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?
LIVE VIDEO: NBCSports.com shows Washington-New York, with alternate camera angles, HD views and more.
PBT: Jeremy Lin wasn't his hot self on Saturday, but he still led the Knicks to victory.
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.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
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.
BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) -England defender Joleon Lescott preserved Manchester City's two-point lead in the Premier League by scoring a second-half winner in a 1-0 victory at Aston Villa on Sunday.
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.
Reuters“Mornin’ guys,” he said, walking past a throng of reporters. “Good morning!”
A baseball sat on the ledge of his locker, propped next to his glove. It’s a baseball tradition that the next day’s starter gets a ball in his locker.
He had a ball — and a blast.
“Having him in the clubhouse is a shot of life,” Wright said. “He’ll fit right into the rotation.”
Hundreds of Mets fans cheered when Martinez walked onto the field to pitch the bottom of the first, making his usual hop over the foul line for good luck. One fan in a white Mets jersey held up a sign saying: “He’s back.”
His fastball wasn’t. His best pitch still had some catching up to do.
The first three pitches registered only 82, 82 and 83 mph. He gave up a pair of runs, then seemed to get over his cautiousness. He threw back-to-back fastballs to Javier Valentin that registered 88 mph, then another that hit 89.
“When he started hitting 88, 89, it was like, ’Here we go again,”’ Lo Duca said. “He was good. It’s amazing.”
It wasn’t the old Martinez, but it was close enough.
“I’m not as consistent as I used to be with my mechanics and the strike zone,” Martinez said. “I’m the first to tell you I’m not there yet.”
Notes: Mets RHP Orlando Hernandez, who had a cortisone shot in his sore right foot last week, will miss his scheduled start Friday against the Astros. RHP Mike Pelfrey is expected to start in his place. “He’s doing fine,” Randolph said. “But we’re going to skip one turn.” ... Martinez hadn’t pitch in the majors since Sept. 27 last year. ... Nolan Ryan holds the career strikeout record with 5,714. ... Ken Griffey Jr.’s sacrifice fly in the first inning was the 1,695th RBI of his career, tying Cal Ripken for 17th. Reggie Jackson is next at 1,702.
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.
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Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
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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