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: With no dominant pitcher outside of Carlos Zambrano, do the Cubs have a shot at winning the National League pennant?
— Mike, Chicago
A: Everything would have to go right for the Cubs to win a pennant, and as we know, it never does. Remember, this is a team that lost 96 games last season, so they would need a 24-game turnaround to win 90 games in 2007. They could win the NL Central with fewer victories, but getting to the playoffs and winning a pennant are different things.
Even after spending $300 million over the winter, the Cubs still have holes, led by — as you mention — starting pitching. After Zambrano, it lines up as Ted Lilly, Jason Marquis, Rich Hill and either Mark Prior or Wade Miller. Lilly fits better as a No. 3-4, and Marquis was run out of St. Louis. Who knows with Prior, although Wade Miller is having a decent spring.
The bullpen should be very good, especially if Kerry Wood can continue to pitch as he has this spring. Alfonso Soriano is handling the switch to center field, and remember, the Cubs lineup didn’t have Derrek Lee for most of last season, so his return is similar to adding another superstar bat.
I think the Cubs will be a lot better, and finish slightly above .500. But I don’t see them making the playoffs, however.
Q: Who would you pick — Carl Yastrzemski, Roberto Clemente or Al Kaline in their primes?
— Lt. Bill Grady, Kabul, Afghanistan
A: First of all, thanks for your efforts over there, Lieutenant. Wow, you’ve got three Hall of Famers here, so you really can’t go wrong. Each player had a different skill set from the other two, and that’s probably the best way to differentiate them.
Yaz played 23 seasons until he was 43, so his career numbers are the best. His 452 homers and 1,844 RBI are far more than the other two compiled, and he hit .285 lifetime, with 3,419 hits — again the most of the three. He was an 18-time All-Star, won an MVP, a triple crown and three batting titles, and led the league in on-base percentage five times, in slugging percentage, runs scored and doubles three times. And while he wasn’t the defensive standout that Kaline and Clemente were, he did win seven Gold Gloves in left field at Fenway Park before playing a lot of first base and DH later in his career.
Clemente’s game was more of defensive brilliance and batting average over power. His career and life tragically cut short at 38, he finished with exactly 3,000 hits, but only 240 home runs. His .317 career average was easily the best of the three, and he won four batting titles, and hit .329 or higher seven times. He also won an MVP, was a 12-time All-Star and won 12 consecutive Gold Gloves in right field, where his arm and range were phenomenal.
Kaline wasn’t eye-popping brilliant in any one category, but was consistently great in everything. He hit .297 lifetime with 399 homers — never more than 29 in a season — 1,533 RBI and 3,007 hits. He was a 15-time All-Star, won 12 Gold Gloves in right field, where his arm and smarts were outstanding, walked more than he struck out, and led the league once in hitting, slugging percentage, total bases, hits and doubles.
So how about this: Yaz for power and run production, Clemente for average, speed and defensive brilliance, Kaline for consistent excellence in all phases. And if you make me rank them, that would be the order — Yaz, Clemente, Kaline.
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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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.
After leading by 18 points in the first half, the Los Angeles Lakers were staring at a four-point deficit with less than two minutes to play.