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?
LIVE VIDEO: NBCSports.com shows Washington-New York, with alternate camera angles, HD views and more.
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.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
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.
BIRMINGHAM, England (AP) -England defender Joleon Lescott preserved Manchester City's two-point lead in the Premier League by scoring a second-half winner in a 1-0 victory at Aston Villa on Sunday.
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.
Big boxer-turned-grappler
Speaking of boxing, Eric “Butterbean” Esch is putting his massive talent into MMA.
Butterbean (10-4) meets Santa Ana’s Jim Ambriz (10-8-1) in a super heavyweight match at the Circus Club in Hollywood on Wednesday. The fight card is promoted by Xcess and Galaxy Productions.
After losing his first MMA battle by a submission hold, Butterbean quickly surmised he needed more than a big punch to survive.
“You have to be real rounded in everything,” said Butterbean during a press conference Tuesday. “If you’re good at punching then someone will take you to the ground. If you’re good on the ground then they’ll fight you standing up. It’s forced me to learn as much as I can to be all around.”
Butterbean has learned well.
Of his 10 victories six have come by submission holds. Only four have come from punches. As a boxer it was Butterbeans big punches that led him to go with five years without a loss. All total the Alabama resident has a boxing record of 77 wins, seven losses and four draws.
“I’m not finished yet with boxing,” Butterbean says.
Suspension update
Phil Baroni’s one-year suspension for testing positive for steroids was reduced to six months by the California State Athletic Commission on Wednesday.
Baroni tested positive following his loss to Frank Shamrock last June 2007 and appealed the one-year suspension and $2,500 fine. But after appearing with attorneys at his side
Baroni was granted a reduction but his fine was upheld.
Sean Sherk, who tested positive for steroids after fighting in Sacramento last August 2007, also appeared before the Commission. But his case was postponed until Nov. 13, in Los Angeles.
Fights coming up
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.
NEW YORK (AP) - As the glow fades from the Giants' Super Bowl triumph, some New York sports fans are tuning in to basketball and hockey, with the Rangers in first place and the Knicks' overnight sensation, Jeremy Lin, sparking "Lin-sanity.''
Robins: This year, six new breeds will be making their debut on the green carpet for the Westminster Dog Show, which begins Monday.
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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.
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