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 three goals as the New York Rangers beat Philadelphia 5-2 on Saturday for their seventh straight win over the Flyers.
Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
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.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
Move over, Hollywood and NFL types, golf's two real A-listers take center stage Sunday at Pebble Beach, both in need of a win.
The United States swept favored Switzerland out of the Davis Cup on Saturday when Mardy Fish and Mike Bryan beat Roger Federer and Stanislas Wawrinka 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
Luis Suarez's refusal to shake hands with Patrice Evra overshadowed Manchester United's 2-1 win over rival Liverpool that lifted the defending champions to first place in the Premier League on Saturday.
Marlies Schild of Austria won her sixth World Cup slalom of the season Saturday after overall leader Lindsey Vonn and defending champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch crashed out in the opening run on the windy Pyrenees course.
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 filePac-10
1. USC: at Virginia, Ohio State, Notre Dame
2. Washington: BYU, Oklahoma, Notre Dame
3. UCLA: Tennessee, at BYU, Fresno State
4. Oregon State: at Penn State, Hawaii, at Utah
5. California: Michigan State, at Maryland, Colorado State
6. Arizona State: Georgia, Northern Arizona, UNLV
7. Oregon: Utah State, at Purdue, Boise State
8. Washington State: Oklahoma State, at Baylor, Portland State
9. Stanford: at TCU, San Jose State, at Notre Dame
10. Arizona: Idaho, Toledo, at New Mexico
Quick observations:
Let's all take notes, shall we? Here is how you schedule (this means you, SEC and Big Ten): play everyone in your conference and play realistic non-con games. Please, a moment of thanks to the Pac-10 ADs.
I don't think I'm going overboard when I say USC has the best non-con schedule in the nation every season. And you know what? The Trojans — surprise! — are among the top five teams in the nation every year. SEC fan: "We play rough here in the SEC, son. We don't have to play tough non-con schedules." Get over yourselves.
Say this much for Washington: If Ty Willingham gets through this non-con gauntlet, he should keep his job. Then again, if the Huskies whiff on all three (very possible), this season looks a whole lot like 4-8.
I'm all for the reinvention of UCLA under Rick Neuheisel/Norm Chow/DeWayne Walker. Three terrific coaches. But it's rough sledding in those three non-con games with JC QB Kevin Craft leading the offense.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a Bill & Mary or Coastal Carolina slipped in somewhere?
How bad is the Arizona schedule? All three of its non-con games are among the top five worst in the league.
Top five games: Ohio State at USC; Georgia at Arizona State; Oklahoma at Washington; Tennessee at UCLA; Michigan State at California.
Bottom five games: Northern Arizona at Arizona State, Portland State at Washington State; Idaho at Arizona, Toledo at Arizona; New Mexico at Arizona.
Games against BCS schools: 14 (out of 30 possible): 47 percent.
Games against Championship Subdivision schools: 2 (out of 16 possible): 13 percent.
SEC
1. Florida: Hawaii, Miami, Citadel, at Florida State
2. Tennessee: at UCLA, UAB, Northern Illinois, Wyoming
3. Georgia: Georgia Southern, Central Michigan, at Arizona State, Georgia Tech
4. South Carolina: North Carolina State, Wofford, UAB, at Clemson
5. Auburn: Louisiana-Monroe, Southern Miss, at West Virginia, Tennessee-Martin
6. Ole Miss: Memphis, at Wake Forest, Samford, Louisiana-Monroe
7. Arkansas: Western Illinois, Louisiana-Monroe, at Texas, Tulsa
8. Alabama: vs. Clemson, Tulane, Western Kentucky, Arkansas State
9. Mississippi State: at Louisiana Tech, Southeastern Louisiana, at Georgia Tech, Middle Tennessee.
10. Vanderbilt: at Miami (OH), Rice, Duke, at Wake Forest
11. LSU: Appalachian State, Troy, North Texas, Tulane
12. Kentucky: at Louisville, Norfolk State, Middle Tennessee, Western Kentucky
Quick observations:
Louisiana-Monroe is a member of the SEC West by proxy. How's this for generating revenue: Get your butt handed to you three times, collect nearly $3 million. Unless, of course, Alabama is on the list. Then you get $800K and a nice win.
Imagine if this season were earlier this decade, and look at Florida's schedule. Even with FSU and Miami's decline -- and Hawaii's natural regression this fall -- the Gators still have the league's toughest noncon schedule. Of course, it wouldn't be the SEC if a I-AA (Championship Subdivision) team weren't sprinkled in there somewhere.
LSU and Kentucky should be embarrassed. Kentucky, to a point, is understandable: three gimme games are a must to reach bowl status. But LSU? Shameful.
Top five games: Georgia at Arizona State; Auburn at West Virginia; Alabama vs. Clemson (in Atlanta); Tennessee at UCLA; Arkansas at Texas.
Bottom five games: Citadel at Florida; Wofford at South Carolina; Tennessee-Martin at Auburn; Norfolk State at Kentucky; Southeastern Louisiana at Mississippi State.
Games against BCS schools: 15 (out of 48): 31 percent.
Games against Championship Subdivision schools: 9 (out of 33 remaining): 27 percent.
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 |
TERRIFIC TROJANS Since 2002, USC has finished in the top 4 in every final AP poll. No other school has finished in the top 12 every year. In fact, USC, Ohio St., Oklahoma and Texas are the only schools to end each of the last seven seasons in the Top 25. |
| Season | AP | Coaches |
| 2008 | 3 | 2 |
| 2007 | 3 | 2 |
| 2006 | 4 | 4 |
| 2005 | 2 | 2 |
| 2004 | 1 | 1 |
| 2003 | 1 | 2 |
| 2002 | 4 | 4 |
Jeremy Lin hit a free throw with 4.9 seconds left to overcome a dreadful second half and lift the New York Knicks to their fifth straight victory, 100-98, over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday night.
Doron Lamb hit a 3-pointer with 3:18 left to put No. 1 Kentucky ahead to stay, and the Wildcats took a big step toward a Southeastern Conference regular-season title by beating Vanderbilt 69-63 Saturday night for their 17th straight win.
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.