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.
AP file
GREEN BAY, Wis. - Brett Favre acknowledged his anger over the team’s unwillingness to pull off a trade for wide receiver Randy Moss, but denied Monday he ever really wanted the Green Bay Packers to trade him.
“I was frustrated a couple weeks back when Randy Moss was traded to New England,” Favre said on the Packers’ Web site. “I never wanted to be traded and I don’t want to be traded. I want to be in Green Bay. I want to finish my career as a Packer.”
It’s an attempt by the three-time MVP to calm the maelstrom that started when he spent Saturday venting about the Packers’ front office in a handful of interviews at his charity golf tournament. Fox Sports’ Web site reported Sunday that Favre’s agent called Packers general manager Ted Thompson shortly after last month’s NFL draft to request a trade.
That request was denied, according to the report, and Packers coach Mike McCarthy eventually calmed Favre down and got him to admit that he never really wanted to play elsewhere.
“Sometimes when I get frustrated, I let my emotions got the better of me,” Favre said in the statement.
Favre’s agent, James “Bus” Cook, did not return a call from The Associated Press.
Packers officials have not denied that Favre’s agent requested a trade. Packers general manager Ted Thompson said on Sunday he was not willing to divulge details of talks the team has had with players or agents.
“We try to encourage open and honest dialogue with players and their agents,” Thompson said, in a statement posted on the Packers’ Web site. “But if those talks later are shared with third parties, the willingness of players to be open in future conversations may be compromised.”
Thompson acknowledged Favre’s frustration, but said he expected the Packers to be successful in 2007.
“I think it’s natural for a player to be frustrated from time to time — that’s simply being human,” Thompson said. “Everyone knows that Brett Favre is all about winning. As an organization, we share that commitment. And we want to win now.”
The Packers have signed several of their own key defensive players to long-term contracts this offseason, including cornerback Al Harris, linebacker Nick Barnett and defensive lineman Cullen Jenkins.
But Green Bay has been among the least active teams in free agency and did not pull off a long-rumored trade for Moss on draft weekend, spurring criticism from Favre during his charity golf tournament in Tunica, Miss., on Saturday.
|
Favre told the Biloxi (Miss.) Sun-Herald that he was frustrated that the team passed on a chance to make what he called a “steal” of a deal to get Moss, and wonders whether the Packers won’t become a contender again until after he retires.
“Our offense struggled last season,” Favre told the paper. “If it were not for our defense, we would not have won eight games. Right now, it’s hard to be optimistic. I’m not getting any younger and I think everyone knows that. I don’t have five years to rebuild. No one in Green Bay is saying rebuild but it’s hard to look at where we are going and say, ’How can they not be rebuilding?”’
But Favre, who told the team in February that he was returning for his 17th NFL season, reiterated his commitment to Green Bay on Monday.
The Packers have a three-day mandatory minicamp beginning Friday, and it remains unclear whether Favre, who had surgery to remove bone spurs from his left ankle in late February, will attend.
“As I said in February when I announced that I was coming back, I am excited about the young talent on our team and the improvements we’re going to see from one year to the next,” Favre said. “I really enjoy the young guys I’m playing with. I’m working hard down in Mississippi right now, rehabbing, and I plan to be in the best shape of my life. I look forward to playing with this team and seeing what we can do. I think we can be pretty good.”
Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
Rotoworld: Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill among the 10 players who will slip down draft boards, but probably shouldn't.
 | Slide show |
 |
 | Slideshow |
 | Super Bowl XLVI shots See the best moments before, during and after the Giants' win over the Patriots more photos |
Latest from ProFootballTalk |
 | Video: Football from NBC Sports |
 Getty Images |
| Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
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.
The Red Wings have finally started to embrace a record they've been chasing.
