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.
Reuters
NEW YORK - Roger Clemens is all set to pitch for the New York Yankees next week. Until then, he’ll be their best cheerleader.
Clemens threw a bullpen session at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday and then attended Pinstripes in the Park, a Manhattan event to promote the Yankees.
Earlier in the day, manager Joe Torre said Clemens would start Monday night in Chicago against the White Sox.
“So far, so good,” said Clemens, wearing light blue cowboy boots. “I got the word when I got out of the car today that Joe announced that it’s Monday. I can plan accordingly now.”
Torre said he exchanged e-mails with Clemens before the throw session at Yankee Stadium.
“Monday is good with him,” Torre said. “We’re looking forward to seeing him.”
The Yankees considered having Clemens pitch this weekend at Boston. New York beat Toronto 10-5 on Wednesday night, leaving the Yankees 13½ games behind first-place Boston in the AL East.
Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina and Andy Pettitte were already scheduled to pitch at Fenway Park, and that was a major part of Clemens’ phone conversation with Torre on Tuesday night.
“I said I felt fine and would do whatever he wants me to do and whatever he needs me to do,” Clemens said. “We were looking at the rotation and I realized that they looked like they’re lined up pretty good for Boston.”
And what of the extra hoopla if Clemens had made his season debut in Boston against his former team?
“There’s drama wherever I go,” Clemens said. “Every start that I pitch — if it’s a Wednesday in Minnesota and a Businessman’s Special — it’s important to me.”
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Clemens is expected to join the Yankees after the Red Sox series. The Yankees snapped a five-game losing streak Wednesday night to improve to 22-29.
“It’s not good, we all know that, so we’ve just got to turn it around,” Clemens said. “I suspect those guys will give me a lot of help and I’ll try to give them all the help I can.”
As Clemens spoke, Johnny Damon led off Wednesday night’s game in Toronto with a home run. The shot sent the estimated crowd of 10,000 into a frenzy.
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“See? See?” Clemens said, pointing at his wife, Debbie.
The 44-year-old Clemens has made three minor league starts since signing a prorated $28 million contract with the Yankees this month.
After one start at Class A Tampa and one at Double-A Trenton, the Rocket made his final minor league start Monday for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He allowed two hits and struck out six over six scoreless innings.
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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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.
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.
