FCD producing positive results under Hyndman

Soccer Betting Lines

08/25/2010 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Suddenly FC Dallas is looking like a legitimate contender in Major League Soccer under head coach Schellas Hyndman.

That hasn't always been the case since the long-time Southern Methodist University coach took over for Steve Morrow in the middle of the 2008 season.

The 59-year-old Hyndman, who went 466-122-49 in his 26 years at SMU, got off to a rocky start in MLS, going 4-6-8 in '08 before going 11-13-6 in his first full season with Dallas in '09, missing the playoffs by a single point.

Then, the Hoops started the 2010 season without a win in their first five league fixtures.

For the first time in almost 30 years, Hyndman had to answer if he was the right man for the job.

"Going from an environment like SMU where you are very comfortable after 26 years and everybody loves you and expects a winner, and you've become a winner, to an environment where people are questioning your coaching abilities, your managing abilities, that was tough," Hyndman told The Sportsbook Betting Lines. "It's a different level, there are different expectations. I'm hoping those were the worst of times."

If the recent run that the team is on is any indication, those were definitely the worst of times.

Dallas (9-2-9) is currently one of the hottest teams in MLS, going unbeaten in 11 league fixtures while also not losing in its last nine road matches. It sits in third in the ultra-competitive Western table, three points behind defending MLS Cup champs Real Salt Lake with a game in hand, and seems poised to make a serious run over the final 10 games of the regular season and into the playoffs.

"We finished our first 10 games with 12 points, which were a very difficult 12 points to get," Hyndman said. "In our second 10 games we really focused on trying to hit 20 points and we hit 24. Now we are focusing on that final 10 games and seeing if we can get ourselves into the playoffs."

So what is the difference in the team? Why is it plugging along, mostly under the radar, with a league-low two losses?

One big difference has been the addition of veteran goalkeeper Kevin Hartman, who took over for Dario Sala in April. Hartman, 36, joined Dallas just before training camp after he was unable to come to terms with Kansas City, where he had started every game over the previous three seasons. The 13-year MLS veteran came into a sticky situation, where the 35-year-old Sala had been the starter for four seasons, earned his spot as the No. 1 after just two games, and hasn't looked back since.

"What Kevin brings is his communication and leadership from the goalkeeper position, which is outstanding," Hyndman said. "We have players who are in the right position because Kevin is giving them the direction. That's something we weren't maybe getting from Dario."

With Hartman directing an improved back line, Dallas has surrendered just 17 goals in 20 games. Hartman has allowed just 11 of those while going 9-1-6 with a league-low .69 goals-against average.

The team is also getting an MVP-calibre season out of David Ferreira, who not only pulls the strings in the attacking zone, but has been scoring as well, as evidenced by his six goals and eight assists.

"David Ferreira, in my opinion, is one of the best players in the league," Hyndman said. "He continues to find ways to be a difference maker, either scoring or assisting on goals. By the way, he is also the most fouled player in the league."

The Hoops continue to add depth as well, picking up Colombian forward Milton Rodriguez during the summer transfer window, which allows them to bring in speedy veteran Jeff Cunningham late in games.

The emergence of 20-year-old left winger Brek Shea, taking some of the pressure off the middle of the field, is just icing on the proverbial cake at this point.

"It's been a challenge, it's taken longer than I thought it would," Hyndman said of the club's recent success. "It's a pretty tough job whether you are winning or not winning, to be honest with you."

As tough as things have been to this point, it appears it is about to get tougher down the stretch, starting with the Hoops putting their road unbeaten run on the line on Saturday at Eastern table-leading Columbus.

"Right now I'm looking at our next 10 games and we play on the road this Saturday against Columbus," Hyndman said. "Any team that goes into Columbus is going to have a war because they are so hard to beat there."

Dallas also closes out its last 10 games at RSL and Los Angeles, the two teams ahead of it in the West, in October.

"We have some road matches coming up that are going to be tough tests," Hyndman said.

On top of that, the team has home matches against Eastern powers New York and Chicago.

