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 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.
MINNEAPOLIS - As far as Juwan Howard is concerned, his move to Minnesota should have happened four years ago.
Back then he was a free agent coming off a big year in Denver, and the Timberwolves were high on his list of suitors. He chose Orlando instead, spending one year there before being traded to Houston.
“Even though I did not sign with Minnesota, it always was in the back of my mind when I was in Orlando (and) I second-guessed my decision,” Howard said. “Nothing against Orlando, but I felt I should have signed with Minnesota.”
Finally, Howard is in the Twin Cities. In the first of what could be several moves to shake up its roster, Minnesota shipped disgruntled point guard Mike James and swingman Justin Reed to the Rockets for Howard, and the 34-year-old veteran can’t wait to get here to help Kevin Garnett.
Howard grew up in Chicago, where Garnett played his final year of high school before jumping straight to the pros in 1995. The two worked out together in the offseason and became friends.
“He and I have a lot of respect for each other,” Howard said in a telephone interview from his son’s basketball camp in St. Louis. “Not only that, we’re familiar with each other on the court, playing against each other for many years. We both come out and bring our lunch pail to work night in and night out. We’re both fierce competitors.”
For most of last season, Garnett openly pined for another veteran in the front court, someone to take some of the attention away from him in the post, and some of the burden off him in the locker room.
Chemistry was a problem for the Timberwolves last season, both on and off the court.
“Being a veteran who has spent 13 years in the NBA, I have a lot of experience,” Howard said. “That being said, I think it’s important for me to come in and be a positive influence in the locker room as well as on the court.”
Howard averaged 9.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in just over 26 minutes a game for the Rockets last season, but those numbers jumped to 13.6 points and 6.5 boards when he was inserted in the starting lineup for the 32 games that Yao Ming was hurt.
Timberwolves basketball boss Kevin McHale said Howard is coming to Minnesota to “help stabilize the locker room and help stabilize the team, and it balances out our roster a little bit, so it was a good deal.”
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.
Paul Pierce has been around long enough to know what Rajon Rondo's performance can mean for the aging Boston Celtics.
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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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