A. Ankle-breaker. Normally ankle-breakers are reserved for basketball, and the victims are subject to endless humiliation on the highlight reels. On the baseball diamond, though, Tim Hudson became a more serious victim when he literally broke his ankle on July 24 while trying to make a play at first base. The Braves as a whole, however, have got up off the deck like champs. They are 16-3 since the moment it happened, mostly thanks to a 14-game winning streak that just ended on Saturday night. Atlanta is +700 to win the World Series, according to Sportsbook.

B. Baby. What was Hunter Mahan’s baby thinking when it arrived early and caused the golfer to withdraw—with the second-round lead—from the Canadian Open? Could it not have waited 48 more hours? But hey, at least this was the freaking Canadian Open and not something like the Masters…or the PGA Championship. Mahan contended through two rounds over the weekend before a Saturday 78 dropped him way out of the picture. He is +4000 at Sportsbook.ag to win the FedEx Cup.

C. Checkered flag. Kyle Busch took one home from Watkins Glen on Sunday. Busch held of Brad Keselowski, who had spun him out in a race to the finish at this same event last year. Sportsbook.ag has Busch at +600 to win the Sprint Cup, well behind favorite Jimmie Johnson (+120).

D. Detroit Pistons. Brandon Jennings signed with Detroit and was introduced at a press conference last week. It continued a rather newsworthy offseason for the Pistons, who also landed Georgia natives Josh Smith (via free agency) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (via the draft). Additionally, they brought back Chauncey Billups, and the veteran’s presence apparently means Jennings will come off the bench as a super sixth man.

E. Emmitt Smith. Adrian Peterson predicts he will surpass Smith’s all-time rushing record in 2017. In fact, AP even circled a date—Week 16 of the 2017 NFL season. His career yardage total stands at 8,849, which means he needs 9,507 to break Smith’s mark of 18,355. AP is a +300 favorite according to Sportsbook.ag to lead the league in rushing this year.

F. Free agency. The frenzy is slowing down in the NBA, but it’s not over yet. Memphis recently signed former Heat sharpshooter Mike Miller. Miami countered by going big, inking oft-injured center Greg Oden to a two-year contract. The aforementioned Pistons, meanwhile, are showing signs of what would be a newsworthy transaction by having discussion with openly-gay player Jason Collins. Miami is a +190 favorite at Bovada Sportsbook to win the 2014 NBA Championship.

G. Brittney Griner. Griner wants a WNBA Slam Dunk Contest. It’s tough to see how that would work or how anyone would ever win given that any time a woman dunks a basketball it is an automatic “10.”

H. Carlos Hyde. Ohio State has suspended its star running back for at least three games of the upcoming season. It’s safe to say the team would not have taken that step if the trio was coming against someone other than nonconference opponents Buffalo, San Diego State, and California. You think the Bucks would have docked Hyde three contests if Wisconsin opened their schedule instead of paying a visit to Columbus for game No. 5? Ohio State is +650 to win the BCS National Championship at Sportsbook.ag.

I. Injured reserve. That’s where Philadelphia receiver Jeremy Maclin finds himself, with the NFL season still a month away, due to a torn ACL. With Riley Cooper embroiled in a controversy so big that his status with the Eagles is not entirely known, Maclin’s loss becomes even bigger for a team that has familiarized itself all too well with injuries of late. The Eagles are the last choice at +350 to win the NFC East, according to BookMaker.

J. Jurgen Klinsmann. The U.S. men’s national team was without its head man for the recent Gold Cup final against Panama, which Team USA still won, 1-0. Klinsmann was suspended for arguing during his squad’s 3-1 semifinal victory Honduras. A fiery head coach and a team firing on all cylinders? Maybe there is reason for hope at the 2014 World Cup after all.
 
K. Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw went eight innings in ESPN’s Sunday night game of the week, allowing only three hits and one earned run to the Rays in an 8-2 Dodgers’ victory. L.A.’s lefty ace has gone five straight starts with at least six innings pitched and no more than two runs surrendered. The Dodgers are +140 favorites at Sportsbook.ag to win the NL Pennant.

L. Sydney Leathers. First stop: Weiner. Next stop: more weiner. Anthony Weiner’s former sexting partner has already delved into the adult-film industry, and she has been offered a reportedly lucrative deal to be the spokesperson for an online dating service.

M. Rory McIlroy. Is the golfer’s relationship with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki to blame for his 2013 struggles? Count Gary Player among the throng of folks who thinks it is. Player suggested that McIlroy “go find the right wife.” That was before the PGA Championship, in which the Northern Irishman briefly flirted with title contention late Saturday and early Sunday.

