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.
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.
APFinally, there was the herniated disk he played through from the middle of July through Sept. 1 of the 1997 season. That time, Ripken said there was a point where he was lying on an examining table, and the doctors were saying, "it was a great run, it had to end at some point." But the Orioles were trying to hold off the Yankees in the American League East race, and Ripken — pain and all — hit close to .300 during the six-week stretch.
“I asked if I could do anything permanently to damage it, and they said, ‘no, you can’t’,’’ Ripken said. “That was the most excruciating pain. I didn’t have a lot of stability in my left leg. There was pain shooting through my whole leg.
“At the time, I didn’t think the streak was that big of a deal. When you’re going through it, you think it’s not that hard. But when you look back at it, there were so many things that could have happened to stop me. It’s pretty amazing I was able to go 16 years without missing a game.’’
And to think, it almost never happened at all. When Ripken came out of Aberdeen (Md.) High, some teams saw him as a pitcher, others as a hitter. But it was the Orioles who drafted the son of one of their top minor-league managers and instructors. And even within the Orioles’ organization, there was some division as to where he should play.
But Ripken’s direction was determined by Earl Weaver, who had watched him as early as age 16, when Cal Sr. would work his son during the early-afternoon hours at Memorial Stadium.
“(Weaver) saw me swing the bat and thought I should get a chance as a position player,’’ Ripken said. “In my mind, I was thinking pitchers only get a chance to play once every five days. I wanted to play every day.’’
And boy, did he take that seriously. And so we were graced by a player who redefined the shortstop position, making it a welcomed spot for big men and power hitters, and was credited with nothing less than helping resuscitate a struggling sport in the wake of a debilitating strike that canceled the 1994 World Series. It is a designation he’ll always cherish.
“I’m proud that I could play at least a role in helping the game after so much damage had been done,’’ he said.
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.
HardballTalk headlines |
 | Interactive |
 |
 | Slideshow |
 | Unbreakable records in baseball A look at the most unbreakable records in baseball including Nolan Ryan's seven no-hitters. |
| Slideshow |
 | The top tools of baseball You hear a lot about the tools of baseball, but who are the best hitters, fielders and pitchers? We break it down. more photos |
Special feature |
 |
 | Slideshow |
 |
The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos |
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.
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.
NBC Sports TV and livestream listings