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.
APQ: Safe to say we already know the eight teams that will be in the Western Conference playoffs? If one team was going to flop in the first round, who would it likely be?
— Adrian from Pueblo, Colo.
A: The Canucks picked up some offensive help with the acquisition of veteran center Brian Smolinski, but they are still challenged to put the puck in the net. Thankfully, franchise forward Markus Naslund has picked up the pace since the new year, collecting 23 points in the 20 games leading up to the trade deadline.
Roberto Luongo, a potential Hart (MVP) winner, can take these guys a very long way. However, even he needs to be backed by more than one or two goals a game. I could see Luongo holding the opposition to six goals over four games of a first-round series, and the Canucks possibly be swept. He might feel like he never left Florida.
Q: Which coaches probably have to guide their teams into the playoffs to avoid the pink slip?
— Gus McLish from Minneapolis.
A: There isn't likely to be much movement, in part because there was so much shakeout after last season, and then during 2006-'07.
But, as always, there are candidates to walk the plank.
It's unlikely that the Rangers will make it back to the postseason, and that could be the end for Tom Renney. He is a pretty good coach, but a DNQ on top of last year's first-round KO probably will be too much for him to survive.
The Thrashers, especially after picking up Tkachuk at the deadline, should be shoo-ins for a playoff spot. However, if they were to falter, it could come down to GM Don Waddell getting canned or Bob Hartley getting cashiered. In fact, another DNQ could point them both out the door.
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.
Check out highlights from the Rangers 3-2 win over the Capitals.
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The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos |
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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