We still have 43 days left until the Baltimore Ravens travel to Denver to
kick off the season, which means it’s a perfect time for some predictions. But
these aren’t just any predictions; these are BOLD predictions. By “BOLD
predictions”, I mean things that are unlikely to happen but could still
logically happen. If you’re expecting, Denver Broncos finish with

the best record in the NFL, well, that wouldn’t be very bold now would it? I make
these BOLD predictions so the people don’t have to. I am, of course, a man of
the people. This list is no particular order, so the boldness of each prediction is up to you.


Honorable Mention – New England Patriots miss the
playoffs


After Danny Amendola (who has injury issues), the next best receiver on the
Patriots is Julian Edleman. After Edleman, there’s a 31-year-old Michael Jenkins
and then a plate of dudes I’ve never heard of. The defense always has it’s issues too,
though they were better with Aqib Talib. It remains to be seen if running back
Steven Ridley can take the next step and improve on last year.


But the Pats have Tom Brady and no one else in the AFC East does. Brady is
one of those quarterbacks who could make me into a Pro Bowl receiver. The Miami
Dolphins should pose the biggest threat to the Pats, but as long as Tom Brady is
under center, the Pats are a playoff team.


1) Rex Ryan is fired after Week 5


This isn’t bold in the sense of Rex Ryan getting the pink slip; the Jets are
going to be terrible and Ryan will probably end up fired. The boldness can be
found in the week number Ryan gets the boot – Week 5 is pretty early in the NFL
season for a coach to get canned. So why Week 5? My guess is the Jets start 0-4
before they travel to Atlanta in Week 5 to take on the Falcons on Monday
Night Football. Once the Jets get throttled on national television,
they’ll have no choice but to fire Rex Ryan. This may also be the time when they
change the pace of their offense and stick in Geno Smith.


Hey, if Rex is fired, at least he’ll have more time to run with the
bulls.


2) Pittsburgh Steelers miss the playoffs for the second year in a
row


The Steelers haven’t missed the playoffs in consecutive years since 1998-2000
and it’s hard to imagine an organization like Pittsburgh missing the playoffs
again. But the Steelers aren’t as good as the Baltimore Ravens or Cincinnati
Bengals, which means they will be fighting for the wild card spot. Assuming the
Ravens or Bengals, Texans, Broncos and Patriots win their respective divisions,
here is the Steelers’ competition for a wild card spot: Ravens/Bengals, Miami,
Indianapolis, Tennessee, Kansas City and San Diego. That is a lot of teams to beat
out. Though Roesthlisburger is healthy, he, the offensive line and Troy Palumalu
have a recent history of being injured early and often. The Steelers will be
home on the couch eating Doritos Locos Tacos come playoff time.


3) Carolina Panthers make the playoffs


The Panthers haven’t made the playoffs since 2008, but they finished off 2012
on quite the roll. Cam Newton’s play improved and they won their last four games
of the season, including a win over Atlanta (they also played Atlanta well in
Week 4, losing 28-30). The NFC is stacked with potential wild card teams, and if
the Panthers make the playoffs, it’s likely because they beat out either New
Orleans or Atlanta – unless three NFC South teams make the playoffs. That’s
unlikely however given the strength of all the other teams in the
conference.


The Panthers have nice talent and if Cam Newton can put together a solid full
season the Panthers will be one of NFC wild card teams.


4) Tim Tebow scores as a tight end


Yes, I know that it’s been reported that the Pats will likely keep Tebow at
quarterback, but that just makes this all the more bold! With
Gronk hurt and Hernandez in the big house, the odds that Tebow takes a least one
snap at tight end have gone up. That one snap could be his touchdown. The
Patriots and Bill Bilichick have been creative before with versatile players.
You may recall a certain Mike Vrabel, the former linebacker for the New England
Patriots. During his time with the Pats, Vrabel caught eight
passes, all for goal-line touchdowns. I have a feeling Tebow could be Mike
Vrabel 2.0. The only problem with this is that Skip Bayless will somehow make
the argument that Tebow’s success at tight end means he can thrive as an NFL
quarterback. Won’t that be glorious?


