Silva: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for NFC teams.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
Ryan Callahan scored for the fifth time in four days and defenseman Ryan McDonagh snapped a second-period tie to lift the New York Rangers to a 3-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Sunday.
Kobe Bryant hit a baseline jump shot with 4.2 seconds left and the Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up a six-game road trip by holding on to beat the Raptors 94-92 on Sunday, their eighth victory in nine meetings with Toronto
Arc's five up, five down: After No. 11 Michigan State's 58-48 upset of No. 3 Ohio State, you'd be a fool to discount the Spartans' national title chances now.
Miami coach Al Golden says the worst is behind him, but his headaches figure to continue now that former booster Nevin Shapiro, now in jail, says his involvement with the Hurricanes program will result in stiff penalties.
Eleven shots separated Phil and Tiger Sunday at Pebble Beach as Lefty secured his 40th Tour win. Jason Sobel had hole-by-hole reports.
The United States completed a 5-0 rout of Switzerland in the Davis Cup on Sunday, with 19-year-old Ryan Harrison and John Isner winning closing singles matches.
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Tessa Worley of France fought off gusting winds to win a second consecutive World Cup giant slalom Sunday in the Andorran Pyrenees. Overall leader Lindsey Vonn was more than a second behind and finished eighth.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
AP
BEIJING - A cartoon panda and Tibetan antelope are the newest Olympic players.
They were among five mascots unveiled Friday for the 2008 Summer Games, opening a marketing blitz expected to reap record profits. Joining the antelope and panda were cartoon depictions of a fish, swallow and the Olympic flame, each a color of one of the Olympic rings.
The announcement, culminating years of fierce lobbying and months of secrecy, was made at a nationally televised gala at a Beijing sports arena, marking the 1,000-day countdown to the event.
“The five friendlies are an incredible little family carefully chosen by Beijing 2008 to represent all of China to carry a message of friendship to the children of the world,” IOC president Jacques Rogge said in a statement read at the ceremony.
There are more mascots for this Olympics than for any in more than 30 years. The 2000 Summer Games in Sydney and 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City had three each.
The animals were introduced as Bei Bei (fish), Jing Jing (panda), Huan Huan (Olympic flame), Ying Ying (antelope) and Ni Ni (swallow). Put together that translates to “Beijing welcomes you!”
“China is so lucky to have so many beautiful animals to represent the Olympic spirit,” Rogge said.
A number of real and mythic creatures were among the candidates considered by Chinese leaders, Olympic officials and design specialists during the past year. Among those failing to make the cut were the dragon and a mischievous magical monkey from Chinese folklore.
The choice, the subject of lively media speculation for months, has been a secret since it was completed three months ago, sealed by confidentiality agreements and the habitual secrecy of the government.
At stake for China is one of the most marketable symbols in the Olympics. The mascots stand to generate significant revenue and public support for the Beijing Games, which will cost about $38 billion.
Sales of licensed products, including those with the mascot, have brought in about $300 million at the Sydney and Athens Olympics. Host cities keep 10 percent to 15 percent of the royalties, helping to defray Olympic costs.
The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games expects sales of such products to be higher still.
On Saturday, postage stamps and more than 300 other licensed products of the mascot go on sale at 188 authorized venues across the country, widening a product line of T-shirts, caps, pens and bags bearing the 2008 Games logo, according to Olympic officials.
|
China has tried to use the mascot-selection process to involve communities far from Beijing. On hand for the unveiling at the Workers Gymnasium were 100 children “ambassadors” from western provinces.
Organizers threw open the selection process, inviting suggestions from the public and local governments, and many governments lobbied intensely. There were 662 suggestions in all for the mascots, with the list pared during the year.
To capitalize on the mascots’ publicity, Beijing is launching an extensive marketing campaign. An animated film by Han Meilin, who headed the design team, was screened at Friday night’s unveiling and is expected to be replayed on Chinese television in coming days.
“This time the mascot design fully combines traditional Chinese culture,” Han told the Chinese Web site Sina.com.
Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.
NEW YORK (AP) - As the glow fades from the Giants' Super Bowl triumph, some New York sports fans are tuning in to basketball and hockey, with the Rangers in first place and the Knicks' overnight sensation, Jeremy Lin, sparking "Lin-sanity.''
Robins: This year, six new breeds will be making their debut on the green carpet for the Westminster Dog Show, which begins Monday.
 | Slide show |
 | The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos |
| Slideshow |
 | Who's hot on Twitter? Check out which of your favorite athletes have the best pages and most followers! NBCSports.com |
 | Special feature |
 | NBCSports.com |
| Slideshow |
 | Presidential candidates and sports How do President Obama and his Republican rivals stack up when it comes to their sports backgrounds? |
Inside NBCSports.com |
Zambia has won the African Cup of Nations, beating pre-tournament favorite Ivory Coast 8-7 on penalties in a dramatic final at Stade de l'Amitie.
Wesseling: Each NFL team enters the offseason with a series of pressing needs. Sometimes a team can address them all, sometimes they ignore them all. But if a team's smart, they'll listen to us. These are the most crucial aspects for AFC teams.
NBC Sports TV and livestream listings