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.
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.
APPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals is planning a demonstration for Vick’s appearance at Surry County Circuit Court on Tuesday, when he is expected to plead guilty to two felony counts in a deal with prosecutors that calls for a suspended sentence and probation. The plea would resolve his last pending criminal charges and, his lawyers hope, make him eligible for early release from prison and into a halfway house designed to ease his return to society.
According to the Bureau of Prisons Web site, Vick is scheduled to be released from the federal penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan., next July 20 — 20 months since he reported in advance of his Dec. 10, 2007, sentencing to begin serving his time.
Vick was convicted of the federal charges in August 2007 when he admitted bankrolling a dogfighting operation at a home he owned in rural Surry County. He also admitted to participating in the killing of several underperforming dogs.
PETA, for one, does not consider Vick’s case closed.
“We don’t see any way people could cheer for him,” PETA spokesman Dan Shannon said Monday. “Our view it he’s got to do something and get as active fighting against dogfighting as he was participating in it. If he does that, we’ll reconsider our position. ... That will determine not just how PETA reacts, but also how the public and the NFL and individual teams react.”
In supporting Vick, several current NFL players brought up other instances of players being allowed back into the league after various legal issues.
“All the opportunities Pacman Jones got, why can’t Michael Vick? If a guy gets in trouble repeatedly — which crime is bigger? I don’t know,” Dolphins defensive end Vonnie Holliday said. “I think he should get an opportunity to have a second chance.”
Said former Falcons teammate Alge Crumpler, now with the Titans: “Somebody’s got to give him an opportunity. I’ve never thought Michael was a bad person. I’ve never thought he was a detriment to any team. ... He just made a stupid mistake.”
Given that the bottom line in the NFL is winning, if Vick can still play, he just might get that opportunity.
He was once, after all, among the league’s most visible and exciting players after being chosen with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2001 draft.
“He’s got so much talent, it would be a shame if he didn’t play again,” Redskins running back Clinton Portis said. “He can do it — guys miss a year due to injury and come back all the time.”
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.
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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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.
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.
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