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.
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.
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 fileBut Smith has restored fans’ hopes. He has made Gophers games “events” again — no small feat in an area that boasts not one major city but two, all four professional sports and big-time college hockey.
The Barn had its first sellout in almost three years for the Jan. 17 Indiana game, then followed it up with another three days later for Michigan State. The rowdy atmosphere is back, too. Students dressed in bright yellow T-shirts declaring “It’s Tubby Time” stand for the entire game, and come up with creative ways to razz opponents. There’s even a group of students who come in animal costumes.
“Tubby just has an aura about him,” said Adam Anderson, who dresses as Clifford the Big Red Dog. “I don’t know what it is. It’s some kind of mystique.”
And it isn’t just the folks in the Twin Cities under his spell. Ralph Sampson III, the 6-foot-11 son of that other Ralph Sampson, will play for the Gophers next year. Smith also has commitments from three other players, including two who are in junior college.
“Our plan is to do the best we can right now,” Smith said. “Does that mean third, fourth, first, second? I don’t know.”
Ten years at one school may as well be a lifetime for a coach, but the Smiths have made a smooth transition to Minnesota. They are immersing themselves in charity work just as they did in Lexington, and are enjoying discovering a new city.
The hardest thing, Donna Smith said, was their decision to downsize. With their three sons grown, the couple traded their seven-bedroom house for a two-bedroom condo.
“I had no idea,” Donna Smith said, laughing. “I thought I was organized. I thought I had an idea of what I was going to keep and how I’m going to give this to so-and-so, and it didn’t work out that way.”
But as her husband likes to tell his players, life is all about change. What matters is how you adapt to it.
“Clearly I miss the people (at Kentucky) and I miss the players, but I’ve got another family here,” Tubby Smith said. “It’s just another chance to touch other peoples’ lives and for me to draw from other people as well. It’s a two-way street: I get a lot from them and, hopefully, I’ll be able to give a lot back.”
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.
Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 15 points and Evan Smotrycz added 13, helping No. 22 Michigan remain unbeaten at home with a 70-61 win over Illinois on Sunday.
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The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos |
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.
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.
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