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?
LIVE VIDEO: NBCSports.com shows Washington-New York, with alternate camera angles, HD views and more.
PBT: Jeremy Lin wasn't his hot self on Saturday, but he still led the Knicks to victory.
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.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has 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.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
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.
APAfter a slow adjustment to the A’s, Loaiza has been the dependable starter Oakland needed during its playoff push, going 5-0 in seven strong appearances before getting pounded at Tampa Bay last Saturday.
Loaiza and fellow starters Joe Blanton and Dan Haren have 10 wins apiece since June 8 — and Barry Zito, who has nine wins in that span, could join them with a victory Saturday. Combined with standout defense, the A’s have been able to win without big hits.
“We’ve really been below-average in hitting,” said Eric Chavez, who went 0-for-2 but scored the go-ahead run. “Defense and pitching has been the name of the game for us.”
Loaiza retired Chicago’s first seven hitters before Mackowiak’s homer. Oakland tied it later in the third inning when Scutaro beat out an infield single and scored on a triple by Kotsay, who returned to the lineup after missing the just-concluded six-game trip with back problems.
The A’s put at least one runner in scoring position in each of Garland’s last five innings. Garland left with his head down in the sixth after two more Oakland hits.
“Tough decision to make, to take him out,” Guillen said. “This kid has a chance to win 20 games, but I had to think about getting the team a win. ... If you don’t throw a strike against these guys, you get in trouble. All of a sudden, you’re in the fifth inning and you have 100 pitches.”
Notes: A’s DH Frank Thomas’ second-inning double against his former team was the 952nd extra-base hit of his career, tying him with Mickey Mantle for 37th place on baseball’s career list. ... A’s RHP Rich Harden will throw a simulated game Saturday, the latest step in his quest to return to the mound for the first time since early June. ... Kotsay’s back spasms had kept him out of 17 of the A’s previous 34 games.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
DeMarco: Plug in a well-heeled ownership group and negotiate one of those mega-bucks TV deals that are going around, and the Dodgers could become the west coast version of the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox.
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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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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.