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.
AP
ZURICH, Switzerland - Italy got the win. France coach Raymond Domenech got the girl.
The Italians advanced to the quarterfinals of the European Championship with a 2-0 win over short-handed France on Tuesday in a rematch of the 2006 World Cup final the Italians also won.
Andrea Pirlo put Italy in front with a penalty kick in the 25th minute after Eric Abidal was red-carded for a foul on Luca Toni, and Daniele De Rossi made it 2-0 with a deflected free kick in the 62nd.
“We’ve got a lot of pride and we showed what a great group we are,” midfielder Gennaro Gattuso said. “Now we can play this European Championship without depending on anyone else.”
Italy next faces Group D winner Spain on Sunday in Vienna, although it will be without key midfielders Pirlo and Gattuso after each got his second yellow card of the tournament.
Just after the match ended, on the postgame television interview, Domenech proposed to his girlfriend, Estelle Denis.
“Everything was so sad tonight,” he said. “I thought life has beautiful moments. You should tell someone you love them.”
It was Italy’s first win over France without the help of a penalty shootout in 30 years, the last being a 2-1 win at the 1978 World Cup. Italy beat France in a shootout in the 2006 World Cup final and the teams also met twice in qualifying for Euro 2008. The French won 3-1 in Paris and the teams drew 0-0 in Milan.
But the Italians still needed help from the Netherlands to be sure of a place in the next round, getting it when the Dutch beat Romania 2-0 in the other Group C match. The Netherlands won the group with a maximum nine points and Italy finished second with four. Romania exited with two points and France finished last with just one and only one goal.
France’s night began badly when winger Franck Ribery was taken off the field on a stretcher after injuring his left leg in challenge on Gianluca Zambrotta. Ribery fell awkwardly in the seventh minute after tracking back to pressure Zambrotta.
Toni was free behind the defense when he reached out with his leg to pull down a long pass. He was fouled from behind by Abidal, who was ejected before Pirlo stepped up and fired a shot high to the right of goalkeeper Gregory Coupet.
“In one match it’s impossible to have so many catastrophes on a pitch,” Domenech said. “You’d think it’s impossible.”
De Rossi’s 25-yard free kick was deflected in the wall by French striker Thierry Henry and changed direction, eluding Coupet. That was all the Azzurri needed — along with the Dutch victory.
“I never questioned Holland’s commitment in this game,” Italy coach Roberto Donadoni said.
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.
Alex Morgan's 2 goals, including the winner in stoppage time, lift the U.S. past New Zealand 2-1.
 | Slideshow |
 |
| Slideshow |
 |
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.