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.
AP
BOSTON - Clay Buchholz reached in vain for Miguel Tejada’s chopper and figured his chance at a no-hitter had just bounced over his head.
He didn’t count on Dustin Pedroia playing behind him.
“When I jumped and missed that ball, I was thinking, ’Well, it’s over,”’ Buchholz said. “And then he comes out of nowhere (and makes) probably one of the best plays I’ve ever seen in 10 years anywhere. When he made that play, I knew that something was meant to happen.”
Pedroia dove for the ball behind second base, popping up instantly to throw to first base ahead of Tejada’s head-first slide for the first out in the seventh. The defensive gem preserved Buchholz’s no-hitter and helped the Boston Red Sox beat the Baltimore Orioles 10-0 on Saturday night.
“I jumped up as fast as I could and I threw it as hard as I could,” said Pedroia, a leading candidate for the AL’s rookie of the year award.
It was the first-ever no-hitter for a Red Sox rookie and just the third no-hitter since 1900 by a pitcher in his first or second major league start.
“After Petey made that play, you kind of felt there was something special in the air,” Red Sox third baseman Mike Lowell said.
Tejada said he thought he beat the throw to first. It would have been some consolation in a 10-0 loss that gave the Orioles their 10th loss in 11 games.
“Early in the game, we were trying to win,” Tejada said. “But after they got the big lead, we were trying to break up the no-hitter.”
Pedroia’s play wasn’t the only good defense in support of Buchholz. Coco Crisp chased down Corey Patterson’s line drive to left-center and made a backhanded catch for the second out in the sixth, and Buchholz helped himself with his glove when he stabbed Jay Payton’s come-backer to end the eighth.
“For things like this to happen, guys have to make some plays,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “But he also deserved to be in that territory because of the way he was pitching.”
Pedroia also had two hits in the game as Boston snapped a four-game losing streak that had allowed the New York Yankees to come as close as 4½ games in the AL East. But his assist was the thing the Red Sox were talking about.
“First of all, to get to it was great,” Francona said. “But to continue and finish it was even better. You can see him diving, knocking it down. But to actually keep his glove, get it up ... the whole play, great play.”
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 |
 | 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.
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.