N. Rafael Nadal. Speaking of tennis, Nadal had been having some issues of his own—although none have ever been linked to his relationship with long-time girlfriend Maria Francisca Perello (sweet name, by the way). Nadal’s knee problems crept up again in a Wimbledon stunner against Steve Darcis, but he put those fears to rest by powering his way to the Montreal title. The Spaniard, who beat Novak Djokovic along the way, is undefeated on hard courts—yes, hard courts—this season. Nadal is the third choice at +400 to win the U.S. Open, according to Sportsbook.ag.

O. Overwhelming. That’s how Alex Rodriguez characterized the reception he got from the Yankee Stadium faithful during the home debut of his comeback last Friday. Not sure what’s so overwhelming about a chorus of boos amidst a few cheers, but A-Rod has never exactly been the sharpest tool in the shed. Nor has he ever been one to speak the truth. So who knows if he actually found it overwhelming. New York is +3000 at BetOnline Sportsbook to win the AL Pennant.

P. Jake Peavy. It’s a pair of Sox in 2013 for Peavy, who was dealt from Chicago to Boston prior to the MLB Trade Deadline. He picked up a win in a stellar debut with the Red Sox on Aug. 3, but he allowed 10 hits and six runs over five innings during a loss to Kansas City last Friday night. Boston is +800 at Bovada Sportsbook to win the World Series.

Q. Chad Qualls. If you somehow haven’t yet watched the video and/or GIF of Qualls’ celebration—make that “attempted celebration”—during Miami’s loss to the Mets late last month, do so now.

R. Rutgers. Eric LeGrand’s No. 52 will be retired by the university on Sept. 14. It will be the first jersey retirement in the 144-year history of Rutgers football program. Respect.

S. “Sharknado”. Sharks are just everywhere these days. Not only did another epic installment of “Shark Week” just take place on the Discovery Channel, but a sequel to “Sharknado” has been announced. It will be called, “Sharknado 2: The Second One.” Having already destroyed Los Angeles, the sharks will set their sights on New York City in July of 2014.

T. Transition. Lindsay Lohan was apparently not yet ready to make one from rehab back into the real world. It turns out she had a relationship with a 23-year-old male patient, but he got booted out of the center to an all-male facility, so perhaps that’s why Lohan decided not to protest when her 90-day stint was up. She’s back on the streets and was reportedly seen partying with band members from The Wanted last week. Here we go again.

U. Juan Uribe. Juan Uribe fell victim to the ol’ hidden ball trick on Saturday when he was caught off third base by Evan Longoria and the Rays. L.A. still won 5-0, which means Uribe’s teammates will be in the mood to joke about it over and over again. As they should. The Dodgers are +300 favorites at Sportsbook.ag to win the World Series.

V. Robin Van Persie. Unlike Kobe Bryant with Dwight Howard, Van Persie will not let Wayne Rooney go gently into that good night. Rooney has told his Manchester United teammates that he is heading to Chelsea, but RVP is putting the full-court press on in hopes of getting Rooney to stay. Man United, Chelsea, and Man City are all +225 co-favorites at Sportsbook.ag to win the English Premier League in 2013.

W. Wanamaker Trophy. Jason Dufner lifted it on Sunday evening and almost cracked a smile while doing so. Almost. By the way, did anyone see Dufner’s wife? Talk about out-kicking your punt coverage! Dufner is +3000 at Sportsbook.ag to win the FedEx Cup.

X. X. As in Xavier McDaniel, known affectionately just as “X”…which you know is the case if you’re a regular in Wichita State basketball circles. McDaniel will be inducted into the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in Kansas City on Nov. 24, two days before the Shockers play nearby in the Collegiate Basketball Experience Classic.

Y. Yoenis Cespedes. It’s funny that some analysts think the Home Run Derby can actually propel players to big second halves of the season. At the same time, it’s not like Cespedes’ pedestrian second half can be attributed to exhaustion or anything like that from winning the contest. He has hit a decent three homers in 17 games since while his average has remained at a dismal .227. The slumping A’s, meanwhile, have plummeted out of first in the AL West in part due to Texas’ eight-game winning streak. They are even money at Bovada Sportsbook to win the division.

Z. Zingers. Ken Griffey Jr. fired a few of them at fellow Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame members during his induction speech on Saturday night, which lasted…wait for it…25 minutes! Most of it, though, was so emotional that it brought both Griffey and Jay Buhner to tears. By the way, how the hell is Dan Wilson in the Mariners Hall of Fame? Sure, they are the Mariners without much history, but wow.

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