Line of Scrimmage: Moss far from the big catch of receiver pool
Football Betting Lines
02/15/2012 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Leave it to a wide receiver to add a little spice to what's customarily the blandest period of the NFL year.
With all relatively quiet on the Peyton Manning front for the time being, the noisiest piece of news of this post-Super Bowl lull came from Randy Moss' public declaration that he intends to end a one-year retirement and return to football in 2012.
The announcement, made during an unusual video chat on Moss' 35th birthday on Monday in which the once-feared playmaker also expounded on such thought- provoking subjects as bodily waste and picking one's nose in clear view, grabbed headlines as much for its bizarreness as the well-placed timing of taking place in the mundane week after the league's title game.
While Moss' peculiar rant proved he hasn't lost the ability to entertain since his self-imposed hiatus, the bigger question among personnel executives (other than the understandable ones about his personal stability) is whether a player coming off an uninspiring 2010 campaign in which his employers (three) nearly matched his touchdown total (five) and who carries a history of volatile behavior is even worth the risk at an advanced age.
Moss' desire to play for a championship contender will further limit the crop of suitors, but the greatest barrier standing in his way to a comeback may come from an offseason market that's flooded with attractive options at the wide receiver position.
Five members of this year's unrestricted free agent class had over 1,000 receiving yards in 2011, and four of them -- Vincent Jackson, Marques Colston, Dwayne Bowe, Steve Johnson -- will be between 26 and 29 years old next season and in the prime of their careers. Two others -- Reggie Wayne and DeSean Jackson -- have reached the 1,000-yard mark on multiple occasions and were each considerably more productive than Moss was in his disappointing 2010 tour with New England, Minnesota and Tennessee.
With young talents such as Super Bowl XLVI hero Mario Manningham, Robert Meachem and Laurent Robinson also in line for increased roles and salaries, Moss' path back to the NFL may wind up being even bumpier than first thought.
That's not to say there won't be any interest in his services -- remember that Plaxico Burress was able to land a $3 million deal with the New York Jets at a similar age following a 2 1/2-year exile from football -- and Moss isn't the league-wide pariah that the also-unemployed Terrell Owens has become. And although sporadic, Moss did display moments of the game-breaking skills that made him arguably the most dangerous deep threat the league has ever had in his heyday during his most recent season, as three of his five 2010 scores were on passes of 34 yards or more.
Not surprisingly, the New England Patriots have been popularly mentioned as a possible landing spot for Moss, especially after their Super Bowl XLVI loss revealed the absence of a bona fide offensive field stretcher that the mercurial veteran so ably provided during his stellar previous run with the organization.
There's no denying the Patriots haven't quite been the same from a big-play standpoint since Moss' acrimonious departure four games into the 2010 season. Sure, Tom Brady put up the second-highest amount of passing yards in NFL history in leading New England's run to Indianapolis, but only 10 of his 39 touchdown throws (25.6 percent) were from over 20 yards out.
In Moss' last full season with New England in 2009, nearly 43 percent of Brady's scoring strikes (12 of 28) were 20 yards or more.
It's more likely, however, that the 2012 version of Moss will resemble the 2011 edition of Burress -- a factor inside the red zone with minimal impact in the middle of the field. And the Patriots may find a better fit on the market in someone like Brandon Lloyd, four years younger than Moss and someone who flourished in offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels' system in Denver two years back, when he led the NFL in receiving yards and averaged nearly 19 yards per catch.
The Jets and Philadelphia also have been brought up as potential destinations, in part because both flirted with the idea of signing Moss last summer. New York doesn't seem to be an ideal match, as a reputed malcontent would figure to be at the bottom of the wish list of a team that just had a promising season derailed by toxic locker-room chemistry needs, but the Eagles would make some sense considering their need for a proven weapon within the red zone, an area where the slightly built DeSean Jackson has often been neutralized.
Jackson's name also has been in the news of late, with the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting over the weekend that the team intends to place the franchise tag on the speed demon. It's probably the Eagles' best course of action as well, with such a maneuver allowing the organization to keep dangling the carrot to a player with injury concerns whose main motivation has been securing a long-term contract. And heading into a season that's been clearly earmarked as a boom-or-bust one for head coach Andy Reid and his staff, it's also a move that would help ease the transition for the extensive overhaul that would take place if the Eagles again fail to meet expectations.
Don't be shocked if a few other teams utilize that same strategy, as this year's franchise tender for wide receivers is expected to be around $9.5 million, significantly less restrictive than the 2011 number of $11.4 million. Bowe and Johnson would be logical candidates to be tagged if their respective teams aren't able to reach a multi-year pact prior to free agency, as would Moss' former New England teammate, Wes Welker.
One receiver who's almost certain to hit the market is Vincent Jackson. Since the San Diego standout was franchised by the Chargers last season, the team would be obligated to pay him 120 percent of his 2011 salary, which would come to a prohibitive $13.68 million, and the Bolts may not have the available cap space to match what the 29-year-old standout would command as arguably the top receiver of this year's free-agent group. With the 2012 class so deep at wideout, it's more likely general manager A.J. Smith explores a cheaper alternative while concentrating on filling holes along the offensive line.