5) St. Louis Rams finish top 10 in offensive


I’m a big believer in Sam Bradford and this is the year I believe he’s given
the chance thrive. Bradford has been stuck on a team with no weapons and no
offensive line. Receivers couldn’t get open, the offensive line couldn’t hold
back defenders to give Bradford time, and Bradford would end up on his back as a
result. In 2012, the Rams finished 23rd in yards per game and 25th in points per
game. But this year is going to be different. The Rams picked up left tackle
Jake Long to help strengthen the line and drafted playmakers Tavon Austin and
Stedmon Bailey. Austin is going to give Bradford a Percy Harvin type target and
Bailey should provide nice depth to a receiving corps that’s been lacking.


6) Dallas Cowboys win a playoff game


Take a look at the NFC East. Is there really one team significantly better
than the other? Not really. The NFC East is up in the air, and the Dallas
Cowboys may very well be the best team in the division. If they end up as a wild
card, I don’t see them winning a playoff game. If they win the NFC East however,
and play a wild card team (the Carolina Panthers!), the Cowboys may finally win
their first playoff game since 2009. As per usual, a lot of their success is dependent
on Tony Romo. They guy may be the most underrated or overrated player (depending
on your view) in the league, but there is no denying the guy has insane talent. In most
cases, it usually comes down to that one mistake Romo makes or that one play he
doesn’t make. With a full season from Demarrcoo Murray and limited mistakes from
Romo, the Cowboys’ will be in every game.


Their defense though, will have to make a jump if the ‘Boys want to win that
playoff game. Dallas’ gave up 25 points per game last season, good for 24th in
the league. If the Cowboys can improve to a more middle-of-the-pack type
defense, they’ll finally get that playoff win, and Skip Bayless can rejoice that
the Cowboys are playoff-relevant again.


7) Jacksonville Jaguars finish top 10 in
attendance 


If you haven’t heard, the Jacksonville Jaguars may air the NFL RedZone
channel on their fancy new big screens. The RedZone channel shows
the most compelling moments of games being simultaneously played around the
league. It’s basically the best invention of all-time. This move by the Jags is
clearly to attract fans to the stadium. I mean, they don’t want to come watch
the Jags play, but if the RedZone channel were playing on super-new, high
definition screens, fans may flock to the stadium. The Jags ranked 20th in
average home attendance in 2012 and had to cover some seats with a tarp at a few
home games due to lack of fans.


Fans LOVE the RedZone channel and fans LOVE fantasy football. Being able to
watch your fantasy players at any possible scoring moment makes for the one of
the most exciting football-watching experiences. The only question here is if
fans will be willing to pay ticket prices for something that they can watch at
home  and on the couch with unlimited nachos and cheese. Personally, I
think being at an NFL game is an unbeatable experience. To be surrounded by
70,000 of your closest friends is something that I will enjoy until the day I
die. But there are millions of people out there who prefer to watch games from
home. The improved TV experience and convenience  factor are huge in
keeping people on their couches. But what the Jags are doing combines the TV
experience and the game experience. Fans can have their choice of watching a
terrible team or watch the RedZone channel and chat it up with surrounding fans.
Hey, if the Jags turn out to play some decent football, at least there could be
more fans in the stands to bear witness. I’m very much looking forward to how
this plays out.


8) Adrian Peterson rushes for 2,000 yards again


No NFL player has ever done this. Then again, no NFL player was ever as much
of a freak as Adrian Peterson. The guy tore his ACL and then ran for 2,097 yards
and came within eight yards of Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105. If any guy is
going to rush for 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons, it’s going to be Adrian
Peterson. Peterson also has his freakish year on a team with an average
quarterback and no receivers, meaning defenders could stack eight or nine guys
in the box. Yet Peterson still trucked and juked his way through bodies.


This year, the Vikings picked up Greg Jennings, so defenses will have to back
off at least a little to defend against the threat of Jennings. The offensive
line will have to have a repeat performance, but Peterson should have a little
more room to run that last year with Jennings in the picture.


The Vikings will face only three defenses in 2013 who ranked top 10 in
rushing yards per game in 2012 (Seahawks, Redskins and Steelers). Obviously that
could change, but it gives some indication of the defenses Peterson will be up
against.


I’ll even make this a two part BOLD prediction: Adrian Peterson will break
Eric Dickerson’s record of 2,105 yards. BOOM!


9) Chicago Bears finish with the best record in the NFL


Yes, even better than the Packers, Broncos, Texans, Ravens, Falcons, 49ers
and Seahawks. This is contingent upon the Bears’ offensive line keeping Jay
Cutler on his feet rather than his back. But Cutler has a natural chemistry with
Brandon Marshall and has a stud running back in Matt Forte. Their defense is one
of the best in the league, but again, it all comes down to Cutler and the
offensive line. Cutler, often consider Brett Favre 2.0, throws way too many
interceptions, many due to his poor decision making and many due to him having
to rush.


