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.
APRHP Keith Foulke, Red Sox
Pain: A balky left knee has bothered Boston's closer for the past year, at first reducing his effectiveness and eventually reaching the point that his future is in question. Foulke tried pitching with the pain in the first half of last season but had blown four save chances and compiled a 6.23 ERA when he went on the disabled list in July. After arthroscopic surgery, he came back in September but was no more successful. A second surgery still had not eased all the pain by the start of spring training.
Prognosis: The Red Sox's season may well depend on Foulke, whose effectiveness may well depend on a substance called Synvisc. The lubricant, which has helped Randy Johnson, was injected into each of Foulke's knees three times during camp. The hope is it will provide enough cushioning to allow him to pitch without a lot of pain. As of last Wednesday, the Red Sox still were counting on Foulke to begin the season on time even though he had yet to pitch in a game. Sooner or later, they'll find out about the accuracy of the claim by Synvisc's maker that it takes up to 12 weeks after a cycle of injections to provide the greatest relief.
RHP Roy Halladay, Blue Jays
Pain: With less than a week to go before the All-Star break, he was 12-4 with a 2.41 ERA and the favorite to be the American League's starter in the All-Star Game. But on July 8, a line drive off the bat of the Rangers' Kevin Mench left Halladay with a fractured shin.
Prognosis: The Jays must be confident he's back to form because they just gave him a three-year contract extension. With Halladay enjoying a solid spring (two earned runs in his first 13 innings), the team is free to focus on A.J. Burnett's ailing elbow.
CF Torii Hunter, Twins
Pain: The game's most fearless outfielder broke his left ankle trying to make a catch at Fenway Park on July 29. Hunter awkwardly planted his foot on the wall near the Red Sox bullpen and crumpled in pain with what originally was diagnosed as a strained tendon. The Twins first said he would be out for maybe a month, but he did not return.
Prognosis: Hunter has not been limited in spring training, and all signs indicate he's ready to resume his close relationship with outfield fences around the American League.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
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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.
Paul Pierce has been around long enough to know what Rajon Rondo's performance can mean for the aging Boston Celtics.