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: Syracuse is among a solid group of No. 1 seeds in our latest tournament projections, but the middle of the pack is much more murky.
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 greeted their Sunday pairing at Pebble Beach with optimism. But the day would end happily only for one.
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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The top five players at each position in the Atlantic Coast Conference:
Quarterback
1. Cullen Harper, Clemson
2. Riley Skinner, Wake Forest
3. T.J. Yates, North Carolina
4. Drew Weatherford, Florida State
5. Tyrod Taylor, Virginia Tech
Quick thoughts: Harper went from biding time until super freshman Willy Korn was ready to being a Heisman Trophy candidate. Skinner isn't the most physically impressive player, but he does so many things well and manages the game meticulously. Taylor, when more comfortable within the offense, will be a dynamic star.
Running back
1. C.J. Spiller, Clemson
2. James Davis, Clemson
3. Graig Cooper, Miami
4. Josh Adams, Wake Forest
5. Greg Little, North Carolina
Quick thoughts: Spiller/Davis is the best tandem in the nation, and Cooper/Javarris James isn't far behind in the ACC. Cooper, Adams and Little are three sophomores primed for big seasons.
Wide receiver
1. Aaron Kelly, Clemson
2. Darrius Heyward-Bey, Maryland
3. Preston Parker, Florida State
4. Hakeem Nicks, North Carolina
5. Brandon Robinson, Boston College
Quick thoughts: Heyward-Bey is the best NFL prospect, but he must be more consistent. Kelly must prove he's more than a jump-ball receiver, and Parker -- the most dynamic receiver in the group -- must prove himself again after problems off the field.
Tight end
1. Ryan Purvis, Boston College
2. Anthony Hill, NC State
3. John Phillips, Virginia
4. Ben Wooster, Wake Forest
5. Chris Zellner, Miami
Quick thoughts: A thin group with little experience. Wooster will be very good, and the NC State staff had high hopes for Hill before he missed last season with a knee injury.
Offensive line
1. Andrew Gardner, Georgia Tech
2. Rodney Hudson, Florida State
3. Anthony Castonzo, Boston College
4. Ed Wang, Virginia Tech
5. Eugene Monroe, Virginia
Quick thoughts: Gardner is one of the best in the nation, and Hudson and Castonzo are stars of the future.
Kicker
1. Sam Swank, Wake Forest
2. Obi Egekeze, Maryland
3. Mark Buchholz, Clemson
4. Steve Aponavicius, Boston College
5. Nick Maggio, Duke
Quick thoughts: After the All-American Swank and steady Egekeze, it's a crapshoot. Buchholz is way too inconsistent, and Aponavicius and Maggio don't have range.
Defensive line
1. Vance Walker, Georgia Tech
2. Ricky Sapp, Clemson
3. Marvin Austin, North Carolina
4. Everette Brown, Florida State
5. Willie Young, NC State
Quick thoughts: Only a sophomore, Marvin Austin could be the best in the league by the end of the season. Two other young players not yet on the list -- sophomore Allen Bailey of Miami and freshman DeQuan Bowers of Clemson -- could be right there with Austin.
Linebacker
1. Aaron Curry, Wake Forest
2. Clint Sintim, Virginia
3. Brian Toal, Boston College
4. Derek Nicholson, Florida State
5. John Copper, Virginia
Quick thoughts: Virginia nearly landed a third player in the top five with Antonio Appleby. Curry is the most complete linebacker of the group, and Toal, if he returns completely healthy, is a classic run stuffer. Player to watch: FSU freshman Nigel Bradham.
Secondary
1. Alphonso Smith, Wake Forest
2. Victor Harris, Virginia Tech
3. Myron Rolle, Florida State
4. Michael Hamlin, Clemson
5. Brandon Ghee, Wake Forest
Quick thoughts: Smith and Harris trail only Vontae Davis and Malcolm Jenkins of the Big Ten in top cornerback duos for a conference. Rolle doesn't get enough credit for erasing cover mistakes in the FSU secondary.
Punter
1. Graham Gano, Florida State
2. Brent Bowden, Virginia Tech
3. Jimmy Maners, Clemson
4. Terrence Brown, North Carolina
5. Travis Baltz, Maryland
Quick thoughts: All are solid; none stand out. Bowden and Gano are the best at dropping punts inside the 20, which is why they're at the top of the list.
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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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.
The Red Wings have finally started to embrace a record they've been chasing.
