San Francisco 49ers: Odds For Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick and the Rest of the QB Race

With no current NFL season and talks still underway as to if a 2011-12 season will ever happen, speculation is all we have these days. If there was a team that has been hurt the most from the NFL Lockout, it would be the San Francisco 49ers.

The 49ers have a new coach in Jim Harbaugh that has no experience running an NFL team. He cannot organize a practice with his team, nor can he even name his own starting quarterback. Currently, the 49ers have two quarterbacks on their roster. One may not ever start in the NFL again, and the other is a second round draft pick with zero experience running an NFL offense.

Nfl 2012

David Carr and Colin Kaepernick may be the only two quarterbacks on the 49ers' roster, but neither will be starting in Week 1.

For their starting quarterback, San Francisco will be looking elsewhere, but they will have to wait to even do that.

Here are the top possibilities at quarterback, and the odds they will be starting in Week 1.

4. David Carr

Although Carr has been quoted as saying that as far as he knows the 49ers' starting quarterback position is up for grabs, the reality is that the fans of San Francisco may not let that happen. They may burn down Candlestick Park before that day comes.

The 49ers coaches told Carr that everyone has the same shot at becoming the starting quarterback once the lockout is lifted, which is kind of like telling the rest of the field in the 2011 U.S. Open that they had a shot at winning over Rory McIlroy heading into the final round.

It is just not going to happen.

Sure, if worst comes to worst and all the 49ers' plans of acquiring a free agent quarterback crumble, then there will actually be a quarterback competition between Carr and Kaepernick, and I do not even like those odds for Carr.

Rest assured, Carr will not be the starter in Week 1.

3. Carson Palmer

As the days of the lockout continue to increase, there is a feeling that the chances of the 49ers landing Carson Palmer decrease.

Instead of having limited time to pursue Palmer, the odds are the 49ers will just keep it simple and sign Alex Smith.

Palmer has said that he would rather retire than play for the Cincinnati Bengals, and he was practically granted that in the NFL Draft when Cincinnati took QB Andy Dalton in the second round.

It is safe to say the Bengals have moved on from Palmer just as much as Palmer has moved on from the Bengals.

So where will Palmer play?

As far as reports go, the NFC West has available quarterback positions with team that have shown interest in the Pro Bowler.

The Cardinals, Seahawks and 49ers have all been rumored to be pursuing teams, but it is Seattle who may have the best shot at landing the quarterback in search of a new start.

For the 49ers, they need Palmer and want Palmer, but the longer this lockout drags on, the quicker the 49ers are going to need a starting quarterback.

Alex Smith just seems like the quick and easy way out.

2. Colin Kaepernick

When the 49ers selected Kaepernick in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft, it was safe to say that they had dubbed him the quarterback of the future, but one that may have a small asterisk next to it, just in case.

Kaepernick is not signed because of the NFL Lockout, but he has the second best shot at starting in Week 1 of the 2011-12 NFL season.

The Nevada star is not ready for the NFL, though. He has been involved in the pistol offense in Reno and has little, if any, experience in an NFL offense. That might scare a few 49er fans, especially the way the team moved up to acquire the long and athletic signal caller.

Although there have been rumors of Kaepernick being tutored by the No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft (Andrew Luck), there is no substitute for an NFL training camp.

With his inexperience in an NFL system, it is unlikely that Harbaugh would turn the team over Kaepernick in Week 1 of his very rookie season.

Unless free agency goes terribly wrong for the team, Kaepernick will have to wait just another year to be seriously considered for the starting job in San Francisco.

1. Alex Smith

Smith is not signed to an NFL team yet, but you might as well pencil him in as the starting quarterback for the 49ers in Week 1.

Harbaugh may be jumping the gun a tad when he keeps referring to Smith as his guy, especially since no papers have been signed and Carr and Kaepernick are on the roster. But you cannot blame a coach for being so eager as to put a seal on a deal that may not even be close to happening.