The Bears started 7-1 last season even with Cutler throwing interceptions
left and right. I just have this feeling that the Bears have been on the brink
for a few years now, and I think this is the year that Cutler and the offensive
line take the Bears to the next level. Chicago added left tackle Jermon Bushrod
and guard Matt Slauson via free agency and drafted guard Kyle Long, so the
offensive line should see an drastic improvement over past years.


Does this mean the Bears will make the Super Bowl? Not at all. But with the
dramatically improved offensive line and a limited-mistake Jay Cutler, the Bears
will finally take the next leap into one of the elite NFL teams.


10) Baltimore Ravens repeat as Super Bowl champions


Yeah, I said it! Joe Flacco has taken the leap into one of the top six or
seven quarterbacks in the league (Ron Jaworski even ranked Flacco fourth).
Flacco is coming of an historic NFL postseason, throwing 11 beautiful touchdowns
and zero interceptions, something only one other person – the great Joe Montana
– has accomplished.  Flacco lead the Ravens to a Super Bowl win, taking
home Super Bowl MVP in the process. So I’d say the Ravens are all set at
quarterback.


One of the arguments against the Ravens repeat chances (or postseason chances
depending on the analyst) is all of the players they lost. On defense, the
Ravens lost six players: Ray Lewis (retirement), Ed Reed (Texans), Dannell
Ellerbee (Dolphins), Paul Kruger (Browns), Cary Williams (Eagles) and Bernard
Pollard (Titans). But the Ravens brought in a plethora of defenders to replace
those that were lost and arguably improved their defense from last year.
Baltimore added safety Michael Huff (Raiders), defensive end Marcus Spears
(Cowboys), defensive lineman Chris Canty (Giants), linebackers Elvis Dumervil
(Broncos) and Daryl Smith (Jaguars). They also drafted safety Matt Elam
(Florida) and linebacker Arthur Brown (Kansas State) who are both projected to
contribute right away. Oh, they also get Lardarius Webb back from injury, who’s
one of the best cornerbacks in the league when healthy. To top it off, the
Ravens resigned left tackle Bryant McKinnie who was integral in the Ravens
playoff success once he was inserted back into the starting lineup.


The only true question mark is at wide receive. The Ravens traded Anquan
Boldin to the 49ers so Torrey Smith and Jacoby Jones will assume the one and two
receiver sports, respectively. But the third receiving spot is very up in the
air. Tandon Doss got a few chances last season but had too many drops for him to
be guaranteed the third receiver spot. The others that are expected to compete
for the third spot include Deonte Thompson, Laquan Williams, Tommy Streeter and
veteran David Reed.


The Ravens also lost veteran Matt Birk at center, but they signed A.Q.
Shipley to compete with Gino Gradkowski. They may struggle at center in the
first few weeks, but the experienced lineman around those two will help to ease
the process.


The receiver issue may prove to be significant, but the Ravens have one of
the best all-around teams in the NFL and are primed to get back to the Super
Bowl. The Baltimore Ravens will be making snow angels come February in New
York.


Article By: Jared Kurtlander
Source: Sportsrageous.com

We are all now hearing about Ryan Braun and his 65 game suspension. This suspension will undoubtedly effect Milwaukee Brewers' team batting average and their overall odds for the rest of the year. To be a smart and successful sports gambler you have to stay ahead of news cycle that will drastically impact your wagers.

With that said, all eyes turn to next at bat in the Tony Bosch Biogenesis scandal, Alex Rodriguez. So what are the odds that A-Rod will get sucked into this black hole? Well lets examine what we know.

Major League Baseball reeled in a pretty good sized catch Monday with the suspension of Ryan Braun for performance enhancing drug use. It also put the bigger fish, Alex Rodriguez on the hook as baseball considers
what to do about his PED use.

According to ESPN’s Outside the Lines, sources have told the show that the evidence Anthony Bosch gave MLB about A-Rod is “far beyond” what baseball had on Braun. Bosch ran the Biogenesis clinic in Coral Gables that reportedly provided PEDs to several baseball players.

MLB confronted Braun with a lot of evidence documenting his PED usage and Braun’s admission and acceptance of his suspension gives the claims made by Bosch much more credibility.

