Flyers' moves aren't a quick fix, but might pan out long term

Hockey Betting Lines

10/23/2006 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Interim Philadelphia Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren and new head coach John Stevens have a tall task in front of them. Fix whatever the heck is wrong with the club, both on and off the ice, and do so quickly enough so that the 2006-07 season can still be saved.

And if that can't be done, their backup plan is to develop the young players on the roster so that the franchise's fall will be a constructive one with long-term success in mind.

As the Flyers sat there with the National Hockey League's worst record, chairman Ed Snider decided that it was time to pull the plug on head coach Ken Hitchcock, who was just given a three-year extension last month. At the same time general manager Bob Clarke announced that he had enough of the daily grind that comes with his now former position.

It was a banner day in South Philadelphia, and not in a positive way. The team that gave us the Eric Lindros saga and had four coaches over four years not too long ago was front and center in the hockey world on Sunday. Fittingly the 10 a.m. news conference was held at a time where most sports fans were still pondering what happened in college football on Saturday while at the same time preparing to watch the NFL on Sunday.

Strategic public relations, yes. But the information is still the same nonetheless, and let's take a look at what we have sitting in front of us.

First Clarke. While the Hall of Famer is near and dear to the hearts of both Philly fans and Snider, his exit has been a long time coming. The Flyers have been top-level contenders for over a decade, but his second tenure as GM surely had its share of flaws. There were the many coaching changes and the fact that, until the last few years, the team was unable to develop its own young talent. Five first-round exits over eight years and big-name busts ranging from Chris Gratton to Derian Hatcher didn't look good on the resume either.

And while the "Clarke must go" chants could be heard after most of the first- round departures, the one man who didn't hear them was Snider. Instead, guys like Wayne Cashman, Craig Ramsay and Bill Barber -- all hired or promoted by Clarke -- were given short leash's and ultimately their walking papers.

Thus, in leaving as a burnt out executive, Clarke indirectly did what many believe Snider should have done himself -- axe the GM. Perhaps his confidence was shattered when his big summer of 2005 backfired, or maybe he was simply having trouble managing an organization with salary limitations in play,

As for Hitchcock, he appears to have lost yet another dressing room. When the players stop listening to a hard-nosed head coach, it's a recipe for disaster -- especially when the team is losing. It happened in Dallas and, while players won't say it directly, it appears to have happened in Philadelphia.

The Flyers came into this season with a decidedly young club, and young players who are still trying to reach potential must be dealt with differently than veterans who are contending for a Stanley Cup.

"Sometimes you need a change," Flyers captain Forsberg said. "I don't think Hitch is a bad coach, but sometimes, when a team is not performing as it should, it's good to get a change. John [Stevens] is a proven winner. The young guys like him."

Notice what Forsberg said. "The young guys like him."

Hitchcock is the type of coach that fit what the Flyers needed in 2002. The club was loaded with veterans and needed to be pushed over the hump.

Now, the Flyers are a club in transition. Instead of being focused around guys like Keith Primeau, Jeremy Roenick and Eric Desjardins, they are invested heavily in the futures of Mike Richards, Jeff Carter, R.J. Umberger and Antero Niittymaki.

They need a coach who can grow with them, and that's exactly what Stevens is.

Now, is this season salvageable? Yes, but it will be tough, and the best you can expect is a low-level seed. The team the Flyers have is essentially the team they are going to war with, as there isn't a whole lot Holmgren can do in terms of movement.

The Flyers have some cap space, but their most marketable trade commodities are the four young players mentioned earlier, and Snider has vowed not to move any of them. Guys like Hatcher and Mike Rathje are virtually un-tradable, leaving goaltender Robert Esche as the man most likely to be shipped elsewhere. How much can you get for him? Not enough to make the difference needed right now.

The Philadelphia Flyers aren't a rebuilding team, but they are indeed in transition. If winning the Stanley Cup right now was the chore at hand, it's likely that a veteran head coach would have been brought in. Snider didn't fool himself, and went with the best fit for the chips he has right now.

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Football Betting: Defensive Rookie of the Year Awards

Oddsmakers have released the odds for the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award and Seattle Seahawks linebacker Aaron Curry has been made the opening favorite.

Bet on NFL Football

Seattle took Curry with the fourth overall pick in April's NFL draft and plan on inserting him into its starting lineup right away. The Hawks traded linebacker Julian Peterson in the offseason, so Curry is expected to have a significant role in Seattle's defense next year and that's one of the primary reasons he is the favorite to win the NFL ROY Award.

Oddsmakers from online sportsbook MySportsbook.com have made Curry a 5/1 favorite to win this year's NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. Given that he was the best defensive prospect in this year's draft and how he'll have plenty of opportunities to make plays in '09, Curry offers a ton of value at 5/1.

Another thing working for Curry is the position he plays. A linebacker has won the defensive ROY award six straight times and eight of the last nine years. Jerod Mayo, Patrick Willis, DeMeco Ryans, Shawne Merriman, Jonathan Vilma, Terrell Suggs, Kendrell Bell and Brian Urlacher were the most recent linebackers to take home the award.