Or maybe it is close to happening. I cannot tell which way the NFL Lockout is leaning these days.

Still, the way Harbaugh talks about him like it is a done deal, we have to figure that Smith starting in Week 1 is all but that.

It is not the way many would have liked it to be, though.

Smith seems almost like a cop-out, or the easy way out for the 49ers.

This is an exact reason why the lockout hurts the 49ers. Instead of pursuing a notable free agent quarterback to lead their team, they are forced to take the quick and easy answer in order to put an able team out there.

As much as it angers San Francisco, there is no other quarterback reasonably available that gives the 49ers a better chance of winning.

Until Kaepernick can get an offseason under his belt, or the 49ers have the time to pursue a franchise quarterback, get used to Smith under center in 2011-12.

San Francisco 49ers: Odds For Alex Smith, Colin Kaepernick and the Rest of the QB Race

***If you like this article, follow my Bay Area sports blog @ http://www.bayareasportstalk.blogspot.com

2012 NFL Mock Draft (With Explanations)

Pick 1, Indianapolis Colts - QB, Andrew Luck, Stanford
The first pick of this years draft will be Andrew Luck. The only question is, who will be drafting him? Colts owner Jim Irsay says the team will draft either Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III with this pick, which is expected. Saying he would take Matt Kalil or Justin Blackmon would just lower the trade value of this pick. A possible trade could be made with many teams. Browns, Redskins, Jaguars, and Dolphins would be most likely.

Pick 2, St. Louis Rams - WR, Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State
The best value pick here would be Matt Kalil, but Wide Receiver is easily their biggest weak spot on the team. Brandon Lloyd is a free agent this off-season and most likely won't return. Behind Lloyd they have nobody. Sam Bradford needs a weapon.

Nfl 2012

Pick 3, Minnesota Vikings - OT, Matt Kalil, USC
The Vikings had arguably the worst Offensive Line last season along with arguably the worst Left Tackle (Charlie Johnson). This is a very easy pick as they need to protect their future franchise QB Christian Ponder.

Pick 4, Cleveland Browns - QB, Robert Griffin III, Baylor
This will most likely be the landing place of RG3 if there aren't any trade ups to get him. Colt McCoy (drafted in the 3rd round in 2010) hasn't been successful, and this is the perfect opportunity for the Browns to take their future franchise QB.

Pick 5, Tampa Bay Buccaneers - CB, Morris Claiborne, LSU
Not only is this the best value pick at number five, it's also a big need for the Buccaneers this off-season. (38 year old) Ronde Barber will be a free agent this March, and Aqib Talib could be cut with the legal issues he is dealing with.

Pick 6, Washington Redskins - QB, Ryan Tannehill, Texas A&M
The Redskins number one priority this off-season should be finding a QB, and they have a couple of options. They can move up in the draft to take Luck or Griffin, they can sign Matt Flynn in free agency, or they can trade for Peyton Manning (If the Colts make him available). If none of these options work out, Ryan Tannehill would be a good pick here. Some might think this is too early for Tannehill, but after Luck, Griffin, and Tannehill there is a pretty big drop off in Quarterbacks.

Pick 7, Jacksonville Jaguars - CB, Dre Kirkpatrick, Alabama
This would be a great value pick for the Jaguars taking arguably the best defensive player in the draft. Their top Cornerback Rashean Mathis will also be a free agent this off-season. This pick could also be used for a pass rusher like Quinton Coples.

Pick 8, Carolina Panthers - DT, Devon Still, Penn State
This pick will most likely be used on the best Defensive Player available which would be Devon Still. They have weakneses at Defensive Tackles, Linebackers, and Defensive Backs. Their best case scenario would be if Kirkpatrick fell to the eighth spot.

