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
TAMPA, Fla. - Candace Parker has earned all sorts of honors — All-American, national champion, future Olympian.
Tennessee coach Pat Summitt offers another distinction: the top player in the history of women’s basketball.
“I went into the season thinking she’s one of the best ever,” Summitt said. “Now that we’re approaching the end of her career — I’ve coached Cheryl Miller, Chamique (Holdsclaw), Lynette Woodard, Nancy (Lieberman), Anne Donovan — Parker is the best.”
Parker, a junior, averaged 21.6 points and 8.3 rebounds to lead the Lady Vols this season. The All-American on Saturday was voted player of the year in women’s college basketball by The Associated Press. Geno Auriemma of Connecticut was the coach of the year, the fifth time he won the award.
“It doesn’t matter how many of these you get, it’s always special because it means you’re doing a great job,” Auriemma said.
Parker received 40 votes from the 50-member national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25. Maya Moore of Connecticut was second with five votes. Sylvia Fowles of LSU and Candice Wiggins of Stanford had two each and Crystal Langhorne of Maryland one.
“I don’t know of another player — I haven’t coached one — who was 6-foot-5 with the skill set she has,” Summitt said, referring to Parker.
On Tuesday night, she scored eight of her 26 points in the second half after twice dislocating her left shoulder to help Tennessee rally past Texas A&M and into the Final Four. She scored 34 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the regional semifinals to send the Lady Vols over Notre Dame.
“I feel like just knowing when to take over and not waiting,” Parker said. “I try to play hard on both ends of the court and provide what my team needs.”
Parker, trying to send Tennessee to a second straight national championship, sparked the U.S. team during Olympic qualifying by averaging a team-high 13.8 points in the FIBA Americas tournament in Chile. She will be a major part of the U.S. team at the Beijing Olympics.
Parker will graduate in May and not return for her last year of eligibility. She most likely will be the first pick by the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA draft Wednesday.
Auriemma received 13 votes, followed by North Carolina’s Sylvia Hatchell with 11 and Utah’s Elaine Elliott and Kansas State’s Deb Patterson with six each.
|
“Anytime you’re recognized for doing something that you’re trying to do really well you always feel humbled a little bit,” he said.
Auriemma also won the award in 1995, 1997, 2000 and 2003. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006.
This season, he guided UConn to a 36-1 record, the lone blemish a 73-71 defeat to Rutgers on Feb. 5. The Huskies lost two starters to season-ending knee injuries yet returned to the Final Four for the ninth time. This was UConn’s first visit since 2004, its longest drought in 20 years.
“This is one year where I think we as a coaching staff probably have earned it,” he said. “Some years you have the best players and go and do what you know you should be doing. There isn’t that much adversity, there isn’t that much to overcome.
“This particular year, the players in our program probably did do some things that I think was above and beyond what you normally do during the season.”
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.
 | Slideshow |
 | College hoops power rankings A look at the top teams in college basketball based on performance and potential. NBCSports.com |
Latest from Beyond the Arc |
Here’s a shot you just can’t defend1 hr 26 min ago Five up, five down from college hoops’ huge day17 hr 56 min ago Michigan State sure shook up Big Ten by beating Buckeyes18 hr 41 min ago |
 | College basketball videos |
 Getty Images Highlights: No. 14 UNLV 65, No. 13 SDSU 63 Mike Moser scored 19 points, and UNLV forced three turnovers in the final 42 seconds to win. |
| Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
 | Slideshow |
 |
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.
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.
