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.
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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 |
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - With a trip to the Rose Bowl on the line this Saturday when the No. 7 Nittany Lions face Michigan State, Penn State coach Joe Paterno may have inadvertently turned the focus back onto his pending future at a campus rally Friday night.
The 81-year-old — whose contract expires after this, his record 43rd season as head coach — dropped another hint that he's thinking of returning in 2009. At the pep rally, during which his eyes appeared to tear up at times, Paterno said into a microphone "When I’ve walked out of that stadium, when I can run out on that field, which I will do next year — run out on that field!"
Hobbled by a sore hip that may require surgery next week, the feisty Paterno usually stays vague when talking about the future, though he’s never talked about quitting.
Paterno will work from the press box for Michigan State — as he’s done most of this season — and he’s not sure how soon he can get back to the sideline after surgery.
Penn State will play a veritable Big Ten championship game on Saturday when No. 17 Michigan State visits Happy Valley.
Win and the Nittany Lions clinch a spot in the Rose Bowl.
If the Spartans (9-2, 6-1) win, they’ll still need Ohio State to be upset by Michigan to secure the trip to Pasadena.
“This is probably the biggest game I’ve been in and all of us have played in since we’ve been here,” Penn State senior safety Anthony Scirrotto said. “These are the kind of games you come here to play.”
The Big Ten doesn’t play a true title game, and Penn State (10-1, 6-1) only joined the conference in 1993 after years as an independent.
So Saturday’s game will be the first time a championship will be on the line in the 48-year history of Beaver Stadium.
The forecast for Saturday afternoon calls for temperatures in the upper 20s with snow showers possible and light winds.
Perfect weather for a running game. Scirrotto calls it “ground and pound” season, ideal for physical Big Ten football.
Ideal for a guy like Michigan State tailback Javon Ringer.
Third in the nation with 140.7 yards per game, Ringer has burned opponents for 20 rushing touchdowns. The senior hopes his class has laid the foundation for future success for the Spartans and second-year coach Mark Dantonio.
“The coaches were pretty smart when they said sooner or later we would be playing for a championship, because now it is coming true,” Ringer said. “This is not going to be a one-year wonder because there is so much talent behind our senior class, and Lord willing we will continue to be successful in the future.”
First there’s Penn State to take care of, though, no small task considering the Nittany Lions feature the Big Ten’s best rush defense (101.5 yards per game).
Defensive end Josh Gaines calls the 5-foot-9, 202-pound Ringer “explosive and stronger than an ox” running behind a big offensive line. Gaines was limited last week against Indiana because of a sore ankle, but that won’t keep the senior captain from the field this weekend.
“Oh yeah, I’m playing,” Gaines said. “The Big 10 championship? I’m playing for that.”
Most preseason prognosticators didn’t figure Michigan State-Penn State as a contest that could decide the conference representative in the Rose Bowl. The Big Ten schedule usually pits the two schools together in the last game of the regular season to decide the “Land Grant Trophy.”
The stakes are a bit higher this year.
Besides that, a sellout crowd of at least 109,000 is expected to rock Beaver Stadium to celebrate the final home game of Scirrotto, Gaines, receiver Derrick Williams and 14 other Penn State seniors.
“The atmosphere will be electric, I’m sure. It always is over there. It will be something I’m sure our players will remember for the rest of their lives,” Dantonio said.
A win for Penn State would allow the school to join Michigan, Notre Dame, Texas, Nebraska and Ohio State as programs with at least 800 wins. Paterno has guided the Nittany Lions to 382 victories, first among major college coaches.
“Penn State is always bringing in talent, and personally I don’t think Joe Paterno is going anywhere,” Ringer said. “People love to play for him ... so this will not be a one-year wonder for them either.”
He just hopes it’s Michigan State, not Penn State, that ends up at the Rose Bowl.
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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 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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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.
After leading by 18 points in the first half, the Los Angeles Lakers were staring at a four-point deficit with less than two minutes to play.
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.