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09/01/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - It's shocking that Ilya Kovalchuk has not yet found a home for the 2010-11 season, and now it appears the biggest hockey story of the summer will linger on until at least the end of the week.
The hockey world awaited the NHL's ruling on the New Jersey Devils' latest contract offer to the Russian winger, but that decision, which was supposed to be delivered by 5 p.m. (et) on Wednesday, has been postponed. According to a statement released by the league about an hour before that deadline, the NHL and the NHLPA mutually agreed to push the decision back until 5 p.m. (et) on Friday.
The Twitterverse has already had fun with the cluelessness of the NHL's decision to possibly announce the biggest signing of the summer while most folks in the U.S. will have already shifted gears to their Labor Day weekend plans. But, in the age of the Blackberry, social networking and ESPN's bottom line, if you truly care about the Kovalchuk decision, then most likely you will come across the information at some point this weekend.
Of course, the real story here is what this delay means in terms of the NHL's ultimate decision concerning Kovalchuk and the Devils. It could be good news for the Devils if the league likes what it sees, but just needs additional time to go over some finer points of the contract with the NHLPA. Or, maybe the NHL is closer to rejecting the deal and the players association is trying to convince league officials otherwise.
It's all more or less speculation at this point because so much of the Kovalchuk story this summer has unfolded behind closed doors. Also, in order to truly understand the sticking points at the heart of the controversy one would be forced to sift through the legal gobbledygook that permeates the Collective Bargaining Agreement, a task I wouldn't wish on anybody.
What we do know is that the NHL seems to hold the upper hand in this battle, since independent arbitrator Richard Bloch upheld the league's decision to void the previous contract agreed upon by the Devils and the superstar sniper. That deal was worth $102 million over 17 years while the contract that was submitted to the league last week is reported to be for 15 years and $100 million, according to Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet.ca.
The real issue at hand is the NHL's insistence on stopping teams from deliberately circumventing the salary cap, and judging by the breakdown released by Kypreos, the Devils certainly took the league's concerns seriously this time around. The annual cap hit jumped from $6 million to $6.67 million and the new deal is not as dramatically front-loaded as the contract that was previously rejected by the league.
If the deal is accepted, the Devils will obviously be happy to have landed Kovalchuk on a long-term basis, but they won't have ample time to celebrate. The winger's big contract will force New Jersey to make some moves to get under the salary cap by the last day of training camp, something the Devils will be more than willing to do to make room for a guy who has amassed 338 goals and 642 points over 621 NHL games.
On the other hand, it's hard to say what Kovalchuk will decide to do if this latest deal is rejected. He may decide to jump ship for Russia and the KHL, which begins its season on September 8, or he could remain in North America and continue to try and work a deal out with the Devils or another NHL team. Although, at this point it appears that Jersey is the leader in a one-team race for Kovalchuk's services.
If Kovalchuk does decide to play professionally next season in Russia, he is likely to remain in his home country for the entire campaign. Earlier reports indicating that he would have an NHL "out" clause if he signed with a KHL club in 2010-11 were refuted by Kovalchuk's Russian agent Yuri Nikolaev, who said his client would play at least a full season in the KHL if he went to play there at all.
In the long run Kovalchuk will get what is coming to him. He is one of the supreme goal-scorers in the world, and at 27 years old, is simply trying to get paid accordingly for the special set of offensive skills he brings to the ice. The fact that his search for a fair free-agent deal has become bogged down in a battle between the NHL and the players association is unfortunate, but should not be blamed on Kovalchuk.
Here's hoping Kovalchuk and the Devils get what they want Friday afternoon, because this is one saga that has gone on way too long.
<< Royals' Kendall set for shoulder surgery
Kansas City, MO (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Kansas City Royals catcher Jason Kendall is
scheduled to have season-ending surgery on his right shoulder Friday.
Kendall has extensive tearing in his rotator cuff, Royals manager Ned Yost
disclosed on
<< Cardinals lock up DT Dockett
Tempe, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Arizona Cardinals have signed defensive
tackle Darnell Dockett to a four-year contract extension.
