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.
Eleven shots separated Phil and Tiger Sunday at Pebble Beach as Lefty secured his 40th Tour win. Jason Sobel had 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 fileQ: What are the Detroit Pistons going to do about the center position if Chris Webber doesn't re-sign?
— Jim Musgrave, Flushing, Mich.
A: Have a more mobile and effective center. It was sad watching Webber lunge around, especially in the playoffs. He was like the guy playing ball at 60: He knows where to go, he just can't get there. I felt last season the Pistons were better off playing small with Rasheed Wallace at center, though he doesn't seem to want to play there and is closing in on a meltdown. They really are in transition and will take a hard look at this kid, Amir Johnson. Nazr Mohammed still is there for an emergency and Antonio McDyess can play some center as it's not like you face Kareem every night in the East.
Q: What do you think about the Chicago Bulls' interior defense?
— Wayne K. Johnson, Chicago
A: As Larry David would say: pretty good. Pretty, pretty, pretty good. It's their interior offense which is almost non-existent. They'll get a little more from Luol Deng in the post this season, but they'll remain perimeter oriented, and it's not like the top teams in the East have great low post presence. The Bulls defense has been the best the last few years, and they probably get a slight upgrade replacing P.J. Brown with the younger Joe Smith. Plus, the Bulls are deep with Tyrus Thomas and rookie Joakim Noah. They'll be tough to score against.
Q: The Rockets have made significant additions to their team with Steve Francis, Luis Scola, and Mike James. Do you think it's enough to win a championship? Also how do you think their offense will run?
— Joe, Houston
A: I still don't think their guard play is championship level as Mike James is more the scorer and Francis will work his way back. I like the addition of Scola, who is just what they needed at power forward. They'll obviously be less deliberate without Jeff Van Gundy, but so would a mud puddle. Rick Adelman used a lot of motion in Sacramento and Portland and he'll probably experiment with Yao in the high post, though I don't think that will work out. They'll push the ball more when they can, like most teams, but the big question always is Tracy McGrady. If he finally spent a summer working on his back and health, which he rarely does, and stays healthy, which he also rarely does, they have a chance to be pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good.
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
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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.
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.
Paul Pierce has been around long enough to know what Rajon Rondo's performance can mean for the aging Boston Celtics.