Walton leads by one in Kansas

Golf Betting Lines

08/05/2007 - Wichita, KS (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Michael Walton fired a five-under 66 Saturday to take a one-stroke lead after three rounds of the Wichita Open.

Walton, who is going for his first tour title, completed 54 holes at 14-under- par 199. He is making just his second start on tour this year.

"I've always said that it doesn't matter what tour I am playing as long as I feel I am continuing to improve as a golfer," said Walton, who has been on the Canadian Tour and Golden State Tour this year. "The name of the tournament may change, but I treat every event the same no matter what tour I am playing. I've played really well all year. I've been putting myself in good position."

Bradley Hughes and 1999 champion Brad Elder, who were the second-round co- leaders, both managed rounds of even-par 71. They were joined in second place at minus-13 by Scott Gardiner (67), Vance Veazey (68) and David McKenzie (68).

Ryan Hietala, Rich Morris and Marc Leishman were one stroke further back at minus-12.

Walton got off to a hot start with birdies on the second and third on the North Course at Crestview Country Club. He also birdied the seventh to make the turn at 12-under.

He parred five straight from the eighth, before dropping his only shot of the round on the par-four 13th. Walton atoned for that error with a birdie on 14.

Walton also birdied 16 and 18 to move one clear of the field after three rounds. His best previous finish on tour was a tie for fifth at the 1998 Carolina Classic.

Elder carded three bogeys, a double-bogey and five birdies in his round of 71. Hughes, the 2004 champion, had three birdies and three bogeys in his round.

"I think I played good enough today to score better," Hughes admitted. "I hit some good shots that the wind killed. I do enjoy playing this golf course. The year I won here, the wind was blowing as well in the same direction. So I know how to play, it's just a matter of getting the right clubs in my hand and executing my shots."

McKenzie was the only player in the top six that was bogey-free. He posted birdies on the third, 10th and 14 to go with 15 pars.

Gardiner had two bogeys and six birdies, while Veazey notched five birdies and a pair of dropped shots.

Jeff Klauk, Mark Walker and Martin Laird share 10th place at 10-under-par 203.

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FOOTBALL BETTING : Crabtree's base deal: six years, $32 million

Football Betting

In the wake of the news that the 49ers have signed receiver Michael Crabtree after an extended holdout, there has been not a hint of the dollars to be paid to Crabtree.

And since this means that his agent hasn't leaked the numbers, it means that his agent feels no specific motivation to do so.

Possibly because his agent isn't all that thrilled to have his name on the deal.

So the numbers will come from sources other than Crabtree's agent. And we've gotten our mitts into them.

Per a league source, Crabtree has signed a six-year, $32 million contract. (The total includes guaranteed money, base salaries, and the one-time incentive based on achieving minimum playing time.)

The deal also includes $17 million in guaranteed money.

As reported elsewhere, the deal can void to five years based on performance triggers, wiping out a final year base salary of $4 million. But they won't be easily reached.

The source tells us that, in his first four seasons (including 2009), Crabtree must either qualify for two Pro Bowls, or he must qualify for one Pro Bowl in one year and he must participate in 80 percent of the offensive snaps in a separate year in which the team makes the playoffs.

In other words, if in 2010 he qualifies for the Pro Bowl and the team makes the playoffs and he participates in 80 percent of the snaps, he'll still need to make it to the Pro Bowl or achieve the 80-percent/playoffs in another season.

Since the chances of Crabtree making the Pro Bowl or participating in 80 percent of the offensive snaps this year is roughly zero percent, he'll have three years to get it done.

And it won't be easy. Frankly, he'll be hard pressed to make it to one Pro Bowl in three years with the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Anquan Boldin, Steve Smith, the other Steve Smith, Hakeem Nicks, DeSean Jackson, Johnny Knox, Percy Harvin, Greg Jennings, Roddy White, T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the same conference for sportsbook betting.

So, by all appearances, it's a six-year deal. And at $17 million in guaranteed money, the per-year guarantee is a tepid $2.83 million per year.

There's another problem with the deal -- it has no mid-tier incentive package. Instead, the additional $8 million that Crabtree can earn (pushing the max value to six years, $40 million) requires the kind of unrealistic, mega-star performances that no rookie is likely to ever achieve.

So while the contract paid to Packers defensive tackle B.J. Raji covers five years and pays $22.5 million, he has the ability (if he's a solid player) to make up the difference between his base deal and Crabtree's five-year, $28 million haul via the mid-tier incentive package in Raji's deal.

And unless Crabtree meets the performance thresholds necessary to void the sixth year, he'll be stuck under contract for another year at a base salary of only $4 million.

There's one other area of concern with the deal. Crabtree, per the source, received no option bonus. Instead, he has significant money tied to a fairly new device known as a "discretionary salary advance," which unlike an opition bonus is subject to forfeiture if Crabtree decides in a year or two that he wants to hold out for a better deal. (We're also told that the 49ers have included language that would make certain escalators subject to forfeiture, too.)

Meanwhile, the deal falls well short of the mark for which Crabtree and agent Eugene Parker were aiming -- the five-year, $38.25 million contract paid by the Raiders to receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey, the seventh overall pick in the draft.

Even if Crabtree successfully voids the final year, he'll make more than $2 million per year less on average than Heyward-Bey.

Thus, as we explained earlier in the day, this is a deal that Crabtree could have done in July, which would have given him a much better chance of making a contribution to the 49ers during his rookie year.

So while the final outcome can be described as win-win, the broader view suggests that it's really a lose-lose situation.

NFL Betting Lines

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