A two-time Pro Bowler, Dockett's current deal was set to expire after the 2011
season. He is now signed
<< Oswalt solid as Phils down Dodgers
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Roy Oswalt lost a no-hitter with two outs
in the sixth but still contributed 6 1/3 stellar innings to a combined three-
hitter in a 5-1 Phillies win over the Dodgers to finish out a three-game set.
Oswal
<< Iowa offensive lineman Hundertmark to leave Hawkeyes
Iowa City, IA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Iowa junior offensive lineman Cody
Hundertmark has left the football program to concentrate on academics.
The announcement was made by Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz on Wednesday.
The 6-foot-4,
Big Ten announces realignment >>
Park Ridge, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Big Ten unveiled its plan for divisional
realignment Wednesday and the controversial split of longtime rivals Michigan
and Ohio State is in place.
There will be two divisions of six teams each startin
Lowe to miss start Friday versus Florida >>
Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Braves starting hurler Derek Lowe will miss his
scheduled start on Friday versus Florida with pain in his right elbow.
The issue in Lowe's elbow on his throwing arm has caused enough concern to
shut him do
Jimbo Fisher anxious as coaching debut draws near >>
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -Jimbo Fisher's last play on a football field was for Samford. His first play as a college coach will be against the same small Alabama school.After more than two decades as an assistant coach at a handful of southeastern scho
Seattle RHP Shawn Kelley gets good surgery news >>
SEATTLE (AP) -Mariners right-handed reliever Shawn Kelley received good news during exploratory elbow surgery and does not need to undergo a full Tommy John ligament replacement operation.Seattle interim manager Daren Brown says Tuesday that Kelley'
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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Terrell Owens will address the media at a 3:15 p.m. ET news conference outside the Cowboys' practice facility after an internal police report indicated he tried to kill himself by overdosing on prescription pain medication, even putting two more pills into his mouth after a friend intervened.
The Dallas police report said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
Owens left the hospital late Wednesday morning, giving reporters a "thumbs up" but making no comment as he was driven away in an SUV.
Michael Irvin said that Owens denied he attempted suicide and said he was rushed to the hospital as a result of an adverse reaction to medication. And a source close to Owens told Michael A. Smith that Owens wasn't attempting suicide.
NFL Network analyst Deion Sanders said he spoke with Owens shortly before his release from the hospital and that Owens was in good spirits.
"The fact that it has been reported a suicide attempt, he's laughed at that notion. It was a case that medication that was taken wasn't accepted well in his system with the other vitamins he's on," Sanders said.
The series of events began a little before 8 p.m. Tuesday.
Owens' publicist, Kim Etheredge, said she was at Owens' home when he took pain medicine for his broken right hand. Concerned by how he began acting, Etheredge said in various interviews Wednesday with Dallas-area media that she called 911. Owens was taken to a hospital, with Etheredge saying it was an allergic reaction to the medicine.
But early Wednesday, several media outlets received a police report -- that had yet to be released by the authorities -- saying Owens had attempted suicide by overdosing on the painkillers, even putting two more pills into his mouth after an unidentified friend intervened.
The police document, first reported by WFAA-TV, said Owens was asked by rescue workers "if he was attempting to harm himself, at which time [he] stated, 'Yes.'"
When officially released by police, about half the document was blacked out, including the phrases "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication" and "a drug overdose," as well as the details of Owens having two pills pried from his mouth and Owens saying "Yes" when asked if he intended to harm himself.
Etheredge, who said she was the friend cited in the police document, told Dallas-area media Wednesday that the police got the story wrong.
The tape of the 911 call could help clear things up. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get its contents, but fire department officials said it would not be available before late Wednesday.
The police report said the 32-year-old Owens told his friend "that he was depressed." Details of the police report were first reported by WFAA-TV.
The friend, who is not identified in the report, "noticed that [his] prescription pain medication was empty and observed [Owens] putting two pills in his mouth," the police report said.