Pick 9, Miami Dolphins - DE, Quinton Coples, North Carolina
Head Coach, Joe Philbin says that the team's number one priority is to find a QB. Many people think that Joe Philbin (former Packers Offensive Coordinator) will sign Matt Flynn in free agency. If there are looking to get a top QB in the draft they will have to move up. But if they dont move up, they could definitely use the number one DE in the draft.

Pick 10, Buffalo Bills - OT, Riley Reiff, Iowa
The Bills will look for a pass rusher or an offensive Tackle here. Demetrius Bell will be a free agent and he hasn't been the answer for them at Left Tackle. If Quinton Coples fell down to the tenth spot, this would be a much tougher pick for Buffalo.

Pick 11, Kansas City Chiefs - OT, Jonathan Martin, Stanford
This would be a solid pick filling a big need a Right Tackle. Their other weaknesses are at Inside Linebacker, and Quarterback. Luke Kuechly could also be a possible pick here.

Pick 12, Seattle Seahawks - DT, Michael Brockers, LSU
The Seahawks couldnt sack the Quarterback last season and Brockers would be the best defensive lineman available at this spot. If they don't re-sign Marshawn Lynch, this would most likey be where Trent Richardson Lands.

Pick 13, Arizona Cardinals - OLB, Courtney Upshaw, Alabama
Inside Linebacker and Outside Linebacker are two big needs for the Cardinals this off-season. This would be a great pick here to replace their old and injured pass rusher Joey Porter with young talent.

Pick 14, Dallas Cowboys - CB, Alfonzo Dennard, Nebraska
The Cowboys finished with the tenth worst pass defense last season and cornerback has been a need for them the past couple of seasons. Alfonzo Dennard is said by most (Including myself) to be the best Cornerback behind Claiborne and Kirkpatrick.

Pick 15, Philadelphia Eagles - ILB, Luke Kuechly, Boston College
Last season the Eagles didn't sign their free agent Stewart Bradley (ILB) who tore his ACL earlier that year, and they went into the season starting 4th round pick Casey Matthews. Matthews was bench later in the year.

Pick 16, New York Jets - OLB, Melvin Ingram, South Carolina
Finding a pass rushing Outside Linebacker is easily the biggest need of the Jets going into the off-season. Calvin Pace isn't much of a pass rusher, and they haven't had a dominant rusher since John Abraham in 2005.

Pick 17, Cincinnati Bengals - RB, Trent Richardson, Alabama
Trent Richardson falling to the Bengals is very possible if he can make it past a few teams. And with Cedric Benson becoming a 29 year old free agent, the Bengals would love this pick hoping that they can get a top Guard with their other 1st Round pick.

Pick 18, San Diego Chargers - OLB, Nick Perry, USC
Ever since Shawne Merriman's knee problems in 2008, The Chargers have been looking for replacement at the rushing linebacker position. Perry would fit perfectly for the Chargers defense.

Pick 19, Chicago Bears - WR, Michael Floyd, Notre Dame
This would be a great pick giving Jay Cutler a Brandon Marshall type weapon. The Bears have been needing a Wide Receiver for a while now and with Mike Martz gone, this pick becomes more likely.

Pick 20, Tennessee Titans - DE, Whitney Mercilus, Illinois
Both Defensive Ends Williams Hayes and Jason Jones will be free agents this off-season. And their 2010 1st Round pick Derrick Morgan has 4 sacks in 19 games. They could also go for a Cornerback or Guard.

Pick 21, Cincinnati Bengals - G, David DeCastro, Stanford
This would be a perfect draft scenario for the Bengals if they could fill two of their biggest needs in Round one. Their Guard Bobbie Williams is going to be a 35 year old free agent, and drafting DeCastro would be great for their young QB and RB.

Pick 22, Cleveland Browns - RB, David Wilson, Virginia Tech
Peyton Hills will be a free agent this off-season and will probably be gone. Back up Montario Hardesty can't stay healthy and hasn't looked good even when he has been healthy. This would be a great pick having a fresh new offense in 2012 with a new QB and RB.

