Report: Modano to join Red Wings

Hockey Betting Lines

08/03/2010 - Detroit, MI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Mike Modano is reportedly set to sign with the Detroit Red Wings later this week.

The Livonia, Michigan native said in a text message to the Detroit Free Press that he will make a "Big announcement" on Thursday. The Free Press reported Modano will sign with Detroit, which has given him a one-year, $1.25 million offer.

Modano, the first overall pick of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, had spent his entire 20-year career with the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise and amassed 557 goals and 802 assists in 1,459 regular season games. The goals and points total (1,359) are the most for any American-born hockey player in NHL history.

The 40-year-old also helped the Stars win their first and only Stanley Cup championship in 1998-99, recording 34 goals and 47 assists during that regular season in addition to 23 playoff points.

In his rookie campaign in 1990, he was a finalist for the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie, but he lost out to 31-year-old Sergei Makarov, who had been playing in the Soviet Championship League for 12 years before coming to the NHL. This led to the NHL changing the age requirements for the Calder Trophy so that no one over the age of 26 could win the award.

His playoff records are just as impressive, holding the record for most postseason points by an American-born player with 145 (58 goals, 87 assists) in 174 games.

He is only the 14th player to score 500 goals with one team and 39th, overall.

The Stars did not offer their franchise star a contract following his 14-goal, 16-assist 2009-10 campaign.

Wwwstartribune Hockey Betting News

<< Padres dig reeling Dodgers deeper hole in NL West
Los Angeles, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Chase Headley and Will Venable each hit a three-run homer, as the San Diego Padres took a 10-5 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of a four-game series. Headley finished 4-for-5 for the NL We

<< Indycar
Fined Helio Castroneves $60,000 and placed him on probation for the remainder of the year for his actions during the July 25 race at Edmonton.

<< Safina moves on in California
Carlsbad, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Russian Dinara Safina was a straight-set winner in first-round play Monday at the $700,000 Mercury Insurance Open. Safina cruised in the first set before prevailing in a tough second set, beating

<< Cahill tosses shutout as A's top Royals
Oakland, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Trevor Cahill threw the first shutout of his career as the Oakland Athletics took a 6-0 win over the Kansas City Royals in the first of a three-game set. Cahill (11-4), who also recorded the first complet

<< Hernandez solid as Nats down D'Backs
Phoenix, AZ (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Adam Dunn and Ivan Rodriguez each hit solo home runs for Washington, and Livan Hernandez pitched effectively into the eighth inning in a 3-1 victory over Arizona in the opener of a four-game set. Hernandez (

Delany: Big Ten expects title game in 2011 >>
Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jim Delany, commissioner of the Big Ten, expects the new-look conference to hold a football championship game following the 2011 season. The Big Ten was among the many conferences that recently helpe

A-Rod's quest for 600 home runs approaches 2 weeks >>
NEW YORK (AP) -The numbers on the specially marked balls for Alex Rodriguez's at-bats must be getting up there - perhaps, uhm, close to say 600.The Yankees slugger's quest - and by now it is one - for membership in the exclusive 600-homer club exten

Pitt picked to win Big East >>
NEWPORT, R.I. (AP) -Pittsburgh was voted the preseason favorite to win the Big East in the conference's media poll.The Panthers received 22 of 24 first-place votes and 190 points in the poll released Tuesday. Pitt was 10-3 last season and returns 12

James thanks hometown fans in Ohio in newspaper ad >>
AKRON, Ohio (AP) -LeBron James is showing appreciation to his Ohio hometown fans with a full-page newspaper ad as he leaves to play basketball in Miami.James thanks Akron residents for their love and support in the ad in Tuesday's Akron Beacon Journ

Charlotte gets final OK to start football program >>
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -Charlotte has cleared its final hurdle to start a football program in 2013.North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue has signed a capital projects bill this week that includes funding for the 49ers' stadium construction. It was the la

How did changes to college football betting rules affect bettors?

The 2007 college football rules changes that were implemented to shorten games are now history. The NCAA rules committee did what they set out to do; games were cut by an average of 14 minutes per game last season. There were also, on average, 14 fewer plays per game. We’ll get into how that did (or didn’t) affect games in regards to the pointspread a bit later.

While the NCAA rules committee may have had the betterment of the game in mind, they'll now “turn back the clock” for next season. Two key rules have now been overturned by the NCAA committee for the 2007 season, something definitely for the better.

For those of you who may not remember what those rules actually were, let us refresh your memory.

1) The first one was actually starting the clock on a kickoff as soon as the kicker touched the ball rather than waiting until the returner touched it. The problem here was near the end of the half (or game), if the team leading was kicking off, they could milk the clock by intentionally running offsides and then re-kicking. They could run 10-15 seconds off the clock each play while taking just five-yard penalties each time. They could run the clock down and simply cause the half (or game) to end on a kickoff, keeping the opposing offense off the field. In 2007, the clock will now start when the returner touches the ball as it had before last season.

2) The second rule dealt with starting the clock after a change of online football betting possession rather than waiting until the ball was snapped. This took a lot of time off the clock throughout the game as teams changed possession, however it caused the most problems late in games (or halves). Rather than huddling up and calling a play, the offensive team would have to rush onto the field as the clock started. This was a definite disadvantage to a team that was trying to come from behind late in the game. This year the clock will start on a change of possession, after the ball is snapped.

How did those rules affect the college game last year and will it make a difference this year when it comes to the pointspread? We commonly heard two theories when it came to these changes. First, it would affect scoring negatively. Second, it would hurt favorites as they would have less time and fewer plays to cover the number.

Did the rules hurt scoring? Yes. It seemed obvious that shortening the game by what amounted to 14 plays would push scoring downward. That was the case last year. Of the 119 Division 1A teams, 69 squads scored fewer points in 2007 than they did in 2005. Just 48 teams had a higher PPG scoring average and two stayed the same. Almost 59 percent of the teams in college football last year had a lower PPG average than they did in 2005. Expect more scoring in 2007 as we revert back to the old rules.

Did the rules hinder favorites from covering the number in 2007? Not really. Last year the favorites posted an overall spread record of 336-350-16 (48.9 percent). The year before, favorites were 316-326-13 (49.2 percent). In 2004, the favorites were 316-339-2 (48.2 percent). In fact, college football favorites have been above 50 percent for the season just once in the last seven years (in 2003). Last year’s numbers fell right in line with where they have been historically.

How about big favorites? The rules must have hurt them? Maybe a little bit. Double-digit favorites last year came in at a 47.8 percent clip compare with an average of just over 50 percent over the last seven years. Since 1980, favorites of -10 or more have covered at exactly a 50 percent clip (measured over 6,716 games).

Even bigger favorites must have struggled? Not really. In fact, it was just the opposite. Favorites of three TD’s or more were 59-54-2 last year (52.2 percent). Since 2000, those same favorites (-21 or higher) hit at 51.3 percent and since 1990 came in a clip of 50.3 percent. Stepping it up a notch to four TD favorites or higher, we actually see they've covered at a much better rate last season than before. Last year, favorites of -28 or more were 31-21-1, or almost 60 percent. Historically, four-TD-or-higher favorites have come in at a 50.7 percent spot since 2000 and only 48.9 percent since 1990. The “perceived” problem with the favorites covering at a reduced rate really never came to fruition.

Bottom line is, there might be some more scoring in 2007, but no real revelations when it comes to finding any pointspread golden nuggets.

To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com for all your bet on college football needs. Mysportsbook.com online sportsbook accepts Visa and Mastercard credit cards.