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 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.
APWho goes where?: The Rays and Red Sox are going to the playoffs, that much is certain. But the division series matchups aren't set, and the Red Sox can look at their 1-8 record against the Los Angeles Angels as incentive to capture the AL East title that would put them in a series against the White Sox or Twins.
Working in the Red Sox's favor in trying to make up a 1 1/2-game deficit is the fact that the Rays have finished their home schedule — where they have the majors' best record (57-24).
The Rays face a Tuesday double-header in Baltimore, turning that into a four-game, three-day series and forcing phenom David Price to make his first big-league start on Monday. Then they will finish the season with four games in Detroit.
In contrast, the Red Sox will finish in Fenway — where they are 52-22 — with four against Cleveland and three against New York, already eliminated but certainly hoping to play a spoiler role for the Sox's division-title hopes.
The Rays are 6-4 against the White Sox and 6-3 against the Angels, so there isn't much difference there. But home-field advantage is a decided edge in the Rays' case, so winning the East and matching up against the White Sox or Twins definitely would be beneficial to Joe Maddon's team.
Clinch alert: The Angels and Cubs already have popped the corks, and next up could be the Dodgers, barring anything crazy given they won't face the D-Backs this week.
Either way, the Dodgers' division celebration could come against a hated rival — either at home against the Padres, or in front of Giants fans at AT&T Park on the weekend. Meanwhile, the D-Backs will try to pull off the unexpected with four games in St. Louis, and three at home against Colorado.
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.
HardballTalk headlines |
 | Interactive |
 |
 | Slideshow |
 | Unbreakable records in baseball A look at the most unbreakable records in baseball including Nolan Ryan's seven no-hitters. |
| Slideshow |
 | The top tools of baseball You hear a lot about the tools of baseball, but who are the best hitters, fielders and pitchers? We break it down. more photos |
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.
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.
Adreian Payne scored 15 points, Draymond Green added 12 and defense-minded No. 11 Michigan State beat No. 3 Ohio State 58-48 Saturday night, ending the Buckeyes' 39-game home winning streak.