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.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
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.
Getty ImagesRemember too that this was supposed to be USC’s year. The schedule was favorable, as it had all the so-called tough games (Ohio State, Oregon, Arizona State, Cal, Notre Dame) at home. The Trojans kept linebackers Brian Cushing and Rey Maualuga from bolting to the NFL (a lot of good it did them Thursday) and were said to have the most efficient defense this side of NORAD. The offense was green in spots, but the richness of the talent pool was supposed to compensate for that.
All of that is over now. The Trojans won’t be building momentum toward a title, but rather will be answering questions about why they haven’t appeared in a BCS title game since the Vince Young Rose Bowl Relay (Jan. 4, 2006), and why they haven’t won one since whipping Oklahoma the year before that.
USC isn’t the only team out there that has landed with a splat. Oklahoma seems to do it also on a fairly regular basis. Ditto for Texas, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Auburn and many more. The college football season as a whole is a lot like that drill done in practice in which players high step through an obstacle course of tackling dummies and rope mazes: somebody always wipes out.
But when USC does it, the tumble is more pronounced. It has established itself as a gathering place for the nation’s finest college football players, where the elite meet to decleat. So when the Trojans take the gas pipe when they should cruise, the consequences are more severe, the plummet more dramatic.
Never bet money on any electorate. Strange things happen when knowledgeable people go to the polls. It’s possible USC has built up enough respect that voters in November will say, “All is forgiven.” It’s also conceivable a rash of upsets could throw the map into disarray.
Right now, though, it doesn’t look good for the men of Troy. Playing Oregon State in September is like a primary before the general election. And in this scenario, the Trojans are bankrupt and broken, and won’t even be invited to participate in the debate.
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.
CFT: Jordan Jefferson makes it clear he wasn't happy with LSU's game plan in the Tigers' BCS Championship Game loss to Alabama.
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The Week in Sports Pictures The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more. more photos |
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.
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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.