Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
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.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods both greeted Sunday with unbridled optimism. But the day would end happily only for Mickelson.
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.
Getty Images
LONDON - Hernan Crespo scored seconds after entering as a substitute to help defending champion Chelsea win 3-1 Monday at West Ham and open a 14 point-lead in England’s Premier League.
Liverpool’s 10-game winning streak ended with a 2-2 tie at Bolton, leaving Rafa Benitez’s team in third place, 17 points behind Chelsea.
The Hammers were tied with Chelsea 1-1 at Upton Park when manager Jose Mourinho sent in Crespo for winger Damien Duff. The switch worked immediately, with Crespo pushing the ball past goalkeeper Roy Carroll with his first touch and rolling it into an empty net with his second.
Didier Drogba added a goal with 10 minutes to go. Frank Lampard had put Chelsea ahead against his former club before Marlon Harewood made it 1-1.
“To score against my former club is something I have been looking forward to doing,” Lampard said. “It was very special, but at the end of the day the three points is what we needed.”
Second-place Manchester United, 14 points behind Chelsea, was idle and plays Tuesday at Arsenal.
Despite his team’s big lead, Mourinho was upset because midfielder Michael Essien was hurt early in the game on a challenge by West Ham’s Nigel Reo-Coker.
“We have to wait for news on Essien,” Mourinho said. “We have to wait for scans and X-rays. All I know is that he cannot walk and his ankle is swollen. I don’t want speak about Reo-Coker, but I can imagine what would be said if it had been the other way around.”
|
Everton and Aston Villa also moved farther from relegation trouble with victories. Everton beat Charlton 3-1, and Aston Villa defeated West Bromwich Albion 2-1. Newcastle and Middlesbrough tied 2-2.
Blackburn rallied to defeat Portsmouth 2-1 and moved up to eighth. Fourth-place Tottenham goes to Manchester City on Wednesday.
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.
Alex Morgan's 2 goals, including the winner in stoppage time, lift the U.S. past New Zealand 2-1.
 | Slideshow |
 |
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.
Paul Pierce has been around long enough to know what Rajon Rondo's performance can mean for the aging Boston Celtics.