"The key is the results. At this level you are being measured on one thing and one thing only, and that's results," Hyndman said.

And for the first time since he took over FC Dallas, Hyndman is delivering just that, results.

Mysportsboo Soccer Betting News

<< FIBA World Basketball Championship Preview - Group C
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Country: China FIBA Ranking: 9 Head Coach: Bob Donewald Key Players: Yi Jianlian, Wang Zhizhi, Sun Yue Overview: China will be without the services of superstar Yao Ming as he continues to battl

<< FIBA World Basketball Championship Preview - Group B
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Country: Brazil FIBA Ranking: 14 Head Coach: Ruben Magnano Key Players: Leandro Barbosa, Anderson Varejao, Tiago Splitter Overview: Under the guidance of new head coach Ruben Magnano, who had pr

<< FIBA World Basketball Championship Preview - Group A
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Country: Angola FIBA Ranking: 12 Head Coach: Luis Magalhaes Key Players: Joaquim 'Kikas' Gomes, Olimpio Cipriano Overview: For years, the Angolan team has been associated as the African nation C

<< Hara will take charge of Japan on interim basis
Tokyo, Japan (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Hiromi Hara, the technical director of the Japanese Football Association, will take charge of the national team for a pair of upcoming friendlies as he continues to search for a new manager. Japan adv

<< Juventus confirms Aquilani move
Turin, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Juventus announced on Wednesday that the club has acquired Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani on loan, with an option for a permanent move for $20 million at the end of the season. The 26-year-old Aquila

FIBA World Basketball Championship Preview - Group D >>
Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Country: Canada FIBA Ranking: 19 Head Coach: Leo Rautins Key Players: Joel Anthony, Andy Rautins Overview: It's been sometime since Canada has made an impact on the world stage and since the de

Kroenke becomes majority owner of Rams >>
St. Louis, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The St. Louis Rams announced on Wednesday that E. Stanley Kroenke has become the majority owner of the club. The decision was made via a vote by the rest of the league's owners at a meeting in Atlanta. "St

CFL Previews - August 27-28 - Week Nine >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - CALGARY STAMPEDERS (6-1) at BRITISH COLUMBIA LIONS (1-6) DATE & TIME: Friday, August 27, 10:30 p.m. (et). GAME NOTES: A couple of teams heading in opposite directions in the CFL's Western Division

NL West: Padres running away with division >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Only a monumental collapse or some gypsy curse over the next few weeks can derail the San Diego Padres in their quest for a third division title since 2005. The Padres won the NL West five years ago and share

Travers is wide-open Mid-Summer Derby >>
Saratoga Springs, NY (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Saturday's $1 million Travers Stakes has attracted an evenly matched field of 11 three-year-olds. Saratoga's Mid- Summer Derby will be conducted over the main track at 1 1/4-miles. Local winner A

Big 12 Conference betting odds

Work left to do: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Kansas State

Texas joins Texas A&M and Kansas as locks after getting league win No. 11. Texas Tech greatly helped its own hopes and crippled OK State's with the two-point win Saturday. Is K-State the last reasonable hopeful? Could be an elimination match in Stillwater on Tuesday, at least for the Cowboys.

Work left to do:

Texas Tech [18-11 (7-7), RPI: 44, SOS: 12] A critical two-point win over OK State leaves the Red Raiders with Baylor and at Iowa State left. Get both and the Red Raiders likely are good to go. Get one and there could be some interesting comparisons with a K-State team that could finish two or three games "ahead" of them in the standings but doesn't have any of the quality wins Texas Tech has. Not a lot in nonconference play (against Arkansas in Little Rock being the best win, by far) to lean on.

Oklahoma State [18-9 (5-8), RPI: 50, SOS: 35] Still without a road win, the Cowboys now need to win two on the road just to get to .500 in conference play. It's hard to recall a team (OK, other than Clemson) falling so precipitously from lock status to almost certainly out of the NCAAs at this point. There are wins to be had in the last three, including a very big home game against K-State on Tuesday, but this team is reeling. Can you tell the pressure to win is getting to them with the way the final possession played out at Texas Tech? There are some good nonconference performances to lean on, specifically beating Missouri State and Syracuse on neutral floors and Pitt in OK City, but if the Pokes don't right this very, very soon, that won't be enough.

