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?
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.
Lefty wins his 40th PGA Tour event with his never-ending supply of tricks up his sleeve. What We Learned this week at Pebble Beach.
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.
AP21. LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Chargers
Worth mentioning: Carlos Delgado, 1B, New York Mets; Tim Duncan, F/C, San Antonio Spurs; Kevin Garnett, F, Minnesota Timberwolves; Calvin Johnson, WR, Georgia Tech football; Sean Taylor, S, Washington Redskins.
This is a great, though uncompetitive, number. L.T. runs away with it, as he did with the NFL single-season touchdown record last season. Delgado, Duncan, Garnett, Johnson, Taylor -- why couldn't these guys be spread out over the 60s and 70s?
22. Michael Redd, G, Milwaukee Bucks
Contender: Nate Clements, CB, San Francisco 49ers.
A battle of former Ohio State stars.
23. LeBron James, F, Cleveland Cavaliers
Worth mentioning: Devin Hester, PR, Chicago Bears; Mark Teixeira, 1B, Texas Rangers; Rickie Weeks, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers.
Didn't there used to be another good basketball player with this number?
24. Jeff Gordon, NASCAR driver
Contenders: Champ Bailey, CB, Denver Broncos; Kobe Bryant, G, Los Angeles Lakers; Miguel Cabrera, 3B, Florida Marlins; Manny Ramirez, OF, Boston Red Sox; Grady Sizemore, OF, Indians.
This is the best current number. Bailey is the best cornerback in the NFL. Cabrera and Sizemore are two of the best young hitters in baseball. Ramirez is a feared slugger, especially when he has his head on straight. But none of them is as good as Gordon. A four-time champion, he is leading in the points standings this season. He has two wins; he was in position to win three other races.
Are there two elite athletes more different than Gordon and Ramirez? Gordon is utterly and completely professional. He thinks through absolutely everything. If Ramirez hits the field with matching shoes, it's a good day.
25. Andruw Jones, OF, Atlanta Braves
Worth mentioning: Barry Bonds, OF, San Francisco Giants; Jim Thome, DH, Chicago White Sox.
26. Chase Utley, 2B, Philadelphia Phillies
Contender: Lito Sheppard, CB, Philadelphia Eagles.
27. Vladimir Guerrero, OF, Los Angeles Angels
Contender: Larry Johnson, RB, Kansas City Chiefs.
28. Adrian Peterson, RB, Oklahoma football
Worth mentioning: Prince Fielder, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers.
29. Chris Carpenter, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals
Contenders: Kevin Harvick, NASCAR driver; Jason Schmidt, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers; John Smoltz, RHP, Atlanta Braves.
30. Martin Brodeur, G, New Jersey Devils
Contender: Ryan Miller, G, Buffalo Sabres.
Worth mentioning: Magglio Ordonez, OF, Detroit Tigers.
What's really worth mentioning is Ordonez's hair might soon cover up his number. Actual conversation between manager Jim Leyland and reporters this spring:
Reporter: Ordonez says he's not cutting his hair this year.
Leyland: Do I think it looks good? No. Do I care? No.
31. Kenny Phillips, S, Miami football
Contender: Jeff Burton, NASCAR driver.
32. Shaquille O'Neal, C, Miami Heat
Contenders: Roy Halladay, RHP, Toronto Blue Jays; Edgerrin James, RB, Arizona Cardinals.
Shaq wore 33 in college, but when he was drafted by Orlando, Terry Catledge, whoever he was, had it and wouldn't give it up because of, you know, the Catledge legacy at 33. So O'Neal switched to 32. When he went to Los Angeles, he couldn't wear 32 because it had been retired for Magic Johnson and he couldn't wear 33 because it had been retired for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. So he took 34. Then he was traded to Miami, where he again was thwarted for 33, this time by Alonzo Mourning.
33. Justin Morneau, 1B, Minnesota Twins
Morneau, the 2006 A.L. MVP, is a big hockey guy. He played goalie as a kid growing up in Canada, and his favorite player was Patrick Roy. Roy wore No. 33, so Morneau does, too.
34. David Ortiz, DH, Boston Red Sox
Contenders: Eddy Curry, F/C, New York Knicks; Freddy Garcia, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies; Felix Hernandez, RHP, Seattle Mariners; Paul Pierce, G/F, Boston Celtics.
Check back at midseason. Hernandez, still just 21, might have completed his takeover of the number by then -- if he returns from the D.L. as hot as he was before he went on it. For now, Ortiz's late-inning heroics still merit an edge.
35. Dontrelle Willis, LHP, Florida Marlins
Contender: Justin Verlander, RHP, Detroit Tigers.
Worth mentioning: Kevin Durant, F, Texas basketball; Cole Hamels, LHP, Philadelphia Phillies.
Let's assume that after he gets drafted first (or second) in this summer's NBA draft, Durant takes No. 35, which he wore at Texas. In three years, this would be the best number in sports. Willis already is an ace. Verlander is dang close. One scout says Hamels' changeup is the best in the game. And Durant was the first freshman in history to be named AP player of the year and the first to win the Naismith award.
36. Rasheed Wallace, F/C, Detroit Pistons
37. Shaun Alexander, RB, Seattle Seahawks
Worth mentioning: Kenny Rogers, LHP, Detroit Tigers.
Alexander initially chose the number in high school because there were no previous great players who wore 37. The all-time best at 37 isn't even a player -- it's major league manager Casey Stengel -- and the only NFL 37s worth mentioning are cornerbacks Lester Hayes and Jimmy Johnson. When Alexander got to college, he pored through the Bible to find a verse to go with his number. He found Psalm 37:4 and says it drives his life: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."
38. Curt Schilling, RHP, Boston Red Sox
Contender: Carlos Zambrano, RHP, Chicago Cubs.
A tough call, as Schilling is on the way down and Zambrano is entering his prime. But if you needed a big win, would you choose the temperamental Zambrano or the big-game stud Schilling?
39. Brett Myers, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
Contenders: Steven Jackson, RB, St. Louis Rams; Willie Parker, RB, Pittsburgh Steelers.
40. Rich Harden, RHP, Oakland A's
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.
NEW YORK (AP) - As the glow fades from the Giants' Super Bowl triumph, some New York sports fans are tuning in to basketball and hockey, with the Rangers in first place and the Knicks' overnight sensation, Jeremy Lin, sparking "Lin-sanity.''
Robins: This year, six new breeds will be making their debut on the green carpet for the Westminster Dog Show, which begins Monday.
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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.
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