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.
APThe argument will be that the Big Ten is inferior. That the Midwest has sent a representative to the national title game the past two Januarys and each contest was over by halftime. Which is true. Penn State might not be Ohio State, but there’s guilt by association. And the Nittany Lions did not attract new disciples Saturday evening with an offensive attack that might best be described in this current political climate as “pro-American.”
“Oh, I understand,” says Penn State offensive coordinator Jay Paterno, who sat a couple seats over from his dad in the visiting coaches' press box during the game. After Penn State missed a potential game-tying 45-yard field goal late in the third quarter, Jay’s old man, who happens to be an old man, barked, “For cryin’ out loud, would you open it up?”
At that point, Penn State's spread HD offense more closely resembled an old Quasar black-and-white TV.
On the other hand, underestimate the Nittany Lions at your own peril. Four times in his career Paterno has led his team to an undefeated season and been denied the national title. A fifth time, in 1986, Penn State was allowed, grudgingly, to face Miami in what everyone involved was sure would be a gruesome mismatch. Then a 20-year-old fan of the game, I was lucky enough to be in the stands for the 1987 Fiesta Bowl. And I watched as the Nittany Lions forced the Hurricanes and their Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Vinny Testaverde, out of the highly caffeinated game that they’d hoped to play. Penn State won the national championship with a 14-10 victory.
If that score does not scare Big 12 offensive coordinators, it should. And by the way, this Nittany Lion offense is far superior to that one.
“I actually think we’re a pretty sexy offense, too,” said Jay Paterno, whose given name is Joe. “Each week my 8-year-old son (also named, yes, Joe Paterno) tells me, ‘Hey, Dad, Texas is playing so-and-so, or Oklahoma is playing whoever' — I don’t care. We just have to worry about Penn State.”
“Doesn’t matter if the score is 100-99 or 2-0,” said Rubin, who, having out-touched Michael Phelps in his life, is not one to be easily awestruck. “As long as we win, it doesn’t matter.”
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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Slideshow: A look at Paterno's legendary career Take a look back at legendary Penn State coach Joe Paterno through the years. NBCSports.com |
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 Memphis fulfills BCS dream Tigers officials thrilled to announce that school has been accepted to join the Big East Conference in 2013. |
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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.