Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
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.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods greeted their Sunday pairing at Pebble Beach with optimism. But the day would end happily only for one.
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 file
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - As he held down the lead on the final lap at Talladega Superspeedway, Jimmie Johnson thought he had the victory locked up.
Until teammate Jeff Gordon passed him, grabbing the win and forcing Johnson to settle for second-place.
Johnson racked his brain for how he could have done things differently, and couldn’t think of a thing. So he watched a replay of the finish, and came to the same conclusion.
“It wouldn’t have mattered if it was my teammate or (Tony) Stewart or any of those other guys, I hate losing and I couldn’t figure out what I did wrong to leave that opportunity,” Johnson said. “I thought I did a good job of controlling the head of the pack and doing all I could to hold my position. So I watched the video, and I did do a good job of containing him.
“But the combination of the package we were using for that race, the bump he got from (Dave Blaney) and then the push from Stewart, it just made it a perfect situation for him. I don’t think I could have defended it any other way.”
Gordon had been behind Johnson when he made his move, using a bump from Blaney to pull out of traffic and into his own lane. Then Stewart came charging behind Gordon, giving him the push he needed to make it to the front.
“I don’t know where the 20 car came from. He was in a third lane by himself with a huge run,” Johnson said. “I went to block Jeff and it took him to the third lane, and the 20 was there with a head of steam and started pushing him.
“Once he hooked up with Jeff, and Jeff cleared me, I was SOL.”
Gordon’s win was his fifth of the season and made him the all-time victory leader in restrictor-plate races with 12. It also pushed him into the Chase for the championship lead, where he leads Johnson by nine points.
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