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06/11/2010 - Toronto, Canada (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It may sound cliche, but when it comes to fixing what ails the National Hockey League, there may be no better time than the present.
On the heels of the most successful NHL season in a decade and a Stanley Cup final that demonstrated all that is right with the league, it is a moment that must be captured with vigor by Commissioner Gary Bettman.
The Stanley Cup final produced a spectacular brand of hockey that has reinvigorated the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers franchises, which also happen to reside in two of the game's most important markets.
Fresh-faced superstars like Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane have become household names across North America, poster boys if you will, for a new era in the NHL. An era that is seeing youth, speed and goal scoring become the defining elements of a brand that has suffered for so long.
Add already established superstars like Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin to the fold, along with a slew of talented youngsters led by the likes of Steven Stamkos and Drew Doughty, and it is safe to say that the recipe for success is a good one.
Television ratings for this latest Stanley Cup Final were remarkable in Canada and the highest in the United States since the Flyers, led by Bobby Clarke, beat out Bobby Orr and the Boston Bruins for hockey's ultimate prize in 1974. It seems unfathomable, but 1.2 out of every 10 American televisions was tuned into the Game 6 matchup on Wednesday night, demonstrating a heightened interest for the game south of the border.
Hockey is on the verge of a breakthrough, and Bettman is on the clock.
In most markets the game is thriving or at least sustainable, but a few sore spots exist that have shown little evidence of viability.
Franchises in Phoenix, Atlanta, and Florida are on life support, while there are ownership issues in other regions around the league likely spurned by the recent economic meltdown.
The remedy is simple; find owners who want to purchase these troubled franchises in cities that can sustain them, and move the teams.
The trouble is that Bettman has for years been outwardly ignorant to the possibility of relocation to Canadian markets, even when potential suitors have existed. This approach has done little for his image, and little for the game itself.
Previously spurned markets in Winnipeg and Quebec have been waiting with open arms, while southern Ontario, the world hotbed of hockey, continues to operate with the Toronto Maple Leafs as its only franchise.
Instead, Bettman has been insistent on transfers to areas like Las Vegas or Kansas City, further examining the Southern United States for relocation, as if to compound his already misguided expansion of the NHL into the United States' Sun Belt.
If only he had tried as hard to keep franchises in Winnipeg and Quebec as he has in the Desert with the Coyotes, the NHL might not be wrestling with these ugly issues.
Instead of trying to cover up the financial pitfalls of dying organizations, and sugarcoat the reasons why fans dislike or ignore the game in certain cities, Bettman needs to come clean with the realization that franchises in peril will continue to drag down the league.
As it stands, Bettman has received serious interest from prospective owners in both Winnipeg and Quebec. Mark Chipman and David Thomson of True North Sports and Entertainment made a serious pitch to buy the Phoenix Coyotes and return them to Winnipeg, and Bettman says he's heard from more than one "substantial" group in Quebec, including a pitch from media giant Quebecor.
Canadian fans need not yell from the highest hills to be heard, but rather, the league needs to do the noticing for them. There is a market in Canada for additional NHL franchises that should no longer be ignored.
The continued growth of the NHL brand and the health of the league will rest squarely on relocation to these ready-for-prime-time markets.
The positive ripple effect of the Cup finals has made this an unprecedented time to build on the current wave of momentum, and Bettman needs to right the ship once and for all.
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up a series win on Thursday. They'll try to keep that momentum going this
evening when they host the Texas Rangers for the first time in almost 13 years
with to
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the main ingredients to the success of the Cincinnati Reds. The National
League Central leaders will try to cook up some more wins at home when they
welcome the Kansas
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(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jamie Moyer hopes for a little run support this evening
when the Philadelphia Phillies start a three-game interleague set against the
Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
The Phillies were shut out for a major-league tying
<< Sunshine State foes collide as Marlins visit Rays
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Rays have enjoyed interleague play over the
last few years and will get their fill with 15 consecutive contests against
the National League starting with tonight's opener of a three-game series
versus the Florid
South Africa earns draw in World Cup opener >>
Johannesburg, South Africa (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - South Africa opened the 2010
FIFA World Cup with a 1-1 draw against Mexico at Soccer City on Friday in
Group A play.
The host nation took a surprising 1-0 lead in the 55th minute through Siphiwe
Hawks end drought as TV ratings skyrocket >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - For the first time since the days of Bobby
Hull and Stan Mikita, the Chicago Blackhawks have delivered the Windy City a
championship.
The 2009-10 Blackhawks will have their name etched on Lord Stanley's Cu
Hewitt reaches Halle semis >>
Halle, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt reached
his first semifinal of 2010 with a victory Friday at the Gerry Weber Open,
a grass-court Wimbledon tune-up.
The eighth-seeded two-time major champion Hewitt got
Izzo tells AP: Still no decision on Cavaliers job >>
Tom Izzo is still torn, trying to figure out if he should stay at Michigan State or leave to coach the Cleveland Cavaliers.Izzo wrote in a text message Friday morning - about 12 hours after he returned home from Cleveland - he has not made a decisio
LaDainian Tomlinson Favorite to be 2007 NFL MVP
With the first NFL preseason game less than two weeks away, it is time to start thinking about football once again at MySportsbook.com. Reigning NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson is currently the 5-1 co-favorite to win the award again alongside Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning.