Pick 23, Detroit Lions - C, Peter Konz, Wisconsin
This might be a boring pick for Lions fans, but it's the best value pick for their needs. Center Dominic Raiola is getting old. They would have to make a reach to take the next best Cornerback or Tackle.

Pick 24, Pittsburgh Steelers - T/G, Cordy Glenn, Georgia
The Steelers have to go Offensive Line in this years draft. Specifically they need a new guard and Left Tackle. Cordy Glenn would be perfect because not only is he the best Left Tackle available, he is also the best Guard available at this pick.

Pick 25, Denver Broncos - DT, Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State
The Broncos could use a lot of help at Guard and Center, but they would need to make a reach to take someone like Brandon Washington or Ben Jones. They have a pretty big need at Defensive Tackle and Fletcher Cox good value pick here.

Pick 26, Houston Texans - WR, Alshon Jefferey, South Carolina
They don't have many needs on the team. So this would be a great opportunity to build on the offense, and take Alshon Jeffery to line up across from Andre Johnson. Another possible pick could be the 350lb Nose Tackle Dontari Poe, an upgrade over Shaun Cody.

Pick 27, New England Patriots - SS, Mark Barron, Alabama
The Patriots finished the season with the 31st ranked pass defense last season. 2007 1st Round pick Brandon Meriweather turned out to be a bust and was cut before the season along with James Sanders.

Pick 28, Green Bay Packers - OLB, Andre Branch, Clemson
Finishing the season with the worst defense by far, the Packers have to go defense with this pick. Branch is a good fit for their 3-4 defense and can line up across from Clay Matthews. Also, Tight End JerMichael Finley is going to be a free agent. So if they don't sign him they could take either Coby Fleener or Dwayne Allen with this pick.

Pick 29, New York Giants - ILB, Dont'a Hightower, Alabama
The biggest need for the Giants is at Tackle, but it would be a reach to take Zebrie Sanders or Mike Adams with this pick. So the Giants will go with another need taking an Inside Linebacker to replace Jonathan Goff (who tore his ACL).

Pick 30, Baltimore Ravens - ILB, Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State
This is a great value pick for the Ravens just like last years 1st Round draft pick Jimmy Smith. Burfict is known to have bad character issues which will make him drop this far. The Ravens have a great locker room and he will learn under Ray Lewis before he retires.

Pick 31, San Francisco 49ers - WR, Kendall Wright - Baylor
Not only could the 49ers use a talented WR, Braylon Edwards, Josh Morgan, and Ted Ginn are all going to be free agents this year. Wright would make a great deep threat and slot WR.

Pick 32, New England Patriots - DT, Dontari Poe - Memphis
Along with Mark Barron, the Patriots can add this 350lb 3-4 Nose Tackle/4-3 Defensive Tackle to help out with their 31st ranked defense.

2012 NFL Mock Draft (With Explanations)

prodraftguide.com

2010 Tax Relief Act: New Strategies Individual Taxpayers Need to Know

Hooray! The long awaited tax changes have finally been signed into law. The President finally signed into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010. (Try saying that fast 3 times in a row!)

Let's keep things simple and refer to this as the 2010 Tax Relief Act. So the question is: Is this truly tax relief? Or is it a disguised tax increase? Well....the answer is Yes and No. The 2010 Tax Bill, costing Americans 7 Billion dollars, does include some pretty significant tax cuts, although not all of them will result in tax savings for us. Rather than addressing ALL the big and small changes, we want to break out the tax changes into a 3 article series: Individual Taxpayers, Business Owners, and Real Estate Investors. Each of these articles will address the changes as it relates specifically to these types of taxpayers as well as strategies that you can implement to take full advantage of the new tax cuts.

Super Bowl 2012

Hooray! The long awaited tax changes have finally been signed into law. The President finally signed into law the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010. (Try saying that fast 3 times in a row!)

