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.
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.
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.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
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
NEW ORLEANS - Wearing a black brace on his injured right hand, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant sat out the Western Conference’s light practice on Saturday but still expects to start in Sunday’s NBA All-Star game.
Bryant, the MVP in last year’s game, has a torn pinkie ligament from dislocating the finger on Feb. 5 in a game against New Jersey. Although surgery has been recommended, Bryant wants to keep playing and postpone any operation until after the Beijing Olympics in August.
While his teammates broke a sweat doing some half-speed drills and shooting during a 25-minute workout, Bryant sat on the bench. At the end of practice, Bryant heaved up one shot — left-handed.
Bryant would prefer not to play Sunday night, but he doesn’t have a choice. League policy dictates that if a player is healthy enough to play in the final game before the All-Star break and the first one after, he has too play in the midseason event.
During media availability, Bryant said he would start for the West squad but doesn’t expect to play much. He understands the importance of not risking injury to help the Lakers in the second half of the season.
“I have an obligation to the organization to get ready to play,” he said.
Bryant also knows he could worsen the injury.
“It’s always a concern,” he said. “If I dislocate it again I’ll have some issues, so I just have to be very careful about it.”
Bryant may only play a few minutes before he takes a seat, something he’s not looking forward to.
“I’m OK with doing whatever I need to do,” he said. “I love playing in these games so the fact that I’m hurt bums me out. I enjoy competing on this stage with the best players in the world. I wish I wasn’t injured.”
PBT: Jeremy Lin wasn't his hot self on Saturday, but he still led the Knicks to victory.
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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.
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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.