According to ESPN, Braun had an “ongoing pattern of significant PED use.” CBSSports.com also reported that MLB had receipts and many other documents to back up their allegations against Braun. ESPN also reported A-Rod may have interfered with the investigation.

A-Rod hasn’t played in a game this year while rehabbing from hip surgery and he also suffered another injury last week while playing in minor league rehabilitation games.

If MLB comes down hard on A-Rod, which it will, the question is will Rodriguez ever play in the majors again?

After last season was filled with compelling story lines like the return of Peyton Manning, and the emergence of Robert Griffin III and Colin Kaepernick, the off-season has been marked by owners, front-office personnel and players
having run-ins with the law. The news included allegations of drunken driving, questionable business practices and, most infamously, murder. It has highlighted not only the underside of the so-called N.F.L. family, but also the intense
scrutiny that comes with being the nation’s largest and most popular sports league.        

The off-season developments also reflect the unintended consequences of the league’s push to become a 365-day business with events spread throughout the year. In years past, the news media might have been too distracted by basketball, hockey, baseball and golf to have spent much time writing about football in the spring and summer. That seems like a distant memory when an array of sports-focused news outlets make the N.F.L. the subject of exhaustive coverage no matter the season.       

“I don’t think Roger Goodell has had a quiet off-season,” said Robert A. Boland, who teaches sports management at New York University. “The more we know about pro athletes, the more we put them under a 365-day microscope, the more misbehavior will be captured on a camera phone.”        

The N.F.L. has dealt with negative stories before. In 2007, after a spate of high-profile incidents that included Michael Vick’s pleading guilty to a federal felony charge stemming from his involvement in a dogfighting ring, the league made a series of commercials highlighting the good citizenship of some of its players.        

This year, however, the off-the-field questions seemed to multiply. Take the most dramatic occurrence this off-season, the murder charges filed against Aaron Hernandez, the former New England Patriots tight end. His arrest in June prompted a number of other story lines, including whether N.F.L. players were more prone to being arrested. Geraldo Rivera speculated that the league essentially had a gang problem. The Patriots were criticized for not doing more to vet their players. The team’s efforts at damage control, including putting out a mea culpa by its owner and allowing fans to return Hernandez jerseys they had purchased, were also widely reported.        

It did not help when Patriots defensive back Alfonzo Dennard was arrested and accused of driving drunk after he was sentenced to 30 days in jail and 2 years of probation for assaulting a police officer in April.  
       
"From the beginning of the summer and the start of training camp, there’s a lot of down time, and there might be a tendency for more of the negative issues to crop up in the press," said Bradley Shear, who teaches sports management at George Washington University and was a lawyer for the N.F.L. Players Association. "The last five, six years, there are a lot of negative stories about the players. It’s the nature of the beast."      

While acknowledging the seriousness of the Hernandez case, the N.F.L., citing F.B.I. statistics, said that only about 2 percent of the league’s nearly 3,000 players have been arrested, compared with 10 percent for the general population of males 20 to 34.       

League officials and sports industry experts noted that the N.F.L. had had its share of bad off-season stories before. Last year, it was the league’s prosecution of the New Orleans Saints’ bounty system, which began in March, a month after the Super Bowl.Saints Coach Sean Payton and the team’s defensive coordinator, general manager and assistant head coach were suspended, as were four players. Appeals followed, and the players’ suspensions were ultimately reduced. Fans were outraged in New Orleans, which had hosted the Super Bowl. Then the league locked out its
officials for the start of the season, a move criticized by players, coaches and fans. In the spring and summer of 2011, the owners locked out the players, putting the season in jeopardy. Lawsuits were filed. Mediators intervened.
Players were outraged. Fans chewed their nails. Ultimately, the season began on time.       

The negative headlines this off-season have had the effect of crowding out notable business announcements. In June, for instance, the league renewed its deal with Verizon Wireless, which will provide more game coverage and the Red
Zone channel, as well as access to prime time Sunday games starting in 2014, to fans who subscribe to NFL Mobile. The deal is worth $1 billion.      


The league also signed a $400 million deal with Microsoft, which will develop technology that will allow coaches, players and referees to use tablets on the sidelines. Teams are also boosting Wi-Fi signals in their stadiums and putting cameras in locker rooms so fans at the game can have exclusive views not available on television. Underscoring the league’s growing value, a recent survey by Forbes of the 50 most valuable sports
franchises globally included 30 of the N.F.L.’s 32 teams.        
 
