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.
Getty Images fileA tough road to travel
Gibson was born Aug. 25, 1927 in Silver, S.C. A right-hander, she grew up in Harlem. Although her family was poor, she was fortunate to catch the attention of Dr. Walter Johnson, a physician who was active in the black tennis community. He became Gibson's patron, as he would later be for Arthur Ashe, and through Johnson she received better instruction and faced better competition.
Kept off the conventional circuit by her skin tone, Althea was talented but unprepared for the highest level of competition. It took a discouraging while for her to become acclimated on the road to greatness and the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Yet she did, winning in Paris in 1956 -- the initial major won by a black -- and making it to the U.S. Open final.
During the two years she won Wimbledon, 1957 and 1958, she was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. and the world, but she was never completely at ease in amateur tennis for she realized that, despite her success, she was still unwelcome at some clubs where important tournaments were played.
It was a hungry struggle because the game was amateur then. She had little money, and few were anxious to help her out. If open prize money arrived agonizingly too late (1968) for anybody, it was Gibson. She would be a millionaire in today's game, but sadly died in poverty, pretty much forgotten.
A champion forced to go it alone
Although nobody tried to spike her as they did her fellow trailblazer, Jackie Robinson in baseball, the slights, mean stares, insults, and occasional boos could hurt, too. Robinson was part of a team, although that not all of those he played with took well to his wearing the same uniform.
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Althea was alone as a pioneering black women whose talent, determination, class, and courage will always be remembered. It's a shame more people don't know about her. One of those who does is Venus Williams, the first black woman since Gibson to win Wimbledon. Venus also has two U.S. Open titles.
Upon Gibson's death at age 76 in 2003, Venus said: "I am grateful to Althea Gibson for having the strength and courage to break through the racial barriers in tennis. Her accomplishments set the stage for my success, and through players like myself, Serena, and many others to come, her legacy will live on."
It certainly will as no player overcame more obstacles to become a champion.
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.
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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.