Let's keep things simple and refer to this as the 2010 Tax Relief Act. So the question is: Is this truly tax relief? Or is it a disguised tax increase? Well....the answer is Yes and No. The 2010 Tax Bill, costing Americans 7 Billion dollars, does include some pretty significant tax cuts, although not all of them will result in tax savings for us. Rather than addressing ALL the big and small changes, we want to break out the tax changes into a 3 article series: Individual Taxpayers, Business Owners, and Real Estate Investors. Each of these articles will address the changes as it relates specifically to these types of taxpayers as well as strategies that you can implement to take full advantage of the new tax cuts.

CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD

First, let's start with the good stuff that benefits individual taxpayers in general. Individual income tax rates will remain at their current levels across the board throughout 2011 and 2012 instead of increasing across the board as previously enacted. What does mean? Well, for an individual earning ,000, this means a federal income tax savings just under 0 per year. The reduced tax rate for all individuals is something of significance to note because there are a lot of related planning opportunities. One example is for those individuals who converted their retirement funds to a Roth account before December 31, 2010, Kudos to you! You can now enjoy the benefits of spreading any taxes that you may have to pay into the 2011 and 2012 year knowing confidently that tax rates are not going up! This means your ability to start your retirement account on its path to Tax FREE growth, delaying the related taxes, and not having to compromise to a bigger tax bill with increased rates.

ADDITIONAL ,136 TAX SAVINGS

Another REALLY great tax relief is a 2% cut to Social Security taxes (i.e. payroll taxes). Although 2% may seem like a small number, this 2% reduction is expected to put up to an additional ,136 back into each worker's pocket in 2011. One of the most important things to note is that this tax cut benefits all taxpayers, regardless of income level. This is one of those really rare tax benefits that do not discriminate against higher income individuals and anyone can take advantage of!

AMT RELIEF & OUTLOOK

The new legislation put together yet another "temporary" patch for middle income taxpayers under the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) patch. The AMT patch will save 21 million taxpayers that would have otherwise paid higher taxes for 2010. As an example, we have a client who owns a handful of investments properties and a management company in the state of California. The AMT patch will save him somewhere close to ,000 in taxes in the 2010 year. Of course, we all know that when we as taxpayers save money, this means we are at the same time adding to our country's deficit. The AMT patch alone is estimated to cost us 6 Billion. In our third article series, we will share a shocking proposal that the Treasury is working on to raise tax dollars that will impact all of us. Be sure to look out for our upcoming article next week!

KIDS & DEPENDENT STRATEGIES

If you have kids under age 18, you can take advantage of a great tool to help your children pay for college with the Coverdell Education Savings Accounts (ESA). The 2010 tax Relief allows certain taxpayers to contribute up to ,000 per child into the account. The money in that bucket can be invested into stocks & bonds, or self-directed into most types of alternative assets including gold and real estate! What most people do not know is that the ESA is extremely flexible... you do not have to wait until college to utilize the funds for your kids. Money from the ESA can actually be utilized for expenses for your child's elementary and secondary schools too! We have a client who self-directed his kids' ESA money into Super Bowl tickets and profited over ,000 in just a few months. All that profit is not only tax free but it can remain in the ESA and make additional investments for more tax free growth. When they decide to take that money out to be used for elementary or college expenses, they will pay zero taxes on that as well. Now that is the power of tax savings and wise investing!

For taxpayers with kids under age 17, you may continue to take advantage of the child tax credit of up to ,000 for 2011 and 2012. If you pay for expenses for the care of your child or other dependent so that you can work, don't forget to claim a Dependent Care Credit of up to ,100 on your tax return for this year!

