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
NEW YORK - Daric Barton smacked his head on the bottom of a pool during the All-Star break, requiring six staples to close the gash and leaving the Oakland first baseman with a neck strain that landed him on the disabled list Saturday.
Barton was placed on the 15-day DL, retroactive to July 14. The Athletics recalled infielder Wes Bankston from Triple-A Sacramento and started him at first base against the New York Yankees.
Barton said he was at a friend's apartment back home in California when he dove into a pool Sunday night. He didn't realize how shallow it was, and he hit his head on the bottom. He never lost consciousness, but blood began gushing down his face and Barton went to the emergency room.
"As soon as I did it I was kind of in shock," he said.
Doctors sealed the cut with six staples that are clearly visible atop Barton's head. He is slated to have the staples removed on Wednesday and hopes to be back on the field for workouts within a week.
"My head's fine. I jarred my neck a little bit," he said. "Left side is pretty good, it's just the right side. I can't move to the right pretty much."
The 22-year-old Barton worked out with the A's in Oakland on Thursday and made the trip to New York. Athletics manager Bob Geren said he thought Barton would play in the series opener Friday night, but his neck was still tight so he sat out.
"You have mixed feelings about it. Obviously the injury could be worse, but you're upset about it a little bit. It seemed to be a careless mistake that hurt the team," Geren said.
Barton is batting .224 with three homers and 25 RBIs.
"Of course, I want to play. That's my job to play," he said. "I've got to take responsibility for my actions. It was a freak accident and I've got to deal with it."
Bankston joined the A's for the second time this season. He was called up July 2 and went 10-for-34 (.294) with a homer and three RBIs in nine starts before he was optioned back to the minors July 10.
Bankston was hitting .272 with 15 home runs and 53 RBIs at Sacramento.
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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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.
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.