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.
Golf's dream pairing - Woods and Mickelson - is on the course in the final round at Pebble Beach. Jason Sobel has 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.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
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.
APBut it’s also good to have a brain. Fortunately, the Spurs have R.C. Buford’s. He’s the general manager who has provided his expertise with this team in some capacity since 1994, but who has been in his current position since 2002. He and head coach Gregg Popovich are primarily responsible for drafting Parker 28th overall in 2001 and Ginobili in the second round, the 57th pick overall, in 1999, although he didn’t join the Spurs until 2002.
Popovich is also a marvel. He’s that rare taskmaster who hasn’t caused his high-priced stars to go running to their agents every time he says something they don’t like. Usually coaches like Pop have a short shelf life in one place — see Larry Brown — but he’s finishing his 11th season as head coach of the Spurs. Popovich happens to be that rare head coach in sports who can adeptly balance both a halo and a mean streak.
The Spurs are revved up at the right time. They’re playing not-to-be-denied basketball, complete with killer instinct. The Utah Jazz is a fine team, but it didn’t stand a chance against San Antonio in a seven-game series. Game 5, in which the Spurs dismantled the Jazz, 109-84, to gain a berth in the Finals for the third time in five years, was an example of just how determined they are to take care of business.
The Spurs also happen to have the oldest roster in the NBA. That’s a little deceiving, because Bowen and Horry (36), Brent Barry (35) and Finley (33) bring down the curve. The core of the team — Duncan (31), Ginobili (29) and Parker (25) — have a lot of good years left.
Still, there’s a sense of urgency around the Spurs that’s palpable. They’re too poised and confident to worry, but they’re also intelligent enough to know that each opportunity to win a championship is too precious to be squandered.
That’s why they’ll win. Because they believe this is their time. And a fourth championship would confirm it.
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
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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.
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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.