Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
SportsTalk: Albert Pujols signs with the Angels and Prince Fielder joins the Tigers. Which team is better now?
The Detroit Red Wings equaled an NHL record with their 20th straight win at home, beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 Sunday night on the strength of Johan Franzen's tiebreaking goal early in the third period.
PBT: Boston's Rajon Rondo continues to be named in trade talks, which is madness. The Celtics guard creates offense and makes everyone around him better, which was evident in Sunday's win over the Bulls.
Arc: Syracuse is among a solid group of No. 1 seeds in our latest tournament projections, but the middle of the pack is much more murky.
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.
Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods greeted their Sunday pairing at Pebble Beach with optimism. But the day would end happily only for one.
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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Brady, as usual, was exceptional, throwing for 207 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions as the Patriots rolled to a 41-27 victory in a game they led 41-20 until the final minute. They went on to win their third Super Bowl, and their second after beating Pittsburgh to get there.
Flacco probably can’t be just any old Joe if the Ravens are to win in Pittsburgh, where they have dropped seven of their last eight. Yet he was exactly that against the Steelers this season, going 27-of-59 for 307 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in two close losses.
For comparison’s sake, Flacco is 257-of-428 for 2,971 yards, 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions as a rookie. Roethlisberger was 196-of-295 for 2,621 yards, 17 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 2004.
Flacco couldn’t get the Ravens into the end zone in last month’s 13-9 loss to Pittsburgh in Baltimore, completing only 11 of 28 passes for 115 yards and two interceptions in perhaps his worst game all season.
“That’s what games are going to be in December in the NFL,” Flacco said.
Now he’ll find out what these games are like in January. He hopes the experience isn’t as deflating as it was to Roethlisberger four years ago.
If it is, the Steelers may discover again what it’s like to win a conference championship game on their home field, something they’ve done only once in 29 years.
“I’m going to my fourth championship game,” Ward said. “I’m 0-2 at home. So I want to win this one — I’m tired of losing at home.”
A couple of million Pittsburghers probably feel the same way.
Rotoworld: Oregon RB LaMichael James and Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon among top 10 players who are being overhyped for the 2012 draft.
Rotoworld: Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill among the 10 players who will slip down draft boards, but probably shouldn't.
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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.
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.