Using her fingers, the friend attempted to pry them out of Owens' mouth. Owens told police he had taken only five of the 40 pain pills in the bottle he'd emptied before the incident.
Etheredge told the Star-Telegram that Owens was "fine."
Etheredge said she called 911 because Owens was groggy and lethargic. After taking some supplements "it kicked in a reaction" with the painkillers, she told the Star-Telegram.
"Here's a person whose body is so clean, it really had a negative reaction to the medication and supplements he was taking," Etheridge told The Morning News. "Thank goodness someone was there to call an ambulance."
Police Lt. Rick Watson said he could only confirm that paramedics called police to say they were taking Owens to the hospital. He said no more details would come from the police because no laws were broken.
It is not a crime in Texas for a person to attempt suicide.
"This is a high-profile person. We looked into it and we determined it is not a criminal offense," Watson said. "This a medical type of situation that occurred."
Watson and fire department spokesman Joel Lavender cited privacy laws for the lack of information they could provide. Lavender said more details could come from the 911 call. The Associated Press filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act to get the contents of the call.
"Let's just look at the tape, review the tape," Lavender said. "I'll give you an honest answer once I know something."
At the police news conference, Watson released a version of the police narrative with certain sections blacked out. The full report was obtained by several news outlets and reported first by WFAA. The AP received the full version from WFAA.
According to the police report, Dallas Fire and Rescue was called regarding someone "attempting suicide by prescription pain medication." Officers arrived to find Owens being stabilized by ambulance workers, who then took him to Baylor University Medical Center.
Owens was hospitalized late Tuesday because of what his publicist said was an allergic reaction to pain medicine he was taking for a broken hand. Doctors reportedly tried to induce vomiting.
Owens, one of the league's top receivers during his 11-year NFL career, is best known for wild stunts on the field and other publicity-seeking antics off it.
When the Cowboys signed him to a $25 million, three-year deal in March, they said their background checks indicated no red flags. In fact, team consultant Calvin Hill -- who mostly deals with troubled players -- said during training camp that his department was not involved with Owens because he didn't have a history of those kinds of problems.
He missed most of training camp, and three of four preseason games, because of a hamstring injury. He was late for work during his recovery and was fined for it, but Owens laughed it off, saying he overslept. He said it had happened before, though not with Dallas, and would probably happen again.
Owens broke the bone leading to his right ring finger during a game a week ago Sunday. The next day, doctors screwed in a plate so the bone could heal without fear of further damage. Cowboys coach Bill Parcells said last week that the pain medicine made Owens ill.
Owens had not practiced since the injury, but because Dallas had a bye this past weekend he did not miss a game. He was expected to practice Wednesday, and Parcells had said there was a chance Owens could play Sunday against Tennessee.
Owens had been especially looking forward to the Cowboys' game after that -- Oct. 8, in Philadelphia, against the team that dumped him midway through last season only months after he helped them nearly win the Super Bowl.
Owens was seen laughing and joking on the practice field Tuesday morning. He chatted briefly with reporters in the locker room in the afternoon and seemed fine. A 2-inch scar on the top of his hand was puffy but not wrapped, and he said the swelling was doing down.
While in the locker room, he took a pill from a white paper bag and looked at another medicine bottle that was in the bag. He also called a business partner about a towel-wrap venture they're starting and joked to TV cameras that he wasn't talking until Wednesday and it was only Tuesday.
"My little boy knows better than that," he said, laughing, as he plopped onto a sofa in the middle of the locker room.
Also Tuesday, Owens was involved in launching a national campaign for the National Alliance to End Abuse, an organization aimed at helping at-risk youngsters. He appeared at a high school Tuesday morning and was scheduled to visit others but had to cancel because of changes in the team's practice schedule.
Owens has played two games for the Cowboys, catching nine passes for 99 yards and a touchdown. For updated football betting lines and Dallas Cowboy Superbowl odds visit online sportsbook MySportsbook.com
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