Following Curry at 5/1 are Tyson Jackson (Chiefs) at 7/1, James Laurinaitas (Rams) at 8/1, Brian Orakpo (Redskins) at 10/1, Rey Maualuga (Bengals) at 10/1 and Jerry Peria (Falcons) at 10/1.

All the players mentioned above are expected to start for their respective teams, but Jackson and Peria are going to have a tough time being recognized on a national level given they're both defensive linemen. D-linemen rarely put up the numbers that it takes to win an individual award like the ROY.

A couple of players with some value are Clay Matthews (Packers) at 12/1 and Larry English (Chargers) at 15/1. Matthews is expected to start at outside linebacker in Green Bay's new 3-4 defense and could rack up a ton of tackles. English, who was an impressive player at Northern Illinois, is expected to be a situational pass rusher for the Chargers and could rack up a ton of sacks.

For complete odds on the 2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, see below. And for complete odds for the 2009 AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award, click the link provided.

2009 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year Award

Robert Ayers (DEN) 12/1

Ron Brace (NE) 25/1

Everette Brown (CAR) 16/1

Darius Butler (NE) 40/1

Patrick Chung (NE) 30/1

Aaron Curry (SEA) 5/1

Brian Cushing (HOU) 12/1

Vontae Davis (MIA) 30/1

Louis Delmas (DET) 30/1

Larry English (SD) 15/1

Evander Hood (PIT) 25/1

Tyson Jackson (KC) 7/1

Malcolm Jenkins (NO) 25/1

Paul Kruger (BAL) 50/1

James Laurinaitas (STL) 8/1

Sen'Derrick Marks (TEN) 20/1

Clay Matthews (GB) 12/1

Aaron Maybin (BUF) 15/1

Rey Maualuga (CIN) 10/1

Roy Miller (TB) 20/1

Michael Mitchell (OAK) 45/1

Fili Moala (IND) 30/1

Brian Orakpo (WAS) 10/1

Jerry Peria (ATL) 10/1

B J Raji (GB) 7/1

Clint Sintim (NYG) 35/1

Alphonso Smith (DEN) 40/1

David Verkune (CLE) 20/1

Jason Williams (DAL) 30/1

Field (Any Other Player) 6/1

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MySportsbook.com: New College Football Clock Rules Examined

Coaches and bettors alike are desperate to make sense of the new time-keeping rules on the NCAA gridiron. One of the big stories to come out of the Ohio State-Texas clash last weekend was Texas coach Mack Brown's criticism of the NCAA's new clock rules that are intended to shorten the duration of college football games, therefore affecting college football betting.

"They scored with six minutes left and the game was over before we had a chance to do anything," Brown told ESPN.com. "I really hope whoever made these changes will go back and look them over."

Sure, it might be sour grapes; the Buckeyes thoroughly trounced the defending national champion Longhorns 24-7. However, Brown isn't alone in giving the changes their due thought. Bettors are also wondering about them, albeit for a completely different reason. Most experts agree that the changes will result in games being shortened by anywhere from 10 to 20 plays. The obvious consequence is lower scores, with more time rolling off the clock during changes of possession. (The Ohio State-Texas game flew well under the total of 52.)

According to research at the online sportsbook MySportsbook.com, more than 18 plays a game disappeared last weekend into thin air. That's a 10-percent reduction. In 2005, a typical game had 168.58 plays. For 2007 already, it's down to 150.26.

As a result, teams combined to gain an average of about 100 fewer yards a game last weekend versus the 2005 openers. Scoring was also down by about 4.5 points (attention Las Vegas sports lines).

Of course, oddsmakers were able to adjust to the changes before the season started. Proof of that came as the over went a balanced 8-9 at My Sportsbook on Saturday.

Other angles to consider:A shorter game should theoretically result in shorter lines. Whereas Team A might have been a 14-point favorite in a 168-play game (last year), if there are 10 percent less snaps in 2007, the line should also be reduced by 10 percent (to 13 or 12.5). Of course, this is an over-simplification of the matter, but something to keep in mind.
Less possessions means a better chance the game will be decided by three or seven points. For example, what might have been a 20-10 final score in 2005 may end at

17-10 in 2007. Granted, a 24-17 game last year might end at 21-17 these days, but the former - a three- or seven-point advantage being preserved as opposed to created - is the most likely scenario.

*UPDATE* - Sept. 25, 2007

New Clock Rules Boon for online bookmakers

By adjusting the time-keeping rules to shorten the duration of college football games, the NCAA hoped to make its product more enjoyable for the fans. While the NCAA's success in this regard is still up for debate, bookmakers couldn't be happier with the results.

"We are seeing a massive jump in college football betting," noted the MySportsbook.com management team. "With all the early Saturday games (12 a.m. ET) ending before the second wave begins (3:30 p.m. ET) - something that didn't always happen before the changes - bettors are now able to re-invest their winnings from the morning session in the afternoon games."

While not all bettors will choose to roll over their winnings, it doesn't take much for an impact to be seen on the bottom line. "Not all of the millions of dollars in morning payouts get re-bet. In fact, it's probably only 10 to 20 percent," noted the sportsbook management team. "Still, the increased football betting lines window will create a ton of growth for us over the course of the season."

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