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.
Eleven shots separated Phil and Tiger Sunday at Pebble Beach as Lefty secured his 40th Tour win. Jason Sobel had 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.
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.
Getty Images“It’s very redeeming for me, but this is our time now,’’ Lidge said amidst the celebration. “I don’t care about that other crap.’’
And Cole Hamels, the 24-year-old World Series MVP, didn’t take long to put himself in the pantheon of postseason pitching greats, right there with Jack Morris, Josh Beckett, Randy Johnson and John Smoltz. Very good in the regular season became great in October — 4-0 with a 1.80 ERA, and 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in two World Series outings.
“Every time he goes out, I think he's capable of winning the game,’’ Manuel said about Hamels during the series. “Sometimes, I think he can throw no-hitters. I’ve got a lot of confidence in him. We all do.’’
Fitting for a title drought-ender, this was a series that defied logic in many ways:
The Phillies won Game 1 despite going hitless in 13 at-bats with runners in scoring position. Game 3 went until 1:47 in the morning after a 91-minute rain delay, and Carlos Ruiz won it with a dribbler down the third base — beating the Rays' five-man infield.
The Rays lost four of five despite setting postseason records for both home runs and stolen bases.
In a Game 4 Phillies’ whooping of the Rays, even pitcher Joe Blanton went deep. Never mind that he had all of two big-league hits in 33 at-bats to that point. The last time it happened in a World Series was 34 years ago, when Oakland's Ken Holtzman did it. Only 13 other pitchers besides Blanton ever have done it in a World Series game (Dave McNally twice).
Afterward, Blanton said, “I just close my eyes and swing hard in case I make contact” — and you kinda thought maybe he wasn't really kidding. And if you didn't think this was the Phillies' year at that point, then you never would.
Still, it came down to 3½ tense, taut innings in very cold but dry conditions. Yes, there was an urgency about this one. The Phillies wanted to end it without a return trip to Florida. As Rollins said he told Werth before the night’s action began: “It’s not the bottom of the first; it’s the bottom of the sixth. Act like it.’’
Now the Phillies can act like something else — World Series champions.
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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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.
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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