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.
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.
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.
AP
PORTLAND, Ore. - Top NBA draft pick Greg Oden doesn’t remember much from immediately after knee surgery. He was with his mother at home when he found out how serious it was.
“I kinda looked at my mom and said, ‘I’m out for the season? You kidding me?’ “ he said.
Oden will be on crutches for six more weeks. Full recovery likely will take six to 12 months. He has started swimming, and a machine gently bends his knee for six hours a day.
Oden was at the Trail Blazers’ practice facility on Thursday on crutches and with his surgically repaired left knee wrapped in ice.
Except for a videotaped blog entry, it was the 7-footer’s first public appearance since undergoing microfracture surgery on Sept. 13. He will miss the season rehabbing.
He had spoken to Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martin, who have had microfracture surgery and they warned him not to rush back.
Oden averaged 15.7 points and 9.6 rebounds last season as a freshman at Ohio State, despite being hampered by a wrist injury. He led the Buckeyes to the national championship game, scoring 25 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the loss to Florida.
There was much fanfare when the Blazers got the first pick in the draft, and even more when the team chose Oden over Texas forward Kevin Durant, who went with the second overall pick to Seattle.
Oden was ushered into the city with a rally downtown, and a stories-high jersey with his name was hung on the Rose Garden Arena.
While losing their rookie center was a blow to the organization, general manager Kevin Pritchard said the team “couldn’t be happier the way things are moving and progressing already.”
“We’ve got a great kid who really cares about this organization, and his character is already shining through,” Pritchard said.
“I just want everybody to know, I did not hurt my knee getting up off the couch this summer, and I didn’t hurt my knee playing ’Dance Dance Revolution’ and break dancing this summer,” he joked. “That did not happen.”
While he joked about how the injury occurred, Oden said it remains a mystery. He took time off after the draft, and then started feeling pain when he resumed training. He did laughingly admit to having a “Dance Dance Revolution” interactive video game at his home.
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“You know, it is a setback, but I’m excited to be able to scout the NBA for the whole year, and just know that next year when I come in I’m going to be 20 years old, I’m going to be very mature, and I’m going to be ready to play.”
He even predicted he’d be better than he was before: “I’m hoping for a 40-inch vertical.”
The regular-season opener is at San Antonio on Oct. 30.
Oden also said the Blazers, with guard Brandon Roy, last season’s Rookie of the Year, and forward LaMarcus Aldridge, would be fine without him.
“You don’t know how good these guys are going to be this year. I’ve played against LaMarcus Aldridge, and he kills me every time,” he said. “If they want a basket, give him the ball.”
PBT: Jeremy Lin wasn't his hot self on Saturday, but he still led the Knicks to victory.
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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.