"There’s never been a better time to be associated with the N.F.L. if you’re a fan, a player or corporate America,” Brian McCarthy, a league spokesman, said.       

Rob Tilliss, who brokers team sales at Inner Circle Sports, said that just as stories about the business of the N.F.L. were understandably overshadowed by more dramatic news this off-season, all of the news during the off-season will be overshadowed once the regular season begins.  
       
"Since you’re the most popular sport in the country, you have incredible media attention, media exposure, voracious fans," he said. “You put all that in the mixer, there’s a lot of interest." 

While the Hernandez case has been the league’s biggest challenge, it has had to confront other thorny topics. In April, agents from the F.B.I. and the I.R.S. raided the headquarters of Pilot Flying J, the family business of truck stops and convenience stores run by Jimmy Haslam, the owner of the Cleveland Browns.       

A month later, lawmakers in Florida declined to vote on a series of tax breaks that would have helped the Dolphins renovate their stadium, essentially scuttling Miami’s bid to host Super Bowl L or LI. A deal to refurbish the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis fell through, a blow to the Rams.   
     
In May, 10 members of Congress sent a letter to Daniel Snyder, the owner of the Washington Redskins, urging him to
change the team’s name. Other members of Congress urged the N.F.L. and other leagues not to help the federal government publicize the Affordable Care Act.       

In court, a federal judge ordered a mediator to get the league and the more than 4,000 retirees who accuse the N.F.L. of deliberately hiding information about the effects of concussions, to try to settle their differences. Given the potential damages that could result from an extended lawsuit, just getting the sides to talk across a conference table can
be counted as a positive step for the N.F.L.       

None of that is what the league wants to talk about. Instead, it wants to talk about what it does best: putting on widely watched games.        

"The N.F.L. is champing at the bit to have the action focused back on the field," said Scott Rosner, who teaches in the sports business program at the University of Pennsylvania. "Very few good things can happen to your brand in the off-season.”

Activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game, Kemp led off the
second with a homer that bounced among the cherry trees beyond the left-field stands. He then doubled home Andre Ethier in a seven-run inning against Jordan Zimmermann (12-5), quickly turning a much-anticipated matchup of All-Star aces
into a rout.

Clayton Kershaw (9-6) allowed two runs and two hits over seven innings with nine strikeouts and no walks, putting his major league-best ERA at 2.01.


The Dodgers were 9½ games out of first on the morning of June 22, but they've
since gone on a 20-5 splurge. Sunday's win pulled them even with the Arizona
Diamondbacks, who played the San Francisco Giants later in the day.


While the Dodgers are brimming with confidence and improved health — Sunday
marked the first time all season that Kemp, Hanley Ramirez and Carl Crawford
were all in the lineup together — the series was a nadir for the Nationals, who
have dropped eight of 10 and lost all semblance of the "Natitude" that produced
the best record in the majors a year ago.

After losing close games Friday and Saturday because of a collapse in clutch hitting
— 2 for 21 with runners in scoring position — the Nationals on Sunday looked like a
once-promising TV series that has finally jumped the shark. They hit only six balls
out of the infield in Kershaw's seven innings, including two mostly meaningless homers
by Jayson Werth after the game was well out of reach.


Manager Davey Johnson experimented again with Bryce Harper batting leadoff;
Harper went 0 for 4 with three strikeouts. Adam LaRoche returned after missing
two games with the flu and went 0 for 3. Scott Hairston started in place of
Denard Span and went 0 for 3. Zimmermann, who has been battling a sore neck,
lasted just two innings, the shortest outing of his career.


Meanwhile, everybody in the Dodgers' starting lineup except Kershaw scored at
least one run, and even he had an RBI groundout. Kemp added another hit, an RBI
single in the fourth. Ramirez lifted his average to .393 with a three-run homer
and a single, and Crawford had three hits and a walk.


One player missing out on the fun was rookie Yasiel Puig, who played a major
role in starting the Dodgers' surge. Puig didn't start after going 4 for 25 in
his last six games — including 0 for 9 with five strikeouts against the
Nationals.


Manager Don Mattingly said Puig needs to "catch his wind and clear his head a
little bit."

"He seemed a little lost to me the last couple of days, just kind of
confused at the plate," Mattingly said.


While Puig might be lost, Kemp certainly seems to have found himself. He had
been hindered by inflammation in his left shoulder after offseason surgery and
was hitting .254 with four home runs in 61 games before going on the disabled
list.


