Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
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.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods both greeted Sunday with unbridled optimism. But the day would end happily only for Mickelson.
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.
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Any discussion about top Pac-10 coaches has to begin with the considerable talents of USC's Pete Carroll and Arizona State's Dennis Erickson. Each has won national championships, and each has been a head coach in the NFL.
The next tier of coaches lacks that glitz, but it's formidable. Most schools would love to have Oregon's Mike Bellotti, Oregon State's Mike Riley or Cal's Jeff Tedford running their ship.
I am excited to see what the dynamic Rick Neuheisel does at UCLA, and Jim Harbaugh is impossible to ignore at Stanford.
Ranking the Pac-10 coaches
1. Pete Carroll, USC. He only has built the premier program in America, that's all. And don't tell me he's in a cushy job that is set up for success. Remember Paul Hackett? Larry Smith? Yes, Carroll has advantages, but with an energy and mojo unseen in any other coach, he has built a talent-laden power.
2. Dennis Erickson, Arizona State. It's not easy to find a better coach. Erickson proved his mettle again with a one-season turnaround that had the Sun Devils in the national championship hunt well into last season. Erickson has few peers when it comes to game planning, but even more valuable is his ability to get players to buy into what he's selling.
3. Mike Bellotti, Oregon. Year after year, he keeps winning, building on the foundation laid by Rich Brooks. Bellotti, who has had two league titles and just one losing season in 13 years in Eugene, has excelled by being a relentless recruiter and surrounding himself with a sharp staff, including standout defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti.
4. Mike Riley, Oregon State. Let's call him Mr. Nice Guy. But don't be fooled — Riley is a killer coach, the best you rarely hear about. Riley, who played for Bear Bryant and has coached in the NFL and CFL, has won 19 games the past two years and is 4-0 in bowl games with the Beavers.
5. Jeff Tedford, Cal. Part of a rich coaching tree with roots at Oregon, Tedford thinks about offense with the complexity of an NFL coach. And he is starting to see the big picture. Witness his willingness to relinquish play-calling duties to new coordinator Frank Cignetti, one of the bright young minds in the game.
6. Rick Neuheisel, UCLA. I get the feeling that a more mature Neuheisel is going to excel now that he is back home. It's hard to top his package of enthusiasm and smarts. Even better: Neuheisel has assembled a blue-ribbon staff headed by offensive coordinator Norm Chow and defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker. This is gonna be fun.
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.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
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 Memphis fulfills BCS dream Tigers officials thrilled to announce that school has been accepted to join the Big East Conference in 2013. |
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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 |
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.
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.
Paul Pierce has been around long enough to know what Rajon Rondo's performance can mean for the aging Boston Celtics.
