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 three goals as the New York Rangers beat Philadelphia 5-2 on Saturday for their seventh straight win over the Flyers.
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.
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 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.
Move over, Hollywood and NFL types, golf's two real A-listers take center stage Sunday at Pebble Beach, both in need of a win.
The United States swept favored Switzerland out of the Davis Cup on Saturday when Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan beat Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Luis Suarez's refusal to shake hands with Patrice Evra overshadowed Manchester United's 2-1 win over rival Liverpool that lifted the defending champions to first place in the Premier League on Saturday.
Marlies Schild of Austria won her sixth World Cup slalom of the season Saturday after overall leader Lindsey Vonn and defending champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch crashed out in the opening run on the windy Pyrenees course.
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
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Billy Gillispie threw one of college basketball’s biggest parties Friday night, but the new Kentucky coach stayed true to his promise to remain under control.
“I’m not going to propose to anybody or anything,” said Gillispie, a bachelor.
There was plenty of pomp and circumstance — and a vocal near-capacity crowd of 23,313 — to herald the arrival of a new coach in the home of college basketball’s all-time winningest program.
The team bus pulled into Rupp Arena shortly after 10 p.m., and each player circled the court waving to the fans, as pyrotechnics behind both baskets illuminated their path.
Gillispie’s entrance was even flashier. He stood at center court behind four white banners that extended to the rafters. Then came loud bursts of fireworks, and the banners dropped, revealing the new coach, waving and sporting a wide grin.
“I have such a sense of the tradition of basketball,” Gillispie said. “It’s my life. I love it. I’ve heard about Rupp Arena and being Kentucky’s basketball coach, but it can’t feel any better than it feels right now.”
Gillispie replaced Tubby Smith as coach, and from his folksy news conferences to his recruiting coups, excitement is high in what could be the nation’s most demanding fan base.
It was quite different for Smith at his new job at Minnesota on Friday night. A crowd of just a few thousand turned out to cheer on a Gophers team that is coming off a 9-22 season.
Still, when Smith was introduced, he was welcomed to thunderous applause and chants of “Tubby! Tubby!”
Gillispie is already well known in Lexington, where the basketball coach is always the biggest celebrity. But this was the first time fans saw their new coach in a real basketball setting.
No newcomer truly becomes a Wildcat until he goes through Madness, center Jared Carter says.
“Whenever he’s in Rupp Arena and it’s packed, he hears the fireworks go off and all the fans cheer, he’ll know he’s officially Kentucky,” Carter said.
Fans may know Gillispie, just not how to spell his name.
One entertaining Madness video featured guard Ramel Bradley quizzing people about the spelling. One student answered: “G-y-l-l-s-p-y.”
Gillispie inherits a young team loaded with guards, including lone seniors Ramel Bradley and Joe Crawford.
“I’ve been used to doing things one way for three years, but it’s a change for the better,” Crawford said. “He’s definitely brought new ideas to the table, brought new life.”
The frontcourt could be more of an issue. The Wildcats will rely heavily on top freshman recruit Patrick Patterson and sophomore Perry Stevenson, a shot-blocking specialist last year who is trying to become a scoring presence.
Returning players insist Big Blue Madness is contagious, and predicted even the business-minded Gillispie wouldn’t be able to resist enjoying it.
“After tonight he’s going to be like, ’Oh wow, 24,000 people. This is crazy,”’ sophomore guard Jodie Meeks said. “I don’t think he’ll shy away from it. I think he’ll experience it and love it.”
The tradition of starting practice with midnight festivities continued around the country Friday night.
At North Carolina, “Late Night with Roy” included players and coach Roy Williams dancing at midcourt. There was a taped presentation on the arena’s video boards featuring junior guard Bobby Frasor spoofing Williams — complete with a gray wig and glasses while sitting at the coach’s desk in his office — during a problem-riddled taping of Williams’ recent Coca-Cola commercial. In it, Frasor’s Williams struggles to stop spinning around his chair while stumbling over his lines.
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 title chances now.
Beyond the Arc: No. 11 Michigan State ends No. 3 Ohio State's 39-game home winning streak with a 58-48 victory.
 | Slideshow |
 | College hoops power rankings A look at the top teams in college basketball based on performance and potential. NBCSports.com |
Latest from Beyond the Arc |
Five up, five down from college hoops’ huge day1 hr 59 min ago Michigan State sure shook up Big Ten by beating Buckeyes2 hr 43 min ago UNLV’s thrilling win vs. SDSU adds spice to MWC race7 hr 11 min ago |
 | College basketball videos |
 Getty Images Highlights: No. 14 UNLV 65, No. 13 SDSU 63 Mike Moser scored 19 points, and UNLV forced three turnovers in the final 42 seconds to win. |
| Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
 | Slideshow |
 |
The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos |
Mike Miller's college hoops blog |
 |
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.
Jeremy Lin had the most astounding performance of his remarkable week, scoring a career-high 38 points and outdueling Kobe Bryant as the New York Knicks held off the Los Angeles Lakers 92-85 on Friday night.