A possible concern: Kemp limped off the field after a sliding into the catcher on a
force play in the top of the ninth. Puig took Kemp's spot in right field for the bottom half.


Ramirez and Crawford have also spent time on the DL, and the only time the
trio had appeared in the same boxscore was on April 29 — but that was when
Ramirez entered as a pinch-hitter after Crawford had left the game. This was the
first time they were all starting, all playing together.


"First time? Really? Huh," Mattingly said before the game. "Well, here we go.
We'll see what it looks like."


Historical Notes: It was the first road sweep for Los Angeles against the Nationals franchise in
the U.S. The Dodgers went to Canada to take three from the Montreal Expos from
May 24-26, 1996. ... The Dodgers optioned OF-1B Scott Van Slyke to the minors to
make room for Kemp.

Article by: Joseph White
Follow Joseph White on Twitter: http://twitter.com/JGWhiteAP

Against all odds, Phil Mickelson got a chance to celebrate early. A brilliant closing round
at challenging Muirfield made it possible.

Mickelson won the claret jug for the first time and his fifth major
championship with a 5-under 66 on Sunday, matching the best round of the
tournament on a day when the other contenders -- including Tiger Woods -- faded away.
 
2013 Open Champion Phil Mickelson talked with Doug Bell after coming from
behind on Sunday to win his first Open Championship and fifth major. 

Lefty birdied four of the last six holes, winning by three strokes and
emphatically erasing the memory of all those close calls that didn't go his way
-- the latest one just last month when he was runner-up at the U.S. Open for a
staggering sixth time.

"This is such an accomplishment for me," Mickelson said. "I never knew if I'd
be able to develop the game and the shots to play links golf effectively. To
play what is arguably the best round of my career, to putt the way I putted, to
shoot the round of my life, it just feels amazing to win the claret jug."

Overall, Mickelson has eight runner-up finishes in the majors, including one
at golf's oldest major championship just two years ago.

Now, at age 43, he's finally got his name on the claret jug, three-fourths of
the way along to a career Grand Slam and assuring he'll go down as one of the
greats of the game.

"I putted soooo good," Mickelson said.

He began his amazing finish with a 8-footer for birdie at the 13th, getting
his score back to even par and giving him a score that he thought would be in
the mix at the end if he simply parred out.

Mickelson did much better than that, rolling in a 20-footer at the 14th for
another birdie, reaching the green in two at the par-5 17th to set up yet
another birdie, and closing it with a 10-footer on the final hole for a 3-under
281 total.

Even though there were still four groups still on the course, Mickelson knew
he had done more than enough to win. He pumped his fists and let out a yell. His
caddie burst into tears. His wife and kids celebrated just off the green.

Lee Westwood began the day with a two-stroke lead
but was again denied his first major title. He struggled to a 75 that left him
four shots back, and Mickelson's victory was assured when Westwood didn't come
close to making the eagle he needed on the 17th.  Woods was two shots out at the
start but a 74 left him five shots behind the winner.

Mickelson was the only player to break par over four days at a baked-out
course that bedeviled the world's best golfers.

Everyone but Mickelson, that is. Henrik Stenson was the runner-up at 284. Ian Poulter
and Adam Scott finished another shot back.

"Phil must've played really well," Westwood said. "Five-under par is a good
round of golf this afternoon."

Looking up at Atlanta and Philadelphia in the National League East, Washington understands that its current 11-game homestand comes at a pivotal
point in the season.

With a 27-19 record at home this year, the Nationals know this is the time to
make up some ground.

The Nats will hope to do just that on Saturday night against the Dodgers at
Nationals Park. Washington took a 3-2 loss on Friday after closer Rafael Soriano
surrendered a solo home run to Andre Ethier in the top of the ninth inning.

"If you're doing the things I know you're capable of doing, it doesn't matter
to me whether we're at home or on the road," Nationals manager Davey Johnson
said. "We need to win ballgames. And that's the challenge we've got in front of
us. We've got 11 games here, so we need to play good here and we need to play
good all the way, not just this coming homestand."

Gio Gonzalez gets the nod for the Nationals, while Zack Greinke takes the
hill for the Dodgers. Both pitchers have been unbeatable in the last month, with
Gonzalez going 4-0 with a 2.00 ERA in his last four starts, and Greinke going
5-0 with a 2.50 ERA in his past five starts.

