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.
ReutersJames Posey, who came from Memphis with Williams in the big trade, had 11 rebounds and helped in the sound Heat defensive effort that held the Pistons to 33.3 percent shooting. Antoine Walker had 11 points, more than any Pistons but Richard Hamilton. Gary Payton added six in helping hold MVP candidate Chauncey Billups to three of 14 shooting.
Riley couldn't have scripted it better.
Though this wasn't quite the same Pistons team that had been to consecutive NBA Finals, a team that was worn thin by the length and intensity of its run. Finishing up Friday, it was a full season added in playoff games the last four years, 14 elimination games in which they were 11-3. The shots didn't fall anymore. The defensive ferocity was worn away.
"It's an emotional strain of knowing all the big games you've had to get up for and to play and it can constantly wear on you," said Saunders. "You look at a lot of teams don't have the ability to go to four (straight) conference finals. It doesn't happen a lot because of the wear and tear mentally, physically."
Feuding with their coach, questioning everyone else, it wasn't there anymore for the Pistons after having to come back from trailing 3-2 to Cleveland just to get to the Heat.
"Miami played a great series," said Richard Hamilton. "Every angle, every position, they played great. There were times we'd make our run and they'd make their run. I give credit to them."
And so we must to Pat Riley.
The final score determines success in sports. For the last few years, the model in the NBA was a starless one, the gears of teamwork meshing for the Pistons, five men working as one. And so now it's the two-star formula, back to Magic and Kareem, Bird and McHale, Michael and Scottie, Shaq and Wade.
And Riley supplying the moving parts.
"Ever since Shaquille O'Neal showed on the scene, this team has been a legitimate contender," said Riley. "And we have put pieces around him."
Pieces that fit better than most imagined. Riley now has four games, for the first Heat championship in franchise history, to demonstrate his ultimate vision.
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.
Paul Pierce has been around long enough to know what Rajon Rondo's performance can mean for the aging Boston Celtics.
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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.
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.
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.