Karma, please see, Nick Douglas

[SixFive]

I hope you realize how ironic it is when you mistakenly refer to karma as a synonym for luck. The whole concept of karma is that luck does not exist. Simplified, karma says that, assuming the ultimate goal of human existence is happiness, all positive actions lead towards happiness and all negative actions lead towards unhappiness. It basically means that no matter what hand you are dealt in life, you will ultimately find happiness if you live your life the right way.

I know u don't like quotes, Ben, but since we are buddies, I'm going to quote u! I'll start this thread with a quote from u from another.

We've talked about this before. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS KARMA in sports gambling. Karma is from Buddhism and Hinduism and has to do with fate and the next life, whether you're going to come back as something desirable or not desirable. If you aren't a Buddhist, why do u believe this??

Luck DOES exist both good and bad. When we are talking about sports gambling when ultimately we have absolutely no control over what we are betting (outside handicapping and getting the best numbers to wager), then there has to be some luck involved, both good and bad. I think that eventually this luck will pan out as even, however, so many gamblers have such poor money management that one bad bounce/bad call/ lay down effort will bankrupt them and therefore they will not have the opportunity to have the good luck work in their favor.

Let's call a spade a spade, if u had the over in the FIesta bowl, you were LUCKY!! To say that was good karma would be to suggest what, that there were more over bettors who have been good boys and more under bettors who were bad boys?? It was good luck for over bettors and bad luck for under bettors, simple as that. I just get tired of people saying there is karma in sports betting, it just doesn't exist.

 

[AceHigh]

fiesta bowl going over...luck??

fiesta bowl going over...luck??

i think it was the fact the public was all over the under... now thats a jinx! lol

not that i had the o or u

 

[Nick Douglas]

SixFive is a buddy of mine who goes back with me farther than any other regular poster on this site. Sadly, however, he missed the point of both this post and a column I wrote a while back about sporting karma. I am not a Buddhist. I also never claimed to be one. I was just pointing out the irony of yyz using the word, "karma", as a synonym for, "luck". The whole point of the concept of karma is that you make your own luck through the nature of your actions. Even things in life that come from positive actions and appear to be "bad luck" are actually blessings in disguise if you believe in karma.

I am sure all of you have had that feeling at one time or another in your lives. Maybe you were denied admission to the college of your choice and you ended up meeting your future wife at the college you ended up attending. Maybe you are like Steve Austin, who felt he was at a low point when WCW released him but it ended up being the greatest blessing of his life because he was hired by the WWF and became a top star and the greatest merchandise seller in pro wrestling history.

To his second point, I simply do not believe in luck. The whole idea of good luck is basically getting something that you don't deserve. People may have things happen to them that appear to be lucky unlucky initially, but I believe that, over time, you will find that you will get out of life exactly what you put in. Even in SixFive's example of folks who bet the over in the Fiesta Bowl, more often than not wins like that lead to laziness and overconfidence. The player rarely examines a play like that to find out what went wrong with their handicapping and why they bet the wrong side. The long term result is then usually a long term loss.

So what would you consider lucky? Winning a game you shouldn't have won that eventually leads to a losing bankroll or taking a loss and having the motivation from that game lead you to work harder at handicapping and ultimately winning more money?

Maybe I am taking that scenario a bit far but I believe in the basic principle, which is that "luck" is the product of intelligence and hard work. I mean, doncha ever notice how the people who have "bad luck" are usually lazy and unmotivated while the people who have good luck are hard working and motivated?

 

[SixFive]

kar?ma ( P ) Pronunciation Key (k?rm)
n.
Hinduism & Buddhism. The total effect of a person's actions and conduct during the successive phases of the person's existence, regarded as determining the person's destiny.

Fate; destiny.

Informal. A distinctive aura, atmosphere, or feeling: There's bad karma around the house today.

karma

\Kar"ma\, n. [Skr.] (Buddhism) One's acts considered as fixing one's lot in the future existence. (Theos.) The doctrine of fate as the inflexible result of cause and effect; the theory of inevitable consequence.

karma

n : (Hinduism and Buddhism) the effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation

Here it is defined several ways. What in the heck does this have to do with sports???? That's my point. There's no such thing as sporting karma.

