Vanzack,
This is a great thread and I've enjoyed reading it, almost as much as the epic thread in which you discuss all things gambling. I learned a lot from that thread. Your journey in how you became a professional gambler was both interesting and moving. Your dedication to your family (over gambling) and your ability to take losses in stride (without letting them affect the rest of your life) was admirable. Your knowledge of current events, politics and issues that impact the planet, as well as your philosophical outlook (especially in regards to love), were enlightening. All in all, I was impressed and taken aback by how someone so intelligent, wise and worldly would turn to gambling for a living. I don’t say this because I consider gambling to be a disreputable profession (although you did mention that it is an occupation that doesn’t really contribute to society) but because it is such an unforgiving and un-giving (except for the money of course) one. The lows are so low and the highs ever so fleeting. I've been gambling for about a year now and have thought about turning it into a profession, or at least a side job. Circumstances (I'm a stay at home dad) forced me into it and a part of me wishes I had never gotten involved (like a relationship one wishes to forget but can’t). Sometimes I feel like the only way to get out is to lose everything, and I mean everything: money, family, dignity, all of it. At other times I feel like if I could just control it, rather than have it control me, then maybe I could make a go of it. Laying off, not betting, not to mention money management, is what I find most difficult from a business standpoint, while dwelling on losses and letting those losses affect other aspects of my life is what is most troubling to me from a psychological standpoint. Gambling can teach a man a lot about himself, if he is willing to learn and pay a price for that education. And there is always something new to learn. It’s amazing how many mistakes are out there to be made and I’ve made my share of them, often more than once. Anyway, I don’t want to take up too much of this thread with my musings so I’ll jump to my questions.
1) I’m surprised by the volume of bets on this thread. It seems like you have an angle/opinion on nearly every match and you bet according to how strong you think your angle is. With your knowledge of this sport, wouldn’t you hit a higher percentage of plays if you were more patient and selective? If not, why?
2) You once said that most of what you do, as a gambler, is a grind. You eke out a living by hitting 56-57 % of your bets. Is that the premise you are operating on here?
3) In your caps you don’t really discuss line movements, sharp money vs public money, referee assignments, roster changes, and other “peripheral” matters that cappers sometimes use to help them decide the outcome of a match. You focus mostly on tactical/technical material and a bit on motivational factors. Can you briefly explain why? Are these factors not important, or simply not as important as those you focus on? Just to give an example, before the Italy/Uruguay match I read an article that talked about the head referee (who was from Mexico) for that match. There was some concern (from the Italian side) that he might not be impartial, and from what I saw he certainly wasn’t; so their fears were not unfounded. In fact, I was ready to back Italy (to advance) until I read that article. As a side note, I think it is ironic and funny that a Mexican referee whose nickname is “Dracula” overlooked an incident where an Uruguayan (Suarez), nicknamed “the cannibal,” tried to take a bite out of an Italian player’s shoulder.
Thanks again for all the great info on these games.
....US NEEDS TO ATTACK QUICKLY AS GERMANY WANTS TO CONTROL POSSESSION TIME 
Watch out for France and DUTCH..
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