ESTATE & GIFTING OPPORTUNITIES

The highly anticipated estate tax change was finally determined as part of the 2010 Tax Relief Bill. Most taxpayers will be happy to know that the estate tax exemption was increased from million per person all the way up to million per person and the top tax rate will remain at the lower 35%. This is a significant change especially for high net worth families because now the dollar amount that is exempt from estate taxes is million for married couples. For the first time, the estate, gift and generation-skipping taxes will be "unified" so that one million exemption per individual applies to all three. This will make it much easier for wealthy taxpayers to make gifts during life to children & grandchildren. If you are a taxpayer who is in a high paying tax bracket, now is a really great time to plan for ways to shift some of your income to other family members who may be in lower tax brackets. There are countless ways that you can use Family Limited Partnerships to shift income to lower taxed family members without losing control of those assets. With the current depressed market values and the new million exemption, now is the time to get your tax and estate planning in place!

As you can see, for the individual tax payers, the 2010 Tax relief resulted in a win-win for low, middle, and high income taxpayers. With all the new tax breaks, it is imperative that we as taxpayers do our part to ensure we are taking full advantage of these benefits. As part of your Goal Planning for 2011, make tax savings part of that plan! Join us next week as we focus on Part 2 of our 3 Part Series: 2010 Tax Relief Act: New Strategies Business Owners Need to Know.

2010 Tax Relief Act: New Strategies Individual Taxpayers Need to Know

KEYSTONE CPA, INC.

Maximizing Profits & Increasing Wealth

Copyright © 2010

http://www.KeystoneCPA.com (877) 975-0975

Amanda Han is a Managing Director at Keystone CPA, Inc., a firm specializing in tax mitigation strategies for business owners and real estate investors. For complimentary top-notch tax mitigation strategies, visit http://www.keystonecpa.com and sign up for the Monthly Newsletter and Member's Library.

MLS Expansion - How Big Can Major League Soccer Get?

Being a resident of South Florida, I often wonder when the MLS will venture down south once again. The South Florida soccer fans are quite vocal in their demands for a team and often flood MLS Commissioner Don Garber with hundreds of e-mails a day. They come come back with same. valid, response on why Miami or South Florida is not ready for Major League Soccer:

1. There is no local owner/group with adequate finances to support a team

Nfl 2012

2. No soccer specific stadium plan where the ownership can control the venue

While South Florida has the fan base and the TV market we, unfortunately, lack the two important items above. So as much as I hate to say it, MLS in Florida is not looking good, at least for the short term.

Currently the MLS has 16 teams with two expansion teams, the Portland Timbers and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC, planning to join the league in 2011. The 19th franchise has recently been awarded to Montreal who will join the league in 2012. That leaves just one more spot to reach the domestic league limit set by FIFA and MLS has made it well known that they are looking for a second team in the New York area.

However, recent talk from MLS has suggested an ambition to expand past the FIFA limit of 20 teams. The limit is imposed on domestic leagues to limit excessive amounts of games for league players. The idea is to expand each MLS Conference, East and West, into 20 teams each and limit play to within those divisions to limit how many games a player plays and therefore stay compliant under FIFA rules. The playoffs would then be between the top teams of those two conferences similar to how it is done to today and how other American sports leagues such as the NBA and NFL run their leagues. It appears they may already have FIFA's approval as Chuck Blazer from the FIFA Executive Committee appears to approve the idea, especially since North America is the new frontier of international soccer.

What do you think of this ambitious plan for growth?

MLS Expansion - How Big Can Major League Soccer Get?

[http://usfootballer.com]

Super Bowl Hotel Packages: Get Ready for the Party of the Year!

The most exciting of all sports events, the Super Bowl will be held in Indianapolis (Indiana) on February 5th 2012. The event is one of the grandest and most watched events of the entire sporting world. Because of this, the rush for tickets and hotels has already started.

The internet is crammed with offers for hotel packages and tickets to suit all tastes and wallets.

