There is more talk these days about the new emergence of a pro football league called the United National Football League. Don’t be too quick to pass judgment, I think this league has a shot to work. I am a football junkie and I will watch just about anything and everything football. But, I did not like the XFL – maybe because I don’t really care for wrestling – and this was a version of the wrestling Vince McMahon has made famous. Now there is nothing wrong with wrestling, it’s just not my cup of tea. But remember, there were actually a couple of players that came out of the XFL and played in the NFL (Rod “He Hate Me” Smart was one of them).

The reason I feel this league will work are as follows:

1. They will not be competing with the NFL
2. It will be a minor league of sorts for the NFL
3. It will not let the players put whatever name they want on the back of their jerseys
4. They will not be competing with the NFL
5. The NFL could make more money in many ways with this
6. They will not be competing with the NFL

Now, I know a lot of people say the NFL has a minor league system in place and its called the NCAA. That is great, but tell that to San Diego when in 1998 they invested a lot of money in one Mr. Ryan Leaf. What might of happened if after he did not pan out and they sent him down to their minor league affiliate and he then became a stud? I know the next argument is we have so much money invested in this player and to that I say ‘what have you got to lose?’.

This type of system was in place in Europe, but has since folded. I feel it failed because the Europeans are just not as passionate about the NFL as Americans. So, why not try the same type of thing here in the USA? It’s a no-brainer in my opinion.

Now, how about the money the NFL could make with this? Put all the games on its own network, then they could have even more of a strong hold on the cable companies. Not to mention the merchandising! I know I would be in line to get a jersey or hat of one of these teams.

Now, all we need is for the people with all the money to say ‘ok lets do it.’ If it were only that simple we would have football all year round. I, for one, look forward to that day!

As an avid gambler, I was very excited about the chance to review Reel Deal Casino "Gold Rush" by Phantom EFX, and I wasn’t disappointed, this game is very well thought out and has a great look and feel. There are a few different aspects that I wanted to discuss independently, so let’s take a look.

As soon as I cracked open the regular offline game, I was impressed. I felt like I was back in the old Wild West, and I was naked without my shot of Jack Daniels and a pistol. It was great that the game was so easy to dive into. Any issues I had were solved quickly with the tutorials, which were extremely helpful.

The background graphics were spot on. The tables looked great and the environment reminded me of Bally’s Park Place Wild, Wild West casino in Atlantic City. Bad graphics can ruin a game experience, and this is not a concern here.

The in-game boxes are very helpful. Boxes pop up with rules, advice, stats, odds and hints that I can click on during game play. I’m an experienced casino gambler and even I found them to be full of information.

I know this may sound childish, but I didn’t like that the other players were robots. It really didn’t sit well. I enjoyed the Wild West feel so much and I felt like I should be playing against cowboys. If I’m at the O.K. Corral, I want to play against Wyatt Earp, not R2D2.

The online version is a nice expansion of the standard game. I felt like I was in a real casino and could wander around to play any game I wanted. This is a perfect scenario for amateurs and less-experienced casino players. Casino’s can be very intimidating if you aren’t familiar with how the whole system works. This game is the perfect opportunity to get familiar with a game like Craps, before you sit down and have 10 people yelling instructions and throwing chips all at once.

Some casino games — especially when you aren’t betting real money — are set up so that you can just blow your whole bankroll and then get more money. It’s unrealistic and ruins the fun. This game has betting levels that have to be earned. You can only bet so much until you reach a higher level.

I also love that this game creates a Sims-style experience. You can win a bunch of money and develop your character. I can see this becoming very addictive.

It’s great that I can play any game I want to online, but everyone plays Poker. I went to all the different tables to play different games and there was never anyone there. This isn’t a flaw in the game as much as it is a testament to the popularity of Poker.

And as far as the Poker game play, it is a bit slow at times. I’m a big Poker player and wanted things to keep moving. This goes back to the theory that it’s best suited for more inexperienced players. It gives them time to think and be careful about their next move.

Ultimately what gets to me about the online experience is that you have to pay for it. While I don’t know of another game that has so much in one place, I can find the different aspects elsewhere online for free.

My thoughts on the online sports book are similar. It is a wonderful added feature that gives me real time odds and lines, but there are websites that give me this information for free. That said, I had a ton of fun betting fake money on sports games. And, it is integrated perfectly with the casino games so I can go all-in on a hand of Poker while taking the Miami Heat with the points in the second half. Betting fake money on sports is much better than explaining to my wife that I may or may not have lost the kids’ college tuition money.

Overall, I really enjoyed Reel Deal Casino "Gold Rush." It has absolutely everything you could want in a casino game. I feel like I wouldn’t get through everything for about six months if I really wanted to dig in. My only issue is the fact that you have to pay for it. I can find most of what I need for free on different internet sites. I will say though that I don’t know of anyone who puts it all in one place. It’s definitely worth checking out, but get your friends involved; it’s much better playing with your friends.