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'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.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods both greeted Sunday with unbridled optimism. But the day would end happily only for Mickelson.
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.
Reuters file
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Usually the reigning tandem of the moment gets the most historic love. That would be Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal, who helped lead the Miami Heat to the NBA championship last June.
In the annals of hoops, they are certainly not alone. When you think of successful pairs among NBA greats, the names Magic and Kareem spring to mind, along with Michael and Scottie, and Kobe and Shaq, among others, although those last two names probably are known more for their catty divorce than their fruitful tenure together.
So how do T-Mac and Yao rate?
On paper, the Houston Rockets’ stars should belong in the same rarified ballpark. Tracy McGrady is a 10-year veteran with superstar ability on par with Kobe, LeBron James and just about anyone else. He also has a penchant for taking — and making — the clutch shot. Yao Ming is the most gifted center to come along since Shaq. He’s been in the NBA since 2002 and has shaken the “potential bust” label with periods of dominant play.
But so much of life is timing. Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar came together at the right moment in history, which also included the arrivals of Pat Riley as a head coach and James Worthy as a Hall of Fame forward. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen became collaborators while Phil Jackson was developing into a Hall of Fame head coach. Kobe and Shaq came to the Lakers in the summer of ’96, and Jackson joined them three years later.
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In Houston, the forecast has promised for a while now that something of tremendous power would eventually hit, but it hasn’t happened.
McGrady has been alternately awesome and disappointing since arriving in Houston for the 2004-05 campaign, but most of his failure to achieve a ring has to do with physical limitations. Last week he left during a game against Golden State after his back stiffened up and then he missed a game two days later against Portland.
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