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.
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
BOSTON - Third baseman Mike Lowell was remove from Boston’s first-round postseason roster on Monday because of a right hip strain.
He would be ineligible to play in the AL championship series if the Red Sox advance past their first-round opponent, the Los Angeles Angels.
Last year’s World Series MVP, who also has a torn labrum in his right hip, was replaced on the active roster by infielder Gil Velazquez, who made his major league debut on Sept. 25.
Lowell was 0-for-8 in two games during the series against the Angels.
The Red Sox led the series 2-1 after the Angels won 5-4 win in 12 innings Sunday night. Lowell walked in the 10th inning and Alex Cora pinch ran for him.
“He’s hurting today,” Boston manager Terry Francona said before the roster move was announced. “When he finally did get on base, we ran for him just because if there was a grounder in the hole and he can’t get to second, that puts him in an unfair position.”
Kevin Youkilis moved from first base to Lowell’s regular spot at third base and Mark Kotsay was down to play first on Monday night. J.D. Drew, who hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in Boston’s 7-5 win in Game 2, returned in right field after not starting Sunday because of a bad back.
“Sometimes the best thing to do is try to be a little patient,” Francona said before the decision was made to replace Lowell. “If you can afford the patience, maybe your patience is rewarded. Now, again, we need to listen to what the doctors have to say.”
Lowell’s hip injury limited him to one at bat in Boston’s last 11 regular-season games.
He went 0-for-4 as Boston won the opener 4-1, sat out the second game and went 0-for-4 in the third game.
“His ability to try to play through a bunch of pain is remarkable,” Francona said, “but I think we all kind of saw it was difficult for him last night. “
Velazquez spent the past 10 seasons and most of this season in the minors before being called up from Triple-A Pawtucket. He was 1-for-8 in three games with Boston.
The Angels made one lineup change from Game 2. Mike Napoli moved up from seventh to sixth after hitting two homers and scoring the winning run. Juan Rivera was dropped from sixth to seventh after going 0-for-3.
“Mike really turned it on the last month of the season,” manager Mike Scioscia said.
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.
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.