Resembling the pitcher that won 20 games for Washington last season, Gonzalez
(7-3, 3.03 ERA) has allowed two earned runs or fewer in 11 of his last 13
starts. He also has a 2.18 ERA since May 1.

Meanwhile, Greinke (8-2, 3.49 ERA) is coming off one of his best
performances, tossing his fourth career shutout against the Rockies on Saturday
in a 1-0 win.

"I stayed good all the way through. I haven't done that in a while," Greinke
said after the game. "I felt good out there. It was a fun game."

With just one loss in his last 10 starts, the right-hander has been a huge
reason for the Dodgers' recent surge in the NL West.

"From where we were, I think 12 games under [.500], and the way we were able
to finish up, we kind of bounced together and put ourselves in a position to be
in the race," Dodgers manager Don Mattingly said. "So to get ourselves back in
it coming up to the break, that's a small accomplishment in itself. But I want
to keep that in context -- and we've talked about it as a team -- because we
haven't accomplished anything yet besides getting ourselves back in the race and
putting ourselves in position. Hopefully from here we can continue to play well
and stay healthy and see what we can do."

Dodgers: Kemp eyes Sunday return
• Dodgers center fielder Matt Kemp hit against live pitching before Friday's game
against the Nationals, saying he feels ready to return on Sunday, which is the first
day he is eligible to come off the 15-day disabled list.

Kemp, who is out with an irritated AC joint in his left shoulder, does not
believe he will need to go on a Minor League rehabilitation assignment.

"He's probably had enough of [rehab assignments]," Mattingly said. "There's a
lot of guys who think they don't necessarily need them. Nobody wants them."

 • The Dodgers got three regulars back in their starting lineup for Friday
night's series opener. Left fielder Carl Crawford (stiff lower back), right
fielder Yasiel Puig (sore left hip) and second baseman Mark Ellis (left knee)
all were back in the lineup after missing some time with minor injuries late in
the first half.

Nationals: Detwiler unlikely for next start
• Johnson said on Friday that it is unlikely that Ross Detwiler will be able to come off the
15-day disabled list and make his scheduled start on Tuesday.

"For me, he would have to throw today or tomorrow, and do a side [session]
and then get out and pitch in a game. And I don't think we're going to do it by
[next weekend]," Johnson said. "But I'm going to put that question to our great
medical staff, see if they can't get him ready to go."

Detwiler has been on the disabled list since July 4 with a lingering back
strain. He played catch on flat ground on Thursday, but still had soreness in
his back after throwing.

Worth noting
• Nats outfielder Jayson Werth is hitting .326 (44-for-135) with seven doubles,
six home runs, 23 RBIs, 21 runs and 19 walks in 38 games since returning from the DL.

 • Dodgers left-hander Ted Lilly threw a simulated game before Friday's
contest. Dealing with a neck injury, Lilly threw about 20 pitches and used his
entire repertoire.

Billy Walters Practices Bankroll Management

Walters uses the data from his systems to come up with his own lines and then
bets on the differences.  He varies his bet amount by how much different
his own line is from the sportsbook’s line.  He mentions that he had won a
record amount on the Saints/Colts Superbowl: $3.5M.  Clearly he took
advantage of substantial differences in his own projections vs. the oddsmakers
and the higher betting limits that a Superb Bowl allows.

Billy Walters Is Very Astute About Line Moves

For anyone paying attention, this was the real revelation about the
program.  Walters was speaking to one of his beards on the phone (guys who
place bets for him) and he was very strict saying that if a casino would allow
him a half point, he would play, and if not he would hold off.  Line moves
are the #1 way for a bettor to beat the house, without question.

To do some math, remember that as the bettor, you are risking money in the
proportion of $110 to win $100 when you bet.  Therefore you need to win
approximately 52.4% of the time to win money.  Line moves give you an
opportunity to blow these odds out of the water.  Even if your system was
flipping a coin, picking up an extra point in the NFL would give you an extra
4.6-6.0 percent chance of winning – meaning just by being astute about shopping
for lines, you have increased your chances from 50% to around 55% on each game
which over the course of a season will lead to huge returns.  In the NBA, a
point is even more pronounced, giving the gambler an extra 5.8-6.6%
advantage.  Realizing how the numbers are stacked in a line shopper’s
favor, it is no wonder that Billy Walters was so emphatic and disciplined about
a half point…

Our take away

While Billy Walters didn’t give away the farm regarding his betting
philosophy, it was nice to see such a big fish in our little corner of the
world, sports betting, get some mainstream airtime.  While Walters let on
that he was serious about system betting, and we believe him, he offered little
into what criteria he considers when looking for an advantage.  The most
telling part was what he said to his beard about line shopping: he was very
serious about gaining an advantage from line moves.  The numbers bear him out:

 Line Moves are the number one way to profit in Sport Betting. Take that to the bank!