This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone after his all out assault on the record books last season. For those suffering from amnesia or were under a rock last football season, all L.T. did last season was set the NFL record for rushing touchdowns (28), total touchdowns (31) and total points scored (186) to go along with his 1815 rushing yards and 508 receiving yards. At 6-1, Tom Brady is next in line which isn’t surprising considering all of the firepower the Pats added over the off-season. With the addition of Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth and Wes Welker; it would be quite difficult for Brady’s numbers not to improve from last years 3529 yards and 24 touchdowns. There appears to be some decent value in Drew Bees at 10-1 considering he probably would have won the award last year if it wasn’t for L.T.’s record breaking season.
There is no reason to think the Saints will come back to earth this season and playing in a weak NFC, they should have as good a shot as any to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. At 15-1, Donovan McNabb could also be worth a look. Remember, many felt he was the MVP of the first half of the season before going down with a season ending injury. Reportedly, he is in great shape and well ahead of schedule to return to form. Also, he could have some added motivation to put up big numbers this season with the Eagles using their first pick in the draft on McNabb’s future successor Kevin Kolb.
Be sure to log on to MySportsbook.com to check out the complete odds for NFL MVP as well as all of the new football related futures. With the popularity of NFL futures, these betting lines will be sure to change as the money comes in; get the early sports lines now.
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After all the trouble that’s ensued since Braylon Edwards allegedly punched one of LeBron James’ homeboys in the face at a club, the Cleveland Browns have sent away their last remaining player of worth to the New York Jets. This is a great move for Dirty Sanchez and all, but it’s even better for the Knicks. Now Donnie Walsh can say, “You get to haunt Braylon Edwards with your posse if you sign here!” next summer.
Putting that aside for a moment, the move is a clear indication that the new-look Jets are gunning for the Super Bowl this year. I don’t think that New York thought that Dirty Sanchez was going to be such a rock star. With a 75.2 passer rating that was killed against the Jets, Sanchez is doing an admirable job of managing games and putting the Jets in a position to win. The defense has been the major story in New York thus far, but the acquisition of Braylon Edwards makes this offense loaded with talent that can dent any defense…as long as Dirty Sanchez continues his meteoric rise.
Thus far, Edwards has been a non-factor in the NFL piling up just 139 receiving yards on 10 catches. He has yet to find the endzone, and with the Browns mired in the most unsexy quarterback controversy of all time (Anderson vs. Quinn...yawn), there going nowhere fast. Edwards is two seasons removed from a career year which saw him catch 80 passes for 1,289 yards and 16 touchdowns when the Browns were the spread killing monsters of 2007. In 2008, injuries slowed the receiver down to just 873 yards and three touchdowns though he played in all 16 games.
So that being said, we really don’t know if Braylon Edwards is just a flash in the pan, or a legit threat. At 6-foot-3 and 215 pounds, he is a prototypical receiver. But he’s also shown a strange, and unwarranted, talent for dropping passes. Lining up opposite Jericho Cotchery, a speed demon with 23 catches, 356 yards and a single touchdown, may give Braylon the open looks he needs. A change of scenery may also rejuvenate the star receiver.
In return, the Browns will receive Chansi Stuckey, online football betting a special teams player you’ve never heard of and a pair of draft picks. That’s a tall order for a guy whose only real value right now is in his name, and it shows no promise to the Browns that they can rebuild around those acquisitions. Braylon was the only reason to hope for the Browns to go 3-14 SU this year. Without him, they don’t have a single guy on offense that can scare any team.
For the Jets, it’s a response to the pounding that they took at the hand of the Saints. Thomas Jones and Leon Washington have averaged around 4.0 yards per carry each on the ground, but striking a fair balance between the passing and rushing attacks in New York has been a struggle. You have to believe that the trio of Dustin Keller, Jericho Cotchery and Braylon Edwards will give Sanchez the weapons he needs to unleash through the air. Theoretically, that would open up holes for the rushing game. But the proposed public option health care plan works in theory too. We need to see the proof in the pudding before we start loading up mega bucks on the New York Jets to take the AFC.
The one wrinkle in this whole thing is that Braylon could very well be suspended by the league for disciplinary action due to his “brawl” with LeBron’s friend. If that’s the case, the Jets may have to bench him for a few games leaving them with a somewhat depleted receiving corps for a few games. Also, this is a guy who gets in fights with people at clubs. New York may not be the best place for him. Just sayin’.
The Jets have a long week before they meet the Miami Dolphins on Monday Night Football Betting in a virtual pick ‘em game. Braylon’s excess baggage may be a distraction, and his curiously low production may be what we should be expecting of him overall, but for the Jets, taking a chance to strike gold is well worth it. At the end of the year, they can simply just blame it on their rookie quarterback.
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