Nfl 2012

There are many hotels and inns offering attractive packages for accommodation in south-east Indianapolis. These packages include, among other things, a reserved upper level End zone Super Bowl tickets, cocktail parties on the day of the game with former NFL champions, roundtrip deluxe motor coach transfers to the stadium, shuttle service from the hotel to downtown Indianapolis, official Super Bowl XLVI Souvenirs and daily hot breakfast at the hotel.

To make these hotel offers more attractive, some hotels are offering attractions like visits to the huge Greenwood Park Mall, art and children's museums, the zoo, spa treatments and organizing activities like boating and fishing, to keep the full family entertained.

A typical hotel package will include the following:

1. Super Bowl Tickets: A hotel reservation at the heart of the sporting action, but without tickets would be meaningless. So, every hotel package will include tickets which can be upgraded as the customer desires.

2. Accommodation: Searching for accommodation in Indianapolis at this time of the year would be a nightmare. The hotels provide comfortable accommodation. The rates will generally depend on the distance from the stadium.

3. Pre-game parties: These are a major attraction of the Hotel Packages. These parties include a premium bar and often a NFL hall of fame guest speaker.

4. Transportation: Most Tickets come with free transportation between the stadium and the hotel.

5. Concierge Assistant: The hotel concierge assistant is constantly with the guest to guide him through the sports event.

There are many websites which offer only Super Bowl tickets. Some claim to offer "the most comprehensive inventory of XLVI tickets on the secondary ticket market". Since they are constantly buying new tickets, they can provide any kind of ticket. Groups and corporate accounts are also welcome.
The available tickets range from the cheapest "Terrace Level Endzone" for 29, to the "Loge Level Endzone" for 19 and the most expensive "Street Level 25yd Line to 50yd Line" for 60.

But since not everybody is willing to fork out such impressive amounts of money, it is possible to find better deals on the internet through the Super Bowl hotel packages.

Super Bowl Hotel Packages: Get Ready for the Party of the Year!

An overview of the 2012 Indianapolis Super Bowl hotel and Super Bowl ticket/package offers available on line for all tastes and wallets, from four star hotels to cheap motel chains.

Why You Should Buy a Television in 2012

This contradicts my original article, which says that you should not buy a television in 2012, but maybe you feel you should convince yourself otherwise, you've come to the right place. In the next 5 minutes you'll gain my top 5 reasons why you should buy a television in 2012. Starting with reason number 5:

5. Events

Super Bowl 2012

Believe it or not but 2012 is a busy year in terms of television. Besides the usual candidates like the super bowl, Eurovision song contest and sports in general - we also look forward to the Olympics and European championship soccer this summer. Those happenings won't be here next year so let's face it: you want a 42"+ television now.

4. Proven technology

And it won't be like you're buying a sick mule either. Technologies we use and love today are mature and cheap. You can find a big thin television with 3D capabilities for under 00 - that's a steal. Imagine what will happen when 4K resolutions and OLED televisions hit the market, they probably won't be this cheap. So save your wallet and get a proven mature television today.

3. Ongoing development

The third reason you may want to part with your cash this calendar year is an easy one we call ongoing development. The market isn't going to stop and wait till your purchase feels worthwhile. There's always going to be a next great thing and it's probably coming within 6 months of new ownership, either that or the price plummets down. Either way you won't win in the world of tech by waiting for perfection because the next model always has that little bit extra you'd want. As a rule of thumb wait for 3 months at maximum for the new models to come out in spring, and remember that the retiring screens can be picked up for amazing deals around this time as well.

2. CES 2012

For the enthusiasts, you probably know what has been showed at CES 2012 by this point in terms of television. For the rest, allow me to Phrase it out. Starting with the new models you'll get improved 3d glasses, the ability to talk to your television, control it without remote and a sexy stand from LG that will have your family raving. There's a lot to look forward to this year so why wait? Oh and if you'd describe your status as "very rich", there's also the possibility to pick up a 4K TV or 55" OLED as well, but it's one or the other at this point and the price I'm talking about is 00 and up.

