According to some reports, they'll be giving account holders their money back. The major financial institutions that invested in this company (on April 7, the CBS Evening News reported that Fidelity Investments, Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs are among the biggest investors in BOS) would not have done so had the company not had at least a good chunk of the customer money on hand.

If I had to make a prediction, I think some people will get paid, but not everyone will get paid. If you have money in a BOS book I would check that book's web site and call that book's office daily to be on the front of the line in any process set up to return funds. We'll strive to continue to keep you informed on that front if you’re on our email list, and those of you will be getting something pretty detailed on this in the next couple of days.

To help stem the tide of phone calls, if you’ve gotten it before you should be receiving my Maximum Profit Football Annual by early next week. We don’t do NFL preseason so there is no need for us to have it to you in July. If you haven’t seen this 16 page preview chock full of go-with teams, go against teams, sports book information, and other meaty information designed to help you win this year, we put a lot of work into it. Visit www.FootballAnnual.com to arrange to receive it at no charge to you.

The most stunning news from the recent College Football Hall of Fame induction was that Joe Washington, Mark May, Cornelius Bennett, and Anthony Davis were not already in the Hall of Fame. Check out the bona fides of these guys. Joe Washington finished top 5 in the Heisman Trophy voting when playing for national champion Oklahoma teams in 1974 and 1975. Mark May dominated on the offensive line for Pitt in the late 70’s and in 1980, when he won the Outland Trophy. Cornelius Bennett was a dominating defensive presence for Alabama for several years in the mid-80’s and won the Lombardi Trophy. Anthony Davis had the famous 6-TD game against Notre Dame in 1972 for national champion USC and finished second in the Heisman voting in 1974.

Obviously Washington, May, Bennett, and Davis are all extraordinarily Hall-worthy. Yet it took them all more than 20 years to get in. The Hall seems to take in about 16 players and 4 coaches each year, so it isn’t overly selective, like the “Church of Baseball” in Cooperstown. While there is a ten year waiting period for admission, with so many enshrinees, why did it take such well-credentialed players as Washington, May, Bennett, and Davis between 20 and 32 years to get in?

Matt Leinart was the final holdout among NFL draft picks, not signing until Monday night. Arizona Republic columnist Dan Bickley points out that this is the sixth straight year that the Cardinals have failed to get their top pick into camp on time. The failure to sign draft picks and over $10 million under the salary cap are “signs of an organization that doesn't know how to win or just doesn't care as much as you do,” writes Bickley.

In other holdout news, look for the Patriots to do something to get Deion Branch into camp soon. Chad Jackson, the Pats 2nd round pick out of Florida, isn’t practicing due to a hamstring problem. Current starters are 35-year old Troy Brown, who has 3 starts the past 2 years, and underachieving Reche Caldwell, who started 2 games for San Diego last year and averaged 19 catches per annum in his 4 years with the Chargers. In Atlanta Friday night the Patriots had only three completions to wide receivers. Tom Brady isn’t thrilled with this situation and has expressed his obvious desire to get Branch signed. Once Branch gets into camp, wide receiver will still not be a strength for the Patriots. Right now it is a glaring weakness.

Here’s a potential clip & save for you. Kind of tough for the Super Bowl teams from last season to be too excited about their initial preseason game. It may be the ultimate letdown. Not only did the Steelers and Seahawks lose last weekend, but the only TD scored by the two teams combined was a “names you’ll soon see on the waiver wire” job by the Steelers with a minute and change left.

This week’s important three-game series between the Red Sox and the Tigers is Detroit’s only visit to Fenway Park this season. There’s something wrong with that. A slew of breakdowns have marred the summer’s thoroughbred season, particularly at Arlington Park and Del Mar. This will hasten the spread of Polytrack-type surfaces replacing dirt. Now if they can do something about the jockeys coughing up the fake stuff days later.

The storm of college football behavior-related suspensions and the addition of the 12th game may lead to fewer meaningful opening games in the future. With teams almost to the point where they’re likely to have players suspended for their opener matchups like Florida State vs. Miami, Cal vs. Tennessee, and USC vs. Arkansas may find themselves in week 2 of the season going forward. Coaches would much prefer to open against WAC, Sun Belt, or even 1-AA types knowing that if they have to suspend players due to offseason antics they’ve got a guaranteed win in their pocket without those serving the suspension. Then they can move onto the meaningful game in Week 2.

Next week we’ll start to make some predictions, but you really want to get the most opinionated preseason football publication in the mail, we’ll send you the Maximum Profit Football Annual at no charge. If you’re not on the list to receive it, be sure to visit www.FootballAnnual.com today.

Thanks. Good luck and be careful.