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.
Oct. 4 at Philadelphia: Rockies 10, Phillies 5
Clint Hurdle decides to pinch hit for starter Franklin Morales in the fourth inning. Pinch-hitter Seth Smith squibs a single on the infield grass, and Kaz Matsui follows with a grand slam off Kyle Kendrick. “We believe we’re going to win every game,” Hurdle says. “We’ve been playing in the loser’s bracket for a month.”
Oct. 6 at Denver: Rockies 2, Phillies 1
Not even a blackout at Coors Field could stop the Rockies from streaking into the NLCS. “I was like, ’No, we’ve got to play this game! I’m feeling too good,”’ Ubaldo Jimenez says about the lights going out for 14 minutes in the second inning. Jimenez stymies the Phillies for 6 1-3 innings, allowing just a run and three hits. Pinch-hitter Jeff Baker’s two-out single in the eighth off J.C. Romero wins it.
Oct. 11 at Phoenix: Rockies 5, Diamondbacks 1
Brandon Webb tries to beat the Rockies for the second time during their otherwise unbeatable streak, but it’s Jeff Francis who shines. Rowdy fans disrupt the game by throwing bottles on the field after Justin Upton is called out for interference after sliding hard into Kaz Matsui at second base, but nothing can stop the Rockies, who win for the 18th time in 19 games. Webb pitches well, but loses. “It was just bloops over short and second,” he says. “It was tough luck. There’s really nothing you can do.”
Oct. 12 at Phoenix: Rockies 3, Diamondbacks 2, 11 innings
Willy Taveras makes a diving catch in the seventh inning to preserve a lead, then walks with the bases loaded against closer Jose Valverde in the 11th to drive in the winning run. Manny Corpas recovers after blowing the lead in the ninth — and it could have been worse; Stephen Drew gets caught off second base when he doesn’t realize he was called safe. He could have been the winning run.
Oct. 14 at Denver: Rockies 4, Diamondbacks 1
Catcher Yorvit Torrealba, often overlooked in the Rockies’ starting lineup, hits a three-run homer off Livan Hernandez and Josh Fogg does the rest, pitching six strong innings in the cold rain to give Colorado a 3-0 lead in the series. “One pitch, one bad pitch all night,” laments Arizona catcher Miguel Montero.
Oct. 15 at Denver: Rockies 6, Diamondbacks 4
For the second time in Franklin Morales’ two postseason starts, Clint Hurdle pinch hits for the pitcher in the fourth inning with Seth Smith. This time, Smith’s blooper lands in short left for a two-run double. And again, Kaz Matsui follows with a run-scoring hit, this time a single. Matt Holliday provides the major blow with a three-run homer, and the Rockies advance to the World Series for the first time in their 15-season history.
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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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.
After leading by 18 points in the first half, the Los Angeles Lakers were staring at a four-point deficit with less than two minutes to play.
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.