1. You need it

Why think difficult or act indirect when I know it, you know it, why you're truly here reading this article. You want to buy a television and you probably need one as well. Maybe you're currently faced with a belly display or a HD TV from the early days when they were all labeled HD ready. There's a rule in life that is easy to understand yet hard to follow: if a choice makes you happy then do it! There're plenty of beauties out there looking for a new owner - that can be you!

Hopefully the past 5 minutes have been worthwhile to you. Hopefully you've found the answer you're looking for and are ready to act upon it. Owning a new television set is an exciting time because you get to experience your entire movie library in a whole new way and show off you living room in elevated fashion. Thanks for viewing.

Why You Should Buy a Television in 2012

Media designer & author - I'm currently writing for racedepartment and playdepartment as their senior reviewer.

Robin Chung

2012 New Orleans Saints Offseason Needs

The New Orleans Saints finished the 2011 regular season with an impressive 13-3 record, but they were unable to carry that momentum to a Super Bowl appearance as they lost to the San Francisco 49ers in the second round on a last-second touchdown. Now, though, it seems that failing to get back to the Super Bowl is the least of their worries as the Saints seem to be mired in a controversy centered around a defensive bounty program. Head coach Sean Payton was suspended for the entire 2012 season as a result, and several defensive players are still waiting to hear their fate. While the defense figures to struggle in 2012, it's common knowledge that the Saints feature one of the top offenses in the NFL. This year, the Saints will struggle to find improvements through the draft, as they do not have a first-round draft pick. Here are some of the Saints' big additions and subtractions so far in this young offseason, plus a look at their biggest needs heading into the draft.

Additions:

Nfl 2012

ILB Curtis Lofton

ILB David Hawthorne

DT Brodrick Bunkley

G Ben Grubbs

Subtractions:

WR Robert Meachem

G Carl Nicks

CB Tracy Porter

CB Leigh Torrence

OLB Jo-Lonn Dunbar

Top 5 Needs:

1. Defensive End

The Saints really had a hard time trying to put pressure on the quarterback last year. As a team, they only had 33 sacks last year. Steve Spagnuolo, the new defensive coordinator, will feature a defense that is centered on getting to the quarterback. In order to do that, Spagnuolo says the team needs to have a surplus of athletic defensive ends. The Saints will have a hard time getting an elite prospect, though, as they won't be picking until late in the third round.

2. Defensive Tackle

Spagnuolo also states that you need to be deep at the defensive tackle spot to really make a difference defensively. His goal with the Saints is to install a defense similar to his days with the New York Giants. New Orleans went out and pried Brodrick Bunkley away from the Denver Broncos to help at defensive tackle. Bunkley is a solid addition, but his forte is stopping the run. The team needs to acquire a defensive tackle who can get pressure up in the middle.

3. Cornerback

The Denver Broncos were able to pry Tracy Porter away from the Saints in the offseason. While the Saints still have corners Jabari Greer and Patrick Robinson to fall back on, they need to look for some added depth. Second-year corner Johnny Patrick should get more burn this year, but there isn't much else on the depth chart.

4. Linebacker

The Saints will more than likely be without the services of Pro Bowl linebacker Jonathan Vilma for most, if not all, of the 2012 season due to a suspension. The Saints already needed an upgrade at both outside spots, and with the loss of Vilma, this was supposed to be the team's biggest need heading into the offseason. But the team has done an excellent job bringing in players who are really ready to make an impact. Cutris Lofton was signed to replace Vilma and David Hathorne and Chris Chamberlain will probably man the outside. The Saints could definitely use some added depth, but right now, linebacker is no longer a huge priority.

5. Wide Receiver

The Saints avoided a huge loss when they re-signed star wideout Marques Colston, but lost Robert Meachem in the process. The Saints can stand to use their draft picks on other needs, but they should be able to land someone in free agency.

2012 New Orleans Saints Offseason Needs

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