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.
AP
SALT LAKE CITY - Unbeaten Utah celebrated like champions.
Salt Lake City honored the Utes with a parade on Friday, giving fans one last chance to cheer the Sugar Bowl winners for a perfect season that wasn’t good enough to earn a national title.
The Utes paraded along State Street to a downtown rally, where they were greeted by a throng of red-clad fans who chanted “We’re No. 1!”
Utah went 13-0 and was the only unbeaten team in the country, but finished No. 2 behind Florida in the AP Top 25. In the final USA Today Coaches’ poll, the Utes were fourth.
“To see the entire city rally behind us like this is unbelievable,” All-American kicker Louie Sakoda told the crowd that packed the lawn at Washington Square.
The players stood beneath a giant, red banner that read “Utah Football 2009 Sugar Bowl Champions 13-0” during a series of brief speeches.
Coach Kyle Whittingham, named Thursday as winner of the Paul “Bear” Bryant coach of the year award, received one of the loudest ovations when he was introduced, then fueled the fervor with one final statement at the end of the rally.
“Utes-Gators. Neutral site. Winner take all,” Whittingham said.
It sounded good, but it isn’t going to happen. The 2008 season is over and the Utes will have to settle for being a self-proclaimed national title.
Utah fans launched an e-mail campaign to AP poll voters before Florida played Oklahoma in the BCS championship game on Jan. 8, hoping to convince the media voters that the Utes were worthy of being No. 1. It didn’t work, but Utah still got 16 votes for No. 1 and finished with the highest ranking in school history.
Utah’s previous high was No. 5 in 2004, when the Utes were the first “BCS Busters” with a 12-0 season and win over Pittsburgh in the Fiesta 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 |
FINAL TOP 5 IN 2009 POLLS |
| AP | |||
| Rank | Team | Record | Points |
| 1 | Alabama (60) | 14-0 | 1,500 |
| 2 | Texas | 13-1 | 1,399 |
| 3 | Florida | 13-1 | 1,370 |
| 4 | Boise State | 14-0 | 1,366 |
| 5 | Ohio State | 11-2 | 1,224 |
| Coaches' | |||
| Rank | Team | Record | Points |
| 1 | Alabama (58) | 14-0 | 1,450 |
| 2 | Texas | 13-1 | 1,360 |
| 3 | Florida | 13-1 | 1,323 |
| 4 | Boise State | 14-0 | 1,312 |
| 5 | Ohio State | 11-2 | 1,190 |
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.
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.