Onan’s Opinion

We’ll begin in Minnesota, where Coach Mike Tice was recently leveled with a $100,000 fine for scalping his Super Bowl tickets. Well, can you really blame the guy? Tice is the lowest paid coach in the league at around $1 Million a year. I won’t even get into the “everybody does it” excuse. But, it would be “interesting” to see who else would’ve been exposed if Tice lost his job over this. The bigger issue with Tice will come on the field; he will be fired if this team goes into the tank in the second half of the season once again. If the Vikings didn’t defeat Green Bay in the Playoffs last season, he may have well been gone.

As I reported earlier, those Terrell Owens for Jerry Porter trade rumors are just that, rumors. First off, the move would put Oakland in “salary cap hell”. Porter just signed a huge extension. And, yes, Owens looked healthy when he returned for the Eagles’ Super Bowl loss, but there are still uncertainties about T.O.’s ankle. He hasn’t been on the field because of his holdout to show if he’s 100 % or not. And even Al Davis wouldn’t want to mix oil and water (Owens and Randy Moss), would he?

As the preseason approaches, one of the intriqing things to keep an eye on is Ben Rothlisberger. Which Quarterback should we expect to this year? Will it be an efficient second year man who guides the team like an all pro, or could he look as he did in the playoffs, a rookie who can’t read defenses? Plaxico Burress’ departure won’t help matters any, either.

Speaking of young QB’s , this may be the coming out parties for the Texans David Carr and the Bengals Carson Palmer. Both guys have some nice pieces around them on offense, but their postseason aspirations rest on their respective defenses.

If the Packers struggle this season, you can blame one person, Drew Rosenhaus. It would be a real shame if Brett Favre’s career has to close out this way. Rosenhaus represents Javon Walker, who has already participated in a spitting match with management. And now Grady Jackson is unhappy. How long before Najeh Davenport (who also wants a new deal, but isn’t holding out), becomes discontented because he doesn’t get enough touches playing behind Ahman Green? Maybe Favre’s biggest fan, John Madden, will step in and put a foot in Rosenhaus’ butt.

But, that’s just Onan’s opinion. I could be wrong.

John Onan (aka ego74) is sports writer/moderator at the online players union forum http://www.playerunion.com and a football contributor at http://www.realfootball365.com

Do you know what the Child Trust Fund is? a low number of parents appear to realise that all newly born babies get a free £250 voucher from the government to invest in a Child Trust Fund. The voucher may be invested in any one of three varieties of CTF account, Stakeholder – a shares-based account thatswaps into cash, a savings account or a shares account. It is an excellent way to invest for the future requirements of a infant

Scottish Friendly is a licensed provider of the Child Trust Fund The State is keen for the public at large to have access to Stakeholder accounts and this is the kind of account that we supply. This means that:

Investments go into Scottish Friendly’s Managed Growth Fund, which aims to provide strong growth potential

An investment is made partly in shares to make the most of potentially higher returns over 18 years,compared to a cash deposit account (although the value of shares can
decrease as well as go up whereas capital would be protected in a deposit account)

It comes with a low ‘Stakeholder’ funds charge of only 1.5 percent yearly

At age 18 the young person will receive a lump sum, totally free of Capital Gains and Income Tax under prevailing legislation

It is affordable – additional payments can be put in the account from only £10

One of the highlights of the Child Trust Fund is that anyone – parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends – may contribute to the Fund to an uppermost limit of £1,200 per year to help augment the child’s Fund (once added, this money is not allowed to be withdrawn).

All this means our Stakeholder account provides a good balance between possible high returns and a lower level of risk. There is also the extra assurance that our account meets with the Government’s stakeholder criteria. Nonetheless this doesn’t mean that returns are assured or that Stakeholder accounts are appropriate for everyone. Remember that the value of shares in the Managed Growth Fund (where your Child Trust Fund money is invested) can go down as well as rise and is not guaranteed.

Only children who were born on or after 1st September 2002 are entitled to open a Child Trust Fund. If you have older children born before the above-mentioned date who are not qualified you could consider investing for them with a Child Bond – it’s a tax-free savings plan which is intended for long-term growth.

The fact is that investing for your son is a sound means of preparing for the future.