Another name to watch on the free-agent front could be Pittsburgh's Mike Wallace. Though the fleet-footed receiver is only eligible for restricted free agency with just three years of service, the Steelers have major cap problems and could conceivably lack the resources to match a competing offer if unable to lock him up to a long-term deal. The new collective bargaining agreement instituted after last summer's lockout has given teams more incentive to pursue RFA's, with the maximum compensation having been reduced from a first- and third-round draft pick to solely a first.
EXTRA POINTS
It's now been seven years since a team has repeated as Super Bowl champion, and early indications suggest the public believes that streak will continue. According to RJ Bell at Pregame.com, the New York Giants opened at 13-1 odds to capture a second straight Lombardi Trophy, which stands behind seven teams on the initial line. Green Bay tops the chart at 5-1, followed by New Orleans (6-1) and New England (8-1). Philadelphia, which finished a game back of Big Blue in the NFC East, is tied with Baltimore and Pittsburgh for fourth on the list at 12-1.
Pregame.com also gives Manning a 14 percent chance of returning to the Colts for next season, with Miami (20 percent) or Washington (17 percent) viewed as the legendary quarterback's most logical destination, as well as a 20 percent chance of retiring. It's hard to buy the Redskins as a legitimate suitor, however. Being forced to go head-to-head with his brother twice a season would be uncomfortable enough, but Manning's not going to want any part of the inevitable power struggle that would ensue between he and fellow control-freak Mike Shanahan over offensive philosophy.
Though I've never been much of a fan of Whitney Houston's record, her performance of the national anthem at Super Bowl XXV more than 20 years ago is still the best rendition I've ever heard. What an amazing talent.
Do the right thing, Hines Ward. There's no sense in tarnishing your legacy by hanging on another year as a bit player with another team, especially with two Super Bowl rings already in the jewelry case. Ask Franco Harris how much he cherishes that year he spent with the Seattle Seahawks.
Early prediction for the 2012 season opener: Steelers at Giants. Though the league has been reluctant to kick things off with an interconference match-up since it first began designating the reigning Super Bowl winner to host its lid-lifter in 2004, with Saints-Colts in '07 the lone clash involving both an AFC and NFC representative, the tradition, popularity and recent success of these two franchises would make this an awfully tantalizing first game.
The Packers at Giants is a distinct possibility as well, as that would pit the last two Super Bowl champs in a season opener for the second straight year.
Rotterdam, Netherlands (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Swiss icon Roger Federer, former Wimbledon runner-up Tomas Berdych and former U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro were a trio of first-round winners Wednesday at the $1.6 million ABN AMRO World
<< Eskimos sign WR Koch
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Edmonton Eskimos found a replacement for
the departed Jason Barnes on Wednesday, signing wide receiver Cary Koch.
"Cary missed much of 2011 with an injury, but within the football fraternity
his talen
<< Five-a-Side: Ivy League's Robin Harris
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The big question with Ivy League football
often centers around the school presidents keeping the league champion on
the sidelines during the FCS playoffs.
This week, another important issue develop
<< Marsh, Phillips agree to terms with Lions
Vancouver, BC (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The British Columbia Lions signed defensive
backs Ryan Phillips and Dante Marsh on Wednesday.
Phillips returns for his eighth season with the defending Grey Cup champions
and was eligible for free agenc
<< Argonauts ink WR Barnes
Toronto, ON (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Toronto Argonauts inked wideout Jason
Barnes, signing the fleet receiver through 2013.
Barnes, who was plucked from the Edmonton Eskimos, will be reunited with
former Esks quarterback and curren
Hallandale Beach, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Champion colt Animal Kingdom will begin his four-year-old campaign on Saturday at Gulfstream Park. The Team Valor thoroughbred had been expected to start in a stakes race next week. Trainer G
Erakovic wins Bogota opener; Dominguez Lino ousted >>
Bogota, Colombia (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Top-seeded Marina Erakovic of New
Zealand was an easy opening-round winner, while reigning champion Lourdes
Dominguez Lino went by way of a second-round upset at the $220,000 Copa BBVA
Colsani
Ferrero exits Sao Paulo >>
Sao Paulo, Brazil (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero
was sent packing in the opening round Wednesday at the $475,300 Brasil Open.
Argentine Leonardo Mayer toppled the sixth-seeded Ferrero in 7-6 (8-6), 6-2
fashion a
Juve held to scoreless draw in Parma >>
Parma, Italy (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Juventus missed out on a chance to return to
the Serie A summit on Wednesday as the club was held to a 0-0 draw at Parma.
