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 file
MIAMI - In the Florida Marlins clubhouse, players watched the clock as the final seconds ticked toward Thursday’s 4 p.m. trading deadline.
Center fielder Cody Ross counted it down: “Three. Two. One. Yes!” He clapped, then gave teammate Jeremy Hermida a hug.
Hermida stayed with the Marlins because negotiations to acquire slugger Manny Ramirez from the Boston Red Sox fell through. Florida players liked the idea of adding Ramirez, but they also like their young, surprising team the way it is — only 1½ games out of the NL East lead going into Thursday night’s game against Colorado.
“I’m ecstatic to still be here,” Hermida said. “The chemistry here is something I enjoy.”
Reports had Hermida going to Pittsburgh in a three-way deal that would have sent outfielder Jason Bay from the Pirates to the Red Sox, and Ramirez to the Marlins. Prospects and money were also part of the negotiations.
Ramirez instead went to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-team trade that sent Bay to Boston.
Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest declined to talk about negotiations for Ramirez, but he confirmed the team sought to upgrade.
“I’m a little bit disappointed,” Beinfest said. “We would have liked to have done more.
“We stayed on the phone throughout the day looking at a number of things to try to help the ballclub. These guys deserve to be helped. They’ve done a great job. They’ve put themselves in contention.”
The only trade Florida made was for left-handed reliever Arthur Rhodes, acquired from the Seattle Mariners for minor league right-hander Gaby Hernandez.
A rumored deal sending first baseman Mike Jacobs to San Francisco for catcher Bengie Molina failed to materialize.
Talk of adding a $20 million left fielder in Ramirez was surprising because the Florida’s payroll is only $22 million, by far the smallest in baseball. But Jacobs said the Marlins have the talent to stay in contention.
“We’ve been winning,” he said. “If people aren’t believing in us yet, they haven’t been watching baseball.”
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
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