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: Syracuse is among a solid group of No. 1 seeds in our latest tournament projections, but the middle of the pack is much more murky.
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 greeted their Sunday pairing at Pebble Beach with optimism. But the day would end happily only for one.
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.
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NEW YORK - Derek Jeter stepped to the plate with the Yankees trailing in the eighth inning, having just watched Johnny Damon strike out on three pitches.
Jeter showed New York’s latest star addition how things get done in the Bronx. His three-run homer soared into the left-field seats to cap a five-run rally, and New York beat the Kansas City Royals 9-7 Tuesday to win its club-record ninth straight home opener.
“He always had a flair for the dramatic,” Bernie Williams said. “I would be surprised if he doesn’t do anything.”
Chien-Ming Wang wasted a 4-1 lead before the stirring comeback calmed what had been a disappointed sellout crowd of 54,698. It was the first game at Yankee Stadium since last October’s playoff flop against the Los Angeles Angels, and New York went 2-4 on its season-opening West Coast trip.
Kansas City, which lost a major league-high 106 games last year, hasn’t won at Yankee Stadium since August 2002. Jason Giambi hit an early three-run homer to help extend the Royals’ losing streak in the Bronx to 12.
With the Royals ahead 7-4, Giambi fell behind 1-2 in the count against Andrew Sisco (0-1) leading off the eighth, then walked. Hideki Matsui singled and Jorge Posada got the Yankees’ ninth walk of the game, loading the bases.
Robinson Cano hit an RBI groundout, beating the relay to first to avoid a double play. That brought up Williams, who received more standing ovations from Yankees fans who worried last fall that he wouldn’t be re-signed.
He cost New York in the fourth when he was doubled up at second on a popup, but this time he punched a run-scoring single to left.
“I was hoping that I could do something to redeem myself,” Williams said.
Ambiorix Burgos relieved to face Damon, playing his first game in pinstripes after spending four seasons with Boston. Damon slammed his bat in the dirt after swinging under a belt-high fastball, and Jeter came to the plate.
“It seems when something needs to happen, he seems to be at the start of it or the end of it,” Yankees manager Joe Torre said.
Yet in previous home openers, Jeter had no homers and two RBIs in 34 at-bats. The Yankees’ captain was looking for a fastball, but jumped on a splitter.
“They’re all special,” said Jeter, who refused to rank the great moments he’s had in this ballpark. “It seems like the season hasn’t really officially started until we play our home opener.”
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Scott Proctor (1-1) pitched one inning for the win, and Mariano Rivera finished for his first save.
Rivera had no doubt Jeter would come through.
“I’ve seen it for years,” Rivera said. “That doesn’t surprise me at all.”
Rivera hit Mike Sweeney on the palm of his right hand with a pitch in the ninth, forcing the designated hitter from the game and putting two runners on with one out. But the closer struck out Reggie Sanders and caught Doug Mientkiewicz’s soft looper for the final out.
Burgos said through a translator that his pitch to Jeter was “right down the middle.” Sisco, whose ERA climbed to 21.00, called his own performance “unacceptable.”
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
HBT: Prince Fielder is gone and Ryan Braun will likely miss a third of the season because of a failed PED test. Can Milwaukee stay in contention until he gets back?
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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.
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