Just reading through some posts tonight and I once again come across the term "tout" and it is obviously not in glowing terms. As I sit here typing, it strikes me as a bit unusual, but I feel compelled to post a thread for whoever is interested (crickets chirping...LOL)
Anyway, I got to thinking about our business and what we do and think that it is worth a discussion of the term "tout" and what folks connotation is regarding that moniker. The first thought I have is the everyday guy that tries to bet on sports, sometimes winning and sometimes losing, and every now and then buys plays from a "tout" That play loses and the "tout" is a scumbag just out to make a quick buck! Now I fully understand that this industry is ripe with folks that don't have the best interest of the client at heart and all they're interested in doing is scamming people...I get that. But have we ever thought maybe, just maybe, the metrics were there but the performance just didn't match up? Now if the same guy calls his investment adviser to move his money from Stock A to Stock B (and the price goes south on the recommendation), is that guy looked at with the same disdain? I think it's a fair question...
We have always viewed this business the way the trained investment adviser does....We cram all of the data into our small little minds, use as many metrics as humanly possible and come up with our "best recommendations" for the client. Sometimes those win, sometimes they lose, but they are always coming from a position of respect for the process and concern for the client. If you follow that recipe everyday, I firmly believe that you will win more times than you lose (which is what we are all shooting for here!) I know there are some fabulous professional cappers on this site (Essler, Spartan, JRO and Cokin...just to name a few!) and there are also some absolutely first class amateur cappers that simply give the forum their valued opinions everyday. Either way you cut it...it makes Pregame the absolute only place to be for the very best sports handicapping information.
So before we paint everyone with a broad brush, let's focus on the enormous amount of solid information (both free and paid) that's offered here everyday. Just my $.02 worth...jumping off my soapbox!