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.
Getty ImagesQ: This is kind of a random question: The Hawks and Heat are supposed to replay the final 50 seconds of their game because Shaquille O'Neal was fouled out by referee error. What will they do now that Shaq is no longer with the Heat? — Nicole
A: The NBA is asking itself now. Joe Johnson said it makes the protest moot and the league should just award the game to the Hawks. I believe the Heat will have to take a timeout with Shaq not there, but it still remains unclear whether anything else will occur. My guess is they play it out. I wonder what would have happened if Shaq were traded to the Hawks. I seem to vaguely recall some scenario like that.
Q: I noticed you recently said LeBron James has become "much less of a difficult person to be around." What exactly do you mean? What was he like before? — Paul Hayes, Melbourne, Australia
A: He had been very difficult, especially at the World Championships. He was ordering staff members around and it got to a point where one player even yelled out on the team bus one day that maybe James would say thank you on occasion when some poor kid did something for him. Youth, I guess, and wealth too fast. It had gotten to a point there was even some talk about leaving him off the team. Staffers and everyone said he was a different guy last summer, humble and helpful.
Q: Shaq is now playing alongside an MVP in Steve Nash. How do you see their on-court relationship working out? — Tyler ZoBell, Olympia, Wash.
A: Like everyone else, I'm anxious to see. I questioned whether this could work having seen Shaq this season, but after seeing the Suns so much smaller without Kurt Thomas and so much more dependent on Amare Stoudemire to rebound, hardly his favorite activity, I doubted they could win anymore. So they're taking a shot at it. They'll have to play slower and the question is whether they can and the coaching staff will want to. As for Shaq, he truly is one of the favorites of all the players, a fun teammate and I think there will be some relief with Shawn Marion gone.
Q: I have been hearing that the Grizzlies were going to buy out or waive Kwame Brown or Javaris Crittenton. If this is true, wouldn't the Lakers be better off offering one of those guys the vet's minimum rather than keeping D.J. Mbenga? — Carlos Batres, Torrance, Calif.
A: I believe the Lakers are not done. I'm not sure they'd want Brown back, but I can't see Memphis getting rid of a cheap Crittenton, who is talented.
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
Rajon Rondo recorded a triple-double with 32 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the Boston Celtics to a 95-91 win Sunday over the Chicago Bulls, who were without star guard Derrick Rose.
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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.