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.
And why, even as he nudged Artest out the door, Pacers boss Donnie Walsh wished him well.
“Maybe this was not the right team for a guy like Ronnie,” Walsh said. “Really, Ronnie couldn’t get out from under it and I hope he does in Sacramento because everyone needs a fresh start.”
Artest conceded as much Thursday in a rambling interview with ESPN from his home. He wished the Pacers and their new hire, Peja Stojakovic, well. He said he would miss Indianapolis and that his wife and four kids wanted to stay there. He left out the part about jettisoning most of last season and the first half of this one, but he’s apologized enough for that.
Even though he’s scheduled to join the Kings for Friday night’s game in Boston, Artest said he still felt like a “Hoosier.” He was, as always, completely sincere.
“The Pacers, you know, they’re going to feel like it’s a load off their shoulders. ... So everybody can get back, you know, focus in on basketball and other sports: college basketball, football, we’ve got the Super Bowl coming up. ... Being a little more mature, it’s helping me make decisions, smart decisions.”
Go back and find as many stories as you can about Artest’s return to the Pacers after his central role in the “Malice at the Palace” episode.
He talked about being content and ready to go. About spending time at home with family and maturing. About learning his lesson, loving Indianapolis and the way everybody treated him before and after the brawl.
Pacers president Larry Bird, who’s nearly impossible to con, talked back then about how much he admired Artest.
“Not for what he did,” Bird said, “but how he’s come back and worked and he’s done things to improve himself.”
Then he posed with a smiling Artest for the cover of Sports Illustrated’s NBA preview. Only Bird’s expression doesn’t give away anything — perfect for a man about to call somebody’s bluff.
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
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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.
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