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.
ReutersMuch needed relief
A key reason for Tampa Bay’s surprising rise is its bullpen. The Rays’ relief corps was historically bad last season -- its 6.16 ERA was the highest in the majors in the last 50 years. With some key additions as well as some favorable subtractions that's turned completely around to where Tampa Bay now has one of the better bullpens in baseball.
Troy Percival is one of those key additions. He’ll turn 39 in September but he’s proven that his comeback with St. Louis last season was no fluke. He stepped into the closer’s role with the Rays and flourished in it. He had 19 saves before going on the DL earlier this month with a left hamstring strain (his second DL stint this season). Staying healthy in the second half will be Percival’s mission and something vitally important to the Rays’ playoff chances.
In the first half of the season the Rays weren’t shy about calling upon Dan Wheeler, J.P. Howell and Jason Hammel and this trio of relievers not only answered the call but answered it well. But all three are on pace for a high number of innings so Maddon will need to watch them carefully for fatigue.
Rays of praise and concern
Tampa Bay does not lack for talent at many a position and the development of Evan Longoria at third base grows the excitement around this young team. So does the way it has vastly improved on defense. Last year’s Rays were one of the poorest defensive teams seen in decades. This season they are among the best teams in the majors in fielding.
With so much youth on the roster and a good chance more young players will be added in the second half of the season the value of having veterans like Percival, Floyd and Eric Hinske around can’t be overstated. These guys set examples for their younger teammates to strive to be consistent through the highs and the lows. They teach lessons learned from having been through big-time battles before (Floyd and Percival own World Series rings). Some of those lessons are to realize that the sun will always rise tomorrow even after the worst of games and also every game is to be deemed important and no outcome ever taken for granted.
The Rays had a home-heavy schedule the first half of the season. That’s helped them establish confidence but the tables will turn in the second half, especially coming down the stretch. Starting Sept. 5 the Rays play just seven of their final 24 games at home. That’s an acid test, especially for a young team but with how surprising their season has been so far maybe they become road warriors at a time when it counts the most.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
DeMarco: Plug in a well-heeled ownership group and negotiate one of those mega-bucks TV deals that are going around, and the Dodgers could become the west coast version of the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox.
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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.