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.
ReutersN is for Dallas power forward Dirk Nowitzki, who loves to play against San Antonio, the Mavs first test in the playoffs. The Spurs will be without Manu Ginoboli, so Nowitzki knows the chance is there for Dallas — just three years removed from its NBA Finals collapse against the Heat — to avoid a third consecutive first-round exit.
O is for the long odds that the NBA Finals do not end up matching LeBron and Co. against Kobe and Co. It’s a show meant to play the league’s biggest stage, and one the fans and media — as well as NBA commissioner David Stern — crave.
P is for Cleveland’s point differential of +8.9, the best in the league, and just another reason the Cavs have such a strong chance at winning the title.
Q is for Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena, where the Cavs went 39-2 this season. That’s tied for the second-best home record in the history of professional basketball.
R is for Detroit’s Rasheed Wallace, and whatever he is smoking. The Pistons won just 39 games this season, and they face Cleveland in the first round. Yet, Wallace is running his mouth, saying he thinks his team will regain its playoff swagger, and that it has a shot to win the NBA title. Only in your dreams, Rasheed.
S is for Chicago swingman John Salmons, a late bloomer (drafted in 2002), who came to the Bulls in a mid February trade with the Kings. He has filled a void for Chicago, which has lacked a player of his size (6-foot-6), who can both break opponents down off the dribble, and drain three-pointers.
T is for Chicago’s Tyrus Thomas, whose logic is lost on all when he claims the Bulls — they of a 41-41 record — are “the most dangerous team going into the playoffs in the Eastern Conference right now.”
U is for Miami power forward Udonis Haslem, who a day before the Heat’s playoff opener against Atlanta will have six stitches removed from his right thumb. Haslem missed the last six games of the regular season due to the injury. Miami needs him back and playing well against the Hawks.
V is for Cleveland’s Anderson Varejao, who has recovered after recently taking one for the team in a very sensitive area. Varejao was elbowed in the groin by Ray Allen of the Celtics, who for his misbehavior received a one-game suspension from the NBA. Celtics coach Doc Rivers said he was surprised by the suspension, but added the target of the elbow may have played a role in the punishment. You think?
W is for Miami’s Dwyane Wade, the NBA’s scoring champion, who enters the playoffs angry. Says Wade, “Keep doubting me. Keep doubting us. Keep doubting our team. I like that." The Hawks, the first-round opponents of the Heat, would be wise to either say nice things about Wade and Miami or say nothing at all.
X is for the X-factor Utah’s Carlos Boozer represents in the team’s first-round series against the Lakers. Since returning from knee surgery, there have been too many instances where Boozer has failed to bring his "A" game. He must be at his best against Los Angeles for the Jazz to make it a series.
Y is for Philadelphia’s Thaddeus Young who looks recovered from a right ankle injury. Young is an explosive player, and the Sixers need him to be at his explosive best in their first-round encounter with Orlando.
Z is for Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who missed 17 games this season with a left ankle injury. That ankle needs to hold up in the playoffs or else the Cavs’ title chances take a major hit.
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
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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.
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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