Volleyball is a fairly popular sport. It has more of a following in some  countries, such as America, Brazil and Russia, then others. Because there isn’t  a huge fan base (it’s not considered a major, international sport), unless a  major tournament is being played, it can be difficult, if not impossible to find sportsbook that is offering volleyball bets. There simply aren’t a lot of big matches or enough bettors interested in consistently betting on the sport, to  justify sportsbooks taking bets. Most betting action for this sport will take  place during the FVIB World Championships, the Olympics and World League.

Volleyball Betting Types and Odds
There are a number of volleyball bets that bettors can make. We have reviewed some of the most common ones below.


Match Betting in Volleyball: This is a simple wager. Individuals are betting on the outcome of a match. Depending on the sportsbook, this wager may use either a decimal or fractional system. The payouts will be better for the underdog. This is to encourage betting on both teams. Bettors that bet on the team that is expected to lose, do so because the potential exists for them to receive a big payout, much larger then the one they would receive if they wagered on the winner and won. Odds makers offer these types of lines in order to entice bettors to bet on both sides of the match.


Point Spread: With this type of wager, the winning volleyball team must beat the spread in order for the bet to pay out. Some bettors like this bet because even if their team loses, they don’t as long as the winning team failed to cover the spread. This is how the sportsbook encourages even betting with these types of wagers.

Point Totals: This is a bet on how many points, total, will be scored  between the two volleyball teams. Bettors aren’t betting on the outcome of the  match but instead on how many points will be scored. This is an under/over bet.  The sportsbook will present a number and bettors will wager whether or not the  total number of points will be over or under that figure.


Set Handicap: This wager is on the outcome of a particular set. These  are offered at terms similar to match bets and are often listed in a decimal and fractional system. These are also sometimes listed as Moneyline bets.


Volleyball Major Events
FVIB World Championships: This is the oldest and most prestigious  volleyball tournament. It has been played since 1949. An indoor tournament, both the Russian men and women have dominated this event. The most recent champions on the women’s side are the Russians and Brazil for men.


Olympics: The Olympics occur every four years and is one of the  biggest sporting events in the world. The top national volleyball teams compete  for world dominance. The Olympics are watched by millions of people and are 
prime times to make sports bets.


World League: This tournament has been played since 1990 and is one of Volleyball’s most prestigious events. The men’s tournament is called the FIVB  World League and the women’s, the FIVB World Grand Prix. Italy and Brazil have  dominated this event, both winning it 8 times.


Volleyball Betting Strategy and Tips
The fan base for volleyball is pretty small when compared to the likes of  soccer and basketball. This provides both advantages and disadvantages. One  advantage is that there is less competition. This can result in more wins for 
those who do bet. Also, because so few people follow the sport, there is not a  lot of reporting done on it. Individuals really have to dig if they want to find good information about the sport. Because not everyone will do what it takes, 
those who will, have an advantage.


One disadvantage of volleyball not being a major sport is that sportsbooks don’t offer many bets on matches. Most often, bettors will have to wait for major events, like the ones mentioned above (see Major Events), before they are 
able to place a bet. For diehard fans, this can be very frustrating.


Even though there isn’t as much reporting on volleyball, as there are the  major sports, proper and thorough research is important for bettors. They will  need to know which teams are the best, whom the top players are, who’s injured 
and how many wins and losses a team has. All of this information will be necessary in order for individuals to make good bets. The Internet will probably be the best way to obtain this information. The sport’s international governing body’s website should also list matches, results and relevant information at  their website as well and is a good place to do research.


Volleyball isn’t considered a major sport, but it is still entertaining and  requires a great deal of skill and athleticism. It is also fun to watch.  Individuals that wish to bet on the sport will find that most action takes place during the Olympics, the World League, and World Championships. To give oneself the best chance at winning, proper and thorough research will be required. Comparing the odds made available by sportsbooks is also recommended. Doing so 
will ensure that bettors are able to qualify for the highest payouts possible.