Kansas State [20-9 (9-5), RPI: 56, SOS: 96] It pays to be in the Big 12 North. The nine league wins are Colorado (twice), Missouri (twice), Iowa State (twice), Baylor, Nebraska and (a good one against) Texas. That helps explain the middling computer profile. The win over USC is nice, but the nonconference leaves a lot to be desired. The game at OK State in Stillwater on Tuesday is huge, as it could KO the Cowboys and leave K-State with a home date against Oklahoma with which to work.


Big Ten Conference odds

Teams that should be in: Michigan State, Indiana
Work left to do: Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Iowa

Behind the big two, the pecking order might be in a bit of flux. Has Michigan State passed Indiana after handling the Hoosiers in East Lansing? Where is Illinois in that mix? What looked like a four-big league last week could be morphing into five -- and even six is not unthinkable at this point if everything breaks right.

Should be in:

Michigan State [21-8 (8-6), RPI: 20, SOS: 15] The Spartans made it four-for-four on the homestand, a gigantic accomplishment that leaves them in extremely good shape. MSU is only 1-6 on the road and is at Michigan and at Wisconsin to close things out, meaning the date with the Wolverines on Tuesday looms very, very large. Beating Texas early will hold up well, as will the rout of Bradley and the win over BYU, but will 8-8 be enough? It very well could be, as the computer numbers are good, but why chance it?

Indiana [18-9 (8-6), RPI: 24, SOS: 32] Hmm ... good thing the last two are at Northwestern and home to Penn State, because IU might want to get both to feel completely safe after dropping its third in the last four, fading after halftime at Michigan State. Who knew the best nonconference win would be over Southern Illinois, which is a gift that keeps on giving for the Hoosiers. The win over Wisconsin also looks good on the mantel.

Work left to do:

Illinois [21-9 (9-6), RPI: 31, SOS: 25] A good performance at Penn State leaves the Illini in pretty good shape. Can they go to Iowa and take care of business to really look on their way? That's a huge game, as there is a possible cluster of teams that will end at 9-7. Illinois beat Bradley, but has lost to Xavier. A 9-7 mark and a semifinals trip in Chicago could be enough with the computer profile hanging in there, but it would be better not to mess around, clinching at least a tie for third.

Purdue [18-10 (7-7), RPI: 47, SOS: 28] Couldn't get it done at Iowa, but did win at Northwestern to put 9-7 squarely in sight. Where does that leave the Boilermakers, though? Even if they beat Minnesota and Northwestern at home, that won't help the computer numbers. Nonconference wins over Virginia, DePaul and Oklahoma are solid, but not spectacular. The Boilers very well might need an upset in the B10 quarters to have a legit claim.

Michigan [19-10 (7-7), RPI: 55, SOS: 53] Well, Michigan did what it needed to do, winning at Minnesota to take control of its fate. The Wolverines have Michigan State and an already-wrapped-up-the-league Ohio State at home to close, so the chances are there. Win both and we can talk. There is no marquee win yet in the profile, and the Wolverines were splattered in several games against name opponents. A mediocre computer profile fueled by a lack of road wins isn't helping, either.

Iowa [16-12 (8-6), RPI: 80, SOS: 64] For the sake of being complete, we'll add Iowa, this season's Stanford. It's plausible that the Hawkeyes could get to 10-6 (at Penn State, vs. Illinois left), but where does that leave them after a gruesome nonconference performance where the best win was over ... Toledo? Iowa State? Cornell?? If they get to 10-6, we can start to look at what they need to do in the B10 tourney, although my gut sense is that they would need to make the final and have knocked off Ohio State or Wisconsin on the way to have any real claim.

For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com

Additional sports lines can be found at: www.Sportsbooks.com

To bet on March Madness games this online sportsbook accepts credit cards.