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.
Euro Roundup: First-place Manchester City won 1-0 at Aston Villa on Sunday on Joleon Lescott's goal in the 63rd minute, maintaining its two-point lead over Manchester United in the Premier League.
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.
Catcher is a concern as 37-year-old Jorge Posada got into only 51 games last season (only 28 starts at catcher) due to shoulder issues. He did hit a career-high .338 but until he shows he’s healthy and can stay that way there will be questions over his durability. For his part, Posada has insisted he will be ready for spring training and to catch on opening day.
In the outfield Hideki Matsui missed a substantial chunk of the schedule and is coming off knee surgery, likely meaning Johnny Damon will get the bulk of the time in left field. Swisher or Nady could also see time in left as well as their playing right field. The Yankees traded for Swisher in November. They like his versatility and his power but his .219 average of last season must improve. Swisher plays hard and always puts forth a lot of effort.
In center field Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner are the top options. Damon might also play some there. Cabrera hit .249 last season, his worst batting average in the majors. Gardner has speed but batted just .228. A top prospect, Austin Jackson, could be the eventual solution but could be a year or so away.
No doubt Girardi will feel pressure to win but the Red Sox and Rays will again have to be reckoned with in the American League East. The Red Sox will once again be more than solid and it will be interesting to see if any of their gambles on signing players coming off an illness, injuries or surgeries (John Smoltz, Takashi Saito, Brad Penny, Rocco Baldelli and Josh Bard) pay dividends.
The Rays had a miracle-type season in 2008 and there is no reason not to expect them to be as good or even better in 2009. Pat Burrell has been their big offseason signing but they also have added Gabe Kapler and closer Troy Percival underwent successful back surgery and is expected to be ready for opening day.
I see the wild card coming out of the AL East and so the battle for that and the division crown is a three team race with the Red Sox, Rays and Yankees. And at this point, of those three clubs, there’s a lot more to wonder about with New York than there is with either Boston or Tampa Bay.
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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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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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.