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.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has 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.
Reuters fileYou had to be pretty special to win this category, because many top athletes have their best seasons when they are in their 20s. But Woods not only dominated a sport, he changed it. He opened golf up to minorities and his victories, long drives and aggressive style of play helped the sport boom in popularity beyond anyone wildest dreams. TV ratings, international appeal, players’ earnings and endorsement opportunities have never been higher. Golf has Tiger to thank for that.
He won two PGA Tour events as a 19-year-old in 1996, but that was a mere prelude to greatness. In his 20s, Woods won 44 additional PGA Tour events, including 10 majors. He also won eight international titles plus nine other events (like the Grand Slam of Golf). He broke Greg Norman’s record for consecutive weeks as the Tour’s No. 1 player, holding that title for 264 weeks until Vijay Singh wrested away top honors from Tiger in 2004.
Talk of a mysterious “slump” subsided in 2005 when, at age 29, Tiger had a spectacular season, regaining the No. 1 ranking with six PGA Tour victories, including a pair of majors — the Masters and British Open — and earning a near-record $10,628,024.
Honorable mentions:
Michael Jordan: He was an unstoppable force, stringing together seven consecutive NBA scoring titles in which he averaged more than 30 points a game in each season. He also led the Bulls to three consecutive league titles.
Wayne Gretzky: He rewrote the NHL record books in his second decade. Among them: 50 goals in 39 games; 92 goals in a season; 163 assists in a season; 215 points in a season. And, by the way, led Edmonton to four Stanley Cups.
Jim Brown: Incredibly, he was at the top of his game when he retired at age 29. Before that, he led the NFL in rushing five times, including 1,863 yards in a 14-game season in 1963. Remains the all-time career leader in yards per carry at 5.2.
Babe Ruth: Only athlete on our list who could have won or been honorable mention in his 20s and his 30s. In his second decade, Ruth starred as a pitcher for three years then became a slugging outfielder, winning six home run titles.
Pete Sampras: Won most of his record 14 Grand Slam titles while in his 20s. Loved the grass at Wimbledon, winning seven out of eight in one stretch. Was ranked No. 1 for a record 286 consecutive weeks and for a record six consecutive years.
Carl Lewis: Achieved immortality by matching Jesse Owens record of four gold medals when he captured the 100, 200, 400 relay and long jump at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Greatest long jumper in history.
Muhammad Ali: Socially relevant because he changed his name from Cassius Clay for religious reasons in 1967. Had many big wins before that, including career-making upset of Sonny Liston in 1964. Epic Ali-Frazier I came when he was 29.
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.
After leading by 18 points in the first half, the Los Angeles Lakers were staring at a four-point deficit with less than two minutes to play.
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.