Smoltz joining TBS as broadcaster, will not retire

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03/16/2010 - Atlanta, GA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - John Smoltz is joining TBS as a broadcaster for Atlanta Braves games and will serve as an analyst for Turner Broadcasting on its slate of nationally televised Sunday games.

Despite the move, Smoltz did not say he was retiring, and has reportedly informed friends he plans on staying in shape should a new opportunity to pitch with a Major League team arise. He previously worked for the network in 2007 and 2008 as an analyst during the postseason.

"Joining Turner Sports' Major League Baseball coverage is a great opportunity for me to stay immersed in the game that I love and I'm really looking forward to this experience. Having worked with TBS and Peachtree TV before, I am thrilled about the start of the 2010 season," Smoltz said through a release from the network.

The eight-time All-Star is best known for his time in Atlanta from 1988-2008 where he helped the Braves to a World Series title in 1995 as well as NL pennants in 1991, '92, '96 and '99.

Smoltz is is the only player in MLB history to have over 200 wins and 150 saves and just the second pitcher in baseball annals to have a 20-win season and a 50-save season. The 42-year-old owns a career mark of 213-155 with a 3.33 ERA and has 154 saves. In addition, Smoltz is the winningest pitcher in postseason history with a record of 15-4.

After 20 years with Atlanta, including his Cy Young-winning season in 1996, Smoltz signed a one-year deal with Boston for the 2009 season, was released after making eight starts and was signed by St. Louis for the remainder of the year.

He finished last season with a combined 3-8 record and 6.35 ERA in 15 starts.

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Michael Vick is back, Brett Favre isn't and the NFC East remains the best division in the NFC, maybe in all of football.

As players start to gather for the start of another season, some things change and some stay the same in the world of the NFL.

Bet 2010 Super Bowl Odds

The NFC East has been the dominant division in the National Conference for a while, despite limited playoff success, save for the New York Giants surprise Super Bowl win two seasons ago.

Hell, there's a generation of kids in Texas who have never seen the Cowboys win a playoff game (last win was in 1996).

But collectively, the Giants, Eagles, Cowboys and Redskins (well, maybe not so much the Redskins) are as good as a division gets in an NFC conference that has struggled to stay competitive with the AFC side.

Sports bettors have both acknowledged the NFC East's dominance, as one glance at the NFL future odds menu will show.

Looking over the NFL betting odds at online sports book MySportsbook.com we see the top three teams listed to win the NFC Championship are all from the NFC East:

Dallas Cowboys - 7 - 1

Philadelphia Eagles - 13 - 2

New York Giants - 9 - 2

Slotting in behind these three are two teams from the NFC North: the Minnesota Vikings (15-2) and the Chicago Bears (10-1).

Again, despite the lack of recent playoff success, the Dallas Cowboys are popular with the sports betting community, as they hold 14% of all the money wagered on who will win the NFC Championship.

So far, the New York Giants are the bettors' favorite to represent their conference in the Super Bowl, as they have 24% of the overall NFC Championship betting volume.

And what about the Philadelphia Eagles? For the most part, the Eagles had a very productive offseason, the kind that could bring them back to the top.

They had a good draft adding the likes of WR Jeremy Maclin and RB LeSean McCoy.

Unfortunately, the team received a blow when long-time defensive coordinator Jim Johnson passed away on Tuesday.

But this team will make a real run at the division title this year. Going into the regular season, Philly is listed at +240 to win the division.

Last season the Eagles were 9-6-1 SU and 10-6 ATS.

Teams from the NFC East will play teams from the AFC West in the regular season and the Eagles haven't really been a good bet in the last 20 games against the likes of San Diego, Oakland, K.C. and Denver, only going 8-12 ATS.

Two seasons removed from that Super Bowl title, the New York Giants see themselves listed as the odds-on favorite in NFC East championship futures at +162.

Plaxico Burress is gone and with him all the bad publicity surrounding the gun in the sweatpants incident, but can they replace him in the offense?

Last season the Giants were a very reliable bet going 12-4 ATS.

In the Giants' last 20 games against fellow teams from the NFC East; they are 13-7 ATS.

Dallas is listed at +240 to win the division.

Dallas went 9-7 SU and 7-9 ATS last season and with the amount of talent the Cowboys have, a similar performance won't do.

The Cowboys have been atrocious against divisional rivals, going 6-14 ATS in their last 20.

The Washington Redskins are longshots to win the division at +550.

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