Juve's weekend match with Bologna was postponed because of poor weather, which
allowe
Hollendorfer has two for El Camino Real Derby >>
Berkeley, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - California Derby winner Russian Greek heads a
field of 10 three-year-olds for Saturday's $200,000 El Camino Real Derby at
Golden Gate Fields. The 1 1/8-mile El Camino Real is the final local prep
leading
Numerous College Basketball teams take final big step to March Madness betting
So, what turned on the lock spigot? Well, after what felt like weeks of teams treading water and slipping back into the bubble muck, a bunch of them finally decided to say "to heck with parity" and won games that should put them into the Big Dance.
Disagree with some of these? Then here's the challenge. Take all of the "should be ins" and make a legit case that each should be ahead of the team that's a lock. Then find 10 more teams that also should be placed in the bracket ahead of that lock team. Not so easy, is it?
If you want more evidence that these locks should be good to go, check out what our research department dug up. Since the NCAA Tournament went to 64 teams in 1985, only six teams from a "big six" conference have had a record of 10-6 or better in conference play and not been selected: Colorado (2004) and Nebraska (1999) from the Big 12, Boston College and Seton Hall (both 2003) from the Big East, Indiana (2005) from the Big Ten and UCLA, which somehow went 12-6 in the Pac-10 in 1988 and still missed out. (Note: Five teams went 11-7 and didn't get in, the latest being last season's Stanford team, which had a brutal nonconference run.)
Yes, 10 conference wins doesn't always mean what it used to because of unbalanced schedules, but this season, it should be plenty good in all but the extreme cases (see: Iowa).
In a way, this is a welcome development, because this is a bubble watch, not a lock watch. We can finally be done with teams like Maryland and Virginia Tech and start really bearing down on at-large battles such as Syracuse-West Virginia and Appalachian State-Georgia Tech.
Interestingly, all the shifting of teams into lock status appears to be more administrative than impactful. The number of remaining available at-larges didn't change one iota. The only difference is that teams on the bubble now have a clearer idea of which team(s) they are competing with for those precious bids.
| The Bubble Breakdown | |||
| CONFERENCE | LOCKS | SHOULD BE INS | AT-LARGES TAKEN (assuming no auto bid outlier) |
| ACC Betting Odds | 6 | 0 | 5 |
| Big East Betting Odds | 5 | 0 | 4 |
| Big Ten Betting Odds | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Big 12 Betting Odds | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Pac-10 Betting Odds | 5 | 1 | 5 |
| SEC Betting Odds | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| MVC Betting Odds | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| MWC Betting Odds | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| TOTAL | 28 | 5 | 25 |
As always, I've tried to be as inclusive as possible while only including teams that would have a reasonable chance of at least being discussed if this were Selection Sunday. If your team's not on here, there's probably a good reason (or three) -- start with the RPI and SOS numbers and work your way down.
(Please remember, per selection committee criteria, that records displayed are Division I only. Next update: Feb. 28)
If you have a legitimate grievance, or just like talking bubble, send an e-mail. Polite ones with fact-based arguments have a much better chance of receiving a response. I apologize in advance if I can't get back to all of you.
Atlantic Coast Conference
Work left to do: Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech
The ACC moves to six locks as BC, Va Tech and Virginia all got their 10th ACC wins, which should be more than enough this season, and Maryland rallied past North Carolina to get the final piece the Terps needed. After that? It could end there unless FSU, Ga Tech or Clemson picks things up in a hurry.
Work left to do:
Clemson [19-9 (5-9), RPI: 41, SOS: 42] The Tigers are closer to locking up the collapse of the year award (in a good battle with OK State) than they are to grabbing an at-large. Clemson's been very competitive, but there's no really positive way you can spin nine losses in 11 games. They now cannot get to .500 in ACC play and still must head to Virginia Tech in the season finale (after hosting Miami). Unless the Tigers win both and/or do some serious work in the ACC tourney, they very well could be left out. There are no great nonconference wins, but ODU, App State, Miss. State, South Carolina and Georgia are all respectable W's.
Florida State [18-11 (6-9), RPI: 48, SOS: 14] The Noles got thrashed at Maryland to run their losing streak to five, but then pounded NC State at home to set the table for what likely is an elimination game at Miami. You can at least make a case for the Seminoles at 7-9 in ACC play (and some work in the ACC tourney), but 6-10 is not going to cut it. Wins at Duke and over Florida will resonate, but the computer numbers remain questionable. Beyond Florida, FSU thrashed bubble buddy Providence, but there's not a ton beyond those two games that will help. They didn't show well in big-time opportunities against Pitt and Wisconsin (before the Florida win).
Georgia Tech [18-10 (6-8), RPI: 51, SOS: 46] The Jackets beat Wake on Wednesday but couldn't get it done at UVa on Saturday, which could be a crucial loss with UNC and BC (both at home) remaining and 8-8 almost a certain need for at-large consideration. A nonconference win over Memphis helps, but the RPI and SOS are not at-large quality right now; if you combine those with a sub-.500 ACC mark, that could spell NIT for GT.
For more College Basketball betting lines go to MySportsbook.com
Additional basketball lines can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.
El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
Additional baseball lines and World Series odds can be found at: www.MySportsbook.com
To visit this online sportsbook got to MySportsbook.com - this sportsbook accepts credit cards.