Example 1: I helped an old lady cross the street today, and I read books to underpriveledged children. Therefore, the 'wolves/Nuggets game went into overtime and my over hit.

Example 2: I kicked a dog on the way home from work because my boss pissed me off, and I told a kid selling Boy Scout popcorn to go f*** off! Therefore, my Minnesota +4.5 play lost in overtime when Mike Vick broke 7 tackles and 2 Minnesota players ran into each other on the 10 yard line and missed tackling him.

 

[loophole]

exactly . . . seems crystal clear to em. just playing it safe when i bought those girl scout cookies.

 

[yyz]

Life's answers are never so simple.

As Nick refuses to believe in luck, I refuse to believe in karma. (As defined by Nick)

You can live your life making all the right moral decisions, doing all the right things, and have some asshole stab you on the subway. So what does that mean?

Nick would spin this to mean that the "blessing in disguise" might be that you reached your "final destination" at an accelerated speed. So, you weren't really taken at an early age, in a tragic death, but rather sent to the ultimate bliss faster than most as a reward for being so pure of heart.

Me? I say you were an unlucky fuhker who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I know a few people like Nick, who have to "find an answer" for everything in life. They follow the religion of the month, the diet of the day, whatever......seeking answers to questions that have no answers. They read books, and try to live someone elses life as their own. A vicarious lifestyle is not for me. You can spend your days trying to find "happieness and serenity", or you can live your life. Makes no matter to me what the next guy chooses.

If a person refuses to believe that "luck" not "skill" is the dominating factor in sports wagering, (especially football) I can't do anything other than watch them walk down the train track.

I never thought of Nick as "lazy and unmotivated", but that must be the case since he is not doing so well of late.
:shrug:

If Nick and others chose to be existentialists, and flounder in the works of Pascal, Sartre, Kafka, et al, so be it. But again, it leaves me with thsi question for you:

"If you believe that you create/shape your own destiny based on your choices/actions and beliefs, shouldn't you be a proven and consistent winner?"

Let me answer that for you. "You are having some bad luck."

Continued future success to you and all others, as I want everyone to win.

 

[Nick Douglas]

SixFive,

I honestly don't see the point of your reply. What the heck are you even talking about? "Sporting Karma" just means if you plays sports (or in our case, handicap sports) the right way, positive things will happen over the long term. Re-read the definitions of karma that you posted and you will understand.

yyz,

All I can say is try it before you knock it. I lived my life believing in nothing and allowing myself to be led by luck. I became a much happier person once I got my priorities straight and realized that you have to believe in something for your life to have meaning. I challenge you to try living your life unconcerned by luck. Try to better yourself with a sincere effort. If you truly take that leap of faith, you will come out on the other end a happier person.

I am sure you won't take my challenge which is too bad. I have a soft spot in my heart for Wisconsinites so I truly hope you find happiness someday, but you are going to have to let go of your defeatism before that will happen.

 

[yyz]

Nick......I'm not unhappy.

Of course people should believe in something, and strive for a goal, but that is a far cry from, "If I'm good, and think positive, positive things will happen to me."

Good fortune to all.

 

[ferdville]

I don't think it is impossible to buy into both points of view. As much as I would like to believe in the principle of Karma 100%, I side with yyz due to the fact that I have known so many wonderful people that have been ruined in one form or another by their goodness. I have known more pure and evils assholes that have evidently been rewarded with the good things in life despite their attitudes. Being in the right place at the right time or the wrong place at the wrong time is much of what happens to us in life. The concept of Karma is something to strive for - and maybe those who are on the receiving end of Karma just haven't received it yet! In a perfect world.........

 

[buddy]

Are cheats, liars and frauds "rewarded?"

Lemme' handicap this matchup...

Good v Evil

Analysis: Evil wins the the game during the regular season, but Good wins the tourney.

I'll take Good on a Futures Bet for 10 units.

 

[Blazer]

Good vs. Evil

Good vs. Evil

I think Good will win, but will they cover the spread?