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.
APStill, his millions of loyal fans want to know whether Gordon will suffer through another winless, mediocre season in 2009.
"I don't think it's going to (be that way again)," Gordon said. "I think we're a stronger, better team. We're taking that experience and we're making the most of it. This is a humbling sport and last year was a humbling year for us and made us realize just how bad we want to win and how bad we don't want to lose, and I think we can show that this year."
But don't take his word for it. Several competitors scoff at the notion that Gordon is washed up or has forgotten how to win or is playing it far too safe on the race track.
"Jeff Gordon hasn't lost a thing, I can assure you that," fellow competitor Tony Stewart said. "He's still a threat to lead every lap, win every race and add more Sprint Cup championships to the four he already has."
Hendrick Motorsports teammate and three-time reigning Cup champion Jimmie Johnson said, "Jeff is still one of the best drivers out there. No, I don't think he has lost a thing. He can still drive circles around most everyone out there in that garage."
Longtime rival Dale Earnhardt Jr., who became Gordon's teammate at Hendrick Motorsports last season, can relate to the season Gordon had. While Earnhardt did win one race last season — breaking a 76-race winless streak — he also struggled in adapting to the new car at times and ultimately finished last in the 12-man Chase for the Sprint Cup.
"Jeff didn't just forget how to drive," Earnhardt said. "It just shows you how hard this new car is if a guy like him has problems driving it. Some guys have gotten used to the new car sooner than others, but I think he's finally gotten comfortable with it and I think you'll see him back to the old Jeff everyone knows this season."
While Gordon admits he was frustrated far too often last season, it didn't affect his sense of humor. When asked if Earnhardt's often relentless fans cut him a break last season because the two drivers were now teammates, Gordon's face quickly broke into a smile.
"It only lightened up because I wasn't winning," he said, laughing again. "I hope I go back to winning and the boos get loud as can be because that's one of my favorite things to hear."
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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.