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.
PARIS - Andy Roddick got through a second practice session at Roland Garros on his injured left ankle with no apparent problems Sunday and his coach said the fifth-seeded American probably will play at the French Open.
“It looks that way right now,” said John Roddick, Andy’s older brother and coach. “The progress has been faster than we expected, and with the Tuesday start, it looks good.”
The clay-court Grand Slam tournament started Sunday — a day earlier than normal — and the first round is being stretched out over three days. Roddick’s portion of the draw is in action Tuesday; he’s scheduled to face Alberto Martin of Spain.
Roddick moved around more during Sunday’s training hour session on Court 18 at the far end of Roland Garros than he did Saturday. He didn’t seem to be having trouble with the ankle, although he did complain aloud that his shoes weren’t giving him much stability on the red clay.
The 2003 U.S. Open champion and former top-ranked player sprained ligaments in the ankle Wednesday at the World Team Cup in Duesseldorf, Germany.
“He’s still feeling his way out,” John Roddick said.
Allez, Gators?
Joakim Noah is famous in two countries, for two very different reasons.
In the United States, of course, he’s known for leading Florida to the 2006 NCAA college basketball championship, selected the Final Four’s most outstanding player after his 16 points and record six blocks led the Gators past UCLA in the title game.
In France? He’s known because his father, Yannick, won the 1983 French Open, the last local man to win this Grand Slam tournament.
So, Joakim was asked, do the French know all about Florida’s championship?
“No. They don’t understand at all,” he said with a smile. “I’m just the son of Yannick Noah here.”
0-FOR-17
Juan Antonio Marin just keeps pluggin’ away, hoping to win a Grand Slam match someday. Not a title. A match.
Marin’s career mark at the majors dropped to 0-17 on Sunday, when he lost 7-5, 6-3, 6-3 to 1998 champion Carlos Moya in the first round of the French Open. No man has ever lost that many Grand Slam matches without winning one.
“Given my stats, I don’t know if I am going to win. ... I’ll keep on trying,” said Marin, who was playing his first match at a major since 2002, in part because of knee and ankle injuries.
“Truthfully,” he added, “I don’t feel down.”
Marin is the only tennis player from Costa Rica to play in a Grand Slam. But he has lived in Barcelona since 1989, and he and Moya are friends.
“I would have preferred another opponent, but it is always nice to play on show court,” he said. “I am going away happy.”
No Drysdale
TV analyst Cliff Drysdale will miss ESPN2’s coverage of the French Open because of illness, the network said Sunday.
Drysdale has been a part of ESPN or ESPN2 telecasts at 37 majors.
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.
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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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