Thorn joins Sixers as club president

Basketball Betting Lines

08/12/2010 - Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Rod Thorn wasn't out of work long, as the former New Jersey Nets president has landed the same role with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Thorn spent 10 years as team president and general manager of the Nets, but announced last month he was stepping down. New Jersey then named former Sixers general manager Billy King as their new GM.

In his new role, Thorn will be working with Sixers general manager Ed Stefanski, who took over for King in December 2007 and had held the dual roles of GM and president. Thorn and Stefanski worked together for seven years with the Nets.

"I look forward to working with him as we go forward," Thorn said at a Thursday press conference. "He understands me and I think I understand him. I think we make a good team."

The 69-year-old Thorn was the NBA's Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations from 1986-2000. Before that he served as GM of the Chicago Bulls and was instrumental in the club's selection of Michael Jordan in the 1984 draft.

"Hopefully, we'll be able to do some really good things here," remarked Thorn. "I've done a lot of different things over the course of time in professional basketball. Having seen many different organizations, that's the key thing, you have to have passion to win."

Thorn said his decision to resign with the Nets was in fact that, and he was not forced out with the new ownership. He added that the Nets offered him a lucrative contract to remain with the franchise.

"Over my time with the Nets, most of it was great," said Thorn. "The last few years we dismantled the team, on purpose, because of a corporate decision and that wasn't much fun. My feeling is, that time had run its course there."

Thorn helped build a Nets franchise that reached the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. The team went to the playoffs for six consecutive years from 2001-02 until 2006-07, then began to falter before this past season's club went a franchise-worst 12-70.

The Sixers were 27-55 this past season and will start the 2010-11 campaign with a new coach in Doug Collins.

Cnssports Basketball Betting News

<< American defender Lichaj signs new deal at Villa
Birmingham, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - American defender Eric Lichaj signed a new three-year contract with Aston Villa on Wednesday. Lichaj joined Aston Villa in 2007, but has yet to break into the first team. He spent parts of the last t

<< Liverpool acquires Poulsen from Juventus
Liverpool, England (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Liverpool acquired Danish midfielder Christian Poulsen from Juventus on Thursday and signed him to a three-year contract. Poulsen, 30, cost Liverpool about $7 million. The defensive midfielde

<< Dodgers send Kershaw to the hill in finale with Phillies
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If the Dodgers plan on leaving the City of Brotherly Love with a series win over Philadelphia this evening, starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw may have to do something he's never done before. Kershaw is scheduled to pitch in

<< First place in AL Central on the line in Twins-White Sox finale
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - First place in the American League Central is on the line tonight in Chicago, where the White Sox wrap a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins at U.S. Cellular Field. The Twins and White Sox entered this series tied

<< Internacional wins first leg of Copa Lib final
Guadalajara, Mexico (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Giuliano and Bolivar scored in a four- minute span of the second half, and Brazil's Internacional defeated Mexico's Guadalajara, 2-1, on Wednesday night in the first leg of the Copa Libertadores final.

Isiah nixes Knicks? Not so fast >>
Philadelphia, PA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Isiah Thomas' status in New York is all about semantics now. Consultant or not, it's clear Thomas still has the ear of Madison Square Garden chairman James Dolan, a scary thought for Knicks fans who regard

Cards send a message in Cincinnati >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - If the St. Louis Cardinals manage to hold on and win their second straight National League Central title, they may very well point to Tuesday as being the turning point in their season. And, they will have Cincinnati sec

Play finally underway at PGA Championship >>
Kohler, WI (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The first round of the 92nd PGA Championship at Whistling Straits got underway after a three-hour, 10-minute delay due to fog. The last time the PGA Championship was halted by weather was in 2008 at Oakl

Portugal's Carvalho completes move to Real >>
Madrid, Spain (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Ricardo Carvalho passed his physical at Real Madrid on Thursday and officially signed a two-year contract with the Spanish giants. Carvalho played under Real coach Jose Mourinho at Porto and Chelsea, and jo

Dortmund's Dede out 3-4 weeks with ankle injury >>
Dortmund, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Borussia Dortmund left back Dede tore a ligament in his right ankle in training this week and will miss the start of the Bundesliga season. Dede will be sidelined three to four weeks. Dortmund opens

Problem with Bears?

Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.

"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."

Bet on NFL

Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.

Bet on NFL

Mysportsbook.com online online sportsbook accepts Visa & Mastercard