01/17/2009 - Tampa, FL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers dismissed head coach Jon Gruden and general manager Bruce Allen on Friday.
Gruden was named the seventh head coach in Buccaneers history in February of 2002 and led the club to its first Super Bowl title that season. The then 39-year-old Gruden set two NFL records in the process, as he became the youngest head coach to lead his team to a Super Bowl win and the first head coach to win the Lombardi Trophy in his first year with a new team.
A report from the St. Petersburg Times late Friday indicated the Bucs were ready to hand the coaching reins over to Raheem Morris, who was recently named Monte Kiffin's replacement as the club's defensive coordinator.
Morris, 32, has never been a head coach at any level and served as defensive backs coach for Tampa last season. Morris also spent one year as defensive coordinator at Kansas State.
The same report out of St. Petersburg proposes pro personnel director Mark Dominik, who has been with the Bucs for 14 years, will be promoted to general manager.
Tampa Bay boasted a 57-55 regular-season record with Gruden running the show, including a 3-2 mark in the postseason. Gruden's Bucs had brought home NFC South titles in 2002, 2005 and 2007, but four straight losses to end the 2008 regular season culminating with a 31-24 defeat at home to the lowly Oakland Raiders with the Bucs still in contention for a playoff seed appears to have sparked the parting. Tampa Bay was 9-3 prior to the collapse and in position to claim its fourth division crown.
The firing comes almost one year to the day that both Gruden and Allen signed contract extensions through the 2011 season.
"We will be forever grateful to Jon for bringing us the Super Bowl title, and we thank Bruce for his contributions to our franchise," said Bucs co-chairman Joel Glazer. "However after careful consideration, we feel that this decision is in the best interest of our organization moving forward."
Prior to joining Tampa Bay, Gruden guided the Raiders to a 38-26 regular- season mark in four seasons (1998-2001) at the helm in Oakland, including taking the Silver and Black to the AFC title game in 2000 and a divisional playoff game the following year.
Before landing in Oakland, Gruden spent three seasons as offensive coordinator of the Philadelphia Eagles (1995-97) and served two seasons as wide receivers coach for the Packers (1993-94). He also served as an offensive assistant for Green Bay in 1992 and for the 49ers in 1990.
Allen, named the team's general manager in January of 2004, served in that capacity for Tampa Bay the last five seasons after following Gruden from the Oakland Raiders. He spent nine seasons in Oakland (1995-2003) as general manager and helped guide that franchise to three AFC West championships, a pair of appearances in the conference title game and a berth in Super Bowl XXXVII.
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Super Bowl XLIII isn't even a week old yet and oddsmakers have already released Super Bowl XLIV odds.
Despite the Pittsburgh Steelers winning Super Bowl 43, the New England Patriots are 8/1 favorites to win Super Bowl 44.
Bet Super Bowl XLIV Future Odds
With their 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers became the latest NFL champion. But believe it or not, oddsmakers from online sports book MySportsbook.com don't have the Steelers the favorites to win Super Bowl XLIV next season.
That honor belongs to the New England Patriots, who are 8/1 favorites to win despite not even qualify for the postseason in 2008. The Pats also have a major decision to make regarding what to do with Matt Cassel, who played well in Tom Brady's (knee surgery) absence last year but is also a free agent this offseason.
Ironically, the Steelers aren't even oddsmakers second choice to win Super Bowl 44, as the Dallas Cowboys are listed right behind the Patriots at 9/1 despite not making the playoffs themselves. Clearly oddsmakers think the public will hop back on the Cowboys' bandwagon considering the immense talent they have and the opening of a brand new stadium.
After Dallas, then comes Pittsburgh at 10/1, but they share those odds with the New York Giants, who won Super Bowl XLII. The Indianapolis Colts and San Diego Chargers round out the top six teams at 12/1, while the Baltimore Ravens (14/1), Tennessee Titans (16/1), Carolina Panthers (18/1) and Philadelphia Eagles (18/1) complete the top 10.
The NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals got no love from oddsmakers as they were established as a 30/1 long shot to win next year's Super Bowl. They share those same odds with the Chicago Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers – two teams that didn't even qualify for the postseason. Other long shots are the Kansas City Chiefs (100/1), Detroit Lions (100/1), St. Louis Rams (75/1) and Oakland Raiders (75/1).
To see a complete list of all the team's odds to win Super Bowl XLIV, check below.
NFL TEAM FUTURE ODDS TO WIN SUPER BOWL XLIV
New England Patriots 8/1
Dallas Cowboys 9/1
New York Giants 10/1
Pittsburgh Steelers 10/1
Indianapolis Colts 12/1
San Diego Chargers 12/1
Baltimore Ravens 14/1
Tennessee Titans 16/1
Carolina Panthers 18/1
Philadelphia Eagles 18/1
New Orleans Saints 20/1
Atlanta Falcons 25/1
Denver Broncos 25/1
Green Bay Packers 25/1
Jacksonville Jaguars 25/1
Minnesota Vikings 25/1
New York Jets 25/1
Arizona Cardinals 30/1
Chicago BearS 30/1
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 30/1
Buffalo Bills 35/1
Houston TexaNS 35/1
Miami Dolphins 35/1
Washington Redskins 35/1
Seattle SeahawkS 50/1
Cleveland Browns 55/1
Cincinnati Bengals 60/1
San Francisco 49ers 60/1
Oakland Raiders 75/1
St. Louis Rams 75/1
Detroit Lions 100/1
Kansas City Chiefs 100/1
Odds as of: 2/2/09
Bet Super Bowl XLIV Future Odds
To visit this online sportsbook go to MySportsbook.com for all your NFL football betting needs.
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