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.
APWhat’s remarkable is how the Sabres have bounced back after enduring their low point in January 2003. That’s when the then-ownerless team declared bankruptcy before Golisano stepped in and rescued the franchise.
The Sabres are projected to enjoy a second straight profitable year, even though the team’s payroll ballooned to $44 million, about $14 million over last year.
“I wouldn’t use the word shocked,” said Daniel DiPofi, the Sabres chief operating officer. “I would say that it’s really exceeded what our expectations of growth were.”
Profits aside, Golisano senses the deeper impact the Sabres have made on the community.
“There’s no question that some parts of upstate New York, and Buffalo is included in that, has had an inferiority complex for a while,” Golisano said. “And to have this team emerge like it has, has been very, very good for the psyche of the area.”
Even Drew Celestino is a believer — well, for the most part.
A Sabres fan, Celestino launched a Web site last summer to protest the Sabres’ new logo, a swoosh of a buffalo head that detractors say resembles a flying slug. Celestino prefers the team’s original logo, a running buffalo above two crossed swords.
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“If the logo were a pink bunny, it would’ve sold millions just like the current logo,” Celestino said. “I don’t buy into the whole notion that people are just so gung-ho in love with the logo. They’re in love with the team and I certainly understand that and that’s great.”
Celestino doesn’t own anything with the new logo on it, but remains a die-hard fan and would grudgingly make one exception: Seeing the new logo on a Stanley Cup banner.
“I could certainly live with it,” Celestino said. “I bleed blue and gold. Just because I don’t like the logo doesn’t mean I’m not enjoying every single second of this season.”